Culver City Observer -

2019 NFL Power Rankings - Week 4

1. New England Patriots (3-0): The Antonio Brown experiment is over and now the Pats can move forward with their very good roster. The Patriots are 7-2 favorites among Las Vegas oddsmakers to win the Super Bowl and are 6-5 favorites to win the AFC Championship. Next: -7 at Buffalo Bills - Sun, Sep. 29

2. Kansas City Chiefs (3-0): Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is on a pace to throw for over 6,000 yards, which has never been done before. Just 20 games into his career, the he has thrown for 60 touchdowns with the Chiefs, surpassing Dan Marino as the fastest quarterback to throw for 60 career touchdowns. Next: -6.5 at Detroit Lions - Sun, Sep. 29

3. Los Angeles Rams (3-0): Last season, playing in Green Bay, Clay Matthews had a career-low in sacks with just 3.5. This season, with Aaron Donald as a teammate, Matthews has 4 sacks in three games. Next: -9.5 vs. Tampa Bay - Sun, Sep. 29

4. Dallas Cowboys (3-0): The Cowboys will finally get tested this week with a Sunday Night game at New Orleans. The Las Vegas oddsmakers have the Cowboys and the Rams as 4-1 favorites to win the NFC. Next: -2.5 at New Orleans - Sun, Sep. 29

5. Green Bay Packers (3-0): The Packers are 3-0 and ranked #28 in total offense in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers has not looked sharp early in the season. He is overdue for a breakout performance and the struggling Eagles are coming to Green Bay for a Thursday Night, short week game. Next: -4 vs Philadelphia Eagles - Thu, Sep. 26

6. San Francisco 49ers (3-0): The 49ers are for real, ranking #2 in total defense in the NFL and #4 in total offense in the NFL. A date to circle in the future is October 13th, when the 49ers come to Los Angeles to play the Rams. Next: N/A vs Cleveland Browns - Sun, Oct. 6

7. Buffalo Bills (3-0): New Era Field in Buffalo will be hopping this week when the undefeated Bills play host to the visiting Patriots. The Bills have the #5 rushing offense in the NFL at 151 yards per game. They will be matched up against the Patriots #1 rushing defense in the NFL at 36 yards per game. Next: +7 vs New England Patriots - Sun, Sep. 29

8. Detroit Lions (2-0-1): Somehow the Lions continue to find a way to avoid losing. That streak is probably going to end this week, with the high-flying Chiefs coming to Detroit. Next: +6.5 vs Kansas City - Sun, Sep. 29

9. Baltimore Ravens (2-1): The Ravens look like the class of the AFC Central. Mark Ingram has been a terrific free agent acquisition, rushing for 257 yards, averaging 6.0 yards per carry and scoring five touchdowns in just three games. Next: -7 vs Cleveland Browns - Sun, Sep. 29

10. New Orleans Saints (2-1): An upset win in Seattle really helped a Saints team that was struggling with the loss of quarterback Drew Brees. The Saints got early touchdowns from the special teams and defense in the win over the Seahawks. They will need more of the same this week. Next: +2.5 vs Dallas Cowboys - Sun, Sep. 29

11. Houston Texans (2-1): JJ Watt had his best game of the season against the Chargers, with two sacks, five tackles and five quarterback hits. Watt thanked the Texan fans at the game, who were making so much noise that "they had a big impact on that last drive. Today our fans were unbelievable." Next: -4 vs Carolina Panthers - Sun, Sep. 29

12. Chicago Bears (2-1): Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix got the Bears got the Bears started quickly on Monday Night against the Redskins, returning an interception 37 yards for a touchdown to give the Bears an early 7-0 lead. He later added a second interception in the Bears win. Next: -2 vs Minnesota Vikings - Sun, Sep. 29

13. Minnesota Vikings (2-1): The Vikings are averaging 193 rushing yards per game, second in the NFL. They are running the football on 61% of their plays, a league high. The Vikings can make the playoffs with good defense and a good rushing attack. They will not make it if quarterback Kirk Cousins is throwing the ball on 50% or more of the offensive plays. Next: +2 at Chicago Bears - Sun, Sep. 29

14. Indianapolis Colts (2-1): The Colts are hanging in well despite the retirement of Andrew Luck. The steady quarterback play of Jacoby Brissett and the crushing blocks of offensive guard Quenton Nelson have the Colts in a good position to make a playoff run. Next: -7 vs Oakland Raiders - Sun, Sep. 29

15. Seattle Seahawks (2-1): Tight End Luke Willson has returned to the Seahawks, signing this week the team after Seattle traded tight end Nick Vannett to the Steelers for a 5th round draft pick. Willson started 37 games from 2013-2017 for the Seahawks and caught two passes in the 43-8 Super Bowl win over the Broncos. Next: -5 at Arizona Cardinals - Sun, Sep. 29

16. Los Angeles Chargers (1-2): Melvin Gordon is ending his holdout and reports back this week. Gordon will help, but the Chargers need a pass rush and a receiving tight end. They only have four sacks in three games and only two receptions from tight ends in the last two games. Next: -15.5 at Miami Dolphins - Sun, Sep. 29

17. Atlanta Falcons (1-2): The NFC South is wide-open, and the Falcons need to make a move with the Saints battling key injuries. Matt Ryan leads the NFL with six passes intercepted. He needs to cut down on the mistakes and give his offense a chance to win some games. Next: -4 vs Tennessee Titans - Sun, Sep. 29

18. Philadelphia Eagles (1-2): The Eagles need to get their offense going and getting the ball to their playmakers would be a start. Zach Ertz has been quiet, Darren Sproles has barely played, DeSean Jackson has been hurt and Miles Sanders needs more playing time. Next: +4 at Green Bay Packers - Thu, Sep. 26

19. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2): Calais Campbell had three sacks in the victory over the Titans. The PFWA Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 is still going strong at the age of 33. Next: +3 at Denver Broncos - Sun, Sep. 29

20. New York Giants (1-2): The Daniel Jones era has arrived after the Giants overcame an 18-point deficit to upset the Bucs in Tampa Bay. That was the good news. The bad news is that star running back Saquon Barkley is out for the next 4-8 weeks with a high ankle sprain. Next: -3 vs Washington Redskins - Sun, Sep. 29

21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-2): Mike Evans had one of the best receiving games in Bucs history in just the first half versus the Giants, with three touchdown catches. The only other Bucs player to record three touchdown catches in a game was Morris Owens on Sept, 24, 1976. Next: +9.5 at Los Angeles Rams - Sun, Sep. 29

22. Cleveland Browns (1-2): Baker Mayfield is the lowest rate quarterback in the NFL, with the exception of whoever is playing quarterback at Miami. The Browns need to go back to basics by just running the football and being physical at the line of scrimmage. Changing the pace of the offense, which has been slow, to a no-huddle offense might help. What they are doing right now is not working. Next: +7 at Baltimore Ravens - Sun, Sep. 29

23. Tennessee Titans (1-2): Marcus Mariota was sacked nine times by the Jaguars defense in their loss to Jacksonville. He has been sacked 17 times in three games. The Titans may need to bench Mariota just to give him a break from the physical punishment. Next: +4 at Atlanta Falcons - Thu, Sep. 29

24. Oakland Raiders (1-2): Darren Waller has caught 26 passes for 267 yards as he leads all tight ends in receptions and receiving yards. The Hard Knocks star has been one of the few bright spots for the Raiders in 2019. Next: +7 at Indianapolis Colts - Sun, Sep. 29

25. Carolina Panthers (1-2): Kyle Allen threw four touchdown passes in the Panthers win over the Cardinals. He completed 19 of 26 passes for 261 yards. With Cam Newton out indefinitely, Allen has a chance to become the permanent starting quarterback for the Panthers. Next: +4 at Houston Texans - Sun, Sep. 29

26. Arizona Cardinals (0-2-1): The Cardinals are running the football on 27% of their offensive plays, the worst pass-run balance in the NFL. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray has been sacked 16 times in three games. He will not survive the season if the Cardinals do not establish a running attack. Next: +5 vs Seattle Seahawks - Sun, Sep. 29

27. Washington Redskins (0-3): Jay Gruden still has his job as head coach of the Redskins, but for how long? The Redskins could use an infusion of talent on their roster. Next: +3 at New York Giants - Sun, Sep. 29

28. Denver Broncos (0-3): The Broncos have not recorded a sack or turnover through three games, a record that dates back to 1982, when the NFL started keeping sack stats. The Broncos defense needs to help the Bronco offense, which is mediocre at best. Next: -3 vs Jacksonville Jaguars - Sun, Sep. 29

29. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-3): The winless Steelers will meet the winless Bengals in this week's "Crummy Game of the Week." The game will be played on Monday Night on ESPN, meaning the whole country will be subjected to this game. Next: -4 vs Cincinnati Bengals - Mon, Sep. 30

Jevone Moore

Rams possession receiver Cooper Kupp returns to form following ACL recovery

30. Cincinnati Bengals (0-3): The Bengals have lost 10 of their last 11 regular season games. They are already circling the drain on their 2019 season. Wide Receiver A.J. Green is still out with an ankle injury. Green is an unrestricted free agent in 2020. At age 31, it may make sense to trade him now and get something for him. Next: +4 at Pittsburgh Steelers - Mon, Sep. 30

31. New York Jets (0-3): Even with Le'Veon Bell on the roster, the Jets are ranked last in offensive yardage per game. Against the Patriots, the Jets gained just 105 yards in total offense. Next: N/A at Philadelphia Eagles - Sun, Oct. 6

32. Miami Dolphins (0-3): The Dolphins are averaging 5.3 points per game, they are giving up an average of 44.3 points per game, they are last in defensive yardage per game and last in turnover margin at a -6. The Dolphins have not led in a game this season. This is what rock bottom looks like. Next: +15.5 vs Los Angeles Chargers - Sun, Sep. 29