NFL Power Rankings, Week 4: Patriots a ‘major player in the AFC’
Following a nice 36-20 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, the New England Patriots jump a few spots in the Week 4 NFL Power Rankings.
The New England Patriots are back in the win column after a solid 36-20 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday afternoon at Foxborough.
The total team effort was enough to catapult the Patriots two spots to No. 8 in the Week 4 NFL Power Rankings.
In rushing for 250 yards and forcing a couple turnovers on the defensive end, Bill Belichick and his team are proving they are still very much a factor in the AFC, certainly in the running to capture their 12th consecutive AFC East title even though the undefeated and No. 6 ranked Buffalo Bills will have a say in that.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
After taking the No. 5 ranked Seattle Seahawks to the brink, the real sign of respect will come in Week 5 when they go out to Arrowhead Stadium to take on Patrick Mahomes and the No. 1 ranked Kansas City Chiefs. This game will really tell how much of a factor the New England Patriots will be in the AFC.
One thing is for sure, they will need Cam Newton to play much better than he did against the No. 18 ranked Raiders. In showing character and fight as a team, his teammates were able to pick him up. That’s the sign of a team buying in to the “Do Your Job” philosophy that define Belichick coached teams.
NFL.com’s Dan Hanzus was impressed that the team was able to still look impressive without Cam Newton looking like Superman:
"“Some things never change for the Patriots. They’ll still draw you offside on fourth-and-short (got ya, Maxx Crosby), they’ll still cook up a game plan to negate your best player (sorry, Darren Waller), they’ll still bludgeon you with the running back you least suspect (hi, Rex Burkhead), and they’ll still benefit from a controversial fumble call when the Raiders come to town (that’s life, Jon Gruden). It all added up to a 36-20 win over the Raiders, and it showed how this new Pats offense can still roll up yardage and score points even when Cam Newton has a C game (his grade, not ours). New England remains a major player in the AFC.”"
Where the New England Patriots stand in Week 4
In rising two spots to No. 8, the New England Patriots are right behind the Tennessee Titans at No. 7.
At 3-0, the Titans are facing some uncertainly after a few of their players and staff tested positive for COVID-19. With the facilities shut down till Saturday, their upcoming game against the No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
The Patriots are also ranked ahead of the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both of those teams appear primed to go on a run and eventually leap over the Patriots if the team runs into a tough stretch of games and lose a couple.
With players like Chase Winovich, Sony Michel and N’Keal Harry continuing to improve week to week, the New England Patriots should continue to get even better.
Where the New England Patriots should stand in Week 4
The New England Patriots are right where they should be with the No. 8 ranking.
The only argument is whether Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should be ranked higher considering the two teams have the same record with the Buccaneers having more talent.
As we know with the Patriots, it is not about overall talent. The team effort on Sunday shows just how good of a coach Bill Belichick is. The fact that he has Cam Newton buying in and looking very much like a leader gives credit to the system and how the team game plans each week.
New England Patriots: Grading the 5 bold player predictions vs Raiders. dark. Next
While the upcoming battle with the Kansas City Chiefs present a tall task for the New England Patriots, especially on defense, the team will be ready for the game. A win will definitely put them back in the conversation as a favorite in the AFC.