What is the strongest division in the NFL?
According to the NFL dot com Power Rankings, it's the NFC North ... and it's not particularly close. For the second straight week, I have the Packers, Bears and Vikings all taking up real estate in the top 10. The one NFC Norris team not in the top 10? That would be the undefeated Detroit Lions, whose fan base will soon organize a "Fire Hanzus" rally that will make the "Millen Man March" look like the Catalina Wine Mixer.
I understand your rage ... but I cannot be manipulated or coerced by it. You have a wonderful city.
Let's get to it.
NOTE: The previous rankings referenced in the lineup below are from the
Previous rank:**
The ill-conceived聽聽experiment didn't work out, but everything else is going to plan for the聽. The story of New England's 3-0 start has been the defense, which hasn't allowed a touchdown since last season's AFC Championship Game. On Sunday, the Pats held a pathetic聽聽offense to just 105 total yards on 2.2 yards per play; New York's two touchdowns came on聽a pick-six and a muffed punt. It's a good thing the D has dominated at a historic level, because the聽聽have some issues on offense.听聽exited Sunday's win聽, further thinning a wide receiver unit that聽. Depth is also a concern for the banged-up offensive line. Dante Scarnecchia's unit will be tested in a big way this week聽on the road against the 3-0 Bills.
Previous rank:**
聽continues to dominate all comers. 罢丑别听聽quarterback was brilliant again on Sunday, lighting up the聽聽for 374 yards and three touchdowns聽in a 33-28 win. Mahomes needed just 10 quarters to go over 1,000 yards passing for the season, a feat accomplished on a day in which the聽聽were missing No. 1 wide receiver聽, left tackle聽聽and running back聽. Even with the injuries, Mahomes has plenty to work with.听聽(an emergent playmaker) made聽, and聽聽reached 21.7 mph on聽,听, the fastest a ball carrier has run on any touchdown this year. Mahomes' game-icing聽聽sent Arrowhead into a frenzy and wiped away any chance聽聽would steal Mahomes' spotlight.
Previous rank:**
A great performance by the聽' defense on聽Sunday night in Cleveland. The high moment came in the final minute, with L.A. leading by seven and the聽聽set up with first-and-goal. Four plays, four passes, three incompletions and聽.听听蝉耻辫别谤蝉迟补谤听聽Jr. didn't even have a target on that final set of downs, which is both a credit to the聽' scheme and an indictment of聽聽play-caller Freddie Kitchens. On the other side of the ball,听听补苍诲听聽both went over 100 yards, but it was another mostly uneven performance by the聽.听, in particular, continues to look out of sorts. He had three turnovers in the game, including聽聽that gave the聽聽life. 罢丑别听聽aren't fully clicking ... but they're winning as they figure it out. It's the sign of a championship-caliber team.
Previous rank:**
罢丑别听聽are 3-0 for the first time since 2008, but their聽31-6 win over the Dolphins聽wasn't quite as easy as the final score seems to indicate. The feeble聽聽played even with their heavily favored opponent for the game's first two quarters. It wasn't until聽聽late in the second quarter that momentum swung toward Big D for good.听聽continues to cruise, throwing two touchdown passes (both to Amari Cooper) and running for another score. Prescott got hot in the third quarter, going 9 of 9 for 137 yards and a touchdown. A 10-6 lead at the half was 24-6 after three quarters. Turn out the lights. Here's a great stat,听: Through three games, Prescott is a perfect 22 of 22 for 384 yards and three touchdowns in the third quarter. I want to know what he's eating in the locker room at halftime.
Previous rank:**
You can imagine Brian Gutekunst throwing out the classic Michael Jordan聽"I can't believe I'm this good, either"聽shoulder shrug as he walked into team headquarters early Monday morning. Every move the聽聽GM made to improve his team's defense has been genius through three weeks. On Sunday,听听补苍诲听Za'Darius Smith聽combined for five sacks and a forced fumble in a聽27-16 win over the Broncos. Money well spent on the pair of pass rushers who have been a huge upgrade over last year's combo of聽听补苍诲听. Despite a season high in points scored, the聽' offense remains a work in progress. It's on head coach Matt LaFleur to make the necessary adjustments and keep Green Bay moving after working through the initial game script. 罢丑别听聽have started fast and cooled off considerably in each of the past two weeks.
Previous rank:**
, have a day. With the聽聽down three late in the fourth quarter, Buffalo's rookie tight end hauled in a聽Josh Allen聽pass and morphed into an evolutionary Gronk. His聽聽sent New Era Stadium into a frenzy and set up聽. The seven-play, 78-yard drive was a minor masterpiece by the聽, providing the latest evidence that Allen has taken the next step as a quarterback in Year 2. Buffalo had coughed up a 14-0 lead in this game, and a loss would have undone much of the progress of the season's first two weeks. But Allen -- with a huge helping hand from his Baby Gronk -- wouldn't allow that to happen. 罢丑别听聽are 3-0 and welcome the 3-0聽聽to their house聽on Sunday. This is the biggest聽聽game in a聽long聽time. Circle them wagons!
Previous rank:**
罢丑别听聽are 3-0 for the first time since 1998.听Sunday's win聽was a minor miracle; not many teams finish a game with five turnovers -- including three inside the opponent's 20-yard line -- and come out clean on the other side. Consider it a testament to the team's resolve, and the continued progress of聽, who wiped away two聽聽second-half leads with touchdown drives. Jimmy G's final numbers were pedestrian, but both his interceptions came on passes that probably should have been caught by his intended targets. He delivered a solid performance -- and looks more comfortable with each passing week, a very good sign. The most important statistic from the win? 罢丑别听' defense held the聽聽to just six points off the聽' five turnovers. Early bye weeks are never preferred, but there's something to be said for staying undefeated for another 14 days without playing a snap.
Previous rank:**
罢丑别听聽took all the drama out of聽Monday night, racing to a 28-0 lead in the first half before cruising to the finish line. It was another big day for Chicago's vaunted defense, which forced聽听辩耻补谤迟别谤产补肠办听聽into five turnovers, including聽.听聽led the charge in the front seven, stuffing the stat sheet with two sacks and two forced fumbles. On offense, it was a game -- a half, really -- of progress for聽, who threw three touchdown passes and looked much more comfortable than what we saw against the聽听补苍诲听.听聽caught all three of those Trubisky touchdown passes before leaving the game with a concussion. The next step for Trubisky is stacking some solid performances to bury the chatter of those who see him as the team's weak link.
Previous rank:**
Three weeks into the season, the聽' offensive philosophy is apparent: This is聽's team. You see it on the field and even during the pregame introductions, where Cook has bumped聽聽for top billing. The third-year running back set a franchise record with his third consecutive 100-yard game to start the season in聽an easy 34-14 win over the Raiders. Minnesota is averaging 193.7 yards per game on the ground and has rolled up more yards rushing than passing during its 2-1 start. Cook is the unquestioned star of the attack, but he's not alone.听聽has shown excellent burst when given the opportunity;聽聽was an impressive feat of athleticism by the third-round rookie. The middling聽聽provided a perfect get-right opponent for Cousins, who bounced back with a solid effort after an alarming performance聽last week in Green Bay.
Previous rank:**
My apologies to the聽. Yes, they lost聽聽to a thumb injury in Week 2, but this team goes well beyond one star. That was apparent Sunday in Seattle, where Sean Payton's team delivered a complete effort in聽a 33-27 win聽that was not nearly as competitive as the final score indicates. New Orleans scored on聽, and聽聽-- kudos to the officials for not blowing the play dead prematurely, an error that killed the聽*.听*聽started slowly but came on as the game progressed, and聽聽looked like the best player on the field every time the ball was in his hands. 罢丑别听听苍别别诲听聽to win the聽. But they can survive -- and possibly even thrive -- without their star quarterback if they continue to put together complete efforts like we saw against the聽.
Previous rank:**
John Harbaugh wasn't messing around on Sunday. 罢丑别听聽coach was in an ultra-aggressive mood against the high-octane聽, going for it on fourth-down four times (with three successful conversions) and attempting a trio of two-point conversions (all failed). "We don't play scared," Harbaugh told reporters after聽the 33-28 loss. Fair enough, but it feels like an instance of Harbaugh putting both too much and not enough faith in his offense. 罢丑别听聽came down to Earth a little bit in their first loss of the season, looking like a team that wasn't quite ready to fight it out for four quarters against a conference superpower.听聽-- despite the now requisite handful of highlight-reel plays -- struggled for the majority of this game, and the Baltimore defense was no match for聽, who threw for 374 yards and three touchdowns.
Previous rank:**
聽does at least one thing every week that truly amazes. On Sunday, it came in the fourth quarter, near midfield, with the聽聽nursing a four-point lead against the聽. Watson got flushed out of the pocket, stepped up, looked for a moment like he was going to run, then flicked the ball to tight end聽, who did the rest for聽. Most quarterbacks in that situation take a sack, scramble for a few yards or toss up an ill-advised prayer. Watson made magic. Speaking of magic,听聽has found his groove. The future Hall of Famer lived in the backfield and had two sacks. And once again, Watt received much-needed help from the revitalized聽, who had聽聽and two tackles for loss. 罢丑别听聽are a top-heavy team, but that top is as talented as anybody's.
Previous rank:**
聽is no hold-the-fort guy. 罢丑别听聽quarterback might just be a legit player for the聽聽to build around. We knew Indy believed in their Andrew Luck replacement when they ripped up his contract and聽聽on the eve of Week 1, and Brissett has made his team look smart. The 26-year-old QB completed his first 16 passes against the聽聽on Sunday and finished with 310 yards and two touchdowns. The highlight came on third-and-4 with less than two minutes to play. Instead of running the ball to take time off the clock and attempt a field goal to go up six, coach Frank Reich put his faith in Brissett, who connected with聽聽on a game-icing first down. Brissett will never be as dynamic a player as Luck, but he doesn't need to be on this well-coached, well-balanced team.
Previous rank:**
Raise your hand if you predicted Detroit would be undefeated through three weeks. That's what I thought. 罢丑别听聽don't have enough talent to dominate teams, but in each of the last two weeks, we've watched Detroit step up and close out an opponent that looked on the verge of stealing a victory. These are the type of games that separate an 8-8 also-ran from a 10-6 playoff participant. 罢丑别听' defense undoubtedly benefitted from a slew of聽聽mistakes Sunday, but no caveats are necessary in describing the play of聽, who looks more at home on offense under new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell than he was in the difficult final season under Jim Bob Cooter. 罢丑别听聽get a huge test聽this week听飞丑别苍听聽brings the聽' air show to Ford Field. Detroit will need to be much sharper to hang with an AFC powerhouse.
Previous rank:**
It was聽聽for Pete Carroll, who聽聽by an errant football during pregame warmups, then watched his聽聽come out flat against a聽聽team playing without聽. Fun fact: Sunday marked the first September home loss for the聽聽in the Carroll era (15-0 entering the day). Seattle was not sharp in any phase of the game, from special teams (giving up a 53-yard punt return for a score) to ball security (a聽听蹿耻尘产濒别听聽for a touchdown) to clock management (Carroll mishandled the final minute of the first half).听聽missed a wide open聽聽on fourth down with the opportunity to trim the deficit to 27-14 midway through the third quarter. Throw in seven penalties, and you have a rare letdown game at The Clink.
Previous rank:**
罢丑别听聽continue to kill themselves with unforced errors. A week after聽聽to the聽, Los Angeles again struggled with execution in聽聽to the聽聽at home. 罢丑别听聽committed seven penalties, none bigger than the holding call on left tackle聽聽that wiped out a Philip Rivers-to-Mike聽Williams completion that would have put the Bolts inside the聽' 10 with less than 20 seconds to play. The loss shouldn't obscure a career day by聽, who had 13 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns on a whopping 17 targets. Allen has at least eight catches in each of the聽' first three games and is on pace for 155 receptions and more than 2,000 yards. That will win some fantasy leagues. 罢丑别听, meanwhile, are a much better team than their record indicates. Gotta clean it up.
Previous rank:**
罢丑别听聽really need their starting wide receivers back in the lineup. Philadelphia had聽聽in Sunday'蝉听聽none more damaging than聽聽in the final minute. If Arcega-Whiteside holds on, the聽聽likely win, or least tie the game. Instead, it's back-to-back losses for an injury-ravaged squad. To make matters worse, the Iggles are on a short week, with聽a very difficult Thursday night matchup聽against the undefeated聽聽at Lambeau. There is optimism that at least聽聽(out since Week 1 with a calf injury) will be back in action for that game, but Philadelphia will be facing an uphill challenge, given聽聽on both sides of the ball. Give聽聽credit: He hasn't gotten much help from his teammates, but he put the聽聽in position to win in each of the past two weeks. QB1 needs others to step up their game.
Previous rank:**
"Sacksonville is back, baby!" Those were聽听辞蹿听聽at the end of聽聽over the AFC South rival聽.听聽had three of nine sacks for the Jags, who held Tennessee scoreless until the fourth quarter and generally looked the far superior team. The win聽聽around cornerback聽's future with the team ... for one night, at least. The Jags' offense had an up-and-down outing, but the team has to be thrilled with the play of聽聽II. The rookie quarterback/living folk hero played smart, crisp football, and he would have ended his night with three touchdown passes, if not for a hideous end-zone drop by聽. The Ramsey saga will continue to hang over this team, but Minshewmania has the fanbase excited and the Jags in the hunt.
Previous rank:**
聽put some much-needed wind back in the聽' sails. The backup quarterback was brilliant聽聽throwing four touchdown passes with a passer rating north of 140 in a one-sided romp on the road. Carolina needed some good news after the struggling聽聽re-aggravated his foot injury in聽聽to the Bucs. On Monday, coach Ron Rivera wasted no time聽聽for Week 4 and -- perhaps ominously -- attached no timetable to the former MVP's return. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday that Newton is dealing with a Lisfranc injury that could聽. On the plus side, Allen's performance against the聽聽has to give Carolina confidence that the former undrafted 23-year-old has some legit talent. Allen didn't do it alone on Sunday:聽聽ripped off聽聽and the聽聽defense sacked聽聽eight times. Next week will provide a stiffer challenge聽on the road聽in Houston.
Previous rank:**
Another week, another slow start that doomed the聽. Atlanta has now been outscored 47-13 in the first half of its games, a major reason why Dan Quinn's team sits at 1-2. Discipline continues to be an issue, as well: 罢丑别听聽committed 16 penalties for 128 yards in Indianapolis. The defense, which was responsible for 10 of those penalties, will go the rest of the way without hard-luck defensive back聽, who tore his Achilles after missing nearly the entire 2018 campaign with a torn ACL. On the positive end,听聽was a machine in the second half, completing 22 of 23 passes with three touchdowns in Atlanta's final three possessions. Incredibly, the聽聽only had six possessions on Sunday (not counting the one-play kneeldown at the end of the first half). The running game -- which ranks 27th in the NFL -- also showed some life, with聽聽looking a lot like the guy who drove defenses mad in 2015 and '16.
Previous rank:**
We haven't reached panic mode in Cleveland, but we're not far off.听Baker Mayfield聽looked confused and jittery in聽聽to the聽, and it's on first-year coach Freddie Kitchens and the rest of the聽聽staff to fix their young star. Unfortunately, there's no easy solution, with Mayfield working behind a shoddy offensive line that has left him in danger rather than聽聽Kitchens mucked things up further on Sunday with some shaky play-calling, including a fourth-and-9 draw play in the fourth quarter聽聽Speaking of bad play-calling, how does聽聽not get a target on any of the聽' four cracks at the end zone on their final drive? Beckham was brought in to be a dynamic difference-maker -- throw the man the ball, and good things will probably happen. 罢丑别听聽need a common-sense check.
Previous rank:**
罢丑别听' offense in the聽聽era is like聽聽You can do your best to push that boulder up the mountain, but it always rolls back down to where you started. Tennessee's doomed mission has never been more apparent than in the last two weeks -- a flat loss at home to the聽**聽followed by聽聽on Thursday night against the聽. Mariota isn't solely to blame for the聽' struggles, but his inability to spark this team makes you wonder how much longer head coach Mike Vrabel can stand by his man, with the capable backup quarterback聽聽waiting in the wings. Then again, the way Tennessee's offensive line is performing, Tannehill will fare no better. Mariota was sacked nine times and pressured a career-high 18 times by the Jags. The absence of聽听迟补肠办濒别听聽is huge, but it doesn't excuse a total collapse.
Previous rank:**
The Danny Dimes era聽聽Rookie quarterback聽, the much-maligned (through no fault of his own) No. 6 overall pick, played lights out in his first career start, throwing two touchdowns passes and running for two more in rallying the聽聽back from a 28-10 halftime deficit聽聽And just when it looked like the kid's effort would be wasted, the Bucs聽聽at the gun to give Big Blue the win. Suddenly,听聽fans have a lot to be excited about in the post-Eli era. It wasn't all good for New York:聽Saquon Barkley聽suffered the dreaded high ankle sprain and will be聽聽Barkley's absence hurts the offense, but Jones' debut instills hope that the聽聽will find a way to stay in the hunt, even without their star running back. What a difference a week makes.
Previous rank:**
Sometimes, the kicker just has to make a damn kick. It's not an easy job, but聽'蝉听聽as time expired聽聽and could permanently alter the trajectory of their season. Gay's miss was especially crushing in light of the fact that the Bucs had fought to reclaim the game after blowing a 28-10 halftime lead.听聽delivered what should have been one of the signature passes of his career,听听迟辞听聽to put Tampa Bay in field-goal position in the final minute. But the Bucs couldn't close. Bruce Arians聽聽by telling reporters he purposely took a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty because Gay was better from a further distance. It was a head-spinning comment for a Bucs fan base already passed out on the floor.
Previous rank:**
There's no use roasting the聽聽for their聽聽on Sunday. This remains a team under construction, and Oakland simply isn't ready to hang against a quality opponent on the road. The goal is improvement, and there's plenty of room for that. Since jumping out to a 10-0 lead last week聽听迟丑别听聽have been outscored 62-14 by a pair of聽聽contenders. And now, a friendly reminder not to trust your box score implicitly: The stats (79.4 percent completion rate, 242 yards, two TDs, a 103.7 passer rating) tell you聽聽played a strong game on Sunday. In reality, Carr was a dink-and-dunk machine who got happy feet on a key聽聽and did most of his compiling long after the game was decided. Again, this is a developmental year for the聽. We know Jon Gruden, in the second year of a 10-year deal, is staying put beyond 2019. Will Carr? Thirteen games remain on his audition.
Previous rank:**
It sounds crazy to put a loss on a defense that created five turnovers, but the failure by the聽' D to step up in crunch time helps explain this team's 0-3 record. Twice聽聽on Sunday, Pittsburgh quarterback聽Mason Rudolph聽put Pittsburgh ahead with touchdown passes in the second half, and twice, a聽聽defense loaded with premium draft picks failed to keep聽聽from leading the聽聽back to the end zone.听聽brass showed they were still all in on 2019 by acquiring defensive back聽Minkah Fitzpatrick聽in exchange for a first-round pick聽聽but that selection -- now the property of the聽聽-- could turn into a top-10 premium slot if the聽聽keep losing. Rudolph was a mixed bag in his first NFL start, but as the rest of this Ben Roethlisberger-less season wears on, the second-year pro will need more help from running back聽, who had聽聽that led to聽聽and is averaging just 2.9 yards per carry through three games.
Previous rank:**
We'll give the聽聽some credit: They were badly outplayed in the first half聽聽and were fortunate to be down just 14-0 at the break. But instead of packing it in, Cincinnati battled back in a tough road environment, reeling off 17 unanswered points to take the lead with five minutes to play. That's when Zac Taylor's defense needed to understand the gravity of the moment and lock down a vital first victory. Said gravity was not sensed. The unit allowed聽听蚕叠听Josh Allen聽to march down the field 78 yards on seven plays for the go-ahead touchdown. On the ensuing possession,听聽fired high with his team in striking distance,听聽by Buffalo'蝉听Tre'Davious White聽to seal the loss. 罢丑别听聽didn't execute when it mattered most, and their season is slipping away because of it.
Previous rank:**
聽summed it up nicely after the聽聽fell to 0-3. "We're trying to get it right, right now we're 0-3, living in聽." Sanders had a quiet game聽聽which made him pretty much like everyone not named聽聽on the Denver offense. Moving the ball downfield is聽hard work聽with 2019聽聽at the controls. Chunk plays are virtually non-existent, and every yard is earned during marathon marches that often lead nowhere. A flat offense is only part of the problem, however: Almost impossibly, a聽聽defense led by聽听补苍诲听聽is still looking for its first sack through three weeks. The unit did a nice job to hold聽聽and Co. to just 312 yards, but mere competence is not enough. This is a team built to win games by scores like 17-13, but right now, the D is simply not up to the challenge.
Previous rank:**
Three games in, it's become apparent that聽聽will not be taking the NFL by storm in 2019. That felt like a possibility, depending on who you listened to, in the weeks and months after Murray went No. 1 to the聽聽in the 2019聽. But the transition to the pro game has been bumpy for the former Oklahoma star. On Sunday聽聽Murray threw for 173 yards on 30 completions.听聽that is the lowest yardage total in a game for a QB with at least 30 completions in the聽聽era. Only seven of Murray's 43 passes traveled beyond 10 air yards. Only one of those was completed. It's on rookie coach Kliff Kingsbury to find ways to open up the Arizona attack to help his young passer. Getting some better protection would be a start: Murray was sacked eight times on Sunday.
Previous rank:**
罢丑别听聽Watch is on. Consider these facts as a case for turning to the first-round pick: 1) 罢丑别听聽fell to 0-3 with a lopsided Monday night聽home loss to the Bears. 2) Their veteran quarterback,听, accounted for five turnovers in the defeat. 3) A large percentage of fans at FedExField were rooting for the visiting team. Yep, the聽聽badly need a shot in the arm, and Haskins represents the most logical source. Of course, there is the question of whether Haskins has shown enough to warrant such a promotion, but coach Jay Gruden has reached Hail Mary territory for both the 2019 season and his own job security. And, wouldn't you know it, on Sunday聽the Redskins meet the New York Giants, who just saw their season take a turn for the relevant by promoting聽. I know聽聽about the need for continuity at QB, but seriously: What do you have to lose, Jay?
Previous rank:**
罢丑别听聽are comically inept on offense right now. Adam Gase's "attack" managed 105 total yards and nary a point聽聽falling to 0-3 in the process. The offense has now scored a grand total of three points in the聽' last nine quarters, outscored 14-11 by the defense this season. The continued absence of聽聽(mono) is obviously the biggest factor, but it's unfair to put all this dysfunction at the feet of poor聽Luke Falk, the team's third starting quarterback in as many weeks. Falk hasn't looked like an NFL passer, but the聽' offensive line as presently constituted is non-competitive in a way that would doom 1988 Joe Montana. Compounding matters has been Gase's stale and unimaginative play-calling. The only reason for optimism is聽聽following the Week 4 bye. Perhaps then Gang Green can get back to the business of being a competitive football team.
Previous rank:**
Week 3 brought modest progress. After a pair of humiliating home losses to open the season, the聽聽actually hung tough聽聽at Jerrah World, entering halftime trailing by just four points. Miami could have actually had the lead, had聽聽not dropped a slant pass inside the 10-yard line that would have gone for a touchdown with less than a minute to play. After a defensive holding penalty on Dallas set the聽聽up with a first-and-goal with 31 seconds left,听聽for a back-breaking turnover. The Fish were cooked after that.听Josh Rosen聽made his first start in Miami and provided an early spark, taking the offense inside Dallas territory on four different drives in the first half. Unfortunately, any signs of progress dried up in the second half, as the聽聽managed just 65 yards of total offense and zero points. If your organization chooses to jump into the tank, just know that you're going to get wet.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter .
[
