NFL: Power-Ranking All 32 Teams After 3 Weeks

The NFL season is only three weeks old, but we are already starting to get an idea of which teams are contenders, and which teams should start planning vacations for January. Let's get right to it and power-rank all of the teams to this point.

*All stats via NFL.com unless otherwise noted

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3)

No surprises here. The Jags rank last in the league in terms of total offense and rushing defense. They have been outscored 92-28. Why can't they just sign Tim Tebow already and give their fans SOMETHING to get excited about?

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3)

The problems started right away for the Bucs when a terrible personal foul penalty set the Jets up for the game-winning field goal in Week 1. Stories then surfaced about coach Greg Schiano rigging the captaincy vote against quarterback Josh Freeman.

Naturally, Schiano denied the report. Freeman has now been benched in favor of rookie Mike Glennon. This team is a mess.

30. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-3)

After losing center Maurkice Pouncey for the year in the season opener, the Steelers have sputtered on offense thus far. They rank 28th in total offense and 31st in rushing, managing only 51.7 yards per game on the ground. The team plans to have rookie Le'Veon Bell back for the trip to London this week, but one rookie runner can't solve all of the offensive problems in Pittsburgh.

29. New York Giants (0-3)

It's hard to believe Eli Manning and company hoisted the Lombardi Trophy less than two years ago. This year's Giants rank last in rushing offense (44.3 ypg) and turnover margin (minus-9). Manning has already thrown eight interceptions this year to just five touchdowns, and stories like this don't bode well for the rest of the season.

28. Minnesota Vikings (0-3)   

27. Washington Redskins (0-3)

These two teams were a veritable toss-up, but the edge went to the 'Skins because the teams in their division are a combined 3-9. Also, a not-fully-healthy Robert Griffin III is still a better option under center than Christian Ponder.  Washington's defense has been dreadful (488 ypg, last in the league), but they can't be ranked behind a team that just lost at home to a team starting Brian Hoyer at quarterback.

26. Oakland Raiders (1-2)

Finally, we've made it to teams that have gotten a win! Unfortunately for the Silver and Black, their only win came against the lowly Jaguars, so this is as high as they can go. Also, Terrelle Pryor still isn't practicing after suffering a concussion Monday, so Matt Flynn will likely get the nod if Pryor has to miss any time.

25. Cleveland Browns (1-2)

After trading Trent Richardson and going with Hoyer over Jason Campbell after Brandon Weeden went down, the Browns seemed to be going into full-on tank mode. However, the team looked surprisingly competent against the Vikings on Sunday. Getting Josh Gordon back from suspension was a big boost to the offense.

Jordan Cameron looks like a legitimate weapon at tight end, and caught more touchdowns Sunday than he had in his entire career until that point. But a team quarterbacked by Brian Hoyer can only go so far.

24. San Diego Chargers (1-2)

The Chargers sport the NFL's second-worst defense (470.7 ypg) and have blown two leads in the fourth quarter already. These are not very encouraging signs for a team that still has to play the Broncos and Chiefs twice as well as the Dolphins, Bengals and Cowboys.

23. Carolina Panthers (1-2)

Despite having the NFL's second-ranked rushing offense, the Panthers have staggered to a 1-2 start with their only win coming against the struggling Giants. They may have been able to beat the Bills in Week 2, but coach Ron Rivera decided against going for it on a 4th-and-1 late in the fourth quarter. Carolina settled for a field goal, and Buffalo scored the game-winning touchdown with two seconds left.

You would expect the second-best rushing offense to be able to get one yard to win the game. Decisions like this by Rivera will continue to hold the Panthers back.

22. Buffalo Bills (1-2)

The Bills have been decimated by injuries across the defense, most notably those to cornerback Stephon Gilmore and All-Pro safety Jairus Byrd. This has caused Buffalo to be ranked 28th in the league in total defense.

However, the Bills have been in every game thus far, and their two losses are by a combined nine points. Their fifth-ranked rushing offense (135 ypg) and a promising start by rookie signal-caller EJ Manuel still leave hope for improvement.

21. Arizona Cardinals (1-2)

There could be a case for the Cardinals to have potential, but they unfortunately share a division with the 49ers and Seahawks. Carson Palmer is an upgrade at quarterback, but averaging only 6.7 yards per completion with three touchdowns and four picks with Larry Fitzgerald on your team is concerning.

20. St. Louis Rams (1-2)

If the Rams had any semblance of a running game, they might be able to make some noise. However, they only manage 57 rushing yards per game—ahead of only the Jaguars, Steelers and Giants. With two touchdowns so far, rookie receiver Tavon Austin is proving he could be a solid weapon for Sam Bradford. Austin's 6.6 yards per catch leaves a little to be desired, though.

19. Detroit Lions (2-1)

Yes, the Lions offense could be explosive this year with Reggie Bush and Calvin Johnson, but don't let the early winning record fool you. The combined record of Lions opponents so far is 1-8.

18. New York Jets (2-1)

Heading into the season, who would have thought the Jets would ever be ranked in the top 20 of anyone's power rankings? With the league's third-ranked defense and an impressive start by rookie Geno Smith, the J-E-T-S could give teams some trouble this year.

17. Tennessee Titans (2-1)

Like the Jets, the Titans were a team few expected to make much noise this year. However, Jake Locker has yet to throw an interception and the defense is ranked in the top 10 in the league. An improved offensive line should help Chris Johnson in the run game, and if Locker continues to play well, the Titans could hang around in their division.

16. Philadelphia Eagles (1-2)

While Chip Kelly's offense has been running at break-neck speeds, the defense has been downright awful. The Eagles have given up 438.3 yard per game so far, good for third-worst in the league. The speed at which the offense runs could cause the defense to wear out even more as the season progresses.

And the more plays Philly runs, the more opportunities there are for Mike Vick to get hurt. Did you know he has only played one full season in his career? And that was all the way back in 2006.

15. San Francisco 49ers (1-2)

Losing Aldon Smith is a huge blow to the 'Niners defense. Besides having a big game in Week 1, Colin Kaepernick has struggled. Ditto for Anquan Boldin. The 49ers still have a strong defense and the best offensive line in football, but it could be tough sledding from here for the Super Bowl runners-up.

14. Indianapolis Colts (2-1)

The team that just laid the smack-down on the 49ers earns a spot ahead of them in the rankings. The addition of Trent Richardson could be a huge boost for an offense that was giving the bulk of the carries to Ahmad Bradshaw. And the Colts still have that Luck fellow, right?

13. New England Patriots (3-0)

New England's three wins so far have come against the Bills, Jets and Bucs. Not exactly a murderer's row. Therefore, the Pats can't be ranked any higher than this. If they go down and win Sunday night in Atlanta, then we'll talk.

12. Houston Texans (2-1)

Despite a poor showing against the Baltimore Ravens, the Texans still sport the NFL's second-best defense, led by reigning Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt.

Arian Foster and Ben Tate are a formidable duo in the backfield and rookie DeAndre Hopkins has been playing well alongside Andre Johnson. However, this team can only go as far as Matt Schaub can take them. So far in Schaub's career, that hasn't proved to be that far.

11. Baltimore Ravens (2-1)

The defending Super Bowl champs seem to have taken a step back. Joe Flacco has returned to earth after his inhuman run through the playoffs last year, and the defense is missing the leadership of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. The offense isn't as potent after losing Anquan Boldin to a trade and Dennis Pitta to injury. As the unquestioned leader of the team now, Flacco will be relied upon to carry the team through its title defense.

10. Green Bay Packers (1-2)

9. Atlanta Falcons (1-2)

I know what you're thinking. "How can you have two 1-2 teams in your top 10? You're a hack!" You might be right, but hear me out. Both of these teams still have elite quarterbacks.

Injuries have played a part in Green Bay's slow start. Both of Atlanta's losses have come against teams that have yet to be ranked here. And finally, both of these teams possess high-quality talent in the passing game, which will pay dividends in today's pass-happy NFL.

8. Dallas Cowboys (2-1)

The Cowboys are off to a good start as usual, but this year they might actually have some staying power. For one thing, their division is terrible. That always helps (just ask a Patriots fan). They also have plenty of weapons on offense with Tony Romo, Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray. If Romo can perform consistently for the whole season, the NFC East crown is the Cowboys' to lose.

7. Miami Dolphins (3-0)

The Dolphins have to be the league's biggest surprise so far. Ryan Tannehill has played extremely well, posting 827 yards, four touchdowns and a 94.3 rating. The one thing that could hold Miami back is its lack of a consistent run game. The Dolphins rank 28th in the league and are averaging just over 70 yards per game on the ground. If Tannehill keeps playing at a high level, the Dolphins have a real chance to end New England's run of dominance in the AFC East.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)

The Bengals gave up 30 straight points to the Packers in Week 3, yet still managed to come back and win. A victory like that will give any team confidence they can win no matter the deficit. The emergence of rookie Giovani Bernard gives the Bengals offense some balance to go along with A.J. Green outside. If Andy Dalton takes his game to the next level, watch out.

5. Kansas City Chiefs (3-0)

What a difference a year makes. The Chiefs brought in Andy Reid and Alex Smith, and a team that was  2-14 last year suddenly looks like a legitimate playoff contender. With Jamaal Charles toting the rock, and a defense with a league-leading 15 sacks through three games, the Chiefs are for real.

4. Chicago Bears (3-0)

Here is another team that benefited from an offseason coaching change. Marc Trestman has injected new life into Jay Cutler, who is completing 67.3 percent of his passes so far. The defense hasn't been great in terms of yardage, but the Bears have five interceptions and six recovered fumbles. They have also returned two picks and one fumble for touchdowns, both tops in the league.

3. New Orleans Saints (3-0)

Something tells me the Saints are glad to have Sean Payton back. The offense in New Orleans is as potent as ever with Drew Brees chucking it all over the field. The defense is what is really surprising, though. After a historically bad season last year, the Saints D ranks fourth in the league so far this year. If they can carry that throughout the rest of the season, the Saints will be a serious threat.

2. Seattle Seahawks (3-0)

Seattle boasts both the NFL's best defense and best home-field advantage. Seriously, the crowd during the 49ers game was the loudest ever. The Seahawks are just about as complete as a team gets. Once Percy Harvin returns from injury, the offense will hit another level. There is only one man keeping this team from the top spot in the most powerful of power rankings...

1. Denver Broncos (3-0)

Peyton Manning. What else needs to be said? With 1,143 yards, 12 touchdowns, no picks and a 134.7 rating, the guy is playing the position as well as it can be played. The Broncos defense isn't spectacular, but it doesn't have to be since the offense is so potent.

Manning and his crew can put up 35 without breaking a sweat. In today's NFL, good offense trumps good defense, so the Broncos get the nod over the Seahawks.

Agree with the rankings? Maybe not so much? Be sure to sound off and make the case for your team in the comments below!