Category: power rankings

Cover photo taken from San Francisco Chronicle.

1 – Chiefs (5-3)

Monday night didn’t prove anything we didn’t already know about the Chiefs.

They are an absolute buzzsaw at full strength that can beat you in any which way on either side of the ball. It might not have been the toughest opponent, but it was as dominant of a second half as you’ll see after a lackluster opening 30 minutes. And that means something in this league.

Again, I don’t care about records. You and I both know KC is the class of the NFL.

2 – Colts (7-1)

Speaking of buzzsaws, the Colts keep on being the Colts, and it’s quite the sight to see. To be balanced is one thing; to be profoundly dominant on each side of the ball is another. Indianapolis is flirting with rarified air if they can keep up this level of play in the second half of the season.

By the way, Jonathan Taylor should 100% be in the MVP race. If he breaks the single-season touchdown record, he should get it. Life’s too short to give the MVP to another quarterback.

3 – Lions (5-2)

Bye week blues. Try not to go too crazy on JJ McCarthy in his first game back in the lineup.

4 – Rams (5-2)

Bye week blues x2. Might as well have another one with the Tyler Shough-led Saints on tap.

5 – Seahawks (5-2)

Bye week blues x3. See you on Sunday night. Tell JSN to go easy on us.

6 – Packers (5-1-1) 1

This is the best I’ve felt about the Packers in over a month, and it mainly has to do with Jordan Love. I know he’s been playing at an elite level all year, but games like Sunday night’s show just how good he can be, even if it was against a pitiful defense.

I still have some mixed feelings about Green Bay, and I still want to see more out of that defense — maybe I just have high standards. But that was a hell of a win.

7 – Buccaneers (6-2) 1

This team needs to get healthy. That was as sleepy of a win as you’ll see in the NFL, and this offense has been unwatchable for two weeks now.

This bye week couldn’t be coming at a better time.

8 – Bills (5-2)

Happy Super Bowl week, Buffalo! Usually you win this one in the regular season.

We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. In the case of Sunday’s game, I didn’t really leave feeling any different about this Bills team. The passing offense is still an eye sore, but James Cook and Josh Allen are still awesome. And the defense looked solid, albeit against Andy Dalton.

I honestly feel like the Bills have just been lollygagging and waiting to get to the Chiefs game. So I’m expecting to see their best effort on Sunday. Anything short of that will be a failure, and a cause for concern.

9 – Patriots (6-2) 1

Another week of the Patriots thrashing a cupcake behind Drake Maye’s excellence. Keep getting used to it folks, because it’s only going to continue!

The sophomore QB is remarkably impressive and firmly in the MVP race for a good reason. I wanted to see how he’d play against an elite defense, and he delivered in a massive way. He’s just that dude. And this Pats team is more than capable of winning this division.

10 – Eagles (6-2) 1

The Eagles keep on winning games with something impressive to hang their hat on, and I leave every week feeling more perplexed by them.

AJ Brown is out and the defense expects you to run, but you still run wild. But when AJ is out there, you can’t run the ball. And sometimes he goes nuclear, but other times he’s invisible. And the defense is mostly bad, but sometimes plays well.

I just don’t get it. And I don’t think I ever will. But it doesn’t matter, because the Eagles can sleepwalk to another division title. I hate football.

11 – Broncos (6-2) 1

Are the Broncos finally turning into the team that we thought they could be? Or have they just played the Jets, Giants and Cowboys in their last three games? I don’t know. Consistency has been a problem in Denver, so I’d like to see more of it before I jump to any conclusions.

But, Bo Nix has eight touchdowns in his last five quarters and this offense is really humming now that RJ Harvey has found a groove. The defense might need to step it up a bit — especially with Pat Surtain trending towards a stint on the IR — but if the offense plays like this, it shouldn’t be a problem.

12 – Chargers (5-3) 2

Speaking of inconsistent teams finding a groove, the Chargers feel back in form now that their reinforcements are back. Justin Herbert looks comfortable and mobile, the offensive line is holding up well now that Joe Alt is in there and the defense looked much better than they did in previous weeks.

I don’t know how much I trust the Chargers to remain at this level of play, but the upcoming schedule is hilariously soft — seriously, Google it — so they’ve got some time to keep it going.

13 – 49ers (5-3) 4

Hmmmmmmmmm. Maybe I was right a few weeks ago when I said the success in spite of the injuries was becoming unsustainable. Because that was San Francisco’s worst performance of the season by a comfortable margin.

I still largely have faith in this roster and this coaching staff, and the schedule is still pretty manageable. But I just wonder what this is going to look like down the stretch.

14 – Steelers (4-3) 1

Yeah, you just can’t win with this defense.

The lack of playmakers on offense can’t be masked by a Steelers-esque defensive unit because it doesn’t exist. They are just dreadful on that side of the ball. And it’s going to cost them the easiest division title they ever would have had while Lamar Jackson is in the AFC North.

Oh well! No sympathy from me.

15 – Vikings (3-4)

I really have no semblance of a clue what’s happening in Minnesota. The QB situation is just so strange; Carson Wentz being trotted out there for possession after possession felt like malpractice and I never believed that JJ McCarthy wasn’t healthy enough to play. Now, the Vikings have reaped what they’ve sown.

Unless JJ McCarthy looks like a real quarterback now that he’s back, this season is lost. And it might not even matter, because this defense has lost the plot. It’s damn near over in Minnesota.

16 – Bears (4-3)

So I guess the Bears aren’t very good. Who woulda thunk.

That defense that I said was the strong suit? Yeah, they gave up 30 to Tyler Huntley. Generational top selection Caleb Williams? He has shown little to no progression in a year-and-a-half in the pros. Wunderkind Ben Johnson’s new-look offense? It sucks.

The Bears are just the definition of mid right now. And that’s okay. I just thought we’d see more by now. And I don’t know that we will.

17 – Panthers (4-4)

Not going to take much stock in a blowout loss to the Bills with Andy Dalton playing quarterback. Let’s get Bryce Young healthy and back out there.

18 – Jaguars (4-3) 4

The Jaguars might be getting the biggest boost that a team on a bye has ever gotten. That’s how stinky some of the teams that dropped below them are.

19 – Texans (3-4) 4

Are… we back?

I know better than to get my hopes up, but Sunday’s win was inspiring. CJ Stroud looked like himself again, the defense absolutely feasted and it felt like I was watching the Houston Texans again. Maybe, just maybe they’ve found something.

And if they have, they need to run with it, because the playoffs aren’t entirely out of reach.

20 – Ravens (2-5) 5

Hey, keep doing that when Lamar Jackson is back in the lineup.

Listen, there’s a reason why the Ravens are the favorites to win the AFC North at 2-5. They are still the best team in that division, and they still have the best quarterback in that division. If the defense — which is getting healthy again — does its part, and the rest of the offense chips in, they’ll do it. Because this schedule is a joke.

21 – Cowboys (3-4-1) 2

Yeah, the Cowboys are just an unserious football team. The offense is fun and all when they’re playing a below average defense, but their own defense is not good enough to succeed when playing anybody.

At least the coaching staff victory lapped their “analytics” plays against a Washington team that had Chris Moore and Robbie Chosen — who is no longer on the damn roster — at wideout!

22 – Commanders (3-5) 2

Like I said with the team at No. 1, Monday night didn’t show me anything I didn’t already know about my football team. They just kinda suck. There isn’t anything they do well on either side of the ball, and without their Superman quarterback on the field, they do nothing of note. And when they can’t take advantage of their most inspired start to a game this season, they don’t deserve to win at all.

So, let’s focus on getting No. 5 back out there and try to salvage some wins going into the bye. Who knows what he can do on the other side of it.

23 – Falcons (3-4) 5

I guess it’s over? Even though everything was all good just 10 days ago?

I suppose the major takeaway from Sunday’s embarrassment is that those screaming for Kirk Cousins have been silenced. We’re good off that. We don’t need to see him play ever again, and his contract with Atlanta will go down in the history books as an all-time fleece. But when Penix gets back, it’s not going to look much better.

24 – Bengals (3-5) 3

If I still awarded a weekly Team of Shame, the Bengals would’ve ran away with it this week. Because good lord, that’s how you throw away a season right there.

When Zac Taylor is fired around New Year’s, this loss can be pointed at as the straw that broke the camel’s back regardless of how the second half of the season plays out.

25 – Giants (2-6) 1

Seeing Cam Skattebo go down like that just sucks. It sucks for the Giants, it sucks for the NFL and it sucks for the kid. Prayers up for a speedy recovery and a major comeback.

Losing him clearly had an effect on the Giants on Sunday, and I feel like those effects will continue as the season goes on. This new culture is built around him, Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers. Now, it’s just the rookie QB. And he can’t do it alone.

26 – Cardinals (2-5)

Kyler Murray gets what feels like his last dance coming out of this bye week. Time to see what he and the rest of this Cardinals team are made of.

27 – Dolphins (2-6) 2

Performances like Sunday’s are what Miami is capable of any given week. The problem is that they will never be consistent enough to do it in succession.

Still, it had to feel good for a team that’s been through the ringer this season. We’ll see if that consistency can come from anywhere.

28 – Browns (2-6) 1

He won’t fare much better, but it’s only a time before we see Shedeur Sanders, right?

Oh, and Myles Garrett is a dawg, but he has no one to blame but himself. You signed the dotted line, dude.

29 – Saints (1-7) 1

The days of Spencer Rattler maybe being good are gone.

The days of Tyler Shough being ass are here.

30 – Raiders (2-5)

A week without Raiders football. What a relief.

31 – Jets (1-7) 1

Gotta feel good for Aaron Glenn and Justin Fields. Particularly the quarterback, who got chastised by his owner and fans of all 32 NFL teams, then led his team back and laid his cards on the table with how tough things have been for him.

We’re always rooting for you, Justin.

32 – Titans (1-7) 1

Just not worth talking about in any capacity.

Cover photo taken from AP Photo.

1 – Buccaneers (5-1) 1

No matter how many players get added to the injury report, Baker Mayfield continues to do Baker Mayfield things. He’s the MVP of the league right now, and it might not be close.

Oh, and this has been the tough part of their schedule, too. We’re looking at the clear-cut frontrunner for the 1-seed in the NFC.

2 – Colts (5-1)

I’ll be honest, I didn’t really want to keep the Colts this high, but I just don’t know what to do with them. But, they keep winning, and that offense keeps looking good doing it.

Let’s just keep things under control during pregame warmups moving forward, yeah?

3 – Lions (4-2) 2

It was strange seeing the Lions — usually the bullies, not the bullied — get handled the way they did in Kansas City.

But, for one, the Chiefs are pretty dang good and catching their stride. And secondly, we’re a pre-snap penalty and an uncharacteristic Amon-Ra St. Brown drop away from a potentially different story here. This team is still elite, and they’re going to be fine.

4 – Rams (4-2) 3

I feel like I learned nothing about the Rams on Sunday.

The defense is fine, sure, but they played one of the league’s most anemic offenses. The offense sputtered, but that’s to be expected when their most impactful position player leaves with an injury. I hope Puka Nacua is okay and heals fast, because this team needs him badly.

I think the trip to London to take on the Jags will reveal infinitely more than whatever the hell transpired in Baltimore.

5 – Seahawks (4-2) 4

A little high for Seattle? Maybe. But considering how wonky the landscape of the league is right now, I don’t mind putting them this high. Not when they’re clicking like they have been.

I hate playing the ifs-ands-buts-or-maybes game, but we’re two last-second scores away from the Seahawks being 6-0 with one of the league’s most balanced squads spearheaded by the OPOY frontrunner. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been the best receiver in football, Sam Darnold is still wildly efficient and this defense had a nice bounce-back performance. They should parlay that into some more solid performances against a stingy part of their schedule.

6 – Bills (4-2) 2

I’m officially concerned.

Josh Allen does not look like himself right now. The team continues to ignore James Cook. The lack of true receiving threats is becoming obvious. And the defense is… just bad, I guess?

Is that what the Bills are when they’re playing competent football teams? I think that remains to be seen. They’ve earned the benefit of the doubt. But they better hope they get this thing back on track after the bye. I think that’s coming at a pretty good time for them.

7 – Packers (3-1-1) 2

Green Bay is another team that I feel like I learned nothing about this week. They’re just so… “meh” right now.

I suppose my two biggest takeaways are that Josh Jacobs has been awesome and this defense still feels off. I expect one of those to continue, but if the latter doesn’t change as the schedule ramps up, the Packers will inevitably drop some games.

8 – Chiefs (3-3) 5

The living embodiment of the “masculine urge to say ‘we’re so back’ after saying ‘it’s over'” meme.

But, the Chiefs do feel back. Patrick Mahomes is the odds-on favorite to win the MVP right now, and it’s easy to see why. Rashee Rice returns from his suspension this week. The defense played inspired after the disaster to end the Jaguars game.

Everything just feels like it’s clicking in Kansas City. The league should be terrified.

9 – Patriots (4-2) 5

Regardless of the level of competition, the Patriots deserve our respect. They’re playing pretty damn well on both sides of the ball, and Drake Maye has been one of the five or six best quarterbacks in football in 2025.

And, honestly, that’s going to continue to be the case in New England. This is the easiest schedule in football, so I feel like there’s only so much we’re going to be able to say about the Pats moving forward. I guess the only question is: how successful can they be?

10 – Steelers (4-1) 6

Like the Patriots, the Steelers are a team I’ve held off on going crazy over because I just feel so indifferent about them. But, being 4-1 and clearly finding a rhythm goes a long way. I gotta tip my cap to Mike Tomlin and Aaron Rodgers. This is your AFC North frontrunner.

It obviously doesn’t take much to stifle the Browns offense, but this defense has vastly improved since the opening weeks of the season, and so has the rushing offense. I feel like that’s what has made the difference for this squad. As long as they keep stacking wins against their easier opponents, they’re going to win this division.

11 – Falcons (3-2) 9

I said last week that I was fascinated to see what version of the Falcons we got on MNF. And boy, did we get their best. That is how dangerous this Atlanta team can be.

Michael Penix Jr. was accurate, efficient and on time. Drake London was unguardable. And Bijan Robinson is simply the deadliest weapon in the NFL right now. Not to mention, this defense responded to a so-so outing against Washington with a wildly dominant performance against Josh Allen of all people.

This is a playoff team if they can keep this level of play up. I worry about their ability to do that, but I’m rooting for them. Because this is a damn fun group.

12 – 49ers (4-2) 6

We’re reaching a point where these injuries are going to make winning unsustainable in the long-term. They can win games like they have every now and then, but I have serious doubts about this being a playoff team with no Fred Warner or Nick Bosa on defense.

I want to believe that Kyle Shanahan can keep up the magic act and get this team in a competitive spot down the stretch. But I just don’t see that happening with the current state of the roster.

13 – Commanders (3-3) 3

I don’t know man. I just don’t know. That was about as unfathomable and as big of a gut-punch of a loss that I’ve seen. I feel like I could write a dissertation about it, but I won’t. Because I don’t want to. I want to flush it out of my memory forever. But there are a couple things that need mentioning.

First and most obvious is that you can’t have a laundry list of screw-ups and expect to win an NFL game. The fact that they were in a position to win despite two first-quarter turnovers, a missed field goal, a number of penalties, no real run game and a defense that couldn’t stop a stationary vehicle is a testament to Jayden Daniels. After his uncharacteristic redzone interception, he was close to flawless. Until he wasn’t. And that fumble on what would’ve essentially been the game-clinching play is by far the biggest mistake of his young career.

But the defense didn’t have to make it easy for the Bears to then win the game. This unit is a disgrace. They haven’t forced a turnover in four of the six games and couldn’t even force a three-and-out on Monday night. Against an offense that had some serious struggles coming into the game, albeit off a bye. The holes that D’Andre Swift was running through could clear up DC’s traffic in an instant. And the zones in the secondary continue to be Charmin soft.

My main takeaway from MNF is that this team in its current state isn’t good enough to win when Jayden isn’t Superman. He’s human. He’s going to make mistakes. And the team around him isn’t good enough to overcome them when they happen.

14 – Jaguars (4-2) 6

Wait, this offense sucks again. What the heck happened?

I have no idea why this team can no longer run the ball, but it’s clear that unless the defense steps up to flip the game, Trevor Lawrence can’t do it on his own. He has been solid this year, but they need that balance to be successful. And it doesn’t help when the defense doesn’t get a takeaway.

Maybe Seattle was a bad matchup. Maybe this was just a bad game. Jacksonville should hope it doesn’t become a trend.

15 – Broncos (4-2) 4

Good lord this team is a dreadful watch. If this defense wasn’t so good, I don’t know what Denver would look like.

When the Broncos can’t establish a run game like they couldn’t on Sunday morning, we see just how limited — and sometimes straight up bad — Bo Nix is. And that’s a problem. I don’t know that I can classify this as a sophomore slump because I wasn’t particularly impressed with Nix last year. But he has not been able to elevate this team in any way shape or form. They just have to pray the defense dominates and the offense keeps up. That doesn’t feel like a winning formula. But at least the AFC is weak enough for it to work.

16 – Eagles (4-2) 4

Looks like I’ve been vindicated on my Eagles ranking from last week. Because it sure as hell feels like it’s all coming apart in Philadelphia.

I know we go through this song and dance every year, but like 2023, this one feels like it’s not as easy a fix as “locking in” like it was last season. Kevin Patullo’s offensive scheme is a disaster, Jalen Hurts isn’t good enough to overcome the lack of a run game, the wide receivers are in shambles and this secondary straight up stinks. Those unsustainable September winning ways have turned into abysmal October performances. And the schedule ain’t getting easier.

The Giants were supposed to be the get-right game. It might’ve been the exposé instead.

17 – Chargers (4-2) 2

I give a ton of credit to the Chargers for finding a way to win on Sunday in Miami. Those types of heroics from Justin Herbert are exactly what this team needed as they continue to deal with injuries galore.

But I still have pretty mixed feelings about this team. I don’t like how this defense is playing and the run game is a huge problem. But, Herbert can put on the cape if necessary. And, against the bad teams on the schedule, that’s enough.

18 – Vikings (3-2) 1

So, is JJ McCarthy coming back this week or not? Either way, I need a Brian Flores masterclass against a struggling Eagles offense. Do me a solid, Minnesota.

19 – Texans (2-3)

Like Atlanta last week, I’m fascinated to see what version of the Texans we get on Monday night. I hope it’s one that I enjoy watching — and one with an offense that looks like it did the last two times we saw them rather than the three previous times.

20 – Bears (3-2) 1

Good for y’all. You ran the ball and stopped the run way better than I expected. And you took advantage of our mistakes.

The narrative very well could’ve been different if not for a cataclysmic mistake by Jayden Daniels. But it’s not. And I have to live with that now.

21 – Panthers (3-3) 3

Are the Panthers frisky? Or just sneaky good? I genuinely have no clue.

But, Bryce Young is finding a groove. Rico Dowdle has turned into Ladanian Tomlinson for some reason. And Tetairoa McMillan is finally catching touchdowns. The defense is still bad, but they were shockingly excellent against Dallas’ great rushing attack.

Maybe, just maybe, the Panthers are turning a corner. But I won’t count those chickens before they hatch.

22 – Cowboys (2-3-1) 4

This defense, man. They are a historically hilarious handicap. I feel like I’m watching the 2020 Cowboys all over again.

There’s not much that can be said about Dallas that isn’t painfully obvious. Dak Prescott is amazing, George Pickens is perfect for this offense, Jake Ferguson has arguably been the best tight end in football and none of it matters because the defense is the worst in the league by lightyears. I don’t care that Javonte Williams was neutralized; that’s a game you can’t lose to stay afloat in the playoff race. But, here we are.

23 – Giants (2-4) 5

Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo are changing the culture in New York. They also might be saving the jobs of Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen. Good for them.

Maybe the Giants can sustain winning with this level of play on both sides of the ball. But, we’re also just a week or so removed from the Saints game. So I won’t jump to any conclusions just yet. But, Thursday night was awesome, and that’s all that matters for now.

24 – Ravens (1-5) 2

Good news: the defense didn’t give up a million points and Lamar Jackson should be back on the other side of the bye.

Bad news: the defense still sucks, you scored three whole points, Derrick Henry couldn’t get in on the goal line and you’re 3.5 games behind the Steelers. Woof.

25 – Cardinals (2-4) 2

Credit to the shorthanded Cards for hanging in with the Colts. Jacoby Brissett was airing that thing out all day long, and it damn near led to an upset win. It’s just not enough.

I really don’t think the Cardinals are this bad. Unlucky, sure. But four losses in a row are hard to overcome. I still think they can turn it around, but it’s going to need to be drastic and fast.

26 – Dolphins (1-5) 1

Nothing on the field is worth talking about in Miami. So I’ll take this time to ask Tua Tagovailoa what the hell he’s talking about.

If this team has leadership issues, that starts with you bro. You’re the damn quarterback! And you just threw three picks! Take some accountability and stop throwing your teammates under the bus. This is the reason why no one in that locker room likes you.

27 – Saints (1-5)

Another week where we say, “wow, Spencer Rattler is actually solid” and it doesn’t matter because the rest of the team ain’t very good.

This Saints team will continue to be competitive, but will also continue to lose. They’re just not a good squad.

28 – Bengals (2-4) 2

Joe Flacco being inserted at quarterback had exactly the effect we expected it to: Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins saw the ball a ton, and it doesn’t really mean anything. The rest of this team is in such squalor that I don’t know how they beat anyone with a pulse.

29 – Browns (1-5) 3

Speaking of not having a pulse, I feel like it’s only a matter of time before we see Sheduer Sanders — no pun intended.

Dillon Gabriel is fine and all, but there’s nothing there. Might as well give Mr. Perfect Timing a shot.

30 – Raiders (2-4) 1

Oh look, a win! Cherish that one, Raiders. There aren’t any more Titans left on the schedule.

31 – Titans (1-5) 2

Thank you for firing Brian Callahan. What comes next? Who knows. But I still think the Titans have the right GM and QB, despite Cam Ward’s abysmal game on Sunday.

32 – Jets (0-6)

You should take some notes from Tennessee. Nip this Aaron Glenn experiment in the bud, move on from Justin Fields and see what your new GM can cook up during this upcoming offseason. Because it is over over in New York.

Cover photo taken from Imagn Images.

1 – Bills (4-0)

Simply the NFL’s most well-oiled machine.

They can sleepwalk to any win against an inferior opponent. And while they’re going to get a test from the Patriots on Sunday, it’s hard to see the Bills dropping any game in the month of October. The offense is first in dropback and rush EPA for crying out loud!

2 – Eagles (4-0) 3

The Eagles have proven that they can win in any which way in just four short weeks, and it’s infuriating.

One week Jalen Hurts lights up the second half of a game, and the next, he doesn’t complete a pass in the third and fourth quarters. And the Eagles still win comfortably. And that’s going to continue to be the case until it’s not.

Just to put things in perspective: Philadelphia has the fourth-worst yardage margin in the league, being outgained by nearly 400 yards in 2025. And they’re 4-0 anyways.

3 – Lions (3-1) 1

The Lions are probably the hottest team in the league right now in the sense that there’s no one I want to play less.

They are absolutely humming on both sides of the ball; the offense is self-explanatory, but they’re getting healthy on defense with Alim McNeil on his way back while Aidan Hutchinson continues to play out of his mind. They should wax Cincy this week before a fascinating SNF showdown in Kansas City.

4 – Rams (3-1) 3

We’re transparently seeing the high-level Rams that we were promised in the offseason.

While Matt Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams have this offense playing at a blistering level, the defense is finally starting to come into its own as the young bucks up front get after it — plus, the secondary has been a pleasant surprise.

The NFC West is pretty solid, but it’s still really hard to give the top spot to anyone but LA as long as they get MVP production out of Stafford and OPOY — if not record-setting — production out of Nacua.

5 – Packers (2-1-1) 1

So, what’s going on exactly? The defense that looked like world beaters for three weeks just turned into a bunch of traffic cones. Is that an aberration or a sign of things to come? Packer fans better hope it’s the former.

At least the offense is fine, but there are two areas that I still have concerns about: Jordan Love’s decision-making and Matt LaFleur’s playcalling. I guess they go hand-in-hand, because LaFleur is being way too conservative on first and second down. Is that to keep the training wheels on Love and stop him from doing stupid things? Maybe. If so, it’s working, but it’s also limiting this offense against defenses worth a damn.

6 – Chiefs (2-2) 5

Rumors of the demise of the Chiefs were greatly exaggerated. Turns out when a team gets their best offensive players back, they return to form. Who would’ve thunk it?

I do recognize that the Ravens defense would give up 30 to your high school’s JV team, but the performance that Kansas City put forth on offense on Sunday is the kind that can galvanize them moving forward, particularly when Rashee Rice gets back in two weeks. The run game still might be a concern, but I don’t care as long as Patrick Mahomes is back there doing that.

7 – Chargers (3-1) 5

The offensive line is not just a concern, it’s a massive one — the kind that can eventually derail this season.

We rarely see teams overcome such incompetence up front, especially when you lose each elite tackle. Joe Alt will return at some point, but while he’s out, I have serious doubts that the Chargers can keep Justin Herbert protected enough to continue the MVP trajectory that we saw in the first few weeks, nor can we continue to see the emergence of Omarion Hampton, though the defense should keep them in most games.

8 – Buccaneers (3-1) 2

Sunday’s loss to Philly pretty much reaffirmed how I feel about the Bucs: they’re a very good team who needs to get healthy and avoid the odd mistake by their QB.

I really like Baker Mayfield, as we all do, but his propensity to make mistakes in an effort to be Superman — when he really doesn’t need to be — can come back and bite like they did on that endzone interception. On the flip side, he made play after play to try and come back in that game. You gotta take the good with the bad, I suppose. A more calculated Baker and a sharper defense will go a long way.

9 – Colts (3-1) 1

Like Tampa, Sunday really strengthened how I feel about the Colts. I think this offense is legit, and I think this defense is good enough to compete with the league’s best offenses.

Hell, if Adonai Mitchell doesn’t drop the ball out of the endzone on what would’ve been one of the best plays of the season or doesn’t commit a hold on an incredible Jonathan Taylor touchdown run, the Colts would be 4-0 and maybe in the top-5.

We may all be waiting for the other shoe to drop with Daniel Jones, who did throw two picks on Sunday. But maybe it just… won’t?

10 – Seahawks (3-1) 5

An elite defense, a wildly efficient quarterback, a hyper-productive wide receiver and a consistent rushing attack makes for a real contender. That’s what we’re looking at with Seattle.

Sam Darnold has been brilliant, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is an early contender for OPOY, and like I’ve been saying, that defense is blowing me away. Thursday night’s game was only close because of the end-of-game shenanigans, and the Seahawks still pulled it out due to their elite QB-WR duo. If they can continue this form, Seattle is going to be a force in the NFC.

11 – Broncos (2-2) 1

Nice to know you guys can dispatch of Jake Browning and the Bengals. Just had to make sure.

The Broncos have been about what I’ve expected: the defense is playing well, the rushing game has been extremely consistent and Bo Nix has been… fine. Monday night was probably his best game of the season, but for some reason, I still feel like we need to see some more juice out of him. Maybe that’s asking for too much.

12 – Commanders (2-2) 2

This defense is officially a problem. That’s not something I expected to say after Week 1, but we’ve now seen three consecutive lackluster performances out of that unit, particularly on the backend.

Sunday was the first time I saw the defensive line get pushed around, but I’m hoping that doesn’t become a trend. But the secondary getting torched? That’s the new norm. Marshon Lattimore is absolute BBQ chicken, Mike Sainristil is having a dreadful season — though he had a nice interception — and the losses of guys like Will Harris are very much felt.

The good news? The best defender on the team is Jayden Daniels. And he’s coming back this week. That will help the defense tremendously. For as good as Marcus Mariota has been in relief — and he’s been outstanding — he doesn’t make the difference that No. 5 does. With Daniels back, the Commanders should be able to string together drives for longer and give their defense more rest, all while putting more points on the board.

This offense clearly isn’t the problem, and Kliff Kingsbury is really earning his money this season. Daniels being back gives them the ability to win shootouts, which Washington will apparently have to do in bunches to succeed.

13 – Jaguars (3-1) 6

Two main things: this defense is playing at an incredible level, but it’s not sustainable. That being said, it doesn’t have to be! The offense has been meticulously crafted to run the ball at will and let Trevor Lawrence do the rest without being too reckless. That’s a winning formula.

How long will it continue? Who knows. This defense has the talent to continue playing at an elite level, even if they don’t force four turnovers a game. Devin Lloyd is playing at an All-Pro caliber, and the tandem of him and Foye Oluokun is the best LB duo in football right now. If the offense keeps doing its thing, this is a clear-cut playoff contender.

14 – Ravens (1-3) 5

It’s far too early to declare that it’s over. But man, we are dangerously approaching that territory.

Defense can’t stop a scarecrow in an open field? Check. Derrick Henry is being completely ignored in the offense? Check. And now, an injury to Lamar Jackson that could sideline him for close to a month? Boy, it might get late early in Baltimore.

This was apparently never a championship team with this defense. But losing Lamar could put them even further behind the 8-ball with the Texans and Rams coming up. I don’t doubt that a late push with Jackson can get them back in the thick of things, but the Ravens have dug themselves a hole that’s going to be very, very difficult to get out of.

15 – 49ers (3-1) 2

It has been a month and I still have no clue what the 49ers are. It doesn’t matter who starts at QB, who’s on the injury list or who’s out on the field. I just don’t know.

I guess we know that Christian McCaffrey is still a beast and that Ricky Pearsall has truly emerged as a WR1. But any given week, we don’t know who’s going to line up under center or what version of this young defense we’re going to get. This team just isn’t trustworthy right now, even with a great record.

16 – Falcons (2-2) 1

It was a predictable bounce-back, but an emphatic one. Good for Michael Penix Jr. and this offense to get back on track with that performance, which was by far the best of his career thus far.

Getting lost in the equation here is the defense putting up arguably their worst game of the young season, but they were sharp on third down and tightened up when they needed to. That’s worth a lot, even if they gave up 27 points.

If Atlanta can get the best out of both sides of the ball, they’ll look much closer to the team we saw in Week 1, for example, rather than Week 3.

17 – Cardinals (2-2) 1

I would like to believe that the Cardinals we saw in the fourth quarter on Thursday night could be the Cardinals we see more consistently. But I just don’t think that’s going to happen. I’d love to be proven wrong, though!

With all the injuries in the backfield, a lot of the responsibility will be on Kyler Murray and the passing game. If Marvin Harrison Jr. can carry some positive momentum into the future, it’ll make a world of difference.

18 – Steelers (3-1) 2

Yeah, I just don’t care. The Steelers are the most nothing team in the NFL to me right now; I’m not moved by a 3-1 record when they are so damn unwatchable.

Aaron Rodgers has been… fine, I guess? The defense is playing better in the last two weeks, but that could be more due to the incompetence of the offenses they’ve faced. But, most importantly, this team is now in the driver’s seat in the AFC North, which is just gross. I don’t want to watch this team in January, but we just might have to… again.

19 – Vikings (2-2) 5

This is a good team just about everywhere but quarterback. And we’re seeing firsthand how much that can hold a team back. Missing Sam Darnold yet, are we?

Minnesota’s defense is good enough to keep them in every game, but this level of QB play is going to stunt them all year long. We’ll see if JJ McCarthy can take a leap when he returns from injury. I won’t get my hopes up on that front.

20 – Texans (1-3)

NFL teams playing the Tennessee Titans is the equivalent of when SEC teams play Chattanooga and Mercer in September before conference play. It serves as nothing more than a tune-up. Sunday’s shutout win showed me nothing I didn’t already know about the Texans: their defense is great, and their offense is not, largely due to their offensive line.

That being said, the emergence of Woody Marks is extremely promising. If they can unlock their rookie RB, it will go a very long way to take some pressure off CJ Stroud and the passing game. But, there are no promises behind that OL.

21 – Cowboys (1-2-1) 1

Dak Prescott is legitimately playing at an MVP caliber right now. I’m not convinced there’s a better QB in football at the moment, and this is probably the highest level he’s played at in at least two years, if not his entire career.

And yet, it doesn’t matter. This is a historically bad defense, particularly against the pass, and it negates any chance the Cowboys have of being a threat. And that’s honestly a damn shame.

22 – Bears (2-2) 1

Caleb Williams was not very good on Sunday, but he made some very nice plays, and those proved to be the difference in the game. Well, that and the game-winning field goal being blocked. Comme ci, comme ça.

In any case, this defense stinks. The offense is seemingly finding a groove, but it’s been against two horrendous defenses. So, I still don’t have a lot of faith in this squad moving forward. I’ll be at their first game on the other side of the bye, so I really, really hope this doesn’t come back to bite.

23 – Patriots (2-2)

Credit where credit is due: Drake Maye is playing at a very high level right now. But, the training wheels are clearly still on, and his best performances have come against some of the worst teams in the league.

Sunday Night Football in Buffalo is going to tell us all we need to know about this team. I’m actually really interested to see if they’re up to the task.

24 – Giants (1-3) 2

Jaxson Dart being inserted into the lineup brought exactly what I thought it would to the Giants: life. This team played and coached with a sense of juice that has been lacking in New York for a while. So, good for them.

Losing Malik Nabers for the season is brutal beyond description, though. I feel terrible for him. He is completely irreplaceable, and I hope he recovers swiftly. I don’t have a lot of faith in the Giants offense moving forward without him.

25 – Raiders (1-3)

Yeah, I’m ready to stick a fork in this experiment. Geno Smith is as erratic as ever, Pete Carroll has been a shell of the coach we once knew, and this defense is a joke.

Yes, they finally seem to have unlocked Ashton Jeanty despite his alleged lack of an “it-factor.” Cough, cough. But I don’t think that’s enough to save this trainwreck.

26 – Bengals (2-2) 2

Okay, this one is definitely over. Throw in the towel. Jake Browning is so far from the answer that he shouldn’t even be an option anymore. I don’t know what other choice the Bengals have, though. And that sucks.

Gotta feel bad for Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. At least they got those contracts in.

27 – Browns (1-3)

What will handing the keys over to Dillon Gabriel do to elevate this offense? My money’s on absolutely freakin’ nothing.

28 – Dolphins (1-3) 2

Finally, a win! All it took was… Tyreek Hill suffering a gruesome leg injury that could derail his entire career. I hate it.

Maybe the Fins have found something in post-retirement Darren Waller. Who knows. De’Von Achane, Jaylen Waddle and even Malik Washington comprise a solid set of weapons, too. But I still don’t expect much out of this squad.

29 – Panthers (1-3) 1

I think we’re approaching the tail end of the Bryce Young experiment. I don’t know that it’s anyone’s fault but his own, but I don’t think that Carolina can continue to trot him out in confidence for much longer. They should be squarely in the conversation to bring in a quarterback this offseason.

30 – Jets (0-4) 1

The Jets feel simultaneously better than their winless record and deserving of it. Their offense simply has a low ceiling with Justin Fields at the helm, and the defense clearly isn’t good enough to make up for it.

I know this was never going to be a season worth a damn in New York. I just hope it’s not a complete disaster. We’ll see what this Aaron Glenn experiment spits out.

31 – Saints (0-4) 1

Full marks for competitiveness. That’s about it. That first win will come eventually, I promise!

32 – Titans (0-4) 1

I can’t say the same about you. That first win feels like it’s on Mars right now.

But hey, don’t take my word for it. Take Cam Ward’s.

Cover photo taken from Imagn Images.

1 – Bills (3-0) 1

While it doesn’t necessarily feel like one team is standing above the rest right now, it’s hard to put anyone over Buffalo. They sat here after Week 1, their offense has been fantastic, sitting first in EPA/play, , and they’re going to keep sleepwalking to victories for as long as their cupcakes remain cupcakes.

A team like the Chargers — or even the Eagles for that matter — might have a more impressive set of three wins, but I still think the Bills are the best of the bunch.

2 – Chargers (3-0) 2

To start a season 3-0 with wins against each opponent in your division is pretty impressive. The latest act being a comeback effort against a very good Broncos defense, highlighted by more heroics from your elite quarterback, is also pretty great.

If the season ended right now, I’d either give my MVP vote to Justin Herbert or Baker Mayfield. But, we’ve got 15 weeks left. Still, what No. 10 in the powder blue is doing on a weekly basis is awesome. Not to mention, their defense ranks 4th in EPA/play and hasn’t given up more than 21 points this season.

The injury to Najee Harris stings, but if they can truly unlock Omarion Hampton, this team is going to assert themselves as the frontrunner in the AFC West, if they haven’t done so already.

3 – Packers (2-1) 2

Losses happen. It’s the NFL. Anyone can beat anyone on any given Sunday.

But, you’ve heard me say it: there are good and bad ways to lose.

The Packers can hang their hats on their defense continuing to be stellar. But poor offense and special teams will drag anyone down. The run game has been so-so, the offensive line is falling apart at the seams and poorly timed turnovers and field goal operational errors puts any defense in a bind.

No one thinks that Cleveland is better than Green Bay. But I also don’t think anyone disputes that the Browns deserved to win down the stretch considering how the Packers handed them the game. It’s a slice of humble pie; perhaps it’s a needed one. But I doubt it’ll become a trend.

4 – Lions (2-1) 3

Any rumors of the Lions’ demise were greatly exaggerated. This team still has the goods.

Monday night’s victory was a patented Detroit win under Dan Campbell. They were aggressive on fourth down, but not reckless, utilizing elite playcalls and better execution to turn each of them into touchdowns. They dominated both lines of scrimmage in a breakout game for their defensive front with seven sacks while the OL paved the way for over 200 rushing yards. It was pretty damn close to perfect.

It was as impressive of a performance as any team has had this season, and I don’t have many, if any, doubts about their ability to keep it up.

5 – Eagles (3-0)

Oh look, they got away with it again.

I will begrudgingly give the Birds credit — they picked themselves off the mat and completely flipped the script on the Rams on both sides of the ball in the second half. After the worst first 30 minutes imaginable, they were damn near unstoppable down the stretch thanks to finally letting Jalen Hurts rip it to AJ Brown. It certainly helps when Emmanuel Forbes is covering him — a situation where multiple games of tape would suggest utilizing a different strategy — but alas. And blocking two field goals down the stretch can be blamed on the kicking operation, but the defensive side deserves credit as well.

I still don’t think this is the same caliber of team that we saw last year. But again, they’re going to keep winning games. That’s the sign of a good team.

6 – Buccaneers (3-0) 2

Speaking of potentially unsustainable 3-0 starts… the Bucs did it again as well! This one also featured block field goal shenanigans, but like the first two weeks, ended with Baker Mayfield putting on the cape and leading his team down for the win in the waning moments.

Considering the laundry list of injuries across the board for Tampa, I don’t know how long they can keep this up. But the fact of the matter is that Mayfield, Bucky Irving, Emeka Egbuka, Vita Vea, Antoine Winfield and others are making every single play to put them over the top in these games.

Sunday’s contest should never have ended the way it did. The Buccaneers were really in control for 58 minutes. For it to have fallen apart with them still pulling out the win speaks for itself.

7 – Rams (2-1) 1

Most brutal choke of the young NFL season? Folks are asking.

The Rams were making the Eagles look pedestrian for two quarters and change. Then they forgot how to play football. There’s so many people that I could blame, but I’m putting this one on Sean McVay. It’s not because of the failures of the kicking operation, though the line share of blame could go there. It’s because he coached scared, and that led to being outcoached by Nick Sirianni of all people.

Each time LA faced a fourth down deep in Philly territory, they opted for field goals. That’s fine and dandy until the team you’ve seemingly buried decides to pull an Undertaker. At that point, you need to assert yourselves and put the ball in the endzone, not through the uprights. I don’t care that if either of the blocked field goals went in, the Rams would have won. It’s about the process, not the results.

I’d like to think McVay would trust Matt Stafford to convert a couple of fourth-and-shorts. I don’t know why he didn’t. And it’s led to another loss against the Eagles where the Rams only have themselves to blame.

8 – Colts (3-0) 1

Sorry for doubting you again, Colts. I think I’ve learned my lesson.

This offense is nothing short of awesome and Shane Steichen is shining in the spotlight. A reliance on motion and play action has led to this being one of the best units in football, led by the resurgent Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor, who each have arguments for currently being the best players at their position in the league. The secondary continues to cook, though they haven’t faced the greatest slate of QBs thus far. And all of a sudden, they are the clear cut favorites in the AFC South, banking plenty of wins and separating themselves early.

Let’s put it this way: if the Colts go .500 the rest of the way, they’ll be 10-7. That’s a playoff team no matter how you slice it. And at this rate, 10 wins could be their floor.

9 – Ravens (1-2) 6

One day the Ravens will win a game of consequence. Today is not that day.

I don’t know why this team refuses to make the requisite plays to win games against true contenders. But they don’t. They do the opposite, which is pretty much nothing at all. As awesome as they can be for three quarters and change, they’re always going to find a way to blow it down the stretch. It’s mind-numbing.

Lamar Jackson is amazing. Derrick Henry needs to fix the fumbling issues. Those are the clear observations on the surface. But if you break out the magnifying glass, there’s a lot more to digest. The defense is a real issue. So is the coaching. That will hold them back in these big regular season games. And you already know it will in January, too. We’re slowly crawling towards the inevitable.

10 – Commanders (2-1) 3

Wait, that went way better than I expected. Phew!

Sunday wasn’t perfect, but considering the circumstances, it was pretty close. Marcus Mariota did what he does in a Washington uniform. Special teams was gas outside of a missed field goal (Matt Gay continues to be under surveillance, by the way). The defensive line kept on cooking against a simply overmatched Raiders OL. And our own hog mollies paved the way for an elite day on the ground. Even Luke freaking McCaffrey found the endzone!

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. We have no clarity on the Jayden Daniels injury, and now Terry McLaurin is dealing with a quad issue. Will Harris is going to miss extended time with a fractured fibula, too. But, this is still the “easy” part of the schedule. Let’s keep getting right and stacking wins.

11 – Chiefs (1-2) 1

Oh look, a win. That’s neat.

At least it was decisive. I know we all thought it’d be close, and maybe it would have been if Russell Wilson was worth a damn. But if the Chiefs can play like they did in the second half consistently while they crawl towards being full strength on offense, it inspires some confidence moving forward.

12 – Broncos (1-2) 1

You’re only as strong as your weakest link. Right now, Bo Nix is a very, very weak link.

He’s PFF’s worst-graded quarterback. He can’t hit the broad side of a barn on a deep shot. And he’s frantic in the pocket. If he was even just a smidge better, the Broncos would be 3-0. But they are not.

I love this defense. I love the offensive line. The weapons are punching above their weight. And they’re all being let down by the QB that is having the sophomore slump that no one is talking about.

13 – 49ers (3-0) 1

If the season ended today, Kyle Shanahan would win Coach of the Year.

Getting this team to 3-0 with the litany of injuries they have sustained — and continue to deal with, with Nick Bosa’s ACL tear being the latest — is extremely impressive. Mac Jones has been valiant in relief of Brock Purdy, who should return this week. And the young defense is starting to come into its own.

Also, shoutout to Ricky Pearsall. There isn’t a better breakout and a more improved player year-over-year than him right now outside of maybe Daniel Jones.

14 – Vikings (2-1) 1

Sunday’s destruction of the Bengals reinforced key points on both sides of the ball in Minnesota: Kevin O’Connell is a genius and Brian Flores is a maniac.

Carson Wentz did what he had to do in relief of JJ McCarthy because — as we’ve said time and time again — pretty much anyone can get it done in that offense. And Flores’ scheme continues to terrorize opposing quarterbacks of any and all caliber, wreaking havoc and leaving everyone in shambles. This defense is now first in EPA/play, which is heavily influenced by Sunday’s two touchdowns from Isaiah Rodgers, but they deserve it with what they’ve done to these poor QBs.

15 – Seahawks (2-1) 6

I think we should be talking more about the Seahawks. I get that beating two bad defenses in Pittsburgh and New Orleans might not get the people going, but this team has been nails on offense this season.

Sam Darnold has been one of the most efficient QBs in the league, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been completely unguardable, Kenneth Walker is running like a man possessed and the defense is simply punching above its weight. Even with so many injuries on that side of the ball, they’re finding ways to create turnovers. And they are absolutely dominant up front. When guys like Nick Emmanwori and Devon Witherspoon come back, it could get spooky.

16 – Steelers (2-1) 6

God, this team is boring.

The Steelers are lucky to be 2-1. They had to escape the Jets in Week 1, and the Patriots practically placed Sunday’s win on a black and gold platter. This defense is not good and the offense is uninspiring. The lack of a run game puts a lot of the load on Aaron Rodgers, who hasn’t been bad by any means. But it’s not a great winning formula, and it sure as hell ain’t sustainable.

I honestly feel worse about this team through three games than I thought I would.

17 – Falcons (1-2) 7

Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.

I don’t even want to talk about the Falcons. They don’t deserve it. Not after that performance after that credit I gave them. What an unmitigated disaster from Raheem Morris and Michael Penix Jr.

We’ll see if the shakeups in the coaching ranks makes any kind of impact, because right now, it’s not looking good. At all.

18 – Cardinals (2-1) 1

This is a solid team. But no one really cares, because they’re not giving us a reason to.

Kyler Murray isn’t the problem. Marvin Harrison Jr. and the rest of the WRs not being able to catch the football are. James Conner’s season-ending injury is. Untimely mistakes are.

I think the Cardinals will continue to be competitive. Losing Conner hurts bad, but the way they’re playing on defense will keep them in any and every game. Will their offense be good enough to turn that into wins? I just don’t know.

19 – Jaguars (2-1) 5

Sure, what the hell. The Jags won a game that no one wanted to win, and they did it in a fashion that’s neither convincing nor worth caring about.

I still like this offensive personnel, and for what it’s worth, their defense has been both solid and opportunistic with seven picks on the year and somehow ranking second in defensive EPA/play. But I still don’t believe in Trevor Lawrence, and I still don’t think this offense is good enough to beat teams that are competent on both sides of the ball.

20 – Texans (0-3) 2

Is it over? It very well may be.

I can’t keep defending CJ Stroud. He’s uncomfortable, but he’s also not confident and his mechanics are in the gutter. He has no faith in his OL, no faith in his weapons and quite frankly, no faith in himself. And that means this already anemic offense can’t produce anything worth a damn.

It doesn’t matter how good this defense is. The Texans have scored 38 points in 2025. The Seahawks did that in less than two quarters on Sunday. At 0-3 staring up at the 3-0 Colts, Houston will have to scrap to not have a fork stuck in them before the clocks fall back an hour.

21 – Bears (1-2) 6

You know what? Good for Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson.

Sunday’s performance looked like what everyone would have you believe every game should be under the new regime in Chicago. But, they won’t be playing a borderline-CFL defense every week. So, let’s see if this injects the Bears with life or is simply a flash in the pan.

22 – Cowboys (1-2) 6

Yeah, this team ain’t worth talking about right now. The state of their defense is Chernobyl-like, and now they’ll be without CeeDee Lamb for a month or so. It’s going to get ugly in Dallas — or, as Stephen A. Smith aptly named them, “-allas.”

23 – Patriots (1-2) 6

Why is this Mike Vrabel team so poorly coached? Is it youth and inexperience? Is it systemic? Whatever it is, it needs to change.

Drake Maye is playing well, but not well enough to cover up the vast amount of penalties and mistakes that continues to hold this team back from being productive on offense.

And don’t even get me started on their run game — or lack thereof — and refusal to get TreVeyon Henderson involved. Complete and utter nonsense.

24 – Bengals (2-1) 4

Yeah, Jake Browning ain’t it. We might’ve already known that, but Sunday confirmed it.

I don’t know that the Bengals necessarily need to bring in a veteran QB, because I think riding it out with the guy that knows the system is a better play. But I don’t think this is going to be a super successful operation with Browning back there. But, they also won’t be facing a Brian Flores defense every week. Take it with a very small grain of salt.

25 – Raiders (1-2) 2

This team is a mess on a number of fronts, but I think you have to start with the offensive line when pointing out the issues. Ashton Jeanty has negative yards before contact this season. That’s unfathomable.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like the passing game is much better. The line isn’t helping out Geno, but Geno isn’t helping out Geno either. And the downfield threats just aren’t there with Brock Bowers dealing with his injuries. The defense is clearly also an issue with the performances against the run in the first two weeks clearly being a fugazi.

It’s just not a tight operation in Vegas right now. Maybe Tom Brady can impart some wisdom next time he sits up in the booth with a headset on.

26 – Giants (0-3) 1

Thank you, Brian Daboll, for finally doing right by your players and naming Jaxson Dart the starter. Playing Russell Wilson was a complete disservice to everyone involved with the Giants, and Sunday night proved it.

Is it going to look much better with Dart? Who knows; this is a pretty brutal operation all round. But at least he provides some hope and won’t turtle the way Wilson has. I’m excited to see it play out for him.

27 – Browns (1-2) 4

What a cool win for the Browns. This defense is simply awesome with the rookies balling out and the offense is clearly lifted by the insertion of Quinshon Judkins in the lineup.

In my opinion, Myles Garrett has been the best player in football through three weeks. And the rest of the defense is good enough to keep them in literally any game this season. Cleveland will be frisker than we thought in 2025.

28 – Panthers (1-2) 1

Speaking of unexpected feel-good wins… I don’t really know how that happened, but good for Carolina. It was the most nothing 30-0 win over a divisional opponent that you could come up with, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it happened.

Is this the new expectation in Carolina? Hell no. But maybe they can parlay it into some better performances as they approach a soft portion of the schedule.

29 – Jets (0-3) 3

What do you even make of the Jets after that game? They were dreadful for about 58 minutes, which was to be expected with a backup QB in the game. Then came one of the more furious, rapid comebacks you’ll ever see. And, when it came down to it, they predictably choked it in the end.

I think my main takeaway is that New York clearly has a ton of juice and fight under Aaron Glenn. That was to be expected. But the talent just isn’t there right now. And that’s fine! The rebuild is still in its infancy. Having the right coach is step one. I think they do.

30 – Dolphins (0-3) 2

The problem in Miami is not Mike McDaniel. It’s Tua Tagovailoa. And that sucks, because the Dolphins don’t have a choice but to keep playing him.

I feel the same way about Tua as I do about Russell Wilson: it’s a disservice to the players and fans to have him play QB. But unlike the Giants, the Dolphins have no other way to go. They have to die on the Tua sword, and that’ll be this team’s undoing.

The team hasn’t given up on the coach. They are going to give up on the quarterback if they haven’t already.

31 – Titans (0-3) 3

I won’t be picking the Titans to win many, if any, games for the rest of the season. I’ve learned my lesson.

This team isn’t frisky or sneaky or anything. They just suck. And it’s not Cam Ward’s fault, but it’s the truth. The countdown to Brian Callahan’s firing is on.

32 – Saints (0-3) 2

Yeah, no.

Cover photo taken from Imagn Images.

1 – Packers (2-0) 2

This team is horrifying.

I’ve come to the conclusion that this Packers defense is the 2024 Eagles defense: rush four and get home effectively, allowing everyone else to keep their eyes on the ball because the opposing team can’t take the top off your defense. Teams have to fight for every single inch against this D, while the offense is clearly good enough to do the rest.

The addition of Micah Parsons has done exactly what we expected it to do. This team is completely galvanized by his presence, and you’d have to do a lot of convincing for me to knock them off this top spot right now.

2 – Bills (2-0) 1

Ho-hum, another easy win over a divisional opponent. The Bills defense took a huge step up against a Jets offense that went from electric to sputtering at best, and while Josh Allen didn’t light anything up, James Cook had an awesome game to prove his worth after getting that contract.

There’s really not much to say about Buffalo this week. This is how the rest of the season is going to look against their Charmin-soft schedule.

3 – Ravens (1-1) 1

Baltimore and Buffalo feel like they had identical performances after their electric showdown last week, bouncing back with massive wins over the bottom of their division.

But, unlike the Bills, the Ravens got a crazy good performance out of their star QB as Lamar Jackson tossed four touchdowns and took the NFL’s all-time lead in passer rating (not bad for a running back, eh?). What really stood out to me was how good DeAndre Hopkins and Tez Walker looked — if they can emerge as reliable targets on the outside, it’ll open things up so much for this passing game.

If you win a game by a larger margin than Derrick Henry’s rushing yardage total, you’re probably in a good spot.

4 – Chargers (2-0) 1

The Chargers feel like one of the NFL’s most balanced teams right now, doing great things on both sides of the ball. We can clearly see how good Justin Herbert is to start the season (early MVP candidate, perchance?) and their defense has been one of the best in football.

But, this running game is a major, major concern. LA is dead last in rush EPA/play through two weeks while their first-rounder Omarion Hampton has just 72 yards. It hasn’t bitten them yet because of how efficient their passing game is, but at some point, you’re going to need to tote the rock. I’ll choose to blame it on the offensive line still figuring itself out without Rashawn Slater, but I’d like to see them get it going.

5 – Eagles (2-0) 1

Meet the 2024 Chiefs’ long-lost twin. Defending champions that aren’t nearly impressive as they were in previous years that will win a number of games by the skin of their teeth for another dominant regular season on paper. We’ll see how it fares for them in January.

There’s still respect due in winning, as I’ve said previously with Kansas City. But this passing offense is absolutely stuck in neutral, Jalen Hurts still hasn’t thrown a touchdown, AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith have combined for 104 yards. 11.7% of their offensive snaps were tush pushes for crying out loud — and the sentiment around that play is finally turning into an overwhelmingly negative one, which could hopefully lead to some officiating changes this season. And I still have numerous questions about the secondary; plus, Jalen Carter looked awful in his return to play.

There’s some kinks to work out in Philadelphia, but they’re still going to keep winning. That’s just what they do.

6 – Rams (2-0) 3

This is a little higher than I want to put the Rams considering their two wins are against two winless teams, but they clearly deserve to be in the top-10. Matt Stafford has been really good through two games, Puka Nacua has been incredible, Davante Adams presence is felt in a big way and their run game has been surprisingly efficient.

The big story early on is how good this defense has been, but it appears that they haven’t played a competent offense yet. We’ll see how they fare against an Eagles unit that’s still figuring some stuff out.

7 – Lions (1-1) 3

Yeah, they’re fine. Turns out the Packers are just the ’85 Bears.

The Lions had a point to prove on Sunday. Not just after being smothered by Green Bay in Week 1 — they wanted to stick it to Ben Johnson. And boy, did they ever. And it was awesome!

Jared Goff was by far the best QB in football in Week 2, Amon-Ra St. Brown was unguardable, the offense looked like their 2024-selves and it rocked. The defense wasn’t amazing, but they don’t really need to be against a team as inept as the Bears.

They’ve got a real measuring stick game on Monday night in Baltimore. I’m fascinated to see how it plays out.

8 – Buccaneers (2-0)

The Buccaneers are 2-0, but could easily be 0-2. The difference? Baker freaking Mayfield.

The dude is just a stud. He’s a winner. Two game-winning drives in as many weeks against good defenses is remarkably impressive. It’s big time throw after big time run. It’s box office. He’s masking some real issues on that offensive line — which is continuing to take hits as more injuries rack up — and if the season ended today (thank God it doesn’t), he’d be my MVP.

The OL and secondary will be weaknesses for a while. But with Baker and the skill position players humming, they’ll still be able to win a good amount of games.

9 – Colts (2-0) 11

The story of the young 2025 NFL season? Indiana Jones.

Danny Dimes is having a Baker-esque resurgence in Indy, and it’s awesome to see. But more than that, this entire team seems to be rallying around the new life. Jonathan Taylor is running like he’s back at Wisconsin, Tyler Warren has emerged as a real impact rookie and this secondary has been lockdown. Just wait until their front seven gets healthy.

All of a sudden, the Colts are the favorites in the AFC South. What a time to be alive.

10 – Falcons (1-1) 4

It’s a new day in Atlanta: one where the Falcons actually have a defense. And it’s going to propel them this season.

The Falcons lead the league in defensive EPA/play and it’s in large part thanks to how impactful each of their rookies have been on that side of the ball. James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker each sacked JJ McCarthy on Sunday night while Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman both nabbed interceptions. I know it’s still early, but if I’m Terry Fontenot, I’d be posting receipts right now.

Michael Penix Jr. and the passing offense still have some figuring out to do, but Bijan Robinson is taking a massive load off his shoulders. He has probably been the best RB in the league through two weeks. And this schedule really ain’t crazy in the next few weeks. This squad could be in for a massive season if they continue on this trajectory.

11 – Broncos (1-1) 1

Though I picked the Broncos to lose on Sunday, I was impressed with them. They really only lost because of a bone-headed special teams error; despite a subpar game from their defense, Bo Nix bounced back with a fantastic performance to help restore the faith in Denver.

This team is going to be fine. They really just need consistency out of Nix and, apparently, some more level-headed coaching.

12 – Chiefs (0-2) 6

You hear that? Those are the panic alarm bells ringing.

I’ve played devil’s advocate with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs for years. I always defend them regardless of circumstance because of the precedent they’ve set. Despite the Rashee Rice suspension and Xavier Worthy injury, the leash feels shorter now. This is simply not the Chiefs team we’ve come to expect.

Travis Kelce drives me nuts. Mahomes can’t hit deep shots. The running game is awful outside of Patrick’s scrambles. The defense is fine, but not nearly elite — hell, it’s the third best in their own division, probably.

They could’ve won on Sunday. Maybe they should’ve. But they didn’t. It’s a regression to the mean. And that’s a concern.

13 – Commanders (1-1) 6

Not all losses are created equal. Thursday night was a shining example of that.

To be honest with you guys, I’ve already flushed that lifeless, listless performance out of my brain. A full weekend of football will help you do that. It’s the lasting effects of this game that have really bogged me down.

Austin Ekeler out for the season, removing a pivotal piece of this offense with no clear replacement (yes, Bill is good, but no one can do what Ekeler does). Deatrich Wise out for the season, leaving behind a massive hole in terms of size and impact off the edge after just two games in DC. Noah Brown and John Bates both dealing with groin injuries that can sideline them for a while, meaning this already stagnant offense is going to struggle even further to move the ball.

And then, the big one. After the worst game of his career, Jayden Daniels is dealing with a sprained knee that could sideline him for a game or two. I will say, that’s way better news than a place like Cincinnati is getting. But it’s still not great. I don’t blame him, I don’t blame the offensive line, I don’t even blame the institution of Thursday Night Football. It’s the nature of the sport. These things happen.

I just hope we err on the side of caution here. Despite not playing in camp or the preseason, Marcus Mariota is a great backup who’s more than capable of beating the Raiders. I know Jayden will hate to sit, but it’s Week 3. What bothers me is that this offense is going to continue to be stuck in neutral with him not practicing. The effects of Terry McLaurin’s absence in camp are clearly hindering this passing game and it drives me nuts. Things might get worse before they get better in DC.

Expectations suck, don’t they?

14 – 49ers (2-0) 5

I have no idea what to do with the 49ers right now. They’re 2-0 with two wins over teams that aren’t in my top-20, have injuries out the wazoo and haven’t looked super impressive. But, neither have many of the teams below them — even some other 2-0 squads!

So, I’m leaving them here while acknowledging that they could go in any number of directions while they get healthy. Because they’re the league’s biggest enigma right now, and I can’t be bothered to try and solve them.

15 – Vikings (1-1) 2

Can I put on my tinfoil hat for a second? Cool, thanks.

I don’t think JJ McCarthy is actually hurt. If you take out one admittedly great quarter in Week 1, he has been the worst quarterback in football. He looks lost, his processing is remarkably slow and he has little-to-no feel in the pocket. But, despite taking some big hits, he seemed like he wasn’t banged up at the end of the game — just upset about his performance.

So, where did this phantom ankle injury come from? No doubt that it could be legit, I just feel like we would’ve had some inclination of a tweak that’s going to sideline him for a month on a national broadcast. Maybe that’s just me.

In any case, it’s the Carson Wentz show in Minny for a month. That’s not very inspiring. But it’s a good opportunity for JJ to recalibrate while Carson tries to keep the ship afloat.

16 – Cowboys (1-1)

Good lord this defense is abysmal. The only team with a worse dropback EPA/play is the Dolphins. Not great company to keep.

Does it matter that the offense is humming right now? Absolutely. That’s a great sign — maybe one that we should’ve expected with Brian Schottenheimer at the helm and a healthy Dak Prescott. But, with the defense performing this poorly against anyone and everyone, I have serious doubts about how seriously we should be taking Dallas right now.

17 – Patriots (1-1) 7

The Pats are another team that I really don’t know where to place.

Was I impressed with their offense, particularly Drake Maye, on Sunday? Absolutely. But they were playing the Dolphins. So, I’m taking it with a grain of salt. I still think this secondary is Swiss cheese, though the defense has been stout against the run up front.

Consistency will be the key to success for New England. Right now, I don’t know if we’re going to see that. But, the upcoming schedule is pretty manageable, so if there was ever a time to get everything on the same page, it’s now.

18 – Texans (0-2) 3

I’m trying my best not to overreact here. The Texans could have been 2-0 at this point. But here we are, 0-2 after a heartbreaker at home on Monday night, staring up at the freaking Colts of all teams. Not great.

It’s the same issues, man. The offensive line is a joke. The running game isn’t good enough to offset the shortcomings in the passing game. CJ Stroud isn’t allowed the time to be his 2023-self, but he just doesn’t look like that version of himself in general. And while the defense is awesome, there’s not much they can do to overcome their offensive ineptitude.

This feels like last year’s Houston team all over again. But now, the division is catching up, and they’re not banking the wins early in the season like they did in 2024. And that’s going to be a problem when they’re scrapping for a playoff spot in three months.

19 – Cardinals (2-0) 2

Scraping your way to 2-0 with two close wins over the Saints and Panthers isn’t very inspiring. It’s not like the Cardinals have come out and dominated these games — I know they were in control against Carolina, but they damn near threw it away in the end, and that concerns me.

I like this team. I think they’re really talented, their defense has honestly been really good so far — not sure what that means against these opponents — and their offense is solid. I’m just not really impressed right now.

20 – Bengals (2-0) 9

It’s over.

For the third time in his six seasons as a pro, Joe Burrow’s season has ended short. I know this turf toe situation isn’t “season ending,” but you and I both know that it essentially is. If he returns by Christmas, what’s the point? Do we really think Jake Browning is going to keep this team in the playoff race?

It just drives me nuts. They don’t even try to improve the offensive line situation, and no matter how many times they try to make it work, it fails and fails and fails again. Burrow deserves better. And I don’t know if he’ll ever get it.

I’ve seen a number of Andrew Luck comparisons out there, and I’m horrified to say that they’re legit. I just hope Joe doesn’t go the Luck route. But, if he did, can you even blame him?

Oh, and they were extremely lucky to win on Sunday, anyways.

21 – Seahawks (1-1) 2

Hey, I guess the Seahawks aren’t that bad after all. Honestly, this game wasn’t very different than Week 1 for me — they still look pretty average on both sides of the ball, but their shorthanded secondary played much better against Pittsburgh, which gives me some more confidence about them.

If the strategy to win games is just to force feed Jaxon Smith-Njigba and let Kenneth Walker do the rest, it’s good enough for me.

22 – Steelers (1-1) 5

So, was the Steelers-Jets Week 1 just a total fugazi for both sides? Certainly seems like the case.

Aaron Rodgers looked like his Jets self rather than his Packers self like he did last week, the run game stunk, the defense continued to get gashed and that special teams error by Kaleb Johnson was inexcusable.

This just doesn’t feel like a very Steelers-like Steelers team. They’ve got some soul-searching to do while they try to figure out who they are.

23 – Raiders (1-1) 5

There’s the dark side of Geno Smith. I don’t know what the problem was on Monday night, but that was one of the worst games I’ve seen Geno play since his career resurgence. And I’m embarrassed as a guy who always advocates for him.

I think the bigger issue is the run game. Ashton Jeanty has been completely invisible through two games and isn’t displaying a modicum of effort in pass pro. It’s really concerning. I know this offensive line isn’t great, but he’s supposed to be that guy. And he just doesn’t look the part through two games.

I’ll shout out the run defense for being crazy good, though. The Patriots and Chargers have two of the worst run games in the league, but that’s been the Raiders’ strong suit early on. We’ll see if they can sustain it.

24 – Jaguars (1-1) 1

Should the Jaguars be 2-0 right now? Probably. Did they deserve to lose on Sunday? Honestly, yeah.

It’s not because of the decision to go for that fourth down at the end of the game. I completely agreed with that call and I don’t think Liam Coen should be catching the flak that he is right now. They should have converted that if Brian Thomas Jr. could catch. Or play football. Which he … just can’t right now.

BTJ is embarrassing himself on the field. He has a clear lack of effort with a glaring unwillingness to absorb contact or try to play receiver remotely effectively. Does he just hate Trevor Lawrence or something? It makes no sense. And if it continues, it will get ugly for him.

Oh, also, that DPI call on Travis Hunter that allowed the Bengals to continue their game-winning drive was a total joke. I feel bad for him.

25 – Giants (0-2) 5

I have no remote idea where Sunday’s offensive explosion came from, but I honestly loved it. It’s easy to root for anyone to do that against Dallas, so thanks, Giants.

Let the record show that I don’t expect this to continue at all. Russell Wilson turning the clock back for a game was cool and all, but that won’t happen against the Chiefs. Or most competent defenses.

And this defense still sucks. They are horrendous against the run and porous at best against the pass. I’m just giving them some respect for what we saw out of their offense, which will undoubtedly come crashing back down soon.

26 – Jets (0-2) 4

Ah, yes. The dreaded return to Earth. Welcome back, Jets! Hope you enjoyed the one game of false hope. I know I did.

27 – Bears (0-2) 1

Two-for-two on cathartic hate watches in 2025. I can always count on you to give me a dopamine hit, Chicago.

Caleb Williams was far from the No. 1 problem for the Bears on Sunday, but he sure as hell wasn’t good, either. The defense is getting ran through like your stomach after gas station sushi, Ben Johnson looks like he’s in way over his skis and they can’t run the ball worth a damn.

If this offense doesn’t look competent against Dallas on Sunday, we shall be declaring this season a lost cause in Chicago.

28 – Titans (0-2) 1

It seems like we’re going to see the epic highs and lows of Cam Ward every week of the season. Yes, he’s going to make plays that drop your jaw. Then he’s going to make plays that make you scream at the television the same way Will Levis did. At least that’s what I expected.

The Titans are good enough to give you a fight, but not good enough to win games right now. This is the worst offense in football with a defense that lacks any impact players, all while coaching continues to be a glaring weakness. It’s going to be a long season in Music City.

29 – Panthers (0-2) 2

I’m going to be honest with y’all. I just don’t feel like talking about this Panthers team.

This OL is embarrassing, Xavier Legette looks like a total bust and Bryce Young starts and ends games so poorly for some reason. Oh, and the defense still stinks. Yawn.

30 – Saints (0-2) 1

Impressive fight! That’s kind of what I expected. Still, it’s not enough.

But hey, Spencer Rattler isn’t that bad and Juwan Johnson is a fantasy beast. Three cheers for that!

31 – Browns (0-2) 3

Ah, there are the Browns we’re used to.

Maybe Sunday’s game was closer than the scoreboard would indicate, and they did a fantastic job of bottling up the run. But it doesn’t matter when your offense is this bad, particularly in the passing game. I do think Quinshon Judkins will give them a boost out of the backfield, but it won’t matter until one of the rookies takes over under center.

32 – Dolphins (0-2)

Yeah, that’s the last time I put my faith in this abomination of a team. Blow it up!

Cover photo taken from WTOP.

1 – Bills (1-0)

Buffalo deserves to be at No. 1 sheerly based on the fact that they won on Sunday night. Did it look like they could hang with the Ravens for most of the game? No. But, Josh Allen did Josh Allen things, putting on the superhero cape and leading one of the more furious comebacks we’ve seen in recent memory to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. That’s worth being on top to start off the 2025 season. But man, they need to get right on defense, particularly in the back end. Ed Oliver is a monster up front, but the lack of a pass rush combined with the injuries they have in the secondary make for a sticky situation. The good news for Buffalo, though? They don’t play another contender until November.

2 – Ravens (0-1)

I want to make something clear: I still think the Ravens are the best team in the NFL. They had no business losing a game in which they looked like world-beaters for three-and-a-half quarters. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are both still insane, and I left Sunday night feeling better about Zay Flowers than I ever have. I think this secondary could be a huge weakness seeing as though the Jaire Alexander acquisition isn’t exactly as impactful as many might’ve assumed, but I still believe this is the most talented roster in football from top to bottom. They’ll likely be at No. 1 very soon.

3 – Packers (1-0)

The most eye-opening performance of Week 1 probably goes to Green Bay after absolutely thrashing Detroit in a game that almost signifies a passing of the torch at the top of the NFC North. What’s kind of nuts is that the Packers didn’t do anything that blew you away statistically; the box score is one of lies and deception considering the Lions’ end-of-game numbers. It was simply a good old fashioned butt-whooping. Jordan Love was on fire and the defense was suffocating. They looked like the contenders I expect them to be, even with Micah Parsons on a snap count. Considering his impact when he was on the field, imagine what it’ll look like when he’s a full-time starter.

4 – Eagles (1-0)

You alright, guys? Do the receivers want to get open against a bad secondary? Does the offensive line want to get a push against a defensive line that no longer has Micah Parsons (though is admittedly improved in the interior)? Does the defense want to show up in the first half? Does Jalen Hurts want to throw a ball past the sticks? Oh well, I guess it doesn’t matter. Hurts was a killer with his legs, and that was the difference. The Eagles are elite for a reason — they don’t need to play their best game every week to win games. They’ll stick to grinding you down over the course of four quarters. But I’m team process over results, and I don’t really like the process I saw. The run defense was abysmal — though Jalen Carter being tossed before the first play from scrimmage plays a big role there — the secondary looked like a glaring weakness and the receiving corps was quiet. But, this is Philly. Those problems won’t last long, I imagine.

5 – Chargers (1-0)

Good for the Chargers to finally get a signature win under Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert. For my money, Friday night’s performance in Brazil was the best of Herbert’s career, and one that vindicates me for all the support I’ve given him over the years. Against a Chiefs defense that we know is good, LA got everything and anything they wanted, utilizing an effective run game to create a deadly play action attack. And with plenty of time to throw, Herbert was surgical. Combine that with an inspiring defensive performance, and the Chargers looked truly elite. Now, it’s a matter of sustaining it.

6 – Chiefs (0-1)

Stop hurting your own players, guys. This ain’t a sustainable formula for winning. For that matter, please figure out what the hell is going on when it comes to downfield passing. How and why Patrick Mahomes has turned into one of the league’s worst deep passers is beyond me, but it has gotten to a point where I’m concerned. Can KC continue to be a dink and dunk, death-by-a-thousand-papercuts offense? Sure. But I don’t think that’s what Patrick wants. In any case, even without Xavier Worthy, this offense isn’t my problem. It’s what I saw out of the defense. No pass rush, no discipline in the secondary, and no real resistance. If that repeats itself against the Eagles in Week 2, it will not end well.

7 – Commanders (1-0)

Everyone who hated on the acquisitions of Javon Kinlaw and Deebo Samuel, please meet me outside. I just want to talk. Led by Kinlaw and Da’Ron Payne — who might hoop in his second contract year — the defensive line was the single best unit on the field on Sunday. And on offense, Samuel was the sparkplug, making an instant impact and looking like the player we saw out west for so many years. Combine that with a ho-hum game from Jayden Daniels, a dazzling debut from Bill Croskey-Merritt and a lockdown showing from the secondary, and you get Sunday’s result. Things can be described pretty succinctly — you know it’s a new day in DC when the team plays a game that neither they nor us are super impressed by, and they still win by 15 without allowing a touchdown. Feels good, doesn’t it?

8 – Buccaneers (1-0)

Man, this team is fun. I knew Emeka Egbuka would be an instant impact player, but I didn’t realize it’d be like this. You won’t hear any complaints from me, though. Baker Mayfield was unreal on Sunday, and this offense looked like the exciting unit we expected. I still have concerns about this defense, particularly on the backend, and Tampa got away with a couple of Falcons blunders, but I won’t hold that against them for now. I feel like the Bucs won that game more than the Falcons lost it.

9 – Rams (1-0)

That looked nothing like I expected it to. You’re telling me that the Rams defense out-performed their offense and were the chief reason why they won against a good team? Maybe the end of last year really is sustainable. I also know that LA won’t face a pass rush as ferocious as Houston’s again this season, which is good news for Matt Stafford, who still made the plays he had to in order to win the game. I give a ton of credit to the Rams across the board for pulling that one out. It was very impressive.

10 – Lions (0-1)

Yikes. Just yikes. I was expecting to be proven right at some point this season, but I didn’t know it’d look like that, and I didn’t think it’d be so quick. But our worst fears might be on the verge of coming true, and the Lions might be in serious trouble. The offense looked completely discombobulated and disjointed, completely unable to look remotely competent or on-time like they were under Ben Johnson. What’s the point of all that talent on offense if they can’t mesh to make it work like they did previously? John Morton has a lot to figure out. Oh, and the defense still ain’t exactly ready to step up, either. I still think Detroit will be fine against lesser teams, but they’re clearly not the contender they were in the past two seasons.

11 – Bengals (1-0)

So, I guess playing your starters in the preseason means… nothing? By all means, the Bengals should have lost on Sunday. They had seven — count them, seven — yards of offense in the second half on Sunday and got away with the Browns missing two kicks of less than 40 yards. Putting them at No. 11 honestly feels gross. Joe Burrow was awful, Ja’Marr Chase was a nonfactor, the offense was stuck in mud. The defense wasn’t good either, just opportunistic. Credit where credit is due for snagging a couple of picks when it mattered, but I’ve never seen a win feel more like a loss. Cincy needs to tighten up ASAP considering what their next few games look like. We’ll see what they’re really made of very soon.

12 – Broncos (1-0)

Speaking of wins that felt like losses, here’s your Denver Broncos! Now, for what its worth, they were largely dominant on Sunday, having the largest delta in net success rate against their opponent of any team in the league this week. But it just didn’t feel that way. The Titans beat themselves more than the Broncos did with drops galore and horrendous coaching. And Denver should be thankful for that, because Bo Nix was arguably the worst quarterback in football in Week 1. Three awful turnovers, terrible decision-making and just horrifically inefficient play leaves such a sour taste in the mouth. But, Denver’s defense is still elite, and that was enough… for now. Let’s see what happens when you’re not playing the Titans.

13 – Vikings (1-0)

What a coaching job that was by Kevin O’Connell. To settle your quarterback down in his first start on the road on Monday Night Football after three dreadful quarters of play was unreal to watch in real time. And I’ve got to give a ton of credit to JJ McCarthy, who had as many touchdowns thrown to the defense as first downs going into the fourth quarter, but still dusted off his shoulders and locked in for an incredible comeback. He showed poise, determination and a will to win on top of really great playmaking ability. The remade offensive line looked dominant and the defense was flying around. If the Vikings can extrapolate their fourth quarter into consistency across full games, this team will be right in the playoff mix.

14 – Falcons (0-1)

All of a sudden, I feel really good about the Falcons. Michael Penix Jr.? Stud. Bijan Robinson? Most dynamic player in football this season, probably. James Pearce Jr.? Instant impact off the edge, silencing so many doubters, albeit against a patchwork offensive line. Xavier Watts? Probably the most impressive rookie defensive back this week. Kyle Pitts? Actually good! If it wasn’t for Younghoe Koo’s right leg, we’d be talking about the Falcons as having one of the more impressive performances of Week 1. But, alas. We’ll have to settle for a dynamite SNF matchup in Minnesota to see if they can keep it up.

15 – Texans (0-1)

So, when is the Texans offense going to look competent? Ever again? Please? I don’t want CJ Stroud to come out and say this team was “lollygagging” ever again. The defense is obviously still insane, but it won’t matter until this offense wakes the hell up. The protection is still a glaring issue, which is just going to hold these guys back. Although, I was pleasantly surprised with the run game. Nick Chubb still has some gas left in the tank. In any case, things aren’t getting easier for Houston with the Bucs on tap, so the offense better figure itself out if they want to avoid an 0-2 start.

16 – Cowboys (0-1)

Hey, that wasn’t as bad as we thought it’d be! Good for you! Dak Prescott was genuinely awesome in the opener, though the stats won’t reflect it. The run game was cooking for most of the game, and the defense was a pleasant surprise when it came to anything but stopping quarterback scrambles. If CeeDee Lamb could catch — just a strange problem dating back to last year that’s bogging down one of the league’s best receivers — we’d be talking about the Cowboys as pulling the upset of the opening slate. Alas, we’ll have to settle for giving them a moral victory instead.

17 – Steelers (1-0)

Unc still got it. Aaron Rodgers was straight up awesome on Sunday — a statement I didn’t think I’d ever make again. The Jets defense is no slouch, and he still threw it all over the place. Now, the Steelers got just about every break to win it, from a fumble on a kickoff to two super long field goals from Chris Boswell. And I wasn’t very impressed with this defense, though they made the plays when it was time to make them. More than anything, I’m just a lot more interested in this Steelers team. Because that game looked nothing like what I expected it to. So, what comes next?

18 – Raiders (1-0)

It’s too early to take my Geno Smith victory lap, especially considering the secondary that he was facing on Sunday. But that game gives me confidence that QB play will not be a weakness in Vegas this fall. The run game, on the other hand, was concerning. Yes, the Patriots have a much stronger front seven, but Ashton Jeanty was not drafted to have 38 yards on 19 carries. I hope they can open things up more for him as the season rolls along. And we’ll see how the defense plays when they line up against some more put-together offenses, like the Chargers on Monday night.

19 – 49ers (1-0)

Is this harsh? Probably. But it’s more of a reflection of the current state of the 49ers, who are staring at a game against the Saints without Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk. They were absolutely blessed by the football gods to pull that win out in Seattle. There wasn’t really any area where I was impressed, other than with Trent Williams, Fred Warner and Nick Bosa, which is par for the course. Obviously all those Jake Moody misses play a role, but I just need to see the Niners consistently win with all these issues they’re dealing with before putting them above some teams that I thought were more impressive this week.

20 – Colts (1-0)

Well, well, well. Indiana Jones had a smashing opening weekend at the box office. Good for him, and good for the Colts. I’ll take it with a grain of salt because the Dolphins are an absolute joke, and I’m fascinated to see what the sequel looks like against one of the best defenses in football this week.

21 – Cardinals (1-0)

Most nothing win of Week 1? Most nothing win ever? People are asking. But, a win is a win. The Cardinals helped people remain alive in their survivor pools with a remarkably unimpressive win in New Orleans, but I’m leaving with two major positives. To start, Marvin Harrison Jr. was involved! Keep that up. And second, Will Johnson looked every bit like the stud we thought he’d be coming out of college. Looks like Arizona got a real steal there.

22 – Jets (0-1)

I said it earlier with Pittsburgh: that didn’t look anything like what I expected it to, but I still loved it. Justin Fields blew us all away, Breece Hall looked explosive and Garrett Wilson was a dog. I’m disappointed in what I saw out of this defense, but I’m not sure how long that’ll continue for. Maybe, just maybe, this Jets team is better than we thought they’d be. Or, this might just be another Fields flash in the pan. I’m sincerely hoping for the former.

23 – Seahawks (0-1)

Like their counterparts in Week 1, I feel like I’m being a little harsh to Seattle here. Sam Darnold wasn’t awful by any means, Jaxon Smith-Njigba was a monster and the defense held their own… until they didn’t. And that’s what bothers me. Riq Woolen has turned into an absolute liability at corner and now Nick Emmanwori could be headed to the injured reserve. I don’t know if either side of the ball in Seattle is good enough to lift up the other, which means these first few weeks could go awry, especially with some solid teams looming on the schedule.

24 – Patriots (0-1)

Boring? Underwhelming? All of the above. I do like what I saw out of Drake Maye, but that was about it. I was expecting a lot more out of the run game, which was way too quiet for my liking. The defense held up as best as they could with Christian Gonzalez being out, but it wasn’t enough. But this was never going to be an overnight thing, as I said. We’ll see how this group continues to gel in the weeks to come.

25 – Jaguars (1-0)

Was that a good-looking win for the Jags? Yeah, I guess so. But let’s see it again. And against a better team, please. I think Trevor Lawrence looked good, but certainly not great, so I think this offense still has some work to do. And they’re not going to play many defenses as bad as Carolina’s for the rest of the year. So, show it to me again before I put the respect on you that a lot of folks in the media are.

26 – Bears (0-1)

Thank you for one of the best hatewatches I’ve had in years. Game one under Ben Johnson with Caleb Williams looked like so much of what I expected: some scripted success to start followed by abysmal offense, horrendous inaccuracy, bad body language and general feelings of giving up en route to blowing a double-digit fourth quarter lead at home to a division rival. It might be too early to take my victory lap and gloat, but this one is a feather in my cap. Now, Chicago is on the verge of facing some uncomfortable questions if this keeps up. But we’ll cross those bridges when we get there.

27 – Panthers (0-1)

After a summer’s worth of hype following the way Bryce Young ended 2024, he goes out there and does that? Not great. This defense is still awful and Bryce looked overwhelmed against a Jags defense that’s nothing amazing. At least Tetairoa McMillan looked awesome!

28 – Browns (0-1)

The Browns managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in ways that truly only they can. They moved the ball effectively against Cincinnati while their own defense absolutely suffocated what’s supposed to be one of the best offenses in the league. And it didn’t matter because their kicker can’t kick. Only Cleveland. But, at least we can see that this defense will still hold its weight while the offense flails around for a few weeks until Quinshon Judkins provides a boost in the run game.

29 – Titans (0-1)

Just an abject disaster. Brian Callahan was the worst head coach of Week 1 for a CVS receipt’s worth of reasons and nobody lining up to catch passes could do that. Cam Ward’s tape vastly outshines his numbers, which is about what I expected this season. But man, I didn’t know it’d be this bad. So, I simultaneously have hope because of Ward, but no hope because of coaching and the rest of the offense. It’s going to be a weird year in Tennessee.

30 – Giants (0-1)

Just bleh. Russell Wilson doesn’t have much time left in this league, the run game was absolutely smothered, and while the defensive front looked good at times, this Giants team was simply outmatched and buried on Sunday. Never a good sign when you don’t score a touchdown and are the lowest-scoring team of the slate. This team really just isn’t worth talking about until Jaxson Dart starts playing.

31 – Saints (0-1)

If Spencer Rattler is truly better than Tyler Shough, then I fear the Saints completely wasted that draft selection. I do think New Orleans looked better than the dumpster fire we expected, but I told you guys the game would be close. This offense is just an unwatchable product — much like those disgraceful alternate uniforms — although Kelvin Banks had a nice debut at the tackle spot. And the defense isn’t good enough to make up for any of it.

32 – Dolphins (0-1)

Our expectations for you were low, but holy cow. I wasn’t expecting this level of a dumpster fire. Everyone in Miami should be ashamed. But, none of them will be there in a few months’ time, so maybe they just don’t care. It certainly looks like they don’t. Nobody respects Tua, nobody respects Mike McDaniel and nobody wants to be there. What a mess. This might get blown up sooner than I anticipated.

Cover photo taken from KXAN.

1 – Chiefs (1-0)

Imagine winning back-to-back Super Bowls with the best quarterback of all time and an elite young defense… and then clearly improving in the offseason to the point where everyone is questioning how you’re possibly going to be stopped.

Must be nice.

2 – 49ers (1-0)

It’s not surprising to see the Niners pick up where they left off. The important thing is seeing it continue in the weeks and months to come.

3 – Cowboys (1-0)

Dak Prescott deserved the money. CeeDee Lamb obviously did, too. And the defense is obviously incredible, making more plays than any other in the league. Now you’re seeing it all come to fruition.

This team will be dangerous, no matter how many jokes we all want to get off.

4 – Lions (1-0)

My main concern with Detroit entering the year was their secondary, considering the defensive front and entire offense was nothing short of elite. While they definitely had ups and downs, I was impressed by what I saw out of that unit.

This remains one of the more well-rounded rosters in the league, and what Sunday night showed is that, if they choose to, they can beat you any way they please.

5 – Ravens (0-1)

Baltimore will be fine, but I have some early concerns. The defense has clearly taken the step back that I expected them to, and the offense can’t lean on Lamar Jackson like this for an entire season. He’s not Josh Allen.

6 – Bills (1-0)

Speaking of Josh Allen, it’s nice to see that he’s still doing Superman stuff in the month of September.

That’s all fine and dandy, but let’s see if he can do it in January.

7 – Eagles (1-0)

This defense still has numerous question marks, but the signs of life are there across the board.

And it might not matter if Saquon Barkley keeps doing that.

8 – Texans (1-0)

Houston is a team that’s going to keep getting better and better as they continue to gel this season. It helps when you’re led by the most surgical quarterback in the league (yes, I mean it).

9 – Dolphins (1-0)

I really don’t have much to say about Miami that we don’t already know about them. They put up their yards, and their defense bent quite a bit, but didn’t break down the stretch. This will be the case until the first cold breeze of autumn blows through.

10 – Rams (0-1)

The injury bug ripped a chunk out of the Rams in Week 1, and that is quite concerning. But, this is a team that has made quite a lot of of nothing in recent years, and as long as Sean McVay is the coach and Matt Stafford is the quarterback, I will keep the faith in them.

And if Cooper Kupp keeps playing like his 2021 self? Watch out.

11 – Packers (0-1)

The worst sight of Week 1 was seeing Jordan Love needlessly sprain his MCL on a broken play at the end of a lost game. It was a cruel twist of fate.

The Packers are still talented across the board and can win games, but I have little to no faith in Malik Willis as an NFL QB. We’ll see how it goes.

12 – Seahawks (1-0)

Fair play, Seattle. You looked a lot better than I expected you to. Let’s see if you can do it against football teams with real rosters.

13 – Saints (1-0)

I feel like this is a little high for the Saints, but if you win any game in this league by 37 points, you deserve some flowers. I doubt any of this can continue, especially Derek Carr’s level of play, but if it does, then I might have to eat some crow.

14 – Buccaneers (1-0)

Again, I don’t want to take much stock in Baker Mayfield decimating the worst secondary in the NFL (by a good margin, it seems). But the Bucs looked really good across the board on Sunday. This is probably the best team in the NFC South, but it remains to be seen if anyone wants to claim that title with conviction.

15 – Bears (1-0)

Most annoying win of Week 1. Caleb Williams throws for 93 yards on 14 completions and his offense doesn’t score, but the defense and special teams is gifted touchdown after touchdown, so I have to hear about how Caleb “led his team to victory” and nothing about how this offense might’ve been the worst in the league this week.

Give me a break.

16 – Steelers (1-0)

A win is a win, even if you don’t put the ball in the endzone. Just ask the Bears.

On the bright side for Pittsburgh, the defense still looks legit, and TJ Watt still looks like the most impactful defensive player in the sport. The same winning formula remains.

17 – Jaguars (0-1)

You were on the verge of greatness, you were this close!

Ironically enough, I feel better about the Jags after watching that game. They clearly have the talent and coaching to keep up with the big dogs. We’ll see how long they can keep it up.

18 – Colts (0-1)

Anthony Richardson is a demigod, but that isn’t going to be enough to win games in Indianapolis. They need to find a groove on offense, and that starts with Richardson’s ability to complete all of his passes, not just the 60-yard bombs.

19 – Jets (0-1)

I told you so.

20 – Vikings (1-0)

Please, please don’t be fooled by this Sam Darnold performance! The 2021 Panthers are warning you.

21 – Bengals (0-1)

Week 1 Bengals gonna Week 1 Bengals. I can’t explain it, but this is just how it’s going to be, I guess.

22 – Chargers (1-0)

I think if you asked Jim Harbaugh exactly how he wanted to win that game, he’d give you exactly how it happened. That’s going to be who the Chargers are. And it might just work.

(But we all wanna see Justin Herbert let it fly. Please.)

23 – Cardinals (0-1)

Pro tip: throw the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr. Or just start by looking his way.

Thanks for listening!

24 – Patriots (1-0)

Not sure how much stock to take in New England beating perhaps the worst Week 1 team in the league, but it was good for Jerod Mayo and Co. to go out there and win that game. Not sure how many more Ws are coming their way in 2024.

25 – Falcons (0-1)

Alexa, play New Person, Same Old Mistakes.

26 – Browns (0-1)

Can we officially say the Deshaun Watson trade and contract are the worst in NFL history? And can Cleveland please start Jameis Winston? This roster and these uniforms do not deserve to be wasted like this.

27 – Raiders (0-1)

Week 1 showed me what I already knew: the Raiders are simply anxiously awaiting their top 5 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, where they will land their new franchise QB.

28 – Broncos (0-1)

And to think I had that much faith in you. There’s a lesson learned.

29 – Commanders (0-1)

See: Atlanta. Only this was much, much worse than I expected.

Jayden was great, but he shouldn’t have had to run for his life every play. The rest of the offense was lifeless, and the defense might as well have not taken the field.

It was a performance that was all too frequent under the previous regime: a clear lack of preparation and simply no signs of life or effort, especially on defense.

So, we’re off to a great start in this new era!

30 – Titans (0-1)

*insert Will Levis surrender cobra on his knees while his game-losing pick six goes back the other way*

31 – Giants (0-1)

On the bright side: Malik Nabers looks good. He’ll see a monster number of targets and make the most of his opportunities.

On the not-so-bright side: literally everything else.

32 – Panthers (0-1)

Just when you think things can’t get worse, they go and get worse.

Just fast forward to next year. Or next decade.

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Cover photo taken from NY Post.

1 – Ravens (13-4)

“Super Bowl or Bust” is a lazy analysis, but it really feels that way for this Baltimore team. While their near future will be fruitful, this feels like the team that’s best-equipped to do what the 2019 team couldn’t.

They’re going to have to prove themselves in a big way, and Lamar Jackson is finally going to have to get the playoff monkey off his back.

2 – 49ers (12-5)

The Niners feel like the best team in the league — or at least the favorites to win it all — and Vegas agrees. This team checks every box except for the one loss to Baltimore.

Will they have the chance to avenge it? We’ll find out in due time.

3 – Lions (12-5)

Considered swapping Detroit and Dallas, but I’m still being petty after the Week 17 shenanigans.

That being said, I’m not sure how to feel about the Lions now that we’re in the postseason. I think they drew a nightmare matchup with the Rams, and I think Sam LaPorta’s apparent knee injury could loom a lot larger than it seems. But we’ll get into that this weekend.

4 – Cowboys (12-5)

Alright, you’re in. And you’re the 2 seed. You won’t have to go on the road until the last Sunday of January, if you can get that far. You have no excuse not to.

5 – Browns (11-6)

As has been stated for weeks, the Browns are the AFC Wild Card team most suited for a run in this postseason. But it certainly won’t be easy. Let’s see just how far this Joe Flacco run — and this elite defense – can carry this team.

6 – Bills (11-6)

They did what they had to do. Now they have to keep it going in January — a month that has plagued them time and time again. Is this finally the year?

7 – Chiefs (11-6)

Getting serious 2018 Patriots vibes from the Chiefs at this point. That Patriots team won the Super Bowl thanks to its elite defense and all-time quarterback doing all the right things in the playoffs.

I’m not saying Kansas City is winning it all… I’m just getting similar vibes.

8 – Rams (10-7) 2

Of all six wild card teams, the Rams are my favorite to go on a run. It doesn’t help that they’ll likely have to go to San Francisco if they win on Sunday night, but nobody wants to see this team right now.

They finished the year 7-1, the defense is cooking, and the offense has a plethora of weapons with both the rookies and the vets. I can’t wait to see what Sean McVay cooks for the postseason.

9 – Texans (10-7) 3

We did it. CJ and DeMeco did it. And man, what a story it is. Even if the Texans lose on Saturday, they should be extremely proud and even more excited for what the future holds with perhaps the best young QB/HC duo in the league.

10 – Dolphins (11-6) 2

They are what we thought they were. And that’s about all that needs to be said. A season which once had Super Bowl aspirations will now end with a whisper in Kansas City.

What a waste.

11 – Eagles (11-6) 2

Every second of this second-half collapse has been absolutely delightful to watch. The only thing better will be if the Eagles lose in Tampa on Monday night.

At this rate, I don’t see anything to make me believe that won’t be the case.

12 – Packers (9-8) 4

The Packers have been a roller coaster this year, but now that the regular season is over and this team is in the playoffs, I’m officially going to take my victory lap.

Jordan Love is clearly a franchise guy, the rookies balled out, and the defense has seemingly found itself again in the final two games. If they beat Dallas, I assure you I will be insufferable.

13 – Buccaneers (9-8) 1

Perhaps no team in the NFL proved me wrong more than the Bucs. I tip my cap and apologize to Baker and the boys. Here’s to hoping they have one more victory in them.

14 – Steelers (10-7) 6

I don’t know how we got here, but I hate it. Mason Rudolph in the playoffs… good lord.

15 – Colts (9-8)

I feel for the Colts, who had a playoff berth right in their grasp and let it slip away. But, the future is undeniably bright. If they were able to do all of this with Gardner Minshew at quarterback, can you imagine what they’ll look like if/when Anthony Richardson develops into a cyborg?

16 – Saints (9-8) 3

The Saints did enough down the stretch to make me eat a bit of crow, but alas, it still was not enough to make the dance. Another mediocre season with no results puts them further into limbo.

What comes next? I have no idea. But with Dennis Allen still at head coach, it can’t be anything good.

17 – Jaguars (9-8) 6

I haven’t given it out in recent weeks, but the Jaguars deserve to be the final Team of Shame of the season. From 8-3 and the 1 seed to 9-8 and crashing out of the playoffs when you just needed a win to be division champs.

In the words of Master Yoda: “How embarrassing.”

18 – Seahawks (9-8) 5

With Seattle missing out on the playoffs and Pete Carroll retiring as head coach, I have no idea where this team is going to go. They’re talented enough to be competitive, but clearly not good enough to be anything special.

Is it time to finally kick off the rebuild? Might just be.

19 – Bengals (9-8) 1

There’s not much I can say about the Bengals. It’s a shame this season went the way it did, but they’ll be fine. They just have to limit the damage this offseason and find an adequate replacement for Tee Higgins.

20 – Raiders (8-9) 2

Do the right thing, Raiders. Hire Antonio Pierce as the full time head coach. You simply cannot make the same mistake twice.

21 – Broncos (8-9) 4

I tuned the Broncos out after the Russell Wilson fiasco went down. I think that was for the best.

22 – Bears (7-10) 1

Well, it looks like we have our answer. Even though the Bears are retaining Matt Eberflus (for some reason), it doesn’t appear that they’ll do the same with Justin Fields. I do believe he’ll be successful elsewhere, but it’s like I said last week: it makes a lot more sense to go in a different direction in the draft.

23 – Titans (6-11) 2

Thanks for giving us the funniest collapse of Week 18, y’all.

24 – Falcons (7-10) 1

After three years of head-scratching mediocrity, Arthur Smith is finally out. And thank goodness for that.

I’ll be very interested to see who the Falcons bring in to replace him, and far more interested to see if they’re actually capable of using the abundance of talent on this roster.

25 – Vikings (7-10) 1

Minnesota enters this offseason with one major priority: retain Justin Jefferson. I don’t see a world where they keep Kirk Cousins, so all the attention — and money — should turn to Jettas. If I were him, I don’t know if I’d stay. But the Vikings have no choice.

26 – Giants (6-11) 1

See: Tennessee.

27 – Cardinals (4-13) 1

The Cardinals ended the season the same way they carried themselves for its entirety: being competitive enough to be entertaining, but not quite enough to win football games.

28 – Jets (7-10) 1

Our long national nightmare is over. The Jets won’t play football again this season.

29 – Chargers (5-12) 3

There’s a lot of work to do this offseason if you’re the Chargers. Step one is probably to fire Brandon Staley. They’ve got to get going on that front.

30 – Patriots (4-13)

Bill Belichick leaving has been in the cards for a while. I personally don’t think he’ll be coaching again, but stranger things have happened.

Regardless, with a top 3 pick and a head coaching vacancy, the Pats are in full rebuild mode now.

31 – Commanders (4-13)

Ron Rivera is finally gone. The No. 2 pick is ours, along with the most cap space in the league. Perhaps the most attractive head coaching and general managing vacancies lie in our city.

It feels good to have hope. It feels better to have results. Let’s make it happen.

32 – Panthers (2-15)

Thank goodness that’s over. See you again at the bottom of the Power Rankings next year, Carolina!

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