Week 3 of the NFL ended last night! There was a lot of offense on display Sunday and plenty of upsets that Vegas definitely enjoyed (or set up). Some highlights of the week include Coach McDaniels humiliating his hometown team and the Cardinals making most of America (and especially Stephen A. Smith) happy this week with a massive upset victory. Also, Brandon Staley did his thing again and tried to gift his opponents a win with a classic Staley fourth-down attempt but unfortunately for him, the Vikings hate winning more than the Chargers do as TJ Hockenson couldn't reel in the game-winning touchdown pass.
Risers
Biggest Riser: Houston Texans (+11)
It's only been three games but the Texans look like they got their guy at QB. Stroud has yet to throw an interception through three games and has led the Texans to 57 points over the past two games including a 20-point blowout over the AFC South favorite Jaguars on Sunday. Despite the lack of high-level talent at WR, Stroud and the offense have been moving up and down the field. Defensively, Will Anderson looks like he is starting to settle in as he had 2 QB hits Sunday and should have his first career sack soon. The Texans' defense also forced two Jaguar turnovers and held star Jaguar wide receiver to 3 catches on 7 targets without their best CB in Derek Stingley Jr.
Other Big Risers:
Cleveland Browns (+6): The Browns did not look like a team that lost their best offensive player the week before as they beat the Titans 27-3 this week. The run game (understandably) struggled to get going without Nick Chubb but Deshaun Watson was surgical for the Browns, going 27/33 for 289 yards with 2TDs and 0 Ints and he is starting to look like the Quarterback that was considered one of the top 3 QBs in the league in Houston. Meanwhile, Myles Garrett absolutely dominated yet again and had a 3.5 sack performance Sunday continuing to show that he is a complete game-wrecker.
Cincinnati Bengals (+5): The Bengals got a very much-needed win on MNF vs. the Rams and are now 1-3 on the season. Jamar Chase (12 catches, 141 yards) and Joe Burrow finally started to resemble the duo we've grown accustomed to seeing every week, but outside of that the offense still struggled as Burrow finished 26/49 for 259 yards with an interception and Mixon (19 carries for 65 yards) also never got going. However, the Bengals' defense looked like the defense that shut the Chiefs down in the second half of the AFC Championship and helped carry them through their playoff runs, sacking Matt Stafford 6 times and picking him off twice. If Dax Hill (1 interception, 1 sack, 8 tackles) and co continue to play at this level the Bengals should be in every game this season.
Pittsburgh Steelers (+5): Mike Tomlin made a bold decision and gave OC Matt Canada more responsibility this week despite fans calling for an OC change. Canada worked directly with Kenny Pickett this week and Tomlin's decision paid off as the Steelers' offense looked better than it has over the past two years en route to a 23-18 win over the Raiders. Pickett threw 2 TDs and the Steelers didn't turn the ball over once as the defense, led by TJ Watt (2 Sacks) and Minkah Fitzpatrick (11 Tackles), gave the Steelers a vintage Steelers victory.
Indianapolis Colts (+5): The rebuilding Colts were without their starting QB Anthony Richardson on Sunday as they traveled to Baltimore to take on the Super Bowl hopeful Ravens. The Colts defense contained everybody on the Ravens and controlled Lamar as much as any defense can en route to a nice 22-19 OT victory. Zack Moss looks like a workhorse back (122 yards on 30 carries), the defense forced two turnovers, and Matt Gay was the best kicker in a game that also included Justin Tucker.
Fallers:
Biggest Faller: New York Jets (-9)
The Jets opened the season at the fourth spot in our Power Rankings and now find themselves on the biggest Fallers list for the third consecutive week. This team has somehow found ways to get worse when all looked lost 4 snaps into their season when Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon. However, this team has continued to regress as the defense has yet to force a turnover despite facing Dak Prescott (15 interceptions in 12 games) and Mac Jones (24 picks over his first two seasons and 2 picks over his first two games this year) and has only 1 sack total across both of these games. Zach Wilson has continued to prove he doesn't belong in the NFL but head coach Robert Saleh continues to attempt to gaslight everybody else into believing Zach Wilson belongs in the NFL as this team seems destined to waste young, all-pro talent with horrible quarterback play.
Other Big Fallers:
Tennessee Titans (-6): The Titans were in a prime position to get a win on the road this week as they took on the Browns who had a short week to prepare and had to figure out how to replicate Nick Chubb's production. Instead, the Titans got humiliated scoring only 3 points while Deshaun Watson and co. lit up their defense for 27 points. The Titans' offense was non-existent as Tannehill barely completed 50% of his passes (13/25 for 104 yards) and King Henry only had 20 yards on 11 carries.
Dallas Cowboys (-5): The upset of the week occurred in Arizona where the Cowboys did not look ready to play a football Sunday. Both teams racked up over 400 yards of offense in this one but the Cardinals won 28-16. Ceedee Lamb never got going and the vaunted Cowboys defense only had 2 sacks and allowed the Cardinals to run all over them (30 carries, 222 yards, 2TDs, 7.4 YPC). Dak Prescott also threw a brutal red zone pick to seal this one and ruin any hopes of a comeback for the Cowboys.
Full Power Rankings
The Super Bowl Contenders (1-5)
1. Miami Dolphins (+2): When you drop 70 points on a team without one of your best playmakers (Jaylen Waddle) against what is considered a very good defense, people are going to notice. The Dolphins offense looked like they were playing this Madden this week, cruising to a 70-20 victory where it seemed like every play Mike McDaniels called could end up in a touchdown. The Dolphins put up 700 yards of offense and reaffirmed that they are the best offense in football and are currently the team to beat.
2. San Fransisco 49ers (-): The Niners easily took care of the Giants on TNF this week. Despite some early accuracy struggles, Brock Purdy continued his regular season unbeaten streak en route to 310 passing yards and 2 TDs. CMC also continued his touchdown streak and has scored in every game of his Niner's career so far. Meanwhile, the defense dominated the Giants, allowing only 150 total yards as the Niners cruised to an easy 30-12 victory.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (+1): The Chiefs finally had the offensive explosion we've come to expect from Patrick Mahomes and co. as they easily beat Da Bears 41-10. The Chiefs were up 34-0 at halftime and Andy Reid pulled his starters with 4 minutes left in the third quarter with the Chiefs holding a 41-0 lead. Given that Patrick Mahomes is on the Chiefs and Taylor Swift was in attendance to watch Travis Kelce "Rock Arrowhead", the Chiefs' defense continues to be looked over and has been quietly one of the best units in football this year.
4. Philadelphia Eagles (+2): The Eagles took care of the Bucs easily on MNF, winning 25-11. Jalen Carter continues to be the best defensive player on a loaded defense, dominating the Bucs and ending the game with two forced fumbles. Jalen Hurts, battling flu-like symptoms pregame, struggled with ball protection throwing two picks but still utilized the patented "Tush Push" to convert key third downs and rush for a touchdown. D'Andre Swift continued his breakout season, rushing for 130 yards on only 16 carries and he brings a speed and elusiveness dynamic that the Eagles didn't have last year.
5. Buffalo Bills (+2): The Bills dominated the Commanders in Washington, and outside of the Week 1 loss have looked elite in every aspect of the game. Josh Allen made some throws that only he and Mahomes can make and the defense bullied Sam Howell and co. forcing 5 Washington turnovers. James Cook continued his breakout campaign and rushed for 98 yards on only 15 carries and Stefan Diggs torched their secondary as the Bills easily won 37-3.
Fringe Super Bowl Contenders (6-7)
6. Dallas Cowboys (-5): See Above
7. Detroit Lions (+2): The Lions beat the Falcons 20-6 on Sunday. The Lions' defense, which is missing one of their leaders CGJ for the rest of the season due to a torn pec, gave the Falcons' offense plenty of problems and held star runningback and 8th overall pick, Bijan Robinson, to only 60 yards on 14 touches. Rookie Safety Brian Branch was everywhere for the Lions' defense, recording 11 tackles (3 TFL) and 2PDs while second-year pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson dominated the Falcons OL en route to accumulating 2 sacks and 2PDs as well as recovering a fumble.
Playoff Teams (8-11)
8. Seattle Seahawks (+2): The Seahawks offense carried their defense in this one, beating the Panthers 37-27 in Seattle. DK Metcalf torched the Panthers' secondary that's desperately missing Jaycee Horn for 112 yards on 8 catches and Kenneth Walker ran for 96 yards and 2 TDs on 18 carries. The Seahawks will get safety/pass rusher Jamal Adams back for their next game and are expecting pro bowl corner Tariq Woolen to play vs. the Giants as well in a game the Seahawks defense looks to play to their lofty standards after allowing Andy Dalton and co. to put up over 400 yards of offense against them.
9. Baltimore Ravens (-4): The Ravens lost a brutal overtime game in Baltimore vs. the Colts and their backup QB. The Refs unfortunately played a factor in this game but Lamar Jackson was the only offense for the Ravens who desperately need Justice Hill and Gus the Bus to come back healthy. Second-year safety Kyle Hamilton had a monster game, tallying 3 sacks, 9 tackles, and a PD and the linebacker pair of Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen continue to dominate but despite being the only offensive bright spot, Lamar Jackson had a costly fumble and missed Zay Flowers late in regulation on a play that would've sealed the game.
10. Cleveland Browns (+6): See above
11. Green Bay Packers (+2): The Packers won in an exhilarating fashion on Sunday, coming back from a late 17-0 deficit. Jordan Love, despite a shaky start, rallied his team and made pick plays with his legs down the stretch as well as converted a crucial 2-pt conversion after extending the play. The Packers are expecting their number 1 WR Christian Watson to make his season debut on TNF this week as the offense looks to get better.
Fringe Playoff Teams (12-16)
12. Jacksonville Jaguars (-4): After failing to beat the Chiefs despite the defense holding them to 17 points, Trevor Lawrence and co. got an old-fashioned ass-kicking by the rookie HC + QB combo of DeMeco Ryan and CJ Stroud, losing 37-17. The Jaguars are far too talented to be losing to the Texans and need to right the ship quickly if they want to build off last season's success.
13. Atlanta Falcons (-2): As mentioned above, the Falcons offense had no answers for the Lions defense. However, the Falcons' defense was able to hold the Lions' explosive offense to only 20 points and forced a Jared Goff turnover giving them hope for the coming weeks. If the Falcons find a way to get consistent offense from the running game (20 carries for 44 yards Sunday), they'll be able to go to the play-action shots that Arthur Smith loves to take and will allow the Falcons to win games where the defense plays this well.
14. Los Angeles Chargers (-2): Brandon Staley really really tried to lose this game. Despite otherworldly performances from Justin Herbert (40/47, 405 yards, 3TDs) and Keenan Allen (18 catches for 215), the Chargers were in a position to lose this game due to a terrible decision to go for it on fourth down from the Chargers own 24-yard line. The Chargers were up 4 points at the time and could've forced the Vikings to drive the whole length of the field but Staley's decision gave Kirk Cousins an extremely short field. The Vikings almost pulled off the miracle but luckily for Staley, TJ Hockenson couldn't hang on to Kirk Cousins's pass. The win also has a dark cloud over it due to Mike Williams tearing his ACL and adding question marks next to Keenan Allen in the receiver group.
15. New England Patriots (-1): The Patriots did what they always do and beat the Jets on Sunday. In an ugly game, the Patriots were clearly the better team and moved the ball well against a good defense. The Patriots need some more playmakers on the offensive side of the ball but Bill's defense led by Matthew Judon can give any QB issues any given Sunday.
16. Cincinnati Bengals (+5): See Above
Mid (17-22)
17. Saints (-): The Saints defense is one of the best in the league but the offense hasn't yet caught up. The Saints blew a 17-0 lead vs. the Packers after kicker Blake Grupe missed a game-winning field goal. The big news from this game is Derek Carr's shoulder injury and how long he will be out, as he was brought in to lead this offense that has struggled to find any consistency the first three weeks of the season. With Carr out, the Saints need to hope that Alvin Kamara, who returns from suspension this week, is still an elite running back and can carry the offense while Carr recovers from his injury.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers (+5): See Above
19. Houston Texans (+11): See Above
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2): The Bucs lost their first game of the season to the Eagles as their offense didn't get going until the end of the game. This isn't the end of the world as the Eagles are just a vastly superior team and the Defense actually did a fine job against the explosive Eagles offense. The Bucs need to find a way to have more success in the run game as they aren't going to find many games that Baker Mayfield can win without a dangerous play-action game.
21. Tennessee Titans (-6): See Above
22. Minnesota Vikings (-2): The Vikings lost the game between two teams who seem to find new ways to lose the game. This one really hurt Vikings' fans, as Brandon Staley gifts the Vikings the ball on an extremely short field needing a touchdown to win the game. Alas, Kirk Cousins couldn't hear the play (burning plenty of clock), and the Chargers picked off a tipped ball in the end zone to ice the game. Justin Jefferson put up another ridiculous stat line of 149 yards and a touchdown and honestly deserves to be traded at this point.
Lower Mid + Rebuilding (23-27)
23. Las Vegas Raiders (-3): The Raiders lost to the Steelers and the offense looked bad and bland. Outside of Devante Adams, the Raiders really haven't had anything going for them since Josh Jacobs hasn't looked like the player he was last year. Garoppolo struggled to protect the ball as well (3 Ints) which is something the Raiders can't afford given how bad their offense has been this season.
24. Indianapolis Colts (+5): See Above
25. Washington Commanders (-1): The Commanders got blown out at home by the Bills giving them a blunt reminder that they are years away from competing. The Commanders need to do a better job of protecting the football if they want to beat teams that have superior talent than them.
26. Los Angeles Rams (-1): The Rams held their own against the Bengals but the offense just seemed overwhelmed by the Bengals defense. The Rams' defense did a good job shutting down everyone outside of Jamar Chase. If Cooper Kupp can come back healthy for this team they have a chance to find their way to the fringe playoff team tier.
27. Carolina Panthers (-1): The Panthers had to start Andy Dalton this week which isn't ideal given this year is to get Bryce Young experience. However, Andy Dalton and Adam Thielen lit up the Seahawks' defense, and if Bryce Young can pick up where Andy Dalton (361 yards, 2TDs) leaves off, Frank Reich and Panthers Nation will be very very excited for the future. Brian Burns also should've been paid before the season and is such an elite pass rusher that they can build the defense around.
28. New York Giants (-1): The Giants have really underperformed their expectations this year. The only win of the season came against the Cardinals, and that was after going down 20-0. This week was much of the same that Giants fans have had to experience this year, a non-competitive game where the offense struggles for the vast majority of the game. Darren Waller has been a non-factor all year and the O-Line has regressed to the point the running game can't get going to take pressure off Danny Dimes.
29. Arizona Cardinals (+3): The Cardinals upset the world by running all over the Dallas Cowboys this weekend. The Cardinals play extremely hard and make up for the lack of talent they have with their effort. They are a team nobody can afford to look past and have shown they can upset anybody.
Massive Messes (30-32)
30. Denver Broncos (-2): The fact that the Broncos, whose "elite" defense allowed 70 points (could've been more) aren't at the bottom of this list says more about the two teams below them than it does about them. Sean Payton, who cost the team a first-round pick, and Russell Wilson, who cost the team multiple first-round picks and a ton of money, are 0-3 to start the season after vowing it would be different. The Broncos play the Bears Sunday and if they lose that game jobs should be lost.
31. New York Jets (-9): See Above
32. Chicago Bears (-1): The Bears had one of the weirdest weeks in football. The DC mysteriously disappeared while rumors that the FBI raided his house circulated (later it came out he resigned due to misconduct), Justin Fields called out the offensive coaches and placed his struggles on them, and Soldier Field was broken into and robbed Friday losing 100k worth of equipment. To cap the week off Justin Fields didn't even throw for 100 yards Sunday despite the Chiefs starters sitting out more than a 4th of the game.
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