This Season Looks Different

Unscripted NFL Power Rankings
2015 Week 3

On the bubble:

16. Panthers, 15. Chargers, 14. Jets

13. Bills, 12. Eagles, 11. Ravens

The Top 10:

10. Kansas City Chiefs (1-1)

Last Week: 9th

Best Ranking: 9th (Week 2)

On top of the list of things for the Kansas City Chiefs to improve this season was explosive offensive plays. So far, so good in that area for the Chiefs through their first two games. The Chiefs are tied for ninth in runs of 10 yards or more and passes of 20 yards or more with 14. They jumped out to a 14-0 lead last week against Denver with the aid of an explosive play, a 34-yard touchdown run by Jamaal Charles. They wound up getting beat because of five poorly timed turnovers, but how many big plays would they have made if they had been able to hold on to the ball better than they did? - Adam Teicher

9. Indianapolis Colts (0-2)

Last Week: 7th

Best Ranking: 2nd (Week 1)

Lost amid the turnovers, Andrew Luck’s continued struggles throwing the ball, and coach Chuck Pagano’s obvious frustration was the play of the Indianapolis Colts defense in their loss to the New York Jets on Monday. Even though the Colts were without two of their top three cornerbacks, and lost their top cornerback to a concussion late in the first half, the scored remained 10-7 until there was about 10 minutes left in the game. The Colts gave up only 227 yards through the first three quarters when it was a three-point game. But it turned out to be a waste, because the offense couldn’t do its part by putting points on the scoreboard. - Mike Wells 

8. Dallas Cowboys (2-0)
Last Week: 5th
Best Ranking: 4th (Free Agency)

A 12-yard scramble by Tony Romo is the Dallas Cowboys' second-longest run this season. No joke. The Cowboys will need to get so much more from their running game over the next 8-10 weeks while Romo recovers from a broken left collarbone. The best way to make backup quarterbacks Matt Cassell and Brandon Weeden comfortable is to create manageable third-down situations, and the way to do that is to have success running the ball on first and second down. The 'Boys need a return to last season when they were second in the NFL in first-down rushing offense at 5.07 yards per carry; that average so far this year is 3.41. - Jean-Jacques Taylor 

7. Cincinnati Bengals (2-0)

Last Week: 10th

Best Ranking: 7th (Week 3)

The Cincinnati Bengals have an 8-4 combined record through their first three games of each of Andy Dalton's first four seasons in the league. That works to a 66.7 winning percentage. If the Bengals win Sunday's game at Baltimore to go 3-0, that percentage increases to 73.3 percent. Alternatively, in Weeks 4-17 of Dalton's first four seasons, the Bengals have a 62.5 winning percentage. As those seasons wore on, his teams wore down just a bit. But if the receivers and running backs can stay healthy, perhaps Dalton's typical fast start can extend a little deeper into this season. - Coley Harvey 

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1)

Last Week: 12th
Best Ranking: 6th (Week 3)

DeAngelo Williams scored three touchdowns Sunday and has been a valuable asset for the Pittsburgh Steelers while Le'Veon Bell served his two-game suspension. Williams has been a big part of a much-heralded offense that appears to be finding its rhythm, led by the dangerous combination of Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown. But change is coming; change for the better. Bell, one of the best all-around backs in the league, returns this week as the Steelers prepare to play the Rams in St. Louis, and Martavis Bryant will return in Week 5. A potent offense might be about to get much stronger. - Matt Williamson

5. Denver Broncos (2-0)

Last Week: 4th

Best Ranking: 4th (Week 2, 1,

Preseason, Post-Draft)

With the Broncos set to make their second consecutive prime-time appearance -- this time Sunday night in Detroit -- the quest to complete big plays on offense is still underway. The Broncos talked about it after their season-opening win over Baltimore as well as after their late-game heroics for the win in Kansas City. Against defenses that are crowding the short and intermediate routes and blitzing Manning more than ever -- on 43 percent of his pass attempts in the first two games -- Manning has just 14 completions longer than 10 yards and four of those came on the game-tying drive in the closing minutes in Arrowhead Stadium. - Jeff Legwold 

4. Arizona Cardinals (2-0)

Last Week: 6th
Best Ranking: 4th (Week 3)

This isn’t last season's Arizona Cardinals' offense. A year ago, defenses would drop six or seven into coverage, begging the Cardinals to run. But there was one problem with Arizona’s offense in 2014: It couldn’t run the ball, averaging a league-low 3.29 yards per carry. That changed this season, and the Cardinals have become a fully functioning, well-rounded offense because of it. Arizona ran for 115 yards Sunday, a week after rushing for 120 yards. Admittedly, the Cardinals’ running game wasn’t scoring the majority of their points in the game -- those came through the air -- but the ground attack allowed those passing plays to open up. - Josh Weinfuss 

3. Seattle Seahawks (0-2)

Last Week: 2nd

Best Ranking: 1st (Week 1, Post-Draft)

The truth is the Seahawks actually showed improvement from Week 1 to Week 2. The pass protection was better. Wilson used his legs to put pressure on the defense. And the defensive line won its share of one-on-one matchups. Now, Kam Chancellor is back and a healthy defense now has its leader. He's a sure upgrade over replacements who weren't very good and Chancellor also helps with the communication at all levels of the defense; his absence was a major reason for many of the miscues. With home games against the Lions and Bears, the Seahawks have a great chance to get to 2-2 after the first month of the season. - Sheil Kapadia 

2. New England Patriots (2-0)

Last Week: 3rd
Best Ranking: 1st (Free Agency)

After a resounding season-opening win over Andrew Luck and the Colts, Buffalo Bills fans had chanted "We want Brady!" Brady showed up, giving the Patriots control of the game early, then navigating some unexpected, sweat-it-out moments late. His final stat line: 38-of-59 for 466 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 40-32 victory. Executing a masterful game plan drawn up by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels that featured quick tempo, spread formations out of multiple personnel groupings, and quick throws, Brady’s 466 passing yards were the most among any QB ever against the Bills. The defense held its own as well, totaling 8 sacks. - Mike Reiss 

1. Green Bay Packers (2-0)

Last Week: 1st

Best Ranking: 1st (Week 3, 2,

Preseason)

Does it matter who's on the field with Aaron Rodgers? The Green Bay Packers lost another offensive weapon (RB Eddie Lacy) early in Sunday night's game against the Seattle Seahawks and played with another one (Davante Adams) severely hobbled. And it didn’t matter a bit, as Rodgers still put together the drive of the game in the second half to give the Packers an emotional 27-17 victory on Sunday night. It proved the Packers not only can beat a big-time opponent without Pro Bowl receiver Jordy Nelson, who was lost for the year to a preseason knee injury, but that they can adjust on the fly, as they did after losing Lacy. And Rodgers is key to it all. - Rob Demovsky 

Previous Weeks: 2, 1, Preseason, Post-Draft, Free Agency