Nine teams entered Week 3 with 2-0 records. Conversely, the same number of clubs took the field this week with 0-2 marks. That included the Chargers, Vikings, and Bengals, all playoff participants in 2022.
Talk about upheaval? The bottom two teams from a week ago came up with victories. Meanwhile, two of the top five clubs came up short on the scoreboard. So, what will this latest version of the NFL Power Rankings look like after another week of action?
The winless Broncos made their way to South Florida for the first time since 2017. They returned to the Mile High City on the wrong end of one of the most lopsided results in recent memory. Denver scored 20 points and rolled up 363 total yards. Sean Payton's team surrendered 10 offensive touchdowns (70 points) and 726 total yards.
In their last two outings, losses to the Commanders and Dolphins, the Broncos have allowed a combined 105 points and 14 offensive touchdowns. Denver is 0-3 for the third time in five seasons dating back to 2019.
The Bears took their 12-game losing streak on the road to take on the defending Super Bowl champions. Now make it 13 straight setbacks for the club. Matt Eberflus' club was limited to 203 total yards. The Bears have been outscored a combined 437-247 in those losses and given up 30 or more points eight times in those 13 defeats.
More ugliness. Quarterback Justin Fields ran 11 times for 47 yards and completed 50 percent of his passes (11-of-22) for 99 yards. He was sacked three times and committed one of the team's two turnovers in the 31-point loss.
The Panthers were the only team to lose a game in the NFC South entering Week 3. With Bryce Young sidelined, quarterback Andy Dalton got the start at Seattle. He hit on 34-of-58 throws for 361 yards and two TDs. Frank Reich's club owned a 13-9 second-quarter lead, but the Seahawks outscored Carolina, 28-17, the rest of the way.
The Panthers managed just 44 yards rushing on 14 attempts, 13 yards on five carries in the second half. Carolina's defense gave up 146 yards rushing and 425 total yards by game's end. Every team in the NFC South lost in Week 3.
Mistakes had been costly for Kevin O'Connell's team during its 0-2 start. The Vikings hosted the equally winless Chargers on Sunday. Speaking of equal, both of these clubs finished the afternoon with 475 total yards of offense. The defending NFC North champions, who are 0-3 after a 13-4 finish in 2022, struggled on third down (4-of-14).
The Vikings gave up the football twice, giving O'Connell's club nine turnovers in three games. Kirk Cousins threw for 367 yards and three scores, but a potential go-ahead touchdown pass wound up in the hands of the Chargers' defense.
The Titans rallied to beat the Chargers in overtime a week ago in Nashville. Mike Vrabel's team headed to Cleveland looking for some success against the Browns' defense. For the second time in three games, Tennessee failed to reach the opposing end zone. This time around, the Titans' offense was limited to 94 yards on 45 plays.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill barely completed half of his passes (13-of-25). He threw for only 104 yards and was sacked five times. The Tennessee ground attack was limited to a disappointing 26 yards on only 15 attempts.
DeMeco Ryans was looking for his first victory as an NFL head coach as he and his team traveled to Jacksonville. Make it six consecutive road wins (5 at Jacksonville, 1 at London) in this series for the Texans dating back to 2018. Houston played turnover-free football and came up with its share of big plays on offense and special teams.
Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 280 yards and two scores and was not sacked, this after being dropped 11 times in the first two games. Fullback Andrew Beck returned a kickoff 85 yards for a score in the third quarter.
The Rams were on the road for the second time in three weeks and took on the Bengals in a rematch of Super Bowl LVI. Both of these teams struggled offensively and each was limited to just one touchdown apiece. Sean McVay's club totaled only 292 yards and was a miserable 1-of-11 on third-down conversion attempts.
Matthew Stafford found Tutu Atwell for a one-yard score with 1:03 to play for the Rams' lone TD of the evening. Meanwhile, he threw for 269 yards, was sacked six times and served up a pair of interceptions in the loss.
Las Vegas was overwhelmed last week at Buffalo. The Raiders hosted the Steelers in a prime-time affair. Josh McDaniels' team got on the board first as Jimmy Garoppolo found Davante Adams for a 32-yard score in the first quarter. However, Pittsburgh would respond with 23 consecutive points and Las Vegas trailed by 16 points.
McDaniels' club rallied behind Garoppolo and Adams. The former threw for 324 yards on the night and Adams finished with 13 catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns. However, the Steelers also stole three of Garoppolo's passes.
The Jaguars were humbled at home last week by the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs. They were back on their own turf again hosting the division rival Texans. Unfortunately for the defending AFC South champions, they once again took it on the chinstrap and it was another sloppy effort from Trevor Lawrence and company.
Doug Pederson's team amassed 404 total yards but gave up the football twice. The Jacksonville defense failed to sack Texans' rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud or come up with a takeaway. A stunning flat effort from the Jaguars.
Off to a 0-2 start for the second consecutive year, the Bengals hosted the Rams on Monday night in a rematch of Super Bowl LVI. Quarterback Joe Burrow was still nursing that calf injury, but still managed to complete 26 of his 49 passes for 259 yards with one interception. Wideout Ja'Marr Chase totaled 12 receptions for 141 yards.
Running back Joe Mixon ran for 65 yards and scored Cincinnati's only touchdown of the night. The Bengals' defense limited Sean McVay's team to 292 yards, sacked Matthew Stafford six times and picked him off twice.
The winless Cardinals faced an NFC East for the third time in as many games and as they hosted the Dallas Cowboys. One week earlier, Jonathan Gannon's club scored the first 20 points of the game and wound up falling to the Giants, 31-28. On Sunday, the Cards owned a 9-0 lead midway through the first quarter and never gave it up.
Led by running backs James Conner (98 yards, 1 TD) and Rondale Moore (54 yards, 1 TD) and quarterback Josh Dobbs (55), Arizona ran for 222 yards. Gannon's team put 28 points on the board for the second consecutive week.
Off a scintillating comeback victory at Arizona, the Giants remained out west and took on the red-hot 49ers. Brian Daboll's team hung tough for a spell but was eventually overwhelmed by a 49ers' defense that made life miserable for Daniel Jones. The Giants' quarterback threw for only 137 yards, was sacked twice and picked off once.
The Giants finished with 150 yards on 46 offensive plays (3.3 average) and held the ball for just 20:50. Daboll's club was only 3-of-12 on third-down conversions. Conversely, New York's defense surrendered a whopping 441 yards.
The Jets played the Cowboys tough for a half and then watched Dallas pull away a week. The Green and White was looking for its first victory over the Patriots since 2015. Quarterback Zach Wilson and the New York offense managed a disappointing 171 total yards of offense. That came on 61 plays, a miserable 2.8 average.
New York gave up just 15 points but Robert Saleh's defense was really kept in check. New England ran for 157 yards and did not sack Mac Jones. When it was all said and done, the Jets were the only AFC East team to lose on Sunday.
The Commanders rallied from 18 points down in the second quarter to surprise the Broncos at Denver a week ago. Now the team faced its second straight interconference opponent as they hosted the explosive Bills. It proved to be a long afternoon for Ron Rivera's team, which trailed 10-0 after one quarter and never mounted a challenge.
Quarterback Sam Howell was sacked nine times and threw four interceptions. Washington was limited to 230 total yards. Rivera's club avoided a shutout when Joey Slye kicked a 51-yard field goal with only 46 seconds to play.
The Patriots hit the road for the first time in 2023 looking to extend their 14-game winning streak over the rival Jets. Bill Belichick's club more than doubled the hosts in total yards, 358-171, but the team managed only one touchdown as quarterback Mac Jones and tight end Pharaoh Brown connected for a 58-yard score.
New England's defense did not force a turnover but made life uncomfortable for Jets' quarterback Zach Wilson. He was limited to 157 yards through the air and was sacked three times, once for a safety in the fourth quarter.
Pittsburgh's shaky offense was hoping to take advantage of a Raiders' defense that was pushed around at Buffalo last Sunday. Mike Tomlin's team spotted Las Vegas a 7-0 first-quarter lead. Less than a minute later, quarterback Kenny Pickett and Calvin Austin combined for a 72-yard score — the first of 23 consecutive points by the Steelers
Pittsburgh owned a 16-point entering the fourth quarter and hung on for dear life. T.J. Watt had two of the team's four sacks and cornerback Levi Wallace has two of the three interceptions of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
Journeyman Gardner Minshew got the start at quarterback for Shane Steichen's team as they battled the Ravens in Baltimore. He would connect on 27-of-44 passes for 227 yards and one score and overcame five sacks. That touchdown pass was a 17-yard connection to running back Zack Moss, who also ran 30 times for 122 yards.
The Indianapolis defense did give up 364 total yards, including 186 on the ground. However, the Colts sacked Lamar Jackson four times and the Ravens committed four fumbles, two of which Steichen's team scooped up.
Brandon Staley's team was looking for its first win of 2023 as they took on the Vikings at Minnesota. It was quite the afternoon for quarterback Justin Herbert as the Chargers ran for only 30 yards on 15 attempts. Meanwhile, the fourth-year signal-caller hit on 40-of-47 throws for 405 yards and three scores while being sacked just once.
Linebacker Kenneth Murray came up with a deflected interception by Kirk Cousins in the end zone in the closing seconds to preserve the win. Chargers' wideout Mike Williams will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
The 2-0 Saints made their way to Green Bay for a date with the Packers. Dennis Allen's team would open up a 17-0 lead thanks to their offense and special teams but along the way lost starting quarterback Derek Carr (sprained AC joint). Enter Jameis Winston, but the offense struggled to move the football for the remainder of the afternoon.
The Packers would wind up scoring the final 18 points of the game, all in the fourth quarter. Allen's defense gave up 340 total yards. The Saints' three games have been decided by one, three, and one point, respectively.
The Buccaneers have done a lot of things well during their surprising 2-0 start. However, Todd Bowles' team would get a major test on Monday night when the Eagles came to Raymond James Stadium. Quarterback Baker Mayfield was off to a good start as the Bucs played turnover-free football in victories over the Vikings and Bears.
Tampa Bay's defense had no answers for Philadelphia's running game. In fact, the Eagles finished with 201 yards on the ground while the Buccaneers' offense, which committed two turnovers, gained a mere 174 total yards.
The Packers were home for the first time in 2023 and hosted the unbeaten Saints. Down 17-0 early in the fourth quarter, quarterback Jordan Love and the Green Bay offense finally woke up and rallied for 18 unanswered points.
Anders Carlson got the team on the board with a 38-yard field goal with 11 minutes to play. Love ran for a one-yard score less than five minutes later and found Samori Toure for the two-point conversion. With 2:56 to play, Love connected with Romeo Doubs for an eight-yard touchdown and Carlson's PAT capped off an 80-yard drive.
Pete Carroll's team looked to build off last week's overtime comeback victory at Detroit. They hosted the winless Panthers, who were starting Andy Dalton at quarterback. The Seahawks started slow and trailed 13-12 at the half, settling for four field goals by Jason Myers. Things would change dramatically for Carroll's club after intermission.
Seattle scored 25 second-half points and emerged with a 17-point fourth-quarter lead before the Panthers tacked on a late touchdown. It marked the second consecutive week Seattle totaled 37 points, this week in regulation.
Off to their best start since 2017, the Falcons hit the road for the first time this season and took on the Lions. It proved to be a rough afternoon for second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder. He didn't throw a TD pass or an interception. However, he threw for only 201 yards (21-of-38), was sacked seven times and lost a fumble.
Atlanta's pass rush was kept in check by the Lions' offensive front. The Falcons allowed 358 total yards and while they picked off Jared Goff once, they failed to sack him once. Arthur Smith's club ran for only 44 yards in the loss.
Off a frustrating overtime loss at home to the Seahawks, the Lions welcomed the unbeaten Falcons to Detroit on Sunday. Aaron Glenn's defensive unit had a rough second half in the setback to Seattle. However, Dan Campbell's squad made amends vs. Atlanta and held Arthur Smith's team to a mere 183 total yards and a pair of field goals.
The Lions' offensive line stood out in the 14-point victory. A balanced attack saw Campbell's team total 31 running plays and 33 passing plays. The result was 358 total yards (115 rushing) while Jared Goff was not sacked.
The Browns were coming off a mistake-prone Monday night loss to the Steelers and hosted the Tennessee Titans. For the second time in three games, Jim Schwartz's defensive unit did not allow a touchdown and limited an opponent to three points. Cleveland's defense allowed only 94 total yards, including only 26 in the second half.
Defensive end Myles Garrett finished with 3.5 of his team's five sacks of Ryan Tannehill and also forced a fumble of the Titans' quarterback. In three games this season, the Browns have allowed 32 points and one offensive touchdown.
The Cowboys lost star cornerback Trevon Diggs for the rest of the season late last week. Mike McCarthy's team was in Arizona on Sunday looking to remain unbeaten. A funny thing happened to a team that has won its first two games by a combined 70-10 score. Dan Quinn's defensive unit had no answers for the Cardinals' ground game.
Quinn's defense was scorched for 222 yards rushing on 30 attempts, a disturbing 7.4 yards per play. After allowing a combined 386 total yards in the wins over the Giants and Jets, Dallas gave up 400 yards of offense on Sunday.
The 2-0 Ravens, beset with injuries, welcomed the Colts to Baltimore as John Harbaugh's club looked to stay undefeated. They certainly did enough to win but also made some key mistakes. Lamar Jackson ran for 101 yards and two scores and also threw for 202 yards. He was also sacked four times and lost one of his two fumbles.
Baltimore's defense couldn't take advantage of Colts' backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, who was sacked five times. The Ravens allowed 139 yards rushing and a modest 327 yards of offense but failed to force a turnover.
Buffalo's offense was humming last week against the Raiders. Sean McDermott's squad hit the road and took on the Commanders. The Bills' attack picked up where it left off vs. Las Vegas, finishing with 386 total yards. Josh Allen threw for one score and ran for another and did throw an interception. Meanwhile, Allen was not sacked.
The real difference was a Buffalo defense that forced five turnovers. All told, McDermott's team sacked Commanders' quarterback Sam Howell nine times and picked him off four times, returning one for a touchdown.
The Eagles had been a bit sporadic in the first two weeks but have still managed a pair of wins. That was once again the case Monday night at Tampa as the Birds came away with a double-digit victory over the Buccaneers. However, Nick Sirianni's club wasn't super sharp despite a big disparity when it came to the final statistics.
Philadelphia outgained the Bucs by nearly 300 yards (472-174). D'Andre Swift was huge for the second straight week, running for 130 yards. Jalen Hurts threw for one score and ran for another but was picked off twice.
The story in Kansas City so far this season has been improved play of the defense. The team hosted the Chicago Bears on Sunday and it was ugly early. Andy Reid's club owned a 34-0 lead at intermission and owned a 312-85 advantage in total yards. All told, Steve Spagnuolo's improving defensive unit forced a pair of first-half turnovers.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes finished the game with 272 yards through the air and three scores but sat for much of the second half. The 41 points by Reid's team was 14 more than the Chiefs managed in their first two games.
The Dolphins looked for their third consecutive 3-0 start as they took on the winless Broncos. Mike McDaniel's club was up 14-0 midway through the first quarter and 35-13 at intermission. They added another 35 points in the second half. Miami finished with 70 points (tied for second all-time) and 726 total yards (second in NFL history).
Rookie running back De'Von Achane ran for 203 yards and two scores and also caught a pair of touchdown passes. Raheem Mostert also scored four total TDs. Tua Tagovailoa hit on 23-of-26 passes, four for scores. Simply amazing.
Call them "30 Something!" Talk about consistency? Kyle Shanahan's team scored exactly 30 points in as many games as the 49ers toyed with the visiting Giants on Thursday night. Running back Christian McCaffrey continued his excellent start this season, finishing with more than half (85) of San Francisco's 141 yards on the ground.
McCaffrey with 119 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown. Brock Purdy threw for 310 yards and two scores, one of those to Deebo Samuel, who finished with 129 receiving yards. The Giants' offense totaled just 150 yards.
