NFL Power Rankings Week 3

1. Baltimore Ravens 2-0 +1

It wasn’t the prettiest performance in the first half, but once the Ravens got their 2019 league leading rushing attack going, it was smooth sailing for Baltimore. The Ravens finished with 230 yards on the ground where 154 of them came in the fourth quarter. They were so dominant that they were able to run 14 straight rushes in the fourth quarter ultimately wearing out Houston. It is their 14th straight regular season win dating back to last season. They will take on Kansas City on Monday Night where they’ve won 11 straight including the postseason dating back to last season. Something has to give in this loaded matchup.

Next: vs. KC

2. Kansas City Chiefs 2-0 -1

The Chiefs managed to sneak by their divisional foe, the LA Chargers, but they looked rather beatable. They were very stagnant on offense for 3+ quarters. QB Patrick Mahomes did what he always does and came back to win in OT. QB Justin Herbert was really impressive in his debut but was a catalyst in the Chiefs comeback after a brutal interception. The ridiculous leg of K Harrison Butker sealed the victory for KC. WR Tyreek Hill finished with 99 yards and a huge score but was held without a catch in the first half. RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire didn’t have near the impact like he did in week one as he was held to only 38 rushing yards. Now, give this Chargers defense a ton of credit; even without Derwin James, their personnel matches up relatively well against KC with all their speed and ability to disrupt up front. Chiefs will need to start much faster next week in Baltimore. 

Next: @ BAL

3. Seattle Seahawks 2-0 —

An absolute barn-burner, Seattle outlasted New England but it took them until the final play from their own 1 to halt Cam Newton and the Patriots. I know it’s only week two, but QB Russell Wilson looks like the early front runner for MVP at this stage. Building off his remarkable 4 TD performance in week one, Wilson followed it up with 5 more against the best secondary in the league. His one “mistake” was caused by a drop by TE Greg Olsen leading to a gift of a pick six in the opening drive. The Seahawks WRs delivered in a huge way, getting separation and making huge plays down the field on contested deep throws. WR DK Metcalf looks like a budding superstar as he put up 92 yards and this long TD against 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore guarding him most of the night. The Seahawks still have issues on the defensive side of the ball as their DL didn’t get any pressure on their pass rush, and the ejection of S Quandre Diggs put their back end in an even bigger bind. With the tough news that EDGE Bruce Irvin’s season ended, their defense will really have their backs against the wall moving forward. In week one they surrendered 450 passing yards and gave up nearly another 400 to NE in week two. They’ll need to sure up their secondary going up against Dallas’s dynamic passing attack in week three.

Next: vs. DAL

4. Green Bay Packers 2-0 +1

RB Aaron Jones continues to show the Packers that they need to resign him immediately. The dual threat had 168 yards on the ground including a 75 yarder to open up the second half paired with 68 yards in the air with three total touchdowns. WR Davante Adams left the game with an apparent hamstring injury but appears to be okay. WRs Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard built off their success in week one and combined for over 100 yards again while the Packers D bottled up Detroit after a lackluster first quarter. Rodgers continues to impress with another game not turning the ball over. The Sunday Night showdown at New Orleans will be a good barometer of just how competitive this Green Bay team really is.

Next: @ NO 

5.  Buffalo Bills 2-0 +1

Russell Wilson may be the frontrunner for MVP but Bills QB Josh Allen is not far behind. Although it’s only been two weeks he’s thrown 6 TDs to 0 INTs. In week one, he threw his first career 300 yard game. This past week he topped that performance by throwing for over 400 yards for the first time in his career along with 4 TDs. Everyone is talking about the dividends the Cardinals have yielded with the DeAndre Hopkins trade but how about the Bills and Stefon Diggs? He is out to prove that he is a true WR1 with 153 yards and a TD in week two. The Bills will have their toughest test to date as they go up against the 2-0 Rams.

Next: vs. LAR       

6. Pittsburgh Steelers 2-0 +1

The Steelers defense looked elite again coming up with 7 sacks on Sunday. Going forward they will need to play more disciplined as they had 10 penalties against Denver. We had talked last week about the impact of someone like 2nd round pick WR Chase Claypool on this offense. He had only logged 30% of offensive snaps in week one but created a spark; in week two he came out and had a game-changing 84 yard TD. GM Kevin Colbert is the league’s best when it comes to evaluating WRs. He has found gems like Juju Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, James Washington, and now Chase Claypool who were not these top-tier first rounders but each has proven to be a game-changer at the position.

Next: vs. HOU

7. Arizona Cardinals 2-0 +1

The Cardinals looked dynamic yet again this week handling the Football Team 30-15. They had a 20-0 lead after one half and led by as much as 24 in the fourth quarter. QB Kyler Murray continued to be a game-changer with his legs rushing for two scores and running for 67 yards. With the Cards at 2-0, that leaves the NFC West with a combined 7-1 record, with their only loss coming from the defending NFC champs. This division is by far the best in football.

Next: vs. DET

8. New England Patriots 1-1 +2 

To the surprise of no one, a Bill Belichick led team without QB Tom Brady is still competitive, and well, rather good. To the surprise of some, QB Cam Newton looks like his 2015 self. Now, it seemed like everyone was overreacting a little to his performance in week one after only putting up 155 yards in the air. But he put that talk to rest delivering 397 yards through the air. The yards are impressive but Newton was consistently throwing the ball down the field and outside the numbers into tight windows with velocity and accuracy. The Patriots defense struggled mightily against Seattle’s passing attack, but came up with a huge 3 and out with under two minutes to give themselves a chance. Newton methodically marched New England down the field finding WRs Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, and Damiere Byrd all night. On the last play of the game, Newton was stuffed on a QB power on the 1. Seattle was getting pushed around all night but got a ton of penetration and halted Newton when it mattered most.

Next: vs. LV

9. Tennessee Titans 2-0 —

The Titans inched by the Jags to go 2-0. Neither of their wins were very convincing or pretty, but two ugly wins is better than two pretty losses. This is the first time in 12 years the Titans have started 2-0. 2019 Comeback Player of the Year QB Ryan Tannehill continues to build off last year as he finished with 4 TDs. TE Jonnu Smith is developing solid chemistry with Tannehill after these past two weeks; the athletic TE finished with 84 yards and 2 TDs. K Stephen Gostkowski redeemed himself after week 1 going 2/2 on field goals including a 51-yarder before the half and a 49-yarder which turned out to be the game winner with under two minutes to play. 

Next: @ MINN

10. New Orleans Saints 1-1 -6

QB Drew Brees came out to a fast start scoring on three of their first four possessions. RB Alvin Kamara was electric on the ground and in the receiving game. But Brees does not look like himself missing wide open targets and displaying weak arm strength. This makes two weeks in a row where the offense just didn’t click at the level we were expecting from New Orleans. They committed over 100 yards in penalties and look worn down in the second half. I’m not sure there is much superstar WR Michael Thomas can do to fix the Saints QB play. The Saints will need to shore up their wounds fast as they take on a hot Green Bay team on Sunday night.

Next: vs. GB

11. Los Angeles Rams 2-0 —

The Rams came out and proved their rushing attack was no fluke from week 1. The Eagles, who were top 3 in rushing defense last year, relinquished nearly 200 yards on the ground to the likes of Darrell Henderson Jr., and Malcolm Brown. Their success on the ground opened up all head coach Sean McVay’s misdirection, and bootleg/naked series. They kept Philly completely off balance and moved the ball at will. TE Tyler Higbee showed up in a big way with 3 TDs while WR Cooper Kupp was a consistent chain mover with 81 yards. QB Jared Goff has completed over 68% of his passes through 2 weeks and is playing smart, sound football under McVay’s system. The Rams will have a great road test this upcoming week against the Buffalo Bills.

Next: @ BUFF

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-1 +2

QB Tom Brady got his first win as a Buc but it certainly wasn’t appealing. Similar to week one, at times, the offense looked efficient and lethal while at other times, they were shooting themselves in the foot. Besides WR Mike Evans who looked back to normal with 104 yards and a TD, the WRs had a really tough day dropping multiple TDs. WR Chris Godwin was inactive but was cleared from concussion protocol on Monday. RB Leonard Fournette all but sealed his fate as the Bucs starting running back moving forward with over 100 yards including his game winning 46 yard run. Fournette did exactly what he came there to do; he preserved the lead and wore down the defense in the fourth quarter with his violent, downhill running style. Rookie S Antoine Winfield Jr. was flying all over the field with 11 tackles and a sack. The Bucs will look to clean up those self-inflicted wounds at Denver next week.

Next: @ DEN

13. Dallas Cowboys 1-1 +2 

One of the crazier finishes you’ll see to an NFL game, the Cowboys pulled out a thriller in AT&T 40-39 off a game-winning field goal from K Greg Zuerlein. The Cowboys fumbled the ball three times as they were down 20-0 in the first quarter. They built off last week and had some more questionable coaching decisions including going for two when they were down by 9 and attempting not one but two punt fakes in their own territory. It didn’t matter as QB Dak Prescott willed the Cowboys back with 450 passing yards and four total TDs. Time will tell if this win was more about the Cowboys being resilient or the Falcons crumbling, but this is the kind of win that you look back on that can jumpstart your season. Dak will have to be magical yet again as he’ll take on Russell Wilson in a highly anticipated shootout next week.

Next: @ SEA

14. San Francisco 49ers 1-1 -2 

This was one of the more devastating wins you’ll ever see. The 49ers went out and took care of business but at a significant price. Before game action, they were without WR Deebo Samuel, DE Dee Ford, and CB Richard Sherman among many others. The 49ers then lost RB Raheem Mostert, QB Jimmy Garoppolo, and DL Soloman Thomas and Nick Bosa. Thomas and Bosa are out for the year while the other two will be monitored but seem to be out for the immediate future. They have a favorable stretch at the Giants, and at home against the Eagles and the Dolphins. This will be a remarkable task for their depth guys; we’ll see if head coach Kyle Shanahan can weather this storm.

Next: @ NYG

15. Los Angeles Chargers 1-1 +2

In one of the bigger surprises of the week, rookie QB Justin Herbert got the start for LA. QB Tyrod Taylor did not play after apparently suffering a chest injury during warmups. The rookie stepped up to the plate and delivered in a huge way with 311 passing yards and a touchdown in the air and on the ground. The Chargers offense got a huge jolt compared to week one. You can already see Herbert is more dynamic on the ground and can deliver the ball down the field at a much higher level versus Taylor. Despite this, head coach Anthony Lynn delivered two of the more head-scratching decisions in week two. First, he decided to punt the ball in OT on 4 & 1 from their own 34. This opened the door for KC giving the ball back to Patrick Mahomes. This felt really conservative coming from a team playing with a rookie QB who was playing lights out and an OL that dominated the line of scrimmage that day. Second, after the game he said if Tyrod is healthy, he will still be the starter. This will be interesting to monitor if this is just coach-speak or Lynn will actually stay true to his word.

Next: vs. CAR

16. Indianapolis Colts 1-1 +3

The Colts redeemed their tough week one loss to Jacksonville, annihilating the Minnesota Vikings in their home opener. The Colts played their game, dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides, establishing the run, and possessing the ball for 38 minutes. QB Philip Rivers had a near flawless day completing 76% of his passes. His one blemish was an INT that was caused by a drop. The Colts surrendered a FG on the Vikings opening drive, but their defense held stout as the Vikings did not score again until there were just five minutes left in the game. In Jack Doyle’s absence, TE Mo Alie-Cox made a strong case to be TE1 with 111 receiving yards. No Marlon Mack, no problem: RB Jonathan Taylor ran for over 100 rushing yards and a score. This team looked dominant at times and still left a lot of points on the board with a turnover and several field goals inside the redzone.

Next: vs. NYJ

17. Chicago Bears 2-0 +1

Similar to week one, Chicago snuck by another opponent. However, this time the Bears came out to a blazing start. They took a 17-0 lead into halftime playing suffocating defense while QB Mitch Trubisky showed flashes of his 2018 self. They could not muster up any points in the second half thanks to a few crucial turnovers but did just enough to get past the Giants. After the Falcons heartbreaker this past week, 3-0 seems very conceivable for Mitch Trubisky and Chicago.

Next: @ ATL

18. Las Vegas Raiders 2-0 +4 

The Raiders got off to a slow start in the debut of the new Allegiant Stadium. However, they built a ton of momentum behind sharp QB play from Derek Carr. They had mounted a 24-17 lead into the 4th quarter behind TE Darren Waller and RB Josh Jacobs. A costly turnover from RB Jalen Richard seemed to give the Saints life but he made up for it with this late score to go up two possessions in the fourth. In the first quarter, the Raiders defense looked in for a long night but adjusted properly, completely neutralizing New Orleans passing attack. The Raiders will have their work cut out for them as they travel to take on Cam Newton in Foxborough next week.

Next: @ NE   

19. Houston Texans 0-2 -3

Going into week three, the Texans have the worst point differential in the NFL at -31. Yes, it was against Kansas City and Baltimore but they simply weren’t competitive in either game. They yielded four sacks this past week but Deshaun Watson is running for his life on any 5-step drop. They were -2 in the turnover battle and had a turnover on downs from their own 34 where the Ravens scored four plays later. Despite having an experienced QB and coach, this team has already shown spurts of inconsistency and sloppy football. Bill O’Brien has been there since 2014 but it seems like his clock is really ticking now. It doesn’t get any easier as they’ll take on Pittsburgh and their ferocious defense in week three.  

Next: @ PITT                

20. Minnesota Vikings 0-2 -7

This was an absolute beatdown as the Vikings struggled in every facet of the game. QB Kirk Cousins threw for 113 yards and 3 INTs as their passing attack seems to be struggling mightily without Stefon Diggs and former OC Kevin Stefanski. Similar to the Eagles, this is a veteran-laden team who made the playoffs last year and was looking to build off that success going into this year. But after an 0-2 start, the future looks extremely daunting with games vs. TENN, @ HOU, @ SEA, vs. ATL, and @ GB. The Vikings are in near desperation mode going into Tennessee next week. 

Next: vs. TENN      

21. Atlanta Falcons 0-2 —

An appalling loss for Atlanta which you can’t help but think back to when they blew a 28-3 lead in Super Bowl 51. After this loss, the Falcons became the first team in NFL history to score 39 or more points without a turnover and lose. NFL teams who did this previously were 440-0 before this debacle. Head coach Dan Quinn was firmly on the hot seat before the season started and now will be fighting for his job in these upcoming weeks. The Falcons will come back home in what is an absolute must-win for the Dirty Birds. 

Next: vs. CHI

22. Philadelphia Eagles 0-2 -2

It may be time to hit the panic button in Philadelphia. The Eagles got out to a traditional slow start as they were behind 21-3 in the second quarter. However, thanks to a gift by WR Cooper Kupp, the Eagles cut the deficit to 5 before half. The defense was getting absolutely shredded in the first half. They were getting no push up front while the secondary was giving the Rams playmakers a ton of room to operate underneath. However, despite this, the Eagles were in a prime position to take the lead in the third quarter. QB Carson Wentz forced an interception to Rams CB Darious Williams and the Eagles could never recover. Unlike week 1, the Eagles OL play was not an excuse for Carson as they ran for over 100 yards, did not give up a sack, and completely neutralized DL Aaron Donald. QB Carson Wentz now has 4 INTs through two weeks and things do not get easier for him moving forward as they travel to SF, PITT, and play BAL at home after they take on CIN next week. The way Wentz and this defense look, 1-5 is looking more and more possible.

Next: vs. CIN 

23. Jacksonville Jaguars 1-1 +2

The Jaguars are turning out to be one of the league’s bigger surprises after two weeks. QB Gardner Minshew played another great game throwing for 339 yards against a tough Titans defense. RB James Robinson went out to prove that week one wasn’t a fluke as he ran for 101 yards and a score. Jay Gruden’s offense is electric and creative moving around guys like WR/RB Laviska Shenault, WR DJ Chark, and TE Tyler Eifert. They have to be encouraged after the first two weeks as they go into a winnable game Thursday night versus Miami. They outgained Tennessee 480-354 in total yards but two tipped interceptions thrown by Minshew proved to be the difference in this outcome.

Next: vs. MIA

24. Cleveland Browns 1-1 +6

QB Baker Mayfield was really impressive in their week two tilt against divisional foe, Cincy. Head coach Kevin Stefanski called a near perfect game by establishing the run, setting up play action, and executing passes on all three levels. Reads were made much easier for Mayfield by how dominant their OL was. RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt showed why they’re the best 1-2 punch in any backfield. Unlike week one, Mayfield was not tentative and showed the 2018 confident version of himself slinging the ball all over the field. Moving forward, things will not be as easy as Cincinnati’s defense is pretty brutal. The Browns will need to shore up their defensive backfield in a big way which has been struggling mightily through two weeks. The matchup to watch for their upcoming game will be the Browns revamped OL versus Washington’s tantalizing DL.

Next: vs. WAS

25. Washington Football Team 1-1 -2

Washington was unable to score their first touchdown until there was 11 minutes to go in the game. QB Dwayne Haskins looked lost as he continuously held the ball and played extremely conservatively. There were some bright spots for the young QB but that didn’t happen until garbage time. DE Chase Young built off his strong week 1 with another sack and 2 more TFLs. The D-line did not have the same impact they had in week one against Philly because of Kyler Murray’s running ability but they will look to replicate that week one performance against Cleveland.

Next: @ CLE

26. Detroit Lions 0-2 -2

The Lions did what they always do: start off about as well as anyone and slowly crumble. They flew out to a 14-3 lead behind QB Matthew Stafford. However, their defense began to revert back to their porous ways as they were shredded through the air and the ground. The game turned when they gave up two personal fouls in the final minute of the half aiding the Packers to a 17-14 lead into half. The very next play Aaron Jones opened up the game to a two possession game with a 75 yard TD run. Head coach Matt Patricia is in the middle of year three and now holds a 9-24-1 record as their head coach. Former head coach Jim Caldwell was fired with a 36-28 record and two playoff appearances. If Patricia doesn’t turn this around fast, his days will soon be numbered.

Next: @ ARI 

27. Miami Dolphins 0-2 —

This is about as encouraging as an 0-2 start as you can get. Yes, you want to win but the Dolphins are in full rebuild mode and have been competitive with two playoff caliber AFC teams. Despite a dropped TD from WR Preston Williams on the 2 in the second half, the Dolphins managed to grab a lead with 9 minutes to go. The Bills offense proved to be too explosive by the end of the game, but head coach Brian Flores has to be pleased with this group. They will take on another promising, young team in the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday Night.

Next: @ JAX

28. Denver Broncos 0-2 -2 

Denver has been hit as hard as anyone when it comes fighting off the injury bug. First, they lost franchise leader DE Von Miller during a practice before the season even began. Then it was QB Drew Lock who suffered a sprained AC joint who looks to be out 2-6 weeks. Later on in the game, WR Courtland Sutton suffered a torn ACL ending his season. Backup QB Jeff Driskel fought admirably and cut the deficit to 3 in the second half but the Steelers were too much for Denver. The Broncos have a potentially tough stretch moving forward without Lock. They play Tampa Bay, at the Jets and Patriots, followed by home games versus Miami and Kansas City. You have to think if they can only muster a win or two in this stretch, what is their outlook moving forward? Would they consider moving on from Lock and drafting the likes of QBs Justin Fields or Trey Lance? 

Next: vs. TB

29. Carolina Panthers 0-2 +2 

A really tough blow for the Panthers as superstar RB Christian McCaffrey was injured in the fourth quarter suffering a high ankle sprain. He is due to be out 4-6 weeks; backup RB Mike Davis had 8 catches for 74 yards in relief but losing CMC is a gigantic loss for this already struggling team. QB Teddy Bridgewater continued to shred another defense through the air with 367 passing yards but had 3 costly turnovers. WRs DJ Moore and Robby Anderson each had over 100 receiving yards but it wasn’t enough. This is a well-coached team with a knack for the big play on offense with OC Joe Brady at the helms. They will stay competitive but it’s tough to envision they’ll win many games without CMC and their lack of experience on defense.

Next: @ LAC

30. New York Giants 0-2 -1

A week riddled with injuries was topped off with the Giants losing franchise star RB Saquon Barkley who suffered a torn ACL. The Giants will have to ride the ship with veteran RBs Dion Lewis and Wayne Gallman while QB Daniel Jones will have more pressure on his shoulders. Similar to week one, he showed tons of promise including a meticulous and effective two minute drill at the end of the game. However, turnovers continue to be the achilles heel of his game as he lost a fumble and threw an interception in Chicago’s territory. Without Saquon, QB Daniel Jones will really have to play smarter, more sound football to give the Giants any chance.

Next: vs. SF

31. Cincinnati Bengals 0-2 -2

QB Joe Burrow is going to be a superstar in this league unless the Bengals’ incompetence holds him back. The Bengals were absolutely abused in the trenches on both sides of the football. Burrow was given very little chance while RB Joe Mixon averaged a staggering 0.6 yards per contact per rush. This team has serious issues in just about every spot besides QB and their offensive skill players. The Browns did nothing flashy in the run game running downhill, gap scheme power/counter football. The Browns OL is severely improved but the Bengals LBs looked overpowered taking on blocks throughout the entire night. Burrow can make all the throws, creates plays outside the pocket, and shows a poise that not many rookies ever display. But the way this OL is playing, Burrow may not see 16 games.

Next: @ PHI

32. New York Jets 0-2 —

After a horrendous week one, the Jets looked the part as the leaders of the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes yet again. Similar to SF, the Jets came in banged up especially on the offensive side of the football without RB Le’Veon Bell and WR Jamison Crowder. In typical Jets fashion, not only did they give up an 80-yard TD on the first play from scrimmage but they also gave up a 55 yard run on a 3rd & 31 in the second half. QB Sam Darnold was helpless as he was constantly under duress and without any help in the run game. The one bright spot was 2019 1st rounder DL Quinnen Williams led the team in tackles and had 2 sacks. Besides that, things are looking rather bleak in East Rutherford.Next: @ IND