A whooping six teams will change their quarterback in Week 3 and it's caused a sizeable shake up for some teams in our Power Rankings
1) New England Patriots
(unchanged)
The Patriots’ defence more than made up for last year’s freak ending to this fixture – a 70-yard play with two laterals as the clock expired - by blowing out Miami on Sunday. Seven sacks, four interceptions and two pick sixes made sure New England had its biggest ever win over their AFC East rival. This result reflects just how bad the Dolphins are as much as it shows the Patriots are good. But you can only beat what’s put in front of you; and that’s what Tom Brady’s team did .
2) Kansas City Chiefs
(up 2)
Each passage of Patrick Mahomes play looks like a highlight reel. And this team desperately needs it to stay that way after the running game accounted for just 1.5 yards per carry against the Raiders last weekend.
Mahomes’ talent absolutely masks the lack of a ground game, but if a team distrupts the passer, the Chiefs won’t have a back up option. They threw 44 times - with 30 completions for 443 yards - versus twenty two run plays gaining just 31 yards.
3) Dallas Cowboys
(up 2)
The Cowboys have gone from a borderline contender to a full-fledged Super Bowl threat through two weeks of the regular season. Kellen Moore has evolved this offense with his play-calling, even opening up the field for Dak Prescott to the tune of 69 yards rushing – with a career long 42-yard run in the first half. Dak is playing as well as he has since entering the NFL, the offensive line looks as strong as any of its predecessors, and the offense – with Michael Gallup and Devin Smith – shows it has more play-makers than just Zeke and Amari Cooper.
4) Green Bay Packers
(up 11)
The Packers are beginning to look like a potential power house again. The defence – particularly defensive ends Preston and Za’Darious Smith – is playing at a high level and Aaron Rodgers is back controlling a system he’s comfortable with. It isn’t the high-powered holdover we expected from Matt LaFleur LA days - even averaging the league’s fourth worst yards-per-game (274.0) – but getting ARod back to an elite level was top of this team’s off-season manifesto. It’s happening..
5) Philadelphia Eagles
(down 3)
Injuries caused plenty of concern for the Eagles this past weekend yet they remained in with a chance late thanks to Carson Wentz’s determination. In all, nine players left the field at some point -- including three of their top play-makers in DeShaun Jackson, Alshon Jeffrey and Dallas Goedert.
The injuries are something to pay attention to going forward. Philly plays Detroit this Sunday before going to Green Bay on a short week. Not ideal, but Pederson has worked miracles with this offense before. This time last year the team was without Jay Ajayi, Alshon Jeffrey and Mike Wallace and still won its Week 3 game against Indianapolis.
6) Baltimore Ravens
(up 4)
The talk in Baltimore is all about Lamar Jackson’s development, but really it should be the breakout of Marquise Brown. The first round pick came to the NFL with plenty of talent; but rookies don’t usually produce this early. Were Hollywood not around, the Ravens offense would be limited to targeting its stellar tight end group – which wouldn’t be putting up the numbers.
Surprised Kyler Murray was allowed look so good against this secondary. It’s likely down to some ingenuity Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s new offense. Had he some more experience play calling, the defence might have lost the Ravens that game.
7) Los Angeles Rams
(down 1)
Cooper Kupp proved he’s over his injury with that huge run-after-catch on the weekend. And that’s a God-send for quarterback Jared Goff. After a poor Week 1 performance, the 24-year-old passer had a slow first half before sparking to life in the second. With Gurley yet to prove he still has explosiveness – his 2019 numbers are down a yard per touch since last year – Goff needs to prove he’s a play-maker. So far he hasn’t.
Crazy that Aaron Donald hasn’t recorded a sack through two weeks. He’s not ineffective considering he’s taking the focus off his teammates, but it must be frustrating for the Defensive MVP Champ Champ.
8) Houston Texans
(up 1)
Whitney Mercilus is having himself a year already, adding two strip sacks on Sunday to the interception and sack he recorded a week earlier. He won’t threaten defences like Jadeveon Clowney opposite JJ Watt; but that production certainly helps the team. So too does the defence stepping up like it did against Jacksonville, when Houston’s explosive Week 1 offense looked a bit more tame. We’re blaming it on a run heavy game plan, with only DeAndre Hopkins recording more than four catches. The team didn’t look quite so dominant, but got the job done. Just.
9) New Orleans Saints
(down 5)
Tough break for the Saints. We predicated this team would go as far as Drew Brees could take them this season, so an injury sends our favourite preseason NFC team scrambling.
There’s a reason New Orleans dealt a third-round pick to get Teddy Bridgewater as their backup last year. Sean Payton sees something in the former starter (who was on the rise before his gruesome knee injury in the 2016 preseason). We’re hoping to see that form again, so aren’t writing this team off yet. Tough assignment getting the start in Seattle however.
10) Minnesota Vikings
(down 2)
Mike Zimmer stated at the beginning of the off-season that he wanted to have a better run game in 2019. His wish looks granted thanks to a healthy Dalvin Cook. But a miserable Kirk Cousins looks like he’s not honouring his pact to prove he deserved a monster contract in 2018. Cousins looks miserable through two weeks, linking up with a stacked passing group of Adam Thielen, Stephon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph for just 213 yards and two touchdowns on 14 receptions. We expect significant improvements this Sunday.
11) Atlanta Falcons
(up 1)
The Falcons don’t just jump into playoffs consideration after beating a banged up Eagles team. But what does help their chances are two rival quarterbacks – Drew Brees and and Cam Newton – missing games.
No one wants to see guys go down, not least at the quarterback position. But in terms of a power ranking, the path is opening up for the Falcons. They have phenomenal offensive talent that’s only shown flashes through two weeks. Ryan and Co. won’t have the benefit of an easy opponent to gain confidence from anytime soon, so it’s up to the playmakers to get this thing going.
12) Los Angeles Chargers
(down 5)
The Chargers’ star is fading fast and injuries aren’t helping. The team’s already damaged secondary lost key piece Adrian Phillips - who was already filling in for safety Derwin James – for the coming weeks. It’s a shame considering we thought this could be the new version of the Legion of Boom. At least Desmond King and Casey Heyward are still there, while second round pick Nasir Adderly can step up.
Austin Ekeler’s goalline fumble on Sunday showed why he was a backup before Melvin Gordon’s holdout began, while Rivers showed he’s not immune to bad decisions when he was picked in the endzone while forcing a ball into double coverage.
13) Cleveland Browns
(up 1)
We hoped for a fast start from this rejuvenated Browns team. That hasn’t happened. The offense is yet to click; but we got a glimpse into what it could be on Odell Beckham’s 89-yard touchdown Monday night. Granted the Jets defence was laughable on the play, but it was beautifully executed none-the-less.
Myles Garrett’s five sacks through two games keeps him in line for the DPOY crown. He looks phenomenal in this defence. But we want reassurance from Steve Wilks’ that his scheme can combat the run. The system isn’t giving up gaudy numbers on the ground but does look vulnerable.
14) Chicago Bears
(down 3)
The Bears offense is all over the place after two weeks, recording most catches (42.86%) by running backs league wide, but fewest by wide receivers (38.10%). We’re not ruling the offence turning things around when it finds its rhythm, but that needs to start happening fast.
It’s not time to panic yet, but it’s hard to see where improvements can come from.
15) Buffalo Bills
(up 4)
With a tougher schedule, Buffalo could be exposed. But the team can only play what’s put in front of it.
Josh Allen cleaned up his Week 1 mistakes - including four INTs - and threw four touchdowns Sunday. Usage of wide receivers John Brown and Cole Beasley looked balanced, with the two going respectively 7-for-72 and 4-for-83 respectively. The defence had interceptions by both the defensive line and secondary, while the run defence contained Saqaon Barkley. There all positives that should be taken in the context of the opponents, but it’s all important development none-the-less.
We predicted the Bills would go either 5-1 or 4-2 after six games this off-season. Through two weeks, we have no reason to change that belief.
16) Indianapolis Colts
(up 5)
For probably the first time since the Colts drafted Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck as number 1 overall selections, Indianapolis has become a more run-oriented team. Rushing for 76 yards more (370) than they’ve thrown for (294) through two games, the team looks like it has its identity with Jacoby Brissett in charge.
It’s a big loss if Darius Leonard (concussion) can’t play Sunday, but if the pass rush can pressure Matt Ryan then there’s turnovers to be had (Ryan leads the NFL with five this season). It would go a long way in beating an underperforming Falcons team who look beatable in this home opener.
17) Seattle Seahawks
(unchanged)
The Seahawks aren’t fulfilling their off-season manifesto. After loading up on the offensive line, the team has allowed eight sacks in two weeks -- including four in one half on Sunday. The run game is averaging just 3.8 yards per attempt, with lead back Chris Carson recording three fumbles this season. Despite being 2-0, that’s wholly unconvincing.
Seattle faces a Brees-less New Orleans team at home this week so could move to 3-0. But with the bigger picture in mind, watch how the O-Line does against the league’s sack-leading defence (through two weeks), and how the pass rush does against New Orleans’ an underperforming offense with a new starting quarterback.
18) San Francisco 49ers
(up 2)
The 49ers bounced back from a horrible Weeek 1 game on Sunday, established a strong run game and dissecting the Bengals defence. They’ll come up against a more talented Pittsburgh side this week, with the Steelers defence needing to put the team on its back now that Ben Roethlisberger is out. If that defence does finally show up, this should be a great test for Kyle Shanahan’s offence. Let’s see if it’s for real.
19) Detroit Lions
(up 3)
What’s happened to the Lions being a run first team that relies on its defence? Matt Stafford has thrown for eighth most yards (630) in the league and has a passer rating of 102.6 through two games. Meanwhile the defence allowed a Cardinals comeback in Week 1 and gave up 424 yards to the Chargers Sunday. It’s a small sample size but a strange direction to start the year.
A good test of the Lions’ direction is coming against the banged up Eagles this week, so we should know more soon.
20) Arizona Cardinals
(up 4)
Say what you want about Lamar Jackson padding his stance against teams like the Cardinals and Ravens. Arizona’s defence challenged Jackson and was probably more of a test that what the Chiefs will be this week. The red sea should should feel encouraged after last year’s showing.
Kyler Murray is proving he can spread the ball around to all his receivers, even if it looks like Larry Fitzgerald is getting all the highlight catches. Keesean Johnson is a much needed addition to the team, while Christian Kirk is making plenty of play. But Kliff Kingsbury is hindering his team by not calling run plays in the Redzone. It makes converting on third down difficult when you’re backed up.
21) Carolina Panthers
(down 5)
The shelf life of a mobile quarterback like Cam Newton appears shorter than that of a prototypical signal caller. Now expected to miss some playing time, the 30-year-old looked a shell of himself in the first couple of weeks; rushing less and being sacked - six times - easily.
There’s positives after an underwhelming start for Carolina. Christian McCaffery is either torching defences – gaining over 200 scrimmage yards in week one - or opening it up for his teammates like in Week 2. And cornerback James Bradberry is showing a newfound confidence, looking like one of the league’s best corners through two weeks. That’ll help in this division.
22) Pittsburgh Steelers
(down 9)
As the Steelers’ Super Bowl window gets tighter and tighter, you’d wonder if the team should have gone for broke and paid Le’Veon Bell last year. Ben Roethlisberger’s injury highlights just how good Pittsburgh has had it on offense for so long, and fans are struggling to admit they will move forward with a cast that played second fiddle to their Killer Bs.
The trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick is stunning considering the talented safeties recently available in free agency. Pittsburgh will surely want that first round pick back as it tries to get more important pieces in place. A bit like Jacksonville, this team could still succeed if the defences plays to its best. But unlike in Jacksonville, there haven’t been flashes of that through two weeks.
23) Jacksonville Jaguars
(up 5)
Might be better to get rid of Doug Marrone before trading Jalen Ramsey away. That kind of talent is rare, whereas Marrone seems like he could be gone soon anyway.
That said, we’re all in on Gardner Minshew. The rookie put his team in a position to win the game; it was Leonard Fournette’s run that got stuffed as the team went for two instead of the extra point tie. That’s not bad going against a top ranked Texans side. (Even if Minshew did allow two strip sacks.)
24) Tennessee Titans
(down 6)
Marcus Mariota - still looking like he’s adjusting to the NFL - isn’t doing much to earn himself a new contract with the Titans. The fifth-year man is under-throwing balls and taking needless sacks. On Sunday, he lead an offense to all of 242 yards and one third down on ten attempts. Needlesss to say, it brought this team back down to earth after a strong Week 1 win in Cleveland.
25) Oakland Raiders
(unchanged)
The Raiders demonstrated Jon Gruden’s ability to gameplan when they jumped out 10-0 in the first quarter against the Chiefs. But after his scripted plays ran out, the team was trounced, losing 28-10. Good job by the defence, who only conceded in the second quarter. Shame it was such a large deficit. The offense clearly lacks an X-factor without Antonio Brown, but Darren Waller is a great comeback story and Josh Jacobs has been strong in his first two starts.
Oakland fans aren’t getting the instant turnaround they’d hoped for during the off-season, but building blocks are in place. Now a tough slate of four road games, a home game in London and a bye before playing in Oakland again. Not easy.
26) Denver Broncos
(down 3)
This season isn’t shaping out as Denver hoped, highlighted by Vic Fangio’s inability to beat the team he spent the last four seasons with. We expected Fangio to make life miserable for a quarterback he saw daily in Chicago; so don’t like his chances against the tougher opponents – starting with Aaron Rodgers this weekend.
Playmakers on both sides of the ball seem to be angsty, and it’s particularly noticeable that Von Miller has yet to record a sack since Week 14 last year. It’s Fangio can’t get a hold on this fast, things could get out of hand.
27) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(down 1)
The only consistency in the NFC South is Todd Bowles’ defence in Tampa Bay. But the division’s most erratic element is Jameis Winston.
Winston was okay in the Buccs Week 2 matchup against the Panthers after a horrendous opening game. Which version of him shows up week-to-week is anyone’s guess, and that’s a failure of Bruce Arians; who was brought in to “fix” the former first overall pick.
Luckily Bowles’ unit ranks eighth in yards-per-game and keeps this team in a position to win. His defence will be a test for new Giants starting quarterback Daniel Jones this week, so the Buccs could pull off another win. But they’re far from a competitive team.
28) Cincinnati Bengals
(down 1)
The Bengals suffered an ugly loss on paper on Sunday, but showed more signs of life than we expected from them in the process. John Ross and Tyler Boyd both had long catches. Andy Dalton threw some more pin point passes, although he had a poor interception too. At least there’s some hope for when AJ Green gets healthy.
Expect teams to attack Cincinnati on the ground after San Francisco exposed Cincinnati’s poor run defence. Some 42 rushes went for 259 yards and two touchdowns. Those type of gaudy numbers aren’t something you can fix overnight. (And it’s not like San Francisco has one of the greatest backfields either.)
29) Washington Redskins
(unchanged)
Since 1998, the Redskins are 1-16 when they play at home on Monday nights. Yikes.
But as the Redskins prepare to play a third playoff team in as many weeks, fans can take hope that this week’s matchup against the Bears is easier than Weeks 1 and 2. Sure Chicago’s defence will be stingy to the offence, but the opposing quarterback and playmakers aren’t as talented as in Dallas and Philadelphia. The challenge for the Redskins will be to play for a full 60-minutes after fading late in games.
30) New York Giants
(unchanged)
So Daniel Jones is in. Word all off-season was Eli Manning was on a 2-game leash so we’re not shocked. That said, Jones has an uphill battle competing with a depleted roster and against a tough defence (Tampa Bay) in his first start. It looks a lot like the Josh Rosen story last year – except Manning, Evan Engram and Saquon Barkley might provide the sixth overall pick some help. If Jones can ignore the bad and learn some lessons over the next few months, the Giants 2019 season won’t have been a complete waste.
31) New York Jets
(unchanged)
Losing backup quarterback Trevor Siemian before Week 2’s halftime doomed the Jets to the bottom of our power rankings. The Jets failed to get anything going following his departure, although Le’Veon Bell tried his best to get loose. The running back produced 129 of New York’s 262 total yards on 21 carries and 10 catches. That’s an achievement considering there’s so little talent – outside Robby Anderson – teams need to defend against.
32) Miami Dolphins
(unchanged)
Good for Minkah Fitzpatrick finding his way out of this one. Surprised the Dolphins got such strong value for him considering the Steelers could have saved the pick if they’d targeted one of the many safeties available in free agency.
Speaking of the Steelers, Josh Rosen will rue ending up in Miami with the league suddenly seeing a sleuth of quarterback injuries. In another world, he’s the one in Pittsburgh now. But he’s not, and instead gets his first start of the year Sunday.
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