NFL Power Rankings Week 3: Latest 2014 Standings and Reaction for All 32 Teams

With two weeks already in the books in the 2014 NFL season, it should suffice to say the current league standings don't exactly resemble what we expected by the end of the preseason. After a bevy of surprising finishes, injuries to marquee players and roller-coaster performances, this season is already just a shadow of a shadow of what we experienced in 2013.

While the league's standings have been shaken up tremendously, so have the NFL's Week 3 power rankings. Some franchises have proved to be better than advertised to this point, and others simply seem to be underachieving. With that in mind, some formerly heralded playoff contenders are now in the bottom half of these rankings. Conversely, we have a few surprises near the top.

Here's a look at the league's standings through two weeks of action, followed by updated NFL power rankings.

AFC
NFC
AFC East	Record	Pct.	PF	PA
Buffalo Bills	2-0	1.000	52	30
Miami Dolphins	1-1	.500	43	49
New York Jets	1-1	.500	43	45
New England Patriots	1-1	.500	50	40
AFC North	Record	Pct.	PF	PA
Cincinnati Bengals	2-0	1.000	47	26
Baltimore Ravens	1-1	.500	42	29
Pittsburgh Steelers	1-1	.500	36	53
Cleveland Browns	1-1	.500	53	54
AFC West	Record	Pct.	PF	PA
Denver Broncos	2-0	1.000	55	41
San Diego Chargers	1-1	.500	47	39
Oakland Raiders	0-2	.000	28	49
Kansas City Chiefs	0-2	.000	27	50
AFC South	Record	Pct.	PF	PA
Houston Texans	2-0	1.000	47	20
Tennessee Titans	1-1	.500	36	36
Jacksonville Jaguars	0-2	.000	27	75
Indianapolis Colts	0-2	.000	51	61
NFC East	Record	Pct.	PF	PA
Philadelphia Eagles	2-0	1.000	64	44
Washington Redskins	1-1	.500	47	27
Dallas Cowboys	1-1	.500	43	38
New York Giants	0-2	.000	28	60
NFC North	Record	Pct.	PF	PA
Chicago Bears	1-1	.500	48	43
Minnesota Vikings	1-1	.500	41	36
Detroit Lions	1-1	.500	42	38
Green Bay Packers	1-1	.500	47	60
NFC West	Record	Pct.	PF	PA
Arizona Cardinals	2-0	1.000	43	31
Seattle Seahawks	1-1	.500	57	46
San Francisco 49ers	1-1	.500	48	45
St. Louis Rams	1-1	.500	25	51
NFC South	Record	Pct.	PF	PA
Carolina Panthers	2-0	1.000	44	21
Atlanta Falcons	1-1	.500	47	58
New Orleans Saints	0-2	.000	58	63
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	0-2	.000	31	39

Week 3 Power Rankings

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

After beginning the season with a 17-0 first-half lead over the Philadelphia Eagles, the Jaguars have quickly come back down to earth. After blowing that Week 1 contest, they followed it up by getting trounced by the Kirk Cousins-led Washington Redskins.

NFL Insider Ian Rapoport tweeted another issue for Jacksonville following its second loss of the season:

Chad Henne isn't the answer at quarterback, but we already knew that. Toby Gerhart doesn't appear capable of becoming a featured back, and the team's defense has more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese.

Is it time for Blake Bortles?

31. Oakland Raiders

Oakland hung in there in Week 1 against the New York Jets but began to collapse in Week 2, allowing 188 rushing yards to the Houston Texans offense and failing to gain any kind of significant offensive momentum until late in the game.

This is a team that's very much in flux. The Raiders will have to be patient with rookie Derek Carr under center and allow him to grow as an NFL signal-caller.

30. New York Giants

The Giants were pummeled in back-to-back games to begin the season. After being torched by the Detroit Lions in Week 1, they lost once again to an Arizona Cardinals squad that was forced to start Drew Stanton at the helm.

While the defense allowing Stanton and Co. to rack up points was bad enough, Eli Manning continued to make poor decisions, and the offense had very little running game to speak of. If this is what we can expect from the Giants at home, it could be a very long season under head coach Tom Coughlin.

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers began the season losing to a Carolina Panthers team led by Derek Anderson. They followed that up with another loss—this time to the St. Louis Rams featuring Austin Davis under center. Back-to-back losses to backup quarterbacks don't bode well for a defense that was expected to be vastly improved.

On the offensive side of the ball, Josh McCown appears to have been a one-year wonder, as he doesn't remotely resemble what the quarterback he was in Chicago last season. Ira Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune tweeted his thoughts:

All is not lost, however, as this team could be in line to acquire a top-tier talent like Marcus Mariota via the draft once the season ends.

28. St. Louis Rams

After being decimated in Week 1 by the Minnesota Vikings, the Rams bounced back nicely in Week 2, winning their first game of the season. Davis performed admirably under center, and although the team struggled in the red zone, kicker Greg Zuerlein put up enough points to get the win.

With a shaky quarterback situation and a running game that continues to struggle, this team won't put up enough points to generate an abundance of wins this year. Like the Buccaneers, the Rams should be expected to hit the quarterback market after the regular season.

27. Kansas City Chiefs

Sure, this may seem a little low for Kansas City despite its 0-2 record. After being trounced by the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, the team was resilient against the dangerous Denver Broncos. Unfortunately, running back Jamaal Charles was lost in the process to a high ankle sprain, according to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star.

If he misses a significant amount of time, the Chiefs could find themselves in a big hole rather quickly due to the fact that quarterback Alex Smith hasn't proved capable of carrying an offense on his own—especially with limited talent in the wide receiver corps.

26. New York Jets

After fending off the Raiders in Week 1, the Jets appeared to look legit early in their Week 2 contest against the Green Bay Packers, leading by a score of 21-3 in the second quarter. Unfortunately, the team couldn't keep up its momentum, eventually losing to Aaron Rodgers and Co. by a score of 31-24.

The team's most troubling takeaways from Week 2 were its inability to defend against the pass—the secondary allowed 346 yards through the air—and its struggles on the ground; the offense averaged just 3.0 yards per carry. If these trends keep up, New York will be forced to rely far too much on the arm of quarterback Geno Smith.

25. Washington Redskins

Washington defeated the Jaguars decisively in Week 2; however, the team suffered significant losses along the way. Quarterback Robert Griffin III and wide receiver DeSean Jackson were removed from the game with injuries. There's no timetable on Griffin's return from his ankle injury, according to John Keim of ESPN.com, and Jackson is considered day-to-day with a sprained shoulder, via Mike Jones of The Washington Post.

Kirk Cousins looked very good in relief; however, he's produced various results in regular-season performances. ESPN Stats and Info tweeted the quarterback's rating in the regular season:

We'll have to see if he can keep up his current momentum against a defense that is capable of defending against the pass.

24. New Orleans Saints

The Saints were on the wrong end of one of the most shocking upsets in Week 2, losing by a score of 26-24 to the Cleveland Browns. New Orleans suffered a tough overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, and after another down-to-the wire finish, the team suddenly finds itself at 0-2.

While Drew Brees and the Saints offense still look prolific, the stout defense from a year ago has yet to show up. There's certainly enough talent in New Orleans to right the ship and jolt up the standings; however, the proof is in the pudding.

23. Indianapolis Colts

Yes, no one expected the Colts to be ranked 23rd in the league early in the season. However, the team has currently dug itself into a huge hole with a record of 0-2. While the offense has been steady, the defense has struggled in a big way.

The Colts gave up 31 points to Denver in Week 1, which was almost expected given what the Broncos accomplished just a year ago. But then Indianapolis followed that performance up with a meltdown against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.

Philadelphia scored 30 points and gained a total of 458 yards of offense, torching the Colts defense both through the air and on the ground. This lack of defense saw Indianapolis give up a 14-point lead near the end of the third quarter on Monday. That's not a recipe for success.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh barely squeezed past the Browns in Week 1, and that's the sole reason why it is ranked just above the Saints. The Steelers were pummeled by division rival Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, losing by a score of 26-6.

The Steelers have become far too pass heavy on the offensive side of the ball and have struggled to defend against the run in two consecutive contests. That's not the way to win games in a very tough, highly contested AFC North.

21. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons looked as advertised in Week 1, defeating the New Orleans Saints in an overtime thriller. However, just as quarterback Matt Ryan looked phenomenal against a porous Saints defense out of the gate, he looked equally as terrible against the Cincinnati Bengals, tossing three interceptions in Week 2.

Aside from Ryan's struggles, the team failed to pressure Andy Dalton in any significant manner, allowing the Bengals to rip off 472 total yards of offense and rack up 24 points in the process. This team has talent but needs to find consistency before moving further up the rankings.

20. Green Bay Packers

It took Rodgers about one-and-a-half games to find his groove, but he finally started looking in form against the Jets on Sunday. He has a great rapport with Jordy Nelson, who racked up 209 yards and a score in New York. However, Green Bay's offense isn't the cause for concern here.

Through two games, the Packers have given up a total of 60 points. While Green Bay's offense can be one of the league's most prolific, it's a bit much to ask Rodgers and Co. to put up more than 30 points each week to earn a win. This defense really needs to get it together quickly.

19. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings looked great in Week 1, trouncing the Rams by a score of 34-6. However, the tables were turned in Week 2, as the team lost badly against the visiting New England Patriots. Quarterback Matt Cassel regressed, tossing four interceptions without the presence of Adrian Peterson in the backfield. Matt Asiata looked decent as a backfield replacement but didn't have near the same effect.

Expect Minnesota to improve with Peterson back in the fold in Week 3; however, it's a little discomforting to know the offensive success hinges on the production of just one player.

18. Cleveland Browns

Cleveland has been a big surprise this season. The team mounted a solid comeback against the Steelers in Week 1, falling short by just three points. In Week 2, the Browns stood up against the Saints, winning on a last-second field goal to move to 1-1 on the season.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh knows his team can't overlook Cleveland:

Brian Hoyer hasn't been overly impressive, but he's been solid to this point. He's complemented nicely by a youthful running game and an improved secondary. One thing Cleveland must improve is its run defense—it allowed 174 yards on just 27 carries to the Saints on Sunday.

17. Tennessee Titans

While the Titans looked great in their Week 1 victory over the Chiefs, they looked equally as bad in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. Quarterback Jake Locker regressed against a porous Dallas secondary, and the team relied far too heavily on the quarterback despite the presence of a viable running game.

On the defensive side of the ball, a once-stout front seven suddenly allowed 220 yards on the ground to DeMarco Murray and Co. on Sunday. This allowed Dallas' time of possession to reach an excess of 41 minutes. It's hard to win games when your offense isn't on the field.

16. Detroit Lions

Detroit looked great in Week 1 against the Giants; however, things took a turn for the worse against the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. A less-than-healthy Cam Newton was very efficient through the air with his vastly changed wide receiver corps. While Matthew Stafford was effective as well, turnovers were a big issue for Detroit.

This Lions are a little difficult to figure out at the moment. While the offense looks prolific at times and the defense is stepping up against the run, turnovers and inconsistency are Detroit's current Achilles' heels.

15. Dallas Cowboys

On Sunday, the Cowboys appeared to find an offensive recipe for success—the main ingredient was the running game. By showcasing Murray and Co. on the ground, the team took the ball out of Tony Romo's hands, and as a result, the Cowboys only committed one turnover.

This strategy worked out well for the team's defense. With the running game keeping the Dallas offense on the field for 41 minutes, the defense has less opportunities to be exposed. Now that this game plan has been seen by the rest of the league, we'll see if Dallas can keep up the momentum.

14. Miami Dolphins

Miami is a rather perplexing team so far this season. After a convincing win over the Patriots in Week 1, the Dolphins couldn't generate points against a stout Buffalo Bills defense on Sunday. This team's offense remains rather vanilla, and with explosive running back Knowshon Moreno expected to miss at least four weeks with a dislocated elbow, according to Josh Apler of Pro Football Talk, adjustments will be necessary.

This team will need to see further improvement from quarterback Ryan Tannehill to remain in contention in a difficult AFC East.

13. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens lost a close one against the Bengals in Week 1 but rallied in Week 2, defeating another division rival decisively. With the Ravens leaning more toward the run against the Steelers, their offense looked far more efficient. Using Joe Flacco more as a game manager limited turnovers and won the time-of-possession battle.

If Baltimore can continue to find success with the strategy it showed on Thursday, it could begin to make a quick move up the rankings.

12. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers looked ready to cruise to a 2-0 start to the 2013 season on Sunday night. However, that was before the complete collapse of both the offense and defense. After completely dominating early and jumping out to a 17-0 lead, things fell apart quickly.

Jay Cutler tossed four touchdowns, while Colin Kaepernick threw three picks en route to a turn of events that led to a 28-20 Chicago victory. Scott Kacsmar of Football Outsiders tweeted another issue for San Francisco on Sunday:

This is still a very talented team; however, its performance in the second half of Sunday night's contest is rather concerning going forward.

11. Chicago Bears

After losing to a very good Bills team in Week 1, the Bears appeared headed for an 0-2 start after falling behind early to the 49ers on Sunday night. Cutler remained resilient, and wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall showed why they're one of the league's most formidable duos, as Chicago surged to win by an eight-point margin.

The team still has some work to do on the defensive side of the ball, as an abundance of turnovers shouldn't be expected on a weekly basis; however, significant strides were made in Week 2.

10. New England Patriots

The Patriots may have made the biggest turnaround of any NFL team in Week 2. After falling to Miami, Tom Brady and Co. rallied to earn an impressive road victory against the Vikings on Sunday. Relying heavily on the running game, the Patriots racked up 150 yards on the ground, while Julian Edelman provided a change of pace through the air.

Defensively, the team was even more impressive. It only allowed a total of 217 yards, recorded four interceptions and six sacks and added a blocked field goal that was returned for a touchdown. The Patriots proved to be a very well-balanced team on Sunday, and that's a scary thought going forward.

9. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks thrive in front of their home crowd; however, they have been rather inconsistent when on the road. That fact reared its ugly head once again on Sunday, as the team was defeated by the San Diego Chargers by a score of 30-21.

Seattle's offense was unable to remain on the field, tallying a time of possession of just 17 minutes, 45 seconds. Meanwhile, the team was mostly stout on defense but couldn't find an answer for Antonio Gates. The Seahawks are still wildly talented but will need to win on the road to move back up the rankings.

8. San Diego Chargers

The Chargers may be the best 1-1 team in the league right now. After losing by a single point to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1, San Diego was very impressive, notching a win against the Seahawks on Sunday. Head coach Mike McCoy's offense was as prolific as ever through the air against one of the league's top defenses.

ESPN Stats and Info noted exactly how impressive the win was in Week 2:

One thing that must be monitored going forward is the absence of running back Ryan Mathews. He left Sunday's contest with an apparent sprained MCL, according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport (h/t NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal), and could miss up to five weeks.

7. Houston Texans

After a dismal 2013, the Texans are a big surprise early in the season. Riding its running game and a stout defense, Houston is winning games the old-fashioned way—with hard-nosed football. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is managing games nicely, leaving the bulk of the workload for Arian Foster. J.J. Watt and the team's defense have held opponents to just 20 points through two games.

A 2-0 start earned the Texans a favorable ranking, and the team can improve its standing even further, as it is set to face the struggling Giants in Week 3.

6. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals didn't even need quarterback Carson Palmer on the field to notch its second consecutive win of the 2014 season. While the offense wasn't overly effective—it totaled just 266 yards—the Cardinals relied on tough defensive play and turnovers to defeat the Giants.

It's still uncertain when Palmer will return to action, according to Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic, and with difficult matchups coming up against the 49ers and Broncos, the team will want him back in the fold quickly.

5. Buffalo Bills

Don't sleep on the Bills anymore this season. After defeating the Bears in Week 1, they turned right around to notch a victory over the Dolphins in Week 2. EJ Manuel continues to improve at the quarterback position—the addition of Sammy Watkins is already paying dividends—and the now-healthy C.J. Spiller returned to form against Miami.

What's most impressive about this team is its defense. The Bills allowed just 10 points and 290 yards to a Dolphins offense that torched the Patriots just one week prior. Buffalo's pass rush got to Tannehill four times, and the team forced two turnovers. This is a very well-rounded squad that's deserving of a top-five ranking.

4. Philadelphia Eagles

Watch out for the Eagles. This team showed a great amount of resilience though two games, coming back strong after a Week 1 deficit of 17 points and accomplishing a similar feat on Monday by defeating the Colts—in Indianapolis—after being down by 14.

This offense continues to be one of the best in the league, totaling 458 yards against the Colts. It's scary to think the addition of Darren Sproles could actually make this team even more prolific, but that may be the case after watching him light up the Colts for 152 receiving yards on Monday night.

The only thing holding Philadelphia back at the moment is its defense. If the Eagles can find a pass rush at some point this season, they will be a very scary team.

3. Carolina Panthers

Speaking of surprise teams, the Panthers have produced 44 total points through two games despite the significant changes at the wide receiver position. Newton returned to action in Week 2 and delivered immediately, completing 22 of his 34 attempts for 281 yards and a score. When he's fully recovered from his rib injury, expect his production to improve even further.

The Panthers are as solid as ever on the defensive side of the ball, allowing a total of just 21 points through two games. Capable of defending both against the run and the pass effectively, this team looks ready to make yet another playoff appearance this season.

2. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals could possibly be the deepest team in the NFL. On Sunday, they torched the Falcons for 472 total yards without the services of A.J. Green. Dalton has yet to throw a pick this season and has displayed a level of efficiency not seen before from the quarterback. The two-headed monster out of the backfield featuring Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill accounted for a total of 265 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday.

Cincinnati's defense has been solid across the board. The red-hot Ryan was picked off three times and sacked twice by this unit in Week 2, as he passed for just 231 yards for a rating of 48.6.

Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer gave his take on the team's Week 2 performance:

This is a very complete team that should be expected to rack up the wins once again this season.

1. Denver Broncos

Here we go again. The Broncos are sitting pretty atop the rankings with a 2-0 record to begin the season. Peyton Manning has picked up right where he left off from a season ago, tossing six touchdown passes without throwing an interception through two games.

SportsNation tweeted its thoughts on Manning's continued success:

Defensively, Denver has shown significant improvements from a season ago. After some key offseason additions, the team has gained more toughness. That was well on display on Sunday, as the team's goal-line stand prevented Kansas City from evening the game late in the fourth quarter.

We'll find out what this team is made of in Week 3, as a rematch against the Super Bowl champion Seahawks—in Seattle—looms on the horizon.