Week 4 Power Ranking Roundup

What’s that in the air?  Why, it’s the gentle breeze of legitimacy blowing around Redskins Park.

Despite being dealt their first loss last night, the bottom didn’t fall out for the Redskins respect among NFL analysts, insiders and experts.  As a matter of fact, playing the Cowboys close last night gained some respect for the team, even if the numbers didn’t reflect it.

If the Redskins fell, they only fell a little, and in one curious case, they actually gained two spots.

CBSSports.com held the Redskins at No. 13, same as last week:

FoxSports.com gave the Redskins No. 13, up from 15:

NBC/ProFootballTalk.com gave the Redskins No. 18, down from 16:

ESPN.com gave the Redskins No. 16, down from 15:

NFC East blogger for ESPN.com, Dan Graziano, had commentary to go along with the speed bump:

 Think what a win Monday night could have done. It would have made the Redskins 3-0 and possibly vaulted them into the top six along with undefeated surprises Buffalo and Detroit. But they couldn’t hold on, so they sink back toward the middle. Clayton’s the biggest Skins booster among the voters, as he has them 11th, while Ashley has them 18th. I might have slid them ahead of any or all of the four teams in front of them, including the Giants, whom they beat Week 1. But I can understand the lingering skepticism.

Close losses probably hurt the worst, but they show that a team is respectable and capable of winning if a few plays go the other way.  No shame in being in first place for the third consecutive week either.  If the Redskins can fix the problems that plagued them last night, then they should find themselves in the win column and further up the power rankings.