Power Rankings: Week 3 Top 10
Skipped a week on these, our bad, so this is a two-week jump. A lot has changed since Week 1, five teams are still unbeaten through three games, and a couple of our old top 10 names have already fallen off. Here’s where we’ve got things after Week 3.
1. San Francisco 49ers (3-0) Best point differential in the league and it isn’t close. Blew out the Rams 27-7 in Melbourne, handled Miami 35-13 behind a nearly flawless Purdy (20-of-22, 287 yards, 2 TDs plus a rushing score in that one), then survived a track meet with Arizona, 36-30. This offense hasn’t had a bad half yet.
2. Buffalo Bills (3-0) Josh Allen is playing like the MVP front-runner. Five total touchdowns in the win over Detroit, then survived their own mess against the Chargers, five turnovers and ten penalties, and still found a way to win 24-16 behind James Cook’s 154 yards on the ground. Sloppy at times, but 3-0 is 3-0.
3. Minnesota Vikings (3-0) Quietly the most complete team in the league right now. The defense held a Bears offense that scored 59 points in Week 1 down to a field goal, then limited Tampa Bay to 16 in a 23-16 win. Kyler Murray’s back healthy after the early concussion scare, and this roster isn’t missing much on either side of the ball.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) Needed overtime to get past a feisty Colts team, but Kenneth Walker III’s signing looks like the best move of the offseason. Mahomes was efficient in the win over Miami, 20-of-24 for 246 yards and two scores, with Walker punching in two touchdowns of his own. This offense has a completely different identity than last year’s.
5. Las Vegas Raiders (3-0) The real surprise team of the season so far. Kirk Cousins has been one of the better quarterbacks in the league through three weeks, nobody saw that coming, and Ashton Jeanty’s been a workhorse behind him. Beat Miami, beat the Chargers, then outlasted a red-hot Saints team 35-27. Quietly perfect.
6. Seattle Seahawks (2-1) Outgained Washington 437 to 258 and still found a way to lose, 33-31, three turnovers including a pick-six did the damage. Sam Darnold looked fully healthy in his return though, 379 yards and four touchdowns, so this is more of a self-inflicted stumble than a real red flag.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) Bounced back from the Denver loss in a big way, blowing out New England 35-6. Trevor Lawrence looks like himself again, and Travis Hunter picked off his first career pass on defense. This team has real juice when Lawrence is on.
8. Baltimore Ravens (2-1) The one loss was a genuine letdown against New Orleans, blowing a lead they shouldn’t have. Answered it in style though, trailing by double digits in Brazil before a walk-off finish beat Dallas 34-31 in one of the wildest games of the year.
9. Chicago Bears (2-1) The statement win of the week. Caleb Williams still out with a hamstring injury, so Case Keenum got his first start in over 1,000 days, and all he did was throw for 247 yards and three total touchdowns in a 27-7 beatdown of the Eagles. The defense that got torched for 361 yards in Week 1 forced three turnovers this time. Real signs of life on that side of the ball.
10. Detroit Lions (2-1) Bounced back from the Thursday night loss to Buffalo with a 31-24 win over the Jets, Jahmyr Gibbs scoring three second-half touchdowns after Detroit let an early lead turn into a tie game. The offense keeps covering for a defense that still isn’t fixed.
That’s our Week 3 top 10. Stay tuned for Locks & Losses this Saturday for our picks for Week #4 in the NFL.
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