Week 4 NFL Powerless Rankings: Texans sit atop trash heap

It’s time to check in on the teams that can’t get out of their own way. The first few weeks of the 2022 NFL season have been somewhat unpredictable, but there are always a few teams we expect to disappoint their fan base. Now let’s get into the powerless ranking for Week 4.

Teams on the doorstep: New England Patriots (1-3), Washington Commanders (1-3), Detroit Lions (1-3)

With each passing week, the Baker Mayfield/Carolina Panthers marriage looks more like a short-term arrangement. Mayfield’s been his usual average-performing self, and the Panthers aren’t winning. Sounds like the same thing for most of his career in Cleveland. Four weeks and Panthers fans are already booing him and the offense.

If Christian McCaffrey isn’t rolling offensively, the Panthers have no chance. This team might not win five games this season. While McCaffrey didn’t run the ball well, only rushing or 27 yards on eight carries, he did contribute big in the passing game catching nine balls for 81 yards and a touchdown.

Based on the upcoming schedule, it could be a month or more before Carolina lands in the win column again. Carolina has the 49ers, Rams, Buccaneers, and Falcons coming up. If Sam Darnold wasn’t on injured reserve, there might be a change on the horizon in Carolina. Unless the Panthers want to trot out P.J. Walker, they’re stuck with Baker for the foreseeable future. Sorry, Panthers fans.

After a lucky win over the Bengals in Week 1, the Steelers have lost three in a row. The latest loss came at the hands of the New York Jets, 24-20. Although the team dropped another game, Steelers fans will remember this one as the day the Kenny Pickett era began. Pickett, who starred at Pitt before being the only QB drafted in the first round, replaced Mitchell Trubisky in this game, and while he did throw two interceptions, he completed 10 of 13 with 120 yards through the air.

It wasn’t a great debut for Pickett, but Trubisky probably wasn’t getting this team to the postseason, so you might as well take the plunge and let the kid take his lumps early. Najee Harris had his best rushing performance of the year totaling 74 yards on 18 carries.

Next on the schedule, Pittsburgh travels to Buffalo, and you can guess the outcome of that game. Welcome to 1-4 Steelers fans.

After upsetting Kansas City last week, Indianapolis returned to its losing ways in Week 4, falling to Tennessee, 24-17. Derrick Henry carved up the Colts, rushing for 114 yards and a TD. Henry’s counterpart for Indy, Jonathan Taylor, had a pedestrian 42 yards on 20 carries — and got injured during the game.

Matt Ryan was alright, passing for 356 yards, two TDs, and one INT. But Ryan’s performance clearly wasn’t enough. The Colts are a running team, and they’re in serious trouble when they can’t muster up more than 38 yards on the ground.

This carousel of veteran QBs passing through isn’t working for Indy. Since Andrew Luck retired abruptly before the 2019 season, the Colts have been in a tailspin at the position. Ryan will play well sometimes, but he isn’t what he was a few years ago. The Colts should be in the market for a QB in the ‘23 draft. This experiment they’ve been conducting bringing in QBs who are past their prime isn’t getting it done. 

Las Vegas got its first win in Week 4, beating Denver 32-23. Derek Carr didn’t have a big game as he played the role of game manager this week. This game was about running back Josh Jacobs on offense as he ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Jacobs added another five receptions for 31 yards to his big day.

Davante Adams got back on track with nine catches for 101 yards in the win. The Raiders came into the year with high expectations after a playoff appearance in January. So far, they’ve done nothing but disappoint up until this victory or the rival Broncos.

Unfortunately, any momentum gained after this win will likely come to a screeching halt with a visit to Arrowhead on tap against the Chiefs next Monday night. The Raiders got beat badly by the Chiefs last year, losing both meetings by 66 points combined. Even Adams won’t be enough to close that gap. A trip to Kansas City couldn’t have come at a worse time for the silver and black.

After four weeks, the Houston Texans are the only NFL team that hasn’t tasted victory this season. Outside of the city of Houston, most people knew the Texans were destined to be one of the worst teams in the league this year. They may not be the absolute worst based on the eye test, but a legendary head coach once said, “you are what your record says you are.” That quote is attributed to Hall of Famer Bill Parcells and proves true in most cases.

The Texans rank in the lower third of the league in passing, rushing, and total yards on offense. The same can be said for scoring. Following his rookie year, it was thought that Davis Mills should get the opportunity to be Houston’s starter in ‘22. Well, Mills got his chance and hasn’t done much with it. His QBR (28.5) and passer ratings (80.4) through four games is lower than last season.

Houston’s defense hadn’t looked horrible until they faced the Chargers in Week 4, falling 34-24. The Texans can’t get much going offensively, and the defense is left out to fend for itself against high-powered offenses like the Chargers. Luckily, the Texans can’t become the first team to lose all 17 games on the schedule because of that Week 1 tie with the Colts.