NFL Power Rankings Preseason Week 3: QB competitions decided

The three-sport NFL preseason has concluded. How do our electric power rankings seem with the normal year approaching?

The normal year is practically listed here!

This Thursday night time, the Tremendous Bowl-winning Buccaneers will host the Cowboys in Tampa for the annual kickoff sport. It will start the longest normal year at any time — seventeen online games are scheduled for just about every crew.

The preseason has therefore concluded, and with that, accidents have happened and a few quarterback competitions have come to a close.

How does anything influence ESNY’s weekly NFL electric power rankings?

32. Houston Texans ( ↓ 1 )

Okay, I’m back to obtaining the Texans in the base place.

They haven’t traded Deshaun Watson and plan to perhaps have him be inactive each and every week amid his 22 civil lawsuits and ten felony complaints for sexual misconduct.

There are also problems with the defense, the offensive line, and it is unclear no matter whether Tyrod Taylor is a authentic commencing quarterback in this league — most would say he’s not.

All in all, it is a whole mess in H-City.

31. Philadelphia Eagles ( ↑ 1 )

The Eagles swap with the Texans, but No. 31 is as much as they’ll increase this week.

Is Jalen Hurts the serious deal? Is Nick Sirianni the appropriate head coach?

We never know, but we must start off finding out following weekend.

thirty. Jacksonville Jaguars ( → )

The No. thirty position for Jacksonville looks suitable.

Indeed, they have a generational younger quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, but outside the house of that, the talent isn’t all that wonderful.

James Robinson is a effective back, but my guess is the Jaguars will be trailing in a ton of online games, which will render the jogging sport out of date.

29. Detroit Lions ( → )

Several are not assured in the Lions, and why would they be?

An dreadful defense and a downgrade at the quarterback placement from Matthew Stafford to Jared Goff may perhaps lead to this crew winning four-five online games highest.

28. Cincinnati Bengals ( → )

The Bengals have a great deal to verify this year, and so does Joe Burrow coming off a important knee harm.

Will the second-12 months quarterback return to his previous self appropriate away? Will it take him some time?

27. Atlanta Falcons ( ↓ 1 )

Matt Ryan is nonetheless able of manufacturing at a higher stage and the corporation made moves on the offensive close by drafting tight close Kyle Pitts and using the services of the offensive-minded Arthur Smith as its head coach.

The Falcons haven’t been all that wonderful for a few a long time however and will require to at minimum portray flashes of a playoff ballclub in advance of I enhance their position.

26. New York Jets ( ↓ 1 )

I like the route the Jets are headed in.

But nonetheless, never assume anything to come to fruition in 12 months a single of the Robert Saleh-Zach Wilson era. This crew nonetheless may perhaps only win all over six online games.

twenty five. Denver Broncos ( ↑ two )

Now that the Broncos have verified Teddy Bridgewater will be the commencing quarterback going ahead, they shift up two places in the rankings.

Bridgewater is a more established commencing quarterback than 3rd-12 months person Drew Lock and is certainly a exceptional selection.

Not to mention, I like the Denver roster outside the house of the quarterback placement.

24. Chicago Bears ( ↓ 1 )

There will be a few teams in this space of the electric power rankings going down due to the ascension of the Colts (which we’ll get to shortly).

The Bears seem like they could be commencing Andy Dalton at quarterback to start off the year, and to me, that will not be a shift that delivers regularity to Chicago. This offense will not seem amazing with the veteran under center and Matt Nagy may perhaps require to make the swap to rookie Justin Fields faster than afterwards.

23. Minnesota Vikings ( ↓ two )

Even though I’m increased on Kirk Cousins than some others could possibly be, I’m not all that higher on the Vikings as a full.

This defense notably struggled very last 12 months and it is unclear if head coach Mike Zimmer will be all over for considerably lengthier.

22. Carolina Panthers ( → )

The Panthers are much from dreadful but much from wonderful.

No. 22 looks sensible — Jaycee Horn (2021 No. eight overall draft select) is a cornerback enhance but rookie defensive backs are inclined to issues.

It is also not known no matter whether quarterback Sam Darnold will eventually take that leap we’ve all been ready for.

21. New York Giants ( ↓ 1 )

I really feel I have under no circumstances long gone into a Giants year with this many uncertainties.

Fans hope Daniel Jones will enhance and they hope Jason Garrett will be inventive and they hope the offensive line will impress and they hope the defense will be as fantastic as it was in 2020.

It is a ton of hoping and not a full great deal of understanding or confirming.

20. New England Patriots ( ↓ 1 )

Is Mac Jones heading to be the serious deal? Did the Patriots make the appropriate decision naming him the commencing quarterback and cutting veteran Cam Newton?

We’ll come across out shortly adequate, but until we do, the Pats will stay in this space of the rankings.

19. Las Vegas Raiders ( ↓ two )

The Raiders just never feel to have considerably of an identification.

Derek Carr is a fantastic quarterback, but is he a single that could lead this crew to turn out to be postseason contenders the moment yet again?

Is Jon Gruden the appropriate head coach? Is this a make-or-split 12 months for him?

There are various unanswered thoughts in Vegas.

eighteen. New Orleans Saints ( → )

The Saints continue to be appropriate wherever they are even soon after generating the (appropriate) decision to title Jameis Winston the commencing quarterback in excess of Taysom Hill.

I’m assured in Winston, but let’s see how he performs against talented defensive models in the normal year.

seventeen. Dallas Cowboys ( ↓ 1 )

Will Dak Prescott be one hundred% at all this year?

That will definitely be vital to the amount of accomplishment the Cowboys accumulate.

If Prescott is thoroughly wholesome and makes at the stage he did prior to very last year’s ankle harm, assume Dallas’ position to enhance throughout the year.

sixteen. Washington Football Workforce ( ↓ 1 )

Washington is nonetheless center of the street when it will come to the electric power rankings due to the uncertainty at the quarterback placement.

If the Football Workforce are heading to make the postseason yet again, they will require to count on their strong defensive device.

15. Indianapolis Colts ( ↑ 9 )

The Colts shift up nine full places due to the return of Carson Wentz to practice.

The veteran quarterback could accommodate up for Week 1, which would be huge for a talented offensive roster.

14. San Francisco 49ers ( ↓ 1 )

I have started off to turn out to be a tiny skeptical in excess of the 49ers’ quarterback situation, which is why they fall down a single place.

Can Jimmy Garoppolo portray on-field competence? Is this small harm heading to actually influence rookie Trey Lance, who did not seem totally completely ready to take on a commencing purpose when he performed for the duration of the preseason?

thirteen. Miami Dolphins ( ↑ 1 )

Miami moves up a single place thanks to San Fran’s aforementioned fall-off.

I’m nonetheless not an huge supporter of Tua Tagovailoa but he looked enhanced in the preseason there is nonetheless the opportunity he can take that significant leap.

Also, do you imagine the Dolphins would truly trade for Deshaun Watson? Time will tell if they do, but I never see why they (or any individual, for that subject) would.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers ( ↓ 1 )

I had to swap Arizona and Pittsburgh. To be truthful, I never know why I initially put the Steelers in excess of the Cardinals.

I never imagine considerably in a 39-12 months-previous Ben Roethlisberger and although the addition of Najee Harris is effective for the offense, this device simply cannot run by way of the ground sport — it is not that variety of era anymore.

eleven. Arizona Cardinals ( ↑ 1 )

I appreciate the Cardinals this 12 months.

Kyler Murray is a single of the top rated younger quarterbacks in this league and I imagine Arizona employs a superb obtaining corps that consists of a top rated wideout in DeAndre Hopkins and a promising rookie in Rondale Moore.

Those people who nonetheless require to go by way of fantasy drafts: preserve your eye on Moore in the afterwards rounds.

ten. Los Angeles Chargers ( → )

The Chargers continue to be appropriate wherever they are.

Justin Herbert is an up-and-coming star quarterback, his supporting forged is solid, and the defense was top rated ten in yards allowed very last year.

Brandon Staley is anticipated to be a head coaching enhance from Anthony Lynn, who was fired subsequent the 2020 normal year.

9. Baltimore Ravens ( ↓ three )

Injuries are why the Ravens shift down three places from our prior position.

Managing back J.K. Dobbins is out for the 12 months with a torn ACL, which is a huge blow to a crew that could’ve used a effective jogging back duo of him and Gus Edwards.

Receivers Rashod Bateman and Miles Boykin are also on wounded reserve and will miss out on at minimum the initially three online games of the 12 months — not suitable for a crew that was previously very last in passing in 2020.

eight. Cleveland Browns ( ↑ 1 )

The Browns may perhaps not start off off the 12 months with a win due to the actuality they’ll be enjoying Kansas City on the street.

But this is certainly a top rated-ten crew and top rated-ten roster.

Will Baker Mayfield take a enormous leap in 2021?

seven. Seattle Seahawks ( ↑ 1 )

The Seahawks can certainly be a Tremendous Bowl contender this 12 months, but the offense demands to run by way of Russell Wilson and the star quarterback simply cannot bear a further midseason decrease.

We’ll see if it all will work out commencing Week 1 against Indianapolis.

six. Tennessee Titans ( ↑ 1 )

Like the Seahawks and Browns, the Titans shift up a single place in buy to make way for the Ravens’ tumble to No. 9.

Be expecting the Titans to the moment yet again be a playoff crew. This has to be the 12 months they get in excess of the hump however and turn out to be a authentic Tremendous Bowl contender in that convention.

five. Green Bay Packers ( ↓ 1 )

Green Bay is nonetheless a wonderful crew and Aaron Rodgers is nonetheless, very well, Aaron Rodgers.

But I’m not all too assured in the offensive line supplied still left deal with David Bakhtiari is on the Bodily Unable to Execute (PUP) list to start off the 12 months.

Which is why Green Bay is down a single place.

four. Los Angeles Rams ( ↑ 1 )

The Rams’ ascension up the rankings will make way for the Packers’ fall-off.

Los Angeles is certainly a top rated-five crew in the league and must impress many this coming year, specifically supplied its enhance at quarterback.

three. Buffalo Costs ( → )

Josh Allen took the field in his team’s ultimate preseason sport against the Packers very last weekend, and boy did he seem sharp.

The fourth-12 months quarterback (who just signed a rewarding six-12 months agreement extension) accomplished 20 of 26 throws for 194 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

As lengthy as Allen is on top rated of his sport, the Costs will stay a Tremendous Bowl contender and a single of the top rated teams in the AFC.

two. Kansas City Chiefs ( → )

The Chiefs stay at No. two. Perhaps they’ll take the top rated place a few months into the normal year, but they’ll require to verify they’re exceptional to this following squad…

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers ( → )

No, I’m not changing this.

Regardless of no matter whether you imagine the preseason is a barometer for future normal-year accomplishment, the Buccaneers are nonetheless the top rated crew in the league for me. I would’ve reported that even if they did not gain a single yard in their trio of exhibition online games.