Ranking Most Disappointing Teams After Week 3 of 2023 NFL Season

The beginning of every new NFL season brings a fresh outlook, renewed optimism and hope for the future.

My, how quickly things can change.

Through just three weekends of the 2023 campaign, a handful of teams have performed well below expectations.

That concept can be a subjective topic—which is certainly true in this ranking, one largely based on my own preseason beliefs. For example, I'm not surprised the Carolina Panthers are 0-3 or that the New York Giants have flailed offensively on a bumpy path to 1-2.

Relativity is also important to remember; the Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals are not held to the same standard. They are, nonetheless, both disappointing teams in their own ways so far.

The story of the 2023 season is not yet written for these five teams. But the narrative clearly isn't a positive one so far.

5. Chicago Bears

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KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 24: Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) is caught between Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna (51) and Chicago Bears offensive tackle Larry Borom (75) during the second half on September 24th, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Wins? No, I didn't expect many of those for the Chicago Bears. But, you guys, a little competence, please.

Chicago saw a bright future for Justin Fields—who legitimately played well to close the 2022 season—and made plenty of cost-effective moves in the offseason. The roster, on paper, had noticeably improved.

Through three weeks, however, the Bears have looked more on the level of a junior varsity-type NFL team.

They fell 38-20 to the rival Green Bay Packers in Jordan Love's first game as the full-time starter. Atrocious. They mustered 236 yards in a 27-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gross. They watched the Kansas City Chiefs run away in a 41-10 laugher. Embarrassing.

Not convincing enough? Consider that the Denver Broncos, fresh off a 50-point loss to the Miami Dolphins, opened as a 2.5-point favorite against the Bears for a Week 4 game in Chicago.

Throw in the news of defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigning and the mini-controversy of Fields wondering about coaching, and the Bears are an absolute mess.

Seven wins seemed like an ambitious, yet attainable, number for Chicago. At this point, that would be a dream finish.

4. Denver Broncos

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Vance Joseph and Sean Payton

In a word: Yikes.

Denver began the 2023 season with losses to the Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders. Didn't love it. But, hey, at least Las Vegas and Washington won by a combined three points.

Giving up 70 points, however, erases the optimism of "progress might be right around the corner" for the Broncos, you know?

Entering the year, DraftKings assigned an 8.5-win total—for any non-gambler, that's the over/under—to the Broncos. That number has tumbled to 5.5, the lowest in the AFC West.

The bright side is that Denver heads to Chicago, then hosts the New York Jets during the next two weeks. Despite that terrible day in South Florida, the Broncos may improve to 2-3. However, two matchups with the Chiefs and a clash with the Packers are on the slate before an idle Week 9—and the Buffalo Bills are on the opposite side of that off weekend.

Denver's fringe postseason hopes are already just a dream.

3. New York Jets

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Zach Wilson

In the greatest Captain Obvious statement imaginable: Context matters when talking about the Jets.

Aaron Rodgers logged exactly four snaps before a torn Achilles ended his debut season in New York. The moment his diagnosis became official, the Jets' aspirations of earning any meaningful success vanished.

But they're not a threatening team.

Zach Wilson has averaged a measly 5.6 yards per pass attempt, and the rushing attack has mustered a tick below three yards per carry outside of Breece Hall's 83-yard scamper—and that possession, in fitting fashion, only resulted in a field goal anyway.

The defense hasn't been a weakness, yet the Jets followed an upset over the Bills (five sacks and four interceptions) with one sack and zero takeaways in losses to the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots.

It's not getting better soon, either. New York plays the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles in Weeks 4 and 6, respectively.

2. Cincinnati Bengals

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Joe Burrow

Since the Cincinnati Bengals opened the 2022 season with two losses, another 0-2 start wasn't reason for panic.

The greater concern was how lifeless the offense looked against the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens. Joe Burrow completed a modest 56.9 percent of his 72 attempts at a ghastly 4.2 yards per throw, and Ja'Marr Chase reeled in 10 passes for just 70 yards.

On the bright side, the Bengals scored a 19-16 victory in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams—and Chase even smashed his previous numbers with 12 catches for 141 yards.

Still, it wasn't a convincing day.

Burrow, dealing with a nagging calf injury, mustered 5.3 yards per attempt in the win. Cincinnati barely surpassed 300 offensive yards and leaned more on a terrific defensive effort.

There's no doubt the Bengals have plenty of talent, but a subpar offense would significantly hold them back.

1. Minnesota Vikings

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Kirk Cousins

Like many others, I expected the Minnesota Vikings to experience some regression to the mean after posting a record-setting 11-0 mark in one-score margins last season.

This, however, is a straight-up mathematical butt-kicking.

Minnesota has fallen to Tampa (20-17), Philadelphia (34-28) and the Los Angeles Chargers (28-24). And the Kirk Cousins-led scoring attack hasn't helped out an average-at-best defense.

After the Bucs took a late fourth-quarter lead, the Vikings went three-and-out on what would be their last possession. The offense committed four turnovers against Philly and wasted a clutch turnover on downs from the defense in the final two minutes of the loss to Los Angeles. Minnesota already has nine giveaways this season.

Yes, it's too early to write off the Vikings in an NFC North that's waiting to see if the Detroit Lions are actually good. Green Bay is 2-1 but has plenty to prove offensively, too.

History is not on Minnesota's side, though. Only five NFL teams have ever started 0-3 and made the playoffs.