Overview of Power Hour 4! Ranking All 32 Teams with Bill Simmons
Mina Kimes and Bill Simmons spend the episode building a full NFL power ranking based on which teams they believe will be the best overall teams, not just the best regular-season records. The conversation is a mix of roster analysis, coaching, schedule context, quarterback skepticism, and a lot of back-and-forth on where to place the league’s biggest contenders, sleepers, and bottom-feeders.
Bill is especially bullish on a few teams with elite depth and defensive talent, while being notably skeptical of the Bengals, Bills, and several QB-dependent teams. The episode ends with Bill’s full 1-to-32 list and a spicy final take: he does not see the Bengals as a Super Bowl team.
Main Themes and Takeaways
The teams Bill trusts most
- Seahawks at No. 1: Bill believes Seattle has the most complete roster, the best defense, and a coaching staff he trusts.
- Rams at No. 2: He likes the top-end talent but worries about age, health, and how top-heavy the roster is.
- Broncos, Patriots, Texans, 49ers, Ravens, Chargers: These make up the next tier of contenders, with Bill emphasizing roster strength, coaching stability, and defensive upside.
Biggest skepticism
- Bills: Bill is low on Buffalo because he doesn’t see enough difference-makers on defense and questions whether Josh Allen can carry them far enough.
- Bengals: He’s very down on Cincinnati, citing offensive line concerns, Burrow health, and run-defense issues.
- Steelers, Commanders, Jets, Dolphins: All are viewed as shaky, with quarterback uncertainty or poor roster balance.
Roster construction matters more than vibes
Bill repeatedly leans on:
- blue-chip talent
- defensive depth
- offensive line quality
- coaching continuity
- quarterback durability
He’s much less interested in “good vibes” or preseason narrative than in whether a team can survive injuries and still be strong.
Notable Team-by-Team Debate Points
Seahawks vs. Rams
Bill chooses the Seahawks over the Rams because he thinks Seattle is deeper, more complete, and more resilient to injuries. The Rams are still dangerous, but more dependent on their stars holding up.
Broncos vs. Patriots
Bill gives the edge to Denver, though he thinks New England has improved and had a good offseason. The Broncos’ roster and coaching situation tilt the matchup for him.
Bills criticism
Bill argues Buffalo lacks enough high-end defensive talent to match the league’s best. His view is that Josh Allen remains the equalizer, but not enough to make them a true top-tier team by roster strength alone.
Texans as a sleeper contender
He sees Houston as scary because:
- the defense is intact
- the roster is strong
- the team has upside everywhere except the offensive line and quarterback uncertainty
Ravens as AFC favorites
The Ravens are high on Bill’s board because of:
- a favorable schedule
- strong overall roster
- elite QB play
- overall AFC title upside
Chargers buzz
He acknowledges growing hype around the Chargers due to:
- Justin Herbert
- improved tackle play / offensive line
- overall roster growth
But he still has some questions about the defense and whether the hype is getting ahead of the evidence.
Eagles over Bills
Bill has the Eagles clearly ahead of Buffalo because he believes Philadelphia’s roster is too loaded to fall into a real step back. His main concern is just how much their offense changes with new wrinkles and quarterback questions.
Bengals skepticism
This is one of the episode’s loudest opinions:
- Bill compares Cincinnati to Dallas in the sense that they’re always part of the conversation, but he doesn’t trust them to fully break through.
- He doubts their offensive line, health, and defense.
- He flatly says he does not think they’re making the Super Bowl.
Lions placement disagreement
Mina is much higher on Detroit than Bill is. She sees the Lions as a top-tier team despite the defensive injury concerns; Bill still likes the roster but ends up slotting them lower than expected.
Bottom-tier teams
Bill is most pessimistic about:
- Jets
- Dolphins
- Cardinals
- Titans
- Raiders
He also doesn’t have much faith in the Browns, though he thinks they have enough defensive talent to avoid being absolute bottom-of-the-barrel.
Final Bill Simmons Rankings
- Seahawks
- Rams
- Broncos
- Patriots
- Texans
- 49ers
- Ravens
- Chargers
- Eagles
- Bills
- Bears
- Packers
- Chiefs
- Cowboys
- Jaguars
- Lions
- Bengals
- Buccaneers
- Vikings
- Steelers
- Saints
- Colts
- Panthers
- Falcons
- Commanders
- Giants
- Raiders
- Titans
- Browns
- Cardinals
- Jets
- Dolphins
Biggest “Hot Take” from the Episode
Bill’s most forceful statement is that the Bengals are not a Super Bowl team. He also makes clear that he is lower than consensus on the Bills and higher than consensus on several teams with strong defensive cores and stable rosters.
Final Thought
This episode is less about hype and more about Bill’s long-running NFL team-building philosophy: great teams are deep, healthy, and stable, not just flashy at quarterback. That lens drives most of his rankings and explains why several public darlings fall lower than expected.