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NFL Week 3 Power Rankings: Cowboys, Ravens in trouble? Are Saints, Vikings for real?

17 September 2024Last Update :
NFL Week 3 Power Rankings: Cowboys, Ravens in trouble? Are Saints, Vikings for real?

It’s Week 3 of the NFL Power Rankings, and Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan speaks for all of us.

What the (heck) are you doing, National Football League?

In Week 2 action, the Vikings beat the 49ers, the Raiders beat the Ravens, the Buccaneers beat the Lions, Malik Willis and the Packers beat the Colts. The can’t-be-stopped New Orleans Saints obliterated the Cowboys.

And that was just the early window on Sunday.

Six underdogs got an outright win. The Ravens, Bengals and Rams are 0-2, and only two 0-2 teams have made the playoffs in the last five years. Four teams that missed the playoffs last season are 2-0 (Chargers, Vikings, Saints, Seahawks). It’s chaos.

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We asked around for volunteers to set the order this week, but there were no takers so we’ll try to sort it out.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (2-0)

Last week: 1

Sunday: Beat Cincinnati Bengals 26-25

Kansas City offensive tackle Wanya Morris has more touchdown catches than Travis Kelce this season. Morris caught a 1-yard scoring pass as an eligible lineman on Sunday, and he is only three catches behind Kelce for the season, meaning the Chiefs are undefeated and still haven’t even activated one of their best offensive weapons. If the Chiefs win in either of the next two weeks, Patrick Mahomes will become the first quarterback in NFL history to win 77 of his first 100 starts. He’s tied with Tom Brady and Roger Staubach at 76.

Up next: at Falcons, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

2. Buffalo Bills (2-0)

Last week: 3

Thursday: Beat Miami Dolphins 31-10

Week 1 was the Josh Allen Show — four touchdowns and 279 combined passing and rushing yards. In Week 2, Allen contributed just 141 combined yards and one touchdown, and the Bills still won going away. The defense held the Dolphins to 4.7 yards per play and forced three turnovers. If Buffalo is more than just the Josh Allen Show, it might be a real contender.

Up next: vs. Jaguars, Monday, 7:30 p.m. ET

3. New Orleans Saints (2-0)

Last week: 11

Sunday: Beat Dallas Cowboys 44-19

If BetMGM had offered action on which team would score the fourth-most points in NFL history in its first two games of the season, not one person on the planet would have picked the Saints. But here we are. New Orleans’ 91 points in the first two weeks are the most by any team since 2015. Alvin Kamara scored four touchdowns and is now the fourth player of the Super Bowl era to have multiple games with more than 150 yards of offense and four scores in a game.

Up next: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

4. Houston Texans (2-0)

Last week: 4

Sunday: Beat Chicago Bears 19-13

The Texans have played the Colts and Bears, so maybe their defensive stats shouldn’t be lauded yet, but if Houston does have a forceful defense to go along with C.J. Stroud, the hype might be real. Four Texans had multiple quarterback hits Sunday, and Houston leads the league in sack rate (13.8 percent), according to TruMedia. It is ninth in defensive success rate (63.3 percent).

Up next: at Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0)

Last week: 10

Sunday: Beat Detroit Lions 20-16

Tampa Bay had 12 fewer first downs and 247 fewer yards than Detroit. Quarterback Baker Mayfield led the Bucs in rushing, and it took only 34 yards to do that. Chris Godwin (117 receiving yards) was 54 percent of the offense, and still Tampa Bay is undefeated. The biggest reason for this win was the defense. The Lions were in the red zone seven times and scored only one touchdown. The Buccaneers’ 14.3 percent defensive red zone efficiency rate was the second best in a game with seven or more red zone possessions since 2000.

Up next: vs. Denver Broncos, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

6. Detroit Lions (1-1)

Last week: 5

Sunday: Lost to Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-16

Detroit had 463 yards of offense and held Tampa Bay to 216. Aidan Hutchinson had 4 1/2 sacks by himself, the second most of any player in a game since 2021 (behind Khalil Mack’s six last season against the Raiders). Maybe having Jared Goff throw the ball 55 times was the problem. The Lions quarterback had the second-most attempts of any player in a game since 2022, threw two interceptions and finished with a 61.7 passer rating.

Up next: at Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

7. Minnesota Vikings (2-0)

Last week: 14

Sunday: Beat San Francisco 49ers 23-17

Only Randy Moss and Justin Jefferson have had at least 30 100-yard receiving games in the first five games of their career. Jefferson had 133 on Sunday on the strength of a 97-yard touchdown catch, but he left the game with what he called a “little” thigh bruise. Quarterback Sam Darnold is hoping it’s not serious. In another attempt to fulfill the promise that got him drafted No. 3 overall in 2018, Darnold is off to a good start. He’s fifth in the NFL in passer rating (111.8) and ninth in passing yards (476), according to TruMedia.

Up next: vs. Houston Texans, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

8. San Francisco 49ers (1-1)

Last week: 2

Sunday: Lost to Minnesota Vikings 23-17

Brock Purdy had 319 passing yards; Deebo Samuel had 110 receiving yards; Jordan Mason had 100 rushing yards. Even with Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve with calf and Achilles injuries, those look like winning numbers for the Niners, especially against the Sam Darnold-led Vikings. Instead, San Francisco lost for the seventh straight time in Minnesota. Steve Young quarterbacked the last 49ers team to win there (1992).

Up next: at Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

9. Los Angeles Chargers (2-0)

Last week: 9

Sunday: Beat Carolina Panthers 26-3

The Chargers are 2-0 for the first time since 2012, and J.K. Dobbins leads the NFL in rushing. Dobbins had 131 against the Panthers and has 266 for the season. Jim Harbaugh has been true to his word since returning to the NFL, leaning on his offensive line and run game. Only the Saints and Steelers have a higher run percentage than the Chargers (59.7 percent) so far, and the Packers are the only team with more rushing yards per game than their 197.5.

Up next: at Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

10. Seattle Seahawks (2-0)

Last week: 12

Sunday: Beat New England Patriots 23-20

DK Metcalf (10 catches, 129 yards) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (12 catches, 117 yards) were the only teammates to top 100 yards receiving this week, and they were the first Seattle teammates ever to have 10-plus catches and 100-plus yards in the same game. Last week, Kenneth Walker III led the way with 100 rushing yards, but Walker is out for now with an oblique injury. Pretty good balance in Seattle, where Geno Smith threw for 327 yards on Sunday.

Up next: vs. Miami Dolphins, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

11. Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)

Last week: 6

Monday: Lost to Atlanta Falcons 22-21

It’s a game of inches, right? If Saquon Barkley hadn’t dropped Jalen Hurts’ swing pass with 1:46 remaining, the Eagles would be 2-0. But now they have to try to shake off a painful loss before visiting a red-hot Saints team in New Orleans. They helped the Falcons stay in the game Monday night by committing nine penalties and let Kirk Cousins pick them apart on the decisive drive. On the plus side, Hurts looked like his old self, rushing 13 times for 85 yards and a touchdown in addition to 183 passing yards.

Up next: at Saints, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

12. Green Bay Packers (1-1)

Last week: 21

Sunday: Beat Indianapolis Colts 16-10

The Packers became the first NFL team to reach 800 wins on Sunday. They did it with a game plan that would have looked familiar in 1921 when Green Bay joined the league. With Malik Willis filling in at quarterback, the Packers ran the ball on 53 of their 67 snaps. They had 237 rushing yards in the first half and finished with 261. Only six teams had more rushing yards than that in a game last season. Josh Jacobs had 81 yards in the first quarter and finished with 151.

Up next: at Tennessee Titans, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

13. Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

Last week: 7

Sunday: Lost to New Orleans Saints 44-19

The roller-coaster ride of being a Cowboys fan never ends, does it? One week after getting Dak Prescott’s deal done and beating Cleveland by 16 points, Dallas rushed for 68 yards and never led against the Saints. If there’s a bright spot, maybe it’s that CeeDee Lamb got going with four catches for 90 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown that briefly gave Dallas life. If you’re not looking for bright spots, Saints fans had a full-on parade outside AT&T Stadium after the game.

Up next: vs. Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

14. Arizona Cardinals (1-1)

Last week: 23

Sunday: Beat Los Angeles Rams 41-10

Kyler Murray became the second player in NFL history with 250 passing yards, 50 rushing yards and a perfect passer rating in a game. He finished 17-for-21 for 266 yards and three touchdowns and became the third Cardinal with a perfect passer rating since 1960. Plus, Marvin Harrison Jr. came to life after a disappointing Week 1. The rookie wide receiver had four catches for 130 yards, all in the first quarter. After the game, he noted all four of Murray’s incompletions were targeted at him, so there’s room for more.

Up next: vs. Detroit Lions, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0)

Last week: 13

Sunday: Beat Denver Broncos 13-6

Pittsburgh has one touchdown and eight Chris Boswell field goals this season. It’s been enough for a 2-0 record and a perch atop the AFC North. Justin Fields has passed for only 273 yards, but he hasn’t turned the ball over. That’s been enough because the defense hasn’t allowed either opponent to top 90 yards rushing. No Steeler had 40 receiving yards against the Broncos. Mike Tomlin probably slept great.

Up next: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

16. New York Jets (1-1)

Last week: 20

Sunday: Beat Tennessee Titans 24-17

Aaron Rodgers hasn’t been great, but he’s healthy and he’s been good enough so far. Through two weeks, Rodgers is 24th in the league in passing yards (343). His off-target percentage (13.7 percent) is the ninth worst in the league and would stand as the worst in his career if this holds all season. Rookie running back Braelon Allen (20 years, 239 days) became the youngest player of the Super Bowl era to score a touchdown Sunday, and he had two.

Up next: vs. New England Patriots, Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET

17. Baltimore Ravens (0-2)

Last week: 17

Sunday: Lost to Las Vegas Raiders 26-23

The Ravens, who were up 23-13 entering the fourth quarter, had 11 penalties for 109 yards. Zay Flowers had seven catches for 91 yards but only one of those catches (for 8 yards) came in the second half. Lamar Jackson, the reigning MVP, has a passer rating of 86.5 through the first two games. Deshaun Watson is the only starter in the AFC North below that.

Up next: at Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

18. Cincinnati Bengals (0-2)

Last week: 25

Sunday: Lost to Kansas City Chiefs 26-25

The Bengals have wide receiver issues. Tee Higgins still isn’t playing because of a hamstring injury, and Ja’Marr Chase is 41st in the league in receiving yards (97). Chase got heated at the end of Sunday’s game after thinking he was on the wrong end of a hip-drop tackle. On the plus side, the award for stat line of the day goes to wide receiver Andrei Iosivas, who had two catches for 7 yards and two touchdowns, including the toe-tap catch of the day.

Up next: vs. Washington Commanders, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET

19. Atlanta Falcons (1-1)

Last week: 28

Monday: Beat Philadelphia Eagles 22-21

That’s what the Falcons pictured when they signed Kirk Cousins to that massive contract. Down by six points to the Eagles with a minute and a half to go, Cousins quickly and efficiently moved the Falcons down the field and hit Drake London for the winning touchdown. The stunning upset on “Monday Night Football” gives Atlanta life ahead of a visit from the champion Chiefs on Sunday. The running game, behind Bijan Robinson, was cooking against Philadelphia, racking up 152 yards on 28 carries and the defense gave Cousins and company a chance.

Up next: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

20. Miami Dolphins (1-1)

Last week: 8

Thursday: Lost to Buffalo Bills 31-10

The football part of the Dolphins’ discussion feels trivial after Tua Tagovailoa suffered another scary concussion on Thursday night, but the season does continue. Miami, which plans to go with backup Skylar Thompson at quarterback at least until there’s more clarity on Tagovailoa’s status, signed Tyler “Snoop” Huntley off the Ravens practice squad Monday as another option. Look for a heavy dose of De’Von Achane, who had 96 rushing yards and 69 receiving yards against the Bills, as long as he’s healthy.

Up next: at Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

21. New England Patriots (1-1)

Last week: 15

Sunday: Lost to Seattle Seahawks 23-20

Antonio Gibson popped back up on the NFL’s radar with 96 yards on 11 carries. That’s the good news. The bad news is New England’s wide receivers combined for three catches for 19 yards (two catches and 12 yards for rookie Ja’Lynn Polk and one catch and 7 yards for K.J. Osborn). Until the Patriots find some pass catchers, maybe it’s best to leave rookie quarterback Drake Maye on the bench.

Up next: at New York Jets, Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET

22. Las Vegas Raiders (1-1)

Last week: 24

Sunday: Beat Baltimore Ravens 26-23

Davante Adams had 86 receiving yards in the fourth quarter and rookie tight end Brock Bowers added 31 as the Raiders erased a 10-point deficit. Bowers finished with nine catches for 98 yards overall, and he’s now the first tight end in NFL history with at least five catches and 50 yards in his first two games. Worth watching: Pass rusher Maxx Crosby still hasn’t missed a defensive snap. He’s tied for fourth in the league with five quarterback hits.

Up next: vs. Carolina Panthers, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

23. Chicago Bears (1-1)

Last week: 16

Sunday: Lost to Houston Texans 19-13

People are starting to worry about No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, right? Especially his family. The Texans sacked Williams seven times Sunday and hit him 11 more times. It made his debut last week (two sacks and four hits against the Titans) feel like a vacation. Williams’ 53 passer rating (30th in the NFL) isn’t as big a concern as his health going forward behind this offensive line. The Panthers are the only team with fewer yards than the Bears’ 353 through two weeks.

Up next: at Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

24. Indianapolis Colts (0-2)

Last week: 18

Sunday: Lost to Green Bay Packers 20-16

Maybe the Anthony Richardson-for-MVP talk can take a week off now. The Colts’ second-year quarterback, who entered the season with unrealistic expectations, had a passer rating of 41.8 Sunday thanks to three interceptions and a 50 percent completion percentage. Jonathan Taylor had 103 yards on the ground. The Colts averaged more yards per play than the Packers (6.4 to 5.7), but they were 2-for-7 on third down. (And all those interceptions.) Indianapolis has given up 473 rushing yards in two games.

Up next: vs. Chicago Bears, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

25. Cleveland Browns (1-1)

Last week: 32

Sunday: Beat Jacksonville Jaguars 18-13

The Browns won despite 13 penalties. They now “lead” the league with 24 penalties and have lost more expected points to penalties (5.88) than anyone in the league. Luckily, they were playing the Jaguars on Sunday. Deshaun Watson’s 4.5 yards per attempt rank 30th in the league, and he has twice as many interceptions (two) as passing touchdowns (one).

Up next: vs. New York Giants, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

26. Los Angeles Rams (0-2)

Last week: 19

Sunday: Lost to Arizona Cardinals 41-10

It’s a testament to the reverence Sean McVay commands around the league that pretty much everyone thought the Rams would keep rolling with a battered offensive line and no Puka Nacua. Reality hit Sunday in Arizona and now Cooper Kupp will miss “an extended period of time” with an ankle injury. The Rams have the second-worst point differential in the league after two weeks (minus-37). The Rams were 2-for-11 on third down, rushed for 53 yards and they have to play the 49ers and Packers in the next three weeks.

Up next: vs. San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2)

Last week: 22

Sunday: Lost to Cleveland Browns 18-13

The Jaguars have lost seven of their last eight games. The only team they’ve beaten in that stretch is Carolina. This is how bad it’s gotten: Trevor Lawrence went to the postgame interview podium and said, “We suck right now.” And the team’s official site posted the clip on social media. Lawrence is not wrong, but still. His completion percentage (51) ranks 30th in the league and Jacksonville’s 1.43 points per drive ranks 25th.

Up next: at Buffalo Bills, Monday, 7:30 p.m. ET

28. Tennessee Titans (0-2)

Last week: 26

Sunday: Lost to New York Jets 24-17

First-year head coach Brian Callahan had the sideline clip of the day when he was caught asking quarterback Will Levis, “What the (heck) are you doing?” Callahan admitted it after the game and added, “It’s dumb … he’s a grownup and he knows better.” Titans fans get Callahan’s point. Levis has made two confounding, game-losing mistakes in two weeks. Sunday, it was fumbling in the red zone while trying to throw a backward pass while hovering in the air completely horizontally.

Up next: vs. Green Bay Packers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

29. Washington Commanders (1-1)

Last week: 29

Sunday: Beat New York Giants 21-18

Austin Seibert, a fifth-round pick by the Browns in 2019, had attempted four NFL field goals in the last two seasons before Sunday. He was sitting at home last week before the Commanders cut kicker Cade York after a shaky Week 1 and signed Seibert. Sunday, Seibert set the franchise record with seven field goals on seven attempts. The Commanders had eight possessions. Seven ended with field goals. One was a kneel-down to end the first half.

Up next: at Cincinnati Bengals, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET

30. Denver Broncos (0-2)

Last week: 27

Sunday: Lost to Pittsburgh Steelers 13-6

It’s possible Bo Nix isn’t as good as Patrick Mahomes no matter what Sean Payton thinks. Payton put a lot of pressure on his rookie quarterback by comparing him to Mahomes after the draft, and Nix is collapsing under that weight thus far. His passer rating (51) ranks 31st in the league and yet he has thrown the ball 77 times, more than all but two quarterbacks. Only the Giants and Panthers have scored fewer points than Denver (13) this year.

Up next: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

31. New York Giants (0-2)

Last week: 30

Sunday: Lost to Washington Commanders 21-18

Malik Nabers (21 years, 49 days) is now the youngest player in NFL history with at least 10 catches, 100 yards and a touchdown in a game. He was targeted on 18 of New York’s 28 passing attempts and finished with 10 catches for 127 yards. That’s enough of the good news. New York became the second team in NFL history to score three touchdowns, allow none and lose in regulation, according to NFL Research. Things are bleak for the Giants, who were bitten Sunday by Brian Daboll’s decision to try to play kicker Graham Gano despite an injury.

Up next: at Cleveland Browns, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

32. Carolina Panthers (0-2)

Last week: 31

Sunday: Lost to Chargers 26-3

You can’t say we didn’t try to keep Carolina out of the last spot on this list. The Panthers are just making it impossible now. Two games into the season, Carolina already has a minus-60 point differential. Quarterback Bryce Young has played only 19 NFL games, and his career as a starter may already be over. Carolina will be turning to veteran backup Andy Dalton starting now. It’s an understandable move. Young was off target on an NFL-worst 19.6 percent of his passes through two games, and it wasn’t much better when he was throwing it near his pass catchers. His 44.1 passer rating is the worst in the league.

Up next: at Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

(Top photo: Sam Hodde / Getty Images)

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