Check out the changes at the very top, bottom and just about everywhere in between. -- Rich Cimini, Defensive efficiency: 59.0 Facing a stout Niners defense in a loud road environment, the Matthew Stafford-led Los Angeles attack looked flat and punchless in a 24-9 loss that promises to be an impossible film watch for Sean McVay and friends. -- Courtney Cronin, Defensive efficiency: 54.3 "We're getting the YAC Bros back," Jimmy G said after the win. -- Nick Wagoner, Defensive efficiency: 51.0 The Dolphins' offensive line also ranks 29th in pass block win rate and has given up the fourth most sacks -- despite seeing the eighth fewest blitzes in the league. -- John Keim, Biggest surprise: Struggling offensive line, Why it's a surprise: The group of Isaiah Wynn (LT), Mike Onwenu (LG), David Andrews (C), Shaq Mason (RG) and Trent Brown (RT) was supposed to be a strength of the Patriots' offense, but rookie QB Mac Jones has taken 34 hits through four games. Rank: 16; NFL Top 5: Eagles, Chiefs, Bills, Cowboys, Vikings . The biggest issue on defense is soft coverage. An offense averaging just 18.5 points per game needs a reliable kicker. The pass protection is poor and Carson Wentz never seems comfortable as he repeatedly throws into tight windows. Check out the full league pecking order, 1-32. The Saints have yet to receive a productive four-quarter performance from a QB. We'll learn soon enough. But that could also be a function of how much teams are throwing against Cincinnati. That luck has changed quickly, with all three starting cornerbacks potentially out now after Carlton Davis left their Week 4 win against the Patriots with a quad injury. Barnwell predicts the next QBs to get benched: Did Pittsburgh wait too long? It's officially time to start worrying about the Rams. -- Adam Teicher, Defensive efficiency: 69.1 Why it's a surprise: Washington ranked second in yards and fourth in points last season. They had a pile of big gains against the nickel, including a 43-yard run by Josh Jacobs in the third quarter. Barnwell sorts the top 16 candidates and picks his early leader, Week 4 takeaways and big questions: Chargers make Monday night statement, Bucs' Tom Brady wins in return to New England, Cardinals 4-0. It's officially anarchy atop the Power Rankings. The biggest issue on defense is stopping the run. There has been a big blown coverage assignment every week and they're not applying enough pressure (sacks on 4% of dropbacks compared to 7.8% last season). On Sunday, another Brissett misfire in the final minutes was the difference in a frustrating 23-20 loss to the Falcons. -- Alaina Getzenberg, Defensive efficiency: 85.7 -- Michael DiRocco, Defensive efficiency: 47.3 The Saints didn't have much of a pass rush to speak of to start the season, but they did get after Kirk Cousins on Sunday, finishing with three sacks. Roethlisberger has completed just 25.5% of deep passes since 2020, down from 30.5% between 2016 and 2019, per NFL Next Gen Stats. The Cardinals have been able to get to the quarterback and get their hands on him at times, as was the case against Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes, but getting opposing quarterbacks down has been a struggle. League rank: 26th. Ryan struggled in a big way against the Broncos, throwing two interceptions, absorbing six sacks and posting a . The biggest issue on defense is a banged-up defensive line. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Published: Oct 06, 2020 at 09:29 AM. 1. The nickel package has struggled with veteran Terrance Mitchell and second-year player Caleb Farley finding their way as they rotate opposite of Kristian Fulton. League rank: 23rd. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Garrett could return next Sunday following last week's single-car crash. Parity remains a calling card of the NFL as we hit the quarter point of the regular season. San Francisco ranks near the top of the NFL in nearly every major defensive category, but the offense has been near the bottom of the league in a number of areas, most notably points scored. NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF -- Sarah Barshop 31. -- Eric Woodyard, Why it's a surprise: There hasn't been much the Jaguars have been able to count on over the past several seasons other than Lambo. The Cards desperately missed someone like Brown opposite Hopkins in 2021 -- it will be fun to see what kind of music they can make together. It ranks first in touchdowns allowed per drive and second in points allowed per drive. Buffalo has forced three or more turnovers in each of the past three games and has held two opponents scoreless in four games -- including a 40-0 win against Houston on Sunday. Neither receiver was available to the Titans last week, but they still scored 24 points. Los Angeles Rams (4-1). 1 team for the second week in a row. -- Josh Weinfuss, Defensive efficiency: 29.6 As if getting gashed by Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon wasn't enough to have the Bears licking their wounds after a Week 2 loss at Green Bay, Giants running back Saquon Barkley totaled 145 yards on 31 carries and earned 94 of his rushing yards after first contact in Week 4. -- Sarah Barshop, Defensive efficiency: 39.6 Defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who signed a $60 million deal with the team in the offseason, is second in the NFL in pass rush first pressures, according to ESPN Stats & Information. New Orleans Saints (3-1). DT Folorunso Fatukasi had been a key part of the success, but he went down with a quad injury against the Eagles and his status going forward is unclear. 1 barely held on to a top-10 slot this . The biggest issue on defense is the pass rush. The Rams do have four interceptions this season. We paired each response with the team's defensive efficiency rating and where that stacks up in the league. Reinforcements could be on the way if Ugo Amadi recovers from an ankle injury that held him out of the past two games and Elijah Molden eventually returns from injured reserve. Yeah, four weeks is a small sample size, but defensive coordinator Gus Bradley's re-imagined scheme is getting off the field and, yes, making plays. League rank: 16th. The early schedule has been extremely favorable, but give the Giants credit. The Jets are allowing opponents to convert 51% of the time on third down, which ranks 31st out of 32 teams. Football Power Index rankings -- Brooke Pryor, Defensive efficiency: 36.3 But when the players say they still need to get better, slowing the run is their biggest must. They converted each into a touchdown. Unfortunately, three of those connections were to Jets defenders in a 24-20 loss at Acrisure Stadium. The problem is the coverage, specifically the safeties and linebackers. The Buccaneers were flawed on Sunday night in New England. End of season. Ravens' Tyler Huntley thrives as the underdog, Commanders' receiving trio could hold key to playoff berth, Broncos ending 13-game loss streak to Chiefs would mean 'everything'. It's one of the many reasons they're winless, and it has made them vulnerable in the play-action game, too. The Niners' defense sacked Matthew Stafford seven times, and breakout safety Talanoa Hufanga iced the game with a fourth-quarter pick-six. The nickel package has struggled with veteran Terrance Mitchell and second-year player Caleb Farley finding their way as they rotate opposite of Kristian Fulton. -- David Newton, Defensive efficiency: 47.6 League rank: 2nd. The biggest issue on defense is allowing explosive plays. Bengals back? Players and coaches have talked about the need to communicate more from the get-go, and not just as the game progresses. -- Shelley Smith, Why it's a surprise: A season ago, late collapses against the Chiefs, Chargers and Dolphins were the difference between an 11-5 playoff season and the middling 8-8 the Raiders finished with. Its defense has faced the third-most pass attempts in the NFL this season. But if this team really wants to be in the playoff conversation, repairs need to be made or those kinds of plays will cost them. Our previous No. League rank: 4th. When it was over, FOX cameras captured Packers coach Matt LaFleur removing his headset with a look of epic relief etched across his face. Los Angeles' defense, which ranked second in Football Outsiders' rush DVOA going into the Week 4 matchup, ranks significantly worse against the pass (23rd in the NFL). League rank: 7th. With explosive offenses coming up, the D-line better healthy fast. Enter first-round pick Kenny Pickett, who scored two rushing touchdowns and threw 13 passes that never touched the ground. The Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants all got impressive wins . The Eagles are first in sacks (16), tied for first in takeaways (10), third in yards allowed (277.3 per game) and 10th in points allowed (17.8). The biggest issue on defense is getting off the field on third down. Losing sturdy DT Lawrence Guy to a shoulder injury is a contributing factor, but that alone doesn't fully explain the alarming past six quarters the defense has played against the run. Plus, changes at the very top and very bottom. Do Giants trust Jones? 2022 Bucs NFL Power Rankings Week 5. The offense has been so bad with three-and-outs and turnovers that the defense continues to be forced back on the field. The Giants have a top-10 pass defense at the moment. The biggest issue on defense is getting off the field on third down. The Broncos had surrendered only six points in the second half of their first three games combined, so they were rolling. The Panthers are allowing 10.5 points a game in the final quarter to rank among the worst in the league. The biggest issue on defense is no T.J. Watt. But with the investment made in adding more speed to the roster in the offseason, the Broncos have surrendered a 38-yard kickoff return in the season opener and a 102-yard kickoff return for a TD in Week 2, have been called for a taunting penalty after downing a punt and surrendered a 42-yard punt return in Week 4. Week 13 result: Beat the Texans, 27-14. Buffalo Bills (4-0). Check out the full pecking order, 1-32. The biggest issue on defense is stopping the run. It feels like the Bengals are back to beast status. 2022 NFL Enterprises LLC. Brock Purdy is the guy in San Francisco with Jimmy Garoppolo done for the season, and he was good enough to lead the team to a win over Miami in Week 13. There are only three teams allowing more rushing yards after contact than the Packers. With each passing week, its become increasingly clear the Panthers still have no answer at quarterback. And it's probably not going to get much better. Defensive efficiency, powered by ESPN's Football Power . -- Jordan Raanan, Defensive efficiency: 68.3 I am not. On the Cowboys' opening drive, one pass went for 31 yards while the other five plays managed a combined 9 yards. -- Nick Wagoner, Defensive efficiency: 51.0 The Ravens have lost two games this season in which they have led by 17 points or more because they can't stop teams late in games. The updated rankings reflect that the Dallas Cowboys are surviving without Dak Prescott, who could return in Week 5, as they climb back up the list. But they do need much more than what they've gotten thus far. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques, Defensive efficiency: 58.2 Washington has surrendered an NFL-best 12 plays of 30 yards or more -- 10 of those have been pass plays -- often because of blown coverages. The times, they are not good in Charlotte. League rank: 22nd. DT Folorunso Fatukasi had been a key part of the success, but he went down with a quad injury against the Eagles and his status going forward is unclear. Pro Bowl cornerback J.C. Jackson missed Weeks 1 and 3 after undergoing ankle surgery in August, and when he did give it a go in Week 2, he said he was playing at less than 100 percent. League rank: 3rd. Stephen A. Smith explains how Patrick Mahomes proved that no one should be worried about the Chiefs' offense anymore. Previous rank: No. From injuries to defending the run, every team has something it can improve on. The defense has been much improved from a season ago, but this is the next step toward being the type of unit that defensive coordinator Dean Pees wants to have in Atlanta. The Ravens used to get offenses off the field when they had Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs forcing clutch turnovers. The biggest issue on defense is the nickel package. Losing Chandler Jones has taken a greater toll on Arizona's pass rush than expected. Five weeks into the Matt Ryan era, Indianapolis is averaging 13.8 points per game. "If you would've told me early in the season we'd be without arguably two of our best linemen for a couple of games and play those two fronts, I would've been ecstatic with two wins." NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF In the meantime, the Chiefs have made the most of their four turnovers. Rush has taken that nice setup and run with it, building chemistry with CeeDee Lamb and immediately finding a connection with Michael Gallup -- playing in his first game since suffering a torn ACL in January -- in Sunday's win over the Commanders. The Jaguars had allowed just 55 yards per game on the ground through the first three games, but gave up 210 yards and four touchdowns rushing to the Eagles on Sunday. Detroit currently leads the league in scoring but also allows the most points in the league. League rank: 1st. Irrelevant' to rookie starting QB: The twists and turns of Brock Purdy's journey to the 49ers. They did not record their 10th takeaway a year ago until the 11th game of the season. It might work against the quarterbacks they faced, but life is about to get much more difficult with Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, Trevor Lawrence and Geno Smith on deck. -- Jenna Laine, Defensive efficiency: 52.3 The biggest issue on defense is defending the pass. How will Patriots' Mac Jones handle Cardinals' blitz on MNF? League rank: 12th, The Rams have their best cornerback healthy (Jalen Ramsey) but have been dealing with several injuries in the secondary early in the season. We'll know for sure after Sunday night's showdown with the Ravens in Baltimore. Week 4 ranking: 5 FPI chance to make playoffs: 91.7% This is about where it should be. -- Paul Gutierrez, Why it's a surprise: The Chiefs have put much emphasis and many hours on the practice field to improve their defense inside the 20-yard line -- which was worst in the league last season -- but things have only gotten worse. JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN But Garrett is going to have to play through left shoulder and right biceps injuries, at least in the short term. Sure. -- Sarah Barshop, Defensive efficiency: 39.6 The Bears are the NFL's worst team against the run, having allowed 733 rushing yards through four games (183.3 yards per game), and are on pace to reach historically low marks. The Chiefs are doing a nice job of pressuring the quarterback, so it figures the turnovers will come. -- Jake Trotter, Defensive efficiency: 51.0 Pro Bowl cornerback J.C. Jackson missed Weeks 1 and 3 after undergoing ankle surgery in August, and when he did give it a go in Week 2, he said he was playing at less than 100 percent. This was an issue last year, and it continues to be one this season. With an Eagles team that runs the ball effectively in their division, the Cowboys have to get better. League rank: 11th. With five weeks remaining in the regular season, one division owns the top two spots in Dan Hanzus' NFL Power Rankings. -- Mike Wells, Why it's a surprise: Minnesota signed Breeland to shore up the secondary and put a player with experience and good coverage skills (ranked 18th by Pro Football Focus in 2020) opposite Patrick Peterson at outside corner. The biggest issue on defense is Jamal Adams' absence. -- Sarah Barshop, Why it's a surprise: Nobody expected the Lions to be a playoff team, but starting 0-4 isn't ideal -- even for the Lions. -- Tim McManus, Defensive efficiency: 57.9 A big reason for this is the absence of linebacker Shaquille Leonard, who made his short-lived season debut on Sunday, only to leave with a concussion in the second half. The linebacker play has struggled too, leading to veteran Jamie Collins' return to the team on Monday. Cornerbacks D.J. Welcome to Week 14 of the NFL regular season. -- Rob Demovsky, Defensive efficiency: 46.2 -- Jake Trotter, Defensive efficiency: 51.0 The linebacker play has struggled too, leading to veteran Jamie Collins' return to the team on Monday. How far do the 49ers fall in the wake of Jimmy Garoppolo's season-ending injury? The biggest issue on defense is injuries. The biggest issue on defense is allowing explosive plays. But they're going to have to rush the passer more effectively if that is going to continue. They're losing one-on-one matchups and committing too many penalties on the back end, where they're playing three young corners plus a backup at safety in Josh Jones because of the serious knee injury Adams suffered in the opener. After dropping three straight, there are plenty of issues to point to on the defensive side, but the root of it stems from Watt's absence. From injuries to defending the run, every team has something it can improve on. Cleveland was missing three of its four starters along the defensive line in Sunday's loss to the Falcons, including star pass-rusher Myles Garrett. Leonard has been ruled out for Thursday night's game at Denver. But he's 0-for-3 this season, didn't play last week because of personal reasons, and coach Urban Meyer said Lambo will have to compete with Matthew Wright for the kicking job this week. It also reflects the Miami Dolphins' loss on Thursday night to the Cincinnati Bengals after quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) left the game on a stretcher. The Eagles are first in sacks (16), tied for first in takeaways (10), third in yards allowed (277.3 per game) and 10th in points allowed (17.8). White gets shot at redemption, Defensive efficiency: 69.3 The concerning part for Washington is that it lacks corner depth and its starters are both established vets -- Kendall Fuller and William Jackson III. In this edition of the NFL Power Rankings, the Giants and Jets soar to new heights, while the Buccaneers and Panthers tumble down the board. The bad news? League rank: 31st. There are only three teams allowing more rushing yards after contact than the Packers. -- Paul Gutierrez, Defensive efficiency: 42.7 These aren't quarterback sneaks. Reed and rookie Sauce Gardner are holding up nicely on the outside, but they're giving up too many chunk plays in the middle of the field. The Saints need Marcus Davenport and Cam Jordan to consistently step up, while getting production out of 2021 first-round pick Payton Turner, to have success moving forward. The Falcons are allowing opponents to convert 44% of third-down chances, ranking 24th out of the 32 teams. The biggest issue on defense is defending the run. Four of them came through the air, which has sparked questions about the secondary. Mosley. They're losing one-on-one matchups and committing too many penalties on the back end, where they're playing three young corners plus a backup at safety in Josh Jones because of the serious knee injury Adams suffered in the opener. But injuries to key players have made it difficult for the unit to develop an identity through four games. But that could also be a function of how much teams are throwing against Cincinnati. Tomlin likely resisted this direction initially because he didnt want to deal with rookie growing pains. The Niners' defense has been mostly dominant for the season's first month, but the win column doesn't reflect just how good it has been. The biggest issue on defense is the fourth quarter. The Broncos lost to a division rival, their defense made Josh Jacobs look like Bo Jackson and Melvin Gordon had yet another killer fumble. Check out the full pecking order, 1-32. Without T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, the Steelers didn't record a single sack against the Bengals, and against the Packers, they only had two -- including one that appeared to just be a trip by Watt. Of the 97 pass completions against them, 69 have come by receivers who have at least three yards of separation at the time of the throw, the fourth-highest total in the league. -- Courtney Cronin, Defensive efficiency: 54.3 League rank: 20th, The Texans are allowing 5.1 yards per carry and have allowed 688 total rushing yards, the second most in the NFL. That said, they have an outside shot at a wild card spot in the AFC. The Lions need to make some changes immediately, and head coach Dan Campbell knows it. NFL Week 4 takeaways: 49ers roll, Raiders get a win, and everything we learned from wins by the Cowboys, Bills, Chiefs and Eagles. This might be a minor quibble given how well the unit is playing as a whole. Understandable? But Garrett is going to have to play through left shoulder and right biceps injuries, at least in the short term. Defensive efficiency, powered by ESPN's Football Power Index, is rated on a 0-100 scale, based on the defense's contribution to scoring margin on per-play basis and adjusted for strength of opposing offenses faced. Here's our new No. The Commanders lead the NFL by averaging 32:59 time of possession each week. -- Stephen Holder, Defensive efficiency: 46.0 Check out Dan Hanzus' full league pecking order, 1 to 32. Who rounds out the top five? League rank: 25th. The biggest issue on defense is getting pass rush from someone other than Maxx Crosby. -- David Newton, Defensive efficiency: 47.6 Cornerbacks D.J. -- Brady Henderson, Defensive efficiency: 37.6 Joe Burrow passed for 287 yards and two scores, including the game-icing fourth-down TD flip to Hayden Hurst that sealed a 27-15 win over the previously undefeated Dolphins. Since the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year tore his pectoral at the end of regulation in Week 1, the Steelers have given up an average of 23 points per game and recorded just three total sacks. If I were NFL Commissioner, double-doinks from 61 yards out would count double. JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN The Dolphins have been stout against the run, and the numbers they've given up are a bit skewed considering Josh Allen's 63 pass attempts in Week 3 and Lamar Jackson's prolific first half in Week 2. Then Sundays game reached halftime and Tomlin decided hed had his fill. The star of the day was Josh Jacobs, the former first-round pick who looked like a man reborn. Of the 97 pass completions against them, 69 have come by receivers who have at least three yards of separation at the time of the throw, the fourth-highest total in the league. Even that's a reach, as corners Darius Slay (forearm) and Avonte Maddox (right ankle) are expected back soon. The biggest issue on defense is . This might be a minor quibble given how well the unit is playing as a whole. Quarterback Taylor Heinicke -- another surprise -- has bailed out the defense. Washingtons struggles go beyond the quarterback, however. It might get a little easier for the Texans in Week 5, as the New England Patriots' defense ranks 28th in rushing DVOA and allowed Tampa Bay to run for 119 yards Sunday night. The biggest issue on defense is the nickel package. The defense has been much improved from a season ago, but this is the next step toward being the type of unit that defensive coordinator Dean Pees wants to have in Atlanta. NFL Power Rankings, Week 5: Bills are the real deal. 1 team for the second week in a row. The Giants are 19th in the NFL with a pass rush win rate of 41.2%. It might work against the quarterbacks they faced, but life is about to get much more difficult with Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, Trevor Lawrence and Geno Smith on deck. The biggest issue on defense is defending the run. The biggest issue on defense is the 49ers' offense. How high do the Vikings fly after a statement win? On the Cowboys' opening drive, one pass went for 31 yards while the other five plays managed a combined 9 yards. The Ravens are clearly a dangerous team, but man, do they know how to lose. 2 pick was in control during the games final scoring drive -- a 65-yard march in which Wilson went 5 for 5 through the air. The veteran pass-rusher leads the team with 4.5 sacks and has recorded multiple tackles for loss. Of the 97 pass completions against them, 69 have come by receivers who have at least three yards of separation at the time of the throw, the fourth-highest total in the league. Football Power Index rankings According to NFL Media research, Detroit's total of 281 points -- 140 scored, 141 allowed -- are the most by any team in the first four games of a season in NFL history. The biggest issue on defense is injuries. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The offense has been so bad with three-and-outs and turnovers that the defense continues to be forced back on the field. The Jaguars had allowed just 55 yards per game on the ground through the first three games, but gave up 210 yards and four touchdowns rushing to the Eagles on Sunday. Our power panel -- a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities -- evaluated how teams are stacking up through four weeks and named a new No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft entered Week 4 averaging . The Bills are for real this season, with a high-octane offense powered by an early . League rank: 8th. The Chiefs are doing a nice job of pressuring the quarterback, so it figures the turnovers will come. But there's little to pick apart. DE Jadeveon Clowney has missed the past two games with an ankle injury. Sometimes inexperience has led to the big plays, but other times it's just corners getting beat, whether outright or because they anticipated help that didn't arrive. Wilson was predictably rusty in his first game action since knee surgery in August, but the former No. -- Courtney Cronin, Defensive efficiency: 54.3 -- Eric Woodyard, Defensive efficiency: 41.1 -- Rob Demovsky, Defensive efficiency: 46.2 Smith finished 23 of 30 for 320 yards and three total touchdowns against a Detroit defense off to a historically inept start. A match with a lowly opponent like Houston is a nice spot to get your feet wet, but the challenge will be far greater if Myles Garrett returns to the lineup for the Browns in Week 5. -- Mike Reiss, Defensive efficiency: 51.9 We paired each response with the team's defensive efficiency rating and where that stacks up in the league. The new coach is tied to the young QB in his debut season, for better or worse. The Bolts are also having to adjust without Pro Bowl edge rusher Joey Bosa, who was placed on injured reserve after tearing his groin in Week 3. It hasn't been all his fault, with injuries and costly miscues haunting this team, but the Lions have to improve at limiting mistakes in scoring situations if they want to win a game. Previous ranking: 4 Biggest surprise: The offensive line holding up Why it's a surprise: Life without All-Pro LT David Bakhtiari (recovering from ACL surgery) and Pro Bowl G Elgton Jenkins (missed the past two games with an ankle injury) hasn't been the death knell to the offense that it could have been. DT Folorunso Fatukasi had been a key part of the success, but he went down with a quad injury against the Eagles and his status going forward is unclear. Mike Vrabel's team is back on track, but issues linger -- most distressingly, the ones coming out of the halftime tunnel. Lambo earned the "Lambomatic" nickname because he had made 95% of his field goal attempts with the Jaguars (76 of 80) from the time he joined the team in October 2017 through the 2020 season. League rank: 9th. Pierce leads all rookie rushers with 313 yards on the ground and was finally granted a full workload by Lovie Smith. -- Adam Teicher, Defensive efficiency: 69.1 #LVvsKC on ESPN: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co . The biggest issue on defense is the nickel package. League rank: 24th. The Steelers have shown an ability to play championship-level defense, but the lack of replication is surprising. Sunday's 26-16 loss to Arizona was a prime example as the Cardinals had the ball for just over 38 minutes to 21:25 for Carolina. Others aren't good at all, like the Washington Football Team regressing on defense, the Indianapolis Colts not being able to keep their main players healthy and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers running out of cornerbacks. 1 team for the second week in a row. Losing sturdy DT Lawrence Guy to a shoulder injury is a contributing factor, but that alone doesn't fully explain the alarming past six quarters the defense has played against the run. That's not to oversimplify what's gone wrong for Seattle's defense, which has had all sorts of issues during another awful start. Kupp has also been targeted a league-high 46 times, catching 30 passes. DE Jadeveon Clowney has missed the past two games with an ankle injury. On the Cowboys' opening drive, one pass went for 31 yards while the other five plays managed a combined 9 yards. It felt like the Cowboys were doomed when Dak Prescott went down with a Week 1 thumb injury that required surgery. The Niners' defense has been mostly dominant for the season's first month, but the win column doesn't reflect just how good it has been. He just needs more help from his collection of mostly unproven receivers. Incredibly, the 10-2 Vikings are underdogs heading into this weekend's game against the 5-7 Lions, whose last six games consist of four wins and a couple narrow losses against the Dolphins and Bills. The biggest issue on defense is allowing big plays. Leonard has been ruled out for Thursday night's game at Denver. The Cowboys have given up a single touchdown in each of their four games, taking the pressure off Cooper Rush and allowing the backup QB to play in a controlled environment with a positive game script. Time to throw up the high beams and see our way through this. The veteran running back is healthy and back to full-dynamo status, the driving reason behind Big Blue's surprising 3-1 start. December 6, 2022 11:55 am ET. -- Lindsey Thiry, Defensive efficiency: 53.6 Baltimore built a 20-3 first-half advantage over the powerhouse Bills, only to watch it all slip away in a last-second loss that left John Harbaugh answering questions about a fourth-down gamble that went terribly awry. League rank: 5th. Rush. Could Carolina swap soon? There are also 15 teams this week that have a 2-2 record. -- Jeff Legwold, Defensive efficiency: 39.5 The biggest issue on defense is a banged-up defensive line. 11. Pick NFL winners straight up or against the spread and compete to win more than $14,400 in prizes! Top pass-rusher Carl Lawson was lost to a season-ending injury in the preseason, linebacker Jarrad Davis (ankle) still hasn't played, free safety Lamarcus Joyner suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1 and three rookies are starting. They don't have an edge rusher with more than one sack and have called the third-most blitzes (57) so far this season. Los Angeles' defense, which ranked second in Football Outsiders' rush DVOA going into the Week 4 matchup, ranks significantly worse against the pass (23rd in the NFL). Losing sturdy DT Lawrence Guy to a shoulder injury is a contributing factor, but that alone doesn't fully explain the alarming past six quarters the defense has played against the run. This season, Jackson has really stretched the field. This week, Tanier kicks off the NFL Week 4 Recap looking at potential early Rookie of the Year candidates, the Tom Brady-led Buccaneers, and a breakdown . Right now, the Cowboys have a perfect feel for complementary football. Arthur Smith has been able to find a way to create opportunities for him, which led to him scoring three touchdowns against Washington -- as many receiving touchdowns as he had in the past four seasons. Why it's a surprise: Life without All-Pro LT David Bakhtiari (recovering from ACL surgery) and Pro Bowl G Elgton Jenkins (missed the past two games with an ankle injury) hasn't been the death knell to the offense that it could have been. Aaron Rodgers said it best Sunday after facing a second straight team with a dominant defensive front, first the 49ers and then the Steelers. The Dolphins have been stout against the run, and the numbers they've given up are a bit skewed considering Josh Allen's 63 pass attempts in Week 3 and Lamar Jackson's prolific first half in Week 2. The Jets are allowing opponents to convert 51% of the time on third down, which ranks 31st out of 32 teams. Make one pick each week and play for the $30,000 Grand Prize! The Falcons are allowing opponents to convert 44% of third-down chances, ranking 24th out of the 32 teams. The Jaguars had allowed just 55 yards per game on the ground through the first three games, but gave up 210 yards and four touchdowns rushing to the Eagles on Sunday. The problem is the coverage, specifically the safeties and linebackers. . -- Ben Baby, Defensive efficiency: 60.8 Tennessee was expected to maintain its high-scoring ways after adding Julio Jones to the mix. Presumably, they'll return to form once Byron Jones returns from the physically unable to perform list -- which he's eligible to do this week. The Cardinals' four sacks are the fewest in the NFL, and their sacks per pass attempt rate is a league-low 2.88%. League rank: 3rd. The Niners picked a nice moment to deliver their best performance of the year. In Week 2, he sailed a pass that sealed Cleveland's fate in a collapse against the Jets. Brown only has one. The biggest issue on defense is getting home. They converted each into a touchdown. The Bucs have given up 27 total points in the first quarter through four weeks -- fourth most in the league -- yet their 68 total points given up would be fifth fewest. Dallas' struggling offense managed three pass plays of at least that length. "He keeps building, keeps getting better week by week, and our chemistry keeps growing, and we're finally building an identity for ourselves.". The defense struggles in yards per rush, red zone efficiency and third-down conversions -- ranking last in all categories. More NFL coverage . The talent upgrade across the board was evident. How will Patriots' Mac Jones handle Cardinals' blitz on MNF? Have we mentioned Shaquille Leonard has already been ruled out for Thursdays game against the Broncos with a concussion? The Giants have a top-10 pass defense at the moment. Below, we checked in with NFL Nation reporters across the league and asked what the biggest issue faced by each team's defense is. Miami currently has the second-worst pass defense in the NFL through its first four games, although that hasn't translated to the scoreboard. 1 spot -- and that's only the beginning of this week's hierarchical upheaval. On Sunday against the Cowboys, there were 11 penalties for 136 yards, with two of those infractions wiping away Cooper Rush interceptions in a 25-10 loss. 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