Los Angeles Rams

2016 NFL Power Rankings Week 5: Los Angeles Rams Make Statement With 3-1 Record

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Oct 2, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brian Quick (83) celebrates after scoring a d as Arizona Cardinals defensive back Marcus Cooper (41) looks on in the second half at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Here’s a look at the 2016 NFL Power Rankings Week 5 with the Los Angeles Rams coming off a big road win against the Arizona Cardinals.

For the third-straight week, the Los Angeles Rams are climbing the 2016 NFL Power Rankings for Week 5.

What the Ram accomplished on Sunday against the Cardinals was nothing short of amazing as Jeff Fisher’s squad held on for the 17-13 win, despite a close scare towards the end of the game. While the defense came up big with a stellar performance by keeping Carson Palmer and the offense in check for most of the game while recording five turnovers, it was Brian Quick who came up big for Los Angeles on offense after finishing the game with two catches for 69 yards, both of which went for touchdowns.

The three wins by the Rams may seem ugly at times from a statistics standpoint, but this team deserves plenty all of the respect in the world for turning their season around following that disastrous performance in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. With Sunday’s win, Los Angeles made a major statement when it comes to being a legitimate threat in the NFC, and this team has every reason in the world to believe they can overtake Arizona and the Seattle Seahawks for the NFC West title.

At 3-1, take a look at where the Rams currently stand compared to the rest of the league in the 2016 NFL Power Rankings for Week 5.

Oct 2, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Terrelle Pryor (11) catches a touchdown pass as Washington Redskins safety Will Blackmon (41) defends in the second quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

32. Cleveland Browns 0-4 (32)

Another week, another game in which the Cleveland Browns could have easily ended up on the winning end, only to end up ruining their chances to remain winless on the season.

This time, it was the Washington Redskins that defeated the Browns after their 31-20 win on Sunday. Cleveland seemed to be carrying plenty of momentum with a three-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter, but it was the defense that fell apart after allowing Washington to score 14 unanswered points.

As frustrating as this loss may be for the Browns, the team has to be pleased with the way Cody Kessler looked in his second start. The rookie out of USC completed 28 of 40 passes for 223 yards with a touchdown, but it’s his comfort running the offense that sticks out the most.

He still has a long way to go, but here’s to hoping Kessler the long-awaited answer for Cleveland at quarterback since nobody else seems to work out. Robert Griffin III may have been the preference at the start of the season, but this unexpected time as a rookie will be a nice audition for Kessler over the next few weeks.

On another note, it’s good to see the Browns have another bright spot on offense in Terrelle Pryor as the dual threat continues to give it his all after another five-catch, 46 yard performance with a touchdown against the Redskins.

October 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly watches against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter at Levi

31. San Francisco 49ers 1-3 (29)

After jumping out to an early 14-0 lead, it seemed like the San Francisco 49ers were on their way to cruising to a big win over the Dallas Cowboys. Instead, the 49ers let this one slip away as the offense simply shut down in the second half while increasing their losing streak to three games.

San Francisco couldn’t even find a way to take advantage of facing Dallas without Dez Bryant as the wide receiver sat out with a knee injury. Instead, it was Ezekiel Elliott that caused all sorts of problems for the 49ers’ defense after allowing the rookie to finish with 138 rushing yards while averaging 6.0 yards per carry.

There were plenty of questions surrounding Blaine Gabbert heading into Sunday’s game when it comes to whether he would deserve to be the starter if San Francisco came up on the losing end. With a 1-3 record heading into Week 5, let all the discussions begin on whether Chip Kelly should switch it up at quarterback by going with Colin Kaepernick instead of Gabbert.

Then again, with the way the 49ers have been playing over the last three weeks, does it even matter who is playing quarterback at this point?

Oct 2, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Andre Roberts (12) is congratulated by defensive tackle Anthony Zettel (69) for his 85 yard punt return for a touchdown during the second half against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Chicago won 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

30. Detroit Lions 1-3 (27)

Just when it seemed like the Detroit Lions couldn’t hit a new low, they go out and lose to a previously winless team in the Chicago Bears while playing on the road.

Since opening weekend, everything has gone downhill for the Lions as Sunday marked their third-straight loss to the season. For a team that looked like they were ready to make a run following a win against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1, the offense has struggled since then as the Lions have scored 15 points or less in two of their last three games.

What’s even more frustrating is Detroit failed to find the end zone even once against Chicago in Week 4 as their lone touchdown came on an 85-yard punt return by Andre Roberts in the fourth quarter.

Obviously, it’s never easy to adjust to playing on offense without Calvin Johnson, but nobody expected the Lions to be this bad. Sure, the team can play the injury card when defending the reason behind their struggles, but losing a favorable game like this to the Bears has to hurt.

And if they struggled to put up points against a defense like Chicago, just imagine what kind of trouble they could run into in Week 5 against the red-hot Philadelphia Eagles.

Oct 2, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Brian Hoyer (2) hugs Chicago Bears wide receiver Josh Bellamy (11) after beating the Detroit Lions 17-14 at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

29. Chicago Bears 1-3 (31)

How sad is it to think Sunday marked the second time over the last two years that John Fox won a home game as head coach for the Chicago Bears?

Even if it is sad, the Bears will take any win they can get with the way this season has gone after coming up with their first victory of 2016 against the Lions. For a team that’s frustrated over Jay Cutler, it was great to see Brian Hoyer (28 of 36 for 302 yards with two touchdowns) lead the offense while giving fans a little bit of hope moving forward.

When looking at how well the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers have been playing, the chances of Chicago making a run at the division seem unlikely, but there’s still plenty of time left in 2016 season. Not only do the Bears have one of the league’s top wide receivers in Alshon Jeffery, but rookie running back Jordan Howard showed some potential after rushing for 111 yards against the Lions.

It’s only one win, but this was the type of game Chicago needed to get the monkey off their back when it comes to the fear of ending up on the wrong side of history by going winless. For now, the best thing the Bears can do is just take things one week at a time with that first win under the belt.

Oct 2, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) talks with Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter during the second half against the Denver Broncos at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-3 (26)

Let’s be honest, not many people expected the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to come up on the winning end in Week 4 when considering how dominant the defense of the Denver Broncos has been this season.

So how bad was it for the Buccaneers? Well, let’ just say the Buccaneers found a way to score a touchdown in the middle of the first quarter, only to fail to score a single point over the remainder of the game. Jameis Winston tried to get his teammates rolling as much as he could, but at the end of the day, the second-year quarterback was no match for the defending Super Bowl champions.

Once again, it was clear how much Tampa Bay misses running back Doug Martin in the ground game as Charles Sims led the way with just 28 yards on 15 carries, which is just beyond pathetic. For a team that many considered a sleeper to watch in the NFC after an impressive win on opening weekend against the Atlanta Falcons, the Buccaneers have been nothing but a disappointment since then.

Not only has the team now lost three-straight games, but Tampa Bay has allowed their opponents to score 104 points during that span. And with the red-hot Falcons climbing to the top of the division, the Buccaneers are only digging themselves a deeper hole with each loss.

Oct 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) looks on during a pause in play during the fourth quarter in the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. New Orleans won 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

27. New Orleans Saints 1-3 (30)

When the NFL schedule was released in the offseason, Week 4 was a game Drew Brees most likely circled on the calendar as this would mark the first time he would play against the San Diego Chargers, the team he spent the first five years of his career with, on the road.

While Brees may not have displayed the best performance of his career after completing just 23 of 36 passes for 207 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, the quarterback had to feel good over the Saints winning the way they did.

After trailing 34-21 in the fourth quarter, New Orleans pulled off an epic comeback by scoring two touchdowns in the final minute before going on to win the game 35-34. Obviously, this was a bittersweet win for Brees when considering how much his life changed when he left the Chargers for the Saints, but the important factor in this one was this marked the team’s first win of 2016.

Defense has been a major reason for concern with this team and even though they came through with the win, Sunday still marked the third time in four games New Orleans has given up at least 32 points in a game as a team.

Sep 29, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry (14) is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict (55) in the second half at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 22-7. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

26. Miami Dolphins 1-3 (25)

Pathetic doesn’t even begin to describe what went down for the Miami Dolphins on Thursday against the Cincinnati Bengals. Ryan Tannehill summed it up best when describing this game as one of the worst offensive games he’s been part of during his five-year career with the team.

When Kenny Stills caught a 74-yard touchdown in the first quarter to give the Dolphins an early 7-3 lead, all signs pointed to the Bengals being on upset alert, which is the last thing they could afford when considering how the AFC North is panning out. Instead, the touchdown by Stills ended up being the only points for Miami in the game as they went on to lose 22-7.

As if only scoring seven points wasn’t already frustrating enough, the Dolphins’ offense was almost outperformed by A.J. Green–who finished the game with 10 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown. Adam Gase has always drawn praise for being an offensive genius, but the Dolphins have scored 10 points or less in two of four games.

If things don’t improve for Miami soon on both sides of the football, they’re going to be out of the AFC East race before even hitting the halfway mark of the regular season.

Oct 2, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (90) sacks Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) during the third quarter at NRG Stadium. The Texans won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

25. Tennessee Titans 1-3 (24)

All three losses by the Tennessee Titans this year have come by single digits as the trend continued on Sunday after falling to the Houston Texans. However, the Titans played better than most people would have expected when considering the difference of talent level and experience compared to the Texans, but that doesn’t take away from how frustrating this loss was.

With a win over Houston, Tennessee would have been sitting on top of the AFC South, which nobody would have predicted at the beginning of the season. The Titans made all of the right moves in the offseason when it comes to upgrading their offense, but this team still needs to figure out a way to close out games if they’re going to have any chance in the division.

If that’s going to happen, it’s up to Marcus Mariota to lead the way on offense as the quarterback failed to throw a single touchdown pass for the second-straight week. The Titans have high expectations when it comes to Mariota succeeding, and rightfully so when considering how quickly he made the adjustment to playing at the NFL level.

When looking at these close games the Titans are failing to close out, it’s time for Mariota to step it up for the offense.

Oct 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers cornerback Adrian Phillips (31) celebrates with Jason Verrett (22) after an interception during the second half at of the game against the New Orleans Saints Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

24. San Diego Chargers 1-3 (23)

History seems to be repeating itself for the San Diego Chargers after another frustrating loss on Sunday to the New Orleans Saints.

Last season, the Chargers finished with a 4-12 record, but nine of those losses came by single digits, which is absolutely crazy to think about. This year, San Diego has already lost three games by single digits as this has to be the most frustrating thing in the world for Philip Rivers to deal with.

The Chargers have already been the unfortunate victims of dealing with numerous injuries on both sides of the football, but not even the injuries can be the reason for blame when it comes to what’s happened so far this season. The AFC West is shaping up to be the toughest division in the NFL thanks to the emergence of the Oakland Raiders, and if San Diego doesn’t figure out a way to close out games soon, Mike McCoy could be out of a job.

What happened on Sunday against the Saints was nothing short of embarrassing after the Chargers’ defense surrendered two touchdowns in the final five minutes of regulation. It’s crazy to think how San Diego could be sitting at 4-0 heading into Week 5, but instead find themselves near the bottom of the league at 1-3.

Oct 2, 2016; London, ENG; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) works around Jacksonville Jaguars defense during the fourth quarter at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports

23. Indianapolis Colts 1-3 (22)

What on earth is going on with the Indianapolis Colts? For a team that was supposed to return to being contenders in the AFC, they have been nothing but sloppy to start the season, and even though it’s only been four games, the team needs to strongly consider parting ways with head coach Chuck Pagano.

Injuries can’t even be blamed for what happened in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars as the Colts could have easily come up on the winning end with a few better play calling. For example, why on earth would Indianapolis keep Frank Gore on the sidelines during a key fourth-and-1 on the team’s final drive when they were down three points?

It’s decisions like these that have Colts fans frustrated over Pagano, and after a 1-3 start, enough is enough. There’s only so much Andrew Luck (27 of 42 for 234 yards with a touchdown and an interception against the Jaguars) can do for this team, and unless the defense starts playing better, this team isn’t going to have any chance at winning the division.

The fact that Indianapolis has given up 30 points or more in three of four games to start the season shows just how bad this defense is, and they’re not going to improve any time soon.

Oct 2, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) throws in the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

22. New York Jets 1-3 (21)

With the way things have looked over the last three weeks, it’s safe to say the New York Jets have hit rock bottom as this team should regret giving that hefty one-year deal to Ryan Fitzpatrick in the offseason.

Fitzpatrick did everything in his power to convince the Jets he was worthy of a long-term deal in the offseason, but the Jets seem to be the winners in this situation as the quarterback has been nothing but a headache over the last two games. As if throwing six interceptions against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3 wasn’t already frustrating enough, Fitzpatrick threw three more against the Seattle Seahawks to give him nine over the last two games.

If things don’t get better soon, the Jets are going to have to strongly consider making a change at quarterback.

Obviously, a matchup against the Seahawks is no easy task, but the Jets could have made this a much closer game than the score indicated, especially when looking at all of the unnecessary turnovers. Instead of making a statement by defeating one of the top teams in the league in Seattle, the frustrations continued for New York as they fell to 1-3 on the season.

Oct 2, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) is helped off the ground by teammates after being injured against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Rams won 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

21. Arizona Cardinals 1-3 (19)

Just when it seems like the Arizona Cardinals couldn’t hit a new low, they go out and lose another tough one at home to the Los Angeles Rams, which now makes it two losses in three home games to start the season.

On paper, the Cardinals are capable of having one of the league’s most dangerous offenses when considering the team is made up of Carson Palmer, David Johnson, and Larry Fitzgerald. So to see this team fall to 1-3 on the year heading to Week 5 is easily one of the biggest surprises as Arizona currently sits at the bottom of the division with the 49ers.

To top it off, the team only has a few days to recover from this loss as they prepare for Thursday’s matchup against San Francisco, and Palmer is unlikely to play as the quarterback goes through the concussion protocol.

For whatever reason, the Cardinals have been in some sort of funk since losing the NFC Championship game to the Carolina Panthers as this team even struggled in the preseason. This team managed to finish last year on a hot note after a slow start, but nobody could have predicted Arizona to be this bad this early in 2016.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars 1-3 (28)

The Jaguars did everything they could to make it a rough game for Luck on offense, and they certainly succeeded after sacking the quarterback five times on Sunday.

When it comes to the most frustrating teams from the first three weeks, the Jaguars found themselves near the top of that list when considering two of their three losses could have easily resulted in wins. In both contests against the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville found themselves with an opportunity to take the lead towards the end of the game, only to end up ruining their chances of coming up with the win.

Despite being up by 17 points at one point against the Colts, hanging on for a three-point win was a huge confidence booster for the Jaguars as the offense put on quite the show for the fans in London. Jacksonville was considered one of the teams to keep an eye on as a possible sleeper in the AFC at the beginning of the season when looking at all of the weapons in the passing game,

Hopefully this game was just what the Jaguars’ offense needed to finally start winning games to get back in the AFC South hunt. Not to mention this win will take some of the pressure off of Gus Bradley‘s hot seat as head coach.

Oct 2, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly (59) reacts on the sideline in the fourth quarter of their game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons won 48-33. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

19. Carolina Panthers 1-3 (7)

The Carolina Panthers just can’t seem to catch a break as the team that finished 15-1 during the regular season one year ago lost their third game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. And to put the icing on the cake, Cam Newton was forced to leave Sunday’s game with a concussion.

After losing Josh Norman in the offseason, the Panthers made it clear their defense would be just fine without the star cornerback, but that’s been anything but the case so far in 2016. After two tough losses in three games to the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings, a matchup against Atlanta’s defense seemed to be just what Carolina needed to avoid digging a deeper hole to the start of the season.

Obviously, that was far from the case as the defense was the main issue for the Panthers against the Falcons was stopping the quarterback-wideout duo of Matt Ryan and Julio Jones. Between Ryan throwing for more than 500 yards and Jones recording 300 receiving yards, it’s easy to see why Carolina came up on the losing end in this one.

This team is clearly nowhere close to where they were at this time last year, and if the Panthers don’t figure out a way to turn things around fast, they’re going to miss out on the chance of defending their NFC title.

Oct 2, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins running back Matt Jones (31) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns in the fourth quarter at FedEx Field. The Redskins won 31-20. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

18. Washington Redskins 2-2 (18)

For weeks, the Redskins have been waiting for Kirk Cousins and Jordan Reed to develop the successful chemistry displayed throughout the 2015 season. After Sunday’s game against the Browns, the Redskins hope this is the first step in the right direction as the duo seemed unstoppable at times.

Reed caught nine of 10 targets from Cousins for 73 yards with two touchdowns to help Washington pickup their second-straight win on Sunday. There were plenty of concerns surrounding this team after starting off the year with back-to-back losses, but the Redskins are finally playing like the team that won the NFC East one year ago.

With tough matchup against the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles over the next two weeks, the true test will be whether Washington can continue playing this well to prove they deserve to be considered one of the teams to beat in the NFC. As big as the win against the Browns was, there were times in the second and third quarter when the Redskins struggled to put up points.

Still, the important takeaway from this one is the Cousins-Reed connection finally came to play, and here’s to hoping this continues for Washington in the passing game.

Sep 25, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) drops back to pass against the Washington Redskins during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

17. New York Giants 2-1 (16) (Play Monday Night)

After a 2-0 start to the season, the New York Giants came back down to earth with a tough loss to the Washington Redskins in Week 3, and as bad as it sounds, they could be in for another brutal game when they square off against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.

When looking at some of the opponents the Vikings’ defense has managed to contain so far in 2016, it’s easy to assume Eli Manning and company could be in for a long evening. However, let’s not forget these are the kind of games Manning loves to play in as he tends to succeed when it’s his team against the world.

If New York is going to have any chance at pulling off the road win in this one, Manning is going to need all of his key weapons in the passing game to be effective, especially when it comes to Odell Beckham Jr. The star wide receiver is still looking for that first touchdown of 2016, and Beckham has even drawn criticism over the last week after letting his emotions get the best of him against the Redskins.

As long as Beckham helps Manning on offense, the Giants should be able to make this an interesting ball game.

Oct 2, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan exits the field after the game at Gillette Stadium. The Bills defeated the Patriots 16-0. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

16. Buffalo Bills 2-2 (20)

Isn’t it amazing how things can change so fast in a matter of two weeks? Everybody seemed to write off the Buffalo Bills (including this writer) following their surprise firing of former offensive coordinator Greg Roman, but this team seems to finally be on a roll after back-to-back wins over the Cardinals and New England Patriots.

Of course, the most impressive thing to take away from the Bills in Week 4 is they not only left Foxborough with a huge win, but they managed to shutout the Patriots in the process with a 16-0 win. While the argument will be made this outcome would have been much different if New England had a better situation at quarterback, keep in mind how much praise this team was receiving for their ability to win with anyone at quarterback.

All of a sudden, Buffalo finds themselves back in the hunt for the AFC East race as Rex Ryan finally picked up his first win in New England during the regular season as a head coach. The offense clearly still has plenty of areas in need of improvement as Tyrod Taylor needs to figure out a way to help this team find the end zone more, but at least the defense has contained two of the top offenses over their last two games.

Oct 2, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens safety Lardarius Webb (21) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Oakland Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

15. Baltimore Ravens 3-1 (12)

For weeks, the Baltimore Ravens struggled to earn the respect they deserved, despite a 3-0 start to the season as many wanted to see how they would do against an actual contender. Those three wins came against teams with a combined 1-8 record heading into Week 4, and even though the Ravens fell just shy of a 4-0 start, this team made a statement against the Oakland Raiders when it comes to being contenders this year.

In what may have turned out to be one of the most thrilling games of Week 4, Baltimore fell to Oakland 28-27 after Michael Crabtree caught the game-winning touchdown from 23 yards out with just over two minutes left. The fact that these two teams combined for four touchdowns combined in the fourth quarter shows just how intense this game was, and despite the loss, the Ravens should still feel somewhat proud for making a statement.

Between Terrance West rushing for 113 yards with a touchdown and Steve Smith catching eight passes for 111 yards with a touchdown of his own, it’s clear Baltimore has some weapons to work with on offense. Now, the challenge becomes finding a way to make sure this offense displays these kind of performances on a weekly basis to make the Ravens a threat in the AFC.

Oct 2, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Chris Conley (17) carries the ball as Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Mike Mitchell (23) and cornerback Ross Cockrell (31) defend during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

14. Kansas City Chiefs 2-2 (6)

The Kansas City Chiefs were the unfortunate victims of facing a Pittsburgh Steelers coming off a frustrating 31-point loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3. With that being said, there’s no excuse for the type of performance displayed by the Chiefs on Sunday as they were embarrassed by the Steelers in the national spotlight.

Kansas City has established a reputation for having one of the league’s top defenses over the years, and while they knew Sunday’s contest against Pittsburgh wasn’t going to be an easy one, they would have been better off just staying at home. As if allowing Antonio Brown to have one-on-one coverage on two touchdown catches wasn’t already frustrating enough, the Chiefs allowed Ben Roethlisberger to throw for five touchdowns before it was even the middle of the third quarter.

The defense can carry this team all they want throughout the 2016 season, but it’s not going to mean anything if they play like they did against the Steelers. Not to mention Alex Smith and the offense continues to struggle with putting up points against some of the league’s best teams as Sunday’s performance was way too similar to the one from Week 2 against the Houston Texans.

Sep 29, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) against the Miami Dolphins at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 22-7. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

13. Cincinnati Bengals 2-2 (13)

After tough losses to two of the best defensive teams in the league, the Bengals entered Thursday’s game against the Dolphins facing plenty of pressure to win. Even if it’s only been four weeks, Cincinnati knew the last thing they could afford was to fall to 1-3 on the year with the way the AFC North is shaping out with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.

Luckily, the Bengals came through with a strong performance against the Dolphins to get back to .500 on the season.

Cincinnati’s brushed off an early 74-yard touchdown in the first quarter by preventing Miami from scoring for the rest of the game during their 22-7 win. While the stellar play of the defense came up big for the Bengals, Green continued to show why he’s one of the league’s top wide receivers after catching 10 passes for 173 yards with a touchdown. agains the Dolphins.

At 2-2, this team still has plenty of time to work their way back into the mix of being one of the top teams in the AFC. Having Green will always make this offense one of the best in the league, but just wait until Tyler Eifert is healthy enough to give Cincinnati another reliable weapon in the passing game.

Oct 2, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Case Keenum (17) carries the ball during the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

12. Los Angeles Rams 3-1 (17)

Nobody would have predicted the Los Angeles Rams would be 3-1 at this point in the season after their embarrassing loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, but here they are.

The Rams knew they were in for a tough schedule when considering they play in the NFC West, but the way this team has already limited the high-powered offenses of the Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks is nothing short of amazing. After Sunday’s road win against the Cardinals in which they held them to scoring just 13 points, the Rams are playing with all sorts of confidence heading into Week 5, and rightfully so.

For a team that relied heavily on the success of their defense in 2015, Case Keenum is doing just enough to help the offense get by over these last three games. Even when Todd Gurley failed to be effective in the ground game after rushing for just 33 yards on 19 carries, Keenum still found a way to help this team put up 17 points against the Cardinals, which turned out to be just enough thanks to the stellar play of the defense.

Let’s hope Brian Quick–who has three touchdowns over the last two games–continues this surprising hot streak, as Los Angeles is a team on the rise in the NFC.

Oct 2, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) catches a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

11. Oakland Raiders 3-1 (15)

Don’t look now, but the Oakland Raiders have officially moved up to the next levels of going from pretenders to contenders.

At the start of the regular season, the Raiders were considered a team to keep an eye on in the AFC as many believe they were talented enough to make a run at the playoffs thanks to the numerous weapons on offense. Not only is Derek Carr continuing to make a case for emerging as one of the league’s top quarterbacks after his four-touchdown performance against the Ravens, but he’s fully taking advantage of having effective weapons like Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper in the passing game.

As talented of a wide receiver Cooper is, Crabtree has been the difference maker for this team’s 3-1 start, and it showed on Sunday as three of Carr’s four touchdowns went to the wideout. For the first time in what seems like forever, Oakland seems to be a legitimate contender in the AFC, and Sunday’s road win against Baltimore is the perfect example as to why.

What’s even more scary is the Raiders have won all three games this year on the road, which means they still have seven games left to play at home in front of their fans.

Oct 2, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller (15) celebrates with tackle Derek Newton (72) after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

10. Houston Texans 3-1 (11)

Losing J.J. Watt is going to be no easy task for the Houston Texans to overcome, and if Sunday’s game against the Titans is any indication of what to expect, this defense is going to struggle with the adjustment.

Even though they came up on the winning end, Houston’s defense looked anything but dominant after Bill O’Brien‘s squad held on for the 27-20 win over Tennessee. Despite letting DeMarco Murray find the end zone twice, the Texans deserve a little credit for the constant pressure applied to Mariota at quarterback.

Houston’s success over the last two years has come from the defense, and while Brock Osweiler was a major upgrade at quarterback to take the offense to the next level, the emergence of rookie Will Fuller is turning out to be the difference maker. After DeAndre Hopkins was limited to just one catch for four yards, it was Fuller who carried the passing game against the Titans after catching seven passes for 81 yards with a touchdown.

And if that wasn’t impressive enough, Fuller ended up being the difference maker on special teams after returning a punt 67 yards for the game-winning touchdown in the final minute. Clearly, the Texans realize they have something special in the talented rookie as they hope to see him continue making an impact over the rest of the season.

October 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett and players celebrate after a defensive stop during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi

9. Dallas Cowboys 3-1 (9)

There’s still plenty of time before a decision is going to have to be made, but if the Dallas Cowboys had to choose between Dak Prescott and Tony Romo as the starting quarterback, the wise choice would be to keep the rookie in.

The fact that Prescott has played four games for the Cowboys without recording a single turnover is beyond amazing as the quarterback helped Dallas overcome an early 14-0 deficit before going on to win the game 24-17. What’s even more impressive about this win is the Cowboys managed to improve to 3-1 with Bryant on the sidelines as the wideout sat out with a knee injury.

Prescott has lived up to all of the hype from the preseason, and one of the main reasons behind his success is due to Elliott in the ground game. Not only did the former Ohio State star finish with 138 rushing yards against the 49ers, but Elliott averaged 6.0 yards per carry in the process.

Just think these two stars are rookies that are only going to get better with experience for the Cowboys as the duo of Prescott and Elliott is emerging as one of the best in the league.

Sep 25, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) and tackle Jason Peters (71) and running back Wendell Smallwood (28) and wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham (18) huddle against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won 34-3. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

8. Philadelphia Eagles 3-0 (5)

It’s amazing to think how close Carson Wentz came to sitting out his rookie season as the Philadelphia Eagles have turned out to be one of the biggest surprises in the first month of the season.

When looking at all of the changes made during the offseason, many predicted the Eagles to go through a rebuilding year, especially with all of the uncertainty on offense. While the offense still has plenty of areas in need of improvement, it’s been Philadelphia’s defense that has carried this team over the first three weeks as Jim Schwartz‘s squad is coming off one of the best defensive performances of the early season after holding the Steelers to just three points.

The Eagles still have a long way to go when it comes to proving they deserve to be considered one of the teams to beat in the NFC, but it’s difficult not to get excited about this squad. For a team like this to overcome all sorts of odds to be undefeated after their bye week, and beat the Steelers as bad as they did, it will be interesting to see if Philadelphia can continue this surprise momentum over the next couple of weeks.

Oct 2, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (29) celebrates his fourth quarter interception with teammate Richard Sherman (25) during the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

7. Seattle Seahawks 3-1 (8)

When considering all of the injuries this team has been dealing with, the Seattle Seahawks have to feel great about traveling to the east coast and picking up a huge road win over the Jets.

Nobody knew what to expect from Russell Wilson heading into Week 4 when considering how hobbled the quarterback’s been over the last few weeks, but he was simply phenomenal on offense to help the Seahawks pickup their third win of the season. Wilson 23 of 32 passes for 309 yards with three touchdowns against New York, and the bye week couldn’t come at a more perfect time for this squad.

Not only is Wilson far from 100 percent, but also Thomas Rawls will miss time at running back while recovering from a fibula injury. While Christine Michael has stepped it up in the ground game in his absence, the Seahawks were hoping to have a solid one-two punch in the backfield between the two running backs.

At 3-1, Seattle is already making a strong, early case to be considered one of the top teams to beat in the NFC as they look to reach the playoffs for the sixth time in seven seasons, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

Oct 2, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) celebrates his touchdown catch with quarterback Matt Ryan (2) in the fourth quarter of their game against the Carolina Panthers at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons won 48-33. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

6. Atlanta Falcons 3-1 (14)

After losing on opening weekend, the Atlanta Falcons appeared to have picked up right where they left off in the second half of the 2015 season. Now, it’s safe to say the Falcons are one of the hottest teams in football after Sunday’s big win over the Panthers to make them the team to beat in the NFC South.

Where to begin when it comes to the offense for the Falcons in Week 4? As if Matt Ryan‘s 503 passing yards with 4 touchdowns wasn’t already impressive enough, Julio Jones put a smile on the faces of all his fantasy football owners after catching 12 passes for 300 yards to go along with a touchdown.

For all those wondering if Jones was unhappy after recording just one catch against the Saints in Week 3, it’s easy to assume that’s not even close to an issue after this performance.

The defense may rank near the bottom of the league, but the Falcons’ offense seems to finally be living up to their potential with one of the league’s top duos in Ryan and Jones. Assuming both stars manage to stay healthy, Atlanta could end up being the team to beat in the division as long as they can put up points like this on a weekly basis.

Oct 2, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) is sacked by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Dee Ford (55) during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

5. Pittsburgh Steelers 3-1 (10)

Mike Tomlin called Sunday’s game against the Chiefs “Redemption Sunday” as the Pittsburgh Steelers would be looking to redeem themselves from last weekend’s disappointing performance against the Eagles. As bad as it sounds, that loss to Philadelphia may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Pittsburgh as this team looked stronger than they have all season against Kansas City.

When considering the Chiefs have one of the league’s top defenses, to watch the Steelers display the type of performance they did on Sunday shows just how dangerous this offense can be. What’s even more scary is this unit is only going to get better and better now that Le’Veon Bell–who was suspended for the first three games–is back in the lineup.

It seemed obvious the Steelers would be extra motivated to come out firing against the Chiefs after failing to find the end zone against the Eagles, but nobody could have predicted this matchup would end like it did. If Pittsburgh is capable of putting up these type of numbers against a strong defense like Kansas City, just imagine what they can do against some of the other top teams in the AFC.

Don’t look now, but “Redemption Sunday” seemed to work out pretty well for Tomlin’s squad as this team is back on track.

Sep 25, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Kyler Fackrell (51) celebrates with linebacker Jayrone Elliott (91) after sacking Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) (not pictured) during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. Green Bay won 34-27. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

4. Green Bay Packers 2-1 (4)

For a team that received plenty of criticism following a tough 17-14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2, it was good to see Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers bounce back against the Detroit Lions the following week, even if it was closer than it should have been.

After struggling to get anything going on offense against the Vikings, Rodgers threw four touchdowns in the first half alone against the Lions as the quarterback looks to find himself in consideration for MVP once again in 2016. With weapons like Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb in the passing game, Rodgers is always going to find himself in better position than most quarterbacks in the league.

Not to mention, the argument can be made that Rodgers is playing with an extra chip on his shoulder this year after Green Bay let the NFC North title slip away in 2015 as Minnesota emerged as champions.

No team enjoys having the bye week this early in the season, but the Packers may need it with two upcoming matchups against the Giants in Cowboys. On the bright side, at least Green Bay will have an extra advantage of playing these two games at Lambeau.

Oct 2, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) hands off the ball to running back LeGarrette Blount (29) against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

3. New England Patriots 3-1 (1)

It’s only fitting to see the New England Patriots lose their final game playing without Tom Brady at quarterback, but nobody could have predicted them to look this bad at home against the Buffalo Bills.

For a team that proved in Week 3 they’re capable of winning with just about anyone at quarterback, the argument can be made Sunday’s loss at home in which they were shutout by the Bills was one of the most frustrating losses of Bill Belichick‘s career. Obviously, this game would have been much different with a healthier Jacoby Brissett and Jimmy Garoppolo, but it’s amazing to see the transition this team made in one week.

After making a big statement in Week 2 by shutting out the Texans, a home matchup against the Bills seemed to be the perfect scenario for the Patriots to still be undefeated with Brady’s return in Week 5. While New England is still in good shape with their beloved quarterback’s return next weekend, losing at home against a division rival is never easy to accept, especially when that rival is Ryan’s Bills.

On another note, let’s give credit to the Patriots for finishing 3-1 during Brady’s suspension when considering most experts assumed they would go 2-2 at best.

Sep 25, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer looks on during the first half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

2. Minnesota Vikings 3-0 (3)

From losing Teddy Bridgewater and Adrian Peterson to acquiring Sam Bradford from the Eagles, and having to worry about their new quarterback picking up the offense fast, it’s safe to say the Minnesota Vikings are capable of overcoming any obstacle in their way.

With a Monday night matchup against Manning and the Giants, the Vikings are ready for their next obstacle of continuing to prove why they should be considered the team to beat in the NFC.

What Minnesota has done over the last two weeks has been simply amazing as the defense has found a way to contain two of the league’s top offenses in the Packers and Panthers. Assuming all of their key players stay healthy, this Vikings’ team is going to be extremely difficult to overcome in the NFC as the team looks to take advantage of a Giants’ squad coming off a frustrating loss to the Redskins.

As amazing as the defense has been, Bradford deserves plenty of credit as well for how quickly he’s picked up this offense in such a short time. For the first time in his career, the former No. 1 pick is surrounded by a ton of talent, and it’s good to see Bradford taking advantage of the unexpected opportunity.

Oct 2, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) drops back to pass in the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

1. Denver Broncos 4-0 (2)

The Denver Broncos are enjoying their 4-0 start after another strong performance on defense against the Buccaneers, but the main concern moving forward is the health of Trevor Siemian after the quarterback suffered an injury against Tampa Bay.

Unfortunately, the second-year quarterback was forced to leave Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury, but at least the injury happened on his non-throwing shoulder. Still, with Siemian finally looking comfortable under center following a strong Week 3 performance against the Bengals, the last thing Denver wants to see happen is their quarterback missing time on the football field.

As impressive as Paxton Lynch (14 of 24 for 170 yards with a touchdown) looked as Siemian’s replacement, these numbers also came against a struggling Buccaneers defense. Until Lynch proves himself against an elite defense, there’s no telling what to expect from the rookie at quarterback.

On a positive note, at least the Broncos will continue to feel confident about their quarterback situation when considering all of the weapons in the passing game along with having one of the league’s top defenses. Thanks to the Patriots surprise loss to the Bills, the defending Super Bowl champions have officially reclaimed the top spot in this week’s rankings.