PFT’s Week 4 2022 NFL power rankings

Buffalo Bills v Miami Dolphins
Getty Images

1. Dolphins (3-0; No. 6): To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. And they did.

2. Eagles (3-0; No. 4): The only difference between the Dolphins and Eagles? The Dolphins have beaten two great teams.

3. Bills (2-1; No. 1): Ken Dorsey should switch to decaf after kickoff.

4. Packers (2-1; No. 7): The defense is playing better, which is good because the offense still needs work.

5. Rams (2-1; No. 5): The division isn’t as good as we thought it would be, which puts the Rams in position to seize it.

6. Chiefs (2-1; No. 2): It’s amazing that they made all those mistakes and still nearly won.

7. Buccaneers (2-1; No. 3): No tablets were harmed in the losing of this game.

8. Ravens (2-1; No. 9): Through three games, Lamar Jackson’s self-bet is paying off. He only has 48 games to go.

9. Cowboys (2-1; No. 10): Cooper Rush is performing just well enough to get Dak Prescott to return before he should.

10. Bengals (1-2; No. 11): The next AFC East team they face will likely give them a much stiffer test.

11. Jaguars (2-1; No. 18): Urban Meyer will inevitably find a way to try to take credit.

12. Titans (1-2; No. 13): The key to every game is to get the ball early, often, and repeatedly to Derrick Henry.

13. Browns (2-1; No. 22): They suffocated the Steelers, and they could keep winning plenty of games even without Deshaun Watson.

14. Broncos (2-1; No. 25): Russell Wilson‘s meal took nearly as long to cook as Jan’s osso buco.

15. 49ers (1-2; No. 8): Maybe Brock Purdy should get a shot.

16. Vikings (2-1; No. 23): It was a Week Two performance but, somehow, a Week One result.

17. Giants (2-0; No. 21): If they had 22 Saquon Barkleys, they’d never lose a game.

18. Colts (1-1-1; No. 32): Does that win justify hanging a banner?

19. Chargers (1-2; No. 12): This team has way too many injuries for it to be bad luck.

20. Patriots (1-2; No. 14): Let Bailey zap.

21. Steelers (1-2; No. 15): If they don’t do something to pump up the offense, it’s going to be a very long year in Pittsburgh.

22. Bears (2-1; No. 28): Ugly wins count the same in the standing as the pretty ones.

23. Cardinals (1-2; No. 16): From 10-2 to 1-2 is a very rude awakening.

24. Jets (1-2; No. 19): They need Zach Wilson to play, and to play like the guy they drafted him to be.

25. Panthers (1-2; No. 31): Matt Rhule’s termination has been temporarily delayed.

26. Saints (1-2; No. 20): Sean Payton isn’t walking through that door.

27. Falcons (1-2; No. 29): They’re better than their record indicates, which puts them in good shape to contend for a playoff spot.

28. Seahawks (1-2; No. 24): The only thing this team has in common with the ’72 Dolphins is that they were both 1-0.

29. Lions (1-2; No. 26): Now that they’re learning how to start, the Lions have to learn how to finish.

30. Washington (1-2; No. 27): The Eagles continue to be thrilled that Carson Wentz has gone.

31. Raiders (0-3; No. 17): In a top-heavy AFC, they can’t get  away with many more losses before the window closes on getting to the playoffs.

32. Texans (0-2-1; No. 30): The worst team in the worst division gets the worst spot, this week.

71 responses to “PFT’s Week 4 2022 NFL power rankings

  1. Wonder how much of the Buffalo Bills dropping like flies to the heat had to do with the newly signed Von Miller talking about how “you have to celebrate each win; gonna go out tonight and celebrate this win.”

    Well you guys had a short week and it looks like there was plenty of dehydration and possible celebration hangover going on.

  2. Bears are a bit high with the current worst QB in the NFL. Running game and defense only take you so far.

  3. Steelers are only a couple plays away from being 3-0, and would be undefeated if not for some badly blown calls. Cracks me up how people keep doubting the Black and Gold!

  4. While I’m happy my Eagles are playing great football, we still have glaring holes in our secondary and are prone to giving up big plays. In addition, the past two games, we’ve taken big leads at halftime and put in on cruise control in the second half, scoring no points and getting super conservative. That won’t work in the future, we need to play a complete game and never take the foot off the pedal. Still, I mostly like what I see….

  5. “Russell Wilson‘s meal took nearly as long to cook as Jan’s osso buco.” Brilliant. You win the internet for today.

  6. Packers too high. 8 or 9 would be about right. If they hadn’t laid an egg against the well-prepared Vikings, then maybe maybe Top 5. Maybe.

  7. How can the Steelers be ranked so low when Mike Tomlin is such a fantastic coach? It just doesn’t make sense.

  8. Miami has beaten two great teams?
    If they were great they wouldn’t have lost to the Dolphins. Bills played sloppy and still can’t run the ball, and the Ravens defence is still a sieve.

  9. The list is perfect. Every team is in exactly the right spot. (I’ve always wanted to say that to a listmaker.) 🙂

  10. Titans at 12 after getting blown out by Buffalo and barely scraping by the winless Raiders?
    Last season was last season. Tennessee simply isn’t good this year.

  11. Lions beat #30 and you think they should be higher than the 2 win bears? Nah. Until they finish games, they’re where they are. I think their talent should have them in the top 15 but their coaching is what’s holding them back (that field goal decision is prime example).

  12. The biggest headscratchers in these rankings:
    Titans lost to the Giants at home and are somehow ranked above them despite also having the worse record.
    Lions at 29 despite playing tough against the number two ranked team and losing two close games against winning clubs.
    The 1-2 49ers at 15 despite losing to a 2-1 team ranked below them.
    1-2 Chargers at 19. Barely beat the winless Raiders, and got trucked by the Jaguars, as their major injuries continue to amass.

  13. Gotta love the early season power rankings……watch the Dolphins and Eagles slowly drop back to reality as the season goes on.

  14. footballer23 says:
    September 27, 2022 at 9:34 am
    Steelers are only a couple plays away from being 3-0, and would be undefeated if not for some badly blown calls. Cracks me up how people keep doubting the Black and Gold!

    ——

    The Steelers couldn’t even beat my Pats…..and they are abysmal

  15. Steelers are only a couple plays away from being 3-0, and would be undefeated if not for some badly blown calls.
    ======================================

    bwahahahaah…oh, you’re serious. Go Browns!

  16. Eh’, the Packers offense may still need some work, (We all knew there’d be some growing pains.) but it’s not nearly as dire as everyone has predicted.
    After listening to the insufferable purple trolls, yammer on for months about who Aaron Rodgers was going to throw to, I think they’re finally getting their answers.

    Case in point, Sunday:
    GB went down to Tampa against the #1 defense in the blistering heat without Watson and Watkins at their disposal.
    Their no-name receivers compiled 14 catches, for 175 yds and 2 Tds.

    The Vikings brand name, gold plated receivers garnered 14 catches, for 150 yds and 2 Tds. at home, against the Detroit Lions.

    Weird, huh?
    And it’s only Week 3.
    Makes it seem like all that talking was for nothing. 😉

  17. Totally agree that Bailey Zappe needs to take the reins in Mac’s absence. What do the Pats have to lose? The last time Hoyer needed to step in an start, it was a disaster. Love the guy, he is a good mentor, but he won’t help this team win. See what Zappe has. Pats are losing anyway

  18. Coming from a huge Miami fan, I think they might be rated a little high. I prefer the underdog role.
    However they did win against 3 teams that every writer and journalists picked to be in the playoffs and also picked one of those to win the SB.

  19. I laugh when I see people say the Steelers are only a few plays away from being three and zero. They also barely beat the Bengals when Joey B had the worst game of his career and lost in the patriots who let’s be honest their offense is just as lost as any in the league. Having said that the Bengals are ranked too high still one win and it was against the lowly Jets. Now if they can hang with Miami on Thursday then they deserve to be in the top 10 but for now they should probably be closer to 15 or 16

  20. This Bills guy if OK with Fins being #3, they are playing well enough to win, period. I am surprised with the depleted team we have on D that we are still at #3. …Appreciate the respect. Even with our Sunday mistakes, heat, 14 starters out, dropped balls, TD pass thrown into the ground, etc. we let that game get away and only gave up 14 offensive points to the Fins. New respect for Tua – Tua is a quality QB and person, playing well, and wish him the best. Quick recovery to all the Bills and Fins. Tough day, great game.

  21. Steeler fans are such self-righteous victims when they don’t win. Maybe consider politics?

  22. footballer23 says:
    September 27, 2022 at 9:34 am
    Steelers are only a couple plays away from being 3-0, and would be undefeated if not for some badly blown calls. Cracks me up how people keep doubting the Black and Gold!————————

    They are also only an xp point or field goal away from being 0-3.

  23. Washington should be dead last. They haven’t yet played a good team. Sorry, Philty, but you will be exposed as the fraud you are as your fake QB resorts to running again and is pounded.

  24. I hate to admit it, but my team deserves its #26 ranking. Winston has played 7 bad quarters out of 12, and the Saints came out flat against two inferior opponents and by right should be 0-3. While Sean Payton’s teams could be counted on to have one total head scratcher loss per season, they always looked prepared, and almost always played inspired football. This year the team looks listless for the most part (the 4th quarter against ATL and the first three quarters against Tampa Bay being the exceptions), the play calling is uninspired, and DA looks like a deer in the headlights as head coach

  25. The 1-2 Lions have scored 95 points, 1-2 Bengals 64, 1-2 Titans 51, 1-2 49ers 47.

    Isn’t the object of the game to score points?

  26. Tua comes into Cinci as a 3 point dog Thursday Night. Should be interesting. Can’t wait for the white tiger helmets in primetime!

  27. If this season has taught us anything (so far), it’s that the Vikings were darn lucky to get the Packers week one — in effect, the Packers’ starters’ pre-season warm-up game.

  28. Dolphins fan here, I’d have preferred to see us at like 9 or 10.

    It will eventually be out turn to lose and fall from our graces.

    Unlike college football, the rankings mean nothing.

    Were the Bengals No.1 at any point last season?

  29. rthom127x says:
    September 27, 2022 at 11:09 am
    The 1-2 Lions have scored 95 points, 1-2 Bengals 64, 1-2 Titans 51, 1-2 49ers 47.

    Isn’t the object of the game to score points?

    ———————

    The object of the game is to score more points than you give up.

  30. Jim says:
    September 27, 2022 at 10:49 am
    Dolphins beat the Bills practice squad and move to #1. Hilarious.

    ———-

    Someone should let Josh Allen and Stephon Diggs know they are on the practice squad

  31. Happy to see the Dolphins at #1. It has been about 20 years since my last memory of it. I don’t think they stay there throughout the season, but should be ranked high for a while. Are the Bills a better team, Maybe? Is Josh Allen better than Tua?, Definitely, but this is a team sport. As for the injury excuses (practice squad comments)… The Bills Offense could only score 3 points in the 2nd half with nearly 75% in TOP and was not affected with injuries like their Defense. Both teams were affected by the conditions and both had Starters out. Stop whining! The Fins D won the game. Period.

  32. “8. Ravens (2-1; No. 9): Through three games, Lamar Jackson’s self-bet is paying off. He only has 48 games to go.”

    ———————————————

    I love having Lamar as my QB but there is no way I’d be okay with stretching his contract negotiations out for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

    If he isn’t under contract by the draft next year I’d be okay with trading him for a couple first round picks.

  33. It’s way too early to think about but … Tua vs Hurts in SB? That would be a great story line. I still think it’s year of the Bills.

  34. Hahaha@ Bills practice squad and heat excuses. Last I checked both teams had major injuries and both played in the same heat. Miami wo t make excuses when they play in the snow and cold in December.
    Deal with it, the better team on Sunday won the game. Big bad offense that Buffalo has only scored 17 points. Well actually 12.
    Kicker got 5 and safety got 2
    Miami teamwork and D won that game.

  35. Finally some respect from Florio. The North East bais media is still longing for their next ‘Patriots’ team to latch on. Jets, Giants, Pats, nope nope and nope – they latches everything to the Bills. Then they lost, and you STILL have people believing the Eagles are the best team cause they beat the LIONS, COMMANDERS, and VIKINGS.
    THE Dolphins beat media proclaimed best HC, (Pats), media proclaimed MVP in Jackson led RAVENS) AND media proclaimed/beloved Buffalo Bills.
    Every year for the past 20 years if the Dolphins got off to a semi- hot start, everyone would say ‘yea they have been winning, BUT WHO HAVE THEY BEAT?’

  36. Bengals and Titans are way too high. You’ll see by end of year these are no better than .500 teams. Also Pittsburgh will suck this year. Worst defense in the NFL.

  37. I’ve got no skin in the game when it comes to Bills/Dolphins, but the Bills dominated that game and were clearly the superior team, despite the score. Great win for Dolphins, though. I’m glad to see both of these franchises on the upswing.

  38. 1-2 Lions have scored 95 points, 1-2 Bengals 64, 1-2 Titans 51, 1-2 49ers 47.

    Isn’t the object of the game to score points?
    ‐–‐——————————–

    No. Its to outscore your opponents. This isnt fantasy

  39. skcusoirolf says:
    September 27, 2022 at 10:28 am
    Coming from a huge Miami fan, I think they might be rated a little high. I prefer the underdog role.
    However they did win against 3 teams that every writer and journalists picked to be in the playoffs and also picked one of those to win the SB.

    _____________________________________________

    Dolphins have won 11 out of their last 12 games.

  40. If you are ranking the Pats at 20 because Mac Jones is hurt and you think they will lose more games, okay. But if it’s based on performance, consider that they were down 5 late in the 4th qtr with the ball inside the 10 yds line of the Ravens. They turned the ball over yet still got it back and were at mid field with 4 minutes left, driving for a potential game winning score. They held the Dolphins offense to 13 points. They beat Pittsburgh on the road, which right now is no big deal, unless you lose that game, which they did not. So while they did lose two games, they are not getting blown out and the two losses are against two teams that would be undefeated if they weren’t forced to play each other in Week 2. So, the Patriots are better than people think, but the injury to Mac may not allow them to show that on the winning ledger yet. The game in GB may be a lot closer than people think, and don’t be shocked if the Patriots find a way.

  41. ForWhomTheBellTrolls says:
    September 27, 2022 at 9:35 am
    While I’m happy my Eagles are playing great football, we still have glaring holes in our secondary and are prone to giving up big plays. In addition, the past two games, we’ve taken big leads at halftime and put in on cruise control in the second half, scoring no points and getting super conservative. That won’t work in the future, we need to play a complete game and never take the foot off the pedal. Still, I mostly like what I see…
    ———-
    Just wondering. . . . .?? Where are the “glaring holes” in the secondary?

  42. footballer23 says:
    September 27, 2022 at 9:34 am
    Steelers are only a couple plays away from being 3-0, and would be undefeated if not for some badly blown calls.
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Or they’d be 1-2 if Burrow didn’t turn the ball over 5 times in the opener. Or 1-2 if the Bengals hadn’t lost their long snapper in the game. This is football. In week 3 nearly every team is a play or two away from being undefeated or 0-3.

  43. bostonblows says:
    September 27, 2022 at 11:21 am
    Dolphins fan here, I’d have preferred to see us at like 9 or 10.

    It will eventually be out turn to lose and fall from our graces.

    Unlike college football, the rankings mean nothing.

    Were the Bengals No.1 at any point last season?
    ——–
    I agree. The only thing these rankings show is if teams are starting to get some respect in the national media.

  44. just put marino in there and he will make it happen ;] bring back a wizard to cast spells on these noobs they got in the NFL now. imma like seeing people cry when they see the dolphins gave them an L. prepare to get salty sweethearts

  45. Until they get the defense figured out the Ravens are too high. Any team with a good QB is going to pick them apart. So far the Ravens have only played one team with a good QB, and they lost.

  46. Finally putting some respect on the Fins. It’s not like they didn’t earn the wins. Rookie HC beats the Patriots to open the season, they come back after being down 35-14 against the Ravens, and they held Josh Allen to 17 points in 40 mins. Those were all earned wins and they were all won different ways. Tua and his “noodle” arm are making every throw needed, even the deep stuff. Number 1 in QBR is nothing to sneeze at. Go Phins!

  47. Vikings are way too high, we were beyond lucky to beat the Lions at home. The Lions dominated us a majority of that game.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to leave a comment. Not a member? Register now!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.