Current ranking: 12
Previous ranking: 10
Analysis: "There are no moral victories here, but the Raiders sure have plenty to be proud of after their narrow Week 4 loss to Kansas City. The upstart Las Vegas squad battled with big brother for four quarters and nearly handed the Chiefs their first loss of 2026. Kirk Cousins is playing fantastically, and the defensive additions have helped transform the team from an also-ran into a squad that deserves a ton of respect. I'm not sure how the story will end, but I'm glad we're along for the ride."
Current ranking: 11
Previous ranking: 14
Analysis: "Even after the Raiders' heartbreaking loss to the Chiefs, there's a sense that first-time coach Klint Kubiak is building something special in Las Vegas. The Raiders were competitive for four quarters against Kansas City. They are better than expected and should be a competitive team each week, especially with quarterback Kirk Cousins playing at a high level. With the Chargers 0-4 and the Broncos 2-2, it's not crazy to suggest Las Vegas can make a playoff run in Year 1 of the Kubiak era."
Current ranking: 10
Previous ranking: 15
Analysis: "They lost for the first time Sunday, but they showed they are a good team by pushing the Chiefs. At 3-1, they are one of the surprise teams in the league."
Current ranking: 13
Previous ranking: 12
Analysis: "The Raiders lost, but they've got to come away from Sunday's game feeling pretty good. They've already matched their win total from a year ago. New coach Klint Kubiak is exceeding expectations, and even 38-year-old Kirk Cousins is slinging it. There's not a lot to be worried about in Vegas given what this season could've looked like."
Current ranking: 11
Previous ranking: 11
Analysis: "While Klint Kubiak's troops arguably legitimized themselves by nearly knocking off Reid's Chiefs on Sunday, they'll be challenged to keep it up − the Patriots, Bills, Rams, 49ers, Seahawks and Broncos are among the Silver and Black's next seven opponents."
Current ranking: 11
Previous ranking: 15
Analysis: "Even though they lost, the Raiders must be regarded as a contender."
Current ranking: 14
Previous ranking: 20
Analysis: "This is an enormous, unprecedented jump in the rankings for a team coming off a loss. Despite a 30-27 defeat to the Chiefs, they showed (me) that their 3-0 start was real. They KC in the fourth quarter, their defense did a number on Patrick Mahomes and Kirk Cousins was mostly fantastic."
