Tag: New Orleans Saints

Cover photo taken from Cincy Jungle.

1 – Eagles (6-0)

Thanks to their bye week, the Eagles remain locked in the #1 spot. As I said last week, it’s not just because of their perfect record, but thanks to their incredible balance and dominance on both sides of the ball. They still leave a lot to be desired offensively in the second half of games, but when they get out to such huge leads, then maybe it won’t be that big of an issue in the coming weeks against a cupcake schedule.

2 – Bills (5-1)

Buffalo also had their bye this week, as if they needed one. This is the most unstoppable team in football at the moment, and I doubt they needed a week off to recharge. I fully expect them to continue dominating their subpar schedule for the rest of the way, starting this Sunday night at home against a bumbling Packers team.

3 – Chiefs (5-2)

The Kansas City Chiefs did their patented move of absolutely waxing a very good team after being beat and seemingly written off by everyone. All they did was go on the road and put up 44 points including six consecutive touchdown drives against the best statistical defense in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes was absolutely fantastic with a nearly flawless game other than an interception off a tip. Mecole Hardman offered up his best game as a pro. The defense locked down the 49ers after their blockbuster acquisition of Christian McCaffrey by making life hell for Jimmy Garoppolo all game long. It was a perfect game from KC, which they needed after their loss against Buffalo.

4 – Vikings (5-1)

The Vikings remain in the top 4 thanks to their bye week and their record. They have an interesting matchup with the Cardinals this week that could be a shootout, and I feel confident in Minnesota’s ability to keep their winning ways going, especially at home.

5 – Cowboys (5-2) 2

The Cowboys defense continues to prove why they should be considered to be the best in the NFL. They are just game-wreckers at every level, and it’s quite frankly incredible to think they’ve lost two games. The offense, even with Dak Prescott back, is nothing to write home about. But it doesn’t matter because of the dominance of the other side of the ball. Turnovers, sacks, PBUs, pressure, you name it. This team gets it. I think this defense is performing the best of any in the NFL at the moment, and it will carry them in the majority of their games, especially when they’re playing a team as incompetent as Detroit. But, I’d like to see more out of the offense (perhaps a trade is forthcoming a la Amari Cooper in 2018) before dubbing the whole team as elite or contenders.

6 – Bengals (4-3) 4

It took a while to get back on track, but the Bengals are officially here. The hangover is over (maybe they used that cure I gave them) and they’re finally looking like their old selves again. Joe Burrow is absolutely dealing, Joe Mixon is a menace, Ja’Marr Chase is once again unguardable, and the defense is back to their dominant ways. They dismantled a solid Falcons squad who hadn’t lost like that all year long thanks to the perfection of their passing game. Burrow might just be an MVP candidate right now, which is shocking considering how he began the year. This team 100% has what it takes to separate themselves from the rest of their awful division, despite their loss in Baltimore a few weeks ago. They’ve found their stride. Have fun stopping it.

7 – Giants (6-1) 1

Once again, the Giants found a way to win a game they frankly had no business winning. I don’t want to sound like a broken record at this point, so I’ll just bounce the Giants up a bit and leave it at that. I really don’t know how much longer this stuff is going to persist, but I have a feeling it’ll be a while before this team is exposed, if even at all. They just win and we have to deal with it.

8 – Ravens (4-3) 1

This team is just so unconvincing. Once again, they nearly implode with a double digit lead in the fourth quarter, this time against a pretty bad Cleveland team. They got the job done, but I don’t feel good about any of it. Lamar Jackson was nothing special, the WRs once again did nothing, and Mark Andrews didn’t even have a catch! They had to ride Gus Edwards of all people to victory in his first game back from injury. Their defense played a solid game, but again, it’s hard to feel good about where this team is headed with how they close out games. It started as a concern, then became a pattern, and is now a part of this team’s identity.

9 – 49ers (3-4) 3

The 49ers laid a dud. They got waxed. They got healthy and got CMC and it meant nothing. I even switched my pick to them and they let me down. However, most people do all of the above when running into the buzzsaw that is the Kansas City Chiefs. I still feel good about this team, but man, does that get harder by the day. Jimmy Garoppolo is a genuinely perplexing quarterback, and I don’t know how I can trust the Niners to contend with him under center when they play truly elite teams like the Chiefs. As I’ve said so many times before, there is a clear ceiling and floor with the 49ers. We just saw the basement.

10 – Titans (4-2) 1

Like the Giants, the Titans just find ways to win. It has been their identity for years now under Mike Vrabel, and it comes easy against their awful division opponents. Luckily for them, next up is the Texans, so you can expect this to keep going. This team is nothing special at all, but I have to respect their winning ways. They’re boring and conventional, but it works. Derrick Henry is continuing his dominant ways on the ground, and this front seven is one of the best in the league. They play a winning style of football that can carry them through their atrocious schedule for now. We’ll see what happens when it ramps up.

11 – Jets (5-2) 1

The Jets are 5-2 and just won their third straight game. But it really felt like a loss. Their tremendous phenom rookie RB and OROY favorite Breece Hall tore his ACL on Sunday and will miss the rest of the season. Moreover, standout guard Alijah Vera-Tucker will also be out for the year after tearing his triceps. Even after a nice road win, New York is feeling a lot worse today than they did last week. Still, the Jets are doing so many things so well, namely on defense. Their front seven continues to eat thanks to the long overdue emergence of Quinnen Williams, and DROY favorite Sauce Gardner is locking things down in the secondary. They also traded for RB James Robinson to help our their backfield woes, so they still should be able to run the ball well. I don’t believe in Zach Wilson, but he hasn’t needed to do much for this team to win. We’ll see how long it takes for the wheels to fall off.

12 – Seahawks (4-3) 7

After seven weeks, the Seattle Seahawks are in first place in the NFC West as the only team in the division with a winning record. What a world we live in. Seattle is a genuinely good team, and it’s time we just accept that. They are doing everything well, and it’s in large part thanks to the incredible contributions of their young pieces. Yes, Geno Smith is doing his thing at QB, but the new standout on offense is rookie RB Kenneth Walker, who has been a revelation in the last two weeks. The defense is also continuing to eat thanks to the excellence of their rookie DBs Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant as well as the continued dominance of their front. They went on the road and completely annihilated a team that most people think is a great one. This might not be an early season facade. This might actually be a playoff team.

13 – Dolphins (4-3) 2

Like so many other teams with similar records, it’s hard to see the Dolphins as a convincing squad right now. They’re just treading water offensively despite having some incredible pieces that should make them perform so much better. I don’t know how a team can look so average with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle catching passes, but it makes a lot more sense when you consider their fiasco at QB. Tua made his return on Sunday and didn’t look great or try to protect himself at all, which is just unbelievable. The defense and run game led by Raheem Mostert held things down for the whole game and was the reason they won, but they better hope to get more out of their passing game if they want to realize their potential like they did earlier in the year.

14 – Chargers (4-3) 9

I have been giving the Chargers the benefit of the doubt for months thanks to their injuries. It might be time to accept the fact that they straight up suck. Yes, their defense has been decimated by injury. It just got JC Jackson suffering a season-ending knee injury. But Jackson had been awful prior to the injury, just as many of their defensive pieces have been. They finally got Keenan Allen back and it meant nothing. Even Justin Herbert has looked extremely pedestrian all year long. The only thing the Chargers do well is force feed Austin Ekeler. THey just get pieced up way too easily, and it’s impossible to trust them to do anything good on any given Sunday. I’ve essentially given up on this team, and I don’t know how they can win me back at this point.

15 – Rams (3-3) 1

Thankfully for my eyes, the Rams had a bye this week to save us from watching their boring, lifeless team. They evidently won the bye and get nudged up ever so slightly this week, but don’t look too far into it. I still think this team is as mid as they come in this league.

16 – Cardinals (3-4) 6

This team is so strange. They needed an absolute disasterclass from Andy Dalton to get out to a huge lead on Thursday night and still almost blew it late. Their defense was incredibly porous outside of the turnovers. The offense did their thing thanks to the return of DeAndre Hopkins and great performance from 3rd string RB Eno Benjamin, but they were going up against an awful defense. I have no idea what the offense is going to look like in the coming weeks. All I know is seeing Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury yelling at each other on the sideline doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence.

17 – Packers (3-4) 4

Last week, I said “when you think it can’t get worse in Green Bay, it gets much, much worse.” That’s exactly what happened for yet another week. The Packers have now lost 3 in a row to the Giants, Jets, and Commanders. In each game, their offense has looked completely inept while their defense gets dismantled. It’s safe to say that the Packers defense is straight up bad and was one of the most overrated units in football coming into this year, despite their great 2021. Aaron Rodgers looks completely checked out, as he always does when the going gets tough. The only positive thing from the Packers this week was their ability to get Aaron Jones involved, which clearly paid dividends for them. Imagine if they did that earlier! This is just a middle-of-the-pack team that I am sticking a fork in.

18 – Buccaneers (3-4) 4

I am also sticking a fork in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I mean, my goodness. This team is a flat out embarrassment in every sense of the word. Their performances in recent weeks have been unfathomably bad. Scoring 3 points as a 14-point favorite against the worst team in the NFL that is literally a fire sale at the moment after they dealt their franchise player should constitute relegation. The formerly-vaunted defense can’t even stop PJ Walker, D’Onta Foreman, and Chuba Hubbard. Tom Brady can’t do anything with the offense that they are running, but he is not without blame either. He hasn’t looked like himself, and it doesn’t help that his offensive line is perhaps the worst in the NFL. They are still the league’s worst rushing team as they can’t get anything out of Leonard Fournette anymore. It’s hard to comprehend, but this offense with Brady, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and more is the sixth worst scoring offense in the league. The Panthers, Commanders, and Bears score more points than the Buccaneers. Let that sink in.

19 – Falcons (3-4) 2

I don’t want to be too harsh to the Falcons, who failed to cover the spread for the first time this year. This is the first dud they’ve laid all year long, but man was it a bad one. I understand getting off to a rough start against an offense like Cincinnati’s, with the secondary having a terrible day and clearly feeling the absence of AJ Terrell, but their response was negligible at best. I like Arthur Smith as a coach, but I can’t fathom sticking to a virtually run-only offense when you get down by multiple possessions. I don’t know if they don’t trust Marcus Mariota to throw the ball, but they have very good pass-catching weapons on the team. How hard can it be to get Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and others involved in the passing game?

20 – Raiders (2-4) 3

I don’t want to overreact to a win against the Houston Texans, but I feel like the Raiders are starting to find their stride. The offense is continuing to move the ball with ease thanks to the dominance of Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams. The defense is stepping up too, stifling a passable Texans offense for most of the game. I still have a ton of questions about their secondary, but this team feels more than equipped to win shootouts. I have to see it against better teams before buying more stock.

21 – Patriots (3-4) 3

Monday night was absolutely hilarious in Foxboro. We saw Mac Jones seemingly lose his job, Bailey Zappe reignite the team and the fanbase, and then Zappe seemingly lose the job all within a matter of hours. Now, I have no idea what to make of this team. They don’t know who the QB is, and neither option is honestly great, although I’d rock with Zappe. The defense got picked apart by the Bears of all teams. They finally looked like they were putting something good together, and it completely fell apart. I guess this is what the Patriots are now. They’re not awful, but they’re nothing special and will likely hang around .500 all year long.

22 – Colts (3-3-1) 2

Speaking of QB fiascos, the Colts are benching Matt Ryan due to him being a statue of a dinosaur who brings nothing of value to a football team in 2022. His downfall has been sad to see, but it’s clear that he has nothing left in the tank. So, the keys to the car that has Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr. are being handed to… Sam Ehlinger. Yes, that Sam Ehlinger. So, if you didn’t feel bad enough about the Colts before, now is the time to feel bad. Maybe he can lead this team to some wins here and there, but this team is nothing more than an average to below average waste of talent and potential. This is a weird move that might insinuate that they’re throwing in the towel for this season.

23 – Browns (2-5) 2

Man this team is embarrassing. I don’t even feel like talking about them. They’re just so bad. I wanna blame Jacoby Brissett, but it feels unfair to place all the blame on the backup QB. I actually think the majority of the blame lies with their defense, which has been straight up awful this season. They had so much potential, but all of that has gone out the window. Kareem Hunt has disappeared for some reason, and Nick Chubb has been mostly stifled for the last two weeks. This team is just a joke right now, and it’s only getting worse.

24 – Saints (2-5)

My perception on the Saints hasn’t changed one bit other than the fact that I feel a lot worse about Andy Dalton than I did before. Two of his three interceptions were awful, with one of them coming in the endzone. If the Saints score a touchdown there, Thursday night’s game might have gone differently. Their offense was doing their thing until that point, and it threw everything off. However, their defense continues to look poorer with every passing game, and that’s what holds this team back. Even with backup WRs, they’re able to move the ball. But it means nothing when the other side of the ball might as well not even exist.

25 – Commanders (3-4) 5

The 8th wonder of the world is why this team loves playing for Taylor Heinicke so much. Whenever he comes in, they just have an energy that otherwise is lacking. I will never understand it, but it works. Both sides of the ball put forth a pretty good performance against an admittedly bad Packers team, and despite some of Heinicke’s best efforts to give the game away, a second consecutive game was won to put the tank on hold. I know I say how much I want to lose and tank and whatnot, but it felt good to win a game like that. I won’t get my hopes up, even with Chase Young coming back soon, but I’m happy for the team. I suppose that’s all I can ask for at this point.

26 – Bears (3-4) 5

Simply put, the Bears put together their best performance of the year and perhaps the entire Justin Fields era on Monday night in Foxboro. The offense was actually clicking thanks to shockingly great playcalling and Fields limiting his mistakes, making great plays with his legs and his arm. Everyone got involved on offense, which I didn’t think they had in them. Moreover, the defense put together a great outing of their own thanks to a great game from their secondary headlined by rookies Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon. I don’t know if the Bears can keep this going, but I definitely feel better about them after this. Because at least now I know they have it in them to play a good football game.

27 – Jaguars (2-5) 1

It has gone from bad to worse to straight up dumpster fire for the Jags. Once again, they refuse to close out and win games. They continue to fall apart late in the clutch. Even when it looks like things are going well offensively, such as the emergence of Travis Etienne as the clear RB1, it doesn’t translate into enough points to win the game. And when the defense plays well, the wheels fall off in the 4th quarter. This is now 4 losses in a row for a team we all thought could make the playoffs after 3 weeks. It might continue to get worse from here.

28 – Steelers (2-5) 2

The Steelers have returned to Earth after a completely worthless performance on Sunday night. The offense might as well not have showed up, and while the defense played well enough to keep the game close, it meant nothing due to the incompetence of the other side of the ball. That has been the story of the season for Pittsburgh. They can’t put together a complete performance to save their lives, and they’re one of the worst teams in the league because of it.

29 – Broncos (2-5) 1

I won’t be too harsh to the Broncos for losing a game to a solid team with their backup QB playing. It’s not shocking that they couldn’t find the endzone, considering they have plenty of trouble doing that with their starting QB in the game. Their defense played another solid game, and once again, it meant nothing. I kinda feel bad for those guys.

30 – Panthers (2-5) 2

Seemingly every season, the team that’s clearly blowing it up and tanking puts together a hell of a performance against a “good” team for one of their lone wins of the year. The Jags did it last year against the Bills. The Jets did it in 2020 against the Rams. And the Panthers did it on Sunday against the Buccaneers. Good for them. They traded Christian McCaffrey and are trying to blow it up even further, but still dismantled Tom Brady and the Bucs in impressive fashion. Kudos to them. Now go complete the tank.

31 – Texans (1-4-1) 2

If nothing else, the Texans are consistent. They always hang around for a little bit before they inevitably get crushed. It’s honestly impressive that they stick to the formula so well. Sunday’s game was closer than the score would indicate, but who cares? The Texans are doing their job by continuing to lose games, and they better hope the Browns keep doing so as well. Imagine if they wind up with two top 5 picks.

32 – Lions (1-5) 5

The Lions have gone down the “sneaky good team with a great offense” to “worst team in the NFL” pipeline with swiftness in the last two months. It’s pretty sad, but incredibly predictable. Jared Goff was never going to continue putting up numbers. Against one of the league’s best defenses, he was absolutely atrocious with 4 turnovers. Amon-Ra St. Brown and D’Andre Swift can’t stay healthy at all. The defense is still absolutely awful. At least the other teams towards the bottom of the Power Rankings are competitive. The Lions might as well not show up on Sundays.

All stats taken from ESPN

Cover photo taken from The Kansas City Star.

1 – Eagles (6-0)

The Eagles aren’t just the #1 team because of the 0 in the loss column. They are simply the best team in the NFL. They have been the most balanced, the most dominant, and the most consistent. I know everybody is in a rush to crown the Bills as the best team in the league, and I wouldn’t say that’s without merit. But we have to respect what Philadelphia is doing. They moved the ball with ease on one of the NFL’s best defenses, and their own defense continues to wreak some havoc of their own. The Eagles have an incredible +12 turnover differential through six weeks with a staggering 14 takeaways to just 2 turnovers. They take the ball and shove it down your throat. This is the best team in the NFL, and considering their schedule, it’s hard to see them being knocked off this pedestal.

2 – Bills (5-1) 1

For the second consecutive year, the Bills walked into Arrowhead and beat the Chiefs thanks to Josh Allen’s excellence and their defense stepping up and limiting Patrick Mahomes. They forced him into some poor interceptions to help seal the deal, and Von Miller’s presence was felt more than anyone else on the field, as is seemingly always the case. He was the missing piece in Buffalo, and they look pretty unstoppable on both sides of the ball with him in the picture. The offense maybe didn’t put up as many points as they would have liked to, but they did what they had to do. They got their numbers in, and their two spectacular touchdown drives at the end of each half proved to be the difference. This team has now separated themselves from Kansas City (for the time being), and are deserving of a top 2 spot.

3 – Chiefs (4-2) 1

The Chiefs lost another regular season game to the Bills at home. They better hope this one doesn’t send them spiraling out of control like last year’s did. Even in the loss, the Chiefs showed me plenty to like, especially defensively. They held their own against Josh Allen for the most part, generating a solid pass rush and getting the best play they’ve gotten all season from their corners. It was just a couple of drives that proved to be the difference. I wasn’t a fan of Patrick Mahomes’ two uncharacteristically awful interceptions, the first of which came in the endzone when the Chiefs could’ve added 3 points on the board, and the second of which losing them the game. KC also missed a FG, so considering they took 6 points off the board on their own accord, they really lost to themselves. I do believe they were the inferior team on Sunday, but this team is still going to be fine. They just have an uphill climb to the 1 seed and homefield advantage now.

4 – Vikings (5-1) 5

The Vikings are the massive beneficiary of the rest of the NFL falling apart. In the midst of all the chaos, they are tied for the 2nd best record in the league, with their lone loss being to the only unbeaten team in football. They have yet to be convincing in a win since Week 1, but it virtually does not matter. All that matters is the fact that they keep on accumulating wins. The defense is playing well enough, and the offense continues to do big things. It’s a winning formula in a bad division with a schedule that’s been pretty easy thus far. It’s about to ramp up, so we’ll see how long these winning ways continue.

5 – Chargers (4-2) 2

From here on out, this list is an absolute mess. I have no idea what to make of anyone, so please read with discretion. I don’t even think the Chargers are close to deserving to be this high. I just don’t know what else to do with them. They looked awful offensively on Monday night, but their defense played extremely well. But, they were playing the Broncos. We just saw this team get gashed by the likes of Cleveland and Houston. They’re still getting healthy, but it’ll be a while before many key pieces return. I don’t foresee them staying up here for very long.

6 – 49ers (3-3)

Despite Sunday’s loss, which was pretty poor, and their .500 record, I still feel good about the 49ers. That game had weird things written all over it, and the Falcons played their best game of the season. It does not help that San Francisco’s defensive players are dropping like flies. It’s a unit that’s at its thinnest, and even DC DeMeco Ryans doesn’t know what to do. As long as they get their guys back, they’ll be fine. The concerns still lie with the offense, which was very on and off on Sunday. Their consistency will need to be much better if this team wants to win more games.

7 – Cowboys (4-2) 1

All things considered, Sunday night could have gone worse for the Cowboys. They were getting pummeled in the first half, but used a solid second half on both sides of the ball to make it slightly interesting. If Dak Prescott was playing, maybe the outcome would have been different. The good news for Dallas is that Dak is coming back this week, which is part of the reason I bumped them up. I still trust their defense more than most in the league, and their offense is about to get a massive boost now that they’ll actually be able to throw the ball. I think the Cowboys are primed to be one of the best teams in the NFL for the rest of the way, and it starts with getting their franchise QB back under center.

8 – Giants (5-1) 7

They just keep on winning. I still can’t wrap my head around it, but the Giants are for real. I never could have seen it coming, and I’m done disrespecting it. You might say that they’re still too low here, but this feels right for New York. They utilized yet another late comeback to topple the Ravens on Sunday on the backs of their defense creating more turnovers and making more plays. They have been the heart and soul of this team, and they are the reason they’re winning all of these games. The run game led by Saquon Barkley has been good enough to carry the load offensively. It’s not a conventional formula for wins, but it’s working, and the schedule is somehow only getting easier. The Giants might keep these winnings ways up for a while longer.

9 – Ravens (3-3) 5

The Ravens have a problem. All three of their losses have come after holding double digit leads in the second half, with two of them being in the fourth quarter. They are losing to themselves, giving games away thanks to some sort of internal problem with choking and turnovers in the clutch. This team is way too good to keep losing games like this, and while I gave them the benefit of the doubt before, I can’t anymore. It’s an extremely concerning pattern that needs to change as soon as possible.

10 – Bengals (3-3) 2

Joe Burrow’s return to Louisiana went about as well as you could have hoped. He had the best QB game of the week with over 300 yards passing and 4 total TDs, and his LSU buddy Ja’Marr Chase had his best game of the year with a 7/132/2 statline. The defense didn’t play up to snuff, but the offense looked like their old selves, and it was because of the revival of that connection. If Chase can get this involved and dominate like this, it adds that extra gear to the Bengals that we saw a year ago. We’ll see if they can keep that up against better defenses now that they’ve found their stride.

11 – Titans (3-2) 3

The Titans won their bye week simply because the rest of the league is falling apart around them. It helps that they have played very well going into it. I’m interested to see how they come out of their bye. I think they can separate themselves in the putrid AFC South, but they have to prove it to me.

12 – Jets (4-2) 12

New York, New York. The Jets are seemingly drinking whatever it is the Giants are, and it has led to three consecutive wins and their best record through six games in seven years. They walked into Lambeau and thoroughly beat down the Packers thanks to their defense continuing to dominate the trenches, the continued emergence of rookies like Sauce Gardner and Breece Hall, and a great special teams performance. This team just plays with a level of juice and toughness that’s honestly inspiring, even if it seemingly makes no sense. It’s not flashy. It’s borderline ugly. But it’s winning football. The Jets are playing winning football.

13 – Packers (3-3) 3

When you think it can’t get worse in Green Bay, it gets much, much worse. All this team did on Sunday is play their worst game of the year at home as a touchdown favorite against a team that we all thought was a bad joke. Turns out the Packers offense is the punchline of their own bad joke. Aaron Rodgers has lost his touch on the deep ball, they refuse to get Aaron Jones involved, they get damn near negligible production from their WRs, and the offensive line has fallen off a cliff. The other side of the ball isn’t inspiring any confidence either, as the secondary has been awful despite the dominance of the front seven. This team is just falling apart thanks to their awful play, and I don’t know if they have it in them to turn it around. You’d think that they can only go up from here, but I just don’t know.

14 – Buccaneers (3-3) 9

Speaking of uninspiring teams that are falling apart at the seams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in the midst of perhaps the biggest implosion of the season thus far. Their problems are quite similar to Green Bay’s. Their offense is a complete joke, boasting the NFL’s worst (!) rushing attack with a disgusting 67.5 yards/game thanks to an offensive line comprised of 5 drunk Floridians taken off the street. Their passing game might as well be nonexistent as well, even with their WRs coming back from injury. Tom Brady is getting no favors from anyone, but he hasn’t been great either, throwing for a measly 8 touchdowns in 6 games. The defense has previously been the saving grace of the team, but they couldn’t stop Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett on Sunday. Like I said, it’s a bad joke. Still, everyone is laughing.

15 – Dolphins (3-3) 4

Again, I really don’t want to fault the Dolphins for continuing to fall apart at QB. Their 3rd stringer Skylar Thompson got hurt on Sunday after doing a whole lot of nothing through the air, so they had to revert back to an injured Teddy Bridgewater, who also did a whole lot of nothing. But that’s not the only problem with this offense. The run game is nonexistent to the tune of just 70.5 yards/game, which is the second worst in the league. The WRs are getting their numbers, but it’s because they can’t do anything else offensively. The bigger concern is their defense continuing to play worse and worse with every passing game. They continue to get gashed both on the ground and through the air, despite their stacked personnel. This team just has a lot to fix and tighten up, which may happen as they get healthier.

16 – Rams (3-3)

Does this team move you? Do they move anyone? Be honest with yourselves. They used another boring, unconvincing performance against the worst team in the league at home to get back to .500. And no one cares. No one should! This team is not good. They can force feed Cooper Kupp and ride that to victory, and it does nothing for me. The offensive line is only getting thinner and worse, Matt Stafford is still a turnover machine, they are actively shopping their best RB in Cam Akers, they have no real options at WR other than Kupp, and the defense is honestly not playing great. If there’s any team that deserves to be permanently placed in the 16th spot, it’s the Rams.

17 – Falcons (3-3) 5

Atlanta keeps on playing really nice football, and people are finally starting to take notice. Arthur Smith’s offense keeps on humming despite the lack of star power, moving the ball up and down the field on the NFL’s best defense on Sunday. Marcus Mariota played his best game of the year, and Kyle Pitts finally scored his first touchdown in North America. The defense has also sharpened up, especially up front, and it has helped tremendously. This is a very solid team that’s playing much better than I thought they could, and it’s thanks to great coaching.

18 – Patriots (3-3) 1

Did the Patriots upgrade at QB with Bailey Zappe? You be the judge. Zappe is now 2-0 as a starter with two blowout victories over two decent teams. The defense is also back to their old ways, creating turnovers and making big plays. Now, New England is at .500 and back in the thick of the AFC Wild Card race. Mac Jones should not be rushed back at all if Zappe can continue playing this well, similar to the Cooper Rush-Dak Prescott situation. Until the wheels fall off the train, keep the rookie in the lineup. He is playing great and deserves his shot.

19 – Seahawks (3-3) 4

The Seahawks are fairly easy to assess at the moment. For one, they are a much better roster than we thought that’s capable of winning any game they play. Geno Smith is a very capable QB who is having perhaps the best year of his life. DK Metcalf might be a top 10 WR in the league. The defense is much better than anticipated. And so much of this team’s success is coming from their tremendous rookie class. Sunday’s game was a standout one for DBs Coby Bryant and Tariq Woolen as well as RB Kenneth Walker in his first start of the year. This is just a solid team that will continue to win games. It’s that simple.

20 – Colts (3-2-1) 6

Are the Colts back? It may be too soon to tell, but back to back tough wins pulled out late has this team above .500 and in first place. They haven’t exactly looked impressive or anything, but wins are wins. The offense actually looked serviceable thanks to the emergence of rookie RB Deon Jackson and fellow rookie WR Alec Pierce. The defense played pretty poorly, but it didn’t matter in the long run. This team is still just weird and tough to assess. This week’s contest against the Titans in the battle for the top spot in the division will tell us where this team actually stands.

21 – Browns (2-4) 8

In a league full of bad jokes, the Browns might be the worst one. Like so many other teams with seemingly good rosters, this team is falling apart and looking like absolute garbage. How do you get thrashed by over 20 points at home to a backup QB? How does your own backup QB look like an XFL QB with a great surrounding cast? How does your incredible RB tandem combine to do absolutely nothing for sixty minutes? The answer to all those questions is simply the fact that this is Cleveland. I’d be lying if I said they didn’t deserve this.

22 – Cardinals (2-4) 5

I picked the Cardinals to lose on Sunday, but I didn’t foresee them completely disappearing on offense and not even scoring a touchdown. Kyler Murray didn’t play horribly, but they just could not put points on the board to save their lives. They were a turnover machine, and it lost them the game. It didn’t help that they’re still very thin at RB and WR Hollywood Brown suffered what is likely a season-ending foot injury. However, it does help that Arizona is finally getting DeAndre Hopkins back from suspension this week, which will fill in that hole and provide a boost to the passing game.

23 – Raiders (1-4) 2

The Raiders mercifully had a bye week where they couldn’t lay a dud or choke another game away in embarrassing fashion. But they’ll surely get back to doing that this week.

24 – Saints (2-4) 6

As much as I don’t want to fault the Saints for losing by four points against a good team while missing their top 3 WRs, I just think this team is cooked. It’s not the fact that they’re losing or the fashion in which they do so, but something is just off in New Orleans. I personally think it’s coaching; who could have foreseen Dennis Allen being an awful head coach? It’s unlikely that they can get healthier this week with the quick turnaround and a Thursday nighter out in Arizona on tap. A win would help them get back on track, but a loss will put them deeper in the hole they’re currently in. We’ll see what happens.

25 – Jaguars (2-4) 5

The three weeks of the Jaguars being a good team were pretty fun. Now, they’re on a three-game losing streak including back to back bad losses in the division. The problem on Sunday wasn’t their offense, but their defense, which made a prehistoric Colts offense look like world-beaters. Trevor Lawrence and the offense did their thing, getting out to an early lead, but it was all for nothing in the end. It was honestly a microcosm of where this team stands.

26 – Steelers (2-4) 4

Good for the Steelers to get such a nice win at home to end their four-game skid. That must feel great for the team and for the city. I don’t know if it will spark some sort of comeback for their season, but they did everything right on Sunday for the first time. I don’t think this team will be awful for the rest of the season. But that was likely their best win that will not be topped.

27 – Lions (1-4) 2

Detroit ended their three straight weeks of losing by being blessed with a bye. I really hope they can come out of it and look like a real football team again, but you and I both know that’s not going to happen anytime soon.

28 – Broncos (2-4) 1

Hahahaha…. hahahaAHAHAHA….. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. The league’s biggest joke is only getting funnier and funnier. The coaching decisions are only getting worse. The QB play is only getting harder to watch. The memes are only getting better. This is a disaster that is somehow getting worse by the week, and I am loving every second of it.

29 – Texans (1-3-1)

The Texans had the week off after notching their first win, and it was completely uneventful. They remained at the bottom of the standings, where they’ll probably reside for a good while. At least they get the Raiders this week in what could be another win for them.

30 – Commanders (2-4) 1

They won a game. They ruined their draft position. The head coach cursed at the press. And now the reins are being handed to Taylor Heinicke. My life is hell.

31 – Bears (2-4) 3

The Bears lost the worst game of all time to themselves, which is sadly indicative of where this franchise stands. They just can’t do anything right, even when it seems like they’re headed in the right direction. It doesn’t help that the roster is abhorrent, but it’s going to be a while before things turn around in Chicago.

32 – Panthers (1-5)

The Panthers tank is continuing to go swimmingly as Robbie Anderson essentially quit the team mid-game and got shipped to Arizona. That likely won’t be the last trade that this team makes in the coming weeks. Sit back and enjoy the dumpster fire burning.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Cover photo taken from Bleeding Green Nation.

1 – Eagles (5-0)

It was a bit closer than they may have liked, but the Eagles kept their undefeated streak going with a very nice win in Arizona. Jalen Hurts was stellar once again to help carry his team to victory with both his arm and his legs. The defense was also sharp in locking down the Cardinals offense for the most part. They were the beneficiary of their opponent’s kicking woes, and if it weren’t for that, perhaps they would have lost like I predicted them to. But they still looked great in pretty much every facet and are more than deserving to remain at #1 for another week.

2 – Chiefs (4-1)

I really don’t know how you’re supposed to stop this team. Even when you have them down 17-0 in the first half and get ridiculous calls to go your way, they will find a way to beat you. Patrick Mahomes is playing some of the best football of anyone else in the league at the position, leading remarkable scoring drives and orchestrating offense at an otherworldly level. Their defense still raises questions, especially in the secondary, but does it even matter at this point? When Mahomes plays like he has been, this team is an absolute freight train. Everyone gets involved offensively and it is poetry in motion.

3 – Bills (4-1)

I won’t take too much stock of the Bills destroying one of the worst teams in the league at home when that team is led by a rookie QB making his first start. That being said, it sure is awesome to watch this team when they are playing at a level that high. Josh Allen has been a wonder this entire season, living up to the hype and exceeding it. The offense is seemingly unstoppable through the air, and while I don’t like their run game, I love watching Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis in action. Their defense also played their best game of the year, but again, it wasn’t much of a challenge. This week’s Game of the Year on paper in Kansas City will tell us much more about where this team stands in relation to the giant that they are yet to slay.

4 – Ravens (3-2) 2

After the top 3, things get ridiculously messy. I really don’t know if the Ravens are the fourth best team in football. I really doubt that they are. Sunday night’s win was a good one thanks to a great performance from their defense, but Lamar Jackson didn’t have his best night. He led a fantastic game-winning drive, but other than that, he didn’t play up to his standards. The WRs on this team are also back to being invisible. I just feel like I can trust this team more than so many of the ones below them either due to injuries or precedent or anything else, so Baltimore gets the benefit of the doubt and stays up here for now.

5 – Buccaneers (3-2) 2

The worst roughing the passer call in history (until it was one-upped the next day) is distracting a lot of people from the fact that the Buccaneers nearly blew a 21-point lead at home to the Falcons. Tampa looked good on both sides of the ball for about three quarters, but the fourth was a mess. Whether you want to blame injuries or fatigue or whatever, this team just feels like it’s lacking something to make them truly great. Their elite defense and GOAT at QB makes it easy to prop them up amidst the messiness of the rest of the league, but it’s really hard to project what this team is capable of from here on out.

6 – 49ers (3-2) 4

The 49ers are looking better by the week, and it’s due to them continuing to follow their very simple yet effective formula of running it down teams’ throats and letting their defense do the rest. The offense is still nothing special, but they get the job done no matter who is at QB or running the ball. This has been the best defense in football so far this season, shutting down opponents left and right and taking the ball away with ease. Some injuries might shake that up a bit as Emmanuel Moseley will miss the rest of the year with a torn ACL and Nick Bosa might miss some time with a groin problem. But this team has the depth and coaching to overcome that.

7 – Chargers (3-2) 1

The Chargers are another team that I have very little idea what to make of. On one hand, I love that Austin Ekeler is finally returning to his old form and making a huge impact in this offense. The run game looks infinitely better, even getting contributions from backup Joshua Kelley. I think the rest of the offense is just fine as long as Justin Herbert is throwing the ball. The defense is clearly lagging behind though, and all of the injuries don’t help. And the in-game coaching decisions continue to boggle my mind. They should have lost on Sunday after an inexplicable 4th down decision in the final minutes, but they lucked out after a missed FG. It’s not going to get easier from here on out. They need to tighten up.

8 – Cowboys (4-1) 3

I genuinely think I’m underrating the Cowboys here. They’ve been one of the most consistent teams in football in the four weeks with Cooper Rush starting at QB, following a very similar formula to San Francisco. Their defense looks better and better by the week, somehow generating more pressure and playing even stickier coverage. The offense virtually doesn’t need to do anything to win games at this point. They’re playing at a better, more consistent level than most teams in the league, but it’s just hard to put them above others while Rush is still their QB. I don’t know how much better it will be once Dak Prescott returns, which should be soon, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

9 – Vikings (4-1)

Once again, the Vikings are winning all of the games that the Vikings of the past would have lost. That’s something that should frighten people. I don’t love this team nearly imploding after going up 21-3 in the first half, and I don’t love their defense forgetting how to play against the Bears, but everything else was likable! Kirk Cousins played a precise, efficient game, Dalvin Cook ran like a madman, and Justin Jefferson continued making his case for being the best receiver in the league. And while the defense bent and bent, they made the play that won them the game. So while the Vikings aren’t the most impressive 4-1 team, they have earned this record and should be able to keep up their winning ways in pursuit of a division title.

10 – Packers (3-2) 6

Unimpressive, unpredictable, up and down, and straight up weird. That’s how I’d describe the Packers at this point. You really just never know what you’re going to get out of this team. However, I am starting to sense a bit of a trend. They always seem to come out strong with Aaron Rodgers slinging the ball and their offense moving up and down the field while their defense does its job. Then after halftime, they get completely static, incapable of doing anything effective on either side of the ball. That’s what nearly lost them their last two games, and it’s what lost them Sunday’s game in London: getting outscored 17-0 in the second half to lose it. I don’t know if it’s a coaching problem or an attitude problem or what, but it’s a very glaring issue with a team of this caliber. It will hold them back every single week until they can figure out a way to actually play football in second halves.

11 – Dolphins (3-2) 6

I really feel for the Dolphins after yet another QB injury. Teddy Bridgewater got absolutely rocked early on Sunday and is now dealing with head and elbow injuries while the keys are handed to 7th round rookie Skylar Thompson. While I said that anyone can thrive in this offense, it might be a bit harder now. That was on display with this team’s ineffectiveness on that side of the ball against the Jets. It also never helps when your supposedly great defense gets gashed the way it did. It was just a tragedy of errors across the board for Miami, and while I’d like to think that won’t continue, it’s just hard to imagine what the next few weeks are going to look like for this team.

12 – Bengals (2-3)

The shocking theme with the Bengals continues. They can’t throw the ball downfield. Not having Tee Higgins fully healthy obviously hurts that department in a huge way, but it’s like nobody can even get open. It’s all checkdowns and screens and short passes and it feels like the antithesis of the Cincy team that was so much fun to watch last year. I’ve been blaming it on the scheme, but the stars like Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase just look like a fraction of themselves right now. The Bengals are lacking a gear that makes them a threat to anybody on offense, so it doesn’t even matter if the defense plays well like they did this week. They are also awful in late-game situations as all three of their losses have been on walk-off FGs. Unless that gets turned around, this team isn’t really going anywhere.

13 – Browns (2-3)

This team is rather unbelievable. Their three losses are by a combined six (6) points and none of them should have even happened. An inexplicable collapse against the Jets, a horrible final stretch against the Falcons, and now Sunday’s gift from the Chargers thrown away via Cade York’s missed game-winning FG. By all accounts, this team should be unbeaten, but their own incompetence has them below .500. They have the talent, but they just refuse to win games. If that’s not indicative of what this franchise is, then I don’t know what is.

14 – Titans (3-2) 3

The Titans are back, I suppose. It doesn’t take much to beat Washington, and they almost didn’t, but they are now riding a 3-game win streak and above .500 for the first time this season. Derrick Henry is continuing to bounce back from a poor start to the year by literally carrying the offense on his back, and the defense continues to play at a high level, especially up front. It’s a simple formula that the Titans have followed for so long, and it’s finally starting to win games for them this year. We’ll see how far it can take them against real football teams.

15 – Giants (4-1) 12

I am finally going to respect the Giants. Maybe this is still too low for them, but as of now, they are the biggest jumpers in the history of my Power Rankings. Perhaps that’s a product of my own incompetence or preconceived biases. All I know now is that this team is pretty solid, and they deserve their flowers. First-year HC Brian Daboll is implementing a winning culture in New York and is somehow making lemonade out of lemons with this offense. Saquon Barkley has been as dynamic as ever, Daniel Jones looks solid, and even with virtually no WRs, this team finds ways to score. The defense has been excellent, and they locked down one of the best QBs of all time in the second half on Sunday. I really don’t know if the Giants will keep this up, but as of right now, they deserve the credit I’ve refused to give them for a month.

16 – Rams (2-3) 1

This team is a sad joke. I warned you all about the problems they had, but even I didn’t foresee it being this bad. I frankly might have the Rams too high here. They have one of the worst offensive lines in football, they cannot run the ball, their QB is a turnover machine who has no time to throw, they have one real pass-catching threat who just so happens to be the biggest ballhog in the sport, and their defense hasn’t been anything special. It’s not a winning formula at all. With a cutthroat schedule, I can’t fathom how the Rams possibly turn things around.

17 – Cardinals (2-3) 1

The Cardinals came oh so close to pulling off the upset that I predicted them to on Sunday, but injuries to their kicker prevented that from happening. Between his game against the Colts with Kansas City and Sunday’s game, it’s safe to say Matt Amendola won’t be getting another kicking job any time soon. Still, Arizona looked solid across the board on Sunday, doing a good job limiting the Eagles offense to just 20 points and not allowing anything too crazy. They went down 14-0 early, but outscored Philly by 11 the rest of the way and should have won if it wasn’t for missed kicks. It also didn’t help that they were taken down to their third string RB. Not much has gone the Cardinals’ way this year, but they’re still hanging tough. My opinion on them hasn’t changed. They’re a competitive team that can win plenty of games, but they’re nothing special.

18 – Saints (2-3) 1

The Saints haven’t really been themselves this year. I don’t know what to make of them at all. The QB situation continues to be a mess as Taysom Hill is now apparently the most effective one they have. The defense continues to be inexplicably putrid. The WRs won’t stop getting banged up as Chris Olave had to leave Sunday’s game with a head injury. It’s a complete mess right now in New Orleans, so they better be thankful that they somehow escaped Sunday’s game with a win despite getting torched by Geno Smith and the Seahawks. It’s hard to see many more Ws coming.

19 – Patriots (2-3) 2

Even with a 3rd string QB, the Patriots finally looked like themselves on Sunday. The defense finally decided to show up and show out, shutting out the best statistical offense in football thanks to the playmaking ability of their young studs like Jack Jones. Bailey Zappe played another solid game, and the offense did its thing to put up plenty of points. They didn’t need to do much, but they still looked solid, especially in the running game despite the injury sustained by Damien Harris. If New England can bring that level of defense to some of their games moving forward, they will continue to be a tough out like we saw last week in Green Bay regardless of who is under center for them.

20 – Jaguars (2-3) 6

We drank the Kool-Aid a little bit too early with the Jaguars. Back to back losses in which the team has looked awful has this team skidding. It’s one thing to lose to the league’s only undefeated team on the road in a monsoon. It’s another to lose to the league’s only winless team at home, not even scoring a touchdown in the process. Yes, the Texans are feisty, but they should not hold you to two field goals all game long. That’s embarrassing. Trevor Lawrence played what was likely his worst game of the year, highlighted by a horrible INT in the endzone with the game on the line. The defense was fine, but it doesn’t matter when the offense which previously looked so good does absolutely nothing. I actually have faith in them to get back on track, but they better hope it happens fast if they want to keep up in this division.

21 – Raiders (1-4) 2

You can change the city, the weapons, the head coach, and everything else. But you can never change the Raiders being the Raiders. Winning simply isn’t in their DNA, but choking and incompetence run wild in their veins. I can’t even sit here and say they played anything close to a poor game on Monday night. They looked great on offense, hitting huge plays down the field to Davante Adams and running with power and effectiveness with Josh Jacobs. But you just cannot go up 17-0 and get one of the most ridiculous roughing the passer calls we’ve ever seen and lose the game in the fashion that they did. Sure, the defense choked, but the offense should have tied the game late, but an unbelievable decision to go for two because of “analytics” lost them the game. Yes, that lost them the game, not Adams not controlling the ball on the sideline or him and Hunter Renfrow running into each other on the last play. Because all of that still could have happened, and the game would have at least gone into overtime. Don’t bother trying to explain it to me, because I won’t listen.

22 – Falcons (2-3) 2

The Falcons are one of the most upset teams in the league this week, and for good reason. They got screwed on Sunday. I can’t say with confidence that they would have won if it wasn’t for the “roughing the passer” call, but it was very well possible considering how they were playing in the fourth quarter. Still, this team didn’t look great for the first three quarters on either side of the ball. It was a slog for them against a great defense, as it probably will be all year long against any great teams. At least the rest of the division and most of the schedule doesn’t have many great teams left.

23 – Seahawks (2-3) 1

Listen man. Geno Smith is doing his thing. I was half-joking when I said the Seahawks upgraded at QB but… I don’t think it’s a joke anymore. The Seahawks are better than the Broncos are right now, and their QB play is infinitely better. Like, it’s not close. Geno is making incredible throws, his pass-catchers are making huge contributions, and the run game is effective no matter who’s carrying the ball. The season-ending injury to Rashaad Penny definitely hurts, but Kenneth Walker looks more than serviceable. The defense is still pretty awful, but they have bright spots too. The Seahawks aren’t awful by any means.

24 – Jets (3-2) 2

I can’t make sense of the Jets having a winning record. It’s just hard to wrap your head around. But, here they are. Zach Wilson is 2-0 this year after returning from his injury, the offense is serviceable with a good amount of weapons, they are running the ball with authority thanks to a solid RB duo of Breece Hall and Michael Carter, and the defense is actually making plays. Sauce Gardner is playing like the top 4 pick he is, and the front seven is actually being disruptive for once. Believe it or not, this is a solid team. We’ll see how long it takes to come crumbling down.

25 – Lions (1-4) 7

Like another cat team slightly above them, we overrated the Lions a bit too early. The signs were there. Yes the offense was a weekly fireworks show, but you simply cannot win games with the defense being this bad. Now, one is a much more glaring issue than the other. The offense quite literally disappeared to the tune of a big ol’ goose egg on the scoreboard while the defense continued to get absolutely scorched. Having a generationally bad defense will always lead to losses, no matter how effective your offense is. I’m shocked DC Aaron Glenn is still employed right now, because at this rate, the Lions won’t win many more games for the remainder of the year.

26 – Colts (2-2-1) 4

I really don’t want to talk about either team involved in Thursday night’s crapfest. One team had to win it, and it just happened to be the Colts. Even without Jonathan Taylor, the offense found a way to put up enough points to win the game. It helped that their defense was gifted the ball several times by an offense that is incapable of moving the ball. Despite getting the win to get back to .500, this team doesn’t move me at all in large part thanks to their dinosaur of a QB and lack of weapons. But at least they can say that they weren’t the ones to lose one of the worst games ever.

27 – Broncos (2-3) 2

This team doesn’t deserve my time or analysis this week. Just know that I cannot stop laughing at this organization and their QB. I am relishing every moment of hilarity and purely garbage football that this team is providing.

28 – Bears (2-3) 3

Gotta feel for the Bears this week. After going down 21-3, they looked like an actual football team, and Justin Fields played his best game of the season. But, between an incredible rushing touchdown by Fields being called back for a penalty that didn’t even happen and an incredible play by Vikings DB Cam Dantlzer to win them the game, Chicago back below .500 for the first time this year (weird fact, but a fact nonetheless). The good news is that they should be able to return back to an even record with an even worse team coming into town on Thursday.

29 – Texans (1-3-1) 3

Good for Houston to finally get off the schneid and get their first win in honestly impressive fashion on the road against their division rivals. It was deserved after a couple of close losses against the likes of Denver and Chicago. They just keep on doing their thing as they continue to get great contributions from their rookies Dameon Pierce, Derek Stingley Jr., and Jalen Pitre. This is a team with a real future and a plethora of picks to turn things around. I’m starting to feel a lot better about that future than I did before.

30 – Steelers (1-4) 2

Kenny Pickett’s first start in this prehistoric offense on the road against perhaps the best team in the NFL went about as awful as you’d expect. Not much of it his fault, considering the incomprehensibly bad offensive scheme ran by this team and the porous nature of their defense. It has gone from bad to worse to way worse in the blink of an eye, and all of a sudden, the Steelers are staring down the barrel of a top 5 pick. I don’t think any of us saw that coming.

31 – Commanders (1-4) 1

32 – Panthers (1-4) 3

As much as I would love to put the team above them in this spot, the Panthers have more than earned the #32 ranking this week. They just fired their head coach and have an even worse coach as their interim HC. They have the worst offense in the league and will now be starting a 3rd string QB for the next several weeks. All of their players that are worth a semblance of a damn are now on the trade block. They are seemingly on the fast track to the #1 pick. I think they could get comfortable down here for a while. Buckle up, Carolina fans. It’s going to be a rough ride for the rest of 2022.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Cover photo taken from Bleacher Report.

1 – Eagles (4-0)

Despite the incredible showing from the team below them, the Eagles retain the top spot this week. After all, they are the NFL’s lone undefeated team now. Even in a downpour, they showed so much of what makes them truly special. They were in an early 14-point hole and erased it with ease on the backs of their balanced offense and dominant defense. They continue to get tremendous contributions from all of their newcomers on both sides of the ball, especially on defense. They forced turnover after turnover and ran the ball down Jacksonville’s throat, and the game was really never in question after they erased the deficit. Not many teams would be able to bounce back like that. Great teams do.

2 – Chiefs (3-1) 2

I had more than half a mind to put Kansas City at 1, but I had to respect the balance and undefeated record of the Eagles. Still, the Chiefs had the most impressive performance of the season on Sunday night, and are likely the NFL’s best team as of right now. I said their offense would get shut down by arguably the best defense in the league, and all they did was rip them apart in every conceivable way. Just to put things in perspective, the Chiefs scored more points in the first half than the Buccaneers had allowed in their first three games… combined. So, yeah, Patrick Mahomes and the rest of this offense are still the scariest sight in the sport. I do think the defense still needs some work, especially in the secondary, but I give them a pass since they’re largely just keeping the offense in front of them after the team goes up by multiple scores. It remains to be seen if that will be an issue in close games.

3 – Bills (3-1)

The Bills had absolutely no business winning on Sunday, but the manner in which they did so speaks to their identity and toughness. Not many teams can go down 17 points to an elite team on the road in a torrential downpour and come all the way back to win it. They rode the arm and legs of Josh Allen all game long and forced a huge turnover late in the game to win it at the buzzer with a walkoff FG. I’ve said I don’t like how much they rely on their QB, but he can clearly handle it (at least early in the season), and he’s good enough to carry them to victory. Their defense is still elite and did just enough against Lamar Jackson to let their offense go down and win the game. It’s a formula that I’m not all too fond of, but it’s working for Buffalo.

4 – Packers (3-1) 2

I do think the Packers still have a ton of room to improve, especially offensively. But, they’re doing exactly what I wanted them to do on that side of the ball, and it’s working. So, I’m giving them plenty of credit. They are clearly getting more cohesive on offense, especially with the emergence of rookie WR Romeo Doubs in the passing game. They are getting fellow rookie WR Christian Watson involved a lot more, which is great to see considering his incredible physical skillset. Aaron Rodgers hasn’t been the flashy MVP we’re accustomed to seeing, but he doesn’t have to be. He has the supporting cast around him to lead his team to victory. It helps that his defense is just ridiculously good at every position. If the offense ever lags behind, you can count on this unit, which might be the best in the league, to make up for any and all shortcomings.

5 – Dolphins (3-1) 3

The Dolphins horribly mismanaged Tua Tagovailoa’s injury situation. That is well-documented by now, and I’m not here to beat a dead horse. I’m here to say that, despite Thursday’s loss, I still think Miami is in a great spot moving forward. For starters, they easily could have won the game despite what happened to Tua. Teddy Bridgewater is a capable QB and as good of a backup as you could possibly ask for. The supporting cast around him is going to make his life easy, and when that was the case for him in New Orleans, it translated to wins. The defense didn’t have their finest game, which was a bit of a concern, but they were going up against a good offense in a tough environment. They’ll be just fine. Regardless of when Tua comes back (if he does at all), I have plenty of faith in this team to still be very good. They may not be the contenders we thought, but they’re still better than most other teams in this league.

6 – Ravens (2-2) 1

The Ravens now have two inexplicable losses. The first one they could blame on their defense, but this one has to be the fault of the coaching staff. I cannot fathom the decision to go for it on 4th and goal from the 1 in a tie game instead of taking the free 3 points. Throwing a pick in that situation is the worst possible outcome, so when that happens and ends up being your last offensive play because the other team takes that and cashes it in with a last second game-winning field goal of their own, it’s quite embarrassing. Despite all of this, I really do think this is an elite team. I don’t think that’s the question. The question is whether or not they have it in them to not lose games in such embarrassing fashion. There’s no excuse for this to continue happening if you’re Baltimore. The team is far too good and the coaching staff is far too experienced to lose games in Cleveland-like fashion. I guess it is still in their DNA.

7 – Buccaneers (2-2)

Let’s pump the brakes with the overreactions please. The Bucs will be fine. Their defense will be okay. They ran into the buzzsaw that is the Chiefs offense, and while nobody saw that poor of a performance coming, we can be rest assured that they won’t look that bad again. If it makes them feel any better, the offense did their thing in the passing game. The only thing is that the run game was completely invisible and any and all efforts were in vain thanks to being way too behind all game long to compete. Sunday night was just a disaster from the start for Tampa, but they are way too good across the board to be that awful in any games moving forward.

8 – Chargers (2-2) 1

The Chargers are still yet to put together a performance that wows us this year, and I don’t know when they will. If you can’t do it against the Texans, then can you do it at all? It’s hard with this team still being as injured as they are, and I don’t know how much faith I have in them to overcome all the injuries. Justin Herbert looks pretty solid as he continues to heal, and Austin Ekeler finally decided to show up this season. They’ll need continued contributions from both if they hope to keep up in this breakneck conference.

9 – Vikings (3-1) 1

The Vikings are coming off back to back wins that took everything they had. They might not be two of the most impressive wins in the world, but I think they’re indicative of what this team is made of. The Vikings always lose these types of games, but they’re finally coming out on top. Maybe it’s a sign that this team is built to win huge games and not suffer the heartbreaking losses they’re so accustomed to. It helps that Justin Jefferson finally got back involved in the offense with a mammoth game and the defense made enough plays to win the game. It was too close for comfort, but it never comes easy in Minnesota.

10 – 49ers (2-2) 5

Something about the Rams brings out the best in the 49ers. Those two games every year are the ones where San Francisco looks the best. Monday night was an incredible showing, especially from the defense and the ultimate weapon known as Deebo Samuel. They made the defending champions look lost and confused on both sides of the ball from start to finish in an impressively dominant win. I knew they’d come out on top, but I wasn’t anticipating them looking so great in doing so. This team still has a clear ceiling with Jimmy Garoppolo under center, but that ceiling is pretty high when his teammates play like this.

11 – Cowboys (3-1) 2

Another week of Dallas beating up on inferior NFC East opponents has them slowly but surely rising. I’m not going to discredit them or say that this is a bad team; their defense is still playing lights out and Cooper Rush deserves his flowers for leading a competent offense. This is a solid team that is making the most of their early cupcake schedule. It’s about to get much tougher, so buckle up.

12 – Bengals (2-2) 2

The Bengals have done what they had to do, getting back to .500 after a nightmare 0-2 start. Thursday’s win was a great one, beating an undefeated Dolphins team with a great defensive performance and doing just enough offensively to win. I still think this team is lacking the juice that made them so special a year ago, but there’s no doubt that they still have the talent to compete at a high level. They need to prove it more consistently against good teams.

13 – Browns (2-2) 3

There’s no excuse to lose to a team that completes 7 passes all game long. The Browns were undoubtedly the better team on Sunday, but their offensive woes bit them a few too many times to come out on top. They simply weren’t getting enough production from their WRs or Kareem Hunt. Jacoby Brissett wasn’t awful by any means, but I expected him and everyone else other than Nick Chubb to be better against the Falcons of all teams. The defense also didn’t have their best day. It was just a slog for a team that’s way better than they appeared. They should be able to button up those mistakes and look much better moving forward.

14 – Jaguars (2-2) 3

The Jags were plagued by the downpour in Philly to the tune of countless fumbles and ruined possessions that eliminated their chances to win. If that game was played on a clear day, they probably could have won. They did get out to a nice lead thanks to great contributions from the offense and defense, but once the rain picked up, it was very rough sailing. Poor ball security is an issue, but you’d have to think this team won’t be in those conditions again anytime soon. I still liked what the Jags flashed against my #1 team on Sunday and I still have high hopes for them moving forward. Luckily for them, they get a great bounce-back game this week against Houston.

15 – Rams (2-2) 7

What even is this team at this point? What is their identity? What do they do well other than force feed Cooper Kupp? They look lifeless, unmotivated, uninspired. They look… bad. They just don’t look like a team that can compete with the best of the best in this league. They look like a shadow of the team that won the Super Bowl. I’m not sticking a fork in them, but man. This is pretty bad.

16 – Cardinals (2-2) 1

This team is the definition of mid, but at least they’re a fun mid team. This is a team with a solid offense that puts up numbers, which is exactly what we expected out of them. I still think their defense needs a ton of work, but that’s not really going to hold them back against the likes of the Panthers. It will hold them back against the better teams on their schedule, however. But that’s fine. The Cards are what we thought they’d be, and while that’s nothing impressive, they’re good enough to compete, which is a lot more than can be said about the teams below them.

17 – Titans (2-2) 6

I’d like to think the Titans are slowly getting themselves figured out again, but I can’t be too sure at this point. For all of the good things they’ve shown us in the last two weeks, they’ve shown us an equal amount to dislike. The most important thing is that Derrick Henry is finally back to being his usual self, which was imperative if this team was to get back on track. The defensive front also continues to dominate, which is necessary against inferior competition. The Titans still need to put together a complete performance, but what’s clear is that they’re trending in the right direction, which is more than I could have asked for after their first two games.

18 – Lions (1-3) 2

At the end of the day, the Lions’ biggest obstacle remains themselves. In each of their losses, they couldn’t get out of their own way and suffered narrow defeats because of it; this was especially the case in the last two weeks. This offense is doing plenty with the highest yardage and points per game in the league, even with injuries across the board, but the defense has just been abhorrent. They are giving up an incomprehensible 444 yards and 35 points per game, both of which are the worst in the NFL by a mile. This was a unit that looked much improved, but is quite frankly just as awful if not worse than years prior. Until that gets buttoned up, the Lions are going nowhere, despite their offensive fireworks. At this rate, it’s not getting fixed anytime soon.

19 – Saints (1-3)

The Saints really did everything they could on Sunday in London. They had to deal with absolutely awful calls going against them and some extremely tough luck. It’s not a good thing to join the exclusive Double Doink club. I still think there’s so much to like with this team, but it’s just not translating on the field. The defense hasn’t been as good as I imagined, Alvin Kamara has been invisible in every game he has played in, Michael Thomas is hurt again, and the QB situation isn’t ideal in any regard. Chris Olave has been a bright spot, but that’s about it. Maybe if they get healthy they can put it together, but it’s hard to have any faith in that happening at this point.

20 – Falcons (2-2) 4

I’ll give some credit to the Falcons. They’ve been pretty solid in the last two weeks. They’ve been solid all year long actually. With some better luck, they could be 4-0. As it stands, they’re at .500 and good enough to stick around there for a while. The offense is solid with their plethora of young pieces, and the defense has played surprisingly well. This isn’t a great team, but they might not be as awful as I projected them to be. They’ll probably be able to beat the bottom feeders on their schedule and give the great teams fits. For a team like this, that’s trending in the right direction.

21 – Patriots (1-3) 1

Nobody really has any idea what’s going on with the Patriots right now. I do want to give them credit for hanging in there against the Packers with their third string QB in a game where they were a near double digit underdog. Still, this team just doesn’t show anyone enough to feel great about. They can run the ball pretty well and their defense played much better than they had before. There’s something to be said about pushing an elite team like Green Bay to the edge on the road, but based on this team’s performances in their first three games, it was probably just a one time thing.

22 – Colts (1-2-1)

The Colts aren’t really a team worth talking about. They are just so painfully average at everything, which almost feels impossible. They have the supposed best running back in football in their backfield, yet he has been a complete ghost in their last three games. Their allegedly elite offensive line is struggling mightily to protect their 37 year old statue of a QB. They have solid pass-catchers, but it doesn’t matter when they can’t get the ball. And their defense has just been poor. It’s so strange to see and I have no idea how they’re going. to fix it. Perhaps they won’t fix it at all.

23 – Raiders (1-3) 3

The Raiders finally got off the schneid on Sunday, just as I expected them to. It was a solid day on both sides of the ball, using a solid offensive output and a huge defensive touchdown to propel them to a comfortable win over their division rival. The Broncos are awful, so I’m not buying too much Raiders stock right now, but it was nice to finally see them put together a performance good enough to win. Sadly for them, next up is a trip to Arrowhead. Good luck with that.

24 – Seahawks (2-2) 6

Did the Seahawks win the Russell Wilson trade? Did the Seahawks upgrade at QB? Are the Seahawks better than the Broncos? All of these are valid questions, and at least one of them can be answered with a “yes”. Geno Smith has been one of the best QBs this year from a statistical standpoint, and the offense looks competent. The defense is a different story, but they got away with it this week. I don’t think the Seahawks are a good team that will win many games, but I have to respect how they’ve looked so far, especially at QB.

25 – Broncos (2-2) 7

No, this isn’t being too harsh. Anyone who has watched any Broncos football knows that this team is horrible. They are an eye sore that fails to do anything well. Their offense is stagnant and incompetent, and that’s now made worse by the season-ending knee injury to star RB Javonte Williams. The defense did not play up to their standards this week against a winless Raiders team. Russell Wilson hasn’t played even close to the level that they expected after giving up a king’s ransom for him. And don’t even get me started on the coaching. A very bad situation is getting worse. It’s slowly but surely spiraling out of control.

26 – Jets (2-2) 3

I don’t even think the Jets know how they got their two wins, but they’re not complaining. They took the gifts given to them by the Browns and Steelers and have run with them. Good for Zach Wilson and this team to do their thing and pick up a hard fought W against a team that has owned them for so long. They have to savor the very few wins they get.

27 – Giants (3-1) 2

I really don’t want to sound like a broken record here. The Giants are just an unimpressive, boring, and straight up bad team that has no business being 3-1. It looks great on paper now, but it’s not going to last whatsoever now that they’ll be playing real teams. No other teams are going to be fooled by Daniel Jones naked bootlegs. Saquon Barkley is playing the best football of any RB in the league right now, but he can only take an offense this bad so far. It is a good thing that nobody outside of this fanbase cares about their record. It deserves no attention whatsoever.

28 – Steelers (1-3) 7

I really didn’t think it could get this bad in Pittsburgh. But, here we are. The reins were finally handed to Kenny Pickett, and all he did was throw 3 interceptions in a half against the Jets en route to a blown lead and a loss. The defense continues to drop like flies and let offenses have their way. Najee Harris is still a complete non-factor. This team is just a disaster across the board with no hopes of getting better. At least Pickett will be getting his reps in.

29 – Panthers (1-3) 1

Can you imagine being the Panthers? The QB you traded for is having one of the worst statistical starts to a season in NFL history, and you’ll have to turn to the other QB you wanted to replace who is probably even worse to try and turn it around. I will say this: Christian McCaffrey is still as dynamic as ever and is putting this offense on his back, and the defense actually isn’t awful. Frankie Luvu is playing like a DPOY candidate right now. None of this is making up for how terrible this team is everywhere else, but a team like this could use every bright spot they can get.

30 – Commanders (1-3) 3

Nope.

31 – Bears (2-2)

The Bears are incompetence and ignorance personified. They do not care. They actively don’t want any of their young players to develop, especially their first-round QB that they traded up for. They don’t want to improve anywhere. They don’t want to do anything well. And they aren’t. They seemingly never will. This might just be the most embarrassing, pathetic team and franchise in the league.

32 – Texans (0-3-1)

The Texans are now the NFL’s lone winless team. Who could have seen that coming? They were competitive down the stretch on Sunday, but it was simply too little too late. This team will be feisty at times, but it will never be enough. The only questions now are when that first win will come and who this team is taking with the first pick in the draft.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Cover photo taken from Philadelphia Inquirer.

1 – Eagles (3-0) 4

While I don’t think the Eagles are the best team in the league, they are certainly playing the best football of anyone right now. We all knew they had the potential to be a true contender this season, and they have lived up to it and then some through three weeks. Jalen Hurts is continuing to play like an MVP candidate. The WR corps is seemingly unstoppable as any given Sunday anyone can dominate a secondary; this week it was 2021 first-rounder Devonta Smith. The defense continues to suffocate opponents, racking up 9 sacks this week without even breaking a sweat. Against a cupcake schedule, I’m confident in Philly’s ability to keep up this level of play and stay in the upper echelon of the power rankings all year long.

2 – Dolphins (3-0) 4

Like the team above them, I don’t believe the Dolphins are the second best team in football. I don’t believe they’re better than the team they beat on Sunday, which is slotted one spot below them. But I have to respect their win and the way they’ve been playing to start this season. Miami has two wins over two of my top 5 teams, both of which coming in very clutch fashion. For all the crap I’ve given him in the past, Tua Tagovailoa has seemingly figured it out, in large part thanks to his incredible receivers and extremely bright young head coach in Mike McDaniel. This defense continues to play lights out, doing what they had to do to beat Josh Allen and the vaunted Bills who people were already crowning after just two games. This is an outstanding young team that plays a beautiful brand of football. They’ll need to keep that brand up in the coming weeks before the schedule gets absolutely brutal.

3 – Bills (2-1) 2

The Bills lost, everyone run for your lives! It was bound to happen. Many people thought it would happen this week. I had a sneaking suspicion, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt. I didn’t anticipate the weather in Miami being as big of a factor as it was, but I also forgot to take Buffalo’s incompetence in the run game into account. This team won’t lose many games between now and January, but when they do, that will be a common theme. They are far too reliant on Josh Allen to carry them to greatness when the going gets tough, and while he’s talented enough to do so, nobody can do it on their own.

4 – Chiefs (2-1) 2

I had a feeling that would happen. I’m not shocked at Kansas City’s loss on Sunday, nor am I appalled or bothered by it. Everyone loses tough road games, and I had an inclination that they were susceptible to a loss. They would have won if it wasn’t for disastrous and unlucky kicking and some unfortunate offensive plays as well as an inexplicable “unsportsmanlike conduct” penalty on Chris Jones to keep the game alive for the Colts. In short, everything that could have gone wrong for the Chiefs on Sunday did go wrong. That likely won’t happen again.

5 – Ravens (2-1) 4

While Baltimore’s defense still needs to figure itself out, their offense has been unbelievable. They sit 4th in yards per game and 1st in points per game, and it’s all thanks to their incredible QB play. Lamar Jackson is my MVP through three weeks as he continues to play better than I’ve ever seen him do so before. He leads the league in passing touchdowns with 10 and has over 200 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to boot. He has been an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses even with subpar receivers and runningbacks. It helps to have Mark Andrews at TE, who might be the most productive pass-catcher in the league so far this year. Like I said, the other side of the ball still has endless questions, but I have a good feeling that they’ll figure it out. In any case, they excel at taking the ball away. Even if they get gashed, they have it in them to make the plays necessary to win the game. That’s good enough for me.

6 – Packers (2-1) 2

Green Bay continues to prove that their defense is one of the best in their football while their offense still tries to figure out its identity. However, the offense looked a lot more promising on Sunday despite the low point total and rough second half. I mainly liked how rookie WR Romeo Doubs stepped up in the absence of Sammy Watkins. The Packers will need him to continue to produce while Aaron Rodgers still gels with his other targets. They can take as long as they need while the defense keeps winning them games with their incredible pass rush and a secondary that puts opposing receivers in jail.

7 – Buccaneers (2-1) 4

I don’t want to fault the Buccaneers too hard for losing by two points without their top two WRs and a meddling offensive line against a great team. However, those are problems that can’t be ignored. Mike Evans’ suspension is over, but the Bucs are still lacking in pass-catching weapons. The OL is still porous thanks to seemingly endless injuries. Tom Brady needs all the help he can get at this point, and without it, this team won’t be able to go too far. I still trust in their defense, which did their thing for the most part on Sunday. As I’ve said before, it is good enough to win them most of their games, but this team needs to be complete to contend.

8 – Rams (2-1) 3

I really never have any idea what to make of this team, but I really liked the way they looked this week in a game I picked them to lose. The important thing is that they’re running like a well-oiled machine. Both sides of the ball are doing their thing after a disastrous opening game. Cooper Kupp can’t stop scoring touchdowns and the defense has their mojo back after a tough first two weeks. The Rams have to keep this going against an absolutely brutal schedule, and I think I actually have faith in them to do just that.

9 – Chargers (1-2) 5

It only took three weeks for the Chargers to start Chargering… Charging? I don’t know. Whatever it is, it’s bad. I’m not even talking about the near 30-point loss to the Jaguars, although that was tough enough. LA is battered and beat up across the board to the tune of being the most injury-riddled team in the league. And it’s not just the fact that their injury list is as long as a Costco receipt, but it’s who has been hurt. Rashawn Slater is likely going to miss the entire season with a torn bicep. JC Jackson can’t figure out his ankle problem. Joey Bosa’s groin is torn to shreds. Corey Linsley continues to miss time with his knee issues. Keenan Allen’s hammy won’t heal. Justin Herbert’s ribs are falling off. Jalen Guyton tore his ACL! It’s just absurd at this point. With this team coming off back to back brutal losses and filling up every hospital in Los Angeles, it’s hard to see them bouncing back and living up to their incredible potential this season. Just another year for this franchise.

10 – Vikings (2-1) 3

The Vikings refuse to be a normal team, but they won’t complain about the nature in which they win games. The Lions gave them absolutely everything they could handle and they were still able to storm back and win the game in the final moments. There’s a lot of positive in that. I always say I hate when teams get off to horrible starts like that, but the ability to come back and beat a good division rival says a lot. In any case, I still really like this team and have a lot of faith in them, but I need to see them replicate a performance like their first of the year before having any more faith. It doesn’t help that Dalvin Cook is a bit banged up and Justin Jefferson can’t get open anymore for some reason. The schedule isn’t getting any easier, so Minnesota better hope they fix their kinks if they want to keep up with the league’s elite.

11 – Browns (2-1) 3

It’s time to accept that Jacoby Brissett is a competent, effective starting QB for this team. It helps that his supporting cast is spectacular with arguably the best RB in football behind him in Nick Chubb and Amari Cooper finally starting to emerge. The offensive line is dominant and the defense was able to bounce back from a rough finish in Week 2. I really like this roster from top to bottom, and I think they have what it takes to stay alive in the AFC playoff race until their QB1 returns from suspension. It’s a brutal schedule, but they play winning football.

12 – Jaguars (2-1) 7

Let’s be honest. None of us saw this coming. Not after this offseason, not after training camp, and certainly not after Week 1. But, here we are. The Jaguars a legitimate playoff contender. HC Doug Pederson deserves all the credit in the world for helping his young QB develop and getting his new offensive weapons involved in huge ways. Trevor Lawrence is finally playing like the star QB we all knew he could be, Christian Kirk and Zay Jones are emerging as fantastic WRs to support him, and James Robinson is back to his old ways out of the backfield. Even the defense is playing much better, allowing just 10 points in the last two games. In an awful division, the Jags are suddenly a clear-cut favorite thanks to a young roster that’s finally figuring it out thanks to competent coaching. How fun!

13 – Cowboys (2-1) 2

Cooper Rush wins games for some reason. I don’t believe that he’s the reason the Cowboys win when he plays at all, but he’s still 3-0 as their starter dating back to last year. On that note, I don’t think Dallas should be rushing Dak Prescott back from his hand injury at all. The schedule is about to ramp up, but I’d wait until the wheels fall off the Cooper Rush train to bring Dak back. As long as their defense keeps doing their thing, they’ll be fine. They continue to play at an elite level, and it’s good enough to carry them to victory against teams struggling offensively. It remains to be seen whether or not it can fly against elite offenses.

14 – Bengals (1-2) 1

Cincinnati is finally off the schneid in 2022. All it took was playing the Jets. They didn’t look great in doing so, but a win is a win. This team needed it badly. I still wasn’t really moved by their offensive performance, but their defense continued to make plays and keep the opposing team at arm’s length. I still have faith in the offense to work itself out, but it’s hard to see them returning to last year’s form at this point. They have their toughest test yet this Thursday against the undefeated Dolphins, so they’ll have to be back at that level if they want to get to .500.

15 – 49ers (1-2) 3

I really can’t help but laugh at everyone who said this team would be better with Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm than Trey Lance. Seriously, what went into that thought process? This is a guy who can’t get it done when it matters most, and it showed in a massive way on Sunday night. The 49ers have an otherworldy defense but it doesn’t matter when #10 is running out of the back of the endzone and throwing a pick six on the same play! San Francisco under Jimmy will be what they always were: a good team who feasts on inferior competition that can’t get over the hump against anyone worth a damn. It’s such a shame.

16 – Lions (1-2) 1

Sunday was a perfect indicator of what this team is: better than they’ve been in a very long time by being super fun and full of guts, but still the same old Lions. By all accounts, this team could be 3-0 and very well should be 2-1. But luck doesn’t exist in Detroit. The only thing that exists is the opposite. That being said, this team is sure to see a lot more wins than we may have anticipated this season. The D’Andre Swift injury isn’t promising, but the rest of their offense certainly is, and Jamaal Williams is as good of a backup as you could ask for. The defense is better than you may think, but they still have a lot to figure out. The emergence of Jeff Okudah as a lockdown CB1 is great to see as they keep working on that side of the ball.

17 – Cardinals (1-2) 4

I expected so much more out of this team on Sunday. They didn’t even play poorly, they just couldn’t put points on the board, which typically isn’t the case for this team. They put up huge numbers, but finishing drives was seemingly impossible. That won’t be the case in most games. Their defense still looks solid, but like the offense, they just couldn’t step up when they needed to. I don’t think the Cardinals are a bad team by any means, I just think they lack a certain element to be anything but mediocre.

18 – Broncos (2-1) 5

The Broncos being above .500 feels wrong. Despite their record, I still don’t feel good about this team at all. They only won on Sunday because the opposing QB literally walked out of his own endzone. The offense is still dreadful, the defense is good enough but hasn’t played a competent offense all year long, and they are the most penalized team in football. There really is just nothing to like here. Denver will start getting walloped when they finally start playing real teams. I’m just patiently waiting for it to happen.

19 – Saints (1-2) 9

I may have been wrong about the Saints. At least for the time being, I’ll say I was. I never could have foreseen this team laying such a dud against a team as bad as Carolina. I recognize that there are injury problems offensively, but they just look lost on that side of the ball. Guys like Jameis Winston and Chris Olave are putting up numbers, but it means nothing when you can’t put points on the board and continue carelessly giving the ball away. Fumbles are plaguing this team, which is always a sign of poor preparation. It’s hard to buy into the coaching staff and the weird amalgamation of parts offensively. I’m not sure how much I trust them to figure it out in a week where they’re traveling across the pond.

20 – Patriots (1-2)

I learned absolutely nothing about the Patriots this week other than the fact that their defense might be even worse than I thought. It doesn’t help when you’re facing Lamar Jackson, but it’s just uncharacteristic of this franchise. The bigger problem with New England is the ankle injury suffered by Mac Jones that’s sure to sideline him for a long time. Ankle sprains like that do nothing but linger and hold players back, and I don’t see him coming back any time soon. So, it’s the Brian Hoyer show in Foxboro for the time being. In an offense with no great weapons, that’s sure to be a disaster. We might have to stick a fork in the Patriots early.

21 – Steelers (1-2)

Stop taking the high road. It’s time to start Kenny Pickett. There is quite literally nothing to lose. Moreover, there is absolutely nothing to be gained with Trubisky continuing to start. He’s below average at best and does nothing to help win games. Just get the guy you spent a first round pick on the reps so you can actually be competitive. He’s ready to go and is being kept from doing anything. It just makes no sense. It doesn’t help that the defense is borderline ineffective with TJ Watt out of the lineup, and things are only going to get worse with Minkah Fitzpatrick nursing a concussion. For your sake, just do what you have to do to make things salvageable.

22 – Colts (1-1-1) 9

Tie with the Texans. Get shut out by the Jaguars. Beat the Chiefs. What a fascinating way to get to 1-1-1. I still don’t buy this team in the slightest, but I have to respect their ability to pull out a huge upset win against an elite team. They were the beneficiary of everything going their way, but a win is a win. This team desperately needed one. I don’t really trust them to keep beating good teams, but the good news for them is that the schedule is only getting easier. So maybe, just maybe, they can bounce back from their horrendous start.

23 – Titans (1-2) 2

The Titans were able to emerge victorious in the mid-off of the century despite trying their absolute hardest to blow it. What was learned from this experience? Absolutely nothing. Other than the fact that Derrick Henry finally decided to show up, the Titans did nothing to change my mind. I still think this team is falling face first into a rebuild, and beating the only 0-3 team in the league isn’t going to move me. One look at their schedule will reassure anyone that this is nowhere close to a playoff team.

24 – Falcons (1-2) 3

The Falcons got their much-deserved first win in hard-fought fashion on Sunday. Good for them. The best thing about games like that is seeing your young stars make plays. Drake London and Kyle Pitts had huge games, and it was pretty cool to see. Regardless of whether or not Atlanta is able to build an actual roster in the coming years, they should be confident that they have their franchise stars on offense.

25 – Giants (2-1) 1

The Giants are a very simple team to assess. Their offense is torrid thanks to their QB being Daniel Jones, one of the worst WR groups in football (made worse thanks to Sterling Shepard’s ACL tear on Monday night), and a porous offensive line. However, Saquon Barkley is back in full force to help ease the pain. Defensively, they are pretty solid, but not good enough to contain any elite teams. So, they will lose a lot of games. This was the first of many.

26 – Raiders (0-3) 4

I really thought it couldn’t get any worse. But, it got worse. Because this is the Raiders. This isn’t a franchise has stars that turn them into contenders or builds competent rosters. Their stars are ineffective and overshadowed. Their team is always incompetent and one of the biggest messes in all of football. Their coaching is always a joke and they refuse to be anything worth a damn. I genuinely don’t know how Raiders fans do it. This is exhausting from an outside perspective.

27 – Commanders (1-2) 9

This team does not exist to me. Carry on.

28 – Panthers (1-2) 2

I know I picked the Panthers to get crushed and they shut me up by beating one of my top 10 teams from a week ago. But, I’m still not very moved. Sunday’s game told me a lot more about New Orleans than Carolina. I still don’t believe in anything this team is doing at all. I will say that their defense looked very solid against a great on-paper offense. That’s a positive, which are very hard to come by with this team.

29 – Jets (1-2) 1

Welcome back to Earth. The Jets looked a lot more like the Jets on Sunday, doing approximately nothing for 60 minutes en route to another loss. That’s exactly what we expect. The good thing for New York is that Garrett Wilson keeps on putting up huge numbers, but he’s also gotten beat up a lot in the last two weeks. For his and my sake, please stop throwing him hospital balls.

30 – Seahawks (1-2) 1

Even in a loss, I don’t think the Seahawks were too embarrassing on Sunday. Geno Smith made some nice plays and the offense put up some points. They were competitive and could have come away with a win. By all means, they should have, but this team isn’t good enough for that, especially defensively. When you can’t pull it out at home against another bad team, you’re probably really bad.

31 – Bears (2-1) 5

This might just be the most heartbreaking scenario in the league for me. Justin Fields just can’t get it going as a QB in this league. While I continue to cite the horrible situation he’s in, there’s no excuse for playing so dreadfully and nearly throwing the game away against the worst team in football. His pitiful stats back up his poor play on the field, and it really breaks my heart. The Bears may be above .500, but it means nothing, especially if their first-round QB keeps playing like this. I’m hoping and praying that it turns around.

32 – Texans (0-2-1)

Can I just go ahead and pencil the Texans in here for the rest of the season? This team is just dreadful. I have no idea when they’ll get that first win, but I doubt it’ll be anytime soon. Yes they have some nice pieces and Dameon Pierce is finally emerging as a RB1. But that’s about it. It’s ok Houston, you’re well on your way to the #1 pick in the draft and a future franchise QB. Just keep doing your thing by losing. I don’t think you’ll need any help in doing so.

All stats taken from ESPN.