NFL Week 4 Power Rankings: Bears drop after embarrassing loss to Browns |
Three weeks of the 2021 NFL season have come and gone, and it has not been disappointing. This year may look slightly different, with 17 games in 18 weeks and seven teams in each league earning a playoff berth. Nonetheless, we won't have a week without football until February 2022, and we couldn't be more excited to cover another year of NFL football. We at Bears HQ decided to give our power rankings ahead of the NFL's fourth week.
*We decided to explain the top 16 and the Bears* 1. Los Angeles Rams 3-0 (up one spot) The LA Rams may be the most improved team of the offseason just because of their upgrade at QB. Instead of Jared Goff, the Rams have Matthew Stafford leading their speedy offense — and of course, still have Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald on the defensive side of the ball. The new-look Rams are 3-0 to show for it, including an impressive beat down of the reigning champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers — earning our top spot. 2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-1 (down 1 spot) It's hard not to rank Tampa Bay number two in our rankings. First and foremost, the Bucs are our reigning Super Bowl Champion — and they did not lose a single starter over the offseason. The Bucs have a roster construction that could win another Super Bowl, and Tom Brady is never content. But after dropping to the LA Rams, the Bucs have got to fall to number 2. 3. Cleveland Browns 2-1 (up one spot) Yes, you read that right. After years of being the NFL's laughing stock, the Cleveland Browns have constructed a roster good enough to win a division and make a run in the playoffs. The Browns displayed dominance in their week two win over Houston and their week three win over the Bears, and this team has all the makings of a top-five team in the NFL. 4. Arizona Cardinals 3-0 (up two spots) Three weeks into the NFL season, and the Cardinals are 3-0, riding a potent pass rush and an electric offense to their success so far. They are in one of the hardest divisions in the NFL but have looked like a playoff team thus far, beating the Titans, Vikings, and Jaguars. 5. Kansas City Chiefs 1-2 (down two spots) It would be hard to imagine the Chiefs falling out of the top 5 this season so long as Patrick Mahomes is healthy. This team easily boasts the best offense in the league — while also adding to an offensive line that was exposed in the Super Bowl last year. Keep an eye on a motivated Chiefs team this season, especially after losing week two to the Ravens and in week three to the Chargers. 6. Buffalo Bills 2-1 (down one spot) It may have surprised some people last year, but the Buffalo Bills being one of the league's best teams this season should come as no surprise. Buffalo is led by superstar QB Josh Allen and a brilliant coaching staff. The Steelers gave the Bills some trouble in week one, but after dominating the Dolphins and the Washington football team, they are clearly a top-six team. 7. Green Bay Packers 2-1 (up two spots) For most of the offseason, the Packers were one of the most questionable teams — and it all depended on reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. Well, he's back… but the Packers were thumped by the Saints in Week one, dropping the Packers out of the top 5. A dominating win on Monday Night Football over the Lions and a come from behind win over the 49ers on Sunday night should be enough to defend the Packers being in the top 10. 8. Baltimore Ravens 2-1 (no change) The Ravens quietly have one of the league's best rosters. Despite not winning the division in 2020 and being in one of the NFL's hardest divisions, the Ravens boast a legit chance to win a Super Bowl behind a star quarterback in Lamar Jackson and a defense that consists of the best secondary in the sport. The Ravens lost a stunner week one against the Vegas Raiders and the schedule won't ease up for a while but they are certainly a top 10 team despite their injuries. Beating the Chiefs in primetime and defeating the Lions lock that in without a doubt. 9. Los Angeles Chargers 2-1 (up six spots) LA might have had the best offseason in the AFC. Justin Herbert is coming off of an impressive campaign in which he won Rookie of the Year, and the Chargers have added to his offensive line - while also making some key acquisitions to the defense, the team's weakness in 2020. That, plus some opt-outs and injuries back, leave the Chargers with one of the most talented and intriguing rosters in 2021. It wasn't particularly pretty, but the Chargers gutted out an impressive week one win and took a hard-to-swallow week two loss against Dallas, but handling the Kansas City Chiefs and earning a win in week three solidify this choice for me. 10. Las Vegas Raiders 3-0 (up one spot) If you want to talk about the grittiest team in the NFL, the Raiders deserve to be in that conversation. The Raiders were touchdown underdogs in week one against the Raves and week two against the Steelers — two of the toughest teams in the sport. To everyone's surprise, the Raiders are 3-0 after a week three win over the Dolphins in overtime. Keep an eye on Coach Gruden's team as the season rolls along. 11. San Francisco 49ers 2-1 (down four spots) It is important to remember that this team represented the NFC in the Super Bowl just two seasons ago. Last season the 49ers were decimated with injuries — but with those players back, the 49ers are once again a force to be reckoned with in the NFC. While the NFC West is loaded, the 49ers should turn heads in 2021, like they did, putting up 41 points in week one and beating the Eagles in week two. A week three last-second loss to Green Bay drops the 49ers out of the top ten. 12. Tennessee Titans 2-1 (down two spots) The Titans are the reigning AFC South champion. They have made the playoffs in consecutive seasons — oh, and they've added Julio Jones to an offense that already had Ryan Tannehill, AJ Brown, and Derrick Henry, who just ran for over 2,000 yards. In 2021, no team is going to be looking forward to playing the Titans. The Titans' 2021 season got off to a tough start, though, getting blown out by the Cardinals, but they rebounded nicely with a come-from-behind win over the Seahawks and a solid win over the Colts. 13. Dallas Cowboys 2-1 (up one spot) NFC East team Dallas is flying under the radar this offseason, but with a healthy offensive line plus Dak Prescott back from injury leaves Dallas with one of the best offenses in the NFL (which includes Ezekiel Elliot, Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup). The defense is still the clear weakness of this team, but the Cowboys could have enough to win the league's weakest division. The Cowboys gave the Bucs a tough fight in week one, won a close game against the Chargers in week 2, and blew out the Eagles on Monday Night Football. 14. Carolina Panthers 3-0 (up six spots) The Panthers are 3-0 and impressively lead the NFC South after three weeks. So far, the Panthers have handled the Jets, the New Orleans Saints, and the Texans. New QB Sam Darnold has been solid in his first three games in Carolina, and despite Christian McCaffrey going down, they are certainly a top-15 team in the league right now. 15. Denver Broncos 3-0 (up two spots) The Broncos are 3-0, riding new QB Teddy Bridgewater to a tie for first place in a division that features Kansas City and the Chargers. The Broncos beat the Giants, Jaguars, and Jets. It could be a benefit of a light schedule, but you need to respect 3-0. 16. New Orleans Saints 2-1 (up two spots) The Saints are the reigning NFC South champions, but lost future hall of fame quarterback Drew Brees to retirement, and all-pro wide receiver Michael Thomas is down with an injury. However, Jameis Winston and the Saints have looked solid, especially in week one's blowout of Green Bay and week three's win over New England. 17. Seattle Seahawks 1-2 (down five spots) 18. Pittsburgh Steelers 1-2 (down five spots) 19. New England Patriots 1-2 (down three spots) 20. Cincinnati Bengals 2-1 (up six spots) 21. Minnesota Vikings 1-2 (up three spots) 22. Miami Dolphins 1-2 (down three spots) 23. Chicago Bears 1-2 (down two spots) The Bears fall a bit after their terrible showing in week three against the Cleveland Browns. Justin Fields got his first NFL start, but the Bears looked incompetent on Sunday. Matt Nagy and the Bears have a lot to figure out as the season goes along. 24. Washington Football Team 0-3 (down two spots) 25. Indianapolis Colts 0-3 (down two spots) 26. Philadelphia Eagles 1-2 (down one spot) 27. Atlanta Falcons 1-2 (up four spots) 28. Houston Texans 1-2 (no change) 29. New York Giants 0-3 (down two spots) 30. Detroit Lions 0-3 (no change) 31. New York Jets 0-3 (down two spots) 32. Jacksonville Jaguars 0-3 (no change) Stay tuned as we update these rankings every week.
