SP Poll Week 3

32

Jacksonville Jaguars
(0-2)

It’s been a rough start to Trevor Lawrence’s NFL career so far. After a blowout loss to the Texans in Week 1 amounting 3 interceptions, Lawrence threw another 2 picks in Week 2 against the Broncos while only accumulating only 118 passing yards. Obviously, there’s more than just quarterback issues with this team. They have performed poorly across the board. Things certainly will not get any easier this week when they face the Arizona Cardinals, a team whose offense has had lots of success in the first two weeks.

31

New York Jets
(0-2)

Here is another team that has had rookie QB struggles early on. After a fair performance in Week 1, Zach Wilson threw 4 interceptions against the Patriots on Sunday and no touchdowns. Other than Trevor Lawrence (50%), Wilson has had the lowest accuracy for quarterbacks at 55.7% so far this season. Right now, it seems like it will take some time before this Jets’ team really starts showing any improvement from last year. Expect another difficult matchup for Zach Wilson on Sunday when they play a difficult Broncos’ defense in Mile High.

30

Houston Texans
(1-1)

During their Week 2 game against the Browns, Tyrod Taylor was keeping the Texans alive and it seemed as if the Texans may not be in as bad of shape as we thought during the preseason. That was all until Taylor exited the game due to a hamstring injury and the Browns ended up with the win. Now Taylor is expected to be out “for some time” and the Texans will have to rely on rookie Davis Mills to keep this offense afloat. They face a tough matchup this week against what looks like a pretty good Panthers defense.

29

Atlanta Falcons
(0-2)

The Falcons offense definitely improved in Week 2 against the Bucs, despite Matt Ryan throwing 3 interceptions. They were still able to put up 348 total yards against the defending champions with positive production from WR Calvin Ridley, TE Kyle Pitts, and RB Coradelle Patterson. Their defense, on the other hand, continued to suffer, allowing 48 points to the Bucs after giving up 32 points to the Eagles in the previous week. This will likely be the trend that we will continue to see for the Falcons in 2021. They will try to get their first win of the year this Sunday in New York when they face the Giants. 

28

Detroit Lions
(0-2)

With plenty of room still to grow, the Lions don’t seem to be in as bad of shape as the aforementioned teams. On the defensive side, it has been pretty ugly thus far allowing 76 total points in 2 weeks. But on the offensive side, things could definitely be much worse. QB Jared Goff seems to be comfortable so far already throwing for 5 touchdown passes. The split backfield of D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams also has been a positive for the Lions as well. The biggest upside on their offense is definitely TE T.J. Hockensen who has been by far Goff’s favorite target with already 16 receptions for 163 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns in only 2 games. Unfortunately, the Lions will face another challenging opponent in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens.

27

New York Giants
(0-2)

Nobody expected the thriller last Thursday that we got between the Giants and the Washington Football Team. Also, nobody expected Daniel Jones to light it up in the fashion that he did with 95 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground along with 249 passing yards with a touchdown pass. Not to mention that he also had a 58-yard run in the game for a touchdown that was taken back due to a penalty on the field. Overall, it was an exciting performance for the Giants despite their loss. RB Saquon Barkley is finally starting to show signs of life again too after missing most of the 2020 season. The Giants hope to pull off their first win of the season when they face the Falcons at home.

26

Cincinnati Bengals
(1-1)

Last Week: 20

Week 2: @ Bears (L 20-17)

Week 3: @ Steelers (Sun, 1pm)

Costly turnovers are what prevented the Bengals from starting their 2021 season off 2-0 on Sunday against the Bears. QB Joe Burrow was responsible for 3 interceptions in this game as he completed only 19 of his 30 passing attempts. WR Tee Higgins also had a crucial fumble in the game as well. This Bengals team has a bright future ahead with plenty of young weapons on the roster. It might just be a little bit of a waiting game in Cincinnati. Their offensive line is still struggling and the defense is lacking depth. They face a test on Sunday when they play their divisional rivals Steelers on the road. 

25

Miami Dolphins
(1-1)

After a close win in Week 1 over the Patriots on the road, it appeared that the Dolphins could be in line for another playoff run in 2021. That did not seem to be the case in Week 2 when they got blown out by the Bills in their home opener. The passing defense seemed to be fine as they only allowed Bills QB Josh Allen 179 passing yards. Their run defense, however, allowed 143 rushing yards. On the offensive side, the Dolphins were completely awful. QB Tua Tagovailoa exited the game early to injury leaving Jacoby Brissett to take over. They were held to only 145 passing yards and 71 rushing yards in this game. Although this team does possess some weapons, no one has been able to stand out so far this season. Expect another tough matchup again this week when they travel to Las Vegas to face the 2-0 Raiders.

24

Indianapolis Colts
(1-1)

The Colts kept it close the whole game in their Week 2 matchup against the Rams. Unfortunately, they fell just short of the victory causing them to fall to an 0-2 start. QB Carson Wentz exited the game in the 4th quarter with a sprained ankle and the timetable of the injury is still unknown. So far this season, Wentz has been holding down the QB job for the Colts just fine but injuries have been known to happen a good bit during his career. The running game has continued to not be much of a factor this year as they are still yet to record a touchdown. We have seen positive production from WRs Michael Pittman and Zach Pascal during these first two games. The Colts are hoping for their first win of the year this week when they travel to Tennessee to play division rival Titans. 

23

If a few plays had gone differently, we could be looking at a 2-0 Vikings team right now. After a field goal decided their fate in the Week 1 overtime loss to the Bengals, the Vikings were handed a second loss in Week 2 due to a missed field goal against the Cardinals. Sure, poor secondary and coaching mistakes also led them here but the Vikings are certainly the best out of the winless teams remaining. QB Kirk Cousins has done well so far on the passing attack throwing for 595 passing yards with 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. RB Dalvin Cook has also gotten off to a solid start with 252 scrimmage yards and 1 touchdown. They have two excellent WRs in Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen and a good but not great defense. The Vikings are capable of being a good team and have all the pieces to do it. We will see if they are able to pick up their first win this Sunday when they host the Seahawks at home. 

22

Last Week: 26

Week 2: vs Bengals (W 20-17)

Week 3: @ Browns (Sun, 1pm)

It wasn’t pretty but a win is a win. The Bears barely squeaked by in Week 2 over the Bengals for their first win of their 2021 season. Offensively, it was a pretty sloppy performance with QB Andy Dalton exiting the game in the 2nd quarter due to a knee injury giving Justin Fields the keys for the remainder of the day. Before leaving, Dalton was 9 for 11 with 56 passing yards and a touchdown. Fields went 6 for 13 with 60 passing yards, 31 rushing yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception so it wasn’t a great sample size. It still remains uncertain who the starting QB will be for Week 3. The Bears were able to pull off the victory due to their defense who had 3 key interceptions in this game. They will try to put the pressure on the Browns in Week 3 when they travel to Cleveland. 

22

New England Patriots
(1-1)

Last Week: 22

Week 2: @ Jets (W 25-6)

Week 3: vs Saints (Sun, 1pm)

It’s still not clear whether or not this Patriots team is good or not. With Bill Bellichick as head coach, anything is possible, but do they have the pieces to make it work? So far, the Patriots have relied more on the running game than in years past with RB Damien Harris getting a lot of work for 162 rushing yards and a touchdown. RB James White has also been busy in a pass catching role, already accumulating 12 receptions for 94 receiving yards this season. QB Mac Jones is still finding his groove but he has not disappointed at all so far. Although he has only found the end zone once, he has been significantly accurate at 51 for 69 and has put up 467 passing yards and no interceptions. There are some decent receivers on this team and the defense has been solid in the first two weeks only giving up 23 points total. What puts them into question is their week schedule up to this point playing the Dolphins and the Jets. They will face their biggest challenge yet in 2021 hosting the Saints in Week 3. 

20

Philadelphia Eagles
(1-1)

Last Week: 17

Week 2: vs 49ers (L 17-11)

Week 3: @ Cowboys (Mon, 8:15pm)

After a blowout win in Week 1 against the Falcons, it appeared that the Eagles were on the brink of taking the league by storm this season. Well that definitely wasn’t the case in Week 2 when the 49ers came into town and ripped the hearts out of Philly fans in their home opener. It wasn’t an ugly performance, but the Niners held the Eagles to only 3 points through the first 3 quarters and only gave up a rushing touchdown in the 4th quarter to QB Jalen Hurts. Hurts was only able to complete 12 passes in this game and the production from the tailbacks and receivers was very limited. The Eagles only fall back three spots in this week’s poll and will hope to get back on track this Monday when they play the Cowboys on the road. 

19

Washington Football Team
(1-1)

Last Week: 18

Week 2: vs Giants (W 30-29)

Week 3: @ Bills (Sun, 1pm)

Last Thursday night, Washington barely squeaked by the Giants in an epic thriller to pull off their first win of the 2021 season. Their defense struggled in that game allowing Giants’ QB Daniel Jones to rush for 95 yards and also giving up 391 total yards collectively. Entering the season, Washington’s defense was being talked about as one of the best in the league so we will see if they put it together in Week against an explosive Bills offense. On the offensive side, Washington looked good with QB Taylor Heinicke throwing 34 for 46 and 336 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. RB Antonio Gibson has still not reached the end zone yet this season but has been very efficient running the ball with 4.8 yards/carry. We are also seeing WR Terry McLaurin and RB JD McKissic very involved in this offense as well. Week 3 will be a big test for this Washington team when they travel to Buffalo. 

18

Denver Broncos
(2-0)

Last Week: 19

Week 2: @ Jaguars (W 23-13)

Week 3: vs  Jets (Sun, 4:05pm)

With the Broncos being currently 2-0, you would think they would be higher on this list, but they have played two weak teams so far with the Giants and the Jaguars. They will catch another lucky break this week when they face the abysmal New York Jets at home in Denver. QB Teddy Bridgewater has been stellar so far in his first season with the Broncos throwing for 592 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a completion percentage of 77.1%. Their running game hasn’t been explosive but definitely effective and we have seen WR Courtland and TE Noah Fant step it up on the receiving side. Defensively, the Broncos have been one of the best units in the league allowing only 26 total points this year. Then again, their schedule has been weak but they are undefeated nevertheless.

17

Los Angeles Chargers
(1-1)

Last Week: 9

Week 2: vs Cowboys (L 20-17)

Week 3: @ Chiefs (Sun, 1pm)

This Chargers team still hasn’t quite reached their full potential on offense yet. Even though QB Justin Herbert has had two consecutive 300+ passing yard games, he has only reached the end zone twice and has thrown 3 interceptions. He will get there eventually with the talent he is surrounded with on this offense. Wide Receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams have already accounted for 28 receptions in two games and RB Austin Ekeler will continue to be a threat on the rushing and receiving side of the ball. Defensively, they have been pretty effective as well considering they didn’t allow Cowboys QB Dak Prescott to have any touchdowns in Week 2. They will have a very challenging matchup on Sunday going up against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The offense should be able to pile up some big stats on Kansas City, but it will not be easy for the Chargers defense. 

16

Green Bay Packers
(1-1)

Last Week: 25

Week 2: vs Lions (W 35-17)

Week 3: @ 49ers (Sun, 8:20pm)

The Packers bounced back strong in Week 2 against the Lions after getting clobbered in Week 1 by the Saints. They are not completely out of SP Poll jail yet, however, which is why they come in at 16th this week. The big star of the Packers’ Monday night victory was RB Aaron Jones who went off for fantasy managers with 115 total yards and 4 touchdowns. Jones was definitely overdue for a big performance after having only 22 total yards in Week 1 where he was hardly even a factor. QB Aaron Rodgers was also back to his true form in Week 2 throwing for 4 touchdowns and 255 passing yards, which followed a brutal Week 1 performance against the Saints where he had only 133 passing yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Packers fans hope to see this version of Rodgers from here on out and also would love to see him throw the ball to star WR Devante Adams in the end zone. Although Adams has already accumulated 13 receptions and 177 receiving yards so far, he is still yet to have his first touchdown of the year, which he had 18 of in 2020. The Packers will also need to step it up on the defensive side more especially against the run. They will go into San Francisco for Week 3 against a tough 49ers team.

15

New Orleans Saints
(1-1)

Last Week: 3

Week 2: @ Panthers (L 26-7)

Week 3: @ Patriots (Sun, 1pm)

The Saints experienced a completely different game against the Panthers from their Week 1 performance when they demolished the Packers. QB Jameis Winston was held to only 111 passing yards with 0 touchdown passes and 2 interceptions. Their only touchdown in the game was a quarterback keeper play by Winston in the 4th quarter. Winston also led the team in rushing on Sunday with a very unimpressive total of 19 yards. RB Alvin Kamara was limited to only 5 rushing yards in this game. There haven’t been any wide receivers on this team that have left any lasting impression yet. The Saints were completely outmatched against the Panthers on all ends with one prime example being first downs. The Panthers had 28 first downs and the Saints had only 6. It’s hard to tell at this time where this Saints team stands so they fall to 15 on this week’s poll and will face another tough defense in Week 3 when they travel to New England. 

14

Carolina Panthers
(2-0)

Last Week: 21

Week 2: vs Saints (W 26-7)

Week 3: @ Texans (Sun, 8:20pm)

The Panthers came into the 2021 season expected to have a solid defense but what they showed us this past Sunday is that they have an elite defense. They got off to a slow start in Week 1 with a 19-14 win over the Jets which was nothing to get excited about. But it appears that there could be a reason for a lot of excitement this season in Carolina. QB Sam Darnold looks comfortable this year already racking up 584 passing yards with 3 touchdown passes and 1 interception. RB Christian McCaffrey looks like he is poised for another monster season with already a total of 324 scrimmage yards. WR DJ Moore has been the team’s biggest receiving threat so far with a total of 14 receptions, 159 yards, and 1 touchdown this season. The Panthers will look to start off their season 3-0 when they play Thursday night in Houston.

13

Pittsburgh Steelers
(1-1)

Last Week: 7

Week 2: vs Raiders (L 26-17)

Week 3: vs Bengals (Sun, 1pm)

The Steelers fall back 6 spots this week after taking a loss to the Raiders in their home opener. QB Ben Roethlisberger is off to a slow start this year only throwing 2 touchdown passes in two games and currently sitting at a low completion percentage of 62.5%. Their offense possesses numerous weapons that could use a consistent quarterback at the helm and Big Ben’s glory days appear to be behind him. The Steelers still remain as a potential contender in the AFC this year with a strong defense that could make up for any offensive miscues. They will look to pull off a victory this Sunday when they host the Bengals in Pittsburgh.

12

Seattle Seahawks
(1-1)

Last Week: 5

Week 2: vs Titans (L 33-30 OT)

Week 3: @ Vikings (Sun, 4:25pm)

The Seahawks started off their 2021 season strong with a big win over the Colts on the road. They continued that momentum into their home opener this past Sunday against the Titans with a 24-9 lead at the half. That all changed in the second half when the Titans came back and eventually won the game in overtime. The Seahawks defense allowed Titans RB Derrick Henry to run for 182 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns along with 55 receiving yards.Overall, the defense was definitely the scapegoat in their Week 2 loss. On the ground, the Seahawks were only able to rack up 77 total rushing yards but QB Russell Wilson held his own with 397 passing yards. Despite the very difficult division, the Seahawks should remain a playoff contender for the course of this season. They will look to rebound from the heartbreaking loss this Sunday when they travel to Minnesota to face the VIkings. 

11

Tennessee Titans
(1-1)

Last Week: 15

Week 2: @ Seahawks (W 33-30 OT)

Week 3: vs Colts (Sun, 1pm)

When the Titans were trailing the Seahawks 24-9 at the half, it seemed as if they were heading straight into a 0-2 start to their 2021 season. With a big day from RB Derrick Henry and WR Juilo Jones, the Titans fought their way back and won in an overtime thriller 33-30. QB Ryan Tannehill has not been nearly as effective so far this season, but we should expect him to get back to usual form soon. Their defense has given up a lot of points so far this season, which is a concern but they will host the Colts this Sunday which will be much more moderate than the Cardinals and Seahawks.

10

Dallas Cowboys
(1-1)

Last Week: 12

Week 2: @ Chargers (W 20-17)

Week 3: vs Eagles (Mon, 8:15pm)

The Cowboys have been by far the most impressive team out of the NFC East so far this season. Although he did not score any touchdowns in Week 2, Prescott looks like he is poised for a big season with a loaded offense around him. RB Tony Pollard is becoming more of a presence in the backfield rushing for 109 yards on 13 carries while RB Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 71 yards on 16 carries. Both tailbacks had touchdowns in Week 2 along with a handful of receptions as well. None of the receivers recorded any touchdowns on Sunday but you should expect Cede Lamb and Amari Cooper to light it up any given week. The Cowboys defense also is raising some eyebrows this year, which has been a weakness for them in recent years. They will face the Eagles on Monday night in an exciting NFL matchup.

9

Cleveland Browns
(1-1)

Last Week: 11

Week 2: vs Texans (W 31-21)

Week 3: vs Bears (Sun, 1pm)

Browns’ fans had to be terrified this past Sunday when QB Baker Mayfield left for the locker room with an apparent arm injury on Sunday against the Texans. They have been through so much torment in Cleveland for decades and now and to see the Browns become a playoff contending team must be a dream come true and to lose their franchise quarterback would be a huge gut punch. Well they breathed a sigh of relief after Mayfield returned to the field and won the game bringing their team to 1-1. Expect Mayfield to be fine moving forward and more good things to come in Cleveland. RB Nick Chubb had another big game with 11 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown. On the downside, the Browns are now without both of their two star receivers Odell Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry. Landry was placed on the IR list this week and Beckham could be approaching his return soon. Defensively, the Browns could use some improvement but not bad overall. They will welcome the Bears into town for Week 3 in a favorable matchup.

8

Buffalo Bills
(1-1)

Last Week: 10

Week 2: @ Dolphins (W 35-0)

Week 3: vs Washington (Sun, 1pm)

The Bills bounced back in a major way in Week 2 with a blowout victory over the Dolphins 35-0. This came a week after their ugly home opener against the Steelers that they lost 23-16. QB Josh Allen still doesn’t look like the 2020 version of himself that finished top 5 in passing yards, touchdowns, and completion percentage. So far this season, he has thrown a 56% completion percentage which is a 13% drop from last year and is currently 27th in the league in passing yards. The running game has stepped up nicely for the Bills as of late accounting for 143 total rushing yards on Sunday. The offense will improve moving forward and their defense has really looked impressive this year. The Bills will host the Washington Football Team in Buffalo this Sunday in what should be a close game.

7

Las Vegas Raiders
(2-0)

Last Week: 13

Week 2: @ Steelers (W 26-17)

Week 3: vs Dolphins (Sun, 4:05pm)

The Raiders have been the surprise team so far this year going from 24th in Week 1’s SP Poll to 7th heading into Week 3. They pulled off an epic overtime win against the Ravens in their home opener, then headed to Pittsburgh this past Sunday and won, completely outmatching the Steelers. QB Derek Carr has been a huge factor in the Raiders early success this season already putting up an NFL leading 817 passing yards. The running game was not a factor at all in Sunday’s game with RB Josh Jacobs being out, but we saw big performances by WR Henry Ruggs and TE Darren Waller on the receiving end. The Raiders defensive unit has not been a disappointment by any means either in 2021 so the question is: Are they for real? We will see, but they definitely look like a playoff team now and let’s expect another win out of them in Week 3 when they play the Dolphins at home.

6

Kansas City Chiefs
(1-1)

Last Week: 2

Week 2: @ Ravens (L 36-35)

Week 3: vs Chargers (Sun, 1pm)

The Chiefs fall back 4 spots in this week’s SP Poll after a close 1-point loss to the Ravens on Sunday night in Baltimore. Late in the 4th quarter, Mahomes and company were driving down the field and were already well into field goal territory. It seemed that they were about to get their field positioning right and run the clock to win the game with a last second field goal. That was all before RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire fumbled the ball, turning it over to the Ravens. The Chiefs should have certainly won that game but there were other factors besides that fumble that played into that loss. While their offense has thrived, their defense has been overall bad the first two weeks. Most games, we should expect QB Patrick Mahomes, WR Tyreek Hill and TE Travis Kelce to make up for the difference of having a bad defense but they will have to improve to win the Super Bowl this year. The Chiefs will hope to bounce back into the SP Poll top 5 with a win this Sunday against the Chargers in Kansas City. 

5

Baltimore Ravens
(1-1)

Last Week: 14

Week 2: vs Chiefs (W 36-35)

Week 3: @ Lions (Sun, 1pm)

We could be looking at an 0-2 Ravens team right now but thanks to Clyde Edwards-Helaire and the Chiefs’ defense, the Ravens are back in the SP Poll top 5. Even though QB Lamar Jackson threw 2 interceptions and 1 touchdown pass on Sunday, he also ran the ball 16 times for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns. The 2-way quarterback will continue to have games like that through the 2021 season as long as he stays healthy. WR Marquise Brown has had a breakthrough start this year with 12 receptions, 182 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. Expect him to remain the #1 receiving option on this team moving forward. Defensively, the Ravens will be one of the best in the league. They will travel to Detroit this week in a favorable match against the Lions.

4

San Francisco 49ers
(2-0)

Last Week: 8

Week 2: @ Eagles (W 17-11)

Week 3: vs Packers (Sun, 8:20pm)

The 49ers have already been handed their fair share of injuries this season with their top 3 running backs already going down with injuries. That has not held them back, however, from starting the season off undefeated. They silenced the Eagles in Week 2 with a 17-11 on the road proving that their defense is still one of the best. On the offensive side, they have some missing pieces but that hasn’t prevented them from winning. They are down to their fourth string running back already and WR Brandon Aiyuk only has 1 reception so far this year. The Niners will host the Packers this Sunday at home in what should be a great primetime game. They win this week and it’s time to seriously consider the 49ers contenders in 2021.

3

Arizona Cardinals
(2-0)

Last Week: 4

Week 2: vs Vikings (W 34-33)

Week 3: @ Jaguars (Sun, 1pm)

The Cardinals have been the most high powered offense in the NFL thus far with 72 points collectively. Week 2’s high scoring duel between the Vikings came down to the wire but the Cardinals prevailed. QB Kyle Murray has been one of the hottest players in the league to start off the year with 689 passing yards, 74% completion, 7 touchdown passes and 2 rushing touchdowns. Wide receivers Deandre Hopkins, Rondale Moore, and Christian Kirk have all reaped the benefits from this offense’s success. They should continue to be a high scoring team this year and certainly will put up a lot of points this Sunday when they play in Jaguars in Jacksonville.

2

Los Angeles Rams
(2-0)

Last Week: 6

Week 2: @ Colts (W 27-24)

Week 3: vs Buccaneers (Sun, 4:25pm)

Moving up 4 spots to the 2 slot this week are Sean McVay’s Rams, who have been probably the most complete looking team so far this year. QB Matthew Stafford has been a perfect fit for this offense so far. With a 599 passing yard and a 5:1 touchdown to interception ratio, that’s a pretty solid start to the season. WR Cooper Kupp, however, had been the biggest star on this team through two weeks with already 16 receptions with 271 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. There are weapons all across the board and their defense is loaded as well. The Rams are in the toughest division in the NFL but they should be right there near the top of this poll by year’s end.

1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(2-0)

Last Week: 1

Week 2: vs Falcons (W 48-25)

Week 3: @ Rams (Sun, 4:25pm)

This doesn’t need any further explanation. The Bucs won last year’s Super Bowl and they haven’t lost since which keeps them at the top of this poll. 44-year old QB and GOAT Tom Brady leads the NFL in touchdown passes through the first 2 weeks with 9 and 4 of those going to fellow future Hall of Famer TE Rob Gronkowski. This team does have a couple flaws but the amount of playmakers and NFL minds on the field should make up for it. The running game has not been a factor for Tampa Bay so far and their defense has not looked near as strong as last season. There is plenty of season still to go so a lot of things are subject to change moving forward. This Sunday, the Bucs will take on the Rams in Los Angeles. That’s right, the SP Poll #1 and #2 teams are duking it out in an early season battle. This will be a much more difficult test for Brady’s offense than their first two opponents and the Bucs defense will have to be ready for the Rams’ offensive attack as well. With all these things considered, we should see a great game on Sunday.