NFL Power Rankings Week 4: League Hierarchy Following Thursday Night Football

NFL power rankings are prone to alter dramatically each and every week. While one good performance can propel a team up the league's hierarchy, an awful performance can send a squad into the cellar. After a lopsided contest between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins on Thursday Night Football, rankings have already begun to shift.

We can expect more of the same after Sunday's and Monday's contests have concluded, as the Week 4 slate brings with it some very intriguing matchups. We're also dealing with inactive teams for the first time this year due to bye weeks.

Before these rankings move yet again, let's first take a look at how all 32 of the NFL's teams stand following Thursday's game.

Power Rankings

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

This is the worst team in football right now. With a porous defense and a hapless offense in tow, there's no reason to think the Jaguars will be climbing the rankings any time soon. Rookie quarterback Blake Bortles has the talent to turn things around, but that could be a near-impossible feat on a team that scores an average of 14.7 points and allows an average of 39.7 points per game.

Jacksonville, get ready for another top-notch draft pick.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers were a sexy team to pick for a turnaround season during the offseason after a multitude of changes on both sides of the ball. Unfortunately, the team only seems to be getting worse with every passing week. However, there's one big change coming in Week 4, via Adam Schefter of ESPN:

This team couldn't do anything against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3, and that trend should continue with question marks all over defense, at quarterback and in the backfield.

30. Oakland Raiders

While the Raiders looked a bit better in Week 3 against the New England Patriots, the team's 16-9 loss can be attributed more to the Patriots' struggles than to the Raiders' success. Oakland will have to be patient with rookie quarterback Derek Carr at the helm. He's going through plenty of growing pains and will need time before he's able to engineer a victory.

29. Washington Redskins

Kirk Cousins was one of the league's hottest quarterbacks heading into Week 4. Well, after a four-interception performance, that's changed in a big way. He looked absolutely dreadful in a system that was supposed to play to his strengths. He was rattled after his first pick and couldn't shake it off, leading to speculation that he may not be a starting-caliber quarterback.

Giants defenders certainly enjoyed themselves on Thursday, according to a tweet from NBC Sports:

In addition to the team's offensive struggles, Washington's secondary was exposed by Eli Manning and Co. throughout the game. With a defense that looks as bad as the offense, the Redskins shouldn't expect to see many wins in the future.

28. Tennessee Titans

Tennessee got off to a nice start with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs; however, things have gone way downhill since. After a loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the team was routed by the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3. Making matters worse, injury-prone quarterback Jake Locker may be forced to miss time once again. Don't expect the unproven Charlie Whitehurst to start compiling wins in Tennessee.

27. Miami Dolphins

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After a brilliant performance over the Patriots in Week 1, the Dolphins' momentum has sputtered and come to a complete halt. Miami was crushed in consecutive games by the Buffalo Bills and Chiefs, leading to talk about the potential benching of quarterback Ryan Tannehill. This is a team in need of a major confidence boost, and luckily, the Dolphins could get it with the Raiders next on the slate.

26. Minnesota Vikings

The Teddy Bridgewater era is beginning in Week 4, as the first-round draft pick will get his first start against the Falcons. Without Adrian Peterson in the fold, Minnesota's offense has been completely stagnant. Expectations surrounding Bridgewater should be tempered—even against a mediocre Atlanta defense—as he adjusts to the speed of the NFL.

USA Today Sports noted midseason changes generally don't favor rookie quarterbacks:

25. St. Louis Rams

St. Louis was impressive through two quarters in Week 3; however, the team ultimately allowed the Cowboys to come back from a 21-point deficit. Austin Davis played pretty well, but turnovers plagued the team in the end. The Rams get a much-needed bye in Week 4, and they'll need it, as the 3-0 Philadelphia Eagles are next on the schedule.

24. New York Jets

The Jets have been keeping up with better teams this year, but they just haven't been able to close the deal. Quarterback Geno Smith is improving, but turnovers are still a big issue. New York's run defense has been tremendous, but its secondary is incredibly thin. That doesn't bode well with a contest against Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Co. coming on Sunday.

23. Green Bay Packers

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Green Bay has been an underachieving team in almost every phase of the game through three weeks. The team was clobbered by the Seattle Seahawks, had to come back to gain a win against the Jets and was held to just seven points against the Detroit Lions. Aaron Rodgers has not looked polished, and Eddie Lacy has been struggling to regain his 2013 form. Changes must happen quickly, or this team will quickly find itself in a very deep hole.

21. San Francisco 49ers

Let's get one thing straight: The 49ers are a very talented football team—they're just not putting it all together for a full 60 minutes. After giving up a big lead to Chicago in Week 2, the team imploded against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3. Backup quarterback Drew Stanton lit up San Francisco's secondary, and the 49ers offense didn't help matters, abandoning the running game.

Around the NFL tweeted an unfavorable stat for San Francisco's impending matchup:

This is a team that has the ability to climb back up the rankings quickly; however, it will need to prove it on the field first.

22. Kansas City Chiefs

After a tragic Week 1, Kansas City has started to come around. The team suffered a close loss against the Denver Broncos in Week 2 and earned a big win against Miami in Week 3. Alex Smith has been looking as good as ever, and Knile Davis proved to be a worthy replacement for the injured Jamaal Charles. The Chiefs are beginning to find the recipe that earned them a playoff berth one season ago.

20. New Orleans Saints

There are no questions about the Saints offense—it remains one of the most prolific in the league. However, the team's defense doesn't resemble a shadow of a shadow of its 2013 version. Things began to click in Week 3 against the Vikings; however, continuing to show improvement against better defenses is necessary before naming New Orleans as one of the NFL's top teams once again.

19. Indianapolis Colts

After losing two close contests, the Colts finally notched a big win—albeit, against the hapless Jaguars. Still, a win is a win. Andrew Luck has been lights out, and the emergence of Ahmad Bradshaw has been very important to the team's well-balanced offense. If Indianapolis keeps up this momentum against more difficult squads, it will soar up the rankings.

18. Cleveland Browns

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The Browns may be the best 1-2 team in the league right now. They defeated Drew Brees and the Saints and kept it close in two tough division contests against the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. Brian Hoyer has been very efficient under center, and the team's secondary is no joke. Cleveland gets some rest in Week 4 and should be expected to come out firing against the Titans the week after.

17. Carolina Panthers

After a terrible showing in Week 3, the Panthers plummeted down the rankings. Losing by a big margin at home in prime time is not the way to remain high in the pecking order. Cam Newton did play well; however, the Panthers lacked a running game and allowed a whopping 264 rushing yards to the Steelers. Luke Kuechly and Co. must tighten things up in a hurry.

16. Houston Texans

The Texans were rolling after two wins to begin the season—until the Giants figured out their offense in Week 3. Houston's strength was its defense until the team gave up 30 points and 419 total yards to Eli Manning, Rashad Jennings and Victor Cruz—among others. If Houston can't figure things out against Buffalo in Week 4, a free fall down the league's hierarchy will continue.

15. Buffalo Bills

Buffalo looked like the real deal through two weeks; however, the team fell victim to a red-hot San Diego Chargers team in Week 3. While the Bills offense looked decent, C.J. Spiller needs to get back on track, and the team must get Sammy Watkins involved. We'll see if Buffalo can rebound against Houston in Week 4.

14. New York Giants

Well, it appears as though Eli Manning is nicely suited for a West Coast offense. He began to catch fire against Houston in Week 3, but he absolutely pummeled the Redskins during Thursday Night Football. Manning completed 28 of his 39 passes for 300 yards, four touchdowns and one interception for a 117.5 rating. Meanwhile, the Giants secondary shut down Kirk Cousins and Washington's prolific receivers.

Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News tweeted a big factor in Manning's recent success:

Should New York keep up this pace against upcoming difficult matchups, it will continue to climb into the ranks of the league's elite.

13. New England Patriots

New England's offensive line really needs to get it together. Tom Brady has been average, and the team's running game has been inconsistent. These were the reasons the Patriots escaped with a seven-point victory over Oakland in Week 3. A tough road game in Kansas City is next on the slate for Brady and Co. A win could secure a top-10 ranking, while a loss could send the team to the middle of the pack—or worse.

12. Dallas Cowboys

Dallas made a great comeback against the Rams in Week 3; however, the team shouldn't have fallen into a 21-point hole to begin with. The Cowboys still have a suspect secondary, and Tony Romo can't be trusted to maintain possession. DeMarco Murray will remain the key for this team's success. Running the ball will keep its shaky defense off the field and the ball out of Romo's hands. We'll soon find out if Jason Garrett sees it that way as well.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers

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Things weren't looking good for the Steelers after an embarrassing loss to the Ravens in Week 2. Well, they responded in a big way, pummeling the Panthers in Week 3. Pittsburgh's running backs looked phenomenal against one of the league's best defenses, and Ben Roethlisberger looked great in the second half. The team has to overcome some injuries on defense, but luckily, its next two matchups against the Buccaneers and Jaguars are very favorable.

10. Detroit Lions

It's been a roller-coaster ride for the Lions to this point in the season. After a decisive Week 1 victory over the Giants, the team was trounced by Carolina in Week 2 only to rebound against the Packers in Week 3. We know Detroit's offense is prolific, but is its defense for real? If the answer is yes, this will be a dangerous team for the remainder of the season.

9. Chicago Bears

Jay Cutler has been red-hot through three weeks, tossing eight touchdown passes against just two interceptions. Although, the team isn't without question marks. Matt Forte has been struggling, and the Bears are still having difficulty defending against the run. One positive takeaway is the tremendous play by rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller. Each of these facets will be challenged in a pivotal Week 4 contest against the Packers.

8. Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore didn't look so hot against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1; however, the team bounced back nicely against the Steelers in Week 2. With a win over the Browns in the books, the Ravens are now 2-1 and set to face the reeling Panthers in Week 3. Despite Joe Flacco's average play, Steve Smith has been great for the Ravens so far this season, and now he gets a shot at his former team.

Although, it may not be smooth sailing, as Baltimore is dealing with a few key injuries. Here's a look, via the team's official Twitter account:

7. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons were torched by the Bengals in Week 2 but came back with a near-perfect showing against the Buccaneers in Week 3. Matt Ryan has looked fantastic—especially with a healthy Julio Jones at his disposal. Expect to see more high-octane offense in Week 4 against the Vikings while Atlanta's secondary tries to right the ship against a rookie signal-caller.

6. San Diego Chargers

A last-second loss to the Cardinals in Week 1 saw this team start in the hole; however, two convincing wins against good teams saw the Chargers quickly shoot back up the rankings. Under head coach Mike McCoy, quarterback Philip Rivers has been resurgent. That will continue in Week 4 against the Jaguars while San Diego begins to figure out its situation in the backfield.

5. Denver Broncos

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Denver hasn't been lighting up scoreboards like it did in 2013, but the team still finds itself with a winning record through three weeks. Peyton Manning has been efficient as ever, but the Broncos are struggling to gain yards on the ground, and the revamped defense has been shaky at times. Denver has a Week 4 bye—which comes at a great time after a tough loss—but will be highly tested the following week against the Cardinals.

4. Seattle Seahawks

The reigning Super Bowl champions still find themselves near the top of the standings despite suffering one loss. Seattle's defense has been tested several times early in the season, but it should return to its dominant form with an easier schedule on the horizon. Winning important games on the road will be crucial for this team to remain high in the league's hierarchy.

3. Philadelphia Eagles

Through three games this season, the Eagles have found themselves down by double-digit points in every contest. However, they battled back each time and sit at 3-0 heading into Week 4. While the offense has looked good, it must start faster out of the gate to avoid that trend continuing. Philadelphia's high-octane offense will be highly tested on Sunday in San Francisco, as it faces its first formidable defense of the season.  

2. Arizona Cardinals

Winning three consecutive games is impressive for any NFL team. However, earning two of those victories on the arm of a backup quarterback is even more astonishing. Arizona has shown a stout defense, solid running game and deep corps of wide receivers en route to a tie for the league's best record. While Stanton has been good, getting Carson Palmer back in the fold will be crucial. With a bye coming in Week 4, he could be in action for a difficult contest against the Broncos in Week 5.

1. Cincinnati Bengals

USA TODAY Sports

The Bengals may be the most complete team in the NFL right now. Despite the loss of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to the Vikings, Cincinnati's defense is allowing a league-low 11 points per game. Meanwhile, with former offensive coordinator Jay Gruden departed to Washington, Andy Dalton and Co. haven't missed a beat and are putting up an average of 26.7 points per game—good enough for fifth in the league.

This tweet from Football Perspective sums up the Bengals' prowess on both sides of the ball this season:

After routing the Titans by a score of 33-7 in Week 3, Cincinnati gets a bye in Week 4, allowing several key players to get healthy again. With some difficult upcoming opponents, we'll find out just how good the Bengals are in short order.