Here at the Power Rankings, we feel very confident about the order of the first two teams. Things get a little tricky after that.
Through four weeks, the Patriots and Chiefs feel like the class of the NFL. But who else should we believe in? The Saints move into the top three on the strength of a pair of great performances without Drew Brees. The Cowboys should be fine despite their Superdome speedbump. But after that? This job is hard.
Let's do our best to sort this mess out.
NOTE: The previous rankings referenced in the lineup below are from the
Previous rank:**
°Õ³ó±ðÌý' defense  Sunday, forcing four turnovers in a tough road matchup against an equally game  defense. When the revitalized ** out of the air for the game-clinching interception, it finished a day of covering for New England's slumping offense. Here's a great stat : The Pats have had 22 possessions since taking a 20-0 lead over the ** -- only four of those drives have gone longer than five plays. Brady looked utterly lost in Buffalo, finishing with 3.8 yards per attempt -- in the dreaded Gabbert Zone for ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøquarterbacks. When Bill Belichick settled for a 23-yard field goal with the Pats up 13-10 and sitting at the ' 4-yard line late in the third quarter, was it a show of faith in his defense or a signal of doubt in his Brady-led attack? Probably both.
Previous rank:**
So much for a dome environment Ìý´Ú´Ç°ùÌý. The reigning MVP threw for 315 yards, but finished without a touchdown pass  at Ford Field -- ending a 14-game streak in which he'd thrown at least two TD strikes per game, one short of the ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íørecord. Still, Mahomes made magic when it mattered most for the undefeated . Down 30-27 and facing a fourth-and-8 with less than two minutes to play,  to move the chains.  would cap a 13-play, 79-yard drive with  Meanwhile, the decision by Ìý³¦´Ç°ù²Ô±ð°ùÌý to scoop up a loose football at his own goal line and run it back 100 yards the other way  will serve as a teaching tool for offensive and defensive coaches going forward. ( The lesson? Play through the damn whistle!) A 14-point swing in a game ultimately decided by four points.
Previous rank:**
It's not just that the  are now 2-0 with ** It's who they've beaten -- the ** and the ** -- and the manner in which they've done it. These have been team-wide efforts illuminating just how deep and well-coached this group is. You'd have to think these are two of the most rewarding regular-season wins of Sean Payton's illustrious run in New Orleans. On Sunday, the ' defense forced three turnovers and held a talented  attack to just 257 yards in a 12-10 win. It was the rarest of outcomes for New Orleans, which won for the first time in the Payton era without scoring a touchdown. It would help if Brees' fill-in at QB, , gave the team a little more -- he's been more down than up so far -- but the  are showing they don't need a star under center to stack wins. How many teams can claim that?
Previous rank:**
Time to tap the brakes on the Kellen Moore  induction. °Õ³ó±ðÌý' first-year offensive coordinator received plenty of praise during the team's 3-0 start, but his attack came down to Earth in Sunday's  The Big Three told the story of the evening's struggles: quarterback  failed to throw a touchdown pass, running back  averaged 1.9 yards per carry and lost a fumble and receiver  was blanketed by New Orleans coverage ace . To make matters worse, the Ìý±ô´Ç²õ³ÙÌý** on the first play of their fruitless final possession. Tough night, but Dallas remains in good shape and should still be regarded as an NFC favorite ... even if the  planted a seed of doubt at the Superdome.
Previous rank:**
What an incredible display by the ' defense, which absolutely suffocated a talented  offense in  at Soldier Field. Chicago was in complete control of the line of scrimmage and lived in the Minnesota backfield, making life hell for an overwhelmed , who was sacked six times. Most impressive? °Õ³ó±ðÌý dominated their division rival on a day when they were missing five starters and lost their quarterback on the first drive of the game. Mitch Trubisky suffered a left shoulder injury and  for this Sunday's game against the  in London. Backup  was an ideal hold-the-fort guy against the Vikings; the question is whether the veteran would be able to remain at that level over an extended stretch. °Õ³ó±ðÌý are talented enough that they don't need superstar play at quarterback to win. Trubisky or Daniel just needs to make enough plays ... then get out of the way.
Previous rank:**
°Õ³ó±ðÌý produced a tremendous team effort on Thursday night at Lambeau Field. Facing an undefeated  team, on the road, on a short week, with several key players still sidelined, coach Doug Pederson received huge efforts from both sides of the ball in . The defense stepped up with two goal-line stands in the fourth quarter, and the running game gave the offense much-needed balance on the way to 176 yards.  threw for just 160 yards, but he finished with three touchdowns and avoided the big mistake. Green Bay quarterback  couldn't say the same thing after his forced end-zone pass in the final minute led to Ìý²ú²âÌý. Now 2-2, the  get nine days to recover and prep before the winless *come to town.* Order has been restored.
Previous rank:**
°Õ³ó±ðÌý were assigned the unwelcome and entirely too early Week 4 bye, but at least they get to revel in the glory of a 3-0 start for another week. Two major areas of progress for the Niners, who are already just one win away from matching their total from last year: 1) They are making impact plays on defense that weren't happening a year ago. San Francisco has forced seven turnovers in three games, matching their total for the entire 2018 season. 2) The running game has been excellent.  (226 yards, 5.5 YPC) and  (202 yards, 5.9 YPC) lead a rushing attack that entered Week 4 ranked fourth in the NFL. Quarterback , meanwhile, has shown incremental progress as he works his way back from ACL surgery, and the Niners have done well not to put too much on his shoulders in the early going.
Previous rank:**
You can imagine Sean McVay waking up Monday morning  and thinking to himself, How the hell did that happen? °Õ³ó±ðÌý were heavy favorites in their own building facing a thought-to-be-middling Bucs team ... and somehow, L.A. ended up on the wrong end of a  There were many culprits.  had four turnovers (despite 500 yards passing). °Õ³ó±ðÌý' pass rush disappeared after two early sacks. The secondary allowed  to pile up 12 catches for 172 yards. The running game remained an afterthought. Said  after five rushes for 16 yards:  Lastly, the offensive line continues to play below expectations. °Õ³ó±ðÌý' hopes for a late rally were extinguished when  blew past veteran right tackle **Ìý·É¾±³Ù³óÌý returning the ball for a touchdown. A grim performance all the way around.
Previous rank:**
The big takeaway from Thursday was that  because they failed in the red zone. The irony of this failure was that it occurred in the most productive game of the season for  and the offense. Green Bay ran eight plays over two possessions inside the ' 10-yard line in the fourth quarter and came away with zero points in the 34-27 loss. Four of those plays began on Philly's 1-yard line. Coach Matt LaFleur stood by his decision to hand the ball off just once in those eight plays, but the lack of trust in the running game was apparent and costly. Also costly: Ìý²õ³Ü´Ú´Ú±ð°ù±ð»åÌý that kept him out of the final possession and could cost the star wideout more time. Are Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌý ready to assume bigger roles if Adams is compromised? The offense's functionality might ride on it.
Previous rank:**
Ìý´Ú´Ç°ùÌý was motivated by the need to import a defensive playmaker. On Sunday against the , Clowney snagged a floating  pass with his left hand and looked more like  than a linebacker as  for a pick-six -- the first interception of his ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøcareer. Clowney's big play set the tone for an easy, drama-free  in the desert. It's exactly the type of game the  hoped for, with the divisional rival  up next on "Thursday Night Football." Clowney's re-emergence after a couple of quiet weeks was nice; also nice was running back  finishing with 145 combined yards on 26 touches and, perhaps most importantly, no fumbles. Carson had put the ball on the ground three times entering Sunday.
Previous rank:**
Ìý²ú²âÌýJosh Allen, and not because he exited in the second half with a head injury. Allen had shown undeniable growth as a quarterback during the ' 3-0 start, but the 2018 first-round pick wasn't quite up for the moment against a powerhouse  defense. In the  Allen threw three interceptions, missed open receivers and generally looked a lot like the Bad Josh AllenÌý³Ù³ó²¹³ÙÌý fans hoped had been left behind last year. It's a shame, too, because Buffalo's defense showed (again) that it is one of the very best units in football. Ask , who looked completely out of sorts in leading the Pats offense to 224 yards of total offense. Ìý²õ²¹´Ú±ð³Ù²âÌýÌý´Ç²ÔÌý** did that to 12 (Brady), we wouldn't have been in that game anymore. There's no way."
Previous rank:**
 is back after  but there's no way  can lose significant snaps as a result. Right? Ekeler was a standout once again on Sunday, accounting for 122 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in  over the . That's the type of production Gordon has been known for during his time with the Bolts, but there's something to be said for riding the hot hand. It's obviously a very good problem for the  to have ... and it makes you wonder if Los Angeles will be aggressive in trying to move Gordon ahead of the Oct. 29 trade deadline. Quote Of The Week comes from , who won for the first time in his career in Miami: "I hadn't played worth a hoot here the last two times -- in 2013 and 2014. It was rough days for us, so it was good to win."
Previous rank:**
°Õ³ó±ðÌý were forced to settle for  on Sunday when it could have been so much more. Matt Patricia's team had a three-point lead with less than two minutes to play when ** on fourth-and-8 to keep the  alive. Kansas City would finish off the drive with a touchdown, marking the last of five lead changes in the second half. Final possession aside, the ' defense did a great job all afternoon of putting pressure on Mahomes, who was held without a touchdown pass for only the fourth time in his career (including playoffs). Kerryon Johnson ran for 125 yards and  threw for nearly 300 yards with three touchdowns, with two of ** ... and it still wasn't enough. A tough loss to swallow, but Detroit showed it can hang with anybody on a good day.
Previous rank:**
±·´Ç·ÉÌýthose were the  we've all been expecting this season. Cleveland piled up 530 yards and 40 points  and now suddenly finds itself  at the season's quarter point. Baker Mayfield got back on track after a week of outside criticism, but the real star on Sunday was running back Nick Chubb, who went off for 165 rushing yards and three touchdowns, including  in the fourth quarter. We got both sides of Chubb's game in this one: He wasn't touched on his 88-yard score, showing eye-popping burst.  a 14-yard run, he ran through three would-be tacklers. °Õ³ó±ðÌý' defense also deserves credit. Coordinator Steve Wilks' unit kept Baltimore QB  in check, even without the services of injured starting cornerbacks Denzel WardÌý²¹²Ô»åÌý. This is a dangerous team.
Previous rank:**
 was undoubtedly a tough watch in the film room for Bill O'Brien and the . From 's missed home-run balls to Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌý, to Hopkins' doomed red-zone pass that went for , to O'Brien's strange decision to challenge an obvious  in the fourth quarter (costing Houston a valuable timeout in the process), the  let a winnable game slip away. The offensive line also struggled, allowing Watson to absorb six sacks and 10 quarterback hits. This came after the oft-maligned unit performed extremely well in  last week. The loss sends the AFC South into a dogfight, with four teams tied at 2-2. °Õ³ó±ðÌý are the most talented team of the bunch, but consistency has been a problem in the season's first quarter.
Previous rank:**
°Õ³ó±ðÌý have reached a crisis point with their defense. Who thought that day would ever come? Baltimore's beleaguered D surrendered 500-plus yards of offense to an opponent for the second straight week, and it cost the  sole possession of first place in the AFC North as a result. A front seven that was raided in free agency remains a particular concern. In Sunday's **Ìý±ç³Ü²¹°ù³Ù±ð°ù²ú²¹³¦°ìÌýBaker Mayfield was hit just once in 31 dropbacks, and Nick Chubb rushed for 165 yards and three touchdowns. The defensive struggles ramp up the pressure on , who in the last two weeks has not looked like the world-beater we saw against the Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌý** Jackson struggled with accuracy in  to the . This week, Jackson was unable to push the ball down the field against a Cleveland defense playing without two starting cornerbacks. All in all, a lost week.
Previous rank:**
It's a good thing  is built like a He-Man figure -- the  are using their star running back like he's an indestructible children's toy. McCaffrey finished with 37 touches for 179 total yards and a touchdown in Carolina's  over the  on Sunday. As my colleague Gregg Rosenthal , McCaffrey is on pace for 444 touches this season. That would rank  among running backs, and it would be the most since DeMarco Murray had 449 touches for the  in 2014. (It should be noted Murray was never the same player after that season.) With second-year pro  set to remain the starting quarterback in place of the injured  for next week  offensive coordinator Norv Turner is unlikely to tap the brakes on McCaffrey's usage. But that doesn't mean he shouldn't.
Previous rank:**
Do you believe in Minshew Magic? For the second consecutive week, the ' backup quarterback got off to a slow start, and for the second consecutive week,  II closed strong in  Minshew is so incredibly calm in the pocket, an enviable trait on display ** Minshew didn't beat the  alone, however. , who's been excellent since joining the Jags in 2017, went 4 for 4, including Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌý, much-maligned for most of his Jags career, piled up a career-best 225 rushing yards, with much of that damage being done in the second half. When  was injured in Week 1, it looked like the Jags would be done with relevant football by Halloween. Instead, Jacksonville looks like a very real contender in the tight AFC South. , Jalen!
Previous rank:**
Very close to a bury-the-ball game in Chicago on Sunday. °Õ³ó±ðÌý went to Soldier Field expecting to go toe-to-toe with the defending division champion and instead got beat down for four quarters in ** didn't have time to think behind a line that played turnstile to a swarming Chicago front seven, and  was treated to three hours of running into a wall of  °Õ³ó±ðÌý had 59 total yards of offense in the first half. After the game,  if Minnesota might have strayed too far from the pass-happy offensive philosophy of a year ago (you could also read his comments as indirect criticism of his quarterback). Either way, the  got their butts whooped, and they have a lot of work to do to get to the ' level.
Previous rank:**
Sunday is a reminder of why you don't assume anything in the NFL. On paper, the visiting  looked like a lay-up for a solid (if banged-up)  team, but  The Indy defense, playing without All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard (concussion) and safety  (knee) allowed 188 yards on the ground and permitted the slumping Oakland offense to score three touchdowns in its first four possessions. Things weren't a lot better on the other side of the ball.  had three ugly drops, while Ìý³Ù³ó°ù±ð·ÉÌý and struggled to move the offense until the  were playing catch-up in the fourth quarter. Brissett clearly missed wide receiver/safety blanket , whose calf injury kept him in street clothes. °Õ³ó±ðÌý will need Hilton healthy and productive to keep pace with the  in Arrowhead this Sunday night.
Previous rank:**
 wants you to believe in him. He needs you, dear football fan, to give him another chance. And in the past two weeks, the former first overall pick is playing like the franchise quarterback the  always hoped he would be. Winston threw for 385 yards and four touchdowns on Sunday, leading a pile-driving Bucs offense to  over the previously undefeated . A 50-burger? For Tampa Bay? In Los Angeles? Yes, it was one of the wildest outcomes of the young season. It also showed commendable resolve by the Bucs, who the previous Sunday suffered  in which they blew an 18-point lead against the . This time, the Bucs fought off a charging opponent -- the charging defending conference champions -- and made you think they could hold their own in the NFC playoff race as a result. This is why Bruce Arians came back.
Previous rank:**
°Õ³ó±ðÌý are in that #TitansCycle. Ìý³Ù³ó±ð²ÔÌýÌý³Ù³ó±ð²ÔÌýÌý³Ù³ó±ð²ÔÌý It's quite the party trick, honestly. On Sunday in Atlanta, Mike Vrabel's team looked like world-beaters.  threw three touchdown passes and, for the fourth straight game, avoided a turnover. Mariota (zero sacks) got great protection up front, as did running back , who reached 100 yards on the day. Tennessee even got a big performance from rookie wideout , who was targeted three times and finished with three catches for 94 yards and two scores. They should probably throw to that kid more. Add in a rock-solid showing by the defense and special teams, and you have yourself the type of game that coaches dream about. Now, the big question: Was this the real ? I don't want to spoil it for you, so tune in next week.
Previous rank:**
°Õ³ó±ðÌý are back in the hope business. Rookie QB  improved to 2-0 as a starter, running back  notched two scores ( *) in place of *Saquon Barkley and New York's previously putrid defense even had its way against  and the moribund ** at MetLife Stadium. The past two weeks have been a breath of fresh air for the , who seemed to feel weighed down by the  saga and the internal pressure of how to properly move on from a franchise legend. Eli, as one would expect, has been a good soldier since his demotion, and Jones has brought energy to the Big Blue attack. Up next is a home date against the Vikings, a playoff hopeful dealing with its own internal drama right now. Could Big Blue wake up next Monday in a first-place tie in the NFC East? Not impossible!
Previous rank:**
°Õ³ó±ðÌý' offense emerged from a prolonged slumber, surprising more than the Ìý¾±²ÔÌý at Lucas Oil Stadium. Oakland had managed just two scoring drives in its previous 18 possessions, but  led the offense on three touchdown drives in the ' first four possessions on Sunday, building a lead the team never relinquished. The offense made progress, but the real hero of the day was safety , a CFL castoff who clinched the win with  with 2:09 to play. All wins are beautiful things, but this victory was especially important for the , now 2-2 and in the midst of a 47-day run of game action away from Oakland. °Õ³ó±ðÌý will finish that road trip, and the rest of the schedule, without linebacker , who was  for his helmet-to-helmet hit on tight end .
Previous rank:**
On paper, Sunday looked like a classic "get right" game for the , who welcomed the struggling  into their building. Instead, Atlanta was outclassed in all phases of the game  °Õ³ó±ðÌý, now 1-3, must make immediate improvements to alter the course of a season that is slipping away. If they don't, it's fair to wonder if coach Dan Quinn is in serious danger of an in-season dismissal. Atlanta struggled through a frustrating 7-9 season a year ago that led Quinn to  with each of his coordinators. Quinn's defense has taken an obvious step back since he took over play-calling however, and Dirk Koetter has fared no better than Steve Sarkisian, the oft-maligned offensive coordinator he replaced. If the  continue down their current path, Quinn won't get the opportunity to shuffle the deck again.
Previous rank:**
°Õ³ó±ðÌý might not be a title contender with  sidelined, but that doesn't mean they'll be a punching bag in the AFC. Pittsburgh made that clear in a dominant showing against the Bengals on Monday night. Mason Rudolph didn't light up defenses like , but he made good decisions on a 24-for-28 day.  (125 total yards, TD) snapped out of an early-season funk and the ' defense beat up on , who was sacked eight times and averaged just 4.6 yards per attempt in an A.J. Green-less world. Write off Pittsburgh if you wish, but Mike Tomlin's team is just one game out of first place in the AFC North with 12 games to play. °Õ³ó±ðÌý are alive and well.
Previous rank:**
Maybe Marvin Lewis wasn't the problem after all. °Õ³ó±ðÌýÌý·É±ð°ù±ðÌýspanked by the previously winless Steelers on Monday night, falling to 0-4 in the process. It's one thing to get lit up by a future Hall of Famer in , but soul-searching is in order for Cincinnati after the ' defense allowed Mason Rudolph to complete 24 of 28 passes with two touchdowns in an easy win. Angry  fans will find an easy scapegoat in , but this team has issues that go far beyond the quarterback. The NFL's Glowing Ginger Man can still light up the NFL, but he can't do it alone.
Previous rank:**
Vic Fangio's debut season as head coach has descended into  nightmare status. For the second time this season,  on a last-second field goal, falling to 0-4 in the process. The news somehow got worse on Monday morning. The team announced linebacker  -- the No. 5 overall pick in the 2018 draft --  after suffering a partially torn ACL against the . Despite a slow start in September, Chubb is a major difference-maker who was expected to take a huge leap in his second season. Instead, it's another setback for a Denver defense that didn't have a sack before Sunday and  against the , including 14 in the second half. All those whiffs helped Jags running back  (225 yards) to a career day. "They were pushing us around," . Dark days in Denver.
Previous rank:**
So far, no good for the ' hypothetically explosive offense.  and Co. never got it going on Sunday  managing just one touchdown drive in 10 possessions in a 27-10 loss. The final score would look a little more respectable if  hadn't missed two first-half field-goal tries, but Kliff Kingsbury has a lot of work to do. °Õ³ó±ðÌý are averaging just 18.5 points per game during their 0-3-1 start -- it's simply not enough output in support of a talent-poor Arizona defense in the midst of a total rebuild. At least Arizona still has running back , who accumulated 139 yards of offense (including 99 yards receiving) and generally is moving with the fluidity of his best days when the  can get him the ball in space. The man needs help.
Previous rank:**
The only thing that matters for the  right now is getting  back on the field. At 0-3, the idea of a playoff run has been reduced to a pipe dream, so 2019 becomes a season more about player and scheme development rather than success from a win-loss perspective. Darnold has made  in recovery since his stunning mono diagnosis took him out of the equation going into Week 2, and the quarterback could be on the field when the Jets play the Eagles on Sunday.  the early symptoms of the illness had weakened him in his  against the , so in a way, we're still waiting to see what Adam Gase's offense is supposed to look like. The coach has received heavy criticism for the ' offensive struggles, but real judgment should only begin once Darnold is healthy and back behind center. °Õ³ó±ðÌý hope that day is near.
Previous rank:**
°Â¾±³Ù³óÌý unable to move the  on offense, one could imagine coach Jay Gruden felt he had no choice but  into the lineup during  to the . Gruden was looking for a spark -- in that game, in this season -- but unfortunately, Haskins (three interceptions) was not up to the challenge at the Meadowlands. Should we expect better results for the undercooked first-round pick against the Patriots' gnarly defense? Not bloody likely. On Monday, Ìý´Ú´Ç°ùÌý or Keenum to make the start under center against New England, a decision that's probably best for all parties involved. °Õ³ó±ðÌý will be trying to win that game, but they'll probably settle for not getting embarrassed. Yep, the bar has been lowered in D.C.
Previous rank:**
Here at the bottom of the Power Rankings, we'll continue to focus on incremental gains for football's worst team. °Õ³ó±ðÌý held a lead for the first time this season  on Sunday. It only lasted  ... but it was a lead nonetheless! Otherwise, things remain as grim as can be. °Õ³ó±ðÌý have been outscored 163-26 during their 0-4 start. Most damning, they have been outscored 81-0 in the second half. That is not a typo. It'd be easy to look at that last figure and put it on rookie head coach Brian Flores and his seeming inability to, I dunno, formulate a successful scheme recalibration at halftime, but who are we kidding here? Flores is in the worst situation imaginable, coaching a locker room filled with players who know they probably aren't part of the franchise's long-term plans. The money is guaranteed, coach ... do your best.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter .
[
