2017 NFL Power Rankings: Week 4
Teams Ranked 22nd to 13th
Baltimore was the only team who took a harder fall in the rankings than Oakland, which was humbled by Washington on Sunday Night Football.
| Rank | Team | nERD | Rec | Playoff Odds | Off. NEP Rank | Def. NEP Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Los Angeles Rams | -0.59 | 2-1 | 41.8% | 3 | 10 | +5 |
| 21 | Los Angeles Chargers | -0.3 | 0-3 | 5.5% | 14 | 20 | -5 |
| 20 | Oakland Raiders | -0.22 | 2-1 | 30.7% | 8 | 27 | -10 |
| 19 | Tennessee Titans | -0.02 | 2-1 | 57.4% | 4 | 26 | +2 |
| 18 | Arizona Cardinals | 0.07 | 1-2 | 31.9% | 22 | 12 | 0 |
| 17 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0.22 | 1-1 | 26.0% | 15 | 17 | -6 |
| 16 | New Orleans Saints | 0.25 | 1-2 | 23.6% | 6 | 31 | +8 |
| 15 | Dallas Cowboys | 0.32 | 2-1 | 37.7% | 19 | 24 | +2 |
| 14 | Detroit Lions | 0.42 | 2-1 | 42.1% | 24 | 2 | +5 |
| 13 | Seattle Seahawks | 0.79 | 1-2 | 45.4% | 17 | 19 | 0 |
The Raiders were thrashed on both sides of the ball, gaining just 128 yards and averaging 2.7 per play while allowing 472 and 7.3, respectively. It was the fifth-worst total yards margin in franchise history.
The offensive performance was dismal but it is likely it was just a one week blip, as Oakland ranks 10th in yards per play (5.7) since the start of last season. The more pressing question is whether or not the offense is good enough to offset issues on defense, as no one has allowed more yards per play than Oakland (6.1) in this span.
So far this season, it is hard to feel confident about this, as the Raiders rank 27th in Defensive NEP and are tied for 29th in yards allowed per play (6.2). Oakland overcame this last season thanks to an unsustainable record in one-score games (9-2), but this is not a reliable means of long-term success.
New Orleans moved in the opposite direction after a convincing 34-13 win over the Panthers. Drew Brees had a strong showing against a solid Carolina defense (22 of 29 for 220 yards, 3 touchdowns and 14.58 NEP), and his defense actually showed up as well, something that has been all too rare for the Saints.
They only allowed 4.9 yards per play and held Cam Newton to 4.6 yards per drop back, sacking him four times. It’s possible this had more to do with Newton and the Panthers’ struggles on offense, as Carolina has yet to gain 5.0 yards per play in a game this season and is 25th in Offensive NEP.
Then again, the New Orleans defense will surely take the performance, as the unit has allowed at least 6.0 yards per play in each of the past three seasons and still ranks 31st (6.8) this year.
The Saints ultimately look like a more extreme version of Oakland, in that the offense is one of the league's better units, but the defense lowers their ceiling dramatically.
