The Baltimore Ravens are suddenly the best team in the NFL. I know that beating the Cleveland Browns 34 to 3 this past Sunday isn’t the best measuring stick, but it was enough for me to put them to the top of my NFL Power Rankings. The Ravens are undefeated both straight-up and against the spread and QB Joe Flacco has been terrific so far in 2009.

Because their defense is still solid, the Ravens have to be considered the best team in the AFC and possibly in the NFL right now. Don’t get me wrong, I love QB Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets but Flacco is steadier at the QB position than Sanchez right now. That’s the difference.

Let’s take a look at the Week 4 NFL Power Rankings.

NFL Power Rankings: Week 4
** SU means straight-up

** ATS means against the spread

1.Baltimore Ravens (3-0 SU, 3-0-0 ATS) - - Yes, they were supposed to beat Cleveland, but covering a spread by 17 ½ points above the betting line is still awesome. That Joe Flacco is a special guy. The Nevermores deserve the top spot.


2.New York Jets (3-0 SU, 3-0-0 ATS) - - Beating the Tennessee Titans at home was impressive. What was more impressive is how Mark Sanchez keeps playing like a bad ass veteran. That could change this Sunday when the Jets face the Saints, but so far, so good as the Jets added a 24 to 17 victory over the Titans to pad their impressive stats.


3.New Orleans Saints (3-0 SU, 3-0-0 ATS) - - The Saints beat the Buffalo Bills without Drew Brees throwing for 200 yards and a touchdown. Brees was blanked yet the Saints put up 27 points and allowed the Bills to only score 7. The Saints D also ended Terrell Owens record of 185 straight games with a catch. If the Saints’ D steps up, then this team is probably unbeatable straight-up or ATS.


4.Denver Broncos (3-0 SU, 3-0-0 ATS) - - Laugh all you want about Kyle Orten. All I know is that the Broncos held the Raiders to only 3 points as a 1 point road favorite and put up 23 of their own. With both Correll Buckhalter and rookie Knowshon Moreno in the back field the Broncos are a tough team for anybody to face


5.New York Giants (3-0 SU, 2-0-1 ATS) - - Steve Smith and Mario Manningham are making G-Men fans forget all about Plaxico Burress. A 24 to 0 victory over Tampa Bay helps as well.


6.Indianapolis Colts (3-0 SU, 2-1-0 ATS) - - Hmm…the Colts play like chumps against the Jags in Week 1 but pull out the victory. Then in Week 2, they beat Miami straight-up and ATS. Finally, on the road against the Cardinals, the Colts show the rest of the NFL that they are the same team they have always been by thumping Arizona 31 to 10.


7.Minnesota Vikings (3-0 SU, 2-1-0 ATS) - - I have to give Brett Favre props, but I’m not sold on the Norsemen just yet. They got lucky straight-up as 7 point favorites against the 49’ers. The writing is on the wall to me. Beware betting this team in the future. Trust me.


8.San Francisco 49’ers (2-1 SU, 3-0-0 ATS) - - Poor San Francisco. They were one miracle play away from going 3 and 0 straight-up. They’re still 3 and 0 against the spread and are obviously the best team in the NFC West this season.


9.Chicago Bears (2-1 SU, 2-1-0 ATS) - - Jay Cutler has this team going in the right direction. After an embarrassing loss in Week 1, they showed up against Pittsburgh and now take out the Seattle Seahawks on the road 25 to 19 as 1 point favorites.


10.Cincinnati Bengals (2-1 SU, 2-1-0 ATS) - - Ochocinco said that the Bengals would make the playoffs. Everyone laughed at him after Cincy lost to Denver. Well, Denver is 3 and 0 SU and 2 and 0 ATS and Cincinnati has beaten the Green Bay Packers on the road and the Pittsburgh Steelers at home as underdogs. Maybe, we should stop laughing at Chad.


11.Green Bay Packers (2-1 SU, 2-1-0 ATS) - - The loss against Cincinnati in Week 2 doesn’t look as bad now that the Bengals beat the Steelers. Green Bay bounced back with a 36 to 17 victory as favorites on the road against the St. Louis Rams. A big time Monday night matchup against the Norsemen looms.


12.Atlanta Falcons (2-1 SU, 2-1-0 ATS) - - There’s no shame in losing to New England on the road, but losing by 16 points as +4 ½ point underdogs? Atlanta didn’t make the adjustments while New England did. That was the difference in this game.


13.Philadelphia Eagles (2-1 SU, 2-1-0 ATS) - - The Eagles needed to bounce back after the terrible loss to the Saints in Week 2. They did it with a beat down of the Kansas City Chiefs 34 to 14. Yes, Michael Vick played, but Donovan shouldn’t worry about Vick taking his job as Kevin Kolb threw for two touchdowns and over 300 yards without an interception.

14.Dallas Cowboys (2-1 SU, 2-1-0 ATS) - - Tony Romo is the human version of the Patriots. Up to kick-off in their game against Carolina on Monday night, everybody was talking about how awful Tony Romo was. Now? Oh, he’s a hero again. Like the Chargers, don’t let the record fool you. This team isn’t very good.


15.New England Patriots (2-1 SU, 1-2-0 ATS) - - One week, football betting fans put a stake in their hearts; the other week, they’re the darlings of the NFL again. The 26 to 10 victory over Atlanta was nice, but they’ll need to do better this week against the #1 ranked Baltimore Ravens. Tom Brady especially.

16.San Diego Chargers (2-1 SU, 1-2-0 ATS) - - San Diego had to come back from their Week 2 giveaway game to the Baltimore Ravens. They needed Chad Pennington to get hurt for Miami to do it. Don’t be fooled by the 23 to 13 victory over the Fins. The Chargers still aren’t a good team to bet either straight-up or ATS this year and their inconsistencies are going to catch up to them.


17.Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2 SU, 2-1-0 ATS) - - The Jags finally broke through with a victory in 2009. 2 and 1 ATS is something to cheer about for Jacksonville who everybody was talking about as the worst team in the AFC South just one week ago. They beat the Houston Texans on the road straight-up, 31 to 24, as 4 point underdogs.


18.Buffalo Bills (1-2 SU, 2-1-0 ATS) - - Buffalo played very well against the Saints for almost 3 full quarters before the Saints decided to unleash their powerful running game and started to get to Buffalo quarterback Trent Edwards. The Bills are a decent team but they obviously don’t have what it takes to beat the New York Jets and the New England Patriots.


19.Oakland Raiders (1-2 SU, 2-1-0 ATS) - - The Raiders are back! Yeah, they fooled us all by beating Kansas City on the road last week and covering the spread. They fooled us all by almost beating the San Diego Chargers on the road and beating the spread. They didn’t fool us this past Sunday when Denver beat them down like the losers that they are. JeMarcus Russell must go.


20.Arizona Cardinals (1-2 SU, 1-2-0 ATS) - - The Arizona Cardinals are supposed to be better than this. They were too conservative against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night and it cost them.

21.Houston Texans (1-2 SU, 1-2-0 ATS) - - Houston just doesn’t have what it takes mentally to get to the next level. How do you beat Tennessee on the road and then lose to Jacksonville at home? By being the Houston Texans, that’s how.


22.Seattle Seahawks (1-2 SU, 1-2-0 ATS) - - Good teams find a way to beat teams like the Bears at home. This is true even with their starting quarterback on the bench. That means Seattle just isn’t a good team. No argument here.


23.Detroit Lions (1-2 SU, 1-2-0 ATS) - - Detroit broke the streak by playing tough against a terrible team. They beat the Washington Redskins 19 to 14 as 6 point underdogs and are now the darlings again of the Motor City. Of course, it might be their only victory of 2009, but, hey, it’s something, right?


24.Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2 SU, 0-3-0 ATS) - - Pittsburgh will bounce back straight-up. Against the spread it might be a different story. Pitt wasn’t very good ATS in 2008 and it appears they won’t be very good ATS in 2009. It doesn’t mean, of course, they don’t string together 10 victories in a row straight-up and make it to the Super Bowl.


25.Washington Redskins (1-2 SU, 0-3-0 ATS) - - Are you kidding me? Really…I have nothing to write about these losers.


26.Tennessee Titans (0-3 SU, 1-2-0 ATS) - - Man, the Titans could taste the victory in their mouths as they took the lead over the New York Jets this past Sunday, but that Mark Sanchez kid is tough and Kerry Collins just doesn’t have a go to guy out there.


27. St. Louis Rams (0-3 SU, 1-2-0 ATS) - - The Rams are terrible, yes, but they did put up 17 points against the Packers. That’s the key. They have to score. If they figure that out, then they might win a game this year. Of course, they’ve already lost to the Redskins. So…what are the BetUS odds on another team going 0 and 16 two years in a row?


28.Miami Dolphins (0-3 SU, 0-3-0 ATS) - - The Fins have to be the unluckiest 0 and 3 team in NFL history, right? They controlled the clock and then got Peytonized in Week 2. Then, this past Sunday they lose Chad Pennington for the year. The faster you rise, the harder you fall in the NFL.


29.Kansas City Chiefs (0-3 SU, 0-3-0 ATS) - - It doesn’t really matter who quarterbacks this team, Damon Huard, Matt Cassell, whatever. They’re awful.


30.Carolina Panthers (0-3 SU, 0-3-0 ATS) - - When Delhomme went to the Panthers all of those years ago, people were laughing at the Saints for letting him go. Now, does everyone see why? Three more turnovers on Monday night against the Cowboys effectively ended the Panthers’ season.


31.Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3 SU, 0-3-0 ATS) - - Way to leave the Bucs high and dry, Chucky! The defense is terrible except for linebacker Barrett Rudd and the offense doesn’t exist. The Bucs have benched Byron Leftwich for Josh Johnson. Does it matter? I think not.


32.Cleveland Browns (0-3 SU, 0-3-0 ATS) - - At least St. Louis has an