Bill Parcells famously said, “You what your record says you are.”
After three weeks, NFL teams are starting to show who they really are — even if it is still September.
The Miami Dolphins at 3-0 are starting to show their success may not be beginner’s luck. Their success through the first month has been steady and their wins were over quality clubs in the AFC.
The Dallas Cowboys looked rudderless and floundering without Dak Prescott following Week 1. However, two wins with backup quarterback Cooper Rush have the team climbing.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills took it on the chin. Their seasons are hardly scuttled, but they aren’t so perfect anymore.
Here are the NFL power rankings at the end of Week 3.
32. Seattle Seahawks (1-2)
Last week: No. 30
When a team that is in the bottom-5 of the NFL loses to another bottom-5 NFL team, it can only mean a tumble in the power rankings. The Seahawks are near the bottom. However, they may not stay there for too long given what’s trailing them.
31. Houston Texans (0-2-1)
Last week: No. 29
The Texans finally churned more than 300 yards total offense, but quarterback Davis Mills chucked two interceptions — one in the red zone, and one in the shadow of his own goal post on Houston’s presumptive game-winning drive. Houston has components that are stellar, but they have yet to be able to put it together in the fourth quarter.
30. Atlanta Falcons (1-2)
Last week: No. 32
The Falcons found a way to get a win, and Cordarrelle Patterson was a big reason as he carried 17 times for 141 yards and a touchdown. Second-year tight end Kyle Pitts also had a decent game with five catches for 87 yards. They may continue to hover in the bottom-10, but getting the first win was a step.
29. Las Vegas Raiders (0-3)
Last week: No. 17
A saving grace for the Raiders has been their level of competition through the level of competition they have faced through the first three weeks. However, a goose egg in the win column starts to become inexcusable, and the Raiders are quickly approaching that territory.
28. Carolina Panthers (1-2)
Last week: No. 31
Christian McCaffrey was back to being a dominant part of the Panthers’ offense with 25 carries for 108 yards. Laviska Shenault had a big game with two catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. The NFC South may be a one-team division, but at least there is a dogfight among the other three to stay out of the cellar.
27. New York Jets (1-2)
Last week: No. 25
The Jets weren’t able to keep the momentum from beating the Cleveland Browns in Week 2. The ground game couldn’t get going with 20 carries for 76 yards, which meant it was up to Joe Flacco to keep with the Cincinnati Bengals. The complexion of the team will remain the same until Zach Wilson gets back under center.
26. New Orleans Saints (1-2)
Last week: No. 22
The Saints had the spectacular win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, weren’t able to keep up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, and had no chance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 3. New Orleans is looking like a rebuilding team more so than a retooling team.
25. Washington Commanders (1-2)
Washington had the win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, and have not exactly been the same since. The Week 3 tilt with the Philadelphia Eagles demonstrated how far the chasm is between the top team in the NFC East and one of the wild-card hopefuls.
24. Detroit Lions (1-2)
Last week: No. 20
The Lions appeared to get on track with a win over Washington in Week 2, but they are still having trouble winning close games. If the Lions can ever stack wins, it will validate the Dan Campbell way and the Lions could be a tough matchup that teams won’t be able to count on for an easy win.
23. Chicago Bears (2-1)
Khalil Herbert burst onto the scene in the first quarter after David Montgomery injured his ankle and knee. The Bears can still rely on their run game to help out Justin Fields, and the defense is opportunistic. If these Bears can show up each week, things will turnaround with Matt Eberflus.
22. Denver Broncos (2-1)
The Broncos are still a strange team that can’t seem to get anything going offensively. The defense has been monster, but Russell Wilson has hardly been spectacular through three games. The ingredients are still there for Denver to give the Kansas City Chiefs a scare, but it isn’t manifesting to this point.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2)
Last week: No. 19
George Pickens made an amazing catch, but it wasn’t enough to save the Steelers from the Cleveland Browns’ onslaught. Pittsburgh is still figuring things out with their offense, and the defense will still have problems to work through with T.J. Watt sidelined.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1)
Last week: No. 26
The Jaguars’ win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2 could be attributed to the Bermuda Triangle the Colts find themselves in when visiting Florida. However, that wasn’t the case against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Jaguars made a statement in LA that Trevor Lawrence may have arrived, and that the Doug Pederson era truly is a different chapter in Jacksonville.
19. Arizona Cardinals (1-2)
Last week: No. 14
The Cardinals had trouble with the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs, and Arizona’s troubles with top teams continues. If the Week 2 overtime game with the Las Vegas Raiders went differently, the Cardinals may be one of the winless teams in the league.
18. New York Giants (2-1)
Last week: No. 15
The Giants beat a top team from the AFC with a gusty play-call at the end of the game, but they punched down with the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. New York could have made a statement with a victory over the reigning NFC East champions, but the only declaration was that the Giants still have a ways to go.
17. San Francisco 49ers (1-2)
Last week: No. 11
San Francisco’s offense still looked problematic and the run game just hasn’t been there. The 49ers got into a wrestling match with the Broncos on Sunday Night Football, but they weren’t able to get a win. San Francisco needs to figure out their identity and fast.
16. Cleveland Browns (2-1)
Last week: No. 27
Jacoby Brissett may be one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league, and he has steadied the Browns through the first three games. Of course, it helps when Nick Chubb is churning 113 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Amari Cooper has also made Cleveland look like winners with their trade with the Dallas Cowboys as he caught seven passes for 101 yards and a score.
15. New England Patriots (1-2)
Starting 1-2 isn’t unfamiliar territory for Bill Belichick. Having your starting quarterback miss time is. The Patriots are trying to figure things out, and it is dinging them in the win column.
14. Indianapolis Colts (1-1-1)
Last week: No. 23
Beating the top team in the conference has its reward. The Colts finally started to look like the team many picked to be a contender in the AFC South. Matt Ryan also looked like his old self with 27-of-37 passing for 222 yards and two touchdowns. The division is still open, and the Colts have a decent chance to take the crown for the first time since 2014.
13. Los Angeles Chargers (1-2)
Last week: No. 8
The Chargers had injury issues crop up against the Jacksonville Jaguars that helped make the score look worse than it was. Los Angeles will get a tune-up game against the Houston Texans in Week 4, which should help them stay above No. 16. However, the loss of Rashawn Slater looms large.
12. Tennessee Titans (1-2)
Last week: No. 16
The Titans were able to beat the Raiders in a battle of winless teams. The direction is trending better for the Titans as Derrick Henry carried 20 times for 85 yards and a touchdown along with catching five passes for 58 yards. The AFC South is still wide open, so, Tennessee has time to develop consistency.
11. Minnesota Vikings (2-1)
Last week: No. 12
The Vikings had trouble with the Detroit Lions in Week 3, which is why they moved up just one, along with the quality of teams behind them surging. They have the tiebreaker over the Green Bay Packers, which should mean something the further they get into the 2022 slate.
10. Dallas Cowboys (2-1)
Last week: No. 18
The Cowboys have done a good job keeping the ship afloat as quarterback Dak Prescott’s throwing thumb heals. The Cowboys offense sacked Daniel Jones five times, only gave up 16 points, and Trevon Diggs sealed the game with a takeaway. If Dallas doesn’t regress in Week 4 against Washington, they can do some more damage in the top-10.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)
Last week: No. 13
The Bengals found their stride with a win over the Jets. After dropping Week 1 against division rivals and not sealing the deal against the Cowboys in Week 2, the Bengals got a win over the Jets, admittedly a bottom team in the power rankings. After having got off the schneid, can the Bengals keep up the momentum?
8. Kansas City Chiefs (2-1)
Last week: No. 2
The Chiefs weren’t able to keep the fourth quarter lead over a struggling team, and then Patrick Mahomes got dinged near the end of the game. Kansas City looked dominant through the first two weeks, but showed their mortal side against the Colts. If the Chiefs continue to play down to competition, it could allow one of their lesser division rivals to take hold in the AFC West.
7. Baltimore Ravens (2-1)
Last week: No. 9
There are no answers for Lamar Jackson right now. The former 2019 NFL MVP may be having another such season. Patrick Queen continues to be a force at linebacker, and the Ravens’ secondary is also an opportunistic no-fly zone.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)
Last week: No. 3
The Buccaneers lost a close one to the Green Bay Packers, and they shouldn’t be out of the top-5 for very long. Tampa Bay has a big Sunday nighter with the Chiefs, which should be a big determining factor as to whether they advance in the power rankings or slide.
5. Green Bay Packers (2-1)
Last week: No. 6
The Packers are still a difficult team to believe in, but a win over the Buccaneers helps provide some credibility. What would help Green Bay is if they could find a way to catch a winning streak and start running away with the division, as has been the case for most of the Aaron Rodgers era.
4. Buffalo Bills (2-1)
Last week: No. 1
The Bills had a wakeup call against the Miami Dolphins. The high-flying offense was grounded, and the Dolphins, who usually have been punching bags for the Bills, made two great defensive stands. Buffalo can still turn things around, but they may have quality competition in the division.
3. Los Angeles Rams (2-1)
Last week: No. 4
The Rams got a win over a struggling Cardinals squad. The Rams are still favorites to own the NFC West, as has been the case for much of the Sean McVay era. So far the Rams have been doing what contenders are supposed to do, and that is to mop up lesser teams, not play down to their level.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (3-0)
Last week: No. 5
The Eagles have done a nice job of surrounding their quarterback with weapons, and Jalen Hurts has been capitalizing on the tools at his disposal. Jonathan Gannon sticking around for another season as defensive coordinator has also given Philadelphia a ferocious element to complement what Nick Sirianni has developed on offense. Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys is still the ultimate litmus test for where the Eagles actually are.
1. Miami Dolphins (3-0)
Last week: No. 7
The quality of the opponents for Miami has been strong through the first three weeks. They beat a ghost from the past 20 years in Week 1, overcame an extremely explosive offense in Week 2, and took down one of the favorites in the AFC, let alone their own division. It may be September, but the Dolphins are showing they may be for real. As with every team, the question will become how they handle the attrition of a 17-game slate. As September ends, it is hard to argue against the Dolphins’ greatness.
