NFL Power Rankings - Week 4: Eagles soar into top 5, Texans fall back

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's NFL Editors, including Jack Browne, Mitch Sanderson, Arun Srinivasan, and Dan Wilkins.

1. New England Patriots

Previous Rank: 1st

Instead of Tom Brady returning, how much more fun would it be to watch Bill Belichick play a survivor pool-type game at quarterback for the rest of the season? The head coach can only use a player (or object) under center once, and it'd likely end with the Patriots holding the Lombardi Trophy aloft having played a remote-controlled tackling dummy at quarterback in the Super Bowl. - Browne

2. Denver Broncos

Previous Rank: 3rd

The offense is much better than expected, and the defense once again has the makings of an all-time great unit. Denver may be the only AFC team capable of challenging the Patriots right now. - Wilkins

3. Minnesota Vikings

Previous Rank: 6th

No Adrian Peterson, no Teddy Bridgewater, no problem. Minnesota's defense is the class of the NFC North, and it appears strong enough to carry the club to the division title, giving Cam Newton fits in a 22-10 victory on the road. - Srinivasan

4. Green Bay Packers

​Previous Rank: 7th

Jordy Nelson is rounding into top form for the Packers and the passing game alleviated any real concerns in a 34-27 win over the Lions. The Packers get to rest easy on their bye week with a key divisional victory. - Srinivasan

5. Philadelphia Eagles

​Previous Rank: 14th

"Wait until Carson Wentz plays a real team," they said. "Philadelphia will be exposed as pretenders," they said. Well, after putting a beatdown on one of the league's top teams in the Steelers, the Eagles enter their bye week on the verge of taking the NFC by storm. - Browne

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

​Previous Rank: 2nd

Pittsburgh's offense disappeared against Philadelphia, and the secondary was in shambles against the rookie Wentz. Against a resolute Chiefs team, the Steelers will need to prove that Week 3 was a mere aberration en route to Super Bowl contention. - Srinivasan

7. Seattle Seahawks

​Previous Rank: 11th

After two weeks of incredibly underwhelming performances, the Seahawks' offense has finally broken through. Russell Wilson avoiding any sort of significant absence should help that to become the norm in the weeks ahead. - Wilkins

8. Carolina Panthers

​Previous Rank: 5th

The Panthers are still getting credit for their 2015 performance and receiving the benefit of the doubt after losing to two of the league's best, but losses are losses and those have to stop for Cam Newton & Co. if they want to get back to the top. - Sanderson

9. Kansas City Chiefs

​Previous Rank: 12th

It may not have come against the best of passing attacks, but six interceptions in a win over the Jets is ridiculous. Jamaal Charles' impending return could take Kansas City to the next level - Wilkins

10. Arizona Cardinals

​Previous Rank: 4th

What is wrong with the Cardinals? The talent is there at every position on the field, but this team suddenly can't do anything right. Perhaps the embarrassing loss in Buffalo will serve as a wake-up call - Wilkins

11. Cincinnati Bengals

​Previous Rank: 8th

There's no shame in losing to the defending Super Bowl champions, but the Bengals will need to remedy their 1-2 record with a win over the Dolphins on Thursday night. - Srinivasan

12. Baltimore Ravens

​Previous Rank: 16th

Baltimore's three wins have come against opponents that sport a cumulative 1-8 record, but it's not enough to discount its excellent start to the year. Terrell Suggs is back with a vengeance and the Ravens are once again a leading threat in the AFC North. - Srinivasan

13. New York Giants

​Previous Rank: 10th

The Giants could have made a statement by effectively ending the Redskins' season and moving to 3-0. Instead, they proved they aren't among the league's top teams. A sloppy, undisciplined performance is a cause for concern, as is the fact New York has forced just one takeaway in three games. - Browne

14. Dallas Cowboys

​Previous Rank: 15th

Dallas' offense shined in what may have been the least interesting Sunday night matchup in recent memory. The Cowboys are yet to face an upper-echelon team, so it's difficult to get a read on their ceiling. That will change soon, however, with the Bengals, Packers, and Eagles coming up over the next four games. - Browne

15. Houston Texans

​Previous Rank: 9th

After being badly outcoached and outplayed Thursday night, the Texans have seen some weaknesses exposed, particularly at quarterback. They'll have a chance to work out the kinks against the Titans next week before taking on elite defenses in Weeks 5 & 7 against the Vikings and Broncos, repsectively. - Sanderson

16. Oakland Raiders

​Previous Rank: 17th

Oakland's defense showed some signs of putting it all together against the Titans, but there's still plenty of work to be done. The potential for a playoff appearance is there if that talented group can gel. - Wilkins

17. Atlanta Falcons

​Previous Rank: 19th

With the number one offense and the 30th-ranked defense, the Falcons remain in the middle of the pack. The success of the running game Monday night was nice to see, but should be taken with a grain of salt considering the incompetence of the Saints' defense. - Sanderson

18. New York Jets

​Previous Rank: 13th

For one game, Ryan Fitzpatrick seemed to have turned a corner and had the Jets' offense ticking. But bad Fitzpatrick (hereafter to be known as Sixpatrick) returned with a vengeance in Week 3, throwing six picks and reminding the NFL world that no team led by Sixpatrick can be a contender. - Browne

19. Washington Redskins

​Previous Rank: 24th

It's only Week 3, but Washington would have likely fallen out of the race had it not pulled out a late win against the Giants. With the NFC East - the Eagles especially - looking more competitive than expected, the Redskins need to take advantage of their relatively easy upcoming slate to stay in the playoff hunt. - Browne

20. Indianapolis Colts

​Previous Rank: 22nd

In the ugliest of fashions, the Colts got their first win this week against the Chargers. Indy's inability to dominate games against an early schedule of weaker opponents (aside from the Broncos) is troubling. - Sanderson

21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

​Previous Rank: 18th

The Rams had scored a combined 9 points and no touchdowns heading into Sunday's affair. Thirty seven points later, the Buccaneers defense had them looking like the Greatest Show on Turf again, becoming the first team to allow 100 points this season. - Sanderson

22. Detroit Lions

​Previous Rank: 21st

Marvin Jones has been a revelation, but the rest of the team is playing on autopilot. Next up for the Lions is a desperate Bears team that's looking to notch its first win of the year. - Srinivasan

23. Los Angeles Rams

​Previous Rank: 27th

While the lack of a passing game should continue to make matters difficult on offense, the Rams will be competitive for as long as that defense makes the plays it has thus far. - Wilkins

24. Buffalo Bills

​Previous Rank: 31st

So maybe it was Greg Roman's fault after all. The Bills saved their season by dominating the Cardinals, but will now need to reenter the gauntlet and take down the seemingly unbeatable Patriots to stay alive. - Browne

25. San Diego Chargers

​Previous Rank: 20th

Philip Rivers will help the Chargers hang around in a lot of games. With far too many weaknesses elsewhere, though, many of which are amplified by injury issues, finishing above .500 will be a difficult task. - Wilkins

26. New Orleans Saints

​Previous Rank: 23rd

It's time to worry about the Saints. Monday night should have been an easy win in the Big Easy on the 10-year anniversary of the return to the Superdome and a pressing 0-2 record. Clearly Drew Brees can no longer win games by himself and there doesn't it doesn't appear anyone is ready (or able) to fill that void. - Sanderson

27. Miami Dolphins

​Previous Rank: 30th

The Dolphins are a Cody Parkey missed field goal away from being 0-3. When you have to go to overtime to beat the Cleveland Terrelle Pryors, something is fundamentally wrong with your organization. - Browne

28. San Francisco 49ers

​Previous Rank: 28th

San Francisco would have to be playing Colin Kaepernick if he were 100 percent healthy, right? The vaunted Chip Kelly offense is uninspiring, at best, with Blaine Gabbert at the helm. - Wilkins

29. Tennessee Titans

​Previous Rank: 25th

The Titans have surprisingly been competitive in every game they've played thus far, but putting up just 10 points against a Raiders defense that entered Week 3 as the league's worst may be a sign things are going downhill. - Sanderson

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

​Previous Rank: 26th

After entering the season with nothing but talent and hope, the Jaguars are back to their relative obscurity with three straight losses to start the season. At least Jalen Ramsey's trash talk has been fun. - Sanderson

31. Chicago Bears

​Previous Rank: 29th

Injuries to Jay Cutler and Jeremy Langford decimated the offense, but it's no excuse for an abysmal 0-3 start. The Bears desperately need a win against the Lions, or else they should begin advance scouting on this year's collegiate class. - Srinivasan

32. Cleveland Browns

​Previous Rank: 32nd

The Browns lost in overtime to the lowly Dolphins and it's already time to look ahead to the draft. It'll provide little solace to football fans, but at least LeBron James and the Cavaliers brought home a championship, right? - Srinivasan