2014 NFL Week 4 Metal Power Rankings

Hey there.  Week 3 is now in the books and we are still trying to get a grasp at who are the contenders and who are the pretenders.  The game of the week?  The Broncos at Seahawks.  That was the Super Bowl match that we should have seen!  Last second heroics, by both teams.  Last second heroics to force overtime.  Last second surge to power through for the TD and the win in overtime.  It was one hell of a game!  Other notes from the week:  Are the Pats on the decline?  The Raiders gave them a good fight and if not for a questionable holding call at the end of the game, the turnout could have been different.  The Eagles continue to soar despite having to come back in each of their games.  Is San Diego on the rise?  After beating the Seahawks, Philip Rivers continues to air it out and lead the Chargers to a victory over the Bills.  More stunners, folks.  It one great week of football!  I went 5-5, again, this week (16-14 overall).  Still over .500!  lol  Now, on to the rankings!

WEEK 4 POWER RANKINGS

Rank (Rank Last Week)

1 (2) Seattle Seahawks (2-1)
The Super Bowl rematch did not disappoint!  The Broncos driving to tie the game in the final minutes... The Seahawk defense creates a turnover!  Broncos with the ball, needing 8 points to tie the game, march down the field and tie the game!  Seahawks win the toss and repay the favor and march down the field for the TD and the win!  What a great game between last week's #1 & #2!  Seattle enters their bye week on a high note!

2 (3) Cincinnati Bengals (3-0)

Not only is Bengals QB Andy Dalton throwing TDs, but he's also receiving them!  The Bengals are on fire!  The defense is holding the opposition to 11 points a game, the running game is averaging about 120 yards a game and the team is averaging 26 points a game!  If Dalton continues to play smart football, the Bengals are going to be one extremely difficult team to beat!  Cincy goes into their bye week 3-0.

3 (1) Denver Broncos (2-1)

What a tough loss for Broncos QB Peyton Manning.  After getting killed by the Seahawks at the Super Bowl, Manning wanted this win and wanted it bad.  The Broncos nearly had it but once again, the Bronco defense fails him.  Even though the defense is much improved, they simply could not stop the Seahawks during Overtime and Manning's heroics were for naught.  That defense will have the bye to work out those kinks this week.

4 (5) Philadelphia Eagles (3-0)

The Eagles continue their Jekyll and Hyde act.  Down, again, by 10 points and come back to win.  Imagine how scary this Eagles team can be when the whole team clicks.  3 games and three glaring flaws.  Game 1, Nick Foles coughs it up multiple times.  Game 2, the secondary gets burned time and time again.  Game 3, the running game disappears and averages about 2 yards a carry.  Like I said... scary.  Will it happen this week against the 49ers?  I don't think it will, but I do think they'll manage to beat the Niners at the Bay.  Eagles win!

5 (9) Arizona Cardinals (3-0)

Cardinals back up QB Drew Stanton is doing what is expected of him... keep the ship steady until QB Carson Palmer returns.  But QB Stanton is not just keeping the Cardinals afloat, he's winning games for them!  Gutsy win against the Niners have the Cardinals flying high going into their bye week.

6 (-) San Diego Chargers (2-1)

Wait... what?!  The Chargers ahead of the Pats, Niners, and Packers?  Yup.  That win against Seattle really pushed the Chargers into a team to keep an eye on.  Chargers QB Philip Rivers is looking good.  Looking real good.  Possible MVP good?  Not yet.  But if he keeps playing mistake free football and spreading the field... Maybe... maybe... Look for him to look MVPish against the Jaguars this week.  Chargers win.

7 (5) New England Patriots (2-1)

Something is not right in New England.  QB Tom Brady has yet to come to form and they struggled to put the Raiders away this week.  If not for a questionable holding call near the end of the game, the Raiders could have pulled off the upset.  The Patriots offense has some work to do.  The passing game ranks as one of the worst in the league and if that continues, look for the Patriots to lose more games.  I see them losing their next game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

8 (8) Carolina Panthers (2-1)

The Panthers defense took a step back last week against the Steelers.  A huge step back.  The Steelers torched the Panthers defense for 37 points, powered behind their Running Backs.  The Steelers stomped all the Panthers for over 260 yards.  Was it an anomaly?  The Panthers sure do hope so.  Up next is the Baltimore Ravens.  The Panthers leave Baltimore licking their wounds.  Panthers lose.

9 (-) Chicago Bears (2-1)

The Bears make their first appearance on my rankings!  Why the Bears and not say... the Falcons?  Well, the Bears lose a tough one to the Bills, but take care of business at the Bay against San Francisco and get the win against Gang Green in New York.  The Falcons look good, but keep in mind that that it comes at the expense of the hapless Bucs.  The Bears are hurting though.  The defense needs healthy bodies and unless they play their men smart, they'll end up getting torched by Green Bay this week.  Home field advantage helps the Bears edge out the Packers and win in Chicago.

30 (32) Oakland Raiders (0-3)

No moral victories for the Silver and Black but man did they look like a much better team against the Patriots.  Raiders QB Derek Carr is coming to his own.  He looks like a QB that can win in this league if the team surrounds him with weapons.  The Raiders wide outs are just not cutting it.  WR Moore is dropping on target passes, WR Holmes can't seem to get open, WR Streater is hurt.  WR Jones is the only one that shows steady hands but the defenses are learning to double team him since he's the only viable weapon on offense right now.  The running game is still non existent.  RB McFadden is just not getting it done and RB Drew is still out on injury.  The upside, though, is that the defense is getting better.  They applied pressure on Tom Brady for most of the day and kept the Patriots out of the end zone on several of their drives.  Rookie OLB Khalil Mack has started to come to form.  The had 3 solo tackles and assisted in 4 more and managed to get passed the Patriots O line on several occasions to provide pressure on Brady.  The Raiders usually have trouble when traveling to the East Coast for games and I don't see how they'll do when they go further East to play in London against the Dolphins.  I think the Raiders finally click in the running game provide a safety net for Derek Carr when there is nothing down field.  Raiders win in London.

Agree or disagree.  Let's hear it in the comments, friends!  Later!