National Football League

NFL Power Rankings, Week 3: Vikings climb, Seahawks fall

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:01 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Aug 26, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson looks on during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Cleveland Browns 30-13. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Browns

(0-2)

Last week: 0-1 recordLast rank: 32

With Robert Griffin III looking as if he will be out for the next 10-12 weeks with the shoulder injury, Cleveland went with Josh McCown. McCown also went down with an injury, leaving Hue Jackson with only rookie Cody Kessler out of USC.

Luckily, Jackson didn’t have to roll with Kessler for long. McCown quickly returned before Kessler could even attempt a pass, and held-in for the remainder of the game despite multiple jarring hits.

A bright spot for the Cleveland Browns was the play of first round pick Corey Coleman, who had two touchdowns in the first quarter. The former Baylor Bear finished with two touchdowns and 104 receiving yards.

Isaiah Crowell had a nice game on the ground, although 85 of his 133 yards came on one big play early in the game. On the day Cleveland unveiled a new Jim Brown statue, Crowell passed the Browns legend on the franchise longest rushing touchdown list.

The Browns also managed to garner some turnovers against Joe Flacco thanks to two interceptions by Joe Haden. After an injury-riddled offseason and season opener, fans saw a vintage Joe Haden on the field Sunday.

In their quest towards Deshaun Watson/DeShone Kizer, the Browns will travel to Miami next week to face the Dolphins for a 1 p.m. start.

Sep 18, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) talks to head coach Chip Kelly in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco 49ers

(1-1)

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 31st

Even after shutting out the Los Angeles Rams last week, the 49ers have a -9 point differential.

San Francisco failed to convert on third downs, sending their defense back onto the field and controlling the ball for only 24 minutes. The offense was 4 for 14 on third down conversions, and failed to convert their lone fourth down attempt. Even with four turnovers by the Panthers, the 49ers failed to capitalize on the majority of those mistakes.

Three turnovers (two interceptions from Blaine Gabbert and another Carlos Hyde fumble) made this even worse for the 49ers.

The defense would give up a somewhat inflated 529 yards to Carolina. Any team that plays against a Chip Kelly run club will manage a lot of yards and points.

Few positives came out of this game, with the exception of the special teams. Phil Dawson was perfect with his two field goal attempts, and punter Bradley Pinion dropped four of his seven punts inside the 20 with no touchbacks. Their gunners also recovered a muffed Panthers return down at the goalline, helping set up a Blaine Gabbert rushing touchdown in the third quarter.

Things will not get easier for the San Francisco 49ers as they travel up north to face the Seattle Seahawks. There’s been bad blood between these two teams for years, and while the talent level is not the same, the disdain is.

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bears

0-1

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 28th

Chicago was an unacceptable 1-7 at Soldier Field last year. They’ve made a ton of moves to bring in talent, both in free agency and the draft. Danny Trevathan, Jerrell Freeman, Josh Sitton, Akiem Hicks, and Bobby Massie were all brought in as free agents, helping reshape the linebacking depth and offensive line.

Through the draft they got two serious pass rushers in Leonard Floyd and Jonathan Bullard, as well as an interior offensive lineman with Cody Whitehair. Several other players were brought in to improve the secondary, while Jordan Howard looked to compete for a running back job.

These Bears are still not your father’s Bears. They allowed for Houston to outscore them by nine points, and managed only two sacks. They’ll need to improve their defense, while also giving Jay Cutler time to finish his throws and make plays.

Health will be a big factor for the Bears, who have seven players on injured reserve. Cornerback Kyle Fuller is noted as questionable going into monday night, and Pernell McPhee will miss at least the first half of the season after being placed on the physically unable to perform list.

Philadelphia and the young Carson Wentz won’t be an easy task for the Bears. They’ll need to match the Eagles offense point by point and get to the rookie early.

Sep 1, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan puts his arms up during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Lions win 31-0. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills

0-2

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 20th

Rex Ryan is now trying to save his skin by making a scapegoat out of now former offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Despite their 31 points on Thursday night, Buffalo has a -12 point differential.

On defense (which is Rex and Rob Ryans ‘specialty’) the Bills forced just one turnover, one sack, and no interceptions. The nepotism was completely obvious with the Ryan brothers, and Rob has had one of the worst defenses in the NFL nearly every season of his coordinating career.

The rushing offense will struggle without Karlos Williams. LeSean McCoy has proven to have regressed as a running back, and Buffalo has no reliable option to give him a rest. If McCoy goes down with an injury, which has happened in four of his seven NFL seasons

The offense as a whole finished 3-10 on third down conversion attempts, which ultimately killed their chances of finishing this game on top.

If the Bills could get their hands on a restart button, they would have never hired Rex Ryan, given Tyrod Taylor a massive extension, or let Karlos Williams walk out the door.

It’s very realistic the Bills don’t win a game until October 9 against the Los Angeles Rams. Buffalo plays the Arizona Cardinals next week, and then face their arch nemesis Bill Belichick in New England.

Sep 11, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) looks on from the sidelines in the second half during their game against the Oakland Raiders at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Raiders won 35-34. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans Saints

0-2

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 25th

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, today was the first time the Saints have started a season 0-2 with each loss coming on game-winning scores in the final minute of regulation.

That final score may not have meant anything if not for the Giants blocking a Saints field goal and returning it for a touchdown in the second quarter.

The veteran Brees only got one touchdown against the New York Giants. Willie Snead made an acrobatic catch in the endzone during the fourth quarter, helping tie the game at 10 points apiece. The longest pass of the game for Brees was just a 23 yarder to rookie Michael Thomas out of Ohio State.

Mark Ingram failed to get the run game going, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry on nine attempts. Tim Hightower and John Kuhn didn’t do any better with their limited snaps.

The Saints defense did the best they could, but they allowed a long pass to Victor Cruz down the sideline to set up the walk off field goal.

Cameron Jordan and Michael Mauti each sacked Eli Manning, while Craig Robertson tackles a game high 13 opponents.

Next week New Orleans gets a prime time game at home versus the Atlanta Falcons, and will look to avoid consecutive 0-3 starts to the season.

Sep 18, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) heads off the field after the game against the New England Patriots in the second half at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots defeated the Miami Dolphins 31-24. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Miami Dolphins

0-2

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 26

Miami looked like they could possibly comeback against a Garoppolo-less Patriots team, scoring 21 unanswered points to end the game. It was too little, too late for Adam Gase, whose team remains winless with him at the helm.

Not having Arian Foster made the Dolphins comeback attempt even tougher. The veteran running back suffered another groin injury, this coming after he missed most of last year with a torn groin. Jay Ajayi and Kenyan Drake filled in, with Drake scoring his first NFL touchdown.

On defense the Dolphins share the same story as their offense. They pay for stats, but not for game-winning results. Ndamukong Suh and Kiko Alonso combined for 23 tackles, and Alonso delivered the decisive blow to Jimmy Garoppolo.

The Miami Dolphins will have a chance to notch the first win of the Adam Gase era when the Cleveland Browns come to Miami. Cleveland could potentially be without quarterback Josh McCown, who will receive an MRI to evaluate the severity of a shoulder injury.

Should McCown not be available, former USC quarterback Cody Kessler would be the only remaining option. Browns head coach Hue Jackson alluded to quarterback turned wide receiver Terrelle Pryor being the emergency quarterback.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – NOVEMBER 10: Head coach Jeff Fisher of the St. Louis Rams seen during the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 10, 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana. St Louis defeated Indianapolis 38-8. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Los Angeles Rams

1-1

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 23rd

The Seattle Seahawks kept the Los Angeles Rams out of the endzone for the entire game, holding them to three field goals. Luckily, three field goals was all the Rams needed to knock off the Seahawks in a 9-3 victory.

Jared Goff, the number one overall draft pick out of Cal, was recently moved from third string to back up on the Rams depth chart. He’s expected to see the field at some point this year, but when is an unknown. For now, Case Keenum is doing his best to keep his team afloat.

Keenum went 18/30 against the Seattle Seahawks with 239 passing yards and zero touchdowns. A lack of help from running back Todd Gurley isn’t doing Keenum any good either. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Todd Gurley got 19 carries, but had just 51 yards on the ground.

Kenny Britt lead the Los Angeles Rams in receptions and receiving yards, going for 94 yards over six catches. Tavon Austin and Lance Kendricks also had a decent number of yards, but neither were able to do anything with them.

With their first win back in Los Angeles, the Rams will travel to Tampa Bay to face Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers.

Sep 18, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Mularkey during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee Titans

1-1

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 30th

After scoring only three points in the first three quarters, Marcus Mariota threw a beautiful pass to Delanie Walker for a 30 yard touchdown to start the fourth quarter. The Titans would eventually win on an Andre Johnson touchdown with just over a minute remaining to knock off the Detroit Lions 16-15 on the road.

Tennessee is far from a finished product as they continue their seemingly endless rebuild. With a quarterback already in place, the team made some good moves over the offseason through trades, free agency, and the NFL Draft. In the NFL Draft they got a steal with UMass wide receiver Tajae Sharpe, who has quickly developed chemistry with Marcus Mariota. They also drafted Heisman trophy winner Derrick Henry, despite trading for DeMarco Murray in the months prior.

Veteran wide receiver Andre Johnson was a late addition, and Delanie Walker remains as a consistent safety blanket for Mariota. Rishard Matthews entered as a free agent, and Dorial Green-Beckham was moved to make room for Sharpe on the depth chart.

Despite all these additions around Mariota, the Titans have the 26th rated scoring offense in the NFL with only 32 points scored through week two.

A lot of solid defensive pieces came through the organization from the draft. A treasure trove of defensive prospects including Kevin Dodd, Austin Johnson and Kevin Byard will hopefully give the Titans some long term answers in the secondary and defensive line.

Tennessee gets Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders next week at home as they look to put the organization over .500 for the first time since 2013.

Sep 18, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers running back Danny Woodhead (39) lays on the ground with an injury during the first quarter of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego Chargers

1-1

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 29th

Fortunately last years first round pick Melvin Gordon looks to be healthy and found his stride. After a disappointing rookie season in which he failed to score a touchdown, Gordon had two touchdowns in the first half of last weeks loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Gordon scored a touchdown on the Chargers opening drive, and finished the game against the Jaguars with 102 rushing yards on 24 carries.

“It feels good,” said Gordon after the game. “I don’t get overly excited about anything. It’s early. I’m just hungry, man. But I am happy now. I definitely wanted it, so it’s even better you get the 100-yard game with a win.”

While losing a swiss army knife player like Danny Woodhead is never good, seeing Melvin Gordon develop into the player you hoped he’d be is a great sign.

Philip Rivers threw four touchdowns against a swiss cheese Jaguars defense, one of which was the 78th between Rivers and Antonio Gates in their storied career. The duo now hold the record for most touchdowns between a single quarterback and tight end.

A trip to Indianapolis is next for the Chargers as they look for their first road win of the season.

Dec 20, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley looks on from the bench in the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at EverBank Field. The Atlanta Falcons won 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

Jacksonville Jaguars

0-2

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 16th

But alas the Jaguars are winless in their first two games, and were shut down by the San Diego Chargers on the road. Blake Bortles made too many mistakes, tossing two interceptions and taking two sacks.

The offense was shutout the first three quarters, while San Diego scored 35 points. While Marcedes Lewis and Corey Grant scored touchdowns for the Jaguars in garbage time, the early deficit was unsurmountable.

Allen Hurns and Robinson combined for eight catches over 118 yards in the loss.

Even worse for Jacksonville were the 14 penalties, forcing them to lose 93 yards.

Blake Bortles acknowledged the offense got out of sync and the penalties and turnovers were a big reason why.

The Jaguars have now started four of their last five seasons with an 0-2 record. This could ultimately be the end for Gus Bradley in Jacksonville with so much talent and so few results.

Jacksonville hosts the Baltimore Ravens next week, followed by the Indianapolis Colts in week four.

Sep 18, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) takes off his helmet against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals won 40-7. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1-1

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 24th

Tampa Bay will most likely be picking at the top of the draft in Philadelphia next spring, and this year is simply about growing Jameis Winston into a franchise quarterback.

Winston was forced to throw 52 times after running back Doug Martin went down with an injury. Famous Jameis was just 27/52 with 243 passing yards and a lone touchdown for Tampa Bay to Mike Evans.

Without Doug Martin being able to balance the offense, Arizona played a lot of zone defense and forced Winston to make rookie mistakes. Having only Jaquizz Rodgers and Charles Sims to lean on in the run game did little to help Jameis Winston.

Patrick Peterson intercepted Winston in the endzone after the former Heisman winner heaved a ball 55 yards in the direction of Mike Evans. Evans made little effort to catch the ball, which was slightly over thrown. But based on Evans tremendous size and playmaking ability, he could have come down with that ball.

Markus Cooper managed to record a pick-six off Winston after a high screen pass was tipped and landed in Coopers arms.

The lone bright spot to come out of the Tampa Bay defense was rookie Noah Spence recording his first NFL sack. Spence was the Buccaneers second round pick (39th overall) out of Western Kentucky.

Tampa Bay gets the Rams at home next weekend as they look to regroup.

Sep 11, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) reacts against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Lions won 39-35. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Lions

1-1

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 21st

An early safety put Detroit up 2-0 on the Tennessee Titans, and they entered halftime up 13-2. They ended up walking back into the locker room with a 16-15 loss, allowing 13 unanswered points to Marcus Mariota and the Titans.

Matt Stafford sealed the Lions fate with an interception to Perrish Cox for the final play of the game.

Penalties killed the Lions once again, and forced them to the top of the penalty yards rankings for the young season. Detroit committed an obscene 17 penalties and lost 138 yards thanks to them. That’s more yards than they had running the ball all day.

They now have a league high 208 penalty yards this season.

Injuries also hurt the Lions Sunday, mainly within their defense. Linebacker DeAndre Levy didn’t play thanks to a quad injury, and Ziggy Ansah injured his ankle early against the Titans.

On offense, second year running back Ameer Abdullah injured his left foot after a big run in the first half.

Detroit has no easy schedule in their future, with a date in Lambeau Field with the Green Bay Packers scheduled for next week. They’ll stay on the road and travel to Soldier Field before hosting the Philadelphia Eagles, who will be coming off an early bye week.

Sep 11, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) looks on against the Detroit Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Lions won 39-35. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Indianapolis Colts

0-2

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 22nd

To make matters even worse, Antonio Cromartie, Donte Moncrief, Rashaan Melvin, and Denzelle Good all left at one point to deal with injuries.

Andrew Luck showed his mobility is back as he was able to extend plays and roll out of the pocket multiple times. The former number one overall pick was 21/40 with 197 yards, a touchdown to Frank Gore, an interception, and a fumble. Not a great day for Andrew Luck, although you can point towards his offensive line allowing five sacks as the reason he failed to get in a rhythm.

The running game continues to be non-existant for the Indianapolis Colts. With the exception of a Robert Turbin pitch and catch touchdown, we saw little from Frank Gore or Josh Ferguson. I’m surprised they haven’t given former Bills running back Karlos Williams a shot at this point.

On defense the Colts have now given up the most points so far this season with 73.

Third year nose tackle Zach Kerr had the Colts only sack of the game, and Darius Butler picked off Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian.

The Colts will host San Diego next Sunday afternoon at 4:25 eastern time.

Sep 18, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) and Redskins head coach (R) walk off the field after their game against the Dallas Cowboys at FedEx Field. The Cowboys won 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Redskins

0-2

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 11th

Washington started multiple drives in short yardage, but failed to cross the goal line each time. Jay Gruden’s team was forced to settle for field goals far too many times, ultimately leading to their 0-2 start to the new season.

Cornerback Josh Norman attempted to downplay the fact that Washington hasn’t won a game yet. “Everybody thinks we’re in the morgue or something. We’re not dead, by no means.”

While Norman sounds like a Monty Python character, he’s both right and wrong. An 0-2 start is certainly not pretty by any stretch of the imagination, especially when both losses are to teams within your division. On the other hand, it’s only week two and you certainly can not put a nail in the Redskins coffin with them playing in a bad division.

Washington also lost their starting nose tackle Kendric Golston to a hamstring injury on the first play of the game.

Despite having Matt Jones scoring touchdowns on their side, the Redskins might regret not retaining Alfred Morris. Washington is averaging just 68.5 rushing yards per game, which is 26th in the NFL. They’ll have time to adjust and address that but for now it’s something to keep an eye on.

The Washington Redskins will look to avoid losing their first three games of the season since 2013 when they play the Giants next Sunday.

Sep 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) throws a pass against the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Falcons

1-1

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 27th

The running back by committee might have a new chairman in Tevin Coleman. While Devonta Freeman had the bulk of the carries and a team high 93 yards, Coleman scored an impressive, aggressive touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Coleman’s touchdown ultimately decided the 35-28 win for Atlanta.

Despite the win, Atlanta’s offense failed to click in the redzone. In their first three trips, they were forced to settle for two field goals while the third resulted in a turnover.

Former Clemson pass rusher Vic Beasley recorded the first sack of the year for Atlanta, which was also the first allowed by Oakland’s offensive line.

Atlanta’s defense forced no turnovers, but we still saw big performances out of the front seven. Kemal Ishmael had a team high 15 tackles, while Deion Jones followed that up with 10 of his own.

Eric Weems returned a punt 73 yards, and a horse collar tackle on Oakland punter Marquette King tacked on additional yardage.

Atlanta now travels to New Orleans for a Monday night showdown against the Saints. Considering how bad the Saints defense has been in recent years, Matt Ryan could be in for another big game. The veteran quarterback currently has throw for over 700 yards with five touchdowns and just one interception.

Sep 11, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles coaches against the Cincinnati Bengals during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

New York Jets

1-1

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 14th

Todd Bowles and the Jets staff was able to manage the game from start to finish. The offense ran 70 plays and had control of the football for nearly 40 minutes.

While Buffalo’s veteran running back Arian Foster was out with an injury, the Jets saw Matt Forte score three touchdowns. The former Bear carried the ball 30 times and finished with 100 yards on the ground.

Long-term health of the wide receivers will be a fear for the Jets. With Devin Smith still working to return from an ACL injury, many feared New York had lost Brandon Marshall to a similar injury. While Marshall is expected to be fine, the depth for New York is questionable.

A big concern for the Jets will be the long-term effectiveness of Darrelle Revis, who has been burned in back to back games. The aging cornerback looks to have lost some speed and fluidity, leaving him in receivers dust.

Something that won’t be a concern for the Jets will be their front seven. While they didn’t record a sack this week after managing seven in the season opener, they created enough pressure on Tyrod Taylor to force him to make mistakes.

The Jets will travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs, who suffered a tough loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Sep 18, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) completes a pass against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Baltimore Ravens

2-0

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 19th

You have to give the Ravens credit for making a comeback of this magnitude, although it was against the Browns. The Ravens second win of the season comes courtesy of a healthy Dennis Pitta, who lead the team with nine catches for 102 yards. Pitta has played just eight games over the past four seasons, and missed all of last year with a hip injury.

The wiley old receiving corp in Baltimore had their day in the sun, as Mike Wallace caught two touchdowns and Steve Smith Sr. had 64 receiving yards.

Running backs continue to be a question for Baltimore with rookie Kenneth Dixon out with a knee injury. Justin Forsett carried the ball 14 times, but managed only 37 yards. Terrance West only got 11 carries for 42 yards.

Defensively the Ravens have shown flashes from their Super Bowl era. Football Outsiders rated them the third best defense last week after they held Rex Ryan and the Bills to just seven points. Against Cleveland they had three sacks and two interceptions.

A big positive to take away from the offense was their improvement on third down conversions. After going 3-13 last week, they were a much improved 10-16 on third down.

Baltimore gets another road game, this time in Jacksonville against the winless Jaguars.

Sep 18, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) runs out of the tunnel onto the field prior to the Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys

1-1

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 18th

Dallas was able to beat their rivals on the road thanks to a late touchdown by former Redskin Alfred Morris. A sixth round draft pick out of Florida Atlantic, Morris had only seven yards on five rush attempts, but made all the difference with his late touchdown.

The Dallas Cowboys have been very successful on third down thus far. They have the second highest third down percentage at 55 percent. Much of that can be attributed to Ezekiel Elliott.

First round pick Ezekiel Elliott got 21 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown. While Elliott got only one more carry than he did in his NFL debut last week, he had 31 yards more at the end of the game.

Prescott also took in a touchdown himself, giving Dallas three rushing touchdowns on the day against Washington. Dez Bryant finally got his hands on some passes, finishing with 102 yards off seven receptions.

Barry Church had the lone interception for the Cowboys, while Tyrone and Jack Crawford each had a sack.

Dallas will now prepare for a Sunday night game at home against the Chicago Bears. Chicago will be coming off a short week after playing Philadelphia Monday night at home.

Sep 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) audibles at the line of scrimmage against the Cleveland Browns during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Eagles

1-0

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 17

On an early third and short, Wentz called a hard count and drew the Browns offsides to get a first down. On a fourth and short play he recognized a double A-gap blitz coming his way and quickly hit Zach Ertz for a first down, despite a linebacker in his face. There were audibles, play kills, and realignments of players that veteran quarterbacks don’t do as well as Carson Wentz did.

You also can not forget the two perfect touchdowns he read and threw.

On defense the Eagles showed they can have a top five front seven this season as they transition back into a 4-3 defense. Fletcher Cox is back at home as an interior defensive lineman with Bennie Logan, while Brandon Graham and Connor Barwin are reeking havoc on the outsides.

Cornerback will continue to be an issue for the Eagles all season long, especially after they traded Eric Rowe to the New England Patriots. To make matters worse, Leodis McKelvin is questionable with a hamstring injury, leaving Nolan Carroll and rookie Jalen Mills to cover Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White.

Finally, Doug Pederson surprisingly impressed in his head coaching debut. Pederson, along with Frank Reich and John DeFilippo protected Wentz with short-intermediate passes to start his first NFL drive, and gradually opened the playbook as the game went on.

While this may be the official start to an Eagles rebuild behind Carson Wentz, the Eagles are still a legitimate team who could possibly contend in a horrible division.

Aug 12, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason game at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Oakland Raiders

1-1

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 12th

Derek Carr finished with three touchdowns, all to three different receivers, and finished a hair shy of 300 passing yards.

Amari Cooper didn’t get a touchdown, but he did manage 71 receiving yards. Clive Walford, Michael Crabtree, and Andre Holmes provided the scoring through the air, and Latavius Murray got one on the ground.

Stacy Mcgee had the lone sack for Oakland, while David Amerson had the Raiders only interception against Matt Ryan. The lack of defense lead to Jack Del Rio taking over defensive play-calling duties from Ken Norton. Oakland has given up over 1,000 yards of offense in just their first two games, despite spending big in free agency and having young super stars such as Khalil Mack.

Oakland finished just 5-12 on third down conversion attempts. Nine penalties also hurt them in the end as they lost 58 yards.

On the bright side, Jack Del Rio managed the clock well for the Oakland Raiders and the offense had the ball for nearly 33 minutes. No turnovers by Derek Carr helped that as well. He currently sits at number four on Pro Football Focus’s quarterback rankings.

Next week Oakland travels to Tennessee in a battle of two young quarterbacks looking to leave their mark on the NFL.

Sep 18, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) during the first quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Chiefs

1-1

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 8th

On pass attempts longer than 15 yards, Alex Smith was 2-9 for 51 yards against the Texans. That is a big drop off from his 5-9 performance with a touchdown last week in the Chiefs come from behind win against the San Diego Chargers.

Not having Jamaal Charles on the field also continues to hurt the Chiefs. As Charles recovers from an ACL injury, Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West carry the load of the Chiefs offense. Both combined for 118 rushing yards on 16 attempts. Ware also fumbled and failed to recover a ball.

The defense failed to contain DeAndre Hopkins, who scored the lone touchdown of the game on a stop and go route down the right sideline. The remaining points scored by both Houston and Kansas City were field goals.

Marcus Peters had a strong game despite the Chiefs loss, picking off Brock Osweiler twice and deflecting four passes. Derrick Johnson lead the team with 11 tackles Sunday, and now has 16 this season.

Andy Reid now gets to face his former Defensive Coordinator from Philadelphia, Todd Bowles, in a late-afternoon game against the New York Jets.

Sep 18, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz (80) reacts during the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

New York Giants

2-0

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 14th

Plays like those give the impression the Giants are having one of their ‘come out of nowhere thanks to pure luck and win the Super Bowl’ kind of seasons.

Despite not throwing a touchdown, Eli Manning was outstanding for the Giants. He finished 32-41 with 368 passing yards and one lost fumble.

The Giants three fumbles are something that should have lost them this game. Thankfully their defense helped keep Drew Brees and the Saints offense out of the endzone for the majority of the game.

Rookie Sterling Shepard was a personal favorite coming out of Oklahoma this year. The Giants will have one of the best wide receiver duos in the league with Shepard and Odell Beckham Jr. leading the way. With Philadelphia and Dallas having questions at cornerback, both these receivers could be in for some huge games down the road.

Landon Turner and Eli Apple each made some big plays, one of the reasons New York was able to keep Drew Brees in check. Janoris Jenkins had eight tackles and two pass deflections in his second game as a Giant.

Sep 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looses the ball as he is sacked by Los Angeles Rams defensive end Robert Quinn (94) during the first half of a NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Seahawks

1-1

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 7th

Russell Wilson spread the ball out as best he could in an effort to generate offense, but Seattle garnered just three points off a field goal. Tyler Lockett lead the team with four catches, while five other Seahawks receivers each had three. Wilson found Locket on a 53 yard pass, which resulted in a fruitless drive.

Christine Michael fumbled on the final drive to give the Los Angeles Rams their first win in Los Angeles since their original relocation.

Russell Wilson finished the game going 22/35 with 254 yards, while also adding 14 yards on the ground.

The Seattle rushing offense is clearly missing the recently retired Marshawn Lynch pushing the ball down the field as he pleased. Christine Michael, Alex Collins, and an injured Thomas Rawls combined for just 53 rushing yards. The loss of Rawls could be huge for a Seahawks team that is struggling to score points this year.

Of course, the Seattle Seahawks defense is still as lethal as ever. Second year pass rusher Frank Clark sacked Case Keenum twice, and Michael Bennett also reached the Los Angeles Rams quarterback.

The Seattle Seahawks defense has held opponents to a league low 19 points this season. While their schedule hasn’t challenged them, it’s still an impressive statistic.

Seattle now gets Chip Kelly and the San Francisco 49ers in week three on their home turf. If Seattle is ever going to turn it around offensively, this is the game to do it.

Sep 1, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) in the first half against the Indianapolis Colts in a preseason NFL football game at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Cincinnati Bengals

1-1

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 9th

The Bengals fumbled on both of their final drives of the game losing the second one with second remaining in the game.

Their defense allowed three touchdowns to three different receivers, including tight end Jesse James and rookie Xavier Grimble.

AJ Green caught just two passes on the day despite being targeted eight times. Steelers defensive back Mike Mitchell said after the game that minimizing AJ Green’s effectiveness was the main portion of the game plan. Mitchell was quoted after the game that “We knew if we could minimize his impact, the outcome was going to be good for us and it was.”

Rookie Tyler Boyd had six catches for 78 yards, while running back Jeremy Hill lead the team in receptions and receiving yards.

Sloppy playing conditions at kick off did not help the Bengals generate any kind of offense. Pouring rain had been occurring in Pittsburgh prior to kick off and continued through the first portion of the game. Injuries across the board also aren’t helping the Bengals. First round pick William Jackson III had surgery on his pectoral muscle, while tight end Tyler Eifert is still recovering from an ankle injury he suffered in the Pro Bowl.

The schedule only gets tougher for the Cincinnati Bengals as they invite the Denver Broncos in to town.

Sep 18, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) runs onto the field during pregame introductions prior to the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Texans

2-0

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 10

Houston’s offense flashed the potential fans have been waiting years for. Brock Osweiler finished 19/33 with 268 yards, and nailed DeAndre Hopkins on a long touchdown.

Rookie wide receiver Will Fuller out of Notre Dame is the first 1st-round pick to have at least 100 receiving yards in each of his first two NFL games. Everyone knew Fuller had the speed to be successful in the NFL, but his detractors will consistently point to his hands and drops. While we’ve seen this affect Fuller already, he has proven he can play past it. The rookie finished with 104 receiving yards on just four catches, one of which was for 53 yards.

Lamar Miller is not averaging a ton of yards since joining the Texans in free agency. The running back had 83 yards on 25 carries, a slight drop off to his 106 yards on 28 carries against the Bears. When averaged out it’s only half a yard less, so nothing alarming.

J.J. Watt is still not fully healthy from his core injury, but still had one and a half sacks and five tackles. Former first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney had just three tackles coming off a Bears game in which he disrupted Jay Cutler most of the night.

Texans coach Bill O’Brien will return to New England to face his mentor Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. O’Brien worked as a member of the Patriots offensive staff from 2007-2011, serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in his final years in New England. He left to coach Penn State after the departure of Joe Paterno.

Sep 11, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) scrambles for a touchdown in the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Everbank Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK

Green Bay Packers

1-1

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 6th

A positive was Jordy Nelson having a touchdown against a tough Minnesota Vikings defense. Both Nelson and Randall Cobb had to work off the Vikings cornerbacks, including the pesky Trae Waynes.

Eddie Lacy also got his hands on the ball, rushing for 50 yards on just 12 carries. No other Packers running back had a game worth mentioning, as the remainders had more carries than yards.

The defense sacked Sam Bradford four times behind a Vikings offensive line that could not hold its own. Mike Daniels was a killer Sunday night with four tackles and a sack, but his penetration at the point of attack left Bradford scrambling for safety.

The six players who had a major role in recording a sack were LeTroy Guilon, Julius Peppers, Linval Joseph, Danielle Hunter, Tom Johnson, and Everson Griffin. They now have eight on the season.

Green Bay will now host the Detroit Lions next week for an early afternoon game. They won last week against Jacksonville by just four points in a 27-23 win over the Jaguars. Rodgers will have a massive chip on his shoulder as he searches for his first division win of the new season against Detroit.

Sep 11, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) warms up prior to the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota Vikings

2-0

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 15th

Diggs, the former Maryland wide receiver, finished Sunday night with nine catches and 182 receiving yards.

The biggest story however coming out of the Vikings victory was the loss of running back Adrian Peterson. The 31-year-old was carried off the field while putting no weight on his right leg. It appears he suffered some kind of ligament damage to his knee when a player rolled up on his leg. An MRI is scheduled for Monday afternoon.

Sam Bradford made his first start with mixed results. After taking a while to warm up and find a rhythm, Bradford looked strong and accurate. He finished with 286 passing yards despite being sacked four times.

The Vikings offensive line did little to support Bradford, who went into the locker room at one point to have his hand examined. The coaches are calling it a bruise, but at the time it looked like he had broken it.

Minnesota’s defense caused Aaron Rodgers to scramble and make errant throws at times. Rodgers was sacked five times and picked off at the end by Trae Waynes. Rodgers biggest issue was ball security. Vikings defenders were swatting at the ball all night, and Rodgers put the ball on the ground multiple times.

Minnesota now travels to Carolina to take on the defending NFC Champion Carolina Panthers.

Sep 18, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sideline as they take on the Miami Dolphins in the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

New England Patriots

2-0

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 1st

Flash forward to today, and Garoppolo looks to have suffered a serious injury to his throwing shoulder. That leaves the Patriots with rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett out of NC State, who few thought was nowhere near ready to lead an NFL team.

After losing Garoppolo in the first half, Brissett showed he could hold his own, completing six of his nine pass attempts. Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels protected him by relying heavily on running back LeGarrette Blount. New England handed the ball off to Blount 29 times on Sunday, which tied a career high he set last season against the Redskins.

What is incredible about the Patriots is even without their best players, they always manage to win. The idea of doing your job resonates in the locker room, and it’s next in line when someone can not perform.

With Rob Gronkowski out, Martellus Bennett did his job with a team-high 114 receiving yards and a touchdown. Danny Amendola caught all four passes sent his way, and took two of them in for touchdowns.

Even without Dont’a Hightower, the defense showed up strong for the Patriots. They recovered three Dolphins fumbles, and picked off Ryan Tannehill twice. Everyone simply did their job, and now it’s on to Houston to face former Patriots assistant Bill O’Brien.

Sep 18, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) drops back to pass in the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers defeated the 49ers 46-27. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Carolina Panthers

1-1

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 4th

Quarterback Cam Newton passed Jake Delhomme for first on the Panthers franchise all-time touchdown list with 122. Two of those went to his favorite target Kelvin Benjamin, who is coming off an ACL injury that set him out for the entire season.

The much-needed return of Kelvin Benjamin has made the Panthers even more dangerous on offense. The former Florida State Seminole has nearly 200 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the early season, on pace to set career highs in both categories.

Despite Denver having a great defense in week one, the Panthers still put up 157 rushing yards, the second most in the NFL. This week they were just as effective, posting 176 yards on the ground. Fozzy Whittaker lead the way with a smooth 100 rushing yards, while Cam Newton tacked on 37 of his own on six attempts.

On defense, Luke Kuechly lead the team with 11 tackles, while Star Lotulelei and Mario Addison each sacked Blaine Gabbert. Kuechly also hauled in an interception, as did James Bradberry. The Panthers second round pick out of Division I FCS Samford has eight tackles, three pass deflections, and an interception in his young career.

Carolina will host the Minnesota Vikings next week with their treasure trove of young defensive talent. The Panthers used four of their five draft picks this year on defense, and players such as Bradberry and cornerback Daryl Worley are already making a big impact.

Sep 8, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller (58) against the Carolina Panthers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos defeated the Panthers 21-20. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Denver Broncos

2-0

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 3rd

A dominating defense continues to be the Broncos m.o. when it comes to winning football games. Von Miller is the main cog to this scheme, and he continued his dominance with three sacks. Derek Wolfe had a sack and a half, and DeMarcus Ware cleaned up the other half.

Aqib Talib had a 46 yard pick-six off Andrew Luck, while also deflecting two balls.

Injuries have hit the Broncos defense hard however, as DeMarcus Ware suffered a broken forearm. A time table for Ware’s return won’t be known until he seeks further opinions on whether or not he needs surgery. Virgil Green and Donald Stephenson both injured their calfs, and could miss playing time.

Quarterback Trevor Siemian went 22/33 without a touchdown and one interception to Darius Butler. Denver was able to utilize their running game effectively once again with C.J. Anderson getting the bulk of the carries. Anderson ran for 74 yards with a touchdown, while rookie Devontae Booker had 46 yards on just nine carries.

While losing DeMarcus Ware is not good news for Denver, seeing a healthy Demaryius Thomas on the field is. After suffering what was believed to be a serious hip injury, Thomas finished Sundays game with a team high five catches with 90 receiving yards.

Denver will continue their quest to retain their Super Bowl title when they travel out east to Cincinnati.

Sep 18, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams (34) reacts to his touchdown catch as Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson (90) and Steelers tackle Alejandro Villanueva (78) also react during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers won 24-16. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers

2-0

Last week: 1-0Last rank: 5

Tight end Jesse James out of Penn State has done an excellent job thus far for Pittsburgh. Coming out of Happy Valley with questionable hands, James had a big touchdown for the Steelers against their division rivals. Xavier Grimble scored a touchdown on his first career reception, and DeAngelo Williams continued his dominance in the absence of Le’Veon Bell.

Antonio Brown didn’t even have his typical game, finishing with only 39 receiving yards.

And despite all those missing pieces, the Steelers have scored the fourth-most points in the NFL through the first two weeks of the season.

Defense is still a big question for Pittsburgh, primarily their secondary. Bashaud Breeland has the teams only interception of the year, which came in the season opener against the Washington Redskins. The defense also only has two sacks this year, both coming from linebackers. Arthur Moats and Ryan Kerrigan are the sole owners of a sack in the Steelers defense.

Despite not creating turnovers or flashing big stats, the Steelers have held both of their first opponents to just 16 points. The 16 points per game is within the top five among the NFL teams that have played through their week two games.

Pittsburgh gets the Philadelphia Eagles and rookie sensation Carson Wentz next week in a late-afternoon game at Heinz Field.

[/power_ranking]

Jan 24, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) throws a pass during the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Cardinals

1-1

Last week: 0-1Last rank: 4th

Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer was terrific once again, going 18/31 with 308 yards and three touchdowns. Larry Fitzgerald, Jaron Brown, and Michael Floyd each had a receiving touchdown off the arm of Palmer.

Second year running back David Johnson had a rushing touchdown of his own thanks to his 16 carries and 54 rushing yards. Johnson also lead the team with 98 receiving yards, while Larry Fitzgerald lead the Cardinals with six catches.

Chandler Jones and Markus Golden did exactly what they’re supposed to do on defense. Both sacked Jameis Winston, while three defensive backs picked off Winston four times. Patrick Peterson and D.J. Swearinger each had an interception, while Markus Cooper had two of his own.

The Cardinals are now sixth in the NFL in points scored, and they’re ready to break some more records all year long.

After missing a tough field goal, Chandler Catanzaro was back at it nailing footballs in-between the uprights.

This season could ultimately be the year Carson Palmer, who has yet to win a Super Bowl. The Arizona Cardinals have what should be an easy win on their schedule next week when the team travels to Buffalo. The time changes could be a factor for Arizona, as they will be several hours ahead of their own time.

More from FanSided

This article originally appeared on

share

Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

National Football League

Seattle Seahawks