NFL: Power Rankings at the quarter-mark of the 2018 NFL season

14. Los Angeles Chargers (2-2)

I’m not sure if there’s a more talented team in the AFC than the Chargers that has an upper-tier quarterback. However, this squad just can’t get out of the gates with any momentum. Outside of tight-end this group of skill players on offense might be the best in the entire league and they have all produced, but the defense is giving up 30 points per game and they still have their issues converting crucial field goal attempts.

With that being said, there’s a lot of optimism – Derwin James is one of the lead-candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year, Kyzir White is another rookie who has been a nice addition as a hybrid dime linebacker and they still get their best player in Joey Bosa back. Moreover, their two losses have come to the Chiefs and Rams, which are my top two teams in the league right now.

This is still a long season and right now it looks like the only game on their schedule that will be equally difficult to those two losses will be their rematch against Kansas City when they travel to Arrowhead. I’d favor them in any other week and I wouldn’t be surprised if they would rise consistently as the year goes along.

15. Minnesota Vikings (1-2-1)

What is the identity of this team right now? The Vikings went from an elite defense with dynamic players on offense that could deliver splash plays when they really needed them to Kirk Cousins throwing the ball an average of 47 times per game and giving up 27.5 points a contest.

I thought Dalvin Cook would have a monster year because he is special, but injuries have kept him off the field and a sub-par offensive line doesn’t open up any room for him. They also struggle to protect the passer, as they are on pace to give up around 70 more pressures this season than any other team in the last decade.

Defensively, clever play-callers have constantly exposed their scheme because of the coverage responsibilities they can take advantage of. Anthony Barr has been molested these last two weeks by Josh Allen, who outran, stiff-armed and hurdled him and then they went to L.A. where Sean McVay constantly schemed him against wide receivers and made him lose the battle in coverage.

Mike Zimmer has been running this defense for years, but I think without Everson Griffen setting the tone up front they are not the same unit. If they get him back and Cousins continues to play at this level they can turn things around, because this still is one of the premiere rosters in the NFL.