NFL Power Rankings

My current NFL Power Rankings.

I’m going to use these rankings as the order for my 2019 NFL Mock Draft during the 2018 draft season. Follow @walterfootball.

I’ve gone from WORST to FIRST, so if you don’t see reverse numbering (via Javascript), don’t worry; the Browns and Colts aren’t my top teams.

Updated: Sept. 25

San Francisco 49ers (1-2) – Previously: 13.
Ouch. The 49ers are done. They’re saying stuff like, “We’re rallying behind C.J. Beathard,” but Jimmy Garoppolo was the only reason they were remotely competitive. Their offensive line sucks, and their defense is worse. They may not win two more games this year.

Arizona Cardinals (0-3) – Previously: 31.
Maybe I’m off on this, but Josh Rosen is never going to be a good quarterback if he shrugs off an interception on the sideline like he did versus the Bears. It was as if his parents’ servants fed him the wrong type of caviar. The concern with Rosen entering the 2018 NFL Draft was that he lacks a passion for football, and his body language certainly showed that. But again, maybe I’m off. We’ll see.

Buffalo Bills (1-2) – Previously: 32.
Josh Allen still has a long way to go in his development, but it was nice to see him get a win, especially as a huge underdog. Of course, I say this as someone who was already knocked out in a Survivor Pool, so I wasn’t victimized by Minnesota like millions of people around the country were.

At any rate, I’m still skeptical that the Bills can win many games this year. The Vikings were flat and didn’t show up, so Buffalo took advantage. The Bills still can’t block, and they have issues in their back seven. Plus, Allen will have growing pains. He’s raw with very high upside, so he’ll be prone to major ups and downs. As I’ve said before, Buffalo fans need to stay patient with him.

Oakland Raiders (0-3) – Previously: 28.
If NFL games were 30 minutes long, the Raiders would be 3-0 right now. Unfortunately, they have zero depth on their roster, especially on defense, so they just wear down the stretch each week, like clockwork. They need to battle another team whose coach trades his best defensive players. I don’t know when such a game will occur, but when it does, the Raiders might just get a win.

Detroit Lions (1-2) – Previously: 30.
My wife, who was watching some movie downstairs, walked into my office during the fourth quarter of the Sunday night game. She looked at the score and said, “Wow, how did that happen?” I didn’t have an answer for her. I didn’t know.

The Lions may have beaten the Patriots, but I’m not a believer yet. I distinctly remember Jay Cutler beating the Patriots on national TV last year, and then Miami fell flat on its face the rest of the year after that. Detroit’s defense is still atrocious, and future opponents will take advantage of it.

New York Jets (1-2) – Previously: 26.
The Jets will forever be known as the team that allowed the Browns to win after 635 days of losing. They only have themselves to blame, as they failed to put the Browns away when Tyrod Taylor had the offense durdling around and not doing anything. And what happened to Sam Darnold, by the way? Why’s he not taking shots downfield? Josh McCown did this last year, and yet the No. 3 overall pick can’t?

New York Giants (1-2) – Previously: 29.
The Giants beat a dumb, poorly coached team, as their dynamic weapons looked terrific. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the victory could hurt New York’s chances of landing Justin Herbert, the consensus top quarterback for the 2019 NFL Draft at the moment. I actually had the Giants selecting Herbert in my 2019 NFL Mock Draft. Will he be there come Wednesday’s update? Umm… I don’t know, I was asking you! I guess we’ll find out Wednesday.

Indianapolis Colts (1-2) – Previously: 24.
Andrew Luck’s YPA has declined each week this season, but I wouldn’t say he’s getting worse. Each defense he’s battled has been tougher, so it’s understandable why his numbers would decline. I would expect Luck to bounce back versus the disappointing Texans in Week 4, especially if Anthony Castonzo can finally return from injury.

Houston Texans (0-3) – Previously: 18.
Last week, I wrote the following:

Bill O’Brien is the worst head coach in the NFL: Change my mind.

O’Brien is always out-coached and out-schemed. His players constantly make mental blunders, even when they’re not playing (nice going, Jadeveon Clowney.) His players are never in the correct position to prevent stupid things like fake punt touchdowns. He has no respect of the players in the locker room. He ousted all the non-“yes” men in the front office. He hasn’t shown any signs that he’s developing Deshaun Watson, who has regressed this season. He lost to Blaine freaking Gabbert. He must be fired as soon as possible.

Change my mind.

No one has changed my mind. In fact, Charlie Campbell strengthened my argument with this tweet:

The accuracy issues that you saw in Deshaun Watson’s last year at Clemson have reared up in all three games this season. Bill O’Brien is failing epically in developing a young franchise QB.

At 0-3, the Texans really must consider firing O’Brien before he does more damage to Watson’s career.

Seattle Seahawks (1-2) – Previously: 27.
I’m not moving the Seahawks up very much for their win over Dallas. Sure, Seattle is much better with Bobby Wagner back in the lineup, but it sounds like Earl Thomas will be dealt. Unless, of course, he complains about something else like a stuffy nose or his time of the month.

Denver Broncos (2-1) – Previously: 20.
What in the world happened to Denver’s defense? I get allowing an occasional deep pass to someone named W. Dissly because Russell Wilson is so great, but to see Derek Carr go nearly flawless with just three incompletions, and then having Baltimore convert 8-of-16 third downs has to be unacceptable. I was under the impression that all Case Keenum needed to do was be average to give the Broncos a chance to go deep into the playoffs, but that’s definitely not the case based on how disappointing Denver’s stop unit has been.

Dallas Cowboys (1-2) – Previously: 21.
I was going to list the Cowboys as an underrated team before Sean Lee’s injury. In fact, I did a write-up:

Everyone is trashing the Cowboys on national TV in the wake of their loss to the Seahawks. However, the loss was an expected one. The Seahawks, at 0-2, were desperate, and they tend to play very well at home. They were also getting Bobby Wagner back from injury, so they weren’t as bad as they looked Monday night.

The Cowboys meanwhile, have a stagnant passing attack, but they have a lot of things going for them. They have Ezekiel Elliott and a stellar front seven, so they can run the ball and play great defense. They’ll be competitive in many games this year, so I’m willing to excuse their most recent defeat.

None of this applies any longer with Lee out for several weeks.

Miami Dolphins (3-0) – Previously: 25.
When I placed my 35:1 bet on the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl at the Rio, I was talking to the guy at the counter who happened to be a Dolphins fan. He was depressed about his team, but I told him that the Dolphins could start 2-0 because, “It’ll be too hot for the Titans in Week 1, and then the Jets will be looking ahead to their Thursday night game in Week 2.” I gave him my card, so hopefully he remembers that and becomes a frequent visitor of the site!

I wrote this last week, and I’m posting it again as proof that I expected the Dolphins to begin 2-0 – and really, 3-0 because I picked them to beat the Raiders – and so I have a built-in excuse for not listing them highly despite their 3-0 start.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) – Previously: 17.
Ryan Fitzpatrick is on pace to throw for 6,560 yards and 58 touchdowns this season. Not too shabby. As I wrote last week, Fitzpatrick is not going to relinquish the starting job until he struggles mightily. I think the Buccaneers want Jameis Winston to almost earn the job back, as just handing him the reins following the conclusion of the suspension would send a bad sign to the rest of the team. Besides, how can the Buccaneers put an end to the magic that Fitzpatrick currently has right now? I’m pretty sure Fitzpatrick has sold his soul for this, so that would be a waste.

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1-1) – Previously: 19.
Overrated NFL Team: See why the Steelers are an overrated NFL team in our new Overrated-Underrated page.

Tennessee Titans (2-1) – Previously: 22.
While Bill O’Brien is the worst head coach in the NFL – aside from perhaps Jason Garrett – Mike Vrabel might quickly be establishing himself as perhaps the best in the AFC South. Vrabel has stolen two victories with an injured or absent Marcus Mariota. This is huge, as Tennessee easily could be 0-3 right now. Once Mariota becomes healthy again, the two wins – over divisional opponents, no less – will surely be huge as Tennessee makes a push to win the AFC South.

Cleveland Browns (1-1-1) – Previously: 23.
I’m not someone who believes the Browns should’ve been 2-0 heading into Thursday night. They needed a Steeler meltdown and a Joe Haden injury to tie in Week 1, and the Saints made so many mistakes in the opening half the following Sunday. Cleveland easily could’ve been 0-2. That said, I can totally buy the assertion that the Browns would be 2-0 had they started Baker Mayfield both games. You have to wonder what the hell Hue Jackson was thinking, given that he’s seen both Taylor and Mayfield in practice every day.

By the way, speaking of Taylor, I have to believe that there’s no way he was going back on the field had he not suffered a concussion. If that was the case, I imagine the conversation went something like this…

Team Trainer: Tyrod, are you feeling OK?

Tyrod Taylor: Sure, I’m fine.

Team Trainer: What’d you say? Your head hurts?

Tyrod Taylor: No, I said I’m OK.

Team Trainer: Lights are too bright? Can’t see? Do you know your name?

Tyrod Taylor: Tyrod Taylor.

Team Trainer: You think you’re Batman? I’ll tell Hue you have a concussion. Feel better, Batman.

Washington Redskins (2-1) – Previously: 16.
I’ve been listing the Redskins as underrated, but in the wake of their victory over the Packers, the NFL Network analysts were opining that they are the best team in the NFC East. I guess Washington’s not so underrated anymore! The Redskins have a good chance to win the division for sure, especially if the Eagles’ complacency continues to linger. At the same token, the Redskins also have a good chance to be one-and-done in the playoffs, based on Alex Smith’s history.

Los Angeles Chargers (1-2) – Previously: 9.
Hey, Philip Rivers, couldn’t you throw a back-door touchdown at the end? Please? Hey, Derwin James, can you not run out at the 1-yard line after intercepting a pass in the end zone? Please? Hey, Keenan Allen, can you not lose a fumble in the red zone? Please? Hey, Austin Ekeler, can you not fumble the ball while reaching for a first down in the red zone? Please? Hey, Cal Sturgis, can you not miss an extra point? Please? Hey, defense, can you come up with just one stop without relying on a Rams turnover? Please?

If you can’t tell, I have PTSD from the Chargers’ loss to the Rams, as there was a chance the game could’ve had a margin of fewer than seven points. Then again, the defense was atrocious, so maybe not. What I do know is that the stop unit will improve once Joey Bosa and Corey Liuget return to the lineup, whenever that may be.

Carolina Panthers (2-1) – Previously: 15.
Despite the offensive line woes the Panthers have sustained this year, they’re still 2-1, coming off an impressive victory over the Bengals. They began the afternoon very flat, but picked up their play as the afternoon progressed. Guard Trai Turner will return soon from a concussion, while linebacker Thomas Davis is due back in a couple of weeks, so things are looking up for Carolina.

Atlanta Falcons (1-2) – Previously: 12.
Overrated NFL Team: See why the Falcons are an overrated NFL team in our new Overrated-Underrated page.

Chicago Bears (2-1) – Previously: 10.
Underrated NFL Team: See why the Bears are an underrated NFL team in our new Overrated-Underrated page.

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) – Previously: 8.
Is everyone still thinking the Jaguars have established control of the AFC because of their win over the Patriots? Welp, they lost, and Detroit beat New England at home in similar fashion, and the Lions didn’t even need ridiculous 100-degree conditions to make it happen.

Blake Bortles sucks. I really don’t want another Jaguar fan defending him in the comment board ever again. He really sucks. Oh, and leave it to fellow first-round bust Dante Fowler to upgrade Tennessee’s quarterbacking situation by injuring Blaine Gabbert, Nice going.

Baltimore Ravens (2-1) – Previously: 14.
I think Baltimore’s win over Denver was way more impressive than people realize. The Ravens were missing their best defensive player, C.J. Mosley, whose absence allowed Andy Dalton to dissect the Baltimore defense in Week 2. I expected the Broncos to have more success versus Baltimore because of Mosley’s absence, but the Ravens clamped down on him. Keenum beat the Ravens last year, so it was nice that Baltimore was able to get some revenge.

Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) – Previously: 11.
Underrated NFL Team: See why the Bengals are an underrated NFL team in our new Overrated-Underrated page.

Minnesota Vikings (1-1-1) – Previously: 6.
Underrated NFL Team: See why the Vikings are an underrated NFL team in our new Overrated-Underrated page.

Green Bay Packers (1-1-1) – Previously: 4.
If there’s a silver lining to the Packers’ loss to the Redskins, it’s that Clay Matthews’ penalized hit on a quarterback didn’t decide the result of the game. Here’s my suggestion to Clay: Bring a pillow with you on the field, and lay it down on the ground for the quarterback to land on. Maybe you won’t be flagged then. Maybe.

Aaron Rodgers didn’t look right versus the Redskins, but let’s not forget how terrific he was against 2-1 Chicago in an epic comeback in the season opener. Rodgers may not be himself, but I wouldn’t count him out just yet.

New Orleans Saints (2-1) – Previously: 7.
Drew Brees was brilliant, but how about the Saints’ defense? Sure, they allowed 37 points, but look at this CBS graphic:

Holding Atlanta to a third-and-86 was quite impressive!

Seriously though, I’m confused about why the Saints haven’t been able to match their defensive intensity from last year. They didn’t really lose anyone, and they added a dynamic pass rusher, so they should be better.

Los Angeles Rams (3-0) – Previously: 5.
Overrated NFL Team: See why the Rams are an overrated NFL team in our new Overrated-Underrated page.

New England Patriots (1-2) – Previously: 1.
Things certainly aren’t looking good in New England…

However, we’ve seen this before. The media has declared the Patriots dead before, and New England will once again prove everyone wrong. Once Trey Flowers, Josh Gordon and Julian Edelman return, New England will be much better.

Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) – Previously: 3.
I may have lost five units on the Chiefs, but I was glad to see them improve to 3-0 because I have them at 35:1 odds to win the Super Bowl. And yes, I’m going to keep mentioning that every week as long as Kansas City keeps winning.

Once again, the defense is a concern, but it’ll improve once Eric Berry begins playing. Besides, who needs defense when you have, as a Facebook friend said, an Andy Reid-constructed cyborg at quarterback?

Philadelphia Eagles (2-1) – Previously: 2.
I debated listing the Eagles as overrated because they’ve been so sloppy and complacent in two of their three games. I decided not to because Philadelphia has the most talent in the NFL, so the team should be better once it presumably gets more focused as the year progresses, and players like Alshon Jeffery and Jay Ajayi return from injury. Also, Carson Wentz will upgrade his play each week as his knee gets healthier. The December Eagles will be much better than the version we’ve seen now.