NFL Power Rankings Week 4: Predicting Post-Monday Night Football Standings

Football has become America’s new pastime, and the third week of the 2014 NFL regular season lived up to the lofty expectations set by the first two weeks of action.

Now, fans of the sport have turned their attention to the Week 4 power rankings and where every team stands before the Monday Night Football matchup between the Chicago Bears and New York Jets.

Here are the Week 4 power rankings heading into Monday’s game.

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Everyone knew the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be bad in the first season under new head coach Lovie Smith, but the beating the team suffered on Thursday Night Football was embarrassing. The Atlanta Falcons manhandled Tampa Bay, 56-14.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars

The bad news is that Jacksonville is now 0-3 and one of the worst teams in the NFL. On the other hand, the good news is that the franchise has finally turned the reins over to rookie quarterback Blake Bortles. The future is now.

30. Oakland Raiders

Despite having less talent on both sides of the ball, the Oakland Raiders gave the New England Patriots a tough matchup on Sunday. Unfortunately, the team wasn’t good enough to pull out the win and will continue to struggle all season.

29. New York Giants

Kudos to the New York Giants for actually winning a game, but it was in the ugliest way imaginable. The team turns the ball over far too much to be a contender, and New York will wallow at the bottom of the NFC East standings.

28. St. Louis Rams

Even with Sam Bradford out for the season with a knee injury, the St. Louis Rams have found a way to stay in contention each of the last two weeks. Led by backup quarterback Austin Davis, St. Louis is performing better than anticipated. Injuries have taken too much out of the franchise, though.

27. Minnesota Vikings

After watching Matt Cassel show exactly why he is a career backup, the Minnesota Vikings were forced to turn to rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater when Cassel went down with a foot injury. There will be growing pains, but the franchise would be smart to ride with Bridgewater moving forward.

26. Tennessee Titans

A win against Kansas City in Week 1 had many football fans excited about the Tennessee Titans. Two lopsided losses later, and the team is back where many thought it would be all along. Unless the team shows any consistency on either side of the ball, it’s going to be a long season in Tennessee.

25. Washington Redskins

The ankle injury to Robert Griffin III created a major shakeup for the Washington Redskins, but backup Kirk Cousins may actually be a better fit in Jay Gruden’s offensive scheme. The defense is still terrible, but the offensive unit can win the team a few games this season.

24. Houston Texans

A loss to the New York Giants exposed just how important injured running back Arian Foster is to the team, but the Houston Texans are hoping Week 3 was an anomaly and that they will return to their winning ways.

23. Miami Dolphins

A win over the New England Patriots gave fans far too much confidence in the Miami Dolphins, and the team has come crashing back down to reality. After losing to a Jamaal Charles-less Kansas City franchise on Sunday, Miami is in trouble.

22. Dallas Cowboys

Any win is a good win for the Dallas Cowboys, but Sunday’s victory was ugly. Dallas should have dominated a lackluster St. Louis team, but it barely hung on for a 34-31 win. The struggles on defense are very real and will plague the team all year.

21. New York Jets

The consistency of the offensive unit is the key against Chicago on Monday night, but if the New York Jets defense plays well and Geno Smith protects the football, the home team has the potential to stun the Bears.

20. Kansas City Chiefs

Even without top running back Jamaal Charles in the lineup, the Kansas City Chiefs regained the elite form of last year and utterly dominated Miami. The road gets tough moving forward, though, as Kansas City hosts New England on Monday Night Football in Week 4.

19. Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns have fought hard in each game this season, losing by just five combined points in the team’s two losses. With a favorable schedule, Cleveland could easily win seven or eight games this season.

18. Buffalo Bills

A loss to San Diego puts a halt to the momentum Buffalo was building, but the team showed how good it can be through three weeks. As long as the team stays healthy, the Bills are a dark-horse postseason contender.

17. Green Bay Packers

A 1-2 start is not what football fans expected from the Green Bay Packers. If they don't diagnose the issue and remedy it immediately, the Pack will continue their slide out of playoff contention.

16. Chicago Bears

A matchup against the stout defense of the New York Jets will be a tough test for Chicago. As long as its defense gets pressure on Geno Smith, though, Chicago should be able to walk out of Monday Night Football with the win.

15. Atlanta Falcons

As impressive as the offensive explosion against Tampa Bay was on Thursday, Atlanta’s offense was shut down against Cincinnati. Before the team climbs the rankings too high, the Falcons must show the consistency needed to make the postseason again.

14. Carolina Panthers

A loss against Pittsburgh exposed the need for a more consistent rushing attack, but the Carolina Panthers have the personnel to bounce back from the loss and be a legitimate threat in the wide-open NFC South.

13. Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions have still not found their elite form on the offensive side of the ball, but the defense stepped up huge in the Week 3 victory over Green Bay. If Matthew Stafford and the offensive unit can play consistently, Detroit will be hard to beat.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers

After taking a tough loss to Baltimore on Thursday Night Football in Week 2, the Pittsburgh Steelers dominated the Carolina Panthers under the lights of Sunday Night Football. Pittsburgh is still a threat in the AFC, but consistency is a major issue.

11. San Francisco 49ers

Injuries have plagued the San Francisco 49ers this season, and it is showing on the field. After losing to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 and Chicago in Week 2, the team must alter its game plan and come to the table against Philadelphia in Week 4 with something different.

10. Baltimore Ravens

There is nothing pretty about the way the Baltimore Ravens win games, but they always seem to pull out the victory. The Super Bowl experience of the key players on the team should have fans confident that the Ravens can return to the postseason and be a threat.

9. Arizona Cardinals

Head coach Bruce Arians is turning into one of the top coaches in the league with his masterful job with the Arizona Cardinals. Despite several injuries to key players, Arians has the Cardinals playing hard each week and beating legitimate contenders. Don’t sleep on Arizona.

8. New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints started the season with two straight losses, but they bounced back in Week 3 against the lowly Minnesota Vikings. While New Orleans has all the tools, the offensive and defensive units have still not found their rhythms. The Saints better figure it out fast.

7. San Diego Chargers

The battle between the San Diego Chargers and Buffalo was a tough test for both franchises, but Philip Rivers and the Chargers passed. San Diego’s improving defense and high-powered offense proved to be enough to stop the Bills. Expect the Chargers to be in the playoffs once again.

6. Indianapolis Colts

Two losses to open the season were tough to swallow for the Indianapolis Colts, but a bounce-back 44-17 victory against Jacksonville should be exactly what the doctor ordered for the team’s confidence.

5. New England Patriots

There is nothing pretty about the way the New England Patriots play, but the team manages to pull out wins. While the Patriots must find more offensive continuity to become viable postseason threats, the defense has looked strong.

4. Cincinnati Bengals

One of the most complete teams in the league is the Cincinnati Bengals. The franchise’s defense is one of the best against the pass and the run, and the offense features an eclectic mix of passing and rushing attacks.

3. Philadelphia Eagles

Despite injuries along the offensive line, the Philadelphia Eagles showed grit and determination against the Washington Redskins and pulled out a hard-fought victory. Led by Nick Foles, the Eagles look like legitimate contenders in the NFC.

2. Denver Broncos

Taking another loss against Seattle was not how the Denver Broncos wanted the Super Bowl rematch to go. With the defense showing vast improvements over last season and the offense stepping up when needed, Denver has the ability to contend for a championship.

1. Seattle Seahawks

After beating the Broncos in the Super Bowl and holding on for an overtime victory in Week 3, the Seattle Seahawks have surpassed Denver in the latest power rankings and are still the team to beat in the NFL.

*Stats via NFL.com.

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