Eli’s Week 4 Top 10 NFL Teams
Here’s my Week 4 top 10 teams in the NFL.
1. San Francisco 49ers
After the Cowboys’ loss in Arizona this weekend, the 49ers are easily on top of the NFL right now. Even when Brock Purdy doesn’t have his best stuff as we saw on Thursday night, this offense is close to unstoppable. Brandon Aiyuk didn’t play due to a shoulder injury and it didn’t matter, with Deebo Samuel and George Kittle carrying the load in the pass game, and Christian McCaffrey doing his thing on the ground. The health of Aiyuk and Samuel (ribs) will be monitored, but this team is without a doubt the best through three weeks. SF should move to 4-0 on Sunday, as they face the Cardinals at home this week.
2. Miami Dolphins
70 points, what more is there to say? A historic performance by the Miami offense this week has them rocketing all the way up to two on my rankings this week. Tua is playing like an MVP candidate, and the Dolphins have found a dynamic duo in the backfield with Raheem Mostert and rookie De’Von Achane. The Dolphins had 726 total yards on Sunday, with 350 of those coming on the ground between Mostert and Achane. The fact that this Dolphins team can run the ball at this rate makes them a scary offense to deal with, something Buffalo will have the duty to try and slow down on Sunday in Western New York.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
The final of the remaining undefeated teams, Philadelphia checks in at three this week heading into Week 4. The offense finally seems to be heating up, thanks to finding the run game and a career revival by D’Andre Swift. The secondary looked a lot better than it had during the first two weeks, and this defensive line is the best front-4 in football. Jalen Hurts has been a bit unlike himself to start the season, but I expect him to only get better as the season progresses. Philly faces Washington at home this upcoming week.
4. Kansas City Chiefs
Remember when we were all wondering when the Chiefs offense would get on track? Well, that happened this week in a 41-10 trouncing of the Chicago Bears. Mahomes was great per usual, but what really stood out to me was their ability to run the ball, getting all three running backs (Pacheco, Edwards-Helaire, and McKinnon) involved. The defense looks once again like one of the most underrated units in football, and will not be tested for the second consecutive week when they face Zach Wilson and the Jets on Sunday night at Metlife.
5. Buffalo Bills
Buffalo is starting to look like the team we thought they’d be coming into the season. After a disappointing Week 1 loss to the Jets, Buffalo has rattled off two blowout wins, outscoring its opponents by 62 points in the process. Like the Chiefs, Buffalo’s ability to run the ball has made things a lot easier on Josh Allen and the rest of the offense. The Bills need to find a second pass-catcher behind Stefon Diggs to contribute, but for now, all is well in Buffalo. The Bills meet Miami next weekend in Buffalo for an AFC East showdown.
6. Dallas Cowboys
After a stunning loss to Arizona on Sunday, Dallas falls four spots and is out of my top five this week. Everything went wrong for Dallas on Sunday, the passing game, the play-calling, and the defense to name a few. The term “any given Sunday” was on full display for the Cowboys this Sunday, but I think of that game as more of a blip on the radar rather than the sky falling in Dallas. Dak Prescott needs to be better, but the loss wasn’t all on him. I expect this team to bounce back next week against the Patriots, but the Cowboys now own the biggest upset loss of the season so far.
7. Detroit Lions
After crashing and burning in a Week 2 loss to Seattle at home, the Lions rebounded with a dominant win over the upstart Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. It wasn’t the best day for the offense, but the defense picked up the slack, allowing just six points and forcing a Desmond Ridder turnover. This defense is vastly improved from last season, and the offense is still amongst the best in the league. The Lions head to Lambeau for an important Thursday night showdown with the Packers this week.
8. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens were very sloppy on what was a very sloppy day in Baltimore on Sunday. Lamar Jackson had multiple opportunities to win the game, but the offense just couldn’t get it done when it mattered most. The injuries are starting to pile up and it was pretty obvious on Sunday that the team was missing some of its better players. Gus Edwards is good, but Baltimore needs another guy in that backfield, and the lack of playmakers at wide receiver is starting to be very noticeable. Baltimore heads to Cleveland next week for an important AFC North showdown.
9. Cleveland Browns
Staying in the AFC North, Cleveland’s defense has been among the best through three weeks. A convincing win over Tennessee has them in my top 10 for the first time this season. Deshaun Watson had his best game as a Cleveland Brown, hooking up with Amari Cooper all day long against a soft Titans secondary. The loss of Nick Chubb will hurt this team in the long run, but it didn’t look so this week. I wonder about the season-long effect of no Chubb and Stefanski still coaching this team, but for now, they look like a playoff team in the AFC. Baltimore comes to town on Sunday
- Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks are officially back on track after a Week 1 blowout loss at home to the Rams. Geno Smith looks like the Geno of last year, and the run-game has been excellent for two weeks in a row. The offensive line will need to get healthy if Seattle wants to be a real threat, but they racked up 425 yards on offense without their two starting tackles this week. I still have questions about this squad, but they sneak into the back of my top 10 here in Week 4. Seattle faces the Giants on Monday night at Metlife this week.