MY GRADES FOR EACH NFL TEAM AT THE QUARTER MARK OF THE SEASON

The first four weeks of the NFL’s regular season are in the books, and parity seems to be the name of the game. Only two teams remain unbeaten (Chiefs and Rams), while only one remains winless (Cardinals). Some teams are performing above expectations, while others are falling short. There is still plenty of time for things to change, but here’s a look at each NFL team’s grade through the quarter mark of the season.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS — D

Well, they’re not winless. That’s about the best thing you can say about Pittsburgh’s season to this point. They have just one win and have already lost to the Kansas City Chiefs and the rival Baltimore Ravens. Their defense, typically strong, has given up 29 points per game in 2018. In addition to their on-field struggles, they’ve been described as a “circus” off the field and Le’Veon Bell’s contract dispute has overshadowed nearly everything else. It’s been a real mess for them so far.

ARIZONA CARDINALS — D

There’s not much to say here. The Cardinals were expected to be bad and have been downright terrible. They’ve actually been decent defensively, which saves them from an F, but they’ve scored a miserable 37 points in four games, comfortably the worst mark in the NFL. Perhaps moving from Sam Bradford to Josh Rosen will help the offense a tiny bit — they nearly beat the Seahawks at home on Sunday — but it’s going to be a long season in the desert either way.

ATLANTA FALCONS — D+

The Atlanta offense really only had problems in their season opener against the Eagles, when they struggled in the red zone and lost. Since then, the offense has done fine, but the injury-hit defense has struggled to hold teams at bay, giving up 122 points, and good for third-worst in the league. It’s also helped Matt Ryan set a rather unwanted record. This is a playoff-caliber team and injuries or not, seeing them at 1-3 isn’t acceptable.

BALTIMORE RAVENS — A

One disappointing loss to the Bengals aside, the Ravens have been great. Joe Flacco looks revitalized under center now that Lamar Jackson is actually a threat to his starting job and he’s past his back injury. The defense has been stingy as well, as you would expect from a Baltimore Ravens defensive unit. At this point in the season, the Ravens actually look very well-poised to top the AFC North, which is a bit of a surprise. With the Steelers floundering and the Bengals yet to test their staying power, though, they have a real shot.

BUFFALO BILLS — D+

The Bills were expected to fade this year after a surprising playoff appearance last year, and they have certainly done that. There’s an argument to be made that they’ve been even worse than expected, though a very surprising win over the Minnesota Vikings has earned them some extra points. This is going to be a year with a lot of growing pains for the Bills, who are trying to groom Josh Allen for the future and dealing with a lot of inconsistency at the position.

CAROLINA PANTHERS — B+

Not great, but not bad for the Panthers, who sit 2-1 with their bye week already behind them. They’ve been excellent defensively, but the Cam Newton-led offense has yet to fire on all cylinders, which means there should still be room to grow for the Panthers here. It’s quite encouraging, in fact, that the Panthers are this well-positioned even without Newton performing at his best. This is a team to watch going forward.

CHICAGO BEARS — A

The acquisition of Khalil Mack has changed the atmosphere around the Bears, who suddenly look like a very legitimate playoff contender. Mack has led the way on defense, but Mitchell Trubisky’s growth has been key for the offense, and he’s coming off a six-touchdown game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have weapons on offense in Jordan Howard, Tarik Cohen, Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel to help him. Through four games, they’ve been nothing but an unqualified success.

CINCINNATI BENGALS — A

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis went from nearly losing his job to leading one of the NFL’s surprise outfits of the season. They’ve won at Atlanta, which is no small feat, and also knocked off the Baltimore Ravens, which could prove to be a key win in the AFC North race. Andy Dalton looks great at quarterback, which is the most significant shift for the Bengals. The only downside is the season-ending injury to Tyler Eifert, and we have yet to see how much staying power the team has. For now, however, it’s high marks all around in Cincinnati.

CLEVELAND BROWNS — B-

There is no doubt that the Browns are better than they were last year. Much better, in fact, and their defense has real talent and potential on it. Switching to Baker Mayfield at quarterback has done a lot for the offense as well. The team appears to have talent, but their execution remains a work in progress. Sometimes they’re sloppy, and there are signs that they’re still not quite as well-coached as they could be, but this is clearly a team on the rise.

DALLAS COWBOYS — C

The Cowboys look decent defensively and Ezekiel Elliott remains one of the league’s best running backs. However, their play at the quarterback position seems to be holding the Cowboys back. Dallas is 30th in the league in both points scored and passing yardage, and it’s a credit to Elliott and the defense that they’re still 2-2 and in the thick of the NFC East race. For them to be anything better than mediocre, the passing game must improve quickly. They might not have the weapons — or quarterback — to make that happen.

DENVER BRONCOS — B-

It’s been a good, but not great start to Vance Joseph’s second season in charge of the Broncos. Case Keenum isn’t the All-Pro quarterback Denver would have really liked, but he is an obvious upgrade over everyone they threw out at the position in 2017, and the running game has been able to bolster the offense. The defense isn’t quite where it used to be when they won the Super Bowl, but it’s been good enough to keep them at .500. On the whole, the returns are good but not great. They’ve been unable to beat either of the two best teams they’ve faced in Baltimore and Kansas City, although they played the Chiefs close.

DETROIT LIONS — D+

The Lions are, in perpetuity, so close and yet so far away. Of their three defeats, only one was a blowout, with the other two defeats at San Francisco and Dallas decided by a combined five points. They also blew out the Patriots at home, so to say there are mixed signals here would be an understatement. The Lions’ offense can score, but they’ve had their problems in the red zone. Moreover, the young defense simply hasn’t performed well in three of their four games. They’re close to being competent, but they’re simply not there yet.

GREEN BAY PACKERS — B-

The Packers have a winning record and would be 3-1 if not for the new roughing the passer rule. That said there are definitely some weakness on the team, as the offense hasn’t quite looked to be at full speed and Aaron Rodgers has been willing to voice his frustration. The Packers aren’t doing badly, but they haven’t stood out and simply don’t appear as talented as the Vikings or, perhaps, as dynamic as the Bears. However, as long as they have Rodgers, they’re dangerous and shouldn’t be counted out.

HOUSTON TEXANS — D

It’s been a very poor start to the season for the Texans, whose playoff ambitions appear to be fading before their eyes. All of their defeats have been close, as their seven-point loss to the Patriots is their most lopsided defeat of the season. That’s little solace, though. Their late-game execution hasn’t been great. They were also a bit fortunate to beat the Colts in overtime for their first victory, getting some help from Frank Reich. Their season isn’t over, but they need to pick it up quickly.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — C-

The good news for the Colts? Andrew Luck looks healthy, and they played the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles very tough with a chance to win it late. They could very easily be 2-2 or even 3-1. They’re not, though, because of late-game execution and the fact that Frank Reich was, perhaps, a bit more aggressive than he needed to be. Still, there’s promise here, and unlike the last several years, they look like they’re headed in the right direction.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — A

They had one real stinker of a result against the Tennessee Titans, which raised some alarm bells due to Blake Bortles’ struggles in that one. Otherwise, they’ve looked like one of the best teams in the AFC. Bortles overall has been very good, and the Jacksonville defense looks as sturdy as ever. Their rather easy win over the New England Patriots felt like a significant statement, and they’ve done a lot of damage even without injured running back Leonard Fournette. If their offense can keep flat performances to a minimum, they may be the conference favorites.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — A+

Whatever the expectations were for quarterback Patrick Mahomes, he has certainly surpassed them. He looks to be on his way to a truly remarkable first season as a starter, with 14 passing touchdowns to his name. The unbeaten record speaks for itself. The defense has given up a lot of points, which is a concern, and the Chiefs won’t be able to win every shootout they get in. Mahomes and the offense have both been so good, though, that they get a perfect grade for a perfect quarter of a season.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS — B-

The Chargers have faced a rather unforgiving schedule to start the season, losing to the ascendant Kansas City Chiefs and at the Los Angeles Rams. They were in both games and won their other two contests, with an easier schedule coming their way. The defense misses Joey Bosa, who’s injured, and the 49ers ran them uncomfortably close at home, but talent remains on both sides of the ball and Philip Rivers can still get it done. They remain a dangerous team going forward.

LOS ANGELES RAMS — A+

As far as the NFC goes, right now it’s the Rams and everyone else a class below them. They have the rare combination of outstanding offense and elite defense, though it remains to be seen how well they can absorb the loss of cornerback Aqib Talib. They’ve beaten two very good teams in the Los Angeles Chargers and Minnesota Vikings, and they don’t appear to have many weaknesses. Last year’s short playoff run may fuel them.

MIAMI DOLPHINS — A-

A rather worrisome performance against the New England Patriots raised some questions about whether the Dolphins can get it done against major contenders once the bright lights come on, but on the whole, it’s impossible for Miami not to be happy with what they’ve been able to do so far. There are some worrying signs — Ryan Tannehill hasn’t put up big numbers, but has been efficient, for instance. Their record is good and they seem like a contender going forward.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS — C-

The Vikings were expected to be among the class of the NFC, but that hasn’t quite happened so far. Yes, they have had an unforgiving schedule. Their trip to Lambeau Field ended in a tie that they should’ve lost but would’ve won if not for their kicking issues, and they kept it within a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams. There was no excuse for a bizarre loss to the Buffalo Bills, though, and they must avoid those results going forward. The talent remains for the Vikings, but the results and execution must get better.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — C

The Patriots have been fine at home, but a disaster on the road. The differences are pronounced, as they handled a previously unbeaten Miami Dolphins team by 31 points. However, the Jacksonville Jaguars beat them badly, and more worryingly, the Detroit Lions looked like a significantly better team when the two met. It’s hard to determine who the real Patriots are, with the defense looking somewhat vulnerable at times. Tom Brady is still producing, though, and you’d have to think Bill Belichick is going to get this right eventually. Adding Julian Edelman to an offense that now also includes Josh Gordon could be just what they need.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS — B+

The Saints got a big road win at Atlanta, which puts them in an excellent position going forward in the NFC South. The defense, on which they largely built their successful season a year ago, has not been able to match those lofty standards. The offense, led by Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, has been good enough that they’ve generally been able to cover for the defensive shortcomings. Upcoming games at Baltimore and Minnesota before the end of the month should give us a good idea of where they’re at.

NEW YORK GIANTS — D

It is becoming increasingly clear that the Giants made a rather grave miscalculation in sticking with Eli Manning during the offseason. The defense has been alright they’ve generally been close in their losses, and Saquon Barkley looks like a future star. Manning, though, is not getting the job done, and they just look like a team bereft of talent, which shouldn’t be the case with Barkley, Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard on the field for the offense.

NEW YORK JETS — D

That blowout win against the Detroit Lions in the season opener looks more and more like a fluke with each passing week. The Jets have struggled mightily since then, with quarterback Sam Darnold looking every bit like the inconsistent rookie that he is. The defense has held up alright, but the reality is the Jets are a good ways away from contending. This was always going to be a rebuilding year, but they perhaps have failed to show the steps forward they’d have liked to.

OAKLAND RAIDERS — F

Let’s be blunt. For all the chatter, the Raiders should be 0-4. They would be 0-4 had the referees gotten a call right at the end of regulation in their win over the Cleveland Browns. The Jon Gruden hire has failed to do much for the organization. If anything, it drove Khalil Mack out of the organization and created something of a power conflict in the higher levels of the franchise. They’ve consistently blown fourth quarter leads and probably should have done it again on Sunday. There are a whole lot of problems here that don’t look particularly close to being fixed.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES — C

The win over the Atlanta Falcons looks like a nice one, but they’ve lost both of their road games this year, albeit by less than a score each time. Carson Wentz is back under center and playing pretty well, though the Eagles need to do a better job protecting him after he was sacked four times by the Tennessee Titans. The defense that was so good last season has had its moments of inconsistency. In all, the Eagles don’t look to be in bad shape, but the secondary needs to tighten up and they need to play better on the road. If they can do those things, they should be alright.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS — F

Many of the things that have gone wrong for the 49ers aren’t really their fault. Jerick McKinnon’s preseason ACL tear was, unfortunately, a sign of things to come, with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffering the same injury in Week 3. They played hard against the Chargers, but this season is increasingly looking lost to them after a host of high preseason expectations. They’re 1-3 and it doesn’t look like things are going to turn around soon.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS — C+

The Seahawks have seen off the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals while losing close ones at the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears. It’s been a middling season, with Russell Wilson performing well but not quite as much talent around him as he used to have. Earl Thomas’ season-ending leg injury is certain to have a negative impact on the defense. They’re still in the midst of the NFC West, and while they’re unlikely to catch the Rams, they could still be a factor.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS — C+

Given how bad they were last year, a 2-2 record should be encouraging for Tampa Bay. They were, in fact, 2-0 with wins over the Saints and Eagles, a pair of playoff teams. Reality then set in quickly. The Steelers went right through them, and the Bears thoroughly embarrassed them. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s emergence was a fun, but short-lived storyline, and now attention turns to Jameis Winston to salvage a once-promising season that looks to be teetering at the moment.

TENNESSEE TITANS — A

The Titans boast impressive wins over the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles, and while they haven’t exactly dominated, wins are wins. Marcus Mariota is still seeking injury-free consistency, but he made some key throws against the Eagles. They’re 3-1 and clearly a factor in the AFC South, but much will depend on whether Mariota can stay on the field and perform up to expectations. For now, the signs are encouraging.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS — A-

It’s been a good start for the Redskins, who have already gone through their bye week in Week 4. A win over the Cardinals was expected, but the victory over the Green Bay Packers was much more impressive. Adrian Peterson has, perhaps surprisingly, looked like a starting-caliber NFL running back again, and the running game has paced them in their two victories. Alex Smith, as ever, looks a capable game manager. Whether Washington can hold up against better opponents remains to be seen, but they have to be pleased with their start.