Arizona Sports Week 4 NFL Power Rankings: Patriots hold on to top spot, Cardinals take plunge

Three weeks are in the books in the NFL, and there is a severe lack of teams that at least look elite.

Two of the NFC favorites going in to 2016, the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers, suffered Week 3 losses and looked bad in doing so. Both teams have fallen in this week’s Arizona Sports NFL Power Rankings.

The New England Patriots top our list for the third straight week after dismantling the previously unbeaten Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football. They withstood hard charges from both the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings, who continued to flex their defensive muscles in Week 3.

Here’s a closer look at our NFL Power Rankings heading into Week 4.

---

1. New England Patriots (3-0)

Shut out Houston 27-0 with third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett (who was making his first NFL start) at the helm.

High: 1 (unanimous)

Low: —

Movement: —

Comment: Belichick could play a mannequin at QB and still win games. — Marotta

Next: vs. Buffalo

---

2. Denver Broncos (3-0)

Trevor Siemian throws for 312 yards and four touchdowns in his first road start in the NFL as Denver tops Cincinnati 29-17.

High: 2 (Marotta, Green, Dimakos, Burns, Lapinski)

Low: 3 (Grialou, Morgan)

Movement: ▲ 3

Comment: Could disprove the theory that you need an elite QB to win it all. — Morgan

Next: at Tampa Bay

---

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-0)

Vicious defense sacks Cam Newton eight times and holds Panthers scoreless over last 50 minutes in 22-10 win.

High: 2 (Grialou, Morgan)

Low: 3 (Marotta, Green, Dimakos, Burns, Lapinski)

Movement: ▲ 1

Comment: No QB, no RB, no T, no problem for Minnesota. — Grialou

Next: vs. New York Giants

---

4. Philadelphia Eagles (3-0)

Rookie Carson Wentz throws for 301 yards and two touchdowns and Philly ‘D’ puts the clamps on Big Ben and the Steelers in a 34-3 win.

High: 4 (Morgan, Dimakos, Lapinski)

Low:13 (Green)

Movement: ▲ 9

Comment: Do I believe in them? Not a chance. But the win over the Steelers was impressive. — Green

Next: Bye week

---

5. Green Bay Packers (2-1)

Aaron Rodgers threw for four touchdowns as Packers cruised to a 28-point lead and held on for a 34-27 win over Detroit.

High: 4 (Marotta)

Low: 8 (Dimakos, Lapinski)

Movement: ▲ 3

Comment: Every time the passing game gets questioned, Rodgers tosses 4 TDs. — Lapinski

Next: Bye week

---

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1)

Steelers’ losing streak in Philadelphia (nine straight since 1965) continues in ugly 34-3 loss to Eagles.

High: 4 (Green)

Low: 11 (Morgan)

Movement: ▼ 4

Comment: Still a believer in this team, even after that whooping. — Dimakos

Next: vs. Kansas City

---

7. Baltimore Ravens (3-0)

Justin Tucker boots a 54-yard field goal with 1:02 left to keep Ravens undefeated in 19-17 road win over Jacksonville.

High: 4 (Morgan)

Low: 14 (Burns)

Movement: ▲ 4

Comment: Three wins…all against bad football teams (combined 1-8). — Marotta

Next: vs. Oakland

---

8. Seattle Seahawks (2-1)

Seattle gets offense untracked, but Russell Wilson suffers injury in 37-18 win over San Francisco.

High: 4 (Burns)

Low: 11 (Lapinski)

Movement: ▲ 4

Comment: Did exactly what I thought they’d to to an inferior team. — Dimakos

Next: at New York Jets

---

9. Carolina Panthers (1-2)

Panthers run into buzzsaw Minnesota defense in sluggish 22-10 loss.

High: 5 (Green)

Low: 14 (Morgan)

Movement: ▼ 3

Comment: They’ve already exceeded their loss total from a year ago, and it’s only Week 3. — Grialou

Next: at Atlanta

---

10. Kansas City Chiefs (2-1)

Forced eight turnovers (six interceptions) in 24-3 win over the Jets.

High: 7 (Marotta)

Low: 14 (Green, Dimakos)

Movement: ▲ 4

Comment: Thorough whipping of the Jets. Eight turnovers will do that. — Morgan

Next: at Pittsburgh

---

11. Arizona Cardinals (1-2)

Completely dominated in all three phases in 33-18 road loss at previously winless Buffalo.

High: 8 (Burns)

Low: 15 (Morgan)

Movement: ▼ 8

Comment: Why do the Cards look so unprepared for what their opponents are doing? — Morgan

Next: vs. Los Angeles

---

12. Oakland Raiders (2-1)

Went east and scored a 17-10 win over the Titans.

High: 9 (Dimakos)

Low: 17 (Green)

Movement: ▲ 5

Comment: Taking advantage of a soft early-season schedule. — Green

Next: at Baltimore

---

T-13. Houston Texans (2-1)

Completely impotent offense leads to 27-0 loss at New England. It’s their second shutout loss in last four games dating back to last postseason.

High: 10 (Dimakos)

Low: 16 (Burns)

Movement: ▼ 5

Comment: Did J.J. Watt retire and not tell anyone? — Lapinski

Next: vs. Tennessee

---

T-13. Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)

Managed only three second-half points in 29-17 loss to Denver.

High: 7 (Green)

Low: 18 (Dimakos)

Movement: ▼ 5

Comment: The Bengals are 1-2 for the first time in five years. — Morgan

Next: vs. Miami

---

15. New York Giants (2-1)

Eli Manning throws two fourth-quarter interceptions in 29-27 loss to Washington.

High: 7 (Lapinski)

Low: 15 (Marotta, Green, Dimakos, Burns)

Movement: ▼ 5

Comment: Teenage girls think Odell Beckham is a little too emotional. — Marotta

Next: at Minnesota

---

16. Dallas Cowboys (2-1)

Cowboys rack up 447 yards of offense in 31-17 win over hapless Bears.

High: 9 (Morgan)

Low: 17 (Lapinski)

Movement: —

Comment: Keep treading water, Dallas. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. — Morgan

Next: at San Francisco

---

17. Atlanta Falcons (2-1)

Tevin Coleman runs for three touchdowns, Matt Ryan passes for two more in 45-32 win over Saints.

High: 13 (Dimakos)

Low: 18 (Grialou)

Movement: ▲ 2

Comment: The offense does not appear to be a problem, which makes this team dangerous. — Green

Next: vs. Carolina

---

18. Los Angeles Rams (2-1)

Todd Gurley runs for two touchdowns as Rams score a nice 37-32 comeback win on the road over Tampa Bay.

High: 17 (Grialou, Dimakos)

Low: 23 (Burns)

Movement: ▲ 7

Comment: Tough to beat, but also tough to put them higher on this list. — Lapinski

Next: at Arizona

---

19. New York Jets (1-2)

Jets turn the ball over on eight of 11 possessions in wretched 24-3 loss to the Chiefs.

High: 18 (Lapinski)

Low: 22 (Marotta)

Movement: ▼ 4

Comment: Fitzpatrick just threw another interception. — Lapinski

Next: vs. Seattle

---

20. Indianapolis Colts (1-2)

Late Andrew Luck-to-T.Y. Hilton touchdown pass lifts Colts to 26-22 win over San Diego.

High: 19 (Marotta, Morgan)

Low: 25 (Lapinski)

Movement: ▲ 2

Comment: Rallied to beat the Chargers at home. That they had to do that is a problem. — Green

Next: at Jacksonville

---

T-21. Washington Redskins (1-2)

Defense rises, intercepts two passes in fourth quarter in 29-27 win over Giants.

High: 19 (Burns)

Low: 26 (Green)

Movement: ▲ 8

Comment: Cousins, Norman and the Redskins finally woke up. — Grialou

Next: vs. Cleveland

---

T-21. Buffalo Bills (1-2)

Bills secondary picks off four passes in fourth quarter of 33-18 win over Arizona.

High: 20 (Morgan)

Low: 25 (Grialou)

Movement: ▲ 9

Comment: You can keep your job, Rex…for now. — Morgan

Next: at New England

---

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-2)

Buccaneers defense can’t slow down challenged Rams offense in 37-32 loss.

High: 19 (Green, Lapinski)

Low: 28 (Burns)

Movement: ▼ 3

Comment: Umm, you lost to the Rams…at home! — Grialou

Next: vs. Denver

---

24. Detroit Lions (1-2)

Lions can’t dig out of massive hole in 34-27 loss at Lambeau.

High: 18 (Burns)

Low: 27 (Morgan, Green)

Movement: ▼ 3

Comment: At least you’re not the Bears. — Dimakos

Next: at Chicago

---

25. San Diego Chargers (1-2)

Chargers’ defense can’t contain Luck and Hilton in 26-22 road loss to Colts.

High: 22 (Burns)

Low: 26 (Dimakos, Lapinski)

Movement: ▼ 7

Comment: Their injury list is so long, you’d thing Peter King wrote it. — Marotta

Next: vs. New Orleans

---

26. Miami Dolphins (1-2)

Jay Ajayi scores deciding touchdown in 30-24 overtime win over Browns.

High: 22 (Morgan)

Low: 27 (Grialou, Dimakos)

Movement: —

Comment: Thanks for validating my belief in you with an OT victory over Cleveland, you guys. — Green

Next: at Cincinnati

---

27. Tennessee Titans (1-2)

Titans offense continues to struggle in 17-10 loss to Oakland.

High: 24 (Green)

Low: 29 (Marotta)

Movement: ▼ 7

Comment: Mariota has four picks this year. Had that many each year (’13, ’14) at Oregon. — Marotta

Next: at Houston

---

28. San Francisco 49ers (1-2)

Gabbert can’t ignite passing game in 37-18 loss to Seattle.

High: 25 (Morgan, Dimakos)

Low: 30 (Burns, Lapinski)

Movement: ▼ 4

Comment: Perhaps Week 1 was an anomaly? — Grialou

Next: vs. Dallas

---

29. New Orleans Saints (0-3)

Saints offer little resistance to Atlanta offense in 45-32 Monday Night loss.

High: 27 (Burns, Lapinski)

Low: 30 (Green, Dimakos)

Movement: ▼ 1

Comment: Winless despite Brees averaging 354 yards and 2.7 TDs per game. — Lapinski

Next: at San Diego

---

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3)

Bortles throws three picks; two in fourth quarter of sloppy 19-17 loss to Baltimore.

High: 29 (Green, Dimakos, Burns, Lapinski)

Low: 30 (Marotta, Grialou, Morgan)

Movement: ▼ 3

Comment: Gus Bradley is 12-39 in four seasons. Will he last the year? — Morgan

Next: vs. Indianapolis

---

31. Chicago Bears (0-3)

Bears lose third straight, 31-17 to Dallas.

High: 31 (Marotta, Grialou, Morgan, Burns)

Low: 32 (Green, Dimakos, Lapinski)

Movement: —

Comment: The best news for fans — Cutler’s job is not guaranteed when he gets healthy. — Grialou

Next: vs. Detroit

---

32. Cleveland Browns (0-3)

Browns show resolve, but fall in overtime to Dolphins, 30-24 after Parkey misses 46-yard field goal at buzzer.

High: 31 (Green, Dimakos, Burns)

Low: 32 (Marotta, Grialou, Morgan, Burns)

Movement: —

Comment: You almost did it, Cleveland. ALMOST. But hey, NBA season starts soon. — Dimakos

Next: at Washington

---

Biggest Rise: Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills: ▲ 9

Biggest Plunge: Arizona Cardinals: ▼ 8