1. Miami Dolphins 3-0 Next Week: @ Bills
The Dolphins just put up the most points by an NFL team since 1966 this week and have started the year averaging 43 points per game. The best offense so far this season will have the biggest test of their young season on Sunday at home versus the Bills and their daunting defense.
2. San Francisco 49ers 3-0 Next Week: vs Cardinals
The current favorite to win Super Bowl LVIII, the 49ers have scored 30 points in each of their three games thus far and despite beating the Rams in week 2 by only a touchdown, have not been in serious danger of losing whatsoever.
3. Philadelphia Eagles 3-0 Next Week: vs Commanders
The Eagles have bent but not broken this year starting off 3-0. They had 2 very close battles to begin the season against the Patriots and the Vikings but managed to win both by sticking to what they know, smash mouth football. Jalen Hurts hasn’t quite continued his MVP-like form from a year ago, but their defense has picked up where they left off and they have one of the best running games in the league.
4. Buffalo Bills 2-1 Next Week: vs Dolphins
The unfortunate performance from Josh Allen caused a Week 1 loss for the Bills, but since then they have been massacring any team that steps in their path. With a huge matchup at home with the Dolphins this week sure to test the team’s improvements, watch out for the Bills to completely erase their “slow start” with an impressive performance against the #1 team in the league.
5. Kansas City Chiefs 2-1 Next Week: @ Jets
The Chiefs are another victim to an unexpected loss in Week 1 and they too have not looked back since. Since Travis Kelce has returned to the team, they have continued their offensive dominance we’ve come to expect over the last 5 seasons. A definite depth issue arose as far as offensive weapons are concerned, but where there’s a Mahomes there’s a way. A matchup against the ruthless Jets defense who will no doubt single-out Kelce should show how the Chiefs handle this issue.
6. Dallas Cowboys 2-1 Next Week: vs Patriots
Step 1… Shutout the Giants and drop 40 on them.
Step 2… Dominate the Jets on their way to being the #1 ranked team in the league. Step 3… Lose to the Cardinals…
So the Cowboys just had a bad day in an away stadium and yes, that happens. But after the best 2-week start in this historic franchises history to lay an egg like that may have people wondering where their “boys” potential really is this season.
7. Cleveland Browns 2-1 Next Week: vs Ravens
The Browns have a claim as owners of the best defense in the league. Led by Myles Garrett, they are allowing only 163.7 yards per game and 10.7 points per game. The Nick Chubb injury definitely hurts them offensively, but Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper have been connecting well as of late and only need to score a few times a game with their daunting defense in their corner.
8. Detroit Lions 2-1 Next Week: @ Packers
The Lions have come back down to Earth since beating the Chiefs in the first game of the year but still are deserving of a top-10 slot. Dan Campbell's leadership has been evident in this smash-mouth team from the trenches out. One overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks is all that separates the team from 3-0. Divisional games start this week for them and will be a good measuring opoint for both offense and defense.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers 2-1 Next Week: @ Texans
Another candidate for the best defense in the league, the Steelers are seemeinly putting pieces together on offense too. Kenny Pickett had a terrible Week 1 against the 49ers, but has since seemed impressive along second year receiver George Pickens. With Diontae Johnson still out for multiple weeks and Najee Harris yet to find his rhythm this season, look for the Steelers to stay inside the top-10 for a while.
10. Seattle Seahawks 2-1 Next Week: @ Giants
The Geno Smith experiment has proved to not be a one-year-wonder. Scoring the 4th most points this season, the Seahawks offense has been legit behind Smith and Kenneth Walker. Scoring 37 in their last two contests is a far cry from only 13 in their season opener against the Rams; Pete Carroll seemingly has this team on the right track ahead of their Monday Night Football showcase against the Giants.
11. Green Bay Packers 2-1 Next Week: vs Lions
So Jordan Love is... Good? With a 2-1 record and a 7:1 TD-INT ratio he's at least playing the part so far. With top receiver Christian Watson missing most of the season so far it's only assumed this offense will improve throughout the season. The next few weeks will include much tougher opponents however, so watch for the Packers to trulty be tested moving forward and possibly sliding down this list.
12. New Orleans Saints 2-1 Next Week: vs Buccaneers
The Derek Carr-led Saints seemed to be pushing the elite tier with a well balanced and complete team, but with Derek Carr's AC Joint sprain possibly leaving the QB out for a few weeks, the team will have to rely on their defense, which ahs been good for the 6th best in the league in allowing points so far. A newly returning Alvin Kamara will be able to help out Jameis Winston and co until Carr is ready to come back.
13. New England Patriots 1-2 Next Week: @ Cowboys
This may be the mot controversial selection on the list, after a "boring" display with the Jets this week earning New England their first win of the season. What people aren't considering is the team's strength of schedule. Eagles, Dolphins, Jets and now Cowboys are all team's included in the NFL's preseason Top-9 teams. Mac Jones looks better than people thought and the defense stands at yards allowed.
14. Atlanta Falcons 2-1 Next Week: @ Jaguars
Coming off a lackluster performance in Detroit, the Falcons are a curious case thus far in the season. With a new offensive identity normally comes growing pains but the team started 2-0 with a huge comeback in Green Bay. This team has an excellent runnning back in Bijan and fairly great coaching in Arthur Smith. This team's long term success is truly... curious.
15. Indianapolis Colts 2-1 Next Week: vs Rams
Looked at as a bottom-3 team before the season, the Colts have shockingly started 2-1 including a win in Baltimore. New rookie QB has looked impressive on the ground but has dealt with injuries that have forced Gardner Minshew to possibly cause a QB-battle for the Colts. Their defense started slow in Jacksonville allowing 31 points but have since kept the Texans and Ravens to only 39 points while on the road.
16. Baltimore Ravens 2-1 Next Week: @ Browns
The ravens seem to be as good of an offense as they have in years' past and while the loss vs Indy hurts their stock here, something can also be said for their "easy" schedule so far. With wins over the Texans and Bengals to start the season, their truest test comes this week in Cleveland. An impressive performance on offense would surely take their rankiung on a rocket ship, but the opposite might strap it to the titanic.
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-1 Next Week: @ Saints
Another surprising 2-1 start belongs to the Buccaneers. Monday Night Football against the Eagles exposed them this week, but the team's questionable signing of Baker Mayfield this offseason has truly paid off. Tampa is surely going to drop down this list by the end of the season and is still expected to be bottom-10, but their Super Bowl defense is still clinging on for dear life and Baker Mayfield may not be Tom Brady, but is stubbornly trying to keep this offense efficient.
18. Los Angeles Rams 1-2 Next Week: @ Colts
On a 2-game skid, the Rams season has been a roller coaster already. Impressive win in Seattle followed by a close loss vs San Francisco and then a lackluster loss in Cincinnati has trended the Rams in the wrong direction. A matchup against the Colts is a great way for the team to get back into rhythm, but with Cooper Kupp still out and Matthew Stafford's Super Bowl days from behind him, it's unlikely the team retains any success this year.
19. Arizona Cardinals 1-2 Next Week: @ 49ers
The Cardinals were on their way to locking down the #1 pick this season and then trounce the visiting Cowboys last week. WHAT? The red birds have impressed everyone this season, barely losing to the Giants and Commanders earlier this season behind Josh Dobbs and James Conner's surge this year. Could this team fight off their predicted bottom-3 finish thanks to first year coach Jonathan Gannon?
20. Los Angeles Chargers 1-2 Next Week: vs Raiders
It seems like the Chargers are riddled with injuries every year doesn't it? Even after Keenan Allen's ridiculous Week 3 game against the Vikings, the biggest news for them is Mike Williams' torn ACL and Austin Ekeler's lack of availability heading into next week too. To make matters worse, serious rumors of Brandon Staley's firing have been getting louder.
21. Washington Commanders 2-1 Next Week: @ Eagles
Don't let the 2-1 record fool you, the Commanders have been outscored 86-58 this season and only hold wins against the Cardinals and Broncos. Their first tough matchup came in a 37-3 loss to the Bills at home, and things aren't getting any better as they open up divisionally at Phildelphia this week. Another contender for a team sinking down this lsit in the future.
22. New York Giants 1-2 Next Week vs Seahawks
The Giants have had an odd start to the season. a 40-0 loss on Monday Night Football followed by a 28-7 second half comeback against the Cardinals and then a 30-12 loss to the 49ers. This offense can be truly explosive when Saquon Barkley comes back thanks to a great start to the year by Daniel Jones. The first step will be to start performing well against top team, where they are 2-6 over their previous 20 games.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars 1-2 Next Week: vs Falcons
Gotta be honest... I picked the Jaguars as my "dark-horse" Super Bowl candidate this year. Not my finest moment.
Trevor Lawrence has seemingly regressed evidently from their 37-17 loss to the Texans and barely inking out a win Week 1 vs the Colts. This team'
s potential is till sky high this year and has a tremendous roster which saves them from being farther down on the list, but that will only save them for so long.
24. Minnesota Vikings 0-3 Next Week: vs Panthers
Kirk Cousins leads the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns, Justin Jefferson leads the league in receiving yards and Danielle Hunter is 2nd in the league in sacks. They are 0-3.
Let's be honest, this is a very positive 0-3. Even though the team is technically bottom-3 right now, they still have a shot to win the NFC North for the second year in a row if they figure some stuff out.
25. New York Jets 1-2 Next Week: vs Chiefs
This team would've been so good with Aaron Rodgers honestly. Their team form top-to-bottom may be the most balanced in the entire league if not for Zach Wilson. Still holding a Top-5 defense, their offense immediately shot to bottom-5 as soon as Wilson stepped in. Unfortunately their season seems lost even after their Trevor Siemian signing.
26. Cincinnati Bengals 1-2 Next Week: @ Titans
Joe Burrow is clearly hurt. With the worst 3-game stretch in his career being the start to their season after a calf injury kept him out of the preseason, the $275-million dollar QB needs to focus on healing. Their defense has maybe been the best Joe has had sinc3e coming to Cincy, and once Burrow is back to 100%, this team will start rattling off wins. But as of right now, they really look awful.
27. Houston Texans 1-2 Next Week: vs Steelers
C.J. Stroud has started his career on a "terrible" team with everyone against him and has the most pass attempts without an interception in the league. The Texans 37-17 in Jacksonville was certainly eye-opening, but was most likely a bad day from the Jaguars. This Texans team still has a lot of work to do to become competitive but at least it looks like they have a QB to build around.
28. Las Vegas Raiders 1-2 Next Week: @ Chargers
The Josh McDaniels experiment is going about as well as it did in Denver. Apparently signing 6 New England Patriots over the last two seasons wasn't the fool-proof plan Josh thought it'd be. Jimmy G has had a pretty not great start to the season already throwing more picks than all of last year and star receiver Davante Adams has been pretty vocal about things needing to change within the organization.
29. Tennessee Titans 1-2 Next Week: vs Bengals
The worst of the 1-win club, the Titans need to move on from Ryan Tannehill. The signal-caller may be bright but his ability is far behind him I don't care how many 31-year old DeAndre Hopkins you give him. Give the ball to one of your young gunners in Willis or Levis and ride out the year when you'll probably have a Top-5 pick. Mike Vrabel should just let the rebuild happen or this team could get ugly quickly.
30. Denver Broncos 0-3 Next Week: @ Bears
70 POINTS. I'm not sure what else there is to say. Sean Payton's return to coaching has started 0-3 even in the midst of a 5 year-$90 million contract. Meanwhile Russell Wilson, (5 year-$242 million) has actually had a good year throwing 6:2 TD-INT ratio with a 99.5 rating. The Broncos can still come back to be competitive this season but still... 70 POINTS???
31. Carolina Panthers 0-3 Next Week: vs Vikings
Bryce Young has certainly taken longer than the Panthers would have liked to progress to a starting level. This roster is not bad through and through, evident by Andy Dalton's 360 yards and 2 TD performance in a competitive game against the Seahawks. With Young coming back this week, his precision has the ability to lead his talented team to several wins this year. Only question is how long it will take Young to get to that point.
32. Chicago Bears 0-3 Next Week: vs Broncos
Not only are the Bears miserably 0-3 with little hope of a non bottom-3 ranking at the end of the year, they have lost their last 12 regular season games. The team's ability to run is impressive but it's hard to establish a run game when you're losing by 20 points at the half. Another rebuild may be on the horizon if Justin Fields can't prove that he can actually pass the ball, and Matt Eberflus may not be a part of it for much longer.
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