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NFL Power Rankings: Which Top 10 Teams Still Have Unanswered Questions?

Zach KruseSep 26, 2011

If there's anything we've learned three weeks into the NFL season, it's that all the top teams in the league have legitimate question marks. The Green Bay Packers (3-0) are the clear No. 1 team, but even they have problems to address.

Here are the some of the unanswered questions facing the top 10 teams in my Week 4 Power Rankings:  

1. Green Bay Packers: Injury issues

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It's the same old story for the Packers to start the 2011 season. After missing 15 players on IR last year, the Packers have lost All-Pro safety Nick Collins already and could lose right tackle Bryan Bulaga. The improving second-year pro left Sunday's game against the Bears with a lower leg injury. Safety Charlie Peprah struggled filling in for Collins on Sunday.  

2. New Orleans Saints: Secondary

The Saints have faced two elite offenses in the Packers and Texans and been shredded defensively in each contest. It's a worrisome sign, especially because the best teams in the league all have explosive offenses. 

3. New England Patriots: Defense

"Defense" is broad problem, but it's only fair to encompass all 11 defenders in the Pats' biggest problem. They need to find a pass rush because New England simply doesn't have the talent in the secondary to stop offenses without it.   

4. Baltimore Ravens: Consistency

Which team are the Ravens? The one who has blown out the Steelers and Rams by a combined score of 72-14, or the team who laid an egg against the Titans in Week 2? Once they find a happy-medium, they'll be a 12- or 13-win team. 

5. Detroit Lions: Schedule

The Lions are 3-0, but the combined record of their three opponents is just 2-7. Both the Vikings and Chiefs look lost to start the season. The Lions get the Cowboys on the road and the Bears on Monday Night Football in the next two weeks to prove they are for real. 

6. Pittsburgh Steelers: Offensive Line

It's an obvious answer but one that the Steelers need to get figured out. Ben Roethlisberger has been under pressure the entire season and it nearly cost them again on Sunday night against the Colts. The line wasn't their strong point in last season's Super Bowl run, but the Steelers won't get back there with a line like this. 

7. Buffalo Bills: Dealing with Expectations

Beating the Patriots on Sunday confirmed that the Bills are the NFL's Cinderella story so far in 2011. At 3-0, with two 18-point or more comebacks in the past two weeks, the Bills now have expectations moving forward this season. Can they handle the expectations of people thinking they should win most weeks? 

8. Houston Texans: Red Zone Offense

The Texans missed so many golden chances to put the Saints away on the road in the first half. Already up 7-0, the Texans were forced to kick three field goals inside in the 20-yard-line that kept the Saints in the game. Against good teams like New Orleans, those opportunities have to be converted into touchdowns. If Houston misses the playoffs, they can look back on this loss as one they should have had. 

9. San Diego Chargers: Paper Tigers or Playing Down?

It's a legitimate question to ask. We all know how much experts like the Chargers on paper, but they've looked largely average against two really poor teams in the Vikings and Chiefs. Is this Chargers team any good? Or is there a reason they play down to bad teams so often? 

10. New York Giants: Good Eli, Bad Eli

It's hard to get a handle on Eli Manning. There are times, like Sunday when he looks like the Super Bowl MVP he was four years go, but then the next week there's always the chance he'll turn the ball over several times in a Giants loss. If he could ever establish some kind of consistency, the Giants would be a tough team to beat week-in and week-out.  

Full Week 4 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (3-0)17. Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) 
2. New Orleans Saints (2-1)18. Chicago Bears (1-2) 
3. New England Patriots (2-1)

19. Atlanta Falcons (1-2)

4. Baltimore Ravens (2-1)20. San Francisco 49ers (2-1)
5. Detroit Lions (3-0) 21. Cleveland Browns (2-1)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) 22. Carolina Panthers (1-2) 
7. Buffalo Bills (3-0)23. Arizona Cardinals (1-2) 
8. Houston Texans (2-1) 24. Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)
9. San Diego Chargers (2-1) 25. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) 
10. New York Giants (2-1)26. Denver Broncos (1-2)
11. New York Jets (2-1)27. Seattle Seahawks (1-2)  
12. Dallas Cowboys (1-1)*28. St. Louis Rams (0-3)  
13. Oakland Raiders 2-1)29. Miami Dolphins (0-3)
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)30. Minnesota Vikings (0-3)
15. Washington Redskins (2-0)*31. Indianapolis Colts (0-3) 
16. Tennessee Titans (2-1) 

32. Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)

* Play Monday night

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