NFL Week 4 Power Rankings: Evaluating Every Team After Week 3

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NFL Week 4 Power Rankings: Evaluating Every Team After Week 3

Matt Johnson · Sportsnaut

Tue, Sep 23, 2025 ·

17 min read

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Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season kicked off with a Thursday Night Football clash that saw the Buffalo Bills escape with a victory over the Miami Dolphins that was much closer than expected. It perfectly set the tone for Sunday's action, where some of the worst and best NFL teams right now delivered surprising early-season performances.

Let's dive into our NFL Week 4 power rankings following Monday Night Football, evaluating how all 28 teams performed this weekend. We'

32. Miami Dolphins (32)

The Miami Dolphins have a lot of problems, and when that's the case, blame should first fall on the shoulders of the general manager. Once blame is assigned to Chris Grier, next on the list should be Tua Tagovailoa . One of the highest-paid NFL players now ranks 27th in Adjusted EPA per Play (-0.063), and the restraints he's put on this Dolphins' offense are apparent. Unfortunately for Miami, it's stuck with him. That leaves Grier and Mike McDaniel as the ones to pay the price for what this team has become.

31. New Orleans Saints (29)

At least the New Orleans Saints were put out of their misery early on Sunday. It was over in the first quarter when Seattle took a 21-0 lead at home. That allowed the crowd to get wild and Mike Macdonald could give his defense the green light to match the stadium's energy. As for the Saints, after a 0-3 start, it's fair to wonder when we might hear NFL trade rumors about Alvin Kamara and Cameron Jordan .

30. Tennessee Titans (30)

It's really only about Tennessee Titans rookies Cam Ward and Elic Ayomanor at this point. There's little else redeeming about this offense, with Calvin Ridley still failing to deliver on his contract and the offensive line struggling to protect the new face of the franchise. On the bright side for Tennessee, Ward continues to show franchise-caliber tools, and the 0-2 record means the front office can use premium draft capital to start building a better roster around him in the years to come.

Read More: NFL TV Ratings 2025

29. New York Giants (26)

The New York Giants are now 11-33-1 since Week 11 of the 2022 NFL season. John Mara made it clear before this fall that he had high expectations for Brian Daboll and Co. As misplaced as those expectations were, he had them. It's not going to get any better from here for New York, either. At this point, with a high likelihood of this being a one-win team heading into the Week 14 bye, there's no time like the present to fire Daboll.

28. New York Jets (27)

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn will rightfully downplay the value of moral victories after Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers, but this fan base should feel better about the direction of this team. On a day when the identity of the Jets' offense couldn't get much going on the ground, Glenn's defense delivered by far its best performance of the season. Glenn's defense held Tampa Bay to 4-of-13 on third-down attempts. Equally important, this team rallied from trailing 23-6 entering the fourth quarter to take a 27-26 lead late before it slipped away. Glenn is building a new culture for this franchise.

27. Houston Texans (20)

This feels like rock bottom for the Houston Texans organization. What's happened to C.J. Stroud over the past year-plus is an indictment of the Texans' front office and its inability to build an NFL-caliber offensive line. Truthfully, how general manager Nick Caserio handled this offseason feels like malpractice when you have a franchise quarterback. Houston can't run the football, and Stroud is now rattled from more than a season of getting rocked and swarmed by pressure. The Texans ignored their biggest problems in the spring, and now the effects of that are on full display.

26. New England Patriots (23)

Turnovers were the New England Patriots ' downfall in Week 3, and they came at the costliest times. Drake Maye was intercepted in the end zone, and Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled at the goal line, wiping out an otherwise solid performance by this team. At some point, head coach Mike Vrabel needs to be willing to give TreVeyon Henderson a chance. Otherwise, the Patriots will keep quite a few games close but always be at risk of having the two centerpieces of their offense (Maye and Stevenson) turn the football over.

25. Las Vegas Raiders (24)

The Las Vegas Raiders certainly look like a team that used the sixth overall pick on a luxury position when it had absolutely no business doing so. Exiting Week 3, the Raiders are averaging 72.3 rushing yards per game with just a 3.06 yards-per-carry average and Geno Smith has been sacked 12 times in three contests. One pick later, right tackle Armand Membou was selected. It's still early in the season, but that selection feels especially detrimental to this Raiders' offense right now.

24. Cincinnati Bengals (15)

Just an ugly loss for the Cincinnati Bengals in the first week of their new reality. Many bought into Browning's impressive late-season run in 2023 as a potential sign that Cincinnati could stay afloat for a little bit. That's just not doable given the current state of this Bengals' offensive line and defense. More than likely, a 2-0 record will be 2-4 by the middle of October.

23. Carolina Panthers (30)

Performances like that restore a lot of confidence in the future of the Carolina Panthers . While the first win of the season came in Week 3, it feels like the real turnaround for this club came last Sunday. After falling behind 27-3 in the third quarter versus Arizona , Carolina clawed its way back and nearly pulled off the improbable comeback. Since trailing 27-3 last week, the Panthers have outscored their opponent 49-0. If this momentum can carry over into Week 4 on the road in New England , it will be time to buy early stock in Carolina.

22. Cleveland Browns (31)

NFL Weeke 4 Power Rankings — Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

That'll be a win the Cleveland Browns remember for the entire season. What matters from that win over the Packers is rookie running back Quinshon Judkins (94 yards and 1 touchdown) breaking out in his first NFL start and the Browns' defense suffocating Green Bay 's offense. If just those two things can be consistent themes from this Browns team, there's a shot at Cleveland winning six games this season.

21. Dallas Cowboys (18)

Javonte Williams was the only bright spot for the Dallas Cowboys in Chicago . He looks rejuvenated this season, but he's the only one on this team who brought some life to Soldier Field for Dallas. Week 3 feels like a brutal setback for a team that could now be without CeeDee Lamb ( ankle ) for some time. Up next, a Sunday Night Football bout against a Green Bay Packers team led by Micah Parsons , who will be determined to embarrass Jerry Jones at AT&T Stadium.

20. Atlanta Falcons (14)

NFL Week 5 Power Rankings — Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons finally have a defense and it might not matter. Michael Penix Jr. was just awful on Sunday, throwing 2 interceptions with a 50 percent completion rate against one of the league's worst defenses in the last two years. It was his inability to move the football that largely resulted in this team failing to reach the red zone as part of a 30-0 blowout. With the Commanders , Bills and 49ers on deck, a 1-5 record before late October is very much on the table.

19. Chicago Bears (25)

Sometimes all it takes is one game. Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson needed a strong performance, something to get the fan base excited and quiet some of the outside noise. That's precisely what happened in Chicago on Sunday afternoon. We could nitpick, focusing on the fact that the Bears' ground game will be very ineffective as long as D'Andre Swift is the primary running back. However, the performances from Williams, Luther Burden, and Rome Odunze in Johnson's offense are what matter most today.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (21)

It's sometimes better to be lucky than good. The Pittsburgh Steelers were fortunate on Sunday, given New England gave the football up twice just inches away from the end zone. That made all the difference in a 21-14 game. With that acknowledged, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers' offense also deserve credit for making the most of their red-zone trips (3 touchdowns) and this defense finally delivered a quality performance. There's momentum here, but we'll see if it lasts after facing the Vikings in Week 4.

17. Denver Broncos (16)

On the one hand, the Denver Broncos have lost their last two games to undefeated teams by four combined points. Looking from the glass-half-empty perspective, though, Bo Nix has been one of the worst NFL quarterbacks this season and it's been especially apparent inside the red zone. We fully expect the Broncos' defense to end this two-game losing skid on Monday Night Football in Week 4, but a matchup with the Eagles could drop Denver back to below .500 immediately after.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars (22)

The Jacksonville Jaguars found a way to win against one of the league's best defenses. That wouldn't have happened last season. Trevor Lawrence protected the football and that's really what this club needed on a day when the Jaguars' defense racked up 2 sacks and 3 takeaways with just a 4.6 yards-per-play average allowed. A few mental mistakes are really the only thing that have prevented Jacksonville from being undefeated right now. All things considered, this team is in a very good spot.

15. Arizona Cardinals (17)

Fighting tooth and nail with the 49ers at home shows just how far this Arizona Cardinals team has come under head coach Jonathan Gannon. Even with injuries depleting the secondary, the Cards limited San Francisco to 16 total points and a 20 percent third-down conversion rate. At 2-1, our biggest question regarding Arizona right now is what happened to the top-10 rushing attack we saw last year? The absence of that is why the Cardinals lost on Sunday.

14. Seattle Seahawks (19)

Not only did the Seattle Seahawks win in dominating fashion in Week 3, they did it without Julian Love , Zach Charbonnet and Devon Witherspoon . This team impressed in every facet, including on special teams. Seattle should feel especially confident because, from a clean pocket, Sam Darnold looked like he did during his best weeks in Minnesota . After moving to 2-1 on the year, the Seahawks have an opportunity on Thursday Night Football to get their first divisional win of the season by beating Arizona on the road.

13. Minnesota Vikings (13)

Complete and utter domination by the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. Fittingly, Brian Flores' defense set the tone early with a pick-six and later a fumble returned for a touchdown. That put Minnesota up 24-3, and from that point, the team put the game in Jordan Mason 's hands. He proved why he can be a highly effective starter with Aaron Jones sidelined. This was a great recovery by Minnesota, and with the way this Vikings' defense is performing this fall, it's fully capable of beating Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers in Dublin next Sunday.

Related: NFL Defense Rankings 2025

12. Los Angeles Rams (10)

It was a matter of when, not if, the Los Angeles Rams ' secondary would cost them. The timing proved to be quite unfortunate. After leading 26-7 in the third quarter, the Rams' secondary got eviscerated, with Philadelphia putting up 26 points in the second half. Los Angeles still had chances to win despite its secondary, but a pair of blocked field goals wiped that all away. It's a gut-wrenching loss, but the Rams are still 2-1 with a chance to recapture some momentum next Sunday if they can take down an undefeated Colts team.

11. Washington Commanders (9)

Good teams find ways to win under difficult circumstances. Already ravaged by injuries on both sides of the ball, the Washington Commanders found a way to win on Sunday afternoon without Jayden Daniels . Play-caller Kliff Kingsbury found a way on Sunday, dialing up a multi-faceted rushing attack that put up over 190 yards against a Raiders' defense that allowed 70.5 per game ( 4th in NFL ) coming into Week 3. Now at 2-1, Washington should feel great about making the long-term play for Daniels' health and still coming out with a victory.

10. Kansas City Chiefs (8)

The Kansas City Chiefs met expectations on Sunday Night Football. Steve Spagnuolo's defense proved its Week 2 turnaround versus Philadelphia was no fluke, and this is a unit capable of carrying this team early in games while the offense figures things out. It's still difficult to find a ton of positives from this Chiefs offense, but the emergence of Tyquan Thornton is big. Once Rashee Rice returns from his six-game suspension, we anticipate Kansas City will start looking like a Super Bowl contender again.

9. Baltimore Ravens (4)

The Baltimore Ravens still look like a team that can't do the little things right in the biggest moments. Whether it's turning it over on downs after having first-and-goal from the 3-yard line or Derrick Henry 's third consecutive game with a lost fumble, something always seems to go wrong. In past seasons, this team still had a chance to overcome that, thanks to an elite defense or an offensive line that could give Lamar Jackson time to throw. Baltimore doesn't have either of those things in 2025. If the Ravens can't beat the Chiefs in Week 4, there should be pressure on the front office to make a move at the NFL trade deadline.

8. San Francisco 49ers (11)

After originally cracking the top six in our NFL Week 4 power rankings, the Nick Bosa injury has dropped the San Francisco 49ers two spots. He is everything to that pass rush and without the Pro Bowl edge rusher on the field, regression from this unit is inevitable. Considering San Francisco was cutting its close in its 3-0 start to begin with, there now have to be real concerns about this team moving forward.

7. Indianapolis Colts (12)

Entering the season, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen sat squarely on the hot seat. The team is now 3-0, and with the way quarterback Daniel Jones is playing, it's already time to start talking about Steichen for NFL Coach of the Year. Indianapolis has scored 29 or more points in all three of its games this season, with two of those wins coming by double digits. If this momentum continues in Week 4 in Los Angeles against the Rams, maybe it's time we all start viewing the Colts as one of the best teams in the NFL in 2025.

6. Detroit Lions

It's safe to say that the season-opening loss in Green Bay served as a wake-up call for Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions . Baltimore kept it very close for most of the Monday Night Football matchup, but it was over the moment the Lions tasted blood in the water. All of those concerns about the Lions' ground game and defense from that Week 1 loss are gone. The Lions remain one of the best NFL teams in 2025 and as long as their offensive line stays healthy, they should win at home on Sunday against the Browns.

5. Green Bay Packers (1)

The Green Bay Packers' offensive linemen bear almost all of the responsibility for that loss. Jordan Love was sacked 5 times and hit 7 others, with the collapsing pocket blowing up everything Matt LaFleur wanted to do on Sunday afternoon. Despite the woeful performance up front, Green Bay's defense still gave this team a chance to win. This time, the blockers on the field goal team gave up the block that wiped out a potential game-winning field goal. If Zach Tom and Aaron Banks miss significant time, Green Bay is in trouble.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7)

The best news from Week 3 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wasn't a win over the Jets. Instead, it came from Adam Schefter 's report that Pro Bowl wide receiver Chris Godwin and All-Pro offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs have a "strong chance" to return this coming week against the Eagles. With the way Tampa Bay's defense is performing this year, getting two core pieces of the offense back gives the Buccaneers a strong shot at beating Philadelphia at home in Week 4.

3. Los Angeles Chargers (6)

The Los Angeles Chargers have beaten every team in the AFC West, all without Rashawn Slater . It was an ugly win under the sun in Los Angeles on Sunday, but that might be how Jim Harbaugh likes it against a rival. Once again, Jesse Minter's defense (15.4 percent third-down conversion rate) led the way on a day when Justin Herbert wasn't perfect. Who is perfect? The 3-0 Chargers, who should beat up on the Giants in Week 4.

2. Buffalo Bills (3)

It wasn't the prettiest victory for the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football, but blowouts are especially hard to come by on short weeks. What Buffalo can feel good about here is its 3-0 record, with its offense putting up 30-plus points and averaging 3.28 points per drive in each of those victories. Buffalo already passed its first early-season test (Baltimore), so it can just pile up the victories in the next few weeks versus New Orleans and New England. Even with some issues defensively, there's no reason to think the Bills won't reach 5-0.

1. Philadelphia Eagles (2)

The Philadelphia Eagles returned to their status as the best NFL team in Sunday's win over the Rams. Trailing 26-7 in the third quarter, the Eagles' passing game finally came to life and helped snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It looked like the version of Philadelphia's passing game that we saw in the Super Bowl, all with a defense that shut out the Rams on their final four drives. It's also exactly the momentum this team needed before a difficult road test in Week 5 against the Buccaneers.

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