Opinions are beginning to change around the NFL. With some rust shaken off, teams are starting to show their true colours, previewing what the remainder of the season could look like. Regardless of some teams’ records, the landscape of football remains in flux after a slate of games that saw some teams lose but still look strong.
1 – Philadelphia Eagles
Another close game for the defending champs, the Eagles carried on from what they did best in their previous game against the Cowboys: play lockdown defence. This was capped off by rookie Andrew Mukuba’s late-game heroics covering Travis Kelce. Saquon Barkley looked electric as always, totaling 22 carries accompanied by some clutch rushing that ultimately helped the Birds grab the win. Credit Phillys kicker Jake Elliott for some crucial points down the stretch, off a 58 and a 51-yard field goal that ended up being the difference maker. Despite not dominating a flustered Chiefs team, the Eagles remain the top team in the NFL — even if it’s because of champions’ bias.
2 – Buffalo Bills
It’s a good sign when your MVP quarterback has a mediocre game and the team still wins by 20 points. Right out of the gate, Josh Allen looked unlike himself. Suffering a major blow to his nose mid-game, it didn’t look like things were going to get any better for Buffalo until the run game began to heat up. James Cook opened the season as one of the best running backs in the league, torching the Jets with two touchdowns — one off a 44-yard drive. Regardless of New York’s shaky offence, the Bills’ defence looked stellar, holding the Jets to just 10 points following a brutal game defensively against Baltimore. Spirits remain high for Bills Mafia and, as long as Josh Allen doesn’t break a bone, it looks like the dude can play through anything.
3 – Baltimore Ravens
After a tough loss to the Bills, Baltimore bounced back in a tight game, yet one that felt like the Ravens had in the bag the whole time. When the fourth quarter rolled around, it was go time for the Ravens. As a collective, the Ravens put on a dominant final frame, filled with forced turnovers, huge passes from Lamar Jackson and some luck. Minus the huge deficit, this game played out as a rerun of their week one matchup with the Bills, except this time the Ravens were the ones firing on all cylinders in the fourth. Some little mistakes were made here and there but nothing out of the ordinary for a second-week game. Jackson still looks like a top three quarterback in the league. If he continues to pass the ball like he is now, there’s no telling how far his team can go.
4 – Green Bay Packers
As it stands, everything is sunshine and rainbows in Wisconsin after the Packers snuffed out the Washington Commanders in another defensive masterclass. Despite Jordan Love throwing for 292 yards, Micah Parsons was yet again the standout after a dominant game that left the Commanders’ offence looking lost half of the time. Love still had a great game and aside from a few shaky plays like last week, he held it together throughout most of the game. Despite a few injuries, the team heads to Cleveland to face a tail spinning Browns team that the Packers historically dismantle.
5 – Los Angeles Chargers
It’s no surprise the Chargers have one of the best defences in the league. Geno Smith may be up there in age, however, anytime you pick a quarterback three different times in one game, it says something about your defence. Applying constant pressure to the Raiders’ offence, L.A. looked like they were on a mission against Las Vegas, holding them to just nine points. Justin Herbert continues to prove why he’s one of the most reliable quarterbacks in the league. Aside from one near costly mistake down the stretch, Herbert dished out two touchdown passes when the Bolts needed it most. Minus a few interesting decisions from the coaches, the Chargers played a mostly solid game, especially after losing Khalil Mack early on.
6 – Los Angeles Rams
Staying in the area, the Rams shook off what looked like a disastrous first half to come back and beat the Titans. Even though the numbers may not tell the tale, the eye test showed how dominant the Rams’ defence was from the first quarter to the last. Joey Slye had his work cut out for him, kicking four field goals — none under 35 yards. Eyes were on Matthew Stafford for his incredible second half where he willed the Rams’ offence out of a slump, torching Tennessee’s defence each possession. If the Rams can manage to pull off a major upset against the Eagles next game, teams are going to have to start taking notice.
7 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It sure wasn’t pretty but the Bucs managed to squeeze out a victory against Houston in an absolute rock fight. In a game filled with back-and-forth plays, the Texans looked like they were destined to win after a blocked punt sent fans into a frenzy. As it seems to be the deciding factor for each team on this list, the defence came through in the clutch, holding off the Texans late in the fourth quarter. Baker Mayfield came into the game a little worse for wear, and it showed. In his defence, Mayfield did battle throughout the entire game. Getting sacked numerous times, the quarterback pushed through in the end, delivering some crucial passes that led to some scores. It’s still not clear whether this team has it all figured out after more injuries set back their defence moving forward and an offence that stagnated in both of its first games. The Bucs remain at the top of their division, with the Jets visiting them on Sept. 21. If they can pull off a clean win against New York, opinions could sway in a very positive direction.
8 – Detroit Lions
Blink and you may have thought the 2024 Lions were playing in their week 2 beatdown of the Chicago Bears. D-Town started the game hot and never cooled down, backed by monster performances from receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. The two receivers combined for 223 yards and four touchdowns in what seemed like two players just getting what they wanted at will. All questions were thrown out the window about their tired-looking offence last week, as Jared Goff put together an efficient outing where he passed for 334 yards on 23 out of 28 attempts. As the run game began to cook for the Lions, the receiving game opened, allowing Goff to play as freely as he wanted. If the offence continues to play at this level moving forward, you could expect a scary Lions team that repeats what they did in last year’s regular season.
9 – Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes has his work cut out for him. The first 0-2 team to appear on the top ten list has major concerns over their lack of a sustainable offence. If week one was a fluke, then the Super Bowl rematch against the Eagles was expected. It’s never a good idea to overreact to the Chiefs, especially just two games into the season, while facing slight adversity. Yes, the offence is bordering on shambles territory, but the defence looked incredibly different from what it did in their previous game. There’s not much to say about Kansas City; this slow start could be seen as a blur if they manage to pick things up in the next few games, as they usually do.
10 – Washington Commanders
Rounding out the top ten are the Washington Commanders, who look like they could be facing some major issues moving forward. After suffering their first loss to the Packers, questions began to arise about what this offensive line could really do. Jayden Daniels was on the cusp of being sacked almost every possession, not being able to get any type of flow on offence throughout the entire game. After suffering a knee sprain, his availability is looking suspicious moving forward. If this team can overcome some hurdles and fix a brutal offensive line, there’s no question they can easily compete for a playoff spot. As of week three, there’s no doubt that this team still has a lot to prove, especially in a division with the defending champs.