By Korbett Koselak
- Atlanta Falcons (1-2)
Last Week: 6
One of two, 2-loss teams on this week’s power rankings, Atlanta made the mistake, yet again, of giving an all-time great quarterback the ball to begin overtime. Just like Super Bowl 51, said all-time great quarterback took the ball down the field and put it the endzone. Debating the merit of the NFL’s overtime rules is for another article, but Atlanta could by all accounts be 3-0. They have played likely the toughest schedule in football consisting of three playoff teams from last year, two of which they’ll have to turn around and play again this season. The NFC South division is the NFL’s toughest and Atlanta is already behind the 8-ball, a game behind everybody else.
Next Game: v. Cincinnati Bengals
- Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)
Last Week: 7
Philadelphia made it much harder than they had to on Sunday when they squeaked by Indianapolis 20-16. This is the second consecutive week the Eagles have fallen in the rankings, but once superstar quarterback Carson Wentz gets back into his groove following an ACL-tear last December, things should be all-good in Philadelphia. A tough test awaits the Super Bowl 52 Champions this week as they hit the road to face another team on this list.
Next Game: @ Tennessee Titans
- Miami Dolphins (3-0)
Last Week: 11
Did anybody think we’d be saying “the unbeaten Miami Dolphins” on September 26th? Well maybe somebody did if they had looked at the schedule. Miami, while one of three unbeatens, has defeated one-win New York, winless Oakland, and a decent Tennessee team in a multi-delay, slop-filled, rainfest week one. The schedule gets much tougher this week as they head to Foxboro for their annual beatdown in Boston. However with their opportunistic defense, an improved Ryan Tannehill, and potential cracks in New England’s armor, this could be the year for Miami in the AFC East.
Next Game: @ New England Patriots
- New Orleans Saints (2-1)
Last Week: 13
The New Orleans Saints squeezed out a victory for the second week in a row. They won in Atlanta for the first time in three years and moved to 2-1. They are one of three 2-1 teams in the NFC South. One more week without Mark Ingram for this offense. Ingram, who led the team in rushing in 2017, was suspended four games for PEDs in the offseason. He should provide relief for Mr.Do-Everything Alvin Kamara and a little more personnel for the running-game.
Next Game: @ New York Giants
- Minnesota Vikings (1-1-1)
Last Week: 3
Right when you think you know something, anything, ANYTHING, about the NFL, what happened in Minneapolis on Sunday occurs. The Buffalo Bills, who many, including myself, had pegged as the worst team in football, by a wide-margin, spanked the NFC-favorite Viks inside US Bank Stadium. 27-6 was the final and you could hear a pin drop in the usually raucous facility. Kirk Cousins turned the ball over time and time again, the defense couldn’t keep a rookie quarterback out of the end-zone and what was at kickoff a 16.5 point spread, wound up a 21-point beating by the underdogs. The Vikings only fell three spots and I don’t even know why. I have no idea what to make out of last weekend and I’m sure the rest of you don’t either.
Next Game: @ Los Angeles Rams
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1)
Last Week: 1
Last week’s number one, the Jags were awfully disappointing this week as they fell to division rival Tennessee 9-6. Their defense is widely accepted as top-flight, but their offense continues to show that it is in need of some fine-tuning. Wide-receiver Keelan Cole came out in support of young quarterback Blake Bortles this week, saying he thinks Bortles could be the next Tom Brady. That remains to be seen, but what doesn’t is his inability to move the ball against competent defenses. Jacksonville likely won’t need to score much this week, but scoring 6-points again this week wouldn’t do much for confidence.
Next Game: v. New York Jets
- Tennessee Titans (2-1)
Last Week: n/a
Coming in at week four’s “Stretch of the Week“, we have the Tennessee Titans. My stretches in earlier weeks including the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals did not fare well in their next games, so we’ll see if Tennessee meets a similar fate. Tennessee hosts the defending champions this week in a game where they’ll be underdogs, again. They were 1-point underdogs in a week one loss to Miami. They were underdogs against Houston in week two and then 10-point underdogs to Jacksonville last week. They out Jacksonville’d Jacksonville last week which puts them at four. They are 2-0 in the division and have only had a healthy Marcus Mariota for like six quarters this year.
Next Game: v. Philadelphia Eagles
- New England Patriots (1-2)
Last Week: 4
By far the highest two-loss team on this list, New England is only still this high by virtue of leaguewide disappointment. When everyone disappoints, go with Tom Brady. The Patriots looked like a team in regression on Monday night in Detroit and were thoroughly outplayed by Bill Belichick’s former understudy. However, much like the team below New England on this list, we’ve seen this before. New England has struggled out of the gate in the past and always rebounded. Look for a resounding victory at Gillette on Sunday to announce to the world that Brady and Belichick still roam the sidelines.
Next Game: v. Miami Dolphins
- Kansas City Chiefs (3-0)
Last Week: 8
The Kansas City Chiefs are on pace to have the best offense in league history. It’s… Not… Close. Second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes has 13 touchdowns through three weeks and he’s on a better pace than Peyton Manning was in 2013. Manning threw FIFTY-FIVE touchdown passes. If the defense ever decides to string together a few stops, Kansas City could rival Los Angeles for the top spot. CAUTION is required however, we’ve seen this from KC before. As a matter of fact just last year Andy Reid’s bunch was 5-0 and then proceeded to lose in the first round of the playoffs.
Next Game: @ Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Rams (3-0)
Last Week: 2
The Los Angeles Rams have won each of their games by at least three touchdowns. Their just the seventh team to achieve that feat through three weeks since 2000. Three of previous six have reached the Super Bowl and the six teams have averaged 12 wins. The Rams could add more superlatives to their resume with a convincing win Thursday against a reeling Minnesota. Los Angeles will be without cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib at least this week, so we’ll learn a little about their depth, but they’ve shown no weaknesses thus far.
Next Game: v. Minnesota Vikings
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- Carolina Panthers (2-1)
- Chicago Bears (2-1)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1-1)
- Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)
- Green Bay Packers (1-1-1)