NFL Power Rankings: Washington Redskins and 3 Teams Vaulting Up the Rankings

How many of you had the Washington Redskins penciled in as the top NFC East team after four weeks?

QB Rex Grossman was deemed insane when predicting a 'Skins division title, yet here they are, tied with the Giants atop the standings.

The running game got a huge boost with the return of Ryan Torain this week, and expect that to continue into the rest of the season. With Torain and Tim Hightower, the 'Skins may have one of the best backfields in the NFL.

The defense is extremely disciplined and is one of the smartest units in the league.

Add it up and this team has balance for the first time in seemingly forever.

The Redskins are a top-10 team through a quarter of the season.

Here are two other teams poised to rise in the Week 5 power rankings:


Houston Texans

Is it safe to say that the Sunday's win over the Steelers was the biggest in franchise history?

They finally beat a good team and are now 3-1 and on top of their division. The running game is thriving now that Arian Foster is healthy, and as long as Andre Johnson's injury isn't severe, the offense sports incredible balance.

The defense isn't elite, but it's 100 times better than last year's version. They can bring the heat on opposing QBs and are forcing lots of turnovers. The defense and special teams had two touchdowns that were overturned due to bad calls against the Steelers.

The Texans are clearly the class of the AFC South and are a worthy member of the elusive top-10 section of the power rankings.


Cincinnati Bengals

Andy Dalton is legit.

He shook off a horrible first half to lead his team to an impressive come-from-behind victory over the previously unbeaten Buffalo Bills. The thing that's most impressive about the rookie is his poise. He never seems to get caught up in the moment and has a short memory—a terrific combination for a young quarterback.

The defense held the highest scoring offense in the league to 13 points (the Buffalo defense scored a TD) and the team speed on that side of the ball is very impressive. Rey Maualuga has shined since shifting from outside to middle linebacker. He is making outstanding reads and is not missing tackles.

This isn't a playoff team, but they are going to receive a significant bump this week.