NFL: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
Sep 14, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) speaks with media after the win over the Denver Broncos at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
At the start of the week, five NFL teams were still undefeated. We knew that number would drop by one, with the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs heading to Vegas to face the undefeated Las Vegas Raiders. The Chiefs prevailed and are now 4-0.
They are the last undefeated team in the AFC. In the NFC, both the Vikings and 49ers have maintained perfection so far. But the biggest surprise of the week wasn’t who went to 4-0, but who fell to 3-1. The Bills lost at home to the Patriots, giving them their first loss and dropping them out of the top spot on this list.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the new #1 in the power rankings.
MORE: 7 biggest takeaways from Week 4 of NFL season
Ranks 32-24
NFL: Tennessee Titans at New York Giants
Sep 27, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) throws an intercaption caught by New York Giants safety Jevon Holland (not pictured) during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
32. Tennessee Titans: While there are still three undefeated teams left in the league, there are five winless teams. The Titans are currently the worst of the bunch.
31. Miami Dolphins: Thank God for the Titans, or Miami would be at the bottom of this list. These two teams may remain 31 and 32 on this list because neither may win a game this year.
30. Houston Texans: In four games, the Texans have only given up 25 more pts than they’ve scored yet lost all four of their games. It’s hard to believe, but what’s even harder to believe is that they’ve given up over 27pts per game.
29. Los Angeles Chargers: Unlike his brother, who is thriving in New York, the same can’t be said for Jim Harbaugh in San Diego. It is crazy to think that the Chargers are 0-4. This is a lost season and may be time to blow the whole thing up…including at QB. Justin Herbert has been in the league long enough now to know what he is, and it’s not nearly good enough. Harbaugh may be the first HC to get a pink slip this year.
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: And speaking of HCs who may get fired before the season ends. Todd Bowles is on the hot seat in Tampa Bay. They are 0-4, with three home losses already. And they will be without their starting QB, Baker Mayfield, for the better part of the next month, recovering from a dislocated thumb.
27. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels may return this week for the Commanders, and not a moment too soon, with Marcus Mariota going down last week in London. At 1-3, they face a must-win game at home against the first-place Giants. The Giants certainly aren’t world beaters at this point and could lose a divisional road game, and since no team ever seems to run away in the NFC East, expect a rousing victory by the Commanders. If they start 1-4, expect rumblings to start to swirl around HC Dan Quinn.
26. Pittsburgh Steelers: Regardless of who the HC is, and who the QB is, this team is always the same. They are always at or near 500, just on the cusp of the playoffs, but they aren’t good. They aren’t dynamic on offense, and the days of having a dominant defense are over. At 2-2, they are only one game out of first place, but this team will hover in the lower third of this list all season.
25. Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals have been a plucky bunch this year with Jacoby Brissett at the helm, and the team has played better at times than they did under Kyler Murray. But 1-3 is 1-3, and they just don’t have enough talent. WR Marvin Harrison Jr. has been underwhelming since he entered the league, and TE Trey McBride’s talents are being wasted. And being in a division with three superpowers makes their task even more difficult.
24. New York Jets: Everything said about the Cardinals can be said about the Jets. The team started strong with an opening day victory but has backed it up with three consecutive losses. And even though their point differential is only -8pts, and they are a scrappy team, 1-3 is 1-3. There was chatter that HC Aaron Glenn would be shown the door after his first season only produced a 3-14 record. Unless there is significant improvement, he too will be a head coaching casualty this season.
Ranks 23-17
NFL: Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints
Sep 27, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) throws in the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
23. New Orleans Saints: The Saints are on a long list of scrappy, plucky, entertaining, yet losing teams this season. They are also 1-3, and at some point, these teams all need to start winning. They were manhandled at home this week, against the suddenly resurgent Falcons team. They put up 24 points, but 14 of those were in the fourth quarter when the game was already over. HC Kellen Moore took over last season and led the team to a 6-11. But after starting 2-10, finishing with a 4-1 record gave hope to the fans heading into this season. Unless Moore turns it around, he too will be on the chopping block.
22. New England Patriots: While HC Mike Vrabel’s job never seemed in doubt, there were serious questions surrounding the team and their QB Drake Maye. At least for one week, all is well in Patriot Nation, coming of a monumental victory in Buffalo. While the offense looked fine, it was the defense that won the game for the Pats, completely holding Josh Allen in check, especially in the running game, and making TE Dalton Kincaid seem invisible.
21. Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons began this season at the bottom of this list, but after two huge wins, with QB Michael Penix back, this team looks like a Super Bowl contender. They have one of the RBs in the game, in Bijan Robinson, with one of the most balanced attacks in the game. Penix is the perfect QB to lead their ball control offense, while still occasionally throwing the deep ball. With Carolina’s bye this week, a win by the Falcons will give them sole possession of first place in the division.
20. Green Bay Packers: To be 2-2 playing as badly as the Packers have this season shows the resilience they have. There is an argument to be made that they could very well be 0-4. They just haven’t played well for 60 minutes in any game this year, but winning a road game this past week in Tampa Bay has saved them from a 1-3 start. This Sunday they have a very interesting home matchup against the Bears.
19. Cleveland Browns: Don’t look now, but the Browns are tied for first place in the NFC North. First-year HC Todd Monken has them playing solid football. He made the hard call to give the ball to Deshaun Watson; it has paid huge dividends. Watson doesn’t quite look as good as he did in Houston, but at age 31, he again looks like an NFL QB.
18. Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys are 2-2 and have a very winnable home game this week against the 0-4 Buccaneers. These are the kind of games that should be a formality for good teams. It remains to be seen, though, if the Cowboys are a good team. They certainly have the talent to be…they are tied with the 49ers, scoring the second most pts in the NFC. They have the weapons on both sides of the ball, and on paper, should be a Super Bowl contender. Yet here they are on the lower half of this list.
17. Indianapolis Colts: The Colts went to London and came back with a needed victory against the depleted Commanders team, who were forced to play their third-string QB. They needed the victory to stay competitive in the division, as they are looking up at the Jaguars. They’ll need to keep winning or the Jaguars will run away with this division before the two face off on November 1st.
MORE: 3 NFL teams that should be worried after Week 4
Ranks 16-11
NFL: Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Image
16. Cincinnati Bengals: This team is a complete enigma. Joe Burrow haters are starting to circle the wagons. For all his talent, he just doesn’t win enough. And he doesn’t make fourth-quarter comebacks. Again, he had an opportunity to win a signature game and managed to lose it. They have scored 12 more pts than they’ve given up this year, and Burrow has put up solid numbers, yet they are only 2-2.
15. Detroit Lions: The Lions are very similar to the Bengals. They have worlds of talent, yet they find a way to underwhelm. They each have a dynamic WR, and they each have a QB who has gone to a Super Bowl…but there is always something missing. Maybe it’s as simple as the two franchises are just historically cursed. Neither has won a Super Bowl, and the Lions have never even been to one. Maybe it’s time to smudge sage throughout their stadiums.
14. Philadelphia Eagles: There is something wrong in Philadelphia. Their offense isn’t clicking, and their defense is sputtering. They’ve each shown glimpses this season, but nothing consistent. They head to London next week to face a very tough Jaguars team.
13. Carolina Panthers: The Panthers are tied for first place in the NFC South. QB Bryce Young introduced himself to the world Sunday night against the Lions. He was otherworldly. But the team is still just 2-2. They unfortunately have a bye this week, which may squelch all of their momentum. The team is probably chomping at the bit to get back on the field. Although the last time they had a big victory, in wk.2, they put up a stinker the next week in Cleveland…so maybe the week off is a good thing for this young team.
12. Las Vegas Raiders; This week’s loss to the Chiefs may have said more about the team than their three victories did. They were leading at half, and their HC proclaimed they were going to win during his halftime interview. Well, they didn’t, but there is no shame in losing by a FG to Kansas City, 30-27. They now have All-World TE Brock Bowers back, to go with TE2 Michael Mayer.
And they have dynamic, young RB Ashton Jeanty. On defense, they have Maxx Crosby leading the way. Their attitude and makeup are fantastic, and the Silver and Black are back. They have an interesting road game this week in New England to face the resurgent Patriots. That game will tell a lot about the direction each team is going this year. A road win could propel them into the top 10.
11. New York Giants: What’s surprising isn’t that the Giants are in sole possession of first place in the NFC North; it’s that they’re there, with Jaxson Dart. You knew that with John Harbaugh at the helm, the team would be better; but being on the cusp of the Top 10 is a surprise. Happy Days are here again for the New York Football Giants.
MORE: Report card grades for all 16 AFC teams in NFL Week 4
Top 10
NFL: Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens
Oct 4, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) drops back to pass during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
10. Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens find themselves tied in the AFC North, which isn’t a surprise, but being tied with the Browns is. They are a full 10 spots ahead of the Browns on this list, because in the end, cream rises to the top, and they are just a better team than the Browns. Although if Lamar Jackson has to miss any time, it would be a big blow. Derrick Henry will be called upon to do even more than he already has.
9. Los Angeles Rams: It’s hard to keep giving this team the benefit of the doubt. Their frantic second-half comeback in Philadelphia is all that kept them from a 1-3 start to the season.
8. Chicago Bears: Other than their lackluster game against the Vikings, the Bears haven’t missed a beat this season…even without their QB Caleb Williams. They have a firm grip on making the postseason this year, as one of only five NFC teams above. 500.
7. Denver Broncos: The Broncos now find themselves at .500, losing in San Francisco this week. They are not only 2-2, but two games behind the Chiefs, and in third place in the AFC West. And they’ve given up 20 more pts than they’ve scored.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence is fast becoming the QB everyone expected him to be when he was taken as the No. 1 pick in the draft. In four games, they have outscored their opponents by 51 points. And they have the lowest-scoring defense in the AFC.
Top 5
NFL: Seattle Seahawks at Washington Commanders
Sep 27, 2026; Landover, Maryland, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) reacts with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) in the second half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
5. Seattle Seahawks: Seattle has left off right where they ended last season. They are in the top five on this list, and at 3-1, firmly in the playoff picture. They are right behind the undefeated 49ers in the NFC West.
4. Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings are the first undefeated team on this list. With nearly a quarter of the season gone, being one of three 4-0 teams is impressive, especially with QB Kyler Murray leading the way.
3. Buffalo Bills: They inexplicably lost to the Patriots at home. They are no longer undefeated and no longer No. 1 on this list.
2. Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs may have their most balanced team ever with the addition of Kenneth Walker. He is the perfect ground complement to Patrick Mahomes’s aerial assault. They are again alone atop the AFC West.
1. San Francisco 49ers: They are the best of the undefeated at this point. They are the third team in three weeks to hold the top spot…it will be interesting to see how long they can stay here.