NFL Power Rankings Week 3: Updated Records, 2018-19 Super Bowl Odds

Things aren't close to settling after a chaotic opening two weeks to the 2018 NFL season, but fans continue to get a better idea of where things are headed. 

Week 2 didn't provide the balancing act some might have guessed, with the top two or three spots in the power rankings department getting completely shuffled around. Blame the emergence of elite players (Patrick Mahomes) and elite-looking teams (Jacksonville Jaguars) for the unexpected serving of chaos this season. 

As always, oddsmakers have to adapt the season-long lines on the fly as things develop. From a betting standpoint, the trick is figuring out where there are gaps in the adjustments and what to buy and sell from the early returns. 

Using a refreshed power rankings and the odds as a guide, a few bargains and must-avoids emerge.  

2018 NFL Power Rankings and Super Bowl Odds

Rank	Team (SB odds)
1	Kansas City Chiefs (30-1)
2	Los Angeles Rams (10-1)
3	Jacksonville Jaguars (22-1)
4	New England Patriots (13-2)
5	Minnesota Vikings (11-1)
6	Green Bay Packers (14-1)
7	Cincinnati Bengals (100-1)
8	Atlanta Falcons (20-1)
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers (80-1)
10	Dallas Cowboys (33-1)
11	Philadelphia Eagles (17-2)
12	Denver Broncos (40-1)
13	New Orleans Saints (16-1)
14	Carolina Panthers (35-1)
15	Tennessee Titans (45-1)
16	Seattle Seahawks (50-1)
17	Indianapolis Colts (65-1)
18	Pittsburgh Steelers (11-1)
19	Baltimore Ravens (55-1)
20	Houston Texans (16-1)
21	Washington Redskins (70-1)
22	Chicago Bears (100-1)
23	Los Angeles Chargers (24-1)
24	San Francisco 49ers (22-1)
25	New York Giants (45-1)
26	Oakland Raiders (35-1)
27	Detroit Lions (55-1)
28	Miami Dolphins (125-1)
29	Cleveland Browns (75-1)
30	New York Jets (175-1)
31	Buffalo Bills (100-1)
32	Arizona Cardinals (100-1)

Odds courtesy of OddsShark. 

NFL Standings

AFC

Miami Dolphins 2-0 
Cincinnati Bengals 2-0 
Jacksonville Jaguars 2-0 
Denver Broncos 2-0 
Kansas City Chiefs 2-0 
New York Jets 1-1 
New England Patriots 1-1 
Baltimore Ravens 1-1 
Indianapolis Colts 1-1
Tennessee Titans 1-1 
Los Angeles Chargers 1-1 
Buffalo Bills 0-2 
Pittsburgh Steelers 0-1-1
Cleveland Browns 0-1-1
Houston Texans 0-2 
Oakland Raiders 0-2 

NFC

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-0 
Los Angeles Rams 2-0 
Philadelphia Eagles 1-1 
Washington Redskins 1-1 
Dallas Cowboys 1-1 
Green Bay Packers 1-0-1
Minnesota Vikings 1-0-1
New Orleans Saints 1-1 
Atlanta Falcons 1-1
Carolina Panthers 1-1 
San Francisco 49ers 1-1
New York Giants 0-2 
Detroit Lions 0-2 
Chicago Bears 0-1 
Arizona Cardinals 0-2 
Seattle Seahawks 0-1 

Buy In: Jacksonville Jaguars (22-1)

Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

Buy stock in those Jaguars. It was easy to dismiss a Week 1, 20-15 road escape of a miserable New York Giants team. 

But good luck ignoring a 31-20 thumping of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Week 2.

There, Blake Bortles tossed four touchdowns and 377 yards with only one interception, all while his backfield didn't boast starter Leonard Fournette. His elite defense kept Tom Brady in check, limiting him to 234 yards and a pair of scores. 

Fournette wasn't the only major loss either: 

If the Jaguars are enduring these losses against a team like the Patriots, it's not unreasonable to expect them back in the AFC title game this year. 

That's looking way too far ahead, of course. But the AFC South looks like a mess with two teams at 1-1 and no viable threats and a supposedly upstart Houston Texans team around Deshaun Watson falling flat on its face out of the gates at 0-2. 

If these Jaguars can avoid suffering other major setbacks, they have an elite defense and balanced offense surrounding a quarterback in Bortles who doesn't deserve even a hint of the old criticism he used to get. 

These odds are going to move in a hurry, so bettors who want a steal should make a play. 

Forget About It: Detroit Lions (55-1)

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

So much for that. 

On paper, the Detroit Lions seemed to have it all figured out. They revitalized the running game with LeGarrette Blount and second-round pick Kerryon Johnson behind first-round pick Frank Ragnow and retained defensive centerpiece Ezekiel Ansah. 

Now the Lions are 0-2 with little chance of recovery. 

The Lions have looked downright lost over the course of the two losses, opening up at home with a 48-17 dud at the hands of the New York Jets and a rookie quarterback before taking the show on the road and suffering a 30-27 loss to the San Francisco 49rs. 

As is always the case, much of the blame falls on the quarterback. Matthew Stafford tossed three scores in San Francisco, but the box score doesn't tell the whole story: 

Despite having arguably the most talented wideout depth chart in the league, Stafford has four touchdowns and interceptions right now and the lack of a threat in this area has had a negative effect on the running game. 

The Lions are tallying sacks at a good pace with eight, but it's not helping the overall cause much. And that season-long outlook looks miserable now after an 0-2 start—especially considering the Lions could be dead(er) in the water after five games considering the next three are against New England, Dallas and Green Bay.  

Sleeper to Know: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (80-1)

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

It's hard to imagine many predicted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be 2-0 to start the season. 

Week 1 was a tough road game against a divisional rival in the New Orleans Saints and Week 2 was a visit from the Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles. Even worse, the Buccaneers were down starting quarterback Jameis Winston. 

Alas, the Buccaneers are the biggest surprise of 2018 so far after a 48-40 escape of New Orleans and a causal 27-21 dismissal of the Philadelphia Eagles. Through two games, backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has completed 78.7 percent of his passes with 819 yards and eight touchdowns against one interception. 

So yes, the Buccaneers are a superb sleeper pick. 

As a counterpoint, it's hard to be a sleeper with a quarterback dressing like this: 

Jokes aside, oddsmakers have been slow to adapt and it's a great thing for would-be bettors. 

Every other team in the NFC South is 1-1 and the Buccaneers already have a head-to-head win, with the rematch occuring at home. The Atlanta Falcons still mostly look lost on offense and the Carolina Panthers are already losing players like Greg Olsen. 

These Buccaneers have one of the best possible problems a team can have given the impending return of Winston. Add on an elite cast of weapons, well-playing offensive line and a capable defense and the Buccaneers might just have the juice to win the NFC South and make some noise.