2020 NFL Power Rankings – Week 03

Rams Move Up - Chargers Stay the Course

1. Kansas City Chiefs (2-0): The Chiefs needed some incredible kicking from Harrison Butker to pull out a win over the Chargers in overtime. Butker nailed two 58-yard field goal attempts, including the game winner in overtime. Butker also hit a 30-yard kick in in the final seconds of regulation to send the game to overtime. Not surprisingly, Butker was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.Next: +3.5 at Baltimore Ravens - Mon, Sep. 28 – O/U 53.5

2. Seattle Seahawks (2-0): Quarterback Russell Wilson has completed an amazing 82.5% of his pass attempts. In the first two games, Wilson has thrown touchdown passes to six different receivers and has thrown nine total touchdown passes. Next: -4.5 vs Dallas Cowboys – Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 55.5

3. Buffalo Bills (2-0): Quarterback Josh Allen leads the NFL in passing yardage after two weeks and is an early candidate for the MVP race. The schedule will get tougher, starting this week at home. Next: -2.5 vs Los Angeles Rams - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 47.5

4. Baltimore Ravens (2-0): The Ravens are playing well, again. The Ravens are a playoff team, it is just a question of if they can beat out the Steeler for the AFC North title? They have not been tested yet and that test may be coming up this week. Next: -3.5 vs Kansas City Chiefs – Mon, Sep. 28 – O/U 53.5

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0): The Steelers are ranked No. 1 in rushing defense after two weeks, which means not much has changed for them. They force offenses to become one-dimensional and then they bring a good pass rush in passing situations. Next: -4 vs Houston Texans – Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 45

6. Las Vegas Raiders (2-0): Since 1990, teams that have started the season 2-0 have made the playoffs 61.3 percent of the time, according to Pro Football Reference. With the expansion to seven playoff teams in each conference, those odds will only increase for the Raiders. Next: +6 at New England Patriots - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 47.5

7. Green Bay Packers (2-0): This week, the other Aaron led the Packers to victory. Running back Aaron Jones rushed for a career-high 168 yards and scored three touchdowns in the win. The Packers lead the NFL in total offense per game, averaging 505 yards per game. Next: +3 at New Orleans Saints - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 51.5

8. Los Angeles Rams (2-0): The Rams let Todd Gurley go in the offseason, but anyone thinking that they have given up on the running game would be mistaken. The Rams are running on 56.8% of their offensive plays, tops in the NFL. They will need a good running game against their next opponent. Next: +2.5 at Buffalo Bills - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 47.5

9. Arizona Cardinals (2-0): Quarterback Kyler Murray rushed for 67 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 286 yards and one touchdown in the win over Washington. The Cardinal offense is beginning to look like the Oklahoma Sooner offense. Next: -6 vs Detroit Lions - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 54.5

10. New Orleans Saints (1-1): The Saints are not clicking offensively and defensively; they could not cover tight end Darren Waller on Monday Night. Waller torched the Saints for 12 receptions, 105 yards and one touchdown. Next: -3 vs Green Bay Packers – Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 51.5

11. Tennessee Titans (2-0): Kicker Steven Gostkowski, had a winning kick for the second time in as many games with the Titans, as they held on to defeat the Jags. The Titans are proving to be a tough team to beat after close wins over the Broncos and the Jaguars. Next: -2.5 at Minnesota Vikings - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 48.5

12. Los Angeles Chargers (1-1): The Chargers actually played better in a loss to the Chiefs than they did in their victory over the Bengals. Rookie quarterback Justin Herbert was impressive in his debut, filling in for the injured Tyrod Taylor, and will get the start in Week 3 as well. Next: -6 vs Carolina Panthers - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 44

13. New England Patriots (1-1): The Patriots have won 11 consecutive AFC East titles, an NFL record. After Tom Brady left to join the Bucs, it appeared that streak might be over, especially with the emergence of the Bills. Quarterback Cam Newton has given the Pats hope that the streak may continue. Against the Seahawks, Newton passed for 370 yards and rushed for 75 yards. Next: -6 vs Las Vegas Raiders – Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 47.5

14. San Francisco 49ers (1-1): The 49ers have been devastated by injuries, this week losing two of their four starting defensive linemen in the win over the Jets. Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas are done for the year with ACL knee injuries. Next: -4 at New York Giants – Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 41.5

15. Chicago Bears (2-0): The Bears are one of 11 teams that have started 2-0 and probably the most suspect. Defensively, the Bears have a good team. Offensively, the roster does not scare anyone. Next: +3 at Atlanta Falcons - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 47.5

16. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1): The Jaguars have been extremely competitive through the first two games. Quarterback Gardner Minshew is on a pace to throw for over 4,000 yards and 48 touchdown passes. We will see if he can keep that up. Next: -3 vs Miami Dolphins - Thu, Sep. 24 – O/U 48

17. Washington Football Team (1-1): The Redskins need someone dynamic on offense to get things going and the answer maybe rookie running back Antonio Gibson, the 6'1" 225 pound running back with 4.39 forty speed. Against the Cardinals, Gibson scored a touchdown and rushed for 55 yards on 13 carries. Next: +7 at Cleveland Browns – Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 45

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1): Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh had two sacks and five tackles, leading the Buccaneers to an easy win over the Panthers. The Bucs also picked off two errant Teddy Bridgewater passes as well. Next: -6 at Denver Broncos - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 43.5

19. Indianapolis Colts (1-1): The Colts decided to utilize their talented offensive line and run the football down their opponent's throats in the win over the Vikings. Quarterback Philip Rivers still managed to throw an interception, but he also threw for a touchdown and completed 19 of 25 passes in the win. Next: -10.5 vs New York Jets – Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 43.5

20. Dallas Cowboys (1-1): The Cowboys should be 0-2, but they found an opponent in the Falcons that is more determined than they are to find different ways to lose games despite a talented roster. The Falcons were just what the mediocre Cowboys needed. Next: +4.5 at Seattle Seahawks - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 55.5

21. Denver Broncos (0-2): The Broncos have become the walking wounded with injuries to running back Philp Lindsey, quarterback Drew Lock and wide receiver Courtland Sutton. In the tough AFC West, they may not recover. Next: +6 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 43.5

22. Atlanta Falcons (0-2): The Falcons are off to their first 0-2 start under head coach Dan Quinn after an embarrassing loss to the Cowboys. The Falcons held a 15-point fourth quarter lead with five minutes remaining but lost the game when five Falcon players simply failed to fall on an onside kick. Next: -3 vs Chicago Bears – Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 47.5

23. Minnesota Vikings (0-2): The Vikings are 0-2 after losing to the Colts. Defensively, the Vikings have given up 71 points in two games and have just lost four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Anthony Barr for the season to a torn pectoral muscle. It could be a long season for the Vikings. Next: +2.5 vs Tennessee Titans – Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 48.5

24. Philadelphia Eagles (0-2): The Eagles were carved up by the Rams offense in their 37-19 loss this past weekend. Quarterback Carson Wentz is off to a rough start with four interceptions in two games. The Eagles need an opponent they can beat. Next: -6 vs Cincinnati Bengals – Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 46.5

25. Cleveland Browns (1-1): The best therapy for a struggling football team is another struggling football team, and the Bengals defense did their part. Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 216 yards and two touchdowns, running back Nick Chubb ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had 74 receiving yards and one touchdown catch. Next: -7 vs Washington Football Team - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 45

26. Houston Texans (0-2): The Texans are already circling the drain after two unimpressive performances and now they get to play the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Dropping to 0-3 in their division would not be advisable. Next: +4 at Pittsburgh Steelers – Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 45

27. Carolina Panthers (0-2): Running back Christian McCaffrey has been put on the injured reserve due to a high ankle sprain, meaning he is guaranteed to miss the next three weeks. That is not good news to a Panther team that offensively revolves around McCaffrey. Next: +6 at Los Angeles Chargers - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 44

28. New York Giants (0-2): Running back Saquon Barkley is done for the season after suffering an ACL injury against the Bears. The Giants are probably done as well. Joe Judge, in his rookie season as head coach, needs to find a running game to support his young quarterback. The Giants signed free agent running back Devonta Freeman to replace Barkley. Next: +4 vs San Francisco 49ers – Sun, Sep. 27 - O/U 41.5

29. New York Jets (0-2): The Jets have been barely competitive through the first two games of the season. "We did not play the game we needed to play," coach Adam Gase said after their blowout loss to the 49ers. That was painfully obvious to Jets fans. Next: +10.5 at Indianapolis Colts - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 43.5

30. Cincinnati Bengals (0-2): Rookie quarterback Joe Burrow threw 61 passes, completing 37 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns in the loss to the Browns. This is going to be a long season for the rookie quarterback, especially if he must throw 61 times in a game. Next: +6 at Philadelphia Eagles - Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 46.5

31. Miami Dolphins (0-2): Myles Gaskin has established himself as the lead running back in Miami, at least for the time being. Gaskin rushed for 46 yards on 7 carries and caught 6 passes for 36 yards. Next: +3 at Jacksonville Jaguars - Thu, Sep 24 – O/U 48

32. Detroit Lions (0-2): A week after blowing a 17-point fourth quarter lead to the Bears at home, the Lions took a quick 14-3 lead after one quarter of football at Green Bay. By the end of the third quarter, the Packers had taken a 34-14 lead. The Packers outscored the Lions 31-0 in the second and third quarters, just one week after the Bears outscored the Lions 21-0 in the 4th quarter. The Lions have lost 11 consecutive regular season games, an indication that this is not a good football team. Next: +6 at Arizona Cardinals – Sun, Sep. 27 – O/U 54.5

 

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