Early on in the 2025 NFL season, the NFC is shifting the preseason narrative that the AFC was the far superior and more top-heavy conference. Not only does the NFC boast the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, but there may be no fewer than three true Super Bowl contenders right on their heels.
Week 4 wasn't the best-looking slate of matchups on paper, but it delivered in terms of the overall theatrics, like we've all come to expect out of the NFL each week.
Heading into Week 5, we're taking a look with our latest NFL Power Rankings at each NFC team and how they stack up against each other after the first month of play.
NFL Power Rankings, Week 5: Rams rising quickly, Packers falling slowly
16. New Orleans Saints
The Saints gave a pretty good effort on the road against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4, but it wasn't meant to be. Even a great effort by the Saints resulted in a 12-point loss, albeit against one of the best all-around teams in the league.
The talent discrepancy between the Bills and Saints provided Buffalo with a massive margin for error in that game, and they took advantage of that a little bit. The Saints still might have something cooking with Spencer Rattler, who has shown some nice signs of progress in the first month of the season.
15. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers shut the Atlanta Falcons out 30-0 in Week 3, only to get absolutely blown out by the New England Patriots -- and dominated in every phase -- in Week 4. What are we supposed to make of this team right now?
I am not sure if the issue is Bryce Young, the defense, coaching, or a combination of things. The Panthers are already in a really rough spot after the first month of the year, and if they can't string something together in the next three weeks (Dolphins, Cowboys, Jets on the schedule), they'll probably be sellers at the 2025 trade deadline.
14. Minnesota Vikings
It feels gross to have the Minnesota Vikings this low on an NFL Power Rankings list, because Kevin O'Connell is such a great coach and Brian Flores has called a dominating defense at times this season.
The Vikings were in Dublin this past weekend and are sticking around in Europe for a game in London on Sunday...against the Browns.
The Vikings have a chance to get back on track this week, but we'll see how they do against one of the stingiest defenses in the league. Blind confidence that Carson Wentz is going to lead them to a win, even with Dillon Gabriel starting his first game, feels ill-advised.
13. New York Giants
The decision to move away from Russell Wilson and pivot to first-round pick Jaxson Dart has definitely given a little bit of a jolt to the New York Giants organization. It's certainly put a pep in Brian Daboll's step, that's for sure.
The Giants got a really impressive win in Dart's first start against the Los Angeles Chargers, one of the best defenses in the entire NFL. If Dart can continue to play like we saw in Week 4, this Giants team might continue to rise up lists like this as the season progresses.