Week 4 officially kicks off tonight when the Green Bay Packers take on the Detroit Lions, and the latest power rankings reflect the relative certainty that comes with multiple games of data. Every week, data analyst Ben Baldwin compiles the posted spread odds of each matchup to indirectly determine which teams Vegas believes to be the best in the NFL. This week, the Chiefs reclaim the top spot following their complete domination of the Chicago Bears.
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The Most Correct And Objective Power Ratings On The Internet
Chiefs back to No. 1 where they belong pic.twitter.com/dwiPkEEt60
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) September 27, 2023
Week 4 NFL Power Rankings, According to Vegas
The Easy Choices
At first glance, there isn’t too much to be surprised about with the top 10 teams. As reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs deserve the top spot, especially since they’re clearly over their slow start to the season. The Chicago Bears can make any offense look functional, but you need a special type of talent to put up 41 points in three quarters. In a similar vein, it appears as though Vegas is officially all-in on the Miami Dolphins. While this team won’t be scoring 70 points every week, they should be a top-five unit as long as Tua Tagovailoa is on the field.
Additionally, Vegas doesn’t seem to be holding upset losses against the Dallas Cowboys or Baltimore Ravens. The Cowboys dropped what should’ve been a very easy game against the Arizona Cardinals, yet they retained their top-five spot. Similarly, the Ravens lost in overtime to the Indianapolis Colts, but are still in the top 10. Personally speaking, this is a wise move for Vegas, as unforeseen upsets happen constantly in the NFL, and you shouldn’t overreact to one bad game. These teams are both loaded with talent and deserve their respective spots on the Week 4 Power Rankings.
Vegas is also smart enough to not hold records against teams. The Los Angeles Chargers, for example, are 1-2 yet hold a top-10 spot on the Week 4 Power Rankings. While the defense is a mess, you can’t bet against a quarterback as good as Justin Herbert, and both of their losses came in close games. This team could easily be 3-0 if it weren’t for one or two unlucky bounces.
The Questionable Decisions
The Cincinnati Bengals take the eighth spot in these NFL Week 4 Power Rankings, but you need to start wondering if that is justified. The raw talent on the roster is undeniable, but everything is predicated on the health of Joe Burrow. Through three weeks of action, the quarterback hasn’t looked like himself and is clearly playing at less than full strength. They’ve still managed to win an ugly game in Week 3, but they probably shouldn’t be this high up until Burrow proves he’s back to full strength.
While it ultimately doesn’t matter, the Arizona Cardinals should not be the worst team in the Week 4 Power Rankings. Jonathan Gannon’s crew just pulled off an insane upset against the Dallas Cowboys, and they held the lead heading into halftime of their Week 1 and Week 2 contests. Nobody is saying this is a playoff team, but they should be above the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers, at the very least.
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Main Photo: Jay Biggerstaff – USA Today Sports
