The game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins lived up to the hype as DeSean Jackson made his return to the City of Brotherly Love in Week 3, but that was just one of many big stories from Sunday. Without wasting any more time, here's a look at the 2014 NFL Power Rankings for Week 4.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0-3 (30)
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0-3 (30)
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Remember when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were considered a "sleeper" team to keep an eye on in the NFC? The Buccaneers were absolutely embarrassed by the Atlanta Falcons in the national spotlight as they were trailing by 56 around the halfway mark of the third quarter and maybe it was a mistake to sign Josh McCown during the offseason as the quarterback struggled once again before leaving early with an injury.
31. Oakland Raiders 0-3 (32)
(Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
31. Oakland Raiders 0-3 (32)
(Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
Even though they were held to just three field goals, the Oakland Raiders put up a surprise fight against the New England Patriots considering they only lost by seven points. It's still early, but with an 0-3 start, it looks like the Raiders are heading towards another losing season and the only benefit of 2014 will be the experience Derek Carr will get at quarterback.
30. Jacksonville Jaguars 0-3 (31)
(Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
30. Jacksonville Jaguars 0-3 (31)
(Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
The Jacksonville Jaguars showed so much potential in the first half of Week 1--and it's all gone out the window since then. This team has been so bad over the last two games, the Blake Bortles era even got started earlier than expected as he took the field and threw for 223 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
29. Tennessee Titans 1-2 (26)
(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
29. Tennessee Titans 1-2 (26)
(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
For the second-straight week, the Tennessee Titans looked flat-out awful as they had zero answers for the Cincinnati Bengals and didn't even put points on the board until the fourth quarter. If this team is going to have any chance of getting better, Jake Locker (four interceptions and one touchdown over his last two games) is going to need to start taking his game to another level.
28. Minnesota Vikings 1-2 (28)
(Sean Gardne/Getty Images)
28. Minnesota Vikings 1-2 (28)
(Sean Gardne/Getty Images)
In defense of the Minnesota Vikings, nobody gave them much of a chance on the road against the New Orleans Saints and they managed to keep it close for the entire game. He may not have found the end zone, but Teddy Bridgewater (12 of 20 for 150 yards with 27 rushing yards) looked decent in his NFL debut after Matt Cassel left the game with a foot injury.
27. St Louis Rams 1-2 (25)
(Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)
27. St Louis Rams 1-2 (25)
(Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)
The St. Louis Rams will be kicking themselves all week for missing out on the chance for a big win against the Dallas Cowboys after letting a 21-0 lead slip away--especially since they'll need every win they can get playing in the NFC West.
As for Austin Davis (30 of 42 for 327 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions), it will be interesting to see whether or not he'll continue to be the starter once Shaun Hill is healthy.
26. Miami Dolphins 1-2 (20)
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
26. Miami Dolphins 1-2 (20)
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ryan Tannehill is quickly losing the faith of the Miami Dolphins as he displayed another disappointing performance in Week 3 after completing 21 of 43 passes for 205 yards with just one touchdown. This was supposed to be a big year for Tannehill at quarterback, but the Dolphins have scored just 25 points over their last two games--which falls on the shoulders of the quarterback.
25. New York Giants 1-2 (29)
(Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
25. New York Giants 1-2 (29)
(Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
Maybe there is hope after all for Victor Cruz as the wide receiver caught his first touchdown pass since early last year against the Houston Texans and helped the New York Giants pick up their first win of 2014. This team still has plenty of work to do on offense, but on another positive note--it's always nice to see a game where Eli Manning throws zero interceptions.
24. Cleveland Browns 1-2 (23)
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
24. Cleveland Browns 1-2 (23)
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Despite the loss, Brian Hoyer continues to impress as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns with very few weapons after completing 19 of 25 passes for 290 yards with one touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens. The Browns may be 1-2, but they've lost both of those games by a combined five points and could still cause problems in the AFC.
23. Houston Texans 2-1 (22)
(Al Bello/Getty Images)
23. Houston Texans 2-1 (22)
(Al Bello/Getty Images)
We knew the Houston Texans still had plenty to prove after a 2-0 start and as bad as it sounds--they actually made the New York Giants look good during their 30-17 loss. Sure, this game would have been much different with Arian Foster in the lineup, but even the defense couldn't figure out a way to record turnovers against Eli Manning.
22. Washington Redskins 1-2 (27)
(Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
22. Washington Redskins 1-2 (27)
(Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
Kirk Cousins (30 of 48 for 427 yards with three touchdowns and one interception) deserves to be the starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins over Robert Griffin III and Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles is the perfect example as to why. The former Michigan State quarterback is clearly the better fit for this offense and it will be interesting to see if Cousins continues to click with this dangerous group of wide receivers.
21. Buffalo Bills 2-1 (17)
(Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
21. Buffalo Bills 2-1 (17)
(Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
After back-to-back impressive wins to start the year, this was what many of us expected from the Buffalo Bills this year. Despite throwing for 238 yards with one touchdown, EJ Manuel struggled to get anything going with his wide receivers as the offense mostly relied on Fred Jackson (102 yards from the line of scrimmage with one touchdown) against the San Diego Chargers.
20. New York Jets 1-1 (24) (Monday Night)
(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
20. New York Jets 1-1 (24) (Monday Night)
(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Geno Smith and the defense of the New York Jets have the perfect opportunity to show the NFL why they should be considered contenders in the AFC on Monday night, but it won't be easy. As the San Francisco 49ers saw in Week 2, the Chicago Bears are loaded with weapons on offense--which means the Jets will be heavily tested once again.
19. Kansas City Chiefs 1-2 (21)
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
19. Kansas City Chiefs 1-2 (21)
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Who would have thought the Kansas City Chiefs would put up 35 points in a game without Jamaal Charles? While Knile Davis (132 rushing yards with one touchdown) filled in nicely at running back, most of the credit goes to Alex Smith--who finally looked like the effective quarterback from one year ago after completing 19 of 25 passes for 186 yards with three touchdowns against the Miami Dolphins.
18. San Francisco 49ers 1-2 (8)
(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
18. San Francisco 49ers 1-2 (8)
(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The San Francisco 49ers are falling fast after back-to-back losses to NFC contenders--really fast. Colin Kaepernick (29 of 37 for 245 passing yards with one touchdown) did everything he could on offense, but the real problem for the second-straight week was the defense as San Francisco couldn't even manage to contain Drew Stanton (18 of 33 for 244 yards with two touchdowns) at quarterback.
17. Dallas Cowboys 2-1 (19)
(Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
17. Dallas Cowboys 2-1 (19)
(Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
For a quarterback who takes heat on a consistent basis, Tony Romo deserves plenty of credit for helping the Dallas Cowboys overcome a 21-0 deficit against the St. Louis Rams. Not to mention DeMarco Murray broke the 100-yard mark and found the end zone for the third-straight week--even though the fumbling habits continue to be an issue.
16. Chicago Bears 1-1 (11) (Monday Night)
(Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
16. Chicago Bears 1-1 (11) (Monday Night)
(Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
If the Chicago Bears can win on the road against the San Francisco 49ers, there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to do the same against the New York Jets. Look for Jay Cutler to have another big game on offense Monday night--assuming he receives protection from the offensive line.
15. Green Bay Packers 1-2 (7)
(Leon Halip/Getty Images)
15. Green Bay Packers 1-2 (7)
(Leon Halip/Getty Images)
For some reason, the Green Bay Packers just can't seem to get anything going when they play on the road as Aaron Rodgers threw for less than 200 yards for the second time in three games--which almost never happens.
Many expected the Packers' offense to have a field day against a banged-up secondary of the Detroit Lions, but that was obviously far from the case as Green Bay was held to just seven points--dropping them to 1-2 on the year.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers 2-1 (18)
(Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
14. Pittsburgh Steelers 2-1 (18)
(Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't have one, but two 100-yard rushers against one of the league's top defenses in the Carolina Panthers on Sunday as they finally broke out of their offensive slump. If the offensive line can play like this on a consistent basis, there may be hope for the Steelers after all as contenders in the AFC this season.
13. Atlanta Falcons 2-1 (16)
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
13. Atlanta Falcons 2-1 (16)
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Even if it was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Matt Ryan showed us just how dangerous he and Julio Jones can be on offense as the duo connected for 161 yards and two touchdowns. As long as these two stars remain healthy, the Falcons will be one of the top contenders in the NFC--even though the defense still needs some work.
12. New England Patriots 2-1 (10)
(Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
12. New England Patriots 2-1 (10)
(Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
It was a sloppy win, but the New England Patriots managed to improve to 2-1 after barely getting by the Oakland Raiders. The Patriots failed to take advantage of the weak rushing defense by the Raiders as Stevan Ridley led the way with just 54 yards, but the team can't be too disappointed now that they're tied for first in the AFC East with the Bills.
11. New Orleans Saints 2-1 (15)
(Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
11. New Orleans Saints 2-1 (15)
(Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Speaking of teams expected to have big wins in Week 3, Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints received a scare against the Minnesota Vikings--which nobody expected with the team playing without Adrian Peterson. This team has always excelled when playing at home, but even the offense looked sluggish again--which is the last thing Sean Payton wants to hear.
10. Baltimore Ravens 2-1 (10)
(Jason Miller/Getty Images)
10. Baltimore Ravens 2-1 (10)
(Jason Miller/Getty Images)
This is a completely different team since Week 1 as the Baltimore Ravens came up with a big road win against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday to improve their record to 2-1 on the season. Lorenzo Taliaferro (91 rushing yards with one touchdown) stepped up his game at quarterback, but Steve Smith continues to be the main reason why this offense is seeing so much success as the wideout has 18 catches for 290 yards with one touchdown in three games.
9. Indianapolis Colts 1-2 (13)
(Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
9. Indianapolis Colts 1-2 (13)
(Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
Oh come on--don't act like you were surprised to see Andrew Luck come out and have a big game for the Indianapolis Colts after back-to-back losses. This is what we should expect from the Colts in 2014 as Luck not only got things rolling on offense, but the defense--who has been dealing with numerous injuries--finally played at a high level.
8. Detroit Lions 2-1 (12)
(Leon Halip/Getty Images)
8. Detroit Lions 2-1 (12)
(Leon Halip/Getty Images)
In a game where Matthew Stafford threw two interceptions and failed to find the end zone once, the Detroit Lions still managed to come up on the winning end against the Green Bay Packers thanks to a surprise performance by the defense. Detroit came up big by holding Aaron Rodgers to just 162 passing yards with one touchdown and with a win like this--there's no reason why the Lions shouldn't be considered favorites in the NFC North.
7. Carolina Panthers 2-1 (4)
(Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
7. Carolina Panthers 2-1 (4)
(Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
By the time the Carolina Panthers could get anything going on offense, they were already trailing the Pittsburgh Steelers by a large margin. Carolina's defense was exposed by the Steelers and there were just too many mistakes on defense--especially when you take into consideration they allowed over 200 rushing yards.
6. San Diego Chargers 2-1 (9)
(Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
6. San Diego Chargers 2-1 (9)
(Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
Do the San Diego Chargers have what it takes to overtake the Denver Broncos in the AFC West? With the way Philip Rivers and company have played over the last two games, you would think so as this team looks like one of the top contenders in the AFC after coming up with a big road win in Buffalo on Sunday.
What's even more scary is this team is one bad quarter away from being 3-0.
5. Philadelphia Eagles 3-0 (5)
(Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
5. Philadelphia Eagles 3-0 (5)
(Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Eagles could be the luckiest 3-0 team in NFL history as they've trailed by at least 10 points in each of their first three games--yet they have managed to find ways to win each time. The Eagles got lucky in DeSean Jackson's return to Philadelphia, but if this team is going to have any chance at contending in the NFC, they need to figure out a way to fix their horrendous secondary.
4. Denver Broncos 2-1 (1)
(Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
4. Denver Broncos 2-1 (1)
(Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
On the bright side, at least the Denver Broncos only lost by single digits this time around to the Seattle Seahawks. This was a game Peyton Manning could have easily won if their offense had been in the game during the first half, but unfortunately they waited until the fourth quarter to start putting points on the board.
3. Arizona Cardinals 3-0 (6)
(Norm Hall/Getty Images)
3. Arizona Cardinals 3-0 (6)
(Norm Hall/Getty Images)
The most impressive thing about the Arizona Cardinals starting off the season 3-0 is they've managed to do so with Drew Stanton at quarterback for two of those games. Arizona made a huge statement by coming through with the big win against the San Francisco 49ers and they certainly seem capable of beating any team in the NFC--even the Seattle Seahawks.
2. Seattle Seahawks 2-1 (3)
(Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
2. Seattle Seahawks 2-1 (3)
(Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
Russell Wilson showed us once again why he's one of the league's best quarterbacks as he came up big for the Seattle Seahawks in overtime against the Denver Broncos. After their Week 2 loss to the Chargers, you knew the Seahawks were going to do whatever it takes to avoid falling to 1-2 and give the defense credit once again for another solid performance against Peyton Manning.
1. Cincinnati Bengals 3-0 (2)
(Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
1. Cincinnati Bengals 3-0 (2)
(Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
The Cincinnati Bengals are so good--even Andy Dalton is catching touchdown passes to help this team win. Nobody could have expected the Bengals to be the only team in the AFC still undefeated after three weeks, but this team is for real as they displayed another strong defensive performance against the Tennessee Titans.
So far--Andy Dalton is living up to that massive contract he signed in the offseason.
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