NFL Power Rankings: Which Teams Are Most Difficult to Rank?

After three weeks, teams just don't fall into the power rankings in perfect order on their own.

So many questions remain about so many teams, making it difficult to determine rankings, especially with such a small sample size to work with.

The Atlanta Falcons are a difficult squad to get a handle on. After being thoroughly defeated by the Chicago Bears in Week 1 and pulling off a close victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2, they fell to division rivals Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 16-13.

Though they've managed that one impressive win, the Falcons sit in the middle of the league in points scored and total yardage while ranking in the bottom third for points and yards allowed.

Atlanta has shown flashes of brilliance this year that remind me of their NFC South-winning 13-3 2010 season, but their two losses have raised questions as to whether they can return to the top for a second year in a row.

It is hard to determine where the Falcons fit in the rankings when examining the team beyond just their win-loss record. Atlanta still looks to be establishing its identity—at one moment, they're a running team with fierce defense, and at another they're a passing team with a defense giving up chunks of yardage.

The 0-3 Miami Dolphins appear to have a record worse than they deserve. While the offense has performed well enough to notch the team a win, the Dolphins defense has emerged as one of the weakest in the league.

To rank the Dolphins is to find a spot for one team that appears to be two wholly different squads—the workable offense and the awful defense.

I have Miami ranked 20th this week, on the bottom end of mediocre, but it will be hard not to drop the squad to the bottom of the pack if they exit their Week 4 contest against the San Diego Chargers at 0-4.

NFL Power Rankings, Week 4
 
1. Green Bay Packers
2. New Orleans Saints
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. New England Patriots
5. Detroit Lions
6. Buffalo Bills
7. New York Jets
8. Pittsburgh Steelers
9. San Diego Chargers
10. Houston Texans
11. Philadelphia Eagles
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
13. Dallas Cowboys
14. New York Giants
15. Oakland Raiders
16. Tennessee Titans
17. Atlanta Falcons
18. San Francisco 49ers
19. Washington Redskins
20. Miami Dolphins
21. Cleveland Browns
22. Chicago Bears
23. Carolina Panthers
24. St. Louis Rams
25. Cincinnati Bengals
26. Minnesota Vikings
27. Arizona Cardinals
28. Denver Broncos
29 Indianapolis Colts
30. Kansas City Chiefs
31. Jacksonville Jaguars
32. Seattle Seahawks