After a week full of upsets and disappointments, a lot of rearranging was in order. Where does your team place in this week’s Power Rankings?
1. Dolphins (+2)
After upsets to both San Francisco and Philly, the Dolphins are currently the best team in the NFL. Yet, they found themselves down 14-0 at the end of the 1st quarter to the worst team in the NFL. Thankfully, they woke up and put up 5 TDs before the Panthers could answer back. This Offense is still mighty impressive, but it is inconsistent. For the sake of long suffering Dolphins fans, hopefully it’s enough for a date in Vegas in February.
2. Niners (-1)
San Francisco suffers their first loss of the season and Brock Purdy suffers his first loss of his career,17-19. The Offense looked lost, losing both Deebo Samuels and Christian McCaffrey in the 2nd half. Throughout the entire game, they could only muster 215 yards. Even worse, they somehow lost to backup PJ Walker. Even through all of the woes, the Niners still had a chance to pull off a victory. Jake “Money” Moody, with his entire family in attendance, lined up for a 41 yard Field goal with 9 seconds remaining. Kick. Shank. No good. Cleveland erupts. Pain.
3. Eagles (-1)
Man, what a choke job by the Birds. After leading 14-3 halfway through the 2nd quarter, the Birds couldn’t get into scoring position the rest of the game. Jalen Hurts looked rough, throwing a TD and 3 picks in possibly the worst performance in his career. With a late pick setting up prime field position for the Jets, Captain Cougar was able to get his team in position for Breece Hall to punch in the late score, shocking the Eagles. After a disappointing performance, the Eagles have got some soul searching to do.
4. Lions (0)
Detroit suddenly finds themselves as the top seed in a very top-heavy NFC. Jared Goff has looked like a possible MVP candidate the past month, but can he and Detroit keep it up? After beating the Kelce-less Chiefs Week one, the remainder of teams that Detroit has beaten are a combined 5-12. The Lions are definitely a team on the rise and should be respected in the NFC race, but it seems they still have that apostrophe. They just need that quality win to stamp that they’re definitely contenders. Ravens are up next, that could work.
5. Ravens (+1)
In the NFL’s second trip across the pond, Ravens get a big 24-16 dub to take control of the North yet again. Even with Tucker taking over the game with 6 Field Goals, the Offense looked better this week. Lamar continues to impress me with his passing game, finishing 21-30 passing. Meanwhile, Rookie Zay Flowers got his first career receiving TD on a scramble and toss from Lamar. Meanwhile, Lamar still led his team in Rushing yards, yet again. Please Baltimore, get this team a Running Back.
6. Bills (-1)
In possibly the most controversial game of the season so far, the Bills hold on at the last second to take the win, 14-9. Buffalo looked rough in the first 3 quarters of the game, failing to score whatsoever until early in the 4th. It’s not a good look to nearly lose to a team who’s getting dominated by nearly everyone else. Allen threw two TDs and a pick in what was possibly the ugliest game for them this season. Oh well, a win is a win.
7. Chiefs (0)
Imagine my pain when I wanted to celebrate my 26th birthday to see this stinker on the schedule. Ask me during the off-season, this would’ve been a blowout. Meanwhile, the Chiefs couldn’t manage much on Offense. The struggles are getting louder and louder. Take away the blowout against the Bears, the Chiefs have a +28 point differential. For reference, the Texans currently have a +22 differential. Kansas City needs to wake up before they start facing harder competition.
8. Jaguars (+1)
Jacksonville looked like world beaters against their rivals from Indy. Travis Etienne looks to be the real deal, bringing in 2 scores in the 2nd quarter. Although the final score of 37-20 looks somewhat close, it wasn’t. Before some garbage time scores from the Colts in the 4th quarter, it was 31-6. The Jags were flat out the better team Sunday and are currently leading the AFC South. As far as I’m concerned, the division still belongs to them.
9. Cowboys (+5)
Cowboys went into Sofi Stadium and took care of business against the Chargers, 20-17. While Dak Prescott has been the butt of jokes recently, he actually had himself a solid game. 272 yards, a TD pass, and a TD on the ground isn’t too shabby. What surprises me is Dak also led in Rushing as well. After tonight, the Boys are suddenly within reach of the Eagles for the division. Man, the NFC East should be fun to watch.
10. Jets (+2)
Even after losing Rodgers, New York still remains competitive, shocking the undefeated Eagles 20-14. After being down 3-14 midway through the 2nd quarter, The Jets did just enough to get in position for the upset. A late pick of Hurts led to a Breece Hall TD run to put them up, and hold off the Eagles. What a performance by Gang Green!
11. Chargers (-3)
God, I feel like I could copy and paste for the Chargers every week. Yet again, the Chargers Chargered. That’s it, I’m making Chargering a verb now. Miss your exit on the highway? You Chargered. Lock your keys in the car? You Chargered. Accidentally tell your crush you’re a Chargers fan? You Chargered. All that aside, Los Angeles had a chance late in the game to tie and take the game in OT. 1st down, gain of three. 2nd down, sack, loss of eight. Third down, interception. Game, set, and match. They Chargered. Will someone see if that poor Chargers fan from the broadcast is ok?
12. Seahawks (-2)
Just when I thought Seattle was gonna make the turn into a true contender, they blew it. With a great win over the NFC leading Lions, they looked flat against Cincinnati. Geno Smith put up 323 passing yards, but 2 interceptions to a somewhat broken Bengals secondary. After punching in a score from Kenneth Walker on their first drive, they failed to reach the end zone the rest of the game. The Seahawks have got to perform better if they want another postseason berth come January.
13. Buccaneers (-2)
Tampa let the streaking Lions come into Raymond James and make it feel like home, quite literally. Anyone watching the game could notice a lot of Honolulu Blue in the stands. While Baker Mayfield has looked great this season, he has the worst game of his Buccaneer career so far, throwing 19-37 and a pick. If Tampa wants to take the South, they have got to put together some wins against difficult opponents. Also, the Creamsicle unis are one of the best throwbacks in the league today, don’t at me.
14. Steelers (+5)
A nice way to celebrate a bye week? Upsetting your hated rivals. I thought back to my rankings last week and felt it wasn’t fair to rank them that low, despite their Offensive woes. While they’re 3-2 and just lost the division lead to the Ravens, the Steelers are questionable in my book. Defense is responsible for two of them directly. The scoop and score against Cleveland, and the strip sack against Baltimore are mighty impressive, the Offense has been almost no help whatsoever. While the Offense is averaging 289 yards per game, the Defense is allowing 409. Pittsburgh cannot keep this up and stay successful. I’ll say it again. Hell, I’ll shout it from the rooftops; FIRE MATT CANADA.
15. Vikings (0)
Minnesota survives a scare from the lowly Bears, winning 19-13. I can’t even begin to tell you how badly this team needs Justin Jefferson back. Until late in the 1st half, the Vikings couldn’t seem to pull away from Chicago. At this point, Minnesota is left in an interesting predicament; Try to keep the season afloat and attempt to crash the postseason party, or tank for Caleb Williams? While the latter isn’t necessary, having an underrated Kirk Cousins, but something has got to change in Minneapolis.
16. Falcons (-2)
Atlanta had a chance to catch up with Tampa and failed to capitalize. Desmond Ridder’s 3 interceptions were killer. Washington was looking beatable, but the Falcons wound up beating themselves in the end. The youngsters looked great though, with Drake London putting up 125 yards on 12 targets, and the duo of Tyler Allgeier and Bijan Robinson combining for 88 yards on 26 split carries. Atlanta stays competitive, but can’t seem to close these games out.
17. Packers (-1)
Going into a bye week after an upset loss is never easy, but it gives Green Bay a chance to search for answers. One of them should be obvious; Is Jordan Love the answer? After starting the season with 6 Tds and no interceptions, he’s looked rough. The past 3 games, he’s had a 2:6 TD-INT ratio. The Packers have been 1-2 in those games, with a blowout loss to the division leading Lions. Will the Packers give Love another season to develop, or will they be QB shopping in the off-season? With the possibility of both Kyler Murray and rival Justin Fields being available, management has a lot of questions to consider.
18. Commanders (0)
After being upset last week by a winless Bears team, Washington cleaned up and put up a great win against a competitive Falcons team. Sam Howell seemed to wipe away last week’s performance and had a great game, 151 yards and 3 TDs. The Defense came to play as well, intercepting 3 passes from Desmond Ridder, including an end zone pass that drove Falcons coach Arthur Smith crazy. I like the direction this Commanders team is heading. Maybe not a playoff team, but the team has been easier to watch and stomach recently.
19. Titans (-2)
Tennessee went to London and plain got handled. The Defense held Baltimore to mainly Field Goals, but the offense couldn’t cooperate. The Titans only TD came off a 15 yard run from King Henry. Continuing on Offense, Ryan Tannehill’s job is currently in danger. After throwing an interception in the 4th quarter with stats of 8-16 for 76 yards, he was pulled for Sophomore Malik Willis. Willis led the Titans to a Field Goal and finished 4-5 for 74 yards. He nearly eclipsed Tannehill’s numbers in a third of the passing attempts. Tennessee has a lot of questions moving forward.
20. Browns (+1)
Incredibly impressive outing by the short handed Browns, upsetting previously undefeated San Francisco 19-17. With Deshaun Watson still out, despite being cleared 3 weeks in a row, Cleveland rolled out PJ Walker, who did just enough to get the win. The Defense looks to have cleaned up after an embarrassing performance against Baltimore before the bye. Even in adversity, the Brownies pull it off. With Cleveland’s ability to win without him, is it time to move on from Watson?
21. Rams (-1)
After an impressive Offensive outing against the Cardinals, it’s as if coach Sean McVay heard what I said about Matthew Stafford. This week, he appeared to put the ball in Kyren Williams hands more and was rewarded, with 158 yards a score. Meanwhile, Cooper Kupp was able to put up his own numbers; 148 yards and his first score of the season. If Los Angeles can keep these performances up, we may see a return to the postseason for the Rams. The drop may be confusing, but the Browns just deserved a rise.
22. Bengals (0)
Bengals improve to 3-0 against the NFC West, but are still 0-3 against everyone else. It’s strange, being undefeated against one of the better divisions, but I’m sure Cincinnati fans certainly won’t complain. Burrow continues to be somewhat broken, with 185 yards, 2 TDs, and an interception. This team rides or dies with Joe and he’s got to wake up if the Bengals want another taste of postseason success. That being said, still an impressive win against Seattle.
23. Colts (+2)
Surprise rise for the Colts despite the aggravating 37-20 loss in Jacksonville, but I felt there were definitely some worse teams than them and they’ve, for the most part, stayed competitive. In a confusing turn of events, Indianapolis kept the ball in Minshew’s hands, giving him 55 attempts, while suddenly hot Zach Moss only had 7 carries all game. I feel this team is better in the hands of Anthony Richardson, but he’s still out with a shoulder injury that could turn season ending. They definitely need him, because Minshew’s 3 interceptions hurt more than help. Another lost season in Indy?
24. Texans (+6)
Despite looking dead in the water week one, the Texans have rebounded, beating the Saints 20-13 to rise to 3-3. CJ Stroud, who’s got to be nearly everyone’s pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year, had a great game, finishing a hair shy of 200 yards, 2 TDs, and a pick. His performance this year is beginning to make Houston fans believe again. Suddenly a game behind Jacksonville, can Houston make a run for the division?
25. Saints (-2)
Nawlins experiences night and day. After a total obliteration of New England last week, they fell to the Texans, 13-20. My question is, what’s going on with the Saints? The Offense looked great last week, but was disappointing. Even after outgaining the Texans in yards and possession time, they couldn’t close out drives. For their hopes, can we see a different Saints team next week?
26. Raiders (+2)
The tale of two teams. While the Patriots seem to be falling apart, the Raiders are making a comeback. After starting the season 1-3, they’ve rattled off two quality wins to reach .500. While the Patriots tried to keep the game close, the Raiders kept them at bay to win the game 21-17. Late in the 4th, the Patriots made it a 2 point game, 19-17, with a short run by Rhamondre Stevenson. The Patriots were able to hold off the Raiders and reclaim the ball. In possibly one of the weirdest endings to a game I’ve ever seen, Bilal Nichols was able to sack Mac Jones in the end zone for a 2 point safety. What a way to end a game.
27. Broncos (0)
To the credit of Denver, this game was actually pretty close. A 19-8 to the defending champs isn’t bad, but the Broncos failure to score cost them heavily. Russell Wilson blew a huge red zone opportunity by throwing a pick. While the Defense came to play, the Offense continued to limp behind. Remember 2013, when Denver’s Offense was breaking NFL records? Good times.
28. Giants (-2)
What a painful way to lose a game. Tyrod Taylor looked to have a win for the Giants, but a question call from the refs cost them the game. While it did appear to be Defensive Pass Interference to me, I’m not on the field. Despite the call, Giants look…great! They should be proud of themselves for keeping up with Buffalo and coming This close to having the upset. Good on the G-men.
29. Bears (+2)
Chicago put up a great attempt against their rivals in Minnesota, but couldn’t hold on. After an injury to Justin Fields, Tyler Bagent was brought out and wasn’t terrible. He was able to put the Bears only TD on the board with a 1 yard run and made the game close, but a scoop and score and a late interception cost the Bears the game. It’s great to see Chicago at least competitive. Even better, Chicago still holds the 1st and 2nd Overall picks.
30. Patriots (-6)
The Patriots season is currently on life support, with coach Bill Belichick facing his first top 5 pick I’m his Patriots career. At 1-5, the Patriots have got to try anything to save this season. Perhaps Mac Jones, who’s sack in the end zone for a safety clinched a win for the Silver and Black, isn’t the answer anymore? Anyways, I expect a lot of changes in Foxborough this off-season.
(Personal Note: Jake Jollymore, our fearless leader, and all over great guy, is a Patriots fan. He probably won’t appreciate seeing the Pats towards the bottom, so if you don’t see my name at the bottom of next week’s power rankings, I’ve been replaced. Don’t fire me, Jake!)
31. Cardinals (+1)
Another week, the same result for Arizona. This time, at the hands of the Rams, 26-9. At one point, the Cardinals looked to be in control of the game, leading at half 9-6. Afterwards, all Rams. Joshua Dobbs is trying his best, but he doesn’t appear to be the answer. With Kyler Murray still at home streaming, the Cardinals need a QB. If Kyler returns, will he be enough to get this team back on track? If not, will the Cards pull the trigger on Caleb Williams? If so, what happens to Kyler?
32. Panthers (-3)
While the Panthers came out swinging against a talented Dolphins team, they laid down and died. Leading 14-0 going into the 2nd quarter, they went quiet until Miami hung 35 unanswered points. While Bryce Young looked great, the Panthers are a long way from being competitive. As the record shows, this is currently the worst team in the NFL, currently boasting a -74 point differential. Only the Giants and Patriots boast worse. One day, Carolina will be back, just not today.
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