NFL Power Rankings takes stock of all 32 teams throughout the season.
This week, we check in on every team ahead of October.
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1. Buffalo Bills (3-0)
Previous rank: 1
The Bills didn't look like the NFL's best team while committing five turnovers Sunday against the Chargers, but they still came away with a victory. Early MVP contender Josh Allen once again found the end zone twice to keep Buffalo undefeated heading into October.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (3-0)
Previous rank: 3
Kansas City remains undefeated, and it's been a dream start to the season for Patrick Mahomes, Kenneth Walker III, and Travis Kelce. That said, the Chiefs' two most recent wins (over Indianapolis and Miami) were closer than they should've been. K.C.'s pass rush remains a big question mark; it ranks in the bottom 10 in pressures and sacks.
3. San Francisco 49ers (3-0)
Previous rank: 4
The injury bug keeps biting, yet the 49ers keep winning. Despite Nick Bosa going down in practice with a calf injury and Mike Evans and Trent Williams taking cart rides against the Cardinals, the Niners still put up 36 points in Week 3 and won their third consecutive game. Arizona isn't the best litmus test, but San Francisco is cruising nonetheless.
4. Baltimore Ravens (2-1)
Previous rank: 5
Jesse Minter's new defense hasn't yielded great results yet, but it won't matter most weeks when Lamar Jackson and the offense are humming the way they are. The two-time MVP is on pace to set career highs in passing yards, completion percentage, and yards per carry, while Derrick Henry is on track for another 1,700-yard rushing season at age 32.
5. Seattle Seahawks (2-1)
Previous rank: 2
A blip against the Commanders doesn't change much for the long-term outlook of the Seahawks, who shot themselves in the foot with a pick-6 and two other giveaways but still had a chance to win. Keep an eye on the running game, though: Jadarian Price's role got reduced after he fumbled for the second time in as many weeks, and there isn't much juice behind him with Zach Charbonnet still on injured reserve.
6. Denver Broncos (2-1)
Previous rank: 8
If the Broncos can figure out their slow starts, look out. Denver has scored just 10 total points in the first halves of its three games before coming out of the locker room and reminding everyone of its capabilities. The Broncos outscored the Jaguars and Rams by a combined 34 points in the second halves over the last two weeks. Statistically, this team hasn't been great yet, but the eye test and talent level tell you this is a Super Bowl contender.
7. Minnesota Vikings (3-0)
Previous rank: 11
Injuries have kept the Vikings from finding their flow offensively, but they've managed to stack wins regardless. Their biggest star in the early going might be Brian Flores, who's coordinating the league's No. 2 scoring defense despite having no clear franchise player on that side of the ball. Flores' philosophy is no secret: When in doubt, blitz.
8. Chicago Bears (2-1)
Previous rank: 9
After an uncharacteristically listless offensive performance last week, Ben Johnson's Bears put on a show on Monday Night Football to stun the Eagles with third-string quarterback Case Keenum under center. Also, Chicago's unproven defense has only allowed 16 total points in the past two games, another encouraging sign for a team that won't have starting QB Caleb Williams back potentially for another three weeks.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1)
Previous rank: 13
We'll see how wins over the Browns and Patriots age throughout the season, but you have to like what the Jaguars have done so far. They rank in the top 10 in points scored, points allowed, offensive EPA, and defensive EPA - and their kicker has the leg to blast 70-yard field goals at the end of halves.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)
Previous rank: 6
Jalen Hurts performed well enough to win close games to start the season, but he played poorly in a Monday Night Football loss to a Caleb Williams-less Bears. The defense is now something to watch, too. The Eagles are the league's only team without a takeaway through three weeks, and they have talent issues at safety that teams can pick on. Still in first place in the NFC East, Philadelphia now has a huge Week 4 bout ahead against the Rams.
11. Los Angeles Rams (1-2)
Previous rank: 7
A bad travel plan to Australia, significant injuries, a rusty Aaron Donald, and most recently a questionable fourth-quarter penalty on Sunday Night Football. It's not time to panic yet, but several factors have prevented the Rams from meeting the sky-high expectations around them. L.A. faces even more pressure in the next two weeks with heavyweight battles against the Eagles and Bills looming.
12. Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)
Previous rank: 12
Defensive concerns crept up again in Sunday's loss to the Steelers. Make it two games in the first three weeks in which the Bengals have allowed 27-plus points. The offense continues to cook, but it seems increasingly likely that Cincinnati's defense will be forced to rely on timely takeaways in the absence of an ability to generate old-fashioned stops.
13. Detroit Lions (2-1)
Previous rank: 17
Jahmyr Gibbs has carried the Lions by scoring six touchdowns in three games while recording a league-high 83 touches. But it's difficult to imagine Detroit keeping up with stronger NFC contenders without fixing its defensive problems, notably in the secondary. The team has allowed 31.7 points per game, the worst mark in the NFL.
14. Las Vegas Raiders (3-0)
Previous rank: 20
Can the Raiders actually dream about making the playoffs? It's still early, but not even their biggest fan could've predicted a start to the season that matches the club's 2025 win total. Las Vegas' latest triumph came against a pesky Saints team that had just beaten the Ravens. Klint Kubiak is an early Coach of the Year front-runner, and Kirk Cousins has played some of his best football in years.
15. New England Patriots (1-2)
Previous rank: 10
Mike Vrabel sounded the alarm after Sunday's blowout loss to the Jaguars - and for good reason. Drake Maye has a mind-boggling 1-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio and has already equaled his turnover total from last season when he finished second in MVP voting. The Patriots have to get him back on track before their season goes off the rails.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1)
Previous rank: 21
Was Sunday's exciting win more about Pittsburgh's offense figuring things out or Cincinnati's defense not being great? Somewhere in the middle are head coach Mike McCarthy's changes to the right side of the offensive line, which paid off immediately. The Aaron Rodgers-led offense will eventually have to challenge stronger defenses, but watching the four-time MVP outduel younger star quarterback Joe Burrow at age 42 was a treat for NFL fans.
17. New York Giants (2-1)
Previous rank: 18
It wasn't pretty, but the Giants got the job done Sunday against the Titans to move to 2-1, and they have a golden opportunity to make it 3-1 when they face the Cardinals. Staying above .500 over the course of the season will be tough without Jaxson Dart, though. That is, unless the newly acquired J.J. McCarthy can realize his potential in New York after flaming out with Minnesota.
18. Dallas Cowboys (1-2)
Previous rank: 15
The Cowboys' new-look defense may not be as bad as last year's unit on paper, but it does rank dead last in defensive EPA/play again. Dallas doesn't necessarily need its defensive unit to be elite, but if it doesn't show some improvement soon, this season will end up being pretty similar to the team's underachieving 2025 campaign.
19. New Orleans Saints (1-2)
Previous rank: 19
The Saints finally have a good offense again, and now their defense is struggling. After years of the opposite mostly being true, New Orleans has allowed more than 30 points in two of its first three games. Tyler Shough isn't blameless - he had three turnovers in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Raiders - but by and large, he continues to show signs of a franchise quarterback.
20. Washington Commanders (1-2)
Previous rank: 26
The Commanders gave themselves life with Sunday's huge win over the Seahawks, staving off a dubious 0-3 start by defeating the reigning champs without Jayden Daniels - and without virtually any production from their run game. Now they must carry that momentum overseas, where they'll take on the Colts in London.
21. Indianapolis Colts (1-2)
Previous rank: 25
In unconvincing fashion, the Colts claimed a big divisional win over the Texans to snap a nine-game regular-season skid dating back to Nov. 9, 2025. But Indianapolis will need improvement from quarterback Daniel Jones and its offensive line to avoid another lengthy losing streak this year.
22. Houston Texans (0-3)
Previous rank: 14
The Texans started 0-3 last year before winning 12 of their next 14 games to make the playoffs, so they've been down this road before. This time feels different, though. Houston's defense hasn't been the dominant force it was last season, the rushing attack has somehow gotten even worse, and C.J. Stroud looks lost despite playing turnover-free football.
23. Green Bay Packers (1-2)
Previous rank: 16
Green Bay's offensive line, run game, and defense are all in complete shambles, leaving Jordan Love to shoulder way too much of the load. Were it not for a late comeback against the Jets in Week 2, the Packers would be 0-3 for the first time since 2005.
24. Cleveland Browns (2-1)
Previous rank: 29
It's no surprise that the AFC North remains one of the NFL's most competitive divisions, but it's shocking that the Browns won two of their first three games. Were they convincing wins? Not really; Tampa Bay and Carolina are a combined 1-5 this season. But Cleveland's upcoming rivalry meeting with Pittsburgh on Thursday just got a lot more interesting.
25. Carolina Panthers (1-2)
Previous rank: 22
Carolina's much-maligned defense from a year ago is still one of the NFL's worst units, even with marquee free agents Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd largely doing their parts. And the going has gotten tougher, with top corner Jaycee Horn potentially out for the season due to a major quad injury. The Panthers will need their offense to carry them, so they better hope their low-scoring Week 3 loss to the Browns was a mirage.
26. Atlanta Falcons (1-2)
Previous rank: 32
Let's not jump the gun and declare that the Falcons have solved all of their problems just because they blew out a flawed Packers team on a short week. But the presence of Michael Penix Jr. undoubtedly helped elevate Atlanta's offensive floor by putting star skill-position cornerstones Bijan Robinson and Drake London in position to be difference-makers. That's the blueprint for Kevin Stefanski's outfit to be competitive.
27. Arizona Cardinals (1-2)
Previous rank: 23
Arizona has managed to look competitive, with Jacoby Brissett offering functional quarterback play and skill players such as Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, and Jeremiyah Love helping him out. It still feels like a matter of time before the wheels fall off, though. From Weeks 4-11, The Cardinals' only opponents with a losing record are the Cowboys and - wait for it - the Rams.
28. Los Angeles Chargers (0-3)
Previous rank: 24
The Mike McDaniel-Justin Herbert partnership hasn't gone according to plan, as the Chargers have scored 16 or fewer points in all three games. Meanwhile, Herbert is on track to post the worst statistical season of his career. Los Angeles' upcoming schedule does the duo no favors, as the Bolts face the Seahawks, Broncos, and Chiefs in October.
29. New York Jets (1-2)
Previous rank: 28
An optimist would say the Jets were a play or two away from defeating the Packers and Lions over the last two weeks. A pessimist would point out their all-too-familiar inability to get over the hump in close games. And let's be honest, a realist would side with the pessimist.
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3)
Previous rank: 27
Thanks to the rest of the NFC South's inconsistency, the Buccaneers are only one game out of first place in the division. But with Baker Mayfield expected to miss at least three weeks because of a dislocated thumb, climbing the standings feels more like climbing a mountain. Tampa Bay has lost 13 of its last 15 games dating back to last season.
31. Tennessee Titans (0-3)
Previous rank: 30
The Titans spent an NFL-high $318 million on 20 free agents in the offseason, but they still don't have a single win to show for it. Cam Ward looks no better than he did as a rookie, with his hideous game-sealing interception against the Giants summing up the overall state of Tennessee's offense.
32. Miami Dolphins (0-3)
Previous rank: 31
The Dolphins' season has gone from bad to worse with the news that star running back De'Von Achane will miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL. Where, oh where, will points come from in this offense? Miami hasn't led - never mind won - a game all year, and that may not change for a while.
