NFL Power Rankings: Who Are the League's Top 15 Teams?

Even though we're just heading into Week 3 of the NFL season, teams are starting to separate themselves into the top and bottom of the power rankings.

Leading the league after two games is the New England Patriots, who have put up 1,126 total yards in their first two games and are averaging 36.5 points. They've beaten the division-rival Miami Dolphins and playoff-favorite San Diego Chargers handily in the last two weeks.

Going forward, the team will have to solve its problems in the secondary, but if the Patriots keep dominating opponents with their offense as they have in the first two weeks, they might be able to bury those problems for a few extra weeks.

Falling to No. 2 this week is the Green Bay Packers, who struggled to defeat the Cam Newton-led Carolina Panthers on Sunday. While the Packers pulled out the 30-23 win, they have significant issues on defense and injuries that need addressing.

This week's game against the Chicago Bears will prove to be a major test.

A team with no issues in its secondary is the Philadelphia Eagles, ranked third. They may struggle on offense this week should concussed quarterback Michael Vick not be healthy enough to play against the New York Giants, and considering the team is weak against the run, Giants running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs could tandem for a big game.

Though the Eagles lost their Week 2 contest against the Atlanta Falcons, they remained formidable even without Vick in the game and are dominant and talented enough to warrant their place in the top five.

The 14th- and 15th-ranked teams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills, respectively, are rising teams, yet for different reasons.

The Bills are advancing up the rankings with their explosive offensive attack and defensive front seven while the Buccaneers are playing solid, if not dynamic, football so far this season.

This will be a very telling week for the two teams, with both taking on division rivals—the Bills host the top-ranked Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons (ranked 11th after Week 2) head to Tampa. Should either squad win its game this week, look for that team to continue to move up the power rankings.

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