Week 4 Power Rankings

If you like fresh blood and a little variety with your pro football, the NFC is the place for you this season. Through the first four weeks of 2012, the NFC's first-place teams are all clubs that didn't finish atop their divisions last year: Philadelphia (3-1) in the East, Atlanta (4-0) in the South, Minnesota and Chicago (both 3-1) in the North, and Arizona (4-0) in the West. Of those five clubs, only the Falcons made the playoffs in 2011, and were a quick one-and-done in the first round.

The AFC so far is a little truer to form, with three teams holding a least a share of first place after winning division titles a year ago: New England (2-2) in the East, Baltimore (3-1) in the North, and Houston (4-0) in the South. Only the West bucks that trend, where San Diego (3-1) holds a one-game lead over defending division champion Denver (2-2).

And we're right on track for another 12-team playoff field that's at least half new, with seven teams that missed the postseason last year currently holding at least a share of first place, and five of 2011's eight division winners sitting .500 or worse through the season's first month: New Orleans (0-4), Green Bay, New York Giants, Denver, New England (all 2-2).

But that's the NFL, where change often is the only constant. Now on to this week's rankings...

NFL Power Rankings