Tag: vikings

1 – Cardinals (7-0)

No surprises here. I was considering shuffling around the top a bit, but it just didn’t feel right moving the Cardinals down for covering a 20-point spread. It wasn’t the flashiest of victories on Sunday, but it didn’t need to be. Both sides of the ball still did their thing, and they won extremely convincingly. This week will be arguably their toughest test yet, getting a hobbling Packers team on Thursday night, but I have no doubt they’ll do their thing yet again.

2 – Rams (6-1)

I don’t really care that the Rams were in a dogfight with the Lions on Sunday because it’s exactly what I predicted would happen. Detroit pulled out all the stops and still lost by multiple possessions, and it’s because this team is just that good. Matt Stafford continues to spread the ball around all over the place, and the passing game was the highlight of the game for the Rams. Stafford had 334 yards and 3 touchdowns, Cooper Kupp continued his sensational play with 156 yards and 2 TDs on 10 catches, and the defense slammed the door on the Lions to secure the win. It may not have been what people wanted to see, but it was a vintage Rams win, and it was precisely what I expected out of them.

3 – Buccaneers (6-1)

Tampa absolutely bullied the Bears for 60 minutes on Sunday. It was a thrashing on both sides of the ball. I thought Chicago’s defense would at least slow down this potent offense, but that simply wasn’t the case. Touchdown drive after touchdown drive combined with a dominant defensive performance had this game over before it even started. Tom Brady was sensational once again, throwing for 211 yards and 4 more touchdowns, including his 600th career regular season TD pass, to increase his league lead in both categories. Leonard Fournette is continuing to dominate out of the backfield, and you simply can’t guard every pass-catching weapon that the Bucs have. The defense made Justin Fields’ life a living hell, forcing 5 turnovers. If it wasn’t for a few redzone miscues, the score would have looked even uglier. Regardless, it was an awesome performance from Tampa, and I’m not sure if any team in the NFL is currently capable of stopping them.

4 – Bills (4-2)

The Bills had the week off, but luckily get to stay in place for now. I’m sure the bye was helpful for them to figure out their defensive woes, but I don’t think it’ll matter. Their upcoming schedule is remarkably easy, and I don’t see them struggling much until playoff time.

5 – Cowboys (5-1)

Dallas was on a much-needed bye last week as Dak Prescott gets healthier for a huge primetime clash with the Vikings on Sunday night. All signs are pointing towards him being good to go, and they’ll need him. I’m excited to see how they perform in primetime.

6 – Bengals (5-2) 3

The surprise team of 2021 just keeps on surprising. I picked the Bengals to beat the Ravens, but blowing them out is something I never could have foreseen. That was a close game for a while, but they simply blew it open in incredible fashion in the second half, and it’s thanks to more amazing play from Joe Burrow and Jamarr Chase. Their spectacular 82-yard touchdown connection in the 3rd quarter is what opened the floodgates, and they did not look back. Burrow finished with a whopping 416 yards and 3 touchdowns, with Chase catching 8 passes for an incredible 201 yards and the aforementioned score. Moreover, their defense is continuing to do big things, as they barely let the Ravens move the ball on them while the game was still close. It was simply a dominant, seemingly demon-exorcising game on both sides of the ball, and now, this team is the #1 seed in the AFC. I know it’s early, but I have no doubts that this is a playoff team. They are just so much fun to watch, and I can’t wait to see what else they have in store for us this season.

7 – Packers (6-2)

The Packers weren’t very impressive on Sunday, but they didn’t need to be. Washington shot themselves in the foot all game long, and Green Bay did what they needed to do early to put the game to bed. They were outgained and honestly outplayed offensively, but their defense made the necessary plays to make sure Washington never got back in it. There was nothing flashy about the win, but again, flash wasn’t necessary. This week will be a tough one, as they head to Arizona on a short week to take on the 7-0 Cardinals. To make matters worse, they’ll be without Davante Adams after a positive COVID test. I didn’t think they’d win that game anyways, but without him, it might not be close.

8 – Titans (5-2) 7

Ok, fine. I’ll put some respect on the Titans. I recognize that beating the Chiefs doesn’t mean what it once did, but to beat any team the way they did on Sunday would be impressive. It was absolute domination from start to finish. Their offense had a field day against KC’s terrible defense, and their own defense, which you know I don’t like, absolutely shut down what is one of the best statistical offenses in football. Patrick Mahomes was in hell, and it never felt like the Chiefs had a chance. A 27-0 halftime lead will demoralize any team. The Titans have proven me wrong in recent weeks since losing to the Jets, and if their defense can keep up this level of play, then they could be a real contender in the AFC. I just need to see it more consistently before buying more stock. But, I’ve bought just enough to finally put them in the top 10.

9 – Ravens (5-2) 3

So uh, what the hell happened? For the most part, this team was absolutely stifled on Sunday. They were outplayed, outcoached, and outclassed by a team that they have dominated for so many years. It almost didn’t feel real. The Ravens didn’t have the worst statistical day, but those stats are empty when you lose by 24 points at home. The biggest issue with this team continues to be the defense, which was torn apart to the tune of 520 yards allowed. The secondary is a mess that can’t cover a traffic cone, and they aren’t generating enough pressure to influence the pass game. As long as that’s the case, I don’t see this team contending in the AFC. I wouldn’t be surprised if they make a move for a DB at the deadline. They need it badly.

10 – Chargers (4-2) 2

LA had a bye this week, so there’s nothing to report on here. The upcoming schedule has some challenging games, so I’m excited to see how the Chargers perform in the next few weeks. I hope they don’t let me down.

11 – Raiders (5-2) 1

The Raiders did exactly what I thought they’d do on Sunday. They easily dispatched of a scrappy Eagles team, and Derek Carr was brilliant once again. The Vegas QB had 323 yards and 2 touchdowns on a wild 91% completion (31/34). The defense continues to look improved in the absence of Jon Gruden, outside of some garbage time statpadding from Philly. This team now sits atop the AFC West, and I honestly think they can keep that going. I do think the Chargers are better than them, and they showed that by beating them, but I like the football I’m seeing in Vegas right now. The only thing that can slow them down is themselves, but they seem to overcome adversity pretty well.

12 – Vikings (3-3) 1

Minnesota had a bye this week, and now get their toughest test in a primetime showdown with the Cowboys this Sunday night. I’m excited to see how they perform in that game, and I think it will be a solid benchmark for how real this team is. I’ve been buying their stock all year long, and I hope they don’t let me down.

13 – Colts (3-4) 8

The Colts are officially here. I loved what I had seen from this team in recent weeks, and now it’s all coming to fruition. They are winning games and looking awesome doing it. The defense is back to form, and the offense is seemingly unstoppable. Carson Wentz is looking like his former self, Jonathan Taylor is still unstoppable out of the backfield, and Michael Pittman Jr. is looking like one of the more lethal young WR threats in the NFL. They head into a bye as a team a lot better than their record suggests, and I think they have what it takes to make a real playoff push. They were very unlucky to start this season, but now that they’re starting to win games, I have a lot of faith in the Colts.

14 – Browns (4-3)

I was honestly impressed with the Browns on Thursday night. I really didn’t think they’d win without Baker Mayfield, but Case Keenum stepped in and did his thing. The real star of the show was D’Ernest Johnson, a 3rd string RB filling in for the injured Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Johnson had an impressive 146 yards and a touchdown on just 22 carries. The offensive line is getting back healthy and proving that they are still one of the best in the league. I think I could run for 100 behind those guys. The defense also did its thing against a lethargic Broncos offense. I still don’t know how I feel about this team, especially as their injuries linger. The next few weeks will dictate how Cleveland’s season is going to go.

15 – Chiefs (3-4) 5

Oh brother. Where do you even begin with the Chiefs? This team is falling apart. This is genuinely a bad football team right now. The offense is still putting up stats, but the stats are extremely empty. Just look at them only scoring 3 points and turning the ball over 3 times against a bad defense. Patrick Mahomes continues to be a turnover machine, and the previously explosive offensive weapons are now nowhere to be seen. The biggest problem continues to be the defense, which might as well not take the field at all. There’s just nothing going right in Kansas City, and while I previously trusted Mahomes to make sense of all this madness, he’s proved that he’s incapable of doing so. The Chiefs better hope they find some answers, or this season could be over in a blink.

16 – Saints (4-2)

Is this the worst 4-2 team ever? Probably not. But they’re not a great team by any stretch. The truth about the Saints is there are only 2 things that are good about them. The first is Alvin Kamara, who is still one of the most unstoppable players in football. On Monday night, he had 179 total yards, including 128 receiving yards on 10 catches. The second bright spot in New Orleans is the defense, which has been great for the most part all year long. They shut down an albeit nonexistent Seahawks offense all game long outside of a single long TD pass, and it was very impressive to watch. I just don’t think it’s a formula that will translate into enough wins to put this team in the playoffs, especially with a tough schedule.

17 – Patriots (3-4)

The Patriots had some kind of hostility they were clearly letting out on the Jets on Sunday. 551 yards of offense and 54 points, with 20 coming in the 4th quarter, is a sign of a team that was trying to prove a point. I’m not going to go crazy over a blowout of the Jets, but I was still impressed with the Pats. Mac Jones continues to be efficient and sharp, the run game is back to putting up good numbers, and the defense is back to showing up. I think this team has the ingredients to make the playoffs, but they’re clearly still figuring out a lot of moving parts.

18 – 49ers (2-4) 7

I’m done making excuses for this team. They looked good for a while on Sunday night, but after that, they turtled and played scared football. They 100% deserved to lose. And they deserve the slander. This roster is way too talented to play such conservative football, and I trace it back to Kyle Shanahan. His playcalling and coaching style just aren’t going to work in today’s NFL, yet he refuses to adapt or change anything. The Niners were dominating with the run and, subsequently, the play action, but they refused to use it to their advantage. Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t exactly a QB that can beat you with his arm. The secondary is also very bad, and it hurts the defense tremendously. I just don’t like what I’m seeing out of this team, and I don’t know what it’ll take for them to get back track.

19 – Steelers (3-3) 1

The Steelers had a bye ahead of a huge matchup with the Browns this week. If they can pull a win out, then their season can turn around in a massive way, and based on how they played going into the bye week, it might not be too far-fetched. More on that tomorrow.

20 – Broncos (3-4) 1

This team is just bad. That’s what they have devolved into. The offense is nonexistent, and the once-strong defense can’t even slow down 3rd string RBs. Now, Von Miller is hurt once again, and the defense will get even worse because of it. There’s just nothing to like in Denver. It’s turning into a big, big shame. Hopefully they figure out the QB position this offseason.

21 – Falcons (3-3) 5

Somehow, the Falcons are sitting at .500 through 6 games. Actually, I’ll tell you how. The schedule has been dreadful. Granted, I don’t want to keep them too low, because they are playing better football than the teams currently below them. But I’m not buying any of this team’s stock. Once the schedule actually gets real, there won’t be many positives left to talk about. But, as it stands, this is a decent team with a fun offense, and Kyle Pitts is turning into a legitimate threat. Good for him.

22 – Seahawks (2-5)

Talking about this team is a colossal waste of time. As long as Russell Wilson is out, they won’t be worth a damn. Geno Smith has been dreadful as the starter, and the defense is just as bad as ever. Yawn. Next!

23 – Panthers (3-4) 3

Remember when everyone was crowning this team after starting 3-0? Remember when you all said Sam Darnold was back because he beat the Jets and the Texans? Yeah, those were the days. There’s a reason I never believed in this team. They don’t have what it takes, and it starts with Darnold. The only thing keeping this team together was Christian McCaffrey, and they are now 0-4 without him. Darnold can’t do a thing on his own, and he deserved to be benched long before he actually was on Sunday. Getting crushed by the Giants in 2021 is an absolute disgrace. Deshaun Watson is the only thing that can save this team, and the chances of him coming here is next to none. So, this is a hopeless football team.

24 – Eagles (2-5)

I’ll give the Eagles credit for one thing. They are the premier statpadders in the NFL. Nobody does it better than the Birds. They go down 30 and turn it on in every single 4th quarter. It’s honestly impressive. Unfortunately for Philly, the first 3 quarters also matter, and they aren’t very good in those. It’s just more of the same every week with this team. I am confident in their pieces moving forward, but this is all they’re going to be in 2021.

25 – Giants (2-5) 4

The Giants decide to show up about once a month, and last week’s thrashing of the Panthers filled that quota for October. This still isn’t a very good team, and they still lack a general direction, but good on them for picking up a nice win. Now, they get to be the team that the Chiefs inevitably bounce back against on national television. A very nice prize indeed.

26 – Bears (3-4) 3

This team is a disgrace. There are a lot of other words that can be used to describe the Bears, but I think that’s the most fitting one. They refuse to do anything to improve in areas that are lacking more than any other team in football. Throwing out your first round rookie QB against an elite defensive front with that abysmal offensive line is obviously never going to work. Fields had 5 ugly turnovers as the defensive line got to him time after time and he refused to pick up blitzes or feel the pressure in the pocket. It was everyone’s fault. On the other side of the ball, the defense got absolutely terrorized. How do you explain giving up 35 points in the first half? You don’t. The coaching, decision making, and play of this team is just an absolute joke. That’s that.

27 – Washington (2-5) 2

What do you want me to say about this team? Sunday’s loss was just more of the same garbage we’ve seen all season long. I will give the team credit for putting up a good offensive performance and a relatively good defensive game, in the sense that they looked like an actual NFL defense at times. That doesn’t change the fact that they got carved up whenever the Packers decided to do so. It was a strange game for the offense, as they outgained Green Bay by 127 yards and never punted the ball, yet only put up 10 points. It was a day of questionable decisions and redzone woes. Taylor Heinicke is quickly playing his way out of the starting QB job, and he can’t leave soon enough. I’m not saying he’s the root of all the problems with this team, but I’m ready to never see him play for my team again.

28 – Jaguars (1-5) 1

Thankfully for my eyes, the Jags had a bye last week. They are trending in the right direction, but that doesn’t mean I want to watch them play. Does anyone?

29 – Lions (0-7) 1

The Lions pulled out all the stops, and I mean all the stops on Sunday in LA, and honestly executed them pretty well, but it just wasn’t enough. I guess you can’t win a game in the NFL with fake punts and onside kicks. This is still a good team with plenty of nice pieces that does not deserve to be 0-7. Jared Goff is still terrible, but this team will be in prime position to draft a top QB this year, and I think that will do wonders for them.

30 – Dolphins (1-6) 2

I’ve thought this is arguably the NFL’s worst team for a few weeks now, and they continue to provide merit to that argument. Yes, they had a late comeback and could have won on Sunday, but why are you even down by multiple scores to the Falcons in the first place? Oh right, it’s because Tua Tagovailoa isn’t an NFL QB. Just trade for Deshaun Watson and get it over with.

31 – Jets (1-5)

How do you come off a bye and give up 54 points while only scoring 13? By being the Jets, of course! Oh, and now Zach Wilson has a knee injury that will keep him on the sideline for a bit. Only this team. They will never get it right.

32 – Texans (1-6)

Nothing to see here. Just another blowout loss in which the Texans didn’t even look like an NFL team. Just another Sunday in this league.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Note: Sorry for not getting out yesterday’s Week in Review. I fell really sick after going on a trip and had no energy or will to finish it. Again, I’m sorry, and I’ll try and stay healthy enough in the future to keep pumping these out. I’ll get a bit more in depth today to try and compensate for that.

The 2021 season is now just over a quarter of the way done, and if we’ve learned anything so far, it’s that nothing is set in stone. So many teams are still doing all sorts of things, good and bad, that make this job just as difficult as ever. There has been plenty of shuffling through five weeks, and I assure you, we are nowhere close to that being over. Let’s stack up the teams 1-32 after another riveting weekend of football:

1 – Bills (4-1) 1

There is no team that even comes close to the hellishly hot streak the Bills are currently on. I’ll recognize that beating the Chiefs doesn’t mean what it once did, but the way they did it is still remarkably impressive. That was seemingly never even a game. They had whatever they wanted, especially through the air, with Josh Allen throwing for 315 yards and 3 TDs on just 15 completions. Allen is now the odds-on MVP favorite, and the Bills have the 2nd best odds to win it all behind the Bucs. Again, as I said before the season, this schedule is disgustingly easy, and the hardest part of it is now behind Buffalo. I really don’t see them wavering from this top spot at all this season.

2 – Cardinals (5-0) 1

This one spot drop isn’t Arizona’s fault. They are still the NFL’s lone undefeated team, and are still playing very good football. The Bills just happen to be even hotter right now. Also, I wasn’t expecting the Cardinals’ offense to be so stifled against the Niners on Sunday, but that is a very solid defensive unit, so they get a pass. Kyler and co. still did what they had to do to come out with a win, and I still don’t have many doubts about this team. They have one of their toughest tests this week against Cleveland, and I’m very excited to see how they handle that. It will continue to clear up any and all questions that may exist with this team.

3 – Rams (4-1)

LA was essentially gift-wrapped a victory on Thursday night thanks to the injury sustained by Russell Wilson, but still, the Rams played a very solid game from start to finish. It was essentially exactly what I expected to see out of them. Matthew Stafford was very solid, they were able to run the ball effectively, and their defense slammed the door shut on the hobbling Seahawks. Everyone seems to have forgotten how good this team is, or lost their infatuation with them, but it’s important to keep things into perspective. It’s a long season, and this is still one of football’s best teams. Let’s keep overreactions to a minimum, please.

4 – Buccaneers (4-1)

Sunday’s blowout was exactly what the Buccaneers imagined themselves being this season. It just took them a while to realize it. Tom Brady continues to be magnificent as he threw for 411 yards and 5 touchdowns without even breaking a sweat. The GOAT now leads the NFL in passing yards and is 2nd in TDs, and every passing week, he makes it look more and more effortless. The defense is also continuing to show signs of improvement, despite being very beat up, but they’re also playing some pretty poor offenses, so I’m taking that with a grain of salt. In any case, this offense is simply too talented, and that will be enough to carry them to plenty of wins while the other side of the ball gets back healthy.

5 – Chargers (4-1)

What else do the Chargers have left to prove this season? They can win close games. They can win barnburners. They can win defensive battles. They can come back and win. They can beat you through the air. They can beat you on the ground. They can beat you with their defense. They’re as aggressive as anyone and it almost always pays off. They have everything going perfectly. The one problem they have is kicking, but this is the Chargers. That will always be an issue. Justin Herbert is playing like a true MVP, Austin Ekeler is the definition of a bowling ball out of the backfield, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are establishing themselves as perhaps the best WR duo in football, and while their defense got gashed last week, it’s still a very talented unit that likely won’t play that poor again. This team is just so damn stacked, and if the season was ending today, I’d probably pick them to win the AFC. I’m praying they can keep it up.

6 – Cowboys (4-1) 1

Dallas continues to dazzle on a weekly basis. Everything that has made this team so great through about a quarter of the season continues to be on full display every single week. The offense is just so talented and balanced, as both the passing and rushing attacks are as lethal as any in football. The defense is also showing up and showing out, especially in the secondary, as CB Trevon Diggs nabbed his 6th INT in 5 games on Sunday. Yes, this all happened against a bad Giants team that was without Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley within 2 quarters, but I feel like this would have happened anyways. I’d love to see this type of performance against a proper team, and I think it’s only a matter of time before that happens.

7 – Browns (3-2) 1

Offensively, the Browns looked as good as you possibly could in a loss. I mean that as literally as possible. Before Sunday, teams that scored over 40 points with no turnovers in a game were 443-0 in NFL history. Imagine being so good that you end a streak like that. I was honestly shocked with how bad Cleveland’s defense was, but I felt the same way about the Chargers defense. This was just an all-time shootout, and it doesn’t always go your way. The Browns probably should have left LA with a W, but some limitations are clearly still there that held them back from doing so. They just got too conservative in the end, and I think it’s a reflection of a lack of trust in Baker Mayfield. On the other side, the Chargers were going for every 4th down and Herbert was making every throw. I just don’t know if this team can go to the next level if they don’t trust their franchise QB to take them there, but at this point, I don’t even know if he has what it takes to do so.

8 – Packers (4-1) 2

Sunday’s game in Cincinnati was one of the funniest I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching, and the Packers just happened to win the coin toss orchestrated by the football gods to come out on top. After a sequence of 5 missed kicks in the last 3 minutes + OT, Mason Crosby finally split the uprights to win it for the Packers. You can say they deserved to lose, but the Bengals fumbled away just as many chances as Green Bay did. Even though they won, I’m not sure I liked what I saw out of the Packers. All of the problems I have with them are still apparent. They are still way, way too dependent on Davante Adams, who had a monster game with 206 yards and a TD on 11 catches, but he can’t be the only WR capable of making plays. Their defense also clearly felt the absence of Jaire Alexander, as they were ripped apart through the air. The schedule isn’t the easiest in the world, so the Packers better hope they become a more complete team before it’s time to take on the NFL’s elites.

9 – Ravens (4-1) 2

Special. Game-changing. Electric. We’re running out of words to describe Lamar Jackson. The star QB led a 19-point comeback on Monday night, and did so in incredible fashion, throwing for 442 yards and 3 touchdowns as well as two 2-point conversions on a record-breaking 86% completion, the highest EVER for a 400-yard game. Oh, and he also added 62 on the ground. #8 accounted for 504 of the team’s 523 yards of offense. That’s a stat that just doesn’t make sense. He now has more total yards than EIGHTEEN (18) TEAMS. It’s just historic and incredible to watch. What isn’t incredible to watch, however, is this defense. They’re the ones who dug the hole to begin with, and they laid a complete dud. They gave up 513 yards of offense, including 402 passing, and let the Colts march all the way down the field for what should have been the game-winning drive if they hadn’t missed a FG at the buzzer. Lamar is awesome, but he cannot carry the entire team on his back every game, especially to this extent. Baltimore is a few breaks away from being 1-4. They better hope they improve, especially defensively, and start winning games a lot more convincingly before I bump them up.

10 – Bengals (3-2) 5

I’m sure you have a lot of questions here. The Bengals in the top 10? Jumping up 5 spots for losing? Especially when they should have won? What’s going on here? Allow me to explain. This team is pretty dang good. And more than that, they’re as resilient as any team I’ve seen this season. Falling behind does not faze this team whatsoever, no matter what the deficit is. You can always count on them to be in it when time is winding down. It’s honestly a testament to Joe Burrow and his own resilience. He has vastly exceeded my expectations and has been very good this season. It helps that Jamarr Chase continues to be one of the standout receivers in football in just 5 games. Just ask yourself this: how would we be perceiving this team had Evan McPherson made one of the several kicks he missed late in this game? Cincy would be 4-1 with stars all across the offense and a defense that did enough to beat Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Yes, your special teams has to be good enough to secure victories, but this is a rookie who already had 2 game-winners this season. Let’s cut the kid some slack. I think this is still a very solid team that can definitely make a playoff push, and they’re certainly playing a lot better than many other “contenders” so far this season.

11 – 49ers (2-3) 1

Yes, this team has lost 3 straight games, but I really liked what I saw out of them on Sunday. Going on the road and relatively shutting down one of the best offenses in football is no small feat. If it wasn’t Trey Lance’s first start, there’s a good chance San Francisco could have won that game. And they still almost pulled it out. This team will be just fine no matter who is under center as long as their defense continues performing like that. If it has to be Lance for an extended period of time, he’ll just continue getting better with more and reps. If they have to go back to Jimmy G, they get a QB who knows the system better than anyone with a history of winning. This was also a very difficult stretch of the schedule, and while it’s still a tough one, it gets easier. I think this week’s bye will help them a lot moving forward.

12 – Chiefs (2-3) 3

This is just bad. Really, really bad. Not only was Kansas City’s defense embarrassed once again, but their offense put up possibly its worst performance in the Mahomes era. They continue to be extremely careless with the ball, and they could not get anything going whatsoever downfield. Defensively, this is the worst team in football. They are now last in points allowed and second to last in yards allowed, and they couldn’t stop a nosebleed if it was just one drop of blood. They are sorely missing Chris Jones up front, as they can’t generate even a semblance of a pass rush. Their offense isn’t doing them any favors either, as they’ve seemingly been figured out by opposing defenses. They cannot run the football at all, and losing Clyde Edwards-Helaire to injury doesn’t help that at all. Against competent defenses, they just aren’t nearly as lethal as they have been in recent memory. I don’t know what this team can do to get better, because I don’t know if they have what it takes. I still trust Patrick Mahomes more than almost anyone in football, but this defense is just unsalvageable.

13 – Vikings (2-3) 3

This jump is the result of several teams falling apart, but I still think the Vikings are pretty good. They should have lost on Sunday, somehow, but they pulled off the late victory and are still going to be competitive. Their schedule is absolutely brutal, so it’s good that they’re picking up wins where they can. In my opinion, the stories of this team have been the emergence of two unlikely contributors: the defense and Alexander Mattison. This is clearly a vastly improved defensive unit after last year’s disgracefully bad one, and it has been the key to them being in every game they’ve played so far. And Mattison has been the most productive RB on this team through 5 weeks, as he put up another great game in lieu of Dalvin Cook being injured on Sunday. This team is going to need all the help they can get moving forward, so getting that out of unlikely sources is going to be very important.

14 – Saints (3-2) 4

I told you I’d take things as they came with this team. Last week’s performance was a pretty damn good one, so they’re right back to where they were 2 weeks ago. Granted, it was against a rather embarrassing team, but they did what they had to do, and then some. New Orleans predictably sliced through a porous Washington defense, as Jameis Winston put on a very good performance through the air, and Alvin Kamara was back to his old ways of being one of the most lethal threats out of the backfield in football. I don’t know if this team will sustain this; in fact I doubt they will as they won’t face a defense this bad again this season. But, they’ve deserved this spot for this week.

15 – Broncos (3-2) 1

The Broncos were barely competitive on Sunday before a late comeback attempt, and the fault lies on both sides of the ball. Even with Teddy Bridgewater playing, this offense laid another dud. And for some reason, this defense has forgotten how to play football in the last 2 weeks. They made the Steelers look like a real offense, which is honestly impressive. I’m just not too sure what to make of this team after their last 2 losses. As the schedule gets tougher, things might get uglier in Denver.

16 – Raiders (3-2) 6

Ohhhhhhhhhh boy. Where do I begin? I was already going to punish this team for laying a complete stinker against a bad Bears team at home on Sunday, but I could never have envisioned what followed. HC Jon Gruden resigned on Monday night following the surfacing of old emails sent across the NFL containing an inexplicable amount of bigotry. Gruden was in his 4th year of a 10 year, $100 million deal, and luckily, the Raiders don’t have to worry about paying him that anymore. Now, Rich Bisaccia takes over as the interim head coach, and I have no idea what the trajectory of this team will be anymore. The next few weeks in Vegas are going to be bizarre, and I just can’t help but feel bad for them.

17 – Patriots (2-3) 2

I really don’t know how the Patriots struggled as much as they did on Sunday. Having to come back from 13 down against perhaps the worst team in football isn’t a great look. Moreover, the Texans were starting rookie QB Davis Mills, and Bill Belichick is notoriously dominant against rookie QBs. In any case, New England avoided the big-time embarrassment and are back on the right track. They aren’t without their concerns, especially after this week’s performance, but they also have plenty of positives to take away at the moment, mostly concerning Mac Jones and his performance as the starting QB thus far. But I just don’t think this team has what it takes to be great just yet.

18 – Panthers (3-2) 1

Before this season, I didn’t believe in this team at all. At 3-0, I didn’t believe in this team at all. And still, I don’t believe in this team at all. I hope everyone is off of one of the shortest-lived bandwagons in recent memory, as the Panthers are seemingly falling apart. I don’t care that Christian McCaffrey is out, there is no excuse to lose to the Eagles. None. Especially if you’re up by double digits on them. I mean come on. The offense isn’t nearly as productive, Sam Darnold is back to being the Sam Darnold of old, and this once-“elite” defense can’t even stop Jalen Hurts. Be honest with yourselves about Carolina. They’re not good.

19 – Seahawks (2-3) 6

This could quickly become the ugliest situation in the NFC. Without Russell Wilson, this team is nothing. Genuinely nothing. I’d be shocked if they win a single game while he’s out, outside of their gimme against Jacksonville. Russ jammed his finger in an unlucky manner on Thursday night, and will now be out 6-8 weeks. In his stead, Geno Smith will be quarterbacking the Seahawks, which doesn’t inspire confidence in anyone. This defense is also still terrible, and it’s not getting any better. Russ was the only thing keeping this mess together, and without him, it is going to fall apart fast. What a mess.

20 – Titans (3-2) 1

I’m not giving this team any flowers for beating up on the Jaguars. I still haven’t forgotten that loss to the Jets. Still, I’ll give the Titans credit for putting on a good show on Sunday. Derrick Henry continues to be an incredible force and must-see TV. I still don’t believe in this defense very much, as they were honestly struggling for a bit. But, I don’t believe in much of this team. No flowers for you.

21 – Bears (3-2) 3

Chicago is now 2-0 in Justin Fields’ starts. The numbers don’t lie! The real star of the show on Sunday was the defense, which locked up a potent Raiders passing offense. Fields still did his thing, and the run game also surprisingly contributed, even without David Montgomery. It’s a good formula that can clearly work against good teams, but I’d really like to see more out of this passing game before I put more faith in the Bears. Still, I’m loving what I’m seeing out of Fields and still very confident in his ability to lead this team to more victories.

22 – Steelers (2-3)

Against all odds, the Steelers looked like a real offense on Sunday. They were getting it done all across the board, and for the first time in seemingly forever, they finally got the run game going. Najee Harris won for 122 yards and a touchdown on 23 yards, and the team amassed almost 400 total yards of offense. This was against a Broncos D that has been pretty solid so far this season, so I was honestly impressed. That being said, I need to see this more consistently before bumping Pittsburgh up. We’ll see whether or not they’re capable of doing so.

23 – Colts (1-4)

Man. That was one of the more rough blown leads and losses I’ve seen in a long time in this league. The Colts were nothing short of fantastic on both sides of the ball through 3+ quarters on Monday night, as they were dominating on offense and suffocating the Ravens defensively. Even after blowing the lead and finding themselves in a tie game, they missed a FG at the buzzer to send the game to OT, where they didn’t even possess the ball en route to the loss. It’s just a shame. After putting up over 500 yards of offense with Carson Wentz throwing for over 400 and getting another fantastic performance from Jonathan Taylor, Indy has nothing to show for it. Now, they sit at 1-4 with seemingly no upward trajectory. I just feel really sorry for them.

24 – Washington (2-3) 4

What can I say about this team at this point? Everything I’ve said that is wrong with this team is still as prevalent as ever. They refuse to show up against any teams worth a damn, and the defense is still abhorrent at best. This is the second worst scoring defense in the league, giving up 31 PPG, and they aren’t showing any signs of getting better. They can’t generate any pressure, and they couldn’t cover a receiving core of people in wheelchairs. The Taylor Heinicke experience is also continuing to be a rollercoaster, as every other week he looks like the XFL QB he once was. I’m just sick of this team being inconsistent at best and one of the worst teams in football at worst. If they don’t want to care, then why should I?

25 – Eagles (2-3) 2

I’ll give Philly credit: they’ve shown plenty of promise in spurts this season. Sunday’s comeback victory was a realization of that potential that I know they have, especially offensively. I truly believe that the Eagles have some of the best young talent in football, and I honestly enjoy seeing performances like this that help back that claim up. This defense still isn’t without its issues, but they stepped up when they needed to on Sunday to secure the win. Good for the Birds.

26 – Falcons (2-3) 2

Congrats on beating the Jets, I guess? It was a bit closer than it needed to be at the end in London, but the Falcons looked good enough throughout the game, especially on offense. It was the coming out party for Kyle Pitts, who had 119 yards and a touchdown on 9 catches. I’ve been waiting for him to emerge as a real threat in this offense, and while I recognize that he was playing the Jets, I’m hoping he can keep this up. It will help make this team more watchable.

27 – Giants (1-4) 2

How can you not feel bad for this team? After a beautiful performance in NOLA led by Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, both pivotal members of the offense suffered seemingly serious injuries on Sunday in Dallas. Jones got dinged up on a run on the goal line which knocked him out of the game, although he could return as soon as this week if he clears concussion protocol. Barkley, however, rolled his ankle on a freak incident after a play and had to be carted off. He could be out long term, which is just awful to see, especially seeing how he was finally returning to form after last year’s ACL injury. There was already not much going for New York, and now it’s only getting worse. The only bright spot is the emergence of rookie WR Kadarius Toney, who had a monster game with 189 yards receiving, but it’s still just a sad time for this team. I just feel horrible for the Giants.

28 – Dolphins (1-4) 2

Yeesh. This team is all sorts of disgusting. Jacoby Brissett has seemingly lost the ability to look like an NFL QB, and this defense is somehow getting worse. What was supposed to be the saving grace of this team is now its weakest spot. I don’t understand how this is happening, but it’s just an ugly sight. There is no saving the Dolphins in 2021.

29 – Lions (0-5)

Man. This is sad. Once again, the Lions had a hard-earned victory snatched right from them in unfortunate fashion, as another long-distance FG at the buzzer sent them to their 5th straight loss. That came after a big-time turnover to get the ball back, score a touchdown and a 2-point conversion to take the lead with barely any time left. The defense just still couldn’t get the job done, giving up enough yardage to set up a game-winning kick. I’m not even surprised that HC Dan Campbell was in tears after the game. I would be too.

30 – Texans (1-4) 1

Look at the Texans being competitive again. How scrappy of them. Houston almost pulled off the upset of the week, but they remembered that they were tanking, so they blew a double digit lead to ensure they didn’t commit the heinous act of winning a game. Sunday was honestly best case scenario for this team. They looked solid and still lost the game. They should see that as an absolute win.

31 – Jets (1-4) 1

You know, at least the Jets were somewhat competitive on Sunday in London. I still think it’s disrespectful that we subjected our friends across the pond to watching this joke of a team, but it could have been worse. Zach Wilson was still an errant turnover waiting to happen, but they made things interesting at the end, and that’s all we could have asked for.

32 – Jaguars (0-5)

Bad bad bad. Still oh so bad. Not getting any better. There’s nothing I can say about this team. They’re just as much of a mess as they were a week ago, if not more of one. At least Urban Meyer didn’t get caught getting twerked on this week! I call that a big-time improvement.

All stats taken from ESPN.

This week in the NFL proved to be just as confusing as any other week thus far. There is an insane amount of shuffling all across the board between the elite and poor teams alike. Just when you think things are starting to take shape, the Jenga blocks get knocked right down the ground. After a wild first month of the season, let’s stack up the teams 1-32:

1 – Cardinals (4-0) 3

For the third consecutive week, we have a new #1. I’ve seen other people saying that Arizona doesn’t deserve to leapfrog all the way to the top just because they beat the Rams, and that’s fair, but in my opinion, they are currently the best team in football. They’ve been trending in that direction all year long. Kyler Murray is playing like the MVP favorite he is, the rest of the offense is stacked and everyone is eating, and the defense is returning to form, especially in the secondary. I thought the formula to beating this team was to play elite defense, but even LA couldn’t slow these guys down. If not them, then who will? I’m not sure many teams have what it takes. This top spot is now theirs to lose.

2 – Bills (3-1) 4

If Week 1 didn’t exist, this team would easily be atop the list. They’re on top of a lot of lists I’ve seen. I, like most people, still don’t understand how they lost to the Steelers. But, that was then, and this is now. And in the last 3 weeks, this team is playing lights out football. Granted, they haven’t exactly played the best teams, but they are pulling no punches and looking as good as they ever have under Josh Allen. The QB is back to his old ways, diming and spreading the ball all over the place, and this secondary is starting to reach elite status. This week’s primetime showdown with the Chiefs will be their toughest test, but I truly think they’ll be up to it. Let’s see how I get proven wrong this time.

3 – Rams (3-1) 2

Yes, the Rams laid an absolute dud on Sunday. But, as I said yesterday, we should have seen it coming. They were obviously still riding the high of their victory over Tampa, and I doubt they’ll look that flat again anytime soon. This roster is still stacked, Matt Stafford is still putting up huge numbers, and the defense is far too talented to be that porous. From personnel to coaching, there are very few teams I feel better about than LA, and I’m sticking with them. But they better get back on track quick ahead of a Thursday night showdown with Seattle. I think they’ll do just that.

4 – Buccaneers (3-1) 1

You don’t always need to be flashy and exciting to win football games. Sometimes, you just need to be solid on both sides of the ball and make plays when necessary. That’s all the Bucs needed to do on Sunday. I still think they deserved to lose, but I also recognize that they did what they had to do to get the win and move to 3-1. All the problems I had with this team are still there, and they’re honestly amplified with how thin they are in the secondary, but the defensive line seems deep enough to make up for some of that lack in the defensive backfield. The offense has seen better days, but again, they’re simply too good to not put up their numbers. Even while they’re not healthy, this is still a more than formidable squad.

5 – Chargers (3-1) 3

I’ve been waiting for this for so long. The Chargers are finally starting to realize their potential, and I honestly think they haven’t even reached it yet. They’re only getting better and better, and it has been awesome to watch unfold. Justin Herbert is playing smart, sharp football, delivering the football perfectly all over the field, the ground game is gashing defensive fronts, and this D is suffocating even the best of offenses. Once their deep passing game gets going, this team will have every way to beat you, and you’ll have no way to beat them. I really think the sky is the limit for this team, but this is still the Chargers, so I wouldn’t be surprised if something derails that. I’m keeping my hopes up.

6 – Packers (3-1) 1

The Packers were exactly what I expected them to be this week. The only thing that I’m not liking with this team right now is that the passing offense isn’t as explosive as it has been in the past, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem at all. This defense is playing really well, and it means their offense can take their time with a lot of running and short quick throws to go on long touchdown drives. It’s a good formula for success, and Green Bay is executing it better than almost anyone else in football right now.

7 – Cowboys (3-1) 6

I have seen enough to decree the Dallas Cowboys as legit. The offense is extremely balanced; in fact, it’s a run-first offense at this point. This team continues to run more than pass, and it’s not because Dak is hurt or still in recovery. He’s clearly just fine, launching the ball with pinpoint accuracy and dissecting defenses week after week. This run game is simply back and being as productive as ever. Both the resurgence of Ezekiel Elliott and the emergence of Tony Pollard gives the Cowboys one of the best 1-2 punches out of the backfield in football. And this defense is simply awesome. The star of the show is obviously Trevon Diggs with his 5 picks in 4 games, but everyone else is doing their part too. The only thing that concerns me with this team is HC Mike McCarthy and his very questionable in-game decisions, but perhaps this team is talented enough to overcome that. I certainly think that’s the case.

8 – Browns (3-1) 6

Don’t overreact to this massive drop. This was simply a reality check for the Browns. I know they won by more than I even predicted them to, but Sunday’s game left a sour taste in my mouth. Baker Mayfield was flat out bad, completing less than 50% of his passes, missing wide open receivers, and not doing enough to help his team win. The playcalling was also questionable, as the Browns often refused to run the ball when it was clearly working, especially in goal-line opportunities. Thankfully for them, the unit on other side of the ball showed up to play, and they dominated from start to finish to the tune of only 7 points allowed. The defensive line is continuing to dominate, and the secondary is only getting better. If that trend continues, then I suppose it doesn’t matter how lethargic the passing offense is.

9 – Chiefs (2-2)

Sunday’s performance was a vintage Chiefs offensive explosion, and while it was awesome to watch, I still can’t get over what this team is doing on defense. KC’s secondary has never been this bad, and they’re allowing even the weakest of offenses to rip them apart. They simply aren’t as sharp on that side of the ball. It doesn’t help that their front 7 personnel is lacking. With the red hot Bills coming into town on Sunday night, anyone who isn’t aware of these issues will see them on full display. I think it could be the ugliest game of the Mahomes era, and I can’t help but feel bad for him. His career cannot be reduced to shootouts and catch-up football.

10 – Raiders (3-1) 3

Vegas’ biggest hole was gaping on Monday night, as I expected. Against offenses that know what they’re doing, this team is probably screwed. They had the benefit of playing some not-so good offenses, and when they played the Ravens, they were in their first game after all of those injuries, so don’t give me that as an example. Moreover, this offense was completely suffocated by the best such unit they’ve faced this season. I think the Raiders are going to show you that they are a middle-of-the-road team this year. They can certainly feast on teams that are less talented than they are, but against the elite squads of the NFL? Not so much. But, they’ve earned their spot in the top 10 for the moment, so here they stay. We’ll see how long it lasts.

11 – Ravens (3-1) 1

I hope the “Lamar can’t throw” crowd never speaks up again. Jackson and the Baltimore offense ripped apart a very good Broncos secondary from start to finish on Sunday, and it was glorious to watch. They didn’t put up as many points as maybe they should have, but that’s more of a testament to the aforementioned Denver D. Still, I really liked what I saw from the Ravens. They still have to do some work to breach the top 10, but I know for a fact that they’re trending in the right direction, and with their lackluster schedule, they’ll be just fine.

12 – 49ers (2-2) 2

It could be the start of an exciting time in San Francisco, but I think it’s too soon. Rookie QB Trey Lance got his first real snaps under center on Sunday thanks to a calf injury sustained by Jimmy Garoppolo, and he definitely held his own, despite the loss. Now, Lance might see some starts as Jimmy recovers. A lot of people have been waiting for us, but Lance was the most raw prospect in the draft, and I still think he needs more time to develop. This team is still talented enough to be just fine no matter who’s at QB, but we’ll see how different they look with the rook. They could either be elevated to a new level, or it could be a ticket on the struggle bus.

13 – Seahawks (2-2) 4

I’m still not really feeling it with this team. They just happen to be the beneficiary of a couple of other teams falling off. Their offense didn’t look as good as the scoreboard would indicate on Sunday, and the defense is still a big, big problem. All of the problems I have with the Seahawks are still very apparent, and it will catch up to them. I wouldn’t look too much into a win against a team that had to turn to an extremely raw rookie QB for half the game. Don’t get your hopes up with this team.

14 – Broncos (3-1) 3

I’d put this team higher, but I still don’t know about Teddy Bridgewater’s health. Drew Lock makes this team significantly worse, and as it stands, he’s the QB. I don’t think they really stand much of a chance with him under center. He is too erratic and too careless with the ball to put the Broncos in a position to win, even with their great defense. I’m really worried that if Teddy misses significant time, it could derail this season as the schedule starts to get harder. I’m hoping he comes back soon, because this team needs him badly.

15 – Bengals (3-1) 4

Well, well, well. The surprise team of 2021 just keeps on surprising. No one is surprised that they beat the Jaguars, but everything is going right with the Bengals. Sitting at 3-1 with the best QB play in a long, long time with a plethora of playmakers on offense and a defense that can suddenly defend, Cincy is sitting pretty atop the division. Joe Burrow has been simply incredible to watch, and his offensive line is actually protecting him, allowing for this offense to thrive. I’m really hoping this team can stay healthy, because not only have they been a ton of fun to watch, but they deserve to finally have some success. Let’s see how long they can keep this up.

16 – Vikings (1-3) 1

I still truly believe the Vikings are a lot better than their record would suggest, but Sunday’s performance was an ugly one. For the first time this season, Minnesota’s offense was stifled, and it clearly rattled them. Kirk Cousins threw his first INT of the season and simply wasn’t on the same page as his receivers all game long. The run game also never got going, as Dalvin Cook was a nonfactor in his return from injury. The defense did its job, and did it much better than I expected, but it simply wasn’t enough. Cleveland was undoubtedly going to be a tough test, but if this is the Vikings offense we get against any elite teams, then perhaps their record will never reflect how good they are.

17 – Panthers (3-1) 1

So, this team having the #1 defense in football through 3 weeks was clearly a product of the opponents they played. That unit got absolutely shredded by the Cowboys on Sunday, both on the ground and through the air. The talent of this defense is nothing to scoff at, but they cannot afford to play like that at all in the future. I still have my doubts. Offensively, it wasn’t the worst game in the world, but I still think this team misses Christian McCaffrey a ton. The level of dynamic playmaking and simply the threat he provides is being sorely missed, and although Sam Darnold and DJ Moore have been putting up good numbers, it’s just not enough. Maybe the additions of C.J. Henderson and Stefon Gilmore will help out the defense, but there is nothing and no one this team needs more than CMC.

18 – Saints (2-2) 4

I guess I’ll just never understand this team. I’m giving up even trying to. It’s simply too difficult. The Saints played a pretty good game through 50 or so minutes on Sunday, but that makes the blown lead even more confusing. Isn’t this defense supposed to be the pride and soul of the team? How you give up nearly 500 yards of offense and blow a double digit 4th quarter lead to the Giants is beyond me. I’m just done trying to make sense of what’s going on in New Orleans and taking things as they come. Right now, losing that game in the manner that they did, they deserve this drop.

19 – Patriots (1-3) 1

As I’ve said repeatedly, the Patriots were the better team on Sunday night and they deserved to win that game. Mac Jones played his best game of his young career, the passing offense looked very solid, and the defense was stifling Tom Brady all night long. But, the complete lack of a run game, some untimely turnovers, and a questionable FG decision sealed this team’s fate. I still think this is a solid football team, but I do think they don’t have what it takes to make up for their shortcomings. You can’t run for negative yardage in a game and expect to win. That’s just now how it works. There isn’t enough talent in this offense to compensate for that. And I think that’s what will hold this team back this season. They’ve got their QB, but they need to work even harder on making his life easier.

20 – Washington (2-2) 3

To call this team a rollercoaster would be undermining how crazy this team is. Every other week is a 60-minute heart attack. This can’t be good for my health. Washington’s defense is still dreadful, as they refuse to get off the field on 3rd down, no matter what the distance is. This secondary is getting torched by RBs and WRs alike, and they still refuse to get pressure on the QB. Oh, and they haven’t forced a turnover since Week 1. The offense is making up for these shortcomings, as Antonio Gibson is finally getting more involved out of the backfield and Terry McLaurin continues to be one of the most unguardable WRs in football. Taylor Heinicke has also been a pleasant surprise on offense and gives the unit an extra gear that hasn’t been there before. But, they won’t be playing the Falcons every week. As long as this defense refuses to improve, this team is screwed. Unless that side of the ball tightens up in a huge way, many of Washington’s games won’t even be competitive.

21 – Titans (2-2) 5

What? I mean seriously, what? You lost to the Jets? The New York Jets? In the year of our lord 2021? Why should I even waste my time talking about this team? They don’t deserve it. Tennessee, you’re going on timeout for a week. Think long and hard about what you’ve done.

22 – Steelers (1-3)

The same old Steelers came to play in Lambeau on Sunday, and what I saw on the field was exactly what I expected. This offense is still as one-dimensional as ever, and that single dimension is remarkably ineffective. This team’s undying dedication to short throws over the middle is pretty hilarious, but also just sad to watch. The fact that Ben Roethlisberger connected on a deep shot early in this game is genuinely one of the most shocking things I’ve seen this season. The defense looked better, but is clearly still not at full strength. T.J. Watt’s groin injury is definitely holding him back, as Pittsburgh only got pressure on 18% of snaps on Sunday. There just isn’t a lot, if anything, going right with this team. It’s all downhill from here.

23 – Colts (1-3) 1

It was about time for Indy to get in the win column in 2021, although it wasn’t the most impressive win against a not-so-impressive opponent. But, a win is a win, and they deserve some love this week. Jonathan Taylor was the star of the show on Sunday, and his emergence has been long overdue this season. Carson Wentz also did his part, taking care of the football and helping his team cash in on turnovers. Winning the TO battle and converting those free possessions into points is a tried and true formula in this league, and maybe it’s just what the Colts need to do to try and get this season back on track.

24 – Bears (2-2) 3

It wasn’t the prettiest win we’ve ever seen, but the Bears did their job on Sunday and Justin Fields got his first W as an NFL QB. Good for him, and good for them. Granted, playing the Lions can make any team get back on track. Now, Fields will be the full-time starter moving forward, and while I have confidence in him, he’s still not in the greatest situation. This offense is severely lacking in talent, and it’s only getting worse now that RB David Montgomery is dealing with a knee injury. Oh, and this offensive line is still horrible. I’m sure Chicago is feeling good about themselves right now, but this won’t be a lasting feeling. I just hope they can keep Fields upright and get him valuable experience heading into what should be a bright future.

25 – Giants (1-3) 4

Somehow the Giants won themselves a game, and did so in… explosive fashion? Almost 500 yards of offense including over 400 passing yards from Daniel Jones fueled a comeback OT victory in the Superdome on Sunday. These are a lot of words that feel like they don’t belong in the same sentence. Still, good for New York to get the W that was seemingly evading them for weeks. I doubt we’ll see them put up these types of offensive numbers again, but it’s good that they finally put them up. It could create some good momentum moving forward, which they’ll certainly need, as the schedule is just brutal.

26 – Dolphins (1-3) 5

Yikes. In one of the more surprising developments through 4 weeks, the Dolphins are just… bad. I don’t even think the QB situation matters in Miami. Both guys are not serviceable starters in this league, and neither one of them can elevate this weak offense into something better. But the biggest surprise to me is the struggles of this defense. This was supposed to be an elite unit, but they’ve been anything but so far in 2021. I have no idea how this team can turn things around. It’s just a sad sight.

27 – Eagles (1-3) 2

Once again, the Philly defense got shredded and put in a blender. Perhaps this is a product of playing some of the NFL’s best offenses, but these guys aren’t even remotely competitive on D. The offense did their thing yet again, but I still think it’s the product of playing catch-up in the midst of blowouts. But, perhaps the Eagles feel good about their empty stats. It’s about the only thing they can feel good about right now.

28 – Falcons (1-3)

This team is absurd. The offense was moving all game long, they got all the calls in the world, everything was going right for them, and they still found a way to blow it in the 4th quarter. It truly is just in their DNA. This defense is as abysmal as ever, so it doesn’t even matter if their offense plays as well as they did on Sunday. Unless Cordarralle Patterson continues playing like the greatest Swiss army knife we’ve ever seen, there is just nothing to like here. At least they get the Jets this week.

29 – Lions (0-4) 3

Alright, I’ll never put my faith in this team again. The Lions didn’t play their worst game in Chicago on Sunday, but they simply could not get out of their own way, and that ended up being their demise. I’m not sure why I expected anything different. I still like this team’s offensive pieces, but man, that defense is just dreadful. Jared Goff isn’t exactly the guy to overcome that. At least the offensive line is still decent!

30 – Jets (1-3) 2

I really have to praise the Jets this week. What a cruel world. Well, congrats on your first and perhaps only win of the season. Zach Wilson looked like a real QB for once, and the utter incompetence of the Titans allowed you to notch that ever-evasive W. I hope you feel good about it, because you won’t see many more this season. This team is still a complete trainwreck, and I don’t see it getting any better. But, if Wilson continues to improve, then it inspires the slightest bit of confidence. I just don’t have much faith in that.

31 – Texans (1-3) 1

Oh brother. Once again, the Texans we got on Sunday were the Texans we expected in 2021. How the heck did this team beat Jacksonville in Week 1? Well, I guess they’re as much of a mess. Houston gets the slightest of passes due to having to start the 3rd QB on their depth chart, but it doesn’t even matter. This is just a horrible roster and their play on the field is starting to reflect that more and more each week. At least they’re not the Jaguars.

32 – Jaguars (0-4) 1

That didn’t take long. Welcome back to the bottom, Jags. This is not just an indictment on the on-the-field product, but what’s happening externally as well. I mean what the hell is Urban Meyer doing? Losing a game in which you had a 2 touchdown lead, then going to get danced on in your own bar?! And getting caught in 4K doing so? Just unreal. I told you guys this experiment might fail before it even gets started, and we are on the fast track to that being the case. What an unmitigated disaster.

All stats taken from ESPN.

This week in the NFL brought about a lot of shuffling amongst the league’s haves and have-nots alike. Between some upsets, duds, and surprising performances, things have only gotten more unpredictable. Pitting these teams against each other is already hard enough, but the 2021 season has made things much more difficult. After three wild weeks of football, let’s stack up the teams 1-32:

1 – Rams (3-0) 1

By beating the Buccaneers, the Rams established themselves as the team to beat in the NFL. They knocked Tampa clean off the mantle and took it for themselves. It’s not just the fact that they won, but it was their dominance in doing so that is so impressive. Matt Stafford is playing like an MVP, Cooper Kupp is putting up some of the best stats in the league at WR, and they’ve even rejuvenated Desean Jackson as a deep threat. The run game couldn’t really get going, but without their top 2 backs against an outstanding defensive front, I’ll give them a pass. With an outstanding defense of their own, the sky is the limit for this team. Everything is right there for them, they just have to reach out and grab it.

2 – Browns (2-1) 2

I know this looks and sounds crazy. But just give it some thought for me. The Browns could very easily be 3-0. They were the better team against Kansas City and had some very unlucky breaks. In the two weeks since, they have looked incredible. Granted, they’ve played two very bad teams, but the tape speaks for itself. It was the run game on full display in Week 2, and last week it was the incredible defensive front. Myles Garrett accounted for 4.5 out of the team’s 9 sacks against the Bears, and if that side of the ball gets going, it is certainly a scary sight for the rest of the AFC. I had very high hopes for this team, and I think they’re starting to realize their potential. I’d love to see them beat some better teams, but I’m buying their stock right now and hoping they don’t let me down.

3 – Buccaneers (2-1) 2

Anyone who has been paying attention to this team so far this season saw Sunday’s loss coming from a mile away, and the reasons for that are the same reasons they lost. The defense remains a very big question, as for the third week in a row, they were torn apart. The offense was fine in terms of stats, as Tom Brady threw for over 400 yards, but they could not run the ball whatsoever and simply didn’t translate that offensive production into enough points. I still think this team will be fine considering they just played their toughest game, but they better hope they figure out their defensive issues, especially in the secondary. If they don’t get back to how they were playing late in 2020, this will not be a championship team.

4 – Cardinals (3-0) 1

Sunday’s game was a bit closer than I would have liked, but this team is just fine. Their explosive offense made enough plays to put points on the board, and their defense did a fine job of slamming the door on the Jags offense. A pick six from Byron Murphy was the icing on the cake against a team that is still lost and confused. This week’s contest against the Rams will tell us a lot about who this team truly is. Their identity is an explosive team that can shut you down when necessary on defense, but they did struggle with the best offense they played this year (Minnesota). How they perform against the hottest offense in football will be very telling.

5 – Packers (2-1) 7

The Packers are officially back. I originally had them so low because I wanted them to prove to me that they could climb back up. In just two weeks, they’ve done just that. Aaron Rodgers is more than back, carrying his team to victory thanks to incredible throws and ice in his veins. Davante Adams is still the only real receiving threat, but there’s nobody I’d rather have lining up on the outside. And Aaron Jones is still as productive as any RB in football. Their secondary looked vastly improved with DB Eric Stokes Jr. out there instead of Kevin King, and if they stick with the rookie, I see this defense doing big things once again. And if that’s the case, then Green Bay can easily reassert themselves as the team to beat in the NFC.

6 – Bills (2-1) 2

As I said yesterday, what we saw from the Bills on Sunday is just what we’ve expecting out of them. Destroying a Washington team that barely got off the plane isn’t the most impressive thing in the world, but it still felt good to see this team realize its offensive potential. There are only a few, if any teams that can stop them when they’re clicking like that. Moreover, their defense was putting in work, especially in the secondary. That’s what held them back last year, so if they get going on that side of the football, there might not be many teams in the AFC that can slow them down, especially in their division of anemic offenses.

7 – Raiders (3-0)

I really like what this team is doing, but I would love it if they could win their games a bit more convincingly. This has been the most prolific passing attack in football, statistically speaking, through 3 weeks, and Derek Carr is playing at an MVP level. But, for some reason, their defense is incapable of shutting the door and closing out games. That’s a quality that any championship-level team needs to have, and if the Raiders don’t find it, it will definitely hold them back. It is an offensive league, and their offense has won them every game thus far, but the lack of a clutch factor on defense concerns me moving forward.

8 – Chargers (2-1) 6

Sorry for being so back and forth on this team week after week. That’s just the nature of the Chargers. Justin Herbert and company picked up one of the best wins of the young season on Sunday at Arrowhead, and it proved quite a lot to me. It proved that this team can go anywhere and go toe to toe with any team in football. It also showed that Herbert is 100% built for the moment and can potentially be a championship-level QB, but I knew that already. Mike Williams has emerged as a potential star at WR beside Keenan Allen. The offensive line has been sensational thanks to the stellar play of rookie LT Rashawn Slater. This defense has stepped up in a big way week after week, and the emergence of the secondary has me feeling really good about this team’s potential. We’ll see how they perform against the best statistical passing offense in football on Monday night.

9 – Chiefs (1-2) 6

Well, this is uncharted territory for the Chiefs. This is the first time in the history of my Power Rankings that Kansas City isn’t in the top 3. And they have nobody to blame but themselves. I know I gave them a pass for losing in Baltimore a couple of week ago, but there are no excuses being handed out anymore. They absolutely punted their game against the Chargers on Sunday, and they did not deserve to win. I have never seen this offense be so careless with the football, and it starts with Patrick Mahomes. I don’t know what’s gotten into him, but this is the worst he has ever played in his young career. He better get back to his old playmaking ways, or start actually taking care of the football. This defense isn’t nearly good enough to make up for his uncharacteristic mistakes. This team will be as great as he is, so as long as he plays like this, it will be shaky in KC.

10 – 49ers (2-1) 4

Yes, the 49ers easily could have and probably should have won on Sunday night. But that was a very shaky first half, and if they had played even slightly better, they probably could have won that game easily. I think they’ll learn from it, but it was a rough showing. Jimmy Garoppolo looked great leading that final drive to take the lead, but let’s not forget his subpar play for the previous 58 minutes. It was his inability to get the ball downfield that led to their early 17-0 hole, and if he never inexplicably fumbled the ball late in the 4th, then their go-ahead score would be to go up 4 instead of 1, and they likely would have won. I’m not saying it’s Trey Lance, because obviously playing your rookie QBs is a mistake this season, but Jimmy’s shortcomings will hold this team back. They better hope that the run game gets going or he returns to form, because the defenses in this division will not make things much easier for him.

11 – Broncos (3-0)

As much as I’ve really liked what I’ve seen from the Broncos so far this season, I can’t get the fact that their opponents are a combined 0-9 out of my head. Yes, they’ve looked great, but opponents and matchups matter. That being said, this team’s offensive efficiency and suffocating defensive ability is enough to make any football purist happy. All they do is move the ball, both through the air and on the ground. Teddy Bridgewater is being his best self, and Melvin Gordon has been very solid out of the backfield. Now, they’re starting to get rookie RB Javonte Williams going, which could lead to Denver having one of the best RB duos in football. And the defense is continuing to speak for itself. Despite some injuries, they still refuse to give up points, and it’s largely thanks to some stellar play in the secondary. This team has the talent and the formula to be very successful in 2021, but still, I need to see them play a real team before making any judgements.

12 – Ravens (2-1) 3

You might not have realized this, but the Ravens are a couple of breaks away from being 0-3. If CEH never fumbled in Week 2 and if the refs call an easy delay of game last Sunday in Detroit, Baltimore would be winless. But, as I always say, this isn’t a “what if” league. You take whatever you get. As it stands, this team is in a decent spot, but I don’t know if this luck will last. This has to catch up to them eventually. They simply didn’t put up enough points against a pretty bad Lions defense, although I will cut them some slack considering the brick hands of WR Hollywood Brown. However, if these struggles continue, then the Ravens won’t keep getting away with everything. I trust Lamar Jackson and I trust this team, but they need to prove to me that they can win a game in solid fashion before I put them ahead of certain teams above them.

13 – Cowboys (2-1)

Even I can recognize that this is probably a bit too low. I just won’t read too far into a blowout win of a terrible Eagles team. As I said yesterday, what this offense has done is what we’ve expected of them, but the best part of the Cowboys thus far has been their vastly improved defense. Trevon Diggs has been a revelation in the secondary, and Micah Parsons and his athleticism have brought a new level of dynamic playmaking ability to the defensive front. If they can lock up elite offenses while their own offense does its thing, then this team has potential. They’re already winning the division with their eyes closes, obviously, but they have to prove that they’re more than NFC East merchants. I think this team has the talent to do so.

14 – Saints (2-1) 1

This team is nothing short of an enigma. I still have no idea how to get a read on them. And I never know what version of them I’m going to get on any given Sunday. Will it be the team with the explosive offense with Jameis Winston slinging the ball all over the place and Alvin Kamara running circles around defenses? Will it be the team with a suffocating defense that slams the door on opposing offenses? Or will it be the team that does nothing of note or worth? Come up and spin the wheel of the Saints!

15 – Vikings (1-2) 9

This is a good team. They could very, very easily be 3-0. Throw away the record and look at how this team is playing and tell me they’re not at least a top 15 team in this league. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Kirk Cousins is playing at an MVP level (no, I’m not joking) with 918 yards, 8 touchdowns, and not a single turnover so far this season. He’s also doing this on 74% completion. This is Kirk at his ceiling. When he plays like this with the talent around him, the passing game will be unstoppable. It helps when your RB room goes crazy, as Dalvin Cook has been very good to start the season, and Alexander Mattison did a splendid job as the starting RB on Sunday. My biggest question with this team was the defense, but they’ve honestly done a decent job so far this season. They’ve at least done well enough to put the Vikings in a position to win, and that’s more than you can ask for. The problem with the Vikings is that the schedule is absolutely brutal. But, if they can play up to their potential, they might just win enough games to make some noise in the NFC.

16 – Titans (2-1) 1

I’m still not entirely too sure to make of this team, but in the past two weeks, they’ve given me plenty to like. In Week 2, it was the offense, and this past week, it was the defense. Granted, the offense carved up a terrible defense and the defense shut down a terrible offense. But, as I keep saying, you take what you get in this league. I still don’t feel too confident about this team, but they have the benefit of playing in the most dreadful division I’ve ever seen, so they’ll be just fine in that regard. They better be thanking their lucky stars for that, because their schedule is absolutely brutal.

17 – Seahawks (1-2) 7

This team is a mess. It quite frankly hurts to watch. At least before, their offense was good enough to cover up for their other shortcomings. But that no longer seems to be the case. Seattle’s defense is still getting ripped to shreds every Sunday, and now the offense simply isn’t putting up enough points to make up for that. It’s not that Russell Wilson isn’t doing his usual wizadry, because he is, but it’s still not enough. Things are just rough for the Seahawks. I’m not sure how I feel about their chances in an insanely stacked division.

18 – Panthers (3-0) 1

Yes, this team is 3-0. Yes, they’ve looked really good. But, let’s be honest. Almost every team in this league is going to look good against the Jets and Texans. Moreover, this team’s injuries are worrying me as the schedule gets harder. Christian McCaffrey is now out for a few weeks with a hamstring problem, and rookie CB Jaycee Horn will be out even longer with a broken foot. I like the fact that they traded for Jaguars CB C.J. Henderson, but I’ll have to see how he performs before judging that move. Losing CMC will set this offense back, but I think the next few weeks will be fine for them considering their opponents. It only gets harder from there though. Don’t let this early record fool you too much.

19 – Bengals (2-1) 7

Sunday’s win in Pittsburgh was the single best game of the Joe Burrow era for the Bengals. I loved what I saw from this team, and I’m looking forward to seeing if they can keep it going. Their in the midst of the easiest stretch in their schedule, and while I don’t expect anything massive from them, I think the Bengals will look very nice in the coming weeks. It could give them some good momentum, and that’s all this team can really ask for. There is talent here, there’s no denying that. I’m not sure what the missing piece is in Cincinnati, but if they ever fill it, then this could quickly turn into one of the best young teams in football, if they aren’t already.

20 – Patriots (1-2) 4

What exactly is this team’s identity? I don’t know. Do you know? Probably not. Are they a run-first, efficient offense with an elite defense that wins them low scoring affairs? Apparently not. But that’s what they are supposed to be. If they can’t do that, then this team quite frankly can’t do anything. And that’s what I’m afraid the Patriots are quickly becoming in 2021. It’s not that I don’t trust Mac Jones, but he just had the worst game of his young career, and now he’ll be without RB James White for the rest of the season. The defense will likely be fine, but I just don’t see New England doing enough on the other side of the football to be a very competitive team. We’ll see if they prove me wrong.

21 – Dolphins (1-2) 1

Is this team better with Jacoby Brissett at QB than Tua Tagovailoa? It certainly seems like it. Yes, they got steamrolled in Week 2, but they just went all the way out west and took a very good Raiders team to the brink. Brissett played a pretty solid game and put his team in a position to win it. He never gave up, and that’s something I love to see. I really think Tua would have shrunk in the moments that Brissett stepped up in. Regardless of the QB situation, the rest of this team isn’t giving me much to like. The rest of the offense hasn’t looked very good in any of their games, and the supposedly elite defense has only looked that way against a bad Patriots offense. They have the benefit of several poor offenses on their schedule, but I’m not sure if their offense can do enough to win a lot of games, especially considering the subpar QB play, no matter who is under center. It’s a shame, because I thought this team would be a lot better. Maybe once they get their guy at QB, they’ll finally realize their potential.

22 – Steelers (1-2) 4

In a league with some pretty unwatchable teams, the Steelers are one of the most unwatchable teams out there. This offense is simply dreadful, and it starts with Ben Roethlisberger. The 39-year old’s age is rearing its ugly head, and it is holding this team back in a massive way. There simply is no passing offense, but his stats after 50 passing attempts in a game won’t show that. The offensive line isn’t doing him any favors either, allowing for no running game whatsoever and minimal pass blocking. Every Steelers drive is just a checkdown simulator, and at this rate, Najee Harris is going to be worn out by Thanksgiving. The injuries have also gotten to this defense, as they seemingly can’t stop a nosebleed without T.J. Watt on the edge to generate any semblance of a pass rush. There’s just nothing going right in Pittsburgh at the moment, and I don’t see it turning around any time soon.

23 – Washington (1-2) 2

This team is a joke. And a really bad joke at that. While I’d love to give the offense a pass for playing like garbage thanks to having a backup QB, I refuse to do so. This was Taylor Heinicke’s 2nd start coming off a long week and he still played like garbage. The team refuses to move the ball, and I think one of the biggest issues is playcalling. For some reason, Ron Rivera and Scott Turner refuse to give the football to Antonio Gibson, one of the most dynamic players in all of football, and it is holding this offense back in a huge way. Any time he touches the ball, good things happen, and yet they simply refuse to go back to him when he does something good. It’s such a shame. And don’t even get me started on the defense. This has quickly become the most overrated unit and football, and I don’t even want to waste my breath on them. It’s only a matter of time before massive changes will need to be made in DC. I’m hoping it’s sooner rather than later.

24 – Colts (0-3) 2

This team is in a brutal spot. This is the worst possible start they could have had, and the rest of the schedule doesn’t make things much easier. The offense simply isn’t doing enough, because they’re quite frankly doing nothing. Carson Wentz has not been the answer at QB, and whether it’s due to talent or injury, he is holding the offense back. Their offensive line problems have restricted their ability to run the football, and their defense isn’t doing them any favors whatsoever. It’s just a whole lotta nothing going on in Indy. It might be time to stick a fork in the Colts.

25 – Eagles (1-2) 2

Any and all promise that might have stemmed from Philly’s Week 1 victory is now dead and gone. This team is back to being horrible. In back to back weeks now, their offense has been pathetic thanks to Jalen Hurts playing like anything but a starting QB. Miles Sanders has become a nonfactor out of the backfield, and their young WR talent simply isn’t getting enough traction to put up the numbers that I know they can. The defense is getting mauled, especially in the secondary, and it means their offense has to play catch-up for several quarters of football. It’s just not going to work. There are a lot of problems here. I don’t even know where to begin working on a solution.

26 – Lions (0-3) 2

This has to be the grittiest 0-3 team I’ve ever seen. I’ll give Dan Campbell some credit. His team never gives up, and you can always count on them to be in the game. As I said yesterday, some higher power does not want the Lions to succeed, and at some point, you have to just throw your hands up and surrender. Everything that I’ve liked about this team is still doing good things, especially the offensive line and weapons. This defense is still a huge problem that will hold them back, especially at the second level, but it’s not like we were expecting the Lions to do anything this season anyways. Them being a tough out is likely more than they can ask for.

27 – Bears (1-2) 2

I haven’t been this disgusted with a team that isn’t the WFT in a very, very long time. Be ashamed of yourselves, Chicago. I don’t want to waste too much time talking about their nonexistent gameplan or negligent coaching. You already know what’s up by now. I don’t even know who the starting QB will be on Sunday. No matter who it is, I have no faith in this team to do anything productive. Matt Nagy should have already been fired by now. As long as he’s the head coach of this team, I don’t even want to think about them.

28 – Falcons (1-2) 2

The only thing separating the Falcons and Giants is the 3 points that were scored on the final play of Sunday’s game. This team is still very, very bad, and beating an even worse team doesn’t prove anything to me. The only thing I liked about Atlanta was their offense, but putting up a whopping 17 points against the mighty Giants defense means nothing. Any and all problems with this team were covered up by playing someone just as bad as they are, so while they get to get slightly bumped up this week, don’t read too far into it.

29 – Giants (0-3) 2

This team is just sad. They could be so much more, but they just refuse to be anything but awful. Whether it’s their offense being incapable of moving the football, even against a dreadful defense, or their own defense doing absolutely nothing, this team is just an uninspired and lifeless group of guys. That’s the worst part. I don’t think the Giants are bad in terms of their talent. I just think they lack a pulse. And that might be worse.

30 – Texans (1-2) 1

Thursday night’s showing wasn’t exactly a promising one, but I’ll cut Houston some slack. Starting a 3rd string rookie QB in his first game on a short week against a very good defense is obviously never going to work. Still, this team is just as dreadful as ever and there is no fixing them. The schedule isn’t going to treat them much kinder moving forward, and this team is going to be pounded into the dirt in most weeks. But, when you expect that, it makes it a bit less painful.

31 – Jaguars (0-3) 1

Thanks to the incompetence and putridness of the Jets as well as a not-so-terrible performance against the Cardinals on Sunday, the Jaguars are no longer the #32 team in football for me anymore. But they’re still not far off. Trevor Lawrence has been very up and down, delivering dimes one moment and making terrible throws the next. I wouldn’t expect someone like him, with his talent and skillset, to be so erratic, but I feel like it’s a product of the terrible situation he’s in. Even if he figures it out, it doesn’t change the fact that the rest of the team has nothing going for them. I’m finding it hard to find a win on this schedule. I know they’ll get one eventually, but this looks nothing like a winning team as of right now.

32 – Jets (0-3) 1

Congratulations, Jets! You have now reclaimed the throne for the worst team in football. This seat surely missed you! I’m sure you’re very happy to be back. How does scoring 6.6 points per game with 0 touchdowns in 2 weeks feel? Not good, I imagine. What about your rookie QB that now leads the league in INTs who couldn’t find an open receiver if he was playing 11-on-0? Do you still feel good about taking him 2nd overall? Yeah. I didn’t think so. I know I said it’s extremely hard to go winless in this league. But if there’s any team that I have ever see that is capable of doing so, it has to be this team.

All stats taken from ESPN.