<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4X5lmK_0vhurcPY00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4X5lmK_0vhurcPY00" width="1200" height="628" >Three weeks into the season — and still undefeated — the Kansas City Chiefs’ string of consecutive No. 1 rankings by all the sources we’re monitoring has end. end But as long as the Chiefs keep winning — and other teams stumble — it could re-start at any time.Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to remove Josh Kendall and Mike Florio from our Christmas card list.Here’s this week’s sampling:<h2>NFL.com: 1</h2>(unchanged from 1)There are a jillion ways to win a football game, and Kansas City could be on a quest to experience each and every one. That’s now three close-shave victories in three games, all coming down to the final minute. The Chiefs have never backed down from high degrees of difficulty in their routines, and Sunday night in Atlanta required them to hang on after a slew of defensive penalties, needing a Nick Bolton fourth-down stuff to pull it out. There are still some limitations on offense, and the big play was nowhere to be found versus the Falcons, but the back-to-back reigning champs are getting it done. Undrafted rookie RB Carson Steele held up in place of Isiah Pacheco. Rashee Rice turned in another huge game. Travis Kelce woke up a little after halftime but remained underwhelming overall. It wasn’t Patrick Mahomes’ best night, but he was still the best QB on the field. The Chiefs are now 77-22 in the regular season with Mahomes as a starting QB. Seven wins every nine times he suits up. This season, they’re 3-for-3.— Eric Edholm<h2>ESPN: 1</h2>(unchanged from 1)Biggest issue on offense: Red zone scoringThe Chiefs have scored a touchdown on only 44% of their trips inside the 20, which is tied for 22nd in the league. They’ve kicked seven field goals, and one of their best red zone threats, tight end Travis Kelce, has yet to score. Kansas City has played three games decided by one score, with two coming down to the final play. They’ve won all three games but are living dangerously. This could have been avoided if they were better at finishing drives.— Adam Teicher<h2>The Athletic: 2</h2>(down from 1)Surprise: Travis Kelce’s mortalityThe Chiefs offense isn’t “The Chiefs Offense” and a lot of that is because Kelce has only eight catches for 69 yards. He’s 19th among tight ends in receiving yards and 22nd among tight ends in targets per route run (13.6 percent), according to TruMedia. Kelce saw a pass on 24.5 percent of his routes in the last six seasons, but this season he’s on pace for just 68 targets, his fewest since 2013, when he played only one game.— Josh Kendall<h2>Sports Illustrated: 1</h2>(unchanged from 1)The Chiefs are not perfect, but what makes them beautiful is less about what they are doing and more what other teams believe they have to do in order to beat them. Regardless of the calls Kansas City seems to get on a consistent basis, there is a perception that they get the calls. Regardless of whether they actually have consistent top-tier weapons, there are games when they seem to. And all of this causes their opponents to act out of character and get too faux clever from time to time. Case in point, the Falcons trying a run out of the split backfield with the No. 2 running back doing the lead blocking with the game on the line Sunday night. — Conor Orr<h2>Pro Football Talk: 2</h2>(down from 1)Yes, they keep winning. But they could easily be 0-3.— Mike Florio<h2>CBSSports.com: 1</h2>(unchanged from 1)They are winning close games, but the record says they are undefeated. I still think the best is yet to come. Travis Kelce needs to pick it up.— Pete Prisco<h2>Yahoo! Sports: 2</h2>(down from 1)The Chiefs should feel fortunate that the NFL didn’t take immediate action on Rashee Rice’s legal issues. Instead of Rice serving a suspension at the start of the season, he has a league-leading 24 catches for 288 yards and is having a big breakout.— Frank Schwab<h2>The Sporting News: 1</h2>(unchanged from 1)The Chiefs handled a tough road trip to Atlanta on Sunday night with aplomb. Patrick Mahomes’ connection with Rashee Rice was buzzing with the running game shorthanded, and the defense seems as strong as ever. Kansas City gets tougher to beat on both sides with each passing week.— Vinnie Iyer<h2>USA Today: 1</h2>(unchanged from 1)Have they looked more impressive than the 31 other teams through three weeks? Probably not, especially given all of their victories were associated with close calls (and non-calls). And perhaps an already beaten-up offense appears a bit disjointed as teams take Pro Bowl TE Travis Kelce away. But a crew on a three-peat mission refuses to lose, QB Patrick Mahomes and the defense making key plays right when they’re needed. Pure respect will carry them atop this list until a loss, whether on the field or personnel-wise, necessitates a change.— Nate Davis<h2>Fox Sports: 1</h2>(unchanged from 1)Just like last year, the Chiefs are slowly figuring things out on offense, though I would argue it looks much more encouraging in 2024 than it did in 2023. Regardless of how you feel about a pedestrian start for Patrick Mahomes &amp; Co., it helps when you have a defense that can close things out for you every single week.— Dave Helman</div></body>

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NFL power rankings Week 4 roundup: The Chiefs’ streak ends

Three weeks into the season — and still undefeated — the Kansas City Chiefs’ string of consecutive No. 1 rankings by all the sources we’re monitoring has end. end But as long as the Chiefs keep winning — and other teams stumble — it could re-start at any time.