NFL: Weekly Power Rankings
1. Los Angeles Rams (4-0, +0): The Rams won their fourth straight game to start the year, this time 38-31 over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football. QB Jared Goff has been absolutely dealing this entire year, and that reached a new level with 465 yards against the Vikings. He connected with TE Cooper Kupp over and over to the tune of 162 yards for the tight end. And of course, RB Todd Gurley was effective out of the backfield as always. Gurley finished with 83 rushing yards which led both teams. Los Angeles will hit the road for the first time since Week 2 as they face off against division rival the Seattle Seahawks. The Rams look like the real deal four games into the season and they'll get another chance to prove that this weekend.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0, +0): The Chiefs survived their first big test on the road against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. It's rare to see a young quarterback come back from 10+ points down in the fourth quarter on the road. But from what we've seen in the first four weeks, QB Patrick Mahomes is as rare as they get. He seems special and after a month, is the leading candidate for NFL MVP in just his second season. In the victory, he threw for 304 yards, while TE Travis Kelce compiled 78 yards, including a touchdown to cut the Denver lead to three points. RB Kareem Hunt finished off the Broncos on the next possession with a score to cap off a 121-yard performance. The Chiefs will host the Jacksonville Jaguars this week.
3. New Orleans Saints (3-1, +3): The Saints looked absolutely horrible in their Week 1 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since then, they've ran off three straight wins including victories over the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants, both of which came on the road (where the Saints historically struggle). QB Drew Brees is just over 200 yards away from becoming the NFL's all-time leading passer and he'll have a chance to do so against the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football. Alongside Brees, RB Alvin Kamara has been incredibly fun to watch, going for 134 yards against the Giants. The Saints will return home for the game versus the Redskins and will have a shot at getting to 4-1. They'll be favored.
4. Chicago Bears (3-1, +3): The Bears make an appearance in our top five for the first time all season as they have jumped ahead of the likes of the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North. The problem with this team over the first three weeks was the lack of offense. Even though the defense was playing at a high level, QB Mitchell Trubisky couldn't get much going on the other side of the ball. Week 4? He went completely against the grain and had the best game of his career. Chicago knocked off the Bucs, 48-10, behind 354 yards from Trubisky. Surprisingly enough, he also led both teams in rushing with 53 yards. It was a great game for the former North Carolina signal caller and a perfect way to ride into the bye week.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1, +3): The Jaguars dropped out after losing to the Tennessee Titans, 9-6, but were able to get back on track with a 19-point win over the New York Jets. Jacksonville's defense was as good as always, but the offense woke back up after taking a hiatus against the Titans. QB Blake Bortles was fantastic, going for 388 yards. WR Dede Westbrook was impressive on the outside, totaling 130 yards. Even without RB Leonard Fournette, the Jaguars have been able to be pretty impactful on the ground. They'll be better off when he returns, but for the time being, RB T.J. Yeldon has filled in nicely. He added 52 yards in Week 4 against the Jets. Jacksonville will try to hand the Chiefs their first loss this coming Sunday.
MVP Rankings:
1. Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)
2. Jared Goff (Rams)
3. Khalil Mack (Bears)
4. Drew Brees (Saints)
5. Myles Jack (Jaguars)
Photo Credit: Chicago Tribune.
