NFL Week 3 Power Rankings

Is it just me or is the NFL season already moving along way faster than it feels it should? We’re already entering Week 4, just about the quarter-way mark of the regular season. Though it is moving quickly, this does mean we’re getting a much clearer picture of every team and what their prospects are for the remainder of the season.

Week 3’s results have brought about plenty of shifting in the power rankings, with several teams making huge jumps up or big slides down. Most notably, a new team sits atop the NFL after a very impressive win this week. 

See for yourself below.

1.       Los Angeles Rams (3-0) +2

Los Angeles certainly put out a compelling statement. On Sunday they put it to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Matthew Stafford was at his best, DeSean Jackson had his first signature play in LA, Cooper Kupp is a beast, and the defense stifled Tom Brady, Bruce Arians, and co. They laid out the marker as the team to beat.

2.       Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) -1

The Rams presented a great matchup for the Bucs, and I certainly wasn’t expecting them to lose in the fashion they did. They were convincingly beat. I’m not worried, though. This same team lost five games last year, two in a far worse fashion. The Bucs are still one of the premier teams in the NFL, the gap just perhaps isn’t as large.

3.       Buffalo Bills (2-1) +1

Still concerned about the Bills? After a thoroughly disappointing Week 1 loss, Buffalo has cruised through their subsequent games and has flexed offensively and defensively. Josh Allen was sharp and the addition of Emmanuel Sanders looks to be paying immediate dividends. Week 1 was absolutely an aberration.

4.       Cleveland Browns (2-1) +1

It was a slow start for the Browns' offense against the Chicago Bears, but they found their groove and ended up with a comprehensive victory. Defensively they suffocated Justin Fields and the Bears – I’ve not seen a defensive performance like it – and showcased the havoc they can wreak on a backfield. What’s more, Odell Beckham Jr. looked good in his return, and once Jarvis Landry is back this team will take another step forward offensively.

5.       Green Bay Packers (2-1) +3

Things have definitely been straightened out in Green bay – at least on the field, anyway. Aaron Rodgers showed again that there still may not be a QB with his ability to place a ball in a millimeter-perfect spot, and his chemistry with Davante Adams is just ridiculous at this point – I’m pretty sure they’re telepaths.

6.       Las Vegas Raiders (3-0) +4

They certainly made it harder than it needed to be against the Miami Dolphins, but the Raiders earned their third win against their third 2020 playoff team of the year. It is a little concerning they’ve had to come back from a two-touchdown deficit twice in three games, but it also speaks volumes that they did. Ultimately a win is a win, and this team looks capable of gutting out wins and figuring it out.

7.       Arizona Cardinals (3-0) -1

While the Cardinals are one of the five undefeated teams, they haven’t done enough yet to earn a top-five spot. They’ve had a big number of incredible plays, and individual performances of truly the highest level, but I’m not convinced yet they’ll be able to sustain that against better opponents. It was good to see more weapons take the spotlight on offense though, especially Christian Kirk.

8.       Los Angeles Chargers (2-1) +6

What a win for the Chargers. LA was a trendy pick through the offseason to finally unseat the Kansas City Chiefs, and they finally showed they can. Justin Herbert is legit, legit. Like, LEGIT, LEGIT. The offense is moving and the duo of Mike Williams and Keenan Allen is finally booming as planned. Furthermore, the defense is making big plays. This team is finally seeming to follow through on its potential.

9.       Baltimore Ravens (2-1) -2

A win is a win and all, but boy, do the Ravens have to work out some issues. They are developing an awful knack for playing to their opponent's level. Individual errors and a failure to adjust undid what should have been a dominant win. Thank the football gods for Justin Tucker, who emphatically reminded the football world he is the best kicker to ever walk the planet.

10.   Kansas City Chiefs (1-2) -8

KC may be 1-2, with back-to-back highly frustrating losses, and are solely the basement of the AFC West for the first time in Mahomes’ career, and with a record below .500 for the first time since 2015, but they’re absolutely still one of the teams to beat in the league. They showed, both this week and last week, they are capable of seizing control of a game at any moment. They just have to clean up the errors, and they can’t rely on Mahomes in every single game to pull them out of tough spots.

11.   Dallas Cowboys (2-1) +1

The Cowboys emphatically shut down the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night and stamped their authority on the NFC East. Dak Prescott may be the best QB in the NFL right now based on how he is playing. He is in complete control of the offense and is throwing the heck out of the ball. The defense has taken big steps, too.

12.   San Francisco 49ers (2-1) -1

Even in defeat, the 49ers showed they are still a tough proposition. After a poor start which saw them drop behind 17-0, they pulled back to take the lead with 37 seconds remaining. In most cases that is good enough to win, just not against Aaron Rodgers. Jimmy Garoppolo played well and showed he is the QB who can win with this team, now.

13.   New Orleans Saints (2-1) -4

The Saints bounced back well from their horror show last week, intercepting Mac Jones three times on the way to a comfortable win in New England. Now they finally get to return to New Orleans after nearly a month away due to Hurricane Ida. That will undoubtedly be a boost, and they need to use it to take the next step as a team and reach their potential.

14.   Denver Broncos (3-0) +3

Another week, another comfortable win for the Denver Broncos. It may not have been spectacular, but the Broncos are soundly beating their opponents in every phase. The injuries at wide receiver are starting to mount, and this week’s game against the Ravens will be their first big test.

15.   Carolina Panthers (3-0) +1

Like the Broncos, the Panthers keep on just getting the job done. Also like the Broncos, this week features a measuring stick matchup for the Panthers. They’ll face the Cowboys, but they’ll have to do it without Christian McCaffrey and Jaycee Horn. McCaffrey’s absence was ultimately comfortably overcome, but Horn’s absence against the Cowboys’ vaunted receivers ramps up the importance of a strong performance from the Panthers’ thriving front-seven.

16.   Tennessee Titans (2-1) +7

Perhaps I was too low on the Titans initially, but in the last two games they have found themselves offensively by getting Derrick Henry going. It wasn’t the prettiest nor cleanest games, but the Titans have now won two straight as they heat up in a weak AFC South.

17.   Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) +9

I’m not convinced the Bengals will consistently challenge the best teams in the league, but this weekend’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers could prove to be a turning point for the franchise. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase have picked up where they left at LSU, and that is a terrifying prospect for defensive backs around the league. More impressively, though, the defense ambushed the Steelers, which will have to be the focus if this team is to prove to be for real.

18.   Minnesota Vikings (1-2) +7

The Vikings finally got a result which more accurately represented their performance. Kirk Cousins and the offense were superb. Cousins picked apart the Seahawks secondary behind a strong offensive line performance and strong ground game. Playing like this, the Vikings will sneakily stack wins and compete in the playoffs.

19.   Seattle Seahawks (1-2) -6

The Seahawks have some serious work to do. Defensively they have been cut apart on the ground and through the air. Offensively, despite their clear star power and ability to create big plays, they haven’t been able to put together a complete game for four quarters. In a hyper-competitive NFC West, the Seahawks could quickly find themselves way behind pace.  

20.   Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2) -5

Like the Seahawks, the Steelers have a hell of a lot to work out following a big Week 1 victory. Ben Roethlisberger has not looked good for two weeks now, though he hasn’t had any real help. They cannot run the ball, his receivers are hurting, and the offensive line is completely overwhelmed. Sunday also highlighted the importance of T.J. Watt, and that much responsibility on one player rarely proves to be sustainable.

21.   Miami Dolphins (1-2) -2

Sunday was a tough loss for the Dolphins. They played a good game, on the whole, with big plays on offense and defense. What’s more, Jacoby Brissett’s performance will certainly bring into question Tua Tagovailoa’s position even more, who could find himself back on the bench in Miami. Unfortunately, the Dolphins may find themselves too far back in the AFC.

22.   New England Patriots (1-2) -2

Sunday was just the next step in the rookie QB experience for the Patriots. Not all of it was Jones’ fault – he was harassed all game and was victim to an inexplicable drop which led to a pick-six. Heading into the Patriots’ marquee matchup of the season, how they bounce back against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers could determine the feeling around this team for the remainder of the season.

23.   Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) -1

The more football we watch the Eagles play, the further we get from their Week 1 drubbing of the Falcons. Defensively they had very little in the way of answers for Prescott and the Cowboys, and offensively they didn’t establish the run and left Jalen Hurts to do far too much by himself. The Eagles are a ways away from competing atop the NFL.

24.   Washington Football Team (1-2) -3

Washington is a neutral zone infraction away from being 0-3. Tyler Heinicke can only do so much and has his own limitations, but with the defense playing as it is, things could get ugly. Washington hasn’t been able to get off the field, and could quickly slip too far behind the Cowboys in the NFC East.

25.   Indianapolis Colts (0-3) -7

Three games in, and the Colts look lost. Carson Wentz on healthy ankles wasn’t looking great, but on two sprained ankles he definitely isn’t the answer. To make matters worse, they haven’t been running the ball as they did down the stretch last season, and the defense hasn’t been able to hold them in games. The Colts are surprisingly bad so far, and it isn’t clear how they will turn it around.

26.   Houston Texans (1-2) +2

I’m sure I wasn’t alone in being pleasantly surprised by Davis Mills. Particularly on the Texans only touchdown drive he threw the ball very well and showed signs of promise. The defense also played well and made the Panthers uncomfortable for portions of the game. Ultimately, this team is going to struggle, but there are positives.

27.   Chicago Bears (1-2) -3

The Bears were historically bad offensively against the Browns – they had 47 total yards. It could be easy to place a lot of blame on the rookie QB making his first start, but the problems in Chicago are far deeper than that. This offense is nothing short of dysfunctional, and having Andy Dalton or Nick Foles under center will make very little difference. The only positive of Fields not playing at this point will be protecting him from stunting his development under Nagy.

28.   Atlanta Falcons (1-2)

I was honestly surprised the Falcons beat the New York Giants, particularly down seven in the fourth quarter, but it doesn’t say much for the Falcons. The Falcons are not a good team, and they still had to fight it out against the Giants. They do, however, have an easing schedule, so they could perhaps string some results together and iron out some issues against easier competition.

29.   Detroit Lions (0-3)

It must be tough to be a Lions fan. Expectations weren’t high, and the team has had a very tough schedule to open the season, but it still must be so tough. Only the Lions could come from 10-0 down to lose on an NFL record 66-yard field goal as time expired, off the crossbar. If nothing else, this team has a hell of a lot of fight, and they deserve to get a favorable result eventually.

30.   New York Giants (0-3) -3

Given how they grew as last season went on, I at least expected the Giants to be an average team. Instead, they’re 0-3 and just look bad. There isn’t a lot more to it, the offense isn’t good, Daniel Jones doesn’t seem to be the answer – at least with this coaching staff – and the defense just isn’t strong enough. Injuries haven’t helped, but I’m not sure how much of a difference they’d realistically make.

31.   New York Jets (0-3) -1

The Jets are making a very good case to be the worst team in the NFL. They haven’t been competitive in any of their games and look so far behind the rest of the league. Zach Wilson’s struggles are dramatic, and he doesn’t have the help around him.

32.   Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3)

It cannot be understated how big an adjustment it is for a rookie QB from college to NFL. Like Wilson, Trevor Lawrence is having to do it on a team that is just too far behind to prop up a developing QB. Lawrence is going to take his lumps and have his struggles, the mission is going to be preventing any long-term developmental issues in his game. The Jags did at least get their ground game going.