NFL Week 3 power rankings: Chiefs labeled the league’s most puzzling team as 10 clubs sit 0-2

The New York Post’s Week 3 NFL power rankings highlight a landscape of early-season surprises, naming the Kansas City Chiefs the league’s most puzzling team after the defending AFC champions opened 0-2 for the first time since 2014.

Ten teams are 0-2 through two weeks, a number that has drawn comparisons to the top of the 2025 NFL Draft order, though the Post cautioned that past form matters: some winless teams, such as the Houston Texans, remain contenders after recent division titles. The Chiefs’ swift fall has prompted questions about how to evaluate a franchise anchored by Hall of Fame figures while several key playmakers are sidelined.

The Post ranked the Buffalo Bills No. 1 after a 30-10 victory over the New York Jets. Josh Allen briefly left the game with a bloody nose but returned and ceded the spotlight to James Cook, who ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Buffalo’s defense — missing defensive tackle Ed Oliver — allowed just 154 yards, its fewest in a road game since 1990.

The Philadelphia Eagles sit at No. 2 after a 20-17 win in the Super Bowl rematch with Kansas City. Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley each scored rushing touchdowns, and a 58-yard field goal by Jake Elliott before halftime proved pivotal. The Eagles have won 17 of their past 18 games, including seven straight.

Green Bay holds the No. 3 slot after quarterback Jordan Love passed for 292 yards in a 27-18 victory over Washington. Love led two first-half touchdown drives that covered more than 90 yards each, and receiver Tucker Kraft had six catches for 124 yards and a score. The Packers’ revamped defense produced four sacks and allowed no offensive touchdowns through the first three quarters.

Baltimore is No. 4 following a 41-17 victory over Cleveland in which Lamar Jackson threw four touchdown passes. The Ravens capitalized on short fields created by turnovers and defensive scoring, with wide receiver Devontez Walker scoring twice.

The Los Angeles Chargers are No. 5 after beating the Las Vegas Raiders to open 2-0 in division play under coach Jim Harbaugh. Keenan Allen has shown a strong start in his return, and Justin Herbert continued to distribute the ball effectively.

The Detroit Lions, ranked No. 6, posted a 52-21 win over Chicago as Jared Goff threw five touchdown passes, three to Amon-Ra St. Brown. Detroit averaged a franchise-record 8.8 yards per play in the outing.

Kansas City appears at No. 7 in the Post rankings despite the 0-2 start. In the loss to Philadelphia, Patrick Mahomes threw for 187 yards while the Chiefs’ receiving corps struggled to separate against the Eagles’ coverage. Mahomes was the Chiefs’ leading rusher with 66 yards and a touchdown, and he threw an interception after a tipped pass near the goal line was caught off tight end Travis Kelce’s hands. The Post noted that absences among key playmakers have complicated early-season evaluations of a team that reached three straight Super Bowls.

Tampa Bay is listed at No. 8 after Rachaad White recovered a Baker Mayfield fumble and scored a two-yard touchdown with six seconds left in a 20-19 win over Houston. The Buccaneers’ special teams and defense made key plays late, and Mayfield engineered an 80-yard game-winning drive.

Los Angeles (Rams) is No. 9 following a 33-19 win over Tennessee in which Matthew Stafford threw for 298 yards, connecting with Davante Adams. Puka Nacua totaled 134 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, and Byron Young contributed two sacks, including a strip-and-recovery.

Indianapolis rose to No. 10 after a 29-28 win over Denver. Kicker Spencer Shrader, given a second chance after a 60-yard attempt at the buzzer was nullified by penalty, converted a 45-yarder to seal the victory. The Colts have not punted and have avoided turnovers through two games, and the Post noted Daniel Jones had his first 300-yard passing game since September 2023.

The middle of the rankings contains a mix of 2-0 teams and 1-1 clubs that have shown contrasting early-season form. Cincinnati, San Francisco and Dallas are clustered in the teens after strong or promising starts, while Atlanta and Arizona occupy the mid- to late-teens following mixed results. Seattle, Minnesota and Pittsburgh are in the middle third with 1-1 records.

At the bottom of the list, several traditional powers, as well as recent playoff teams, sit behind winless starts. The New York Giants are ranked 25th after a 40-37 loss in which special teams mistakes and penalties contributed to the defeat despite Russell Wilson’s 450-yard passing day. Tennessee and the New York Jets are both 0-2 and placed in the late 20s, with the Jets’ Week 2 loss highlighted by quarterback Justin Fields leaving with a concussion after a difficult passing performance.

Miami and New Orleans occupy the bottom two spots at 31 and 32, respectively, both 0-2. The Post’s rankings reflect early-season volatility and the impact of injuries, roster change and scheduling. The publication emphasized that reputation and recent history complicate straightforward ordering of clubs this early in the season, especially when several franchises with recent postseason success are struggling to find form.

The Week 3 power rankings will be tested on the field in a full slate of games that could entrench early leaders or reshuffle teams that have not yet found consistency. The Post’s list serves as a snapshot of a league in which a significant portion of clubs remain in search of answers after two weeks of regular-season play.