Week 3 was another unbelievable week of football, which was headlined by five blocked field goals, two of which decided games in the final seconds of regulation. As the league continues to take shape, we\u2019ll continue to rank each team each week. Heading into Week 4, here\u2019s how we see the league so far.<\/p>\n
1. Buffalo Bills (3-0) Previous Week: 2<\/p>\n
Is there a more complete team in the league right now? I don\u2019t believe so. Buffalo\u2019s offense is firing on all cylinders, and its defense isn\u2019t too far behind. With four very winnable games coming up over the next five weeks, there\u2019s a real chance that Josh Allen and the Bills are (7-0) heading into their Week 9 matchup against Kansas City.<\/p>\n
2. Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) Previous Week: 1<\/p>\n
What looked like a sobering Sunday for the Eagles turned into a last-minute win that was capped off by a blocked field goal that was returned for a touchdown as time expired. Philadelphia\u2019s offense has sputtered to start the season, but has the beast finally been awoken? We\u2019ll soon find out!<\/p>\n
3. Los Angeles Chargers (3-0) Previous Week: 4<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t always pretty against the Broncos, but in the end, the better team won. Quarterback Justin Herbert is playing the best football of his career, and the defense still looks dominant, even without Khalil Mack. For as much as I fought the narrative that 2025 was the year the Chiefs relinquished the West, the Chargers are in pole position after three weeks with a (2-0) division record.<\/p>\n
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-0) Previous Week: 10<\/p>\n
As an outside spectator, the Buccaneers have been a lot of fun to watch each week, largely due to their ability to come back in the final seconds of a game. For most Bucs fans, I\u2019m sure they\u2019d prefer more decisive wins that didn\u2019t raise their blood pressure through the roof. Either way, Tampa Bay is (3-0) with the lowest margin of victory in the modern era (after three weeks). They have been living right.<\/p>\n
5. Green Bay Packers (2-1) Previous Week: 3<\/p>\n
There wasn\u2019t a more surprising outcome on Sunday than the Packers losing a 16-13 game in Cleveland to the lowly Browns. Despite the low score, Green Bay was in full control of that game until the final five minutes of regulation. For now, I\u2019m going to chalk this up as a slip-up and nothing more, but Jordan Love and the offense have to be better than they were on Sunday.<\/p>\n
6. Detroit Lions (2-1) Previous Week: 12<\/p>\n
The Lions are all the way back, aren\u2019t they? After an embarrassing showing in Week 1, they\u2019ve reeled off a pair of impressive wins. Although their 28-point win against the Bears looked more impressive on paper, their ability to dominate the Ravens in the second half on the road was an eye-opener for the rest of the league. The offense is as explosive as ever, and frankly, the defense looks better than it did under Aaron Glenn. The NFC North appears to be a gauntlet once again.<\/p>\n
7. Los Angeles Rams (2-1) Previous Week: 5<\/p>\n
The Rams have one of the more well-rounded rosters in the league, and for the majority of Week 3, they looked like the class of the NFC. Then, they allowed Philly\u2019s offense to get going. Despite giving up a big lead late in the game, kicker Josh Karty had a chance to win the game, if not for the blocked field goal that was returned by big Jordan Davis for a last-second touchdown. This one will leave a bad taste in their mouths for a while, but the Rams are still one of the best teams in the NFC until proven otherwise.<\/p>\n
8. San Francisco 49ers (3-0) Previous Week: 12<\/p>\n
Their margin of victory has been small (+10), but the 49ers are finding a way to get it done. With two of their three wins coming on the road, they\u2019ve positioned themselves well for the remainder of the season. Losing Nick Bosa for the year is a blow, but assuming Brock Purdy returns soon, a return to the playoffs is likely.<\/p>\n
9. Kansas City Chiefs (1-2) Previous Week: 8<\/p>\n
The Chiefs were one of four teams to earn their first win in Week 3. Although it didn\u2019t look pretty in the first half against an out-manned Giants squad, Kansas City\u2019s offense finally started to click in the second half. Assuming they can continue to stay afloat until Rashee Rice\u2019s return, the Chiefs will be just fine as the season presses on.<\/p>\n
10. Washington Commanders (2-1) Previous Week: 11<\/p>\n
No Jayden Daniels, no problem for the Commanders on Sunday. Despite missing the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year on Sunday, they were still able to hang 41 points against an inconsistent Raiders squad. Daniels is expected back soon, and the NFC East is shaping into a two-team race yet again. We\u2019ll see if they have enough horses up front to make another playoff run.<\/p>\n
11. Indianapolis Colts (3-0) Previous Week: 15<\/p>\n
Has there been a more surprising team through three weeks of the season? I\u2019d argue no. The Colts have punted just one time in three games. One time! Quarterback Daniel Jones has been outstanding. Although some may question why I don\u2019t have the Colts higher, I simply need to see it for a few more weeks. Three of their next four games are against good teams. If they can make it out of that stretch at (5-2) or better, it\u2019s time to buy stock.<\/p>\n
12. Baltimore Ravens (1-2) Previous Week: 6<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no doubt that the Ravens are a good team, but they\u2019ve given away two games in three weeks, which stings. Derrick Henry is a fantastic running back, but he\u2019s the only player in the league to lose three fumbles this season. We\u2019ll see how they rebound after being dominated in the second half, but it\u2019s clear that they have some things to figure out. Nonetheless, I still fully expect them to win the AFC North when all is said and done.<\/p>\n
13. Minnesota Vikings (2-1) Previous Week: 16<\/p>\n
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy\u2019s high ankle sprain seemingly came out of nowhere following their Sunday night Week 2 loss to the Falcons. Now, I\u2019m not saying that this is a phantom injury, but it sure felt well-timed in terms of giving McCarthy a chance to catch his breath. In the meantime, veteran Carson Wentz will look to build on a quality performance, in which the defense dominated the Bengals. Up next: Back-to-back games in Europe.<\/p>\n
14. Arizona Cardinals (2-1) Previous Week: 9<\/p>\n
The Cardinals had every opportunity to win Sunday\u2019s game, but in the end, they couldn\u2019t stop a San Francisco offense that scored just one touchdown on the day. I\u2019m still buying Arizona as a playoff contender, but losing running back James Conner for the year is a huge blow to the fabric of that offense. The pressure on Kyler Murray is going to ramp up, so we\u2019ll see if he can deliver.<\/p>\n
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) Previous Week: 17<\/p>\n
Following back-to-back uncharacteristic defensive performances that saw them give up a pair of 30-point games, the Steelers\u2019 defense got back on track against one of the better young quarterbacks in the game. Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers has returned to earth after a strong season opener, but this is a well-rounded team with a capable head coach. With Joe Burrow\u2019s injury, their chances of making the playoffs have jumped dramatically.<\/p>\n
16. Seattle Seahawks (2-1) Previous Week: 19<\/p>\n
Even if Seattle is a tough team to figure out, it\u2019s clear that their defense is legit. Through three games, they\u2019re giving up an average of 15.67 points per game. The bigger question is whether or not their offense can continue to take a step forward. They flat-out dominated the Saints on Sunday, including an explosive special teams performance. The NFC West is going to be a tight race, but the Seahawks are proving they can hang in there thus far.<\/p>\n
17. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) Previous Week: 22<\/p>\n
When Liam Coen was brought in as the team\u2019s new head coach, many believed that quarterback Trevor Lawrence would finally reach his potential. Through three weeks, his numbers are far more underwhelming than most would have expected (55.8% | 223.67 YPG | 4 TDs | 4 INTs | 70.3 rating). On the plus side, their defense has been legit. They\u2019ll face the 49ers, Chiefs, Seahawks, and Rams over their next four games, which should be a great litmus test for how far they\u2019ve come since a disastrous 2024 campaign.<\/p>\n
18. Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) Previous Week: 13<\/p>\n
Any time your star quarterback is lost for three-plus months, it\u2019s always an issue. Even if the Bengals are somewhat accustomed to Joe Burrow being sidelined for extended periods, there has to be a high level of concern after a game and a half of Jake Browning\u2019s play. The former Washington Husky has five interceptions in 59 passing attempts, and they looked completely overmatched on Sunday against the Vikings in a 48-10 blowout loss in Minnesota. Despite their first (2-0) start in the Zac Taylor era, their season feels in serious doubt moving forward without better play from Browning.<\/p>\n
19. Denver Broncos (1-2) Previous Week: 14<\/p>\n
In Denver\u2019s two losses, they\u2019ve lost by a combined four points. This is a team that was a few breaks away from a (3-0) start, but if we\u2019re being honest, this doesn\u2019t look like a team that has taken the next step\u2026 Yet. A big reason why is the continued underwhelming quarterback play from Bo Nix. Not only are his yards per game down, but he\u2019s turning the ball over too much. If the Broncos are going to be considered contenders, they are going to need a lot more from their second-year quarterback, because the defense is one of the best in the league and should keep them in most games.<\/p>\n
20. Atlanta Falcons (1-2) Previous Week: 18<\/p>\n
Despite losing in the final seconds of Week 1, I was thoroughly impressed with how quarterback Michael Penix handled himself. Since that point, it hasn\u2019t looked great, with Week 3 being a flat-out disaster. Similar to last year, the Falcons are just a maddeningly inconsistent team. It seems like it\u2019s been the same story since Matt Ryan left, but at some point, things have to change. With the Commanders, Bills, and 49ers slated as their next three opponents over the next four weeks, we\u2019ll have a pretty good idea of what this Falcons team is about heading into late October.<\/p>\n
21. Las Vegas Raiders (1-2) Previous Week: 20<\/p>\n
Pete Carroll\u2019s arrival brought plenty of optimism, and over time, it should pay off. In the short term, this is an inconsistent team with plenty of holes. They should be competitive in most games, but as we saw on Sunday, there are still going to be some growing pains. Considering how competitive the AFC West looks, it\u2019s going to be a battle for the Raiders to keep their head above water in 2025.<\/p>\n
22. Chicago Bears (1-2) Previous Week: 26<\/p>\n
One week ago, it felt like the sky was falling in Chicago. They started (0-2), capped off by a 52-24 blowout loss to the Lions in Detroit. Head coach Ben Johnson publicly challenged his team last week, and it appeared to have worked. Last year\u2019s top pick, Caleb Williams, had a career day, throwing for 298 yards and four touchdowns. Just as promising was the defense giving up just 14 points after having a 50-spot hung on them in Week 2. With an early Week 5 bye on the horizon, getting to .500 should be the top priority.<\/p>\n
23. New England Patriots (1-2) Previous Week: 24<\/p>\n
The overall results in the win\/loss column haven\u2019t been consistent, but quarterback Drake Maye has been awesome over his last two games. That alone should give Patriots fans plenty of hope for the future. Between Williams and Maye, the early returns on the pair of 2024 Top 3 picks have been enough to position this quarterback class up for potential greatness. For the Patriots, they just need to find a way to close out games. If they can, the wins will come. For now, they are a rebuilding team without most of their 2024 draft class, which is hard to fathom this early in the process.<\/p>\n
24. Houston Texans (0-3) Previous Week: 21<\/p>\n
During the offseason, it was easy to identify the flaws on the Texans\u2019 roster, but in a weaker division, they still seemed like the favorites in the AFC South. Three games later, and many of those concerns over the last year-plus have come to a head. Quarterback C.J. Stroud has not rebounded from his sophomore slump, and the offensive line is still a dumpster fire. At this point, I\u2019m not sure what the Texans can or will do, but this has been about as much of a \u201cworst-case scenario\u201d as any contending team could have to start the year.<\/p>\n
25. Dallas Cowboys (1-2) Previous Week: 23<\/p>\n
The Cowboys are a Brandon Aubrey miss away from being (0-3) on the season. Even so, it\u2019s troubling that they came out and laid an egg against a team that was blown out by a score of 52-24 the week prior. Anyone with eyes knew the defense was going to be a disaster, but putting up just 14 points against the Bears\u2019 defense was far more shocking. Dallas is stuck in no man\u2019s land, and without some sort of revelation, this could escalate quickly.<\/p>\n
26. Carolina Panthers (1-2) Previous Week: 30<\/p>\n
Simply put, the Panthers looked atrocious over their first seven quarters of football. Since that point, they\u2019ve looked like a completely different team. Quarterback Bryce Young has started playing with confidence again, and they bludgeoned the Falcons in a 30-0 victory at home. Their margin for error is small, but their next four games shape up well with the Patriots, Dolphins, Cowboys, and Jets all on the docket in succession. The Panthers\u2019 season is far from over.<\/p>\n
27. Cleveland Browns (1-2) Previous Week: 32<\/p>\n
The biggest shock of the young season goes to the Browns and their thrilling 16-13 victory at home against the juggernaut Packers. No one saw that one coming, and even if it proves to be an anomaly, that win is going to stand out as a much stronger statement than most other teams\u2019 contending for the No. 1 overall pick. We\u2019ll see if Cleveland can build off Sunday, or if it was simply a fluke. My guess is on the latter, but we\u2019ll soon find out!<\/p>\n
28. Miami Dolphins (0-3) Previous Week: 31<\/p>\n
Miami put forth a valiant effort on Thursday night against the Bills, but ultimately came up short. Frankly, their last two games have been drastic improvements over what we saw from them in their 33-8 blowout loss against the Colts. This entire regime is skating on thin ice, but with the Jets and Panthers over their next two games, the book hasn\u2019t been written quite yet. It\u2019s gut-check time for Mike McDaniel and crew.<\/p>\n
29. New York Jets (0-3) Previous Week: 27<\/p>\n
As expected for most rebuilding teams with a new regime, it\u2019s been a mixed bag for the Jets to open up the season. Despite losing in Week 1, they exceeded early expectations. Then they were blown out last week, and didn\u2019t look great until a final fourth-quarter push on Sunday. We\u2019ll see if quarterback Justin Fields can return this week from his concussion. Their next two against the Dolphins and Cowboys are very winnable.<\/p>\n
30. New York Giants (0-3) Previous Week: 25<\/p>\n
For all of the goodwill that Russell Wilson bought in Week 2, it felt like it went straight out the window on Sunday night. Despite being overmatched in the talent department, the Giants had multiple paths to beat the Chiefs. Unfortunately for them, their offense couldn\u2019t deliver. Even so, I\u2019m still having trouble understanding what was going through Wilson\u2019s mind during the goal-to-go situation at the end of the game. None of those throws were remotely competitive. Changes are coming in New York; it\u2019s just a matter of when and who.<\/p>\n
31. Tennessee Titans (0-3) Previous Week: 28<\/p>\n
We\u2019re only 20 games into the Bill Calahan era, and it\u2019s fair to wonder how much longer he\u2019ll continue with how poor of an in-game coach he has proven to be. The only thing worse for a quarterback\u2019s development than swapping head coaches after Year 1 is continuing to allow the wrong coaches to hang around and ruin a young player\u2019s confidence. Cam Ward has shown flashes, but it\u2019s hard to see much good coming from this year unless things drastically change in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
32. New Orleans Saints (0-3) Previous Week: 29<\/p>\n
Regression and the effects of a decade of poor cap management have fully caught up to the Saints. Quarterback Spencer Rattler has performed better than expected, but has yet to win an NFL game. Their first two games were competitive, but the wheels completely fell off in Seattle. It doesn\u2019t get any easier this week when they head to Buffalo to take on the Bills. On the plus side, they\u2019ll have some winnable games in October.<\/p>\n