Consensus NFL Power Rankings Week 4: Where Are Packers?

Packers On SI’s Consensus NFL Power Rankings take eight sets of national power rankings and turn them into one composite ranking. While there’s a wide variance, the Packers are back in the top 10.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) runs against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday in Nashville. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Pack is Back!

In the Top 10 of Packers On SI’s Consensus NFL Power Rankings.

After crashing from fifth to 12th after losing the game and Jordan Love in Week 1, back-to-back wins behind Malik Willis have lifted the Packers to No. 7 in our Consensus Power Rankings, which combine eight national power rankings into one cumulative ranking.

Green Bay, which was No. 11 last week, will face the Minnesota Vikings in a heavyweight showdown at Lambeau Field on Sunday. The Vikings, who are coming off impressive home victories over the 49ers and Texans, are No. 4 in our Consensus Power Rankings.

The NFC North is home to three of the top seven teams.

Here’s what the national pundits are saying, with links to their full rankings.

Sports Illustrated: 3rd

The Packers are up two spots. You can read Conor Orr’s analysis of the Packers here. But here is the second paragraph of his rankings:

“Fun is being a Colts fan right now and knowing that, at any moment, Anthony Richardson could do something you’ve never seen before. It’s like living on a planet where comets narrowly swing by humanity on a regular basis. Fun is being a Packers fan and watching Malik Willis do what the genetic gods put him on Earth to do. Fun is being a Vikings fan, winning games with Josh Dobbs last year and Sam Darnold this year, watching quarterbacks walk off the field completely blank after getting a look at Brian Flores’ defense.”

Pro Football Talk: 6th

The Packers moved from No 9 to No. 6 and the Vikings vaulted from No. 11 to No. 7. Wondered Mike Florio: “With the way Malik Willis is playing, why rush Jordan Love back?”

NFL.com: 7th

The Packers moved up three spots in Eric Edholm’s weekly rankings.

“For two weeks in a row, Matt LaFleur has delivered a game-planning masterpiece, tailoring his offense beautifully to the skills of Malik Willis,” Edholm wrote as part of his extensive analysis. “If this season becomes a special one in Green Bay after the tough opener in Brazil, Willis’ contributions could end up being surprisingly significant.”

The Athletic: 7th

The Packers are up from No. 12 in Josh Kendall’s rankings. His weekly theme is surprise. For the Packers, it’s that Matt LaFleur has not won coach of the year.

Here’s part of what Kendall wrote: “Malik Willis has won more games as the starter in Green Bay than he did in two years in Tennessee, and he’s been with the Packers for less than a month. … The credit goes to LaFleur, who has won 67.4 percent of his games as a head coach (11th best in NFL history). Green Bay is the fifth team since 1990 with at least 600 rushing yards in its first three games.

Fox Sports: 7th

The Packers are up four spots in Dave Helman’s rankings. At the conclusion of his analysis of the Packers, he wrote: “I was worried about the Packers staying afloat without Jordan Love, and it turns out they're thriving.

CBS Sports: 8th

The Packers are up four spots in Pete Prisco’s rankings. “Matt LaFleur has done a great job getting this team two wins without Jordan Love. Malik Willis has played well, but the defense has really come up big.”

ESPN: 11th

The Packers are up four spots. The theme of this week’s rankings is biggest issue on offense. Rob Demovsky picked penalties. Here’s part of what he wrote:

“The Packers have the most total offensive penalties (21) in the league through three games and have the second-most offensive penalty yards (135). They have a league-high eight offensive holding infractions, including four by left tackle Rasheed Walker (who has a team-high six penalties overall).”

Yahoo: 12th

The Packers were the big movers in Frank Schwab’s rankings, zooming up from No. 19.

“All credit to head coach Matt LaFleur for a 2-0 stretch without Jordan Love. And it seems Love could return as soon as this week. Not that LaFleur needed any validation, but the start to this season is more proof he's one of the NFL's best coaches.”

This Week’s Opponent: Minnesota Vikings, 4th

At SI.com, the Vikings are fifth. Wrote Orr: “What has been masterful about Brian Flores’s defensive performances to me is that, like some of the other Bill Belichick disciples who have left New England only to commit the same sins—loading up on former Patriots, paying them big money and trying to run the same defense—Flores has loaded up on former Dolphins and Patriots. However, he has taken those players and plugged them into a whirlwind defensively that is zigging while the rest of the NFL is sitting in Cover 2 and praying for no big play.”

Not part of our Consensus Power Rankings, Fox Sports’ Bucky Brooks had the Vikings at No. 2 (and the Packers not in his Top 10).

Wrote Brooks of defensive coordinator Brian Flores: “The Vikings challenge the mental and physical abilities of opponents unable to deal with a bum-rush from the bullies in purple.

Packers on SI’s Consensus Top 10

1, Kansas City Chiefs (11; five first-place votes); 2, Buffalo Bills (13; three first-place votes), 3, Detroit Lions (35); 4, Minnesota Vikings (40); 5, Philadelphia Eagles (54); 6, Houston Texans (57); 7, Green Bay Packers (61); 8, Pittsburgh Steelers (64); 9, Seattle Seahawks (74); 10, San Francisco 49ers (83).

More Green Bay Packers News

Third-and-long is Mission Impossible for most quarterbacks. So, it was startling to see Matt LaFleur let #Packers QB Malik Willis rip it on third-and-14 and third-and-18 on Sunday. ⬇️https://t.co/SgIfymEXFq

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 24, 2024

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