And just like that, a quarter of the NFL season is in the books. The early-year excitement is fading, and cold, hard reality is setting for both teams and fan bases in terms of injury trouble, poor play, mismanagement, or all of the above (sorry, Miami).
But what’s the biggest looming concern — ie. the elephant in the room — for each team in the league, now and moving forward? Our expert panel weighs in in the latest edition of our weekly NFL power rankings.
This week, the panel includes editor Geoff Lowe, as well as staff writers Donnovan Bennett, Mike Johnston and Emily Sadler.
1. New England Patriots
2019 record: 4-0
Last week: 1
Elephant in the room: The run game
The Bills defence made Tom Brady look very pedestrian on Sunday, and a heavy dose of the run game would’ve been helpful. Except the Patriots don’t have that right now, as New England ranks 24th in rushing so far and has run for more than 100 yards just once through four games. (GL)
2. Kansas City Chiefs
2019 record: 4-0
Last week: 2
Elephant in the room: Slow(ish) starts
Over the past three weeks combined, the Chiefs have been outscored 26-0 in the first quarter. While not a good trend, it’s also not so concerning when you see what follows: Mahomes has lit up opponents 64-3 in the past three second quarters combined. Is he just toying with us at this point? Perhaps. (ES)
3. New Orleans Saints
2019 record: 3-1
Last week: 7
Elephant in the room: Teddy Bridgewater
The Saints’ defence carried them to a victory over the Cowboys on Sunday, which is the good news. The bad news is that the unit needed to because Bridgewater, filling in for Drew Brees, provided next to nothing. Among quarterbacks who’ve started at least one game this season, Bridgewater currently sits 34th in yards per pass attempt with just 6.15. (CB)
4. Dallas Cowboys
2019 record: 3-1
Last week: 3
Elephant in the room: Dak’s contract
Sunday’s hiccup in New Orleans aside, Prescott has earned a big raise with his play already this season. The longer this situation plays out, the more of a distraction it could become – especially if the Cowboys make a run. (GL)
5. Los Angeles Rams
2019 record: 3-1
Last week: 4
Elephant in the room: Jared Goff is regressing
Goff has as many interceptions as he does touchdown passes this year (six), and while the Rams’ $134-million man can still rack up the passing yards — he tallied a career-high 517 in the Rams’ 55–40 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday — he has looked shaky under pressure and lost when forced to stray from his play-action script.
(The other elephant in the Rams’ room? Sean McVay … because seriously, that man never forgets.) (ES)
6. Green Bay Packers
2019 record: 3-1
Last week: 5
Elephant in the room: Offensive chemistry
Of all the starting quarterbacks in the AFC North, guess who has the worst completion percentage. Answer: Aaron Rodgers! He’s connecting on his attempts 62.3 per cent of the time. He has yet to look fully comfortable in his new offence. (DB)
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7. Seattle Seahawks
2019 record: 3-1
Last week: 13
Elephant in the room: Easy early-season schedule
The Seahawks have looked strong this season and seem to be getting stronger … only, before we get too excited about them taking over the NFC West going forward, a look at their path so far — wins over Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Arizona and a loss to the Brees-Less Saints — has us hesitant to label this team before we see them face a true test. (ES)
8. Chicago Bears
2019 record: 3-1
Last week: 15
Elephant in the room: Mitch Trubisky
The main reason for the Bears to be concerned is Mitch Trubisky’s dislocated non-throwing shoulder and slightly torn labrum that will not require surgery. That said, the way he was playing, they may be better off with Chase Daniel, who threw for 195 yards and a TD in a win over Minnesota. (DB)
9. San Francisco 49ers
2019 record: 3-0
Last week: 11
Elephant in the room: Who is Jimmy G?
This is Jimmy Garoppolo’s third season in San Francisco, yet it still feels like we don’t really know who the 49ers QB is — aside from the guy earning a whopping $74.1 million in guaranteed money. Things look promising so far at 3-0, but he didn’t exactly face stiff competition in Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, and against Pittsburgh. A big performance against the Browns on Monday night will go a long way in determining this team’s identity. (ES)
10. Buffalo Bills
2019 record: 3-1
Last week: 10
Elephant in the room: Josh Allen
Both Allen’s health and overall impact are in question ahead of a Week 5 game with Tennessee. The sophomore quarterback has shown flashes, but continues to turn the ball over at an alarming rate and his accuracy leaves plenty to be desired. (GL)
11. Detroit Lions
2019 record: 2-1-1
Last week: 14
Elephant in the room: Stafford’s injury status
Matt Stafford showed up on the injury report with a hip injury. If Stafford has to miss time, the Lions are in trouble. (DB)
12. Philadelphia Eagles
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 16
Elephant in the room: The secondary (again)
It seemed impossible the Eagles could suffer as many injuries in the secondary as they did last season – 15 different defensive backs played for Philly in 2018 – but here we are. Jalen Mills is out, Ronald Darby is injured, Avonte Maddox is sidelined after taking a nasty hit to the head at the end of Thursday’s win in Green Bay. Philadelphia looks like a team that could contend, but the banged-up secondary might hold it back. (GL)
13. Baltimore Ravens
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 6
Elephant in the room: The Browns looking competent
The Ravens lost to the Browns for the first time since 2015. The little brother of the AFC North is now starting to pick on the big brother. (DB)
14. Minnesota Vikings
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 9
Elephant in the room: Kirk Cousins
In a game where the Bears’ QB was knocked out of the game, the Viking’s starting QB still managed to be the worst pivot on the field. Minnesota is now learning why Washington was only willing to franchise Kirk Cousins and not sign him long term. (DB)
15. Cleveland Browns
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 20
Elephant in the room: The beat-up secondary
On defence, the Browns are playing without both of their starting corners. That said, they put up 40 points on Sunday despite Odell Beckham Jr. notching only two catches. They’ve got two wins, but they aren’t out of the woods yet. (DB)
16. Carolina Panthers
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 21
Elephant in the room: Kyle Allen’s ball protection
In two starts (both wins, to be fair), Allen has fumbled the ball five times and lost it three. Keeping the home fires burning until Cam Newton comes back will be a lot easier if he can clean that up. (CB)
17. Los Angeles Chargers
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 17
Elephant in the room: QB pressure
L.A. gains one Melvin (Gordon, who ended his holdout and is slated to suit up in Week 5) but loses another in Ingram, who in Week 4 became the latest Charger struck by the injury bug. Without one half of their star pass-rush tandem, the Chargers’ QB pressure will take a hit. (ES)
18. Tennessee Titans
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 18
Elephant in the room: Inconsistency and divisional matchup woes
Both of Tennessee’s wins, including Sunday’s impressive showing in Atlanta, have been against non-divisional rivals. Their two losses were to fellow AFC South teams in which they performed uninspiringly. They weren’t very good in division games in 2018 and it cost them a playoff spot, and now they’re on the verge of having it happen again. Good news is they’re the only AFC South team with a positive points differential. (MJ)
19. Houston Texans
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 8
Elephant in the room: QB protection
The lowly Dolphins are the only team that has allowed more QB hits than the Texans, with the winless Cardinals and Bengals the only teams allowing more sacks through four weeks. He was sacked by the Panthers six times on Sunday alone, one of which caused a late-game fumble. (MJ)
20. Indianapolis Colts
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 12
Elephant in the room: Run defence
Getting embarrassed at home by the Raiders while giving up 188 yards on the ground was a jarring wakeup call for Indy. A huge reason for their struggles was Darius Leonard’s absence due to a concussion, but the D-line had no push. Turning things around on the road against the Chiefs in Week 5 will be a tough ask. (MJ)
21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 25
Elephant in the room: Home-field disadvantage
The Bucs are one of three teams who are 2-0 on the road and 0-2 at home so far this season. If they want to make road wins like the one against the Rams count, they need to not cough up home wins to the Giants like they did in Week 3. (The other two teams? Cleveland and Carolina.) (CB)
22. Jacksonville Jaguars
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 22
Elephant in the room: Jalen Ramsey
The Jags look to have something special in Gardner Minshew, and with each AFC South team sitting at 2-2 this isn’t when you want to be dealing with the trade demands of your best player. Ideally, Ramsey will have a change of heart and continue performing at an elite level for the Jags. If not, this could become a troubling distraction. (MJ)
23. Oakland Raiders
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 23
Elephant in the room: Football’s most gruelling road trip
After starting the season with back-to-back home games, the Raiders are now two weeks into a five-game road trip, which includes a trek across the pond to play the Bears in London. The Raiders don’t play in Oakland until Nov. 3 — 48 days on the road for a Raiders team that’s already looking unstable. (ES)
24. New York Giants
2019 record: 2-2
Last week: 24
Elephant in the room: The defence
Hope is renewed in New York thanks to the emergence of Daniel Jones, but the Giants have a ways to go before that hope is instilled on the other side of the ball. Big Blue ranks 21st in points allowed, 25th in yards allowed and have given up more than 490 yards in two of four games so far. (GL)
25. Atlanta Falcons
2019 record: 1-3
Last week: 19
Elephant in the room: Mental mistakes
To this point, the Falcons have been penalized 42 times, tops in the NFL. Add that to the fact they turned the ball over on downs three times against the Titans, and you’ve got a team seemingly intent on getting in its own way. (CB)
26. Pittsburgh Steelers
2019 record: 1-3
Last week: 26
Elephant in the room: Big Ben’s right elbow
The cast on Ben Roethlisberger’s arm is massive. He’s known for his toughness, but having your throwing arm immobile for a long period of time isn’t a recipe for future success. (DB)
27. Denver Broncos
2019 record: 0-4
Last week: 30
Elephant in the room: The Dolphins have some competition
The basement of the standings is so deep, the Broncos actually move up in the rankings after a fourth straight loss. But considering the loss of Bradley Chubb and the lacklustre offence under Joe Flacco, things in Denver look like they’re about to get much worse. (ES)
28. Cincinnati Bengals
2019 record: 0-4
Last week: 1
Elephant in the room: The cavalry isn’t coming
They’re 0-4, and A.J. Green’s return isn’t imminent. After missing seven games last year, the star wide receiver is out until at least Week 7 this year. By the time he returns, the season will almost certainly be lost. (DB)
29. Washington Redskins
2019 record: 0-4
Last week: 28
Elephant in the room: Quarterback
Washington has a real conundrum at the game’s most important position: continue to start Case Keenum, which has been an unmitigated disaster so far, or throw rookie Dwayne Haskins into the fire way before he’s ready. (GL)
30. Arizona Cardinals
2019 record: 0-3-1
Last week: 29
Elephant in the room: Murray could catch Carr
Murray has already taken a whopping 20 sacks through four games, putting him on pace to beat David Carr’s single-season record for most sacks taken as a rookie (76). Baseball’s looking pretty good right now. (ES)
31. New York Jets
2019 record: 0-3
Last week: 31
Elephant in the room: Adam Gase
The new head coach hasn’t gotten off to a great start after a rocky tenure in Miami. Injuries have been a huge issue for the Jets so far, but if Gase can’t get this team – which had relatively high hopes entering the season – in line, he might find himself without a job quicker than anyone anticipated. (GL)
32. Miami Dolphins
2019 record: 0-4
Last week: 32
Elephant in the room: Take your pick
The elephant is the room. There is nothing but elephant. (CB)
