NFL Power Rankings and Analysis of Weeks 1-4 - Part four

So most power rankings are delivered following week 1 and are delivered on a week-by-week basis. However, I have decided to make my assessment following the first 4 weeks of the season so that I can get a better grasp of the teams and this is my assessment of how things have played out thus far.

Underperformers:

16) Pittsburgh Steelers 1-2

Last season it was all too evident that this team was far too old and yet they still made it into the playoffs. This season they have managed to reduce their average age but lady luck has treated them no better. With two pro-bowl defenders currently out injured it has been a slow start to their season. However, the bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for them and they should be well prepped to kick on from here.

17) Seattle Seahawks 2-2

Russell Wilson impressed everyone with his performances in the pre-season by beating Matt Flynn to the starters job in Seattle. However, their main weapon on the offense still seems to be Marshawn Lynch. However, they haven’t come to a .500 record with their offense. Instead, it is their very impressive D (and a very generous aka incorrect decision from the replacement referees) that has brought them this far. If the Seahawks intend to stay at .500 or above then they will really need their O to get going or Pete Carroll could be sent packing.

18) Buffalo Bills 2-2

Winning records have steered clear of the Bills for too long now. To change this, the Bills bolstered their D with marquee signing: defensive end, Mario Williams. If the Bills ever wanted to indicate that they meant business, this was the way to do it. Unfortunately, their play has been very hot and cold. If they can find any sort of consistency, then there is a legitimate possibility that they could contend for the AFC East title.

19) Dallas Cowboys 2-2

Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Jason Witten, DeMarco Murray, DeMarcus Ware, Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne. You see this list of names and it makes you wonder what on earth the coaching staff are doing wrong. With the amount of talent at their disposal this team should have achieved significantly more with Romo at the helm than the solitary playoff win he currently has. One must imagine that it is only a matter of time until Jerry Jones has had enough, and his last showing versus the Bears hasn’t helped matters. Must improve.

20) St Louis Rams 2-2

Jeff Fisher’s entire coaching career was left tarnished by a Superbowl loss to the ‘greatest show on turf’ by a single yard. So to exorcise some of those demons, he decided to take over the reigns of the team that caused him so much pain. While many teams tried to acquire his services, his choice of the Rams seems to be a wise one. This seems to be a team with a lot of potential and they should be able to continue their steady progress under his stewardship. Look for Cortland Finnegan to have a huge influence on this D as Fisher has brought him in so that his ‘us against the world’ mentality rubs off on the rest of the team. An excellent victory over the Cardinals on Thursday night took them to 3-2.

21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-3

The team labelled ‘Youngry’ last year were hampered by injuries to key areas. This season they have dumped the tag line and instead Greg Schiano has them playing right through to the final second. Josh Freeman looks in much better shape and they have brought in some top talent through free agency. While the defence has been stout, they have let too many games slip away from them. This is a team with tremendous potential, but they really need to start converting this into results. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that this team has the ability to be playoff contenders if they can start closing out games.

image: © ddyates