NFL Power Rankings 2016: Examining Pecking Order After Week 3 of Preseason

NFL teams have completed their "dress rehearsals" and are ready to start the 2016 season.

Week 3 of the preseason is considered the most accurate depiction of each team before the games actually matter. It's important to remember that the preseason games don't count, so records and statistics can be thrown away, but this is the best look we will have of each franchise heading into the regular season.

There will still be plenty of surprises—both good and bad—over the course of the year, but here are power rankings of the 32 teams as we approach Week 1. 

Rank	Team	2015 Record
1	Carolina Panthers	15-1
2	Arizona Cardinals	13-3
3	New England Patriots	12-4
4	Green Bay Packers	10-6
5	Seattle Seahawks	10-6
6	Cincinnati Bengals	12-4
7	Pittsburgh Steelers	10-6
8	Denver Broncos	12-4
9	Kansas City Chiefs	11-5
10	Oakland Raiders	7-9
11	Houston Texans	9-7
12	New York Giants	6-10
13	Washington Redskins	9-7
14	Minnesota Vikings	11-5
15	New York Jets	10-6
16	Buffalo Bills	8-8
17	Baltimore Ravens	5-11
18	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	6-10
19	Indianapolis Colts	8-8
20	Jacksonville Jaguars	5-11
21	Dallas Cowboys	4-12
22	Atlanta Falcons	8-8
23	Detroit Lions	7-9
24	New Orleans Saints	7-9
25	Miami Dolphins	6-10
26	Los Angeles Rams	7-9
27	Philadelphia Eagles	7-9
28	Chicago Bears	6-10
29	San Diego Chargers	4-12
30	Tennessee Titans	3-13
31	San Francisco 49ers	5-11
32	Cleveland Browns	3-13

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Oakland Raiders

Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images

As I already stated, records don't necessarily mean much in the preseason. That means Oakland Raiders fans shouldn't be all that concerned about the 1-2 start that includes a recent loss to the Tennessee Titans.

What should be exciting is the recent play of running back DeAndre Washington, who appears likely to play a major role in the backfield alongside Latavius Murray. They should complement the solid passing attack that stars Derek Carr and Amari Cooper.

Head coach Jack Del Rio explained the improvements Carr has made heading into his third season, per Kyle Martin of the Raiders' official website:

"

Really happy with the way Derek Carr has shown command of the offense. The other night, I thought the whole world got a little glimpse of it. I feel like watching him conduct himself in meetings throughout the offseason and the way he’s taken charge. We’ve given him more freedom in the offense and he’s really taken that and done a great job with it. (He’s) super prepared and the timing on some of the throws and the decision making and those things.

"

As he continues to develop both mentally and physically, this offense could turn into one of the best in the NFL.

Add in young stars on the defensive side of the ball, and this squad should be a legitimate playoff contender in 2016.

New York Giants

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Two things held back the New York Giants last season: game management and defense.

The organization made a change at head coach by promoting Ben McAdoo and made a great deal of upgrades to the defense through the draft and free agency. Most notably, Olivier Vernon signed an $85 million deal to provide a much-needed boost to the pass rush.

As Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News noted, the early returns in the preseason have been good:

According to Pro Football Focus, Vernon led all edge-rushers with 30 quarterback hits last season. His impact—along with Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple and others—should help improve a defense that ranked third-worst in the league with 27.6 points allowed per game.

While the offense hasn't been great in the preseason, there are fewer concerns about a unit that ranked sixth in the NFL with 26.3 points scored per game.

As long as Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. remain healthy, this will be a dynamic squad that should have a much better year than last one.

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Indianapolis Colts

Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Andrew Luck is back and healthy...for now.

As Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star said, the offensive line is one of a few major concerns for the Indianapolis Colts so far in the preseason:

According to Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star, the Colts chose to take Luck out of the third preseason game because of concerns about the offensive line. With offensive guard Jack Mewhort expected to miss time with a knee injury, the unit isn't going to get any better by the start of the season.

Whether it's the preseason or regular season, Luck could be in serious danger every time he drops back for a pass.

Meanwhile, there are question marks on the defensive side of the ball as well, as few upgrades were made to a roster that was wildly inconsistent a year ago. Even in a weak AFC South, the Colts could struggle to contend.

Chicago Bears

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

It's difficult to get excited about the Chicago Bears offense this season.

Alshon Jeffery is still an elite receiver when he is healthy, and Kevin White could be an impact player after missing his rookie year because of injury. However, Jay Cutler is who he is at this point and hasn't inspired much confidence this preseason. The offense will also be without former regulars Matt Forte and Martellus Bennett.

Getting younger is a good thing, but Jeremy Langford has done little to show he can adequately replace Forte in the backfield.

Chicago scored zero points in the first three quarters against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3 of the preseason, something that could become a familiar sight over the course of the year.

The team made upgrades on the defensive side of the ball, but it won't be enough to prevent another long season for the Bears.

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