NFL power rankings after Week 4, 2026

Kansas City moves up a spot, and the case is this week's result plus the schedule underneath it. The Chiefs won 30-27 at Las Vegas, a 3-1 team, after trailing 19-17 with under five minutes left, while Minnesota's contribution was a five-point home win over an 0-4 team. Kenneth Walker III ran 22 times for 177 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns, the second coming one play after Jack Cochrane recovered a kickoff fumble at the Las Vegas 22. Kansas City got outgained 437-399 and held the ball 24:18, so it wasn't a dominant afternoon. Its four opponents are a combined 7-9, the strongest slate of the three unbeaten teams, and plus 41 trails only San Francisco.

Minnesota is still unbeaten and still drops a spot, because what it added was a five-point home win over the worst team in the league. The Vikings beat Miami 15-10 on five Will Reichard field goals and scored no touchdowns at all. Kyler Murray went 27 of 37 for 247 yards with no touchdown passes and four sacks taken, and T.J. Hockenson caught 13 for 119. Minnesota has allowed 51 points, fewest in the league, and its 9-3 win at Chicago is at least the equal of anything Kansas City owns. The separation is everything around it: 86 points scored, and opponents who are a combined 5-11 against Kansas City's 7-9.

San Francisco has the best point differential in the league at plus 58 and stays third for the same reason as last week. It still hasn't played a true road game. Three home wins plus the neutral-site win over the Rams in Melbourne is the whole resume, and the four opponents are a combined 5-11. The 24-14 win over Denver was tied 3-3 at halftime and turned on Marvin Mims Jr.'s muffed punt, which the 49ers converted into a touchdown. Brock Purdy went 19 of 30 for 218 yards and two scores, including a 56-yard screen to George Kittle with 2:15 left, and wasn't sacked for the fourth straight game. Neither team recorded a sack or an interception.

Jacksonville climbs two on the strongest body of work outside the unbeaten teams. The 22-17 win at Cincinnati was a road win over a 2-2 team, and the Jaguars took it while getting outgained 437-323 and allowing Joe Burrow 428 passing yards, because they didn't turn it over once and picked him off twice. Jourdan Lewis returned one 45 yards to set up a touchdown, and Rayuan Lane III stopped Chase Brown a yard short inside the final minute. Trevor Lawrence was 18 of 23 for 227 yards. Plus 51 is second in the league, 53 points allowed is second fewest, and the teams Jacksonville has beaten are a combined 7-5, the best mark of any 3-1 team.

Chicago moves up two. The 23-12 win over the Jets was the most one-sided possession game of the week: the Bears held the ball 42:45 to 17:15, ran 89 plays to 32, gained 492 yards to 157, and didn't punt once. Kyle Monangai carried 30 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns. The Jets are 1-3 and Chicago needed three Cairo Santos field goals, so the margin was 11 rather than 30. The resume still rests on the 59-37 win at Carolina and the 27-7 home win over Philadelphia, and the only loss is 9-3 at home to the 4-0 Vikings. Plus 47 is third in the league.

Baltimore rises three on the quality of what it has beaten more than on Sunday. The Ravens led 0-4 Tennessee 24-7 at halftime, then scored nothing in the second half and won 24-18 after Lamar Jackson rolled his ankle in the closing seconds of the second quarter and Tyler Huntley finished 8 of 9. Jackson was 15 of 20 for 222 yards and two touchdowns before that, and he leads the league at 10.1 yards per attempt. Derrick Henry ran 23 times for 73 yards and his seventh score. Tyler Loop hit a 64-yard field goal to end the half. What moves Baltimore is the 41-23 road win at Indianapolis and the neutral-site win over Dallas, both 2-2 teams.

The house rule that holds first place for the reigning champion broke last week when Seattle lost 33-31 at Washington, and it stays broken. A 30-23 home win over an 0-4 Chargers team doesn't restore it. Seattle got outgained 301-286 and won on four Los Angeles turnovers: two Justin Herbert interceptions, a muffed punt, and a sack-strip by Uchenna Nwosu with 1:03 left that ended the game. Sam Darnold went 13 of 22 for 168 yards and two scores, Emanuel Wilson ran 21 times for 81 yards, and Jason Myers missed an extra point. Seattle's opponents are a combined 4-12, tied for the weakest slate in the league, and the best team it has beaten is a 2-2 New England, by three at home.

Buffalo drops five after losing 29-26 at home to a New England team that arrived 2-2. The Bills got outgained 405-340, lost the possession battle 33:41 to 26:19, and gave up a 73-yard drive that ended with Efton Chism III's 23-yard catch and a two-point conversion with 1:50 left. Josh Allen went 23 of 33 for 253 yards and a touchdown and threw the interception to Craig Woodson that ended it. Buffalo has scored 127 points, most in the league, and Allen's 13 total touchdowns also lead it. But the Bills' opponents are a combined 4-12, tied for the league's weakest, and two of the three wins came against 0-4 teams.

Cleveland is 3-1, up six, and the hardest placement here to defend. Andre Szmyt's 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left beat Pittsburgh 27-24 on Thursday night, after Grant Delpit intercepted Aaron Rodgers on the final play. The defense sacked Rodgers five times and took two picks. But all three Browns wins are by three, three and four points, a combined margin of 10, and the loss was 34-10 at Jacksonville. Minus 14 is the worst differential of any team with a winning record and 81 points scored is the fewest. What keeps Cleveland here is that it has beaten 2-2 Carolina and 2-2 Pittsburgh, better opposition than Buffalo or the Giants have beaten.

The Giants are 3-1 and up three after beating Arizona 36-24, and Deonte Banks' 98-yard interception return on the game's final play accounts for six of that margin. It was 27-24 entering the fourth. Jameis Winston threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions, Malik Nabers caught six for 112 and a score, and New York took three picks off Jacoby Brissett. The shape of the record is the problem. All three wins are at home, the only road game was a 28-6 loss at the Rams, the Giants have outscored opponents by three across four games, and the teams they've beaten are a combined 3-9.

New England jumps seven to the top of the 2-2 group on the best win in that tier: 29-26 at Buffalo, over a team that was 3-1. Drake Maye went 22 of 37 for 269 yards and three touchdowns and also led the Patriots in rushing with 54 yards, and Romeo Doubs caught two of the scores. New England outgained Buffalo 405-340 and won the possession battle by more than seven minutes. Add the 20-3 home win over 2-2 Pittsburgh and the three-point road loss at 3-1 Seattle, and three of four games support this. The minus 12 differential is almost all the 35-6 loss at Jacksonville, and that's the result arguing the other way.

The Rams climb five after a 24-20 win at Philadelphia in which they trailed 20-10 entering the fourth and scored twice on Kyren Williams runs. Los Angeles outgained the Eagles 415-172, held them to 68 net passing yards and 0 for 12 on third down, and Byron Young had two and a half of the four sacks. Matthew Stafford was inefficient, 32 of 51 for 317 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns, while Puka Nacua caught nine for 125. The resume now holds a road win over a 2-2 team and a 28-6 home win over a 3-1 Giants side, and the losses are to 4-0 San Francisco and by four at Denver.

Carolina is up seven after beating Detroit 32-26 despite Ryan Fitzgerald missing two extra points. Bryce Young went 29 of 41 for 329 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, Tetairoa McMillan caught 14 for 192 yards and both scores, and Chuba Hubbard ran 20 times for 122 and two more. Detroit outgained Carolina 452-445 and still lost, turning it over on downs at its own 22 with 1:22 left. Plus 12 ties Cincinnati for the best differential in the 2-2 group, the 34-3 road win at Atlanta is a bigger result than anything Denver or Pittsburgh owns, and both losses came against 3-1 teams, one by three at Cleveland.

Denver drops four and has drawn the second-hardest slate in the league, behind only Miami's: its four opponents are a combined 13-3, and both losses came at Kansas City and at San Francisco, the only unbeaten teams it has faced. The 24-14 loss in San Francisco was 3-3 at halftime and 17-14 late before George Kittle's 56-yard screen settled it. Bo Nix went 25 of 42 for 214 yards and wasn't sacked, and Marvin Mims Jr.'s muffed punt was the game's only turnover. The wins over 3-1 Jacksonville and 2-2 Los Angeles both came at home, and minus 20 is what keeps Denver below Carolina.

Pittsburgh falls four after losing 27-24 at Cleveland on a 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left, having tied it with 1:42 to go on Aaron Rodgers' touchdown pass to Pat Freiermuth and his own two-point run. Rodgers threw for 299 yards and three scores but took two interceptions, the second by Grant Delpit on the final play, and was sacked five times. DK Metcalf caught five for 115. The Steelers have beaten 2-2 Atlanta and 2-2 Cincinnati, a better pair of wins than most of this group, but both road games are losses and minus 10 with 77 points scored is thin.

Atlanta is up six after a 45-24 win at New Orleans on Monday night, its second road win by 21. The Falcons ran for 205 yards and five touchdowns, Bijan Robinson going 19 for 145 with a 59-yard score on the third play of the game, and Brian Robinson Jr. adding three from 4, 8 and 11 yards. Michael Penix Jr. was 15 of 20 for 223 yards. Both Atlanta wins came away from home and both by three scores, which is why it clears Cincinnati's better differential on quality of wins. What holds it here is the 34-3 home loss to Carolina, the biggest beating anyone in this tier has taken.

Cincinnati drops eight, tied with Detroit for the biggest fall of the week. The 22-17 home loss to Jacksonville came with 437 yards of offense and 428 passing yards from Joe Burrow, who went 39 of 54 but threw two interceptions and got nothing on the ground: the Bengals ran for 23 yards. Tee Higgins caught 11 for 157. The record is 2-2 with a plus 12 differential, but the two teams Cincinnati has beaten are Tampa Bay and Houston, a combined 0-8, the emptiest pair of wins in this tier. Both losses are close, three at Pittsburgh and five at home, and that is the case for keeping it this high.

Dallas is up three after a 34-30 win at Houston that CeeDee Lamb settled with a 12-yard touchdown catch at 40 seconds. Lamb caught 17 passes for 189 yards and his 498 receiving yards lead the league. Dak Prescott went 32 of 45 for 335 with no interceptions and Javonte Williams scored three times on the ground. Neither team turned it over, it was 23-23 after three quarters, and C.J. Stroud threw for 347 yards at 7.6 a play, so this was a narrow win over an 0-4 team. The Cowboys' two wins are over Washington and Houston, a combined 1-7, and both losses came against 3-1 teams by eight and three.

Indianapolis is up six after a 30-13 win over Washington at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a neutral site for both teams. The Colts got outgained 317-257 and turned it over twice, then scored 10 unanswered in the fourth. Jonathan Taylor carried 20 times for 95 yards and two touchdowns and has six this season. Daniel Jones was poor, 19 of 34 for 143 yards with an interception and a lost sack-fumble, and no Colts receiver reached 45 yards. What lifts Indianapolis is the other side of the ledger: a 33-30 loss at 4-0 Kansas City, the best near-miss in this tier, plus a two-point home win over Houston.

Detroit drops eight after losing 32-26 at Carolina while outgaining the Panthers 452-445. Jared Goff went 32 of 52 for 412 yards with a touchdown and, through four games, still no interceptions. Jahmyr Gibbs was the Lions' only rusher, 15 carries for 46 yards, so 406 of the 452 came through the air. Jake Bates made all four field goals. The drive to win it died on fourth and 13 at Detroit's own 22 with 1:22 left. The two Detroit wins are home games over New Orleans and the Jets, a combined 2-6, both road games are losses, and 127 points allowed is second most in the league.

Philadelphia falls seven after giving away a 20-10 lead at home and losing 24-20 to the Rams. The Eagles gained 172 yards, 68 of them passing, and went 0 for 12 on third down. Jalen Hurts completed 12 of 27 for 93 yards with two touchdowns to Darius Cooper and took four sacks. Saquon Barkley had two carries. The Rams gained 415. Philadelphia's two wins are over Washington by two and Tennessee by four, teams that are a combined 1-7, and minus 18 is the third worst differential among teams at .500 or better. There isn't much here beyond the record.

Green Bay is up four on a 17-14 win at Tampa Bay, its second road win of the year by three points over a team that isn't at .500. Jordan Love went 22 of 30 for 197 yards with two touchdowns and an interception and wasn't sacked. Tampa Bay started Jalon Daniels and he threw two interceptions, both to Green Bay defenders, and the Packers won while gaining 283 yards. Their two wins are over the 1-3 Jets and the 0-4 Buccaneers, a combined 1-7, both by three. Minus 32 is the worst differential of any team at .500 or better, and the 35-14 home loss to Atlanta is why.

New Orleans drops seven after a 45-24 home loss to Atlanta on Monday night in which the Falcons ran for 205 yards and five touchdowns while the Saints managed 50 rushing yards. Tyler Shough was 30 of 48 for 286 yards, and Chris Olave caught eight for 116 and now has 491 receiving yards, second in the league. Alvin Kamara scored twice from inside the 5. New Orleans has allowed 128 points, most in the league. The reason it still heads the one-win teams is the 24-17 win at Baltimore in Week 2, a road win over a team that is now 3-1 and the best single result any 1-3 team owns.

Washington falls five after losing 30-13 to Indianapolis in London, a neutral site. The Commanders outgained the Colts 317-257 and still lost by 17, scoring six in the first quarter on two field goals and nothing after the third. Marcus Mariota left with a knee injury after two drives and Athan Kaliakmanis went 15 of 33 for 186 yards with a touchdown to Treylon Burks and an interception. Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran nine times for 15 yards. Washington's one win is 33-31 over Seattle at home, a real result against a 3-1 team, and minus 34 across four games is why that win doesn't carry it further.

The Jets drop two after losing 23-12 at Chicago in a game they barely took part in: 32 offensive plays, 17:15 with the ball, 157 yards, seven first downs, 0 for 7 on third down. Geno Smith went 8 of 15 for 119 yards with a 58-yard touchdown to Isaiah Williams, and Minkah Fitzpatrick's interception of Tyson Bagent was New York's first in 20 games. Braelon Allen was the only Jet to carry the ball. The one win is 23-10 at 0-4 Tennessee. Minus eight is the best differential of any team with a single win, and all three losses are by 11 or fewer, which is what keeps the Jets above Arizona.

Arizona falls two after a 36-24 loss at the Giants in which Jacoby Brissett threw three interceptions, a career high, the last returned 98 yards by Deonte Banks on the game's final play. It was 27-24 entering the fourth. Brissett sits at 5.4 yards per attempt, lowest among the league's 25 leading passers, and Michael Wilson's seven catches for 95 yards led the Cardinals. Arizona's one win is 26-14 at the Chargers in Week 1, against a team that is now 0-4, and the three losses are by 24, six and 12. Only Washington and Green Bay have worse differentials among teams with a win.

Tampa Bay is the best of the winless teams and stays 28th. The 17-14 loss to Green Bay was a fourth defeat by eight points or fewer, and the four margins add to 20, far the smallest total among the five winless teams. Jalon Daniels, making his first career start, went 19 of 27 for 148 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions and ran eight times for 55 yards, and Bucky Irving carried 16 for 61. Green Bay won the yardage 283-275. Tampa Bay's opponents are a combined 11-5. Four one-score losses and no wins is still a record with nothing in the win column.

Houston is 0-4 and stays 29th. The 34-30 loss to Dallas was decided by CeeDee Lamb's touchdown catch with 40 seconds left, and it was 23-23 after three quarters. C.J. Stroud threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions at 7.6 yards per play, and Nico Collins caught seven for 118 and both scores. Houston didn't turn the ball over and lost anyway. The running game is the hole, 62 yards at 3.3 a carry, and the pattern is four losses by five, 14, two and four. Stroud has 1,141 passing yards and no interceptions, and Will Anderson Jr. has four and a half sacks.

Tennessee stays 30th. The 24-18 loss at Baltimore opened with Trenton Simpson intercepting Cam Ward on the game's second play and became 24-7 at halftime, after which the Titans outscored the Ravens 11-0, closing with Ward's touchdown pass to Wan'Dale Robinson and a two-point conversion. Carnell Tate caught nine for 145 yards but lost a fumble after a 33-yard catch. Tony Pollard ran 16 times for 48 yards and a score. Tennessee has scored 55 points in four games, fewest in the league behind only Miami, and the four losses are by 13, four, five and six, so nothing has been a rout.

The Chargers stay 31st. Losing 30-23 at Seattle while outgaining the Seahawks 301-286 would argue for a move up, except Los Angeles turned it over four times: two Justin Herbert interceptions, a muffed punt by Derius Davis, and a sack-strip by Uchenna Nwosu with 1:03 left that ended it. Herbert went 19 of 31 for 189 yards with a touchdown, took four sacks and ran for 40 yards. The Chargers were flagged 16 times for 130 yards. Four losses, minus 39, nobody beaten, and margins of 12, 12, eight and seven. Omarion Hampton has 238 rushing yards at 4.0 a carry.

Miami is 32nd on the stated tiebreak. With no wins, the order falls to differential, and minus 55 is the worst in the league. The 15-10 loss at Minnesota is the closest thing the Dolphins have to an argument: they held a 4-0 team to five field goals and no touchdowns, sacked Kyler Murray four times with Zach Sieler getting two, and lost by five on the road. Ollie Gordon II ran nine times for 100 yards and a score. But Miami has scored 46 points in four games, fewest in the league, Malik Willis went 9 of 17 for 85 yards, and the offense produced 198 yards. The schedule has been brutal, opponents a combined 15-1.