My 2nd edition of my Power Rankings, and already there is a new #1. What a great week of football that was unfortunately capped off by a blowout on MNF. Let’s get into it.
#1 Los Angeles Rams 3-0 Up 2
The Rams are coming off a huge win against the reigning World Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite the score, the Rams dominated them. The defense got timely stops and kept Brady to just 1 passing TD, which game late in the game when they had a 3 score cushion to play with. Stafford/Kupp had another huge day which propelled the offense to 34 points and the win.
#2 Arizona Cardinals 3-0 Up 2
The Cards struggled in the 1st half against the Jags, but ended up finding their groove which led them to a 31-19 win. Off Season acquisition James Connor made his mark, having 2 of the Cardinals 3 rushing TD’s on the day. The defense forced 2 turnovers, both Byron Murphy INT’s, 1 of which he brought back for 6. Kyler was pretty good throwing, going 28/34 with 316 yards and a INT. The top 2 teams will play next week in a game that should include a lot of points.
#3 Green Bay Packers 2-1 Up 12
Green Bay got a huge win on Sunday night against the 49ers. Rodgers looked great. Defense had a great 1st half. Only knock is that they need to do a better job closing instead of letting SF back into the game. Packers are back, and take on the 1-2 Steelers next week, which will be a good test for Rodgers against their defense.
#4 Las Vegas Raiders 3-0 Up 2
A gross game for the Raiders but they managed to escape in OT to start their season 3-0. Carr threw for another near 400 yards, but also threw a 1st quarter pick 6. Defensively, the Raiders weren’t horrible but just failed to get the end of game stop late in the 4th which would’ve kept them from OT. Raiders get MNF next week against the Chargers, who are coming off a big upset win themselves. Another game where I expect a lot of offense.
#5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-1 Down 3
Neither side of the ball was great in their loss to the Rams. Brady did hit 400 yards, but they failed to put points on the ball. After the 1st quarter, it seriously looked effortless for the Rams O to score against this Buc’s defense. The defense hasn’t looked nearly as dominant as it was last year, which the reason for this loss, and the Cowboys game being close. Brady heads back to Foxboro in a game which he might bring the Bucs to 70 points.
#6 Buffalo Bills 2-1 Up 2
After what seems to be a fluke week 1, the Bills have outscored their opponents 78-21. Josh Allen and the offense is clicking. The defense has been great all season. This team has hit its stride and gets a chance to tighten it up against a very weak Texans squad.
#7 Kansas City Chiefs 1-2 Down 5
Patrick Mahomes has thrown 3 picks in the Chiefs first 3 games, including 2 last week in their 30-24 loss to the Chargers. I don’t think that the Chiefs should panic at all. They still have Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. The offensive line is one greatly improved. Josh Gordon was just signed after being reinstated and we all know what he can do when on the field. This team gets a good matchup against the Eagles in week 4 for them to get the kinks out and go back to the Chiefs we know.
#8 Carolina Panthers 3-0 Up 3
The Panthers had the TNF matchup this past week and got a pretty easy win over the Texans. However, it costed CMC and Jaycee Horn out for multiple weeks. Hubbard looked solid coming in for CMC and the defense was still playing at a top 3 level without Horn but both will be missed. At 3-0 the Panthers lead the NFC South and take on the NFC East leader, the Cowboys in a game where their offense will need to play at an elite level to keep it a game.
#9 Dallas Cowboys 2-1 Up 1
On MNF the ‘Boys went up against Philly and dominated them in a 41-21 victory. This defense has been significantly better with Dan Quinn running the show. The offense has top 3 upside with everyone healthy. They get a tough matchup against Carolina this week, and it will come down to the Cowboys offense being able to score enough points against one of, if not the best defense in the NFL.
#10 Cleveland Browns 2-1 Down 2
Cleveland dominated the Bears last Sunday in Justin Fields first start, they sacked him 9 times. The defense is ELITE and the offense with OBJ back looks even better. They would be higher, had the Packers not returned to form and the Panthers looking as formidable as they are, but I expect them to move up soon. The Browns get a chance against the Vikings to improve to 3-1, but it will be tough against that offense.
#11 San Francisco 49ers 2-1 Down 2
The Niners had a very poor first half against the Packers, getting shut out. But in the 2nd half they managed to rally and eventually take a 28-27 lead with under a minute to go. However, Aaron Rodgers is a bad man, and set up the Mason Crosby for a GW FG. The 49ers played a great 2nd half, and had they been able to do anything prior, they would’ve walked out as a 3-0 team. They get to face the Seahawks and Russell Wilson in an inter division game which should show a lot about both teams.
#12 Baltimore Ravens 2-1 Down 6
After the Chiefs win, I expected this team to go into Detroit and slap them around. Instead, they needed an NFL Record kick from Justin Tucker to bail them out as time expired. Yes, they won. But that doesn’t mean they played good enough to move up and with other teams playing better than them this week they find themselves at 12. The Ravens will travel to Denver to face the 3-0 Denver Broncos, a game which they should be able to win, as long as they don’t play like they did this past week.
#13 Tennessee Titans 2-1 Down 1
Going against the Colts, I thought this team would run all over them and move to 2-1. They did just that. Henry has returned to form after his disappointing week 1. The defense played a good game. The only negative was that AJ Brown got injured and couldn’t return. Taking on the Jets this week, I think the Titans will be able to improve to 3-1 and stay atop the division.
#14 New Orleans Saints 2-1 Up 3
The Saints have been a roller coaster. Blowing out the Packers. Getting blown out by the Panthers. Then I think they found their median in the win over the Patriots. The offense won’t score a lot of points, and the defense will need to get stops to compensate, which they were able to do last Sunday. The Saints get the Giants next, who are 0-3, at home and with how poor the Giants defense has looked, I expect a big game from Kamara.
#15 Seattle Seahawks 1-2 Down 2
Seattle falls to 1-2 after losing 30-17 to the Vikings. After a 1-0 start, I thought the Seahawks had a favorable schedule to start off 3-0 facing the Titans and the Vikings, however, they didn’t. The offense sputtered against a very poor Minnesota secondary and only scored 17 points. They take on a much tougher defense in the 49ers, which I expect more of the same from last week against Minnesota.
#16 Los Angeles Chargers 2-1 Up 3
Coming off a huge win over the Chiefs, the Chargers rise 3 spots in this weeks Power Rankings. The Chargers offense stepped it up after a rough start against WFT and Dallas. The defense forced 2 INT from Mahomes and it proved to be the difference in their 30-24 victory. Herbert and Carr will face off on MNF this week, in what should be a very good game.
#17 Minnesota Vikings 1-2 Up 6
Minnesota finally got their 1st win after losing their first 2 games by 4 total points, including an OT loss. Both sides of the ball looked very solid against a tough Seahawks offense. Kirk has shut up his critics, including me, and has proved himself as a top 12 QB. They will look to even out their record against a very tough Browns team this week.
#18 Denver Broncos 3-0 Up 2
Yes, their 3-0. I don’t care. Until they play a good team they won’t move up past this. The defense has been great against the weaker teams, like they should be. Bridgewater has been exactly what I thought he would be. They take on the Ravens this week, which will really show what the Broncos are made of.
#19 Pittsburgh Steelers 1-2 Down 5
Since week 1, the Steelers have looked horrendous. Big Ben is a bottom 5 QB. Only scoring 10 against the Bengals defense is embarrassing for a team with such high ambitions. The defense is still a great unit, but the offense is what’s holding them back. It won’t get any easier for them easier, as they take on a Packers team that looks like their back to form.
#20 New England Patriots 1-2 Down 4
Turnovers were the story of the game for New England last week, with Mac Jones throwing 3 interceptions. As a Patriots fan, I’d argue only 1 was legit. 1 was a drop from Jonnu Smith that found a Saints defender’s hands for a pick 6, and another was a late 4th quarter throw on 4th down. The run game was non existent, which is what I thought was this teams go to, with Damien Harris finishing with just 6 carries for 14 yards. The Pats will take on Tom Brady, after a loss, in his return to New England. I don’t expect much.
#21 Philadelphia Eagles 1-2 Down 3
A team I’m personally high on, didn’t show up in the slightest on MNF as the Cowboys trounced them. The offense was stagnant, as they struggled to move the ball. In one sequence, there was a drop from Dallas Goedert that would’ve been a 20+ yard play had he caught it, then on the next play it was a pick 6. The defense was not at all impressive, surrendering 34 points. Philly takes on Kansas City this week, and it’ll be interesting to see if their offense can keep pace with Mahomes.
#22 Cincinnati Bengals 2-1 Up 7
Cincinnati is 2-1, but they haven’t played great competition and I think they should be 3-0. Similar to the Broncos, while their record is better than some teams in front of them, I can’t put them any higher due to their opponents. I think that the Bengals offense with a healthy Burrow with Mixon, Higgins, Chase, and Boyd can be electric, however I don’t believe in the defense at all. Cincy plays tonight against Jacksonville as the last 2 #1 picks will face off.
#23 Miami Dolphins 1-2 Up 1
Their 1 win is against the Patriots, who would’ve won had there not been a late 4th quarter fumble. With Tua out, this team is simply not as good as I thought they were going to be. On both sides of the ball the Dolphins haven’t looked inspiring at all. Hopefully, their fortunes will change as they take on an 0-3 Colts squad.
#24 Detroit Lions 0-3 Up 1
Honestly, this might be the best 0-3 team I’ve ever witnessed. They were in all of the games they’ve played, and should frankly be 1-2 had Justin Tucker not set a NFL record for the longest FG. Goff has been solid in my opinion in this system, and might be the long term answer for the Lions, but I doubt it. The Lions are searching for their first win of the season, and they have a good shot at getting it against the Bears.
#25 Indianapolis Colts 0-3 Down 3
This is a start I didn’t expect from the Colts. I thought that Wentz getting back together with Frack Reich would also bring him back to be a solid QB and lead the Colts to a division win, but that’s clearly not what’s happened. They’ve been in their losses, but being in the game doesn’t count for anything. They get the Dolphins this win, a game which I think is a coin toss.
#26 Washington Football Team 1-2 Down 5
This team was my NFC East favorite coming into the season, but man have they let me down. The defense has been a big disappointment. The offense with Taylor Heinicke won’t be anything special but should do just enough with Antonio Gibson and Terry McLaurin to keep them in games when and if the defense shows up. A game for the defense to get back on track is exactly what they need, and is what they get this week going against the Falcons.
#27 Houston Texans 1-2 Up 1
Houston played on TNF against the Panthers without their starting QB; Tyrod Taylor. That went about as well as you’d imagine as they lost 24-9, but were never in the game. Without Tyrod, the Texans are a different team, significantly worse as well. The Texans get the Bills this week, and the only positive I see is Davis Mills getting experience.
#28 Atlanta Falcons 1-2 Up 3
The Falcons got their first win of the season defeating the Giants 17-14. Younghoe Koo made the game winning field goal. I had thought that the offense would be good with Ridley and Pitts, and if Matt Ryan could be an average QB. Atlanta gets the Football Team this week, in a game which I expect to to be a good game between 2 bad teams.
#29 Chicago Bears 1-2 Down 3
Wow is this team worse than I expected. I thought that the defense would be able to keep them in games, and for the most part they have. The offensive line has been a major letdown. In Justin Fields first game he was sacked 9 times, which in that game alone would put him 3rd in times sacked among QBS. The Bears face the Lions in an inter division matchup which will show us which team is the worst in the division.
#30 New York Giants 0-3 Down 3
The Giants fell to 0-3 after Younghoe Koo hit a game winning FG as time expired. The offense looked pitiful against a just as bad Falcons defense. However, the defense showed some promise holding the Falcons to under 300 yards of total offense. I think their matchup against the Saints this week will be much closer than people may expect, as both teams don’t offer much offense besides their star RBs, as well as both having above average defenses.
#31 Jacksonville Jaguars 0-3 Up 1
Jacksonville lost to the Cardinals 31-19, despite leading at halftime. Lawrence has had a very rough start throwing 7 interceptions and averaging 223 yards per game. Urban Meyer didn’t know how to use James Robinson in their first 2 games, but appears like he figured it out after week 3. Hopefully for the Jags, Robinson is used more and enough for them to stay in their next game against the Bengals tonight.
#32 New York Jets 0-3 Down 2
Well the Jets find themselves last in this weeks Power Rankings after being outscored 75-17 in their first 3 games including being shutout last week. Zach Wilson is the most sacked QB in the league, and is also tied for first in interceptions with Trevor Lawrence with 7. Same with the Bears, the offensive line has been awful, and with the injury to Becton, it won’t get better soon. The Jets face the Titans, and if they can’t stop Henry they might lose by 40.
Highest Riser – Green Bay Packers Up from 15 to 3
Lowest Faller – Baltimore Ravens Down from 6 to 12
That’ll do it for my 2nd NFL Power Rankings. Yes, there is plenty of controversy, but it’s still early in the season and I expect it to even out in the next week or two.
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