NFL energy rankings getting into Week 3 of the 2024 season (earlier rank in parentheses):
1. Kansas City Chiefs (1): The bid for an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat stays on monitor – even with a mean margin of victory of 4 factors, albeit towards two perceived AFC contenders. And whenever you've obtained backup OT Wanya Morris snatching TDs, it does not matter if TE Travis Kelce is averaging fewer than 20 receiving yards per recreation. Still, this does really feel like a flimsy perch given the critical accidents to WR Hollywood Brown and RB Isiah Pacheco.
2. Houston Texans (6): They've obtained two middling wins towards apparently middling competitors (Colts, Bears). But the protection seems to be particularly good, and no different workforce has a two-game lead over its whole division.
3. Buffalo Bills (8): Among the causes the retooled AFC East champs needs to be inspired? How about OLB Von Miller amassing 9 pressures, together with a pair of sacks after two weeks? He had five pressures and zero sacks in 12 video games all of final season, when he was on the mend following ACL reconstruction.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11): Maybe this seems like somewhat an excessive amount of respect for merely successful two video games. But perhaps the three-time-defending NFC South champs are owed somewhat additional given their physique of labor right here in the roaring '20s. And how about QB Baker Mayfield, who has 4 of the Bucs' seven speeding first downs?
5. Detroit Lions (2): Per ESPN Research, their six red-zone drives with out a TD have been the membership's most in a single recreation in 43 years. One of these was the failed march at the finish of the first half, which Dan Campbell took the blame for and cited as the cause his workforce misplaced its playoff rematch with the Bucs.
6. New Orleans Saints (24): They destroyed a nasty workforce in Week 1, then destroyed an honest one Sunday. New OC Klint Kubiak's system has definitely suited QB Derek Carr (league-best 5 TD passes and 142.4 passer ranking whereas main workforce to factors on his first 15 drives of the season) and RB Alvin Kamara (league-best 5 TDs and 290 yards from scrimmage). Amazing how apparently declining vets will be revived by a contemporary strategy.
7. Minnesota Vikings (23): They destroyed a nasty workforce in Week 1, then edged a wonderful one Sunday. But previous buddy Danielle Hunter returns to the Twin Cities this weekend, and his Texans are certain to place the Vikes' buzzing Sam Darnold-to-Justin Jefferson connection to the check.
8. San Francisco 49ers (3): RB Christian McCaffrey is on IR, WR Deebo Samuel goes be inactive the subsequent few weeks with a calf pressure, and WR Brandon Aiyuk has solely been a notch higher than inactive as he continues to work his approach again from an inactive summer season spent on angling for his new contract. And Pro Bowl S Talanoa Hufanga (ACL) nonetheless hasn't been fairly able to return. Otherwise? All's splendid right here.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (5): They appeared extra comfy in South America than they did in South Philly given the methods HC Nick Sirianni's decision-making, RB Saquon Barkley's palms, the secondary's normal “coverage” and QB Jalen Hurts' game-sealing interception produced a collective failure Monday evening.
10. New York Jets (12): On the plus aspect, DE Will McDonald IV had a career-best three sacks, matching the whole from his rookie yr (2023), in Sunday's win. On the down aspect, DE Jermaine Johnson is misplaced to a torn Achilles. Sure looks as if time to forge a breakthrough with holdout LB Haason Reddick.
11. Green Bay Packers (16): One of the league's oldest franchises turned its first to win 800 regular-season video games. That century-plus of historical past aspect, for the second straight yr, the Pack characteristic the league's youngest roster – the gamers with a mean age of 24.91 years in 2024 … together with a 25-year-old quarterback (Jordan Love) who does not appear to be he'll be sidelined by his MCL damage for very lengthy.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers (17): If they proceed to steer the league in turnover differential (+5) whereas surrendering 8 factors per week, it could not matter in the event that they play a quarterback in any respect.
13. Atlanta Falcons (19): QB Kirk Cousins appeared infinitely extra comfy – each by way of his repaired Achilles and on the prime-time stage – after Monday evening's sudden turnaround to beat Philadelphia and degree his workforce's report heading right into a brutal three-week homestand (Chiefs, Saints, Bucs).
14. Los Angeles Chargers (18): The schedule's been Charmin mushy but conducive to launching redemption excursions for RB J.Okay. Dobbins, WR Quentin Johnston and OLB Joey Bosa. The Bolts are half the equation to a .500 begin from the Harbaugh brothers in 2024.
15. Baltimore Ravens (4): They're the underside of the Harbaughs' 2024 report, John's crew struggling one other of its notorious fourth-quarter meltdowns Sunday after squandering a double-digit lead but once more. A close to miss towards the Chiefs and a faceplant towards an inferior workforce imply an 0-2 report.
16. Cincinnati Bengals (14): A faceplant towards an inferior workforce and a close to miss towards the Chiefs imply an 0-2 report in Cincy as properly. Yet the points right here have the potential to linger for much longer if disgruntled WR Ja'Marr Chase continues to return unglued.
17. Arizona Cardinals (21): Their 69 factors scored rank second solely to the Saints. Given their weapons and the accidents plaguing the remainder of the NFC West, the Cards are a squad to maintain a detailed eye on.
18. Dallas Cowboys (7): So a lot for dwelling cookin'. “America's Team” has been shockingly outscored 92-51 in its previous two outings at AT&T Stadium … and the subsequent customer will likely be a salty Ravens outfit Sunday.
19. Cleveland Browns (22): Care to enterprise a guess what number of 300-yard passing video games QB Deshaun Watson has had since coming to Cleveland? Answer: Still ready for the first.
20. Seattle Seahawks (25): A fortuitous 2-0 begin featured WRs DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba on Sunday changing into the first Seattle teammates to every have no less than 10 catches for 100 yards in the identical recreation.
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21. Las Vegas Raiders (30): If you are going to make a move rusher the face of your group, might as properly be one like Maxx Crosby, who has but miss a snap this season.
22. Indianapolis Colts (9): Easiest path to a extremely disappointing 0-2 begin? Turn the ball over 4 instances and area a protection that is surrendering – by far – the most speeding yards per recreation (237) in the league. Indy hasn't but possessed the ball for 40 minutes over two video games.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (15): “TrEverBank Stadium?” At least the one-week title sponsor is an sincere dealer. “We suck right now,” QB Trevor Lawrence stated after dropping his seventh consecutive begin.
24. Chicago Bears (20): Bumpy a begin as it has been, rookie QB Caleb Williams nonetheless does not need to common even 250 yards per recreation to grow to be the franchise's first 4,000-yard passer in a season.
25. Miami Dolphins (13): Between WR Tyreek Hill and QB Tua Tagovailoa, certain have not been many alternatives to deal with soccer for a franchise with a really unsure outlook shifting ahead after Tua's newest concussion.
26. Los Angeles Rams (10): The energy of this workforce at the begin of the season, the receiving corps might now be LA's weak spot with Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson now in line to be the beginning wideouts for an indefinite interval.
27. Washington Commanders (26): Jayden Daniels' 132 speeding yards by two video games surpassed former Washington star Robert Griffin III for the most by a quarterback in his first two NFL video games throughout the Super Bowl period (since 1966).
28. New England Patriots (27): Their run recreation is outpacing their move recreation by 55 yards per week so far, but that division of labor is working pretty properly. No Pats wideout has greater than 28 receiving yards, but the workforce got here this near a 2-0 begin.
29. Tennessee Titans (29): Rookie HC Brian Callahan did not get into this enterprise to entertain us, however his unsparing criticism of, properly, football-irresponsible QB Will Levis has no less than been refreshing.
30. Denver Broncos (28): To recap, Sean Payton's offense is averaging 7.7 factors and 48 yards fewer per recreation since QB Russell Wilson was banished late final season.
31. New York Giants (32): Unclear if it is attainable to overuse a rookie wideout, however the G-Men is perhaps testing that notion – the Rams' injured Cooper Kupp the just one in the league with extra targets than Malik Nabers' 25.
32. Carolina Panthers (31): If Joe Flacco might come off the sofa to avoid wasting the Browns at age 38 a yr in the past, why should not Andy Dalton have the ability to do it age 36 by merely turning his clipboard, er pill, over to Bryce Young after the workforce stunningly pulled the ripcord on him after two 2024 begins?
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Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, previously Twitter, @ByNateDavis.
