Week 5 of the NFL season is just a day away, but for those seeking a postseason preview at the quarter pole of the campaign, I have bad news for you: there is none. So much can happen over the course of a 17-game NFL season, that four weeks isn't remotely enough to provide fans and pundits alike with much of an inkling for who will be holding the Lombardi trophy in February. It's anyone's guess.
What we do know is flawed, as it's based on last year's results. In Week 4, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings in thrilling fashion in Dublin, Jaxson Dart and the New York Giants got their first win of the season against Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers, the Philadelphia Eagles continued their undefeated campaign and defeated a dark horse Super Bowl pick in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Kansas City Chiefs sent Baltimore into panic mode with a beatdown at Arrowhead, and the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers tied in Micah Parsons return to AT&T Stadium. Got it?
All of the results mentioned above are impactful, and will have a resounding impact come the end of the season. However, often enough it's not if a team won, but how they did so. Point differential isn't just an NFL tiebreaker, but an argument winner around the water cooler every week. Through four weeks, which teams have the greatest wins – and by the largest amount – of the season?
NFL standings by point differential
AFC East
Rank | Team | Record | Point differential |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bills | 4-0 | 43 |
2 | Patriots | 2-2 | 21 |
3 | Jets | 0-4 | -35 |
4 | Dolphins | 1-3 | -30 |
The Buffalo Bills are Super Bowl favorites in the AFC for a reason. Buffalo is heavily favored to be among the first teams to clinch their division, in part because their division isn't very good. The upstart Patriots, led by Drake Maye, have been a nice story – but when the second-year quarterback eventually runs into his sophomore slump, the Bills will benefit.
The Jets and Dolphins played on Monday night, with Miami emerging victorious despite a brutal injury to wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is still looking for his first win of the season despite some close results against Pittsburgh and now Miami.
AFC North
Rank | Team | Record | Point differential |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Steelers | 3-1 | -2 |
2 | Ravens | 1-3 | -2 |
3 | Browns | 1-3 | -46 |
4 | Bengals | 2-2 | -58 |
The Pittsburgh Steelers thrive in close games, as has always been the case under Mike Tomlin. The Steelers walk a fine line between mediocre and borderline playoff team each and every year, and they seem poised to do it again this season. Tomlin has been gifted a path to an AFC North title if his team can take advantage. Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson are expected to miss time for the Bengals and Ravens respectively, and the Browns just benched Joe Flacco.
The standard is the standard in Pittsburgh, even if that standard looks shoddy at best in a victory.
AFC South
Rank | Team | Record | Point differential |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Colts | 3-1 | 40 |
2 | Jaguars | 3-1 | 24 |
3 | Texans | 1-3 | 13 |
4 | Titans | 0-4 | -69 |
Indiana Jones and the Colts came crashing back to earth last Sunday against a likely playoff team in the Los Angeles Rams. While Jones and the Colts got their first dose of reality, their red-hot start to the season has their point differential looking impressive. Still, Indy must fend off Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars, which handed the lowly Titans another resounding loss on Sunday. Expect this division gap to widen, with Indy and Jacksonville as the two obvious outliers.
AFC West
Rank | Team | Record | Point differential |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Broncos | 2-2 | 29 |
2 | Chiefs | 2-2 | 21 |
3 | Chargers | 3-1 | 17 |
4 | Raiders | 1-3 | -22 |
This is what happens when you lose to the New York Football Giants. The Chargers were among the best stories at the quarter pole, with Justin Herbert, Omarion Hampton and Jim Harbaugh's offense finally playing up to its potential. One loss doesn't change that, but it does show just how unpredictable this team is. Meanwhile, the Chiefs finally looked like the Chiefs again in a blowout of Baltimore, and the Broncos benefitted from facing the Bengals defense and Jake Freaking Browning.
This division race should be among the most intriguing in football. My money will always be on KC until someone proves me wrong.
NFC East
Rank | Team | Record | Point differential |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Eagles | 4-0 | 20 |
2 | Commanders | 2-2 | 16 |
3 | Cowboys | 1-2-1 | -18 |
4 | Giants | 1-3 | -28 |
It's no secret: The Philadelphia Eagles play a boring brand of football. Yet, if it ain't broke, why fix it? The Eagles entertainment value may not be what the NFL wants considering how often they play in primetime, but they remain the best team in the NFL until someone knocks them off. As for the remainder of the division, the Commanders up-and-down start could cost them a playoff spot in the end – losses to the Packers and Falcons will impact tiebreakers down the line. The Cowboys managed to tie the Packers in Micah's revenge game, and the Giants defeated the Chargers in Dart's first start. Overall, it was a good week for the division.
NFC North
Rank | Team | Record | Point differential |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lions | 3-1 | 49 |
2 | Vikings | 2-2 | 22 |
3 | Packers | 2-1-1 | 20 |
4 | Bears | 2-2 | -16 |
The Lions lost their first game of the season to the Green Bay Packers, and have provided emphatic statements since. While losing to a division opponent to open the season would have most coaches panicking, most coaches are not Dan Campbell. Despite a new coaching staff following the departures of Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn for head coaching opportunities, the Lions have been the best team in the NFL the last three weeks. Their league-best point differential suggests as much.
NFC South
Rank | Team | Record | Point differential |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Buccaneers | 3-1 | 0 |
2 | Falcons | 2-2 | -10 |
3 | Panthers | 1-3 | -20 |
4 | Saints | 0-4 | -55 |
Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers have taken the phrase survive and advance to another level. Tampa has yet to win or lose a game by more than six points. In fact, their greatest differential of the season came in a six-point loss to the Eagles. They've won games by 1, 2 and 3 points respectively. While this team is built to win in close games, it'd be nice if they gave themselves some wiggle room for a change.
The Panthers and Saints are two of the worst teams in the NFL, so it should come as no surprise they're rivaling the Titans for worst point differential in football.
NFC West
Rank | Team | Record | Point differential |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Seahawks | 3-1 | 44 |
2 | Rams | 3-1 | 19 |
3 | Cardinals | 2-2 | 8 |
4 | 49ers | 3-1 | 5 |
Yeah, this is a weird one. The 49ers have been decimated by injuries early this season, but still hold the NFC West lead at 3-1. Still, it should come as no surprise that their victories have come by a narrow margin. The Niners beat the Cardinals by one, the Saints by five and the Seahawks by four. Great teams find a way to win games when they're shorthanded or not at their best. So far, Kyle Shanahan's team has done just that.
As for the Seahawks, their two biggest victories on the season came in a blowout of the New Orleans Saints, and a 14-point win in Pittsburgh. The latter is the more impressive feat considering the Seahawks handed the Steelers their only loss on the season so far.