NFC North QB Power Rankings heading into Week 4

1. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings were one of the best passing teams in football last year, but suffered from a defense that couldn't stop a nosebleed. Once again this year, Kirk Cousins boasts some gaudy numbers early on.

Through Week 3, Cousins is atop the league in passing yards with 1,075. He's thrown nine touchdowns to just two interceptions and is completing 69.6 percent of his passes. He owns an impressive quarterback rating of 108.2, and despite a lot of the flack he receives for some untimely turnovers throughout his career, Cousins has played very well this season.

The Vikings are simply a team, once again, whose defense is failing them when it's all said and done. Minnesota is the sixth-worst defense in football, giving up over 382 yards per game. They are also the seventh-worst scoring defense, allowing 27.3 points per game.

If Minnesota could somehow jump up into the middle of the pack, defensively, they'd have reason to believe in an unlikely playoff run in 2023. This week, Cousins will take on an 0-3 Panthers team in hopes that his defense can hold the Panthers' middling offense in check.