Week 4 is in the books, and the NFL’s early-season picture is already starting to settle into a strange kind of order. There have been plenty of twists through the first month, but after four games, the league hierarchy is beginning to look a lot like the one most people expected.
That doesn’t mean the ride has been normal. Far from it. But with enough of a sample now to judge the full body of work, the latest power rankings reflect where teams stand after a month of football - and at the very bottom, the Titans and Dolphins are staring at ugly starts.
Tennessee sits dead last at 0-4 after falling to Baltimore in Week 4. Cam Ward finished 20/31 for 222 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, but the bigger picture is even rougher than that stat line.
He hasn’t looked good through the first four starts of what’s supposed to be a crucial second year, and the clock may already be ticking. Still, there’s at least an argument that Ward deserves more time, since Tennessee simply doesn’t have enough roster talent overall.
It’s also fair to question whether the coaching staff is the right one for the job.
Whatever the explanation, almost nothing is working in Tennessee right now.
Miami is right above the Titans at 31st, also sitting at 0-4. The Dolphins lost by just five points in Minnesota, which at least kept them from getting blown out.
That may count as a small consolation, but not much more. This is still a bad football team, and the evidence is piling up that the season is headed in that direction all year long.
Malik Willis completed just 9 of 17 passes for 85 yards, a fitting snapshot of where things stand.
In Other News...
Justin Herbert And Jim Harbaugh Have A Chargers Problem Getting Worse
A rough opening month has left the Chargers in an early hole, and the loss to the Seahawks only deepened it. At 0-4, they sit last in the division and already have work to do just to keep their playoff hopes from slipping away. The offense has been the biggest issue, with Justin Herbert unable to find much rhythm as the unit has struggled on third down and inside the red zone.
Jim Harbaughs team has also had to deal with injuries and a lack of chemistry among the key pieces around Herbert, which has made the slow start feel even more stubborn. For a roster built to compete now, this is the kind of stretch that turns every drive into a test and every missed chance into a bigger problem. The season is still early, but the margin for error is getting smaller by the week. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Let Winnable Game Slip Away As Injuries Pile Up
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Chargers 0-4 Start Is Turning Into A Serious Problem
The Chargers latest loss in Seattle only sharpened the pressure around a start that has quickly gone from disappointing to alarming. A 30-23 defeat to the Seahawks left Los Angeles still searching for its first win of the season, and it came in a game where turnovers and missed chances kept the margin from ever feeling truly manageable.
Justin Herberts interception was part of a messy afternoon for the offense, while Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold also had a pick in a game that featured scoring from both sides but little sustained momentum for the Chargers. Los Angeles kept answering with field goals and touchdowns, but each rally seemed to run into another Seattle response, leaving the Chargers with the same growing problem and no clear reprieve in sight. [Read more 🡒]