NFL Week 4: Contender or Pretender? Ranking 6 of the NFL's Most Borderline Teams

Buffalo is 3-0? Detroit is 3-0? Washington is 2-1? Is it 1997?

The first three weeks of this 2011 NFL season have been surprising, to say the least. Peyton Manning has been watching games from the coaching booth, Matthew Stafford is still healthy and playing lights-out and Chris Johnson has been running like a timid rookie.

When will normalcy return to our precious National Football League? Or is this just the new norm that we must adjust to?

Here are 10 teams that you may be wondering if they are for real or not. Here are the answers in "Contender or Pretender."

Other Borderline Squads...

Tennessee Titans: Veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck is running the team brilliantly, yet losing WR Kenny Britt for the season will hurt him and the Titans. PRETENDER

Washington Redskins: The Redskins play in too tough of a division to compete, but they are definitely improving. PRETENDER

Arizona Cardinals: They are only 1-2, but their division is terrible, and they have Larry Fitzgerald. CONTENDER

Chicago Bears: They will ultimately compete more than the Detroit Lions in the NFC North. CONTENDER

6. Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders have been playing some really good football despite some sub-par defense. Jason Campbell has turned the Raiders' receivers into real fantasy options, and Darren McFadden has proven that he can run over any defense, any time. 

The problem with the Raiders is clearly the defense, yet if they show up like they do against the Jets on Sunday, they could seriously make a run for the division title. The Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs are awful, and the Raiders will just have to beat San Diego to claim the AFC West. 

The Verdict: Contender

5. Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns have looked far from impressive this season, yet nonetheless, they are 2-1. Could the Browns be for real?

I'm saying no. Colt McCoy is a great talent who is only getting better, yet the inconsistency of the Browns running game combined with the strength of their division will make it hard for the Browns to compete this year. 

Both of their wins have been sloppy, and with four games coming this season against the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns will need more time before they return to postseason. 

The Verdict: Pretender

4. San Francisco 49ers

In any other division, the San Francisco 49ers would be pretenders. But the 49ers don't play in just any division, they play in the pitiful NFC West, and the NFC West, to put it blatantly, sucks. 

The Seattle Seahawks may be the worst team in football and the poor St. Louis Rams are getting more banged up by the day. At this point, it looks like the only real contender in the NFC West is the Arizona Cardinals. I would still rank the Cardinals as the favorite to win the division over San Francisco despite having a worse record. 

Both squads, however, have defenses that are playing surprisingly well and offenses that choose to look very good or very flat.

We'll just have to wait and see.

The Verdict: Contender

3. Buffalo Bills

Let me start by saying that I am rooting for Buffalo more than any other squad this year. Everything about their story is great: They play in a city that was hard hit by the recession, have a no-name quarterback from Harvard and already are one win away from tying their total from last season (4).

To make it better, they have a great fanbase, have fun players who love to social network and have some sick new jerseys. 

Despite me wishing otherwise, the Bills will not see the postseason this year. Their lack of defense will prove to hurt them, and their offense won't look this good every game. 

The Verdict: Pretender

2. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans suffered a tough loss to the New Orleans Saints this past weekend, but they are still playing some very good football. 

They can pat themselves on the back, because they did what they needed to do: improve the defense. 

They brought in Wade Phillips to run the defense, Jonathan Joseph at cornerback and focused their draft almost entirely on defense, including taking defensive end J.J. Watt with their first pick. 

The Texans have to thank Peyton Manning a bit for hurting his neck when he did, because the Colts look awful without him. Jacksonville is one of the worst teams in the league, and the only really competition with the Texans in the AFC South is the Tennessee Titans. 

Houston is better all around, though, and they should be able to grab the division title and see the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history. 

The Verdict: Contender

1. Detroit Lions

People are really, REALLY high on the Detroit Lions right now, and I see why. Three years ago, this team was 0-16. Detroit could use something to root for, and I'm glad to see the Lions playing well. 

Realistically though, the Lions are still not contenders despite looking like nothing like but winners through the first three weeks of the season. 

Here's a few reasons why:

1.) Their only postseason chance is via the Wild Card spot, because the Green Bay Packers will win the division. 

2.) Their offense relies to much on being explosive, which doesn't eat up enough of the game clock and won't work every week. 

3.) Matthew Stafford is playing great, but is injury-prone, and the odds are against him to stay healthy all year. 

4.) They have to play the entire NFC South, which includes the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints. Add in a game this week versus the Dallas Cowboys, and the Lions have a very tough schedule versus many of their potential Wild Card opponents. 

The Lions are a very good team, but making the playoffs in the NFL is very hard. 

The Verdict: Pretender