As we head into Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season, there is no change among my top two teams in the league. The Buffalo Bills are still top dog for me, closely followed by the Baltimore Ravens. There is a slide for the Kansas City Chiefs and a new leading challenger in the NFC in the Green Bay Packers.
- BUFFALO BILLS --
Sunday's comprehensive victory over the New York Jets marked only the second time in Josh Allen's career that he did not account for an offensive touchdown in a win. And it didn't matter because the Bills ran all over the Jets to the tune of more than 200 yards.
- BALTIMORE RAVENS --
Derrick Henry rushed for just 23 yards against Cleveland and that didn't matter because these Ravens also have many ways to flex their offensive muscles. Lamar Jackson threw four touchdown passes and this explosive team has now scored 81 points in two weeks.
- GREEN BAY PACKERS +1
The Packers have yet to throw an interception and have yet to concede a total of 100 rushing yards on the season to date. That's seriously impressive against two playoff squads from a year ago in Detroit and Washington. I have the Packers as the team to beat in the NFC now.
- PHILADELPHIA EAGLES -1
The Eagles got past the Chiefs based on their physicality and just enough big plays. Jalen Hurts is rarely attacking downfield but when he does – as he did on a big strike to Devonta Smith against a KC blitz – he enjoys great success. Should the Eagles open things up a bit?
- LOS ANGELES CHARGERS --
The Chargers are sitting pretty on top of the AFC West with two wins out of two and Justin Herbert is off to a strong start with five touchdown passes. The WR mix of youth (Quentin Johnston) and experience (Keenan Allen) looks set to serve the Chargers well in 2025.
- DETROIT LIONS +2
Maybe they had never really gone away, but the Lions announced their return to our NFL lives in emphatic fashion by scoring 52 points against the Chicago Bears in Week 2. That game was an explosive reminder of the multitude of weapons around quarterback Jared Goff
- TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS +2
The Bucs have needed late heroics from Baker Mayfield to open 2-0 for the fifth season in a row. It might be time to pay a bit more attention to these Bucs. Mayfield is the obvious star, but Tampa Bay have also now rushed for at least 100 yards in each of their last 10 games.
- WASHINGTON COMMANDERS -2
The Commanders never really competed with the Green Bay Packers last Thursday. And now they face a worrying wait to see if star quarterback Jayden Daniels will be fit to face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3. Daniels has a knee sprain. Marcus Mariota waits in the wings.
- LOS ANGELES RAMS +1
The Rams have been bogged down with slow starts recently, but not this time around. Matthew Stafford and his receivers have enjoyed some nice moments. But the story of the season so far has been the form of a defense that has allowed just one TD in eight quarters.
- KANSAS CITY CHIEFS -3
I wonder if Kansas City management feels guilty every time Patrick Mahomes drops back to pass, realises he has very few targets he trusts and then takes off downfield; getting hit at the end of yet another run? Mahomes has led KC in rushing in each of their two games in 2025.
- INDIANAPOLIS COLTS +6
Last November, Daniel Jones was benched by the New York Giants and sent to the Minnesota Vikings; where he gathered dust watching Sam Darnold do his thing. Now? Jones is 2-0 and the Indianapolis Colts have not been forced into a single punt across their first two games!
- SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS +2
The 49ers are banged up and they have their flaws. But they also have two wins out of two with both victories coming on the road. The benefits of the softest NFL schedule are already paying dividends. Mac Jones is solid enough to continue subbing at QB for Brock Purdy.
- DENVER BRONCOS -1
As Spencer Shrader's 60-yard field goal sailed wide right on the final play of the game, the Broncos celebrated a 2-0 start. But a leverage penalty handed the Colts a lifeline and the contest. Sneaking a win would have been misleading. Denver's vaunted D really struggled.
- ATLANTA FALCONS +4
The early parts of any NFL season are ripe for overreaction, but I think this is now a fair question to ask. Have the Falcons finally found themselves a pass rush? Six sacks and four forced turnovers against Minnesota on Sunday night would suggest that the answer is yes!
- SEATTLE SEAHAWKS +4
There are going to be Minnesota fans wishing Sam Darnold was still in the fold to step in for the injured JJ McCarthy and that is fair. But Darnold, it should be noted, has blown hot and cold for Seattle in the first two weeks of the season. Their 1-1 record is a reflection of that.
- CINCINNATI BENGALS -1
The Bengals have avoided their traditional slow start but at a terrible cost. Losing quarterback Joe Burrow to a toe injury that will sideline him for three months is devastating and season-defining. Can they hang on for dear life until mid-December? I doubt it.
- HOUSTON TEXANS -1
The Texans couldn't hang on against Tampa Bay on Monday night and have fallen into an 0-2 hole. They can climb out of that in the AFC South, of course, but the offense will need to get on track. There are obvious growing pains for CJ Stroud under new coordinator Nick Caley.
- PITTSBURGH STEELERS -7
There have been moments where I have been impressed by Pittsburgh (four Aaron Rodgers touchdown passes in Week 1). But they're also making uncharacteristic mistakes, like the live-ball kick-off return TD for Seattle. And this team has allowed 63 points in two games.
- MINNESOTA VIKINGS -6
JJ McCarthy's high ankle sprain will sideline him for a while and it might quieten down growing noises for him to benched. Outside of one heroic fourth quarter display in Chicago, the second-year passer has looked overwhelmed and frenetic. He has much still to prove.
- ARIZONA CARDINALS +4
I can feel the angry tweets heading in my direction already! Spot number 20 in my rankings for a team with a perfect 2-0 record? You can only beat those put in front of you, I know. But I would have expected more than one-score margins against New Orleans and Carolina.
- DALLAS COWBOYS +1
Dak Prescott was excellent for large parts of Sunday's miracle win over the New York Giants. But I think another offensive positive has been the early-season form of running back Javonte Williams. On the flip side, the Cowboys don't seem to be all that sturdy on defense!
- JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS -2
The new version of the Jaguars looked a lot like the old version on Sunday, blowing several chances to take down Cincinnati and losing to a backup QB. WR Brian Thomas Jr. needs to up his game and is everything okay with Trevor Lawrence and head coach Liam Coen?
- CHICAGO BEARS -2
I've visited many NFL facilities, locker rooms and team meeting rooms and I'm fascinated by the motivational messaging placed on the walls. In Chicago, I think it's time for head coach Ben Johnson to erect the following message… "It's not how you start, it's how you finish!"
- NEW YORK GIANTS +4
The Giants let Russ cook and he almost served up the tastiest of dishes in Dallas. While there always has to be balance, it's clear what the offensive approach should be in New York. Just make sure that ball flies in the direction of Malik Nabers 10 or 12 times per game.
- LAS VEGAS RAIDERS --
The Raiders were so non-descript on the field during Monday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers that all their post-game attention has been focused on minority owner Tom Brady sitting in the coaches' box. It does feel a bit weird given his role as Fox's lead commentator.
- NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS --
After a very inconsistent day against the Raiders in Week 1, Drake Maye looked rock solid at quarterback as the Pats downed the Dolphins in Miami. The second-year passer hit on 19 of his 23 passes. Mike Vrabel wants to compete now, but Maye's growth is the priority in 2025.
- NEW YORK JETS -4
I was so impressed by the Jets in Week 1. Their offense looked lively and Aaron Glenn's team played with great spirit. In a Week 2 shellacking at home to Buffalo, the Jets were flat as pancakes and the offense – which lost Justin Fields to a concussion – was non-existent.
- CLEVELAND BROWNS -1
The Browns actually have one of the better defenses in the NFL, not that giving up 41 points to Baltimore backs up that statement. But there were just too many mistakes. The Browns lost a fumble for a touchdown, threw an interception and gave up a blocked punt. Messy.
- TENNESSEE TITANS --
Cam Ward showed how special he can be as he snaked around in the backfield, leaving defenders in his wake before throwing his first NFL touchdown pass to Elic Ayomanor. But can we protect the rookie QB? He has now been sacked 11 times in two painful contests.
- NEW ORLEANS SAINTS --
Spencer Rattler showed some fight against San Francisco, throwing three touchdown passes. But the unavoidable reality is that he is now 0-8 as an NFL starter. Rattler is just keeping the seat warm for whoever leads this team in 2026. And the whole squad knows it.
- CAROLINA PANTHERS --
I've mentioned before that this is a big season for Bryce Young in Carolina – it is the year they find out if he's the guy, or move on. That's my belief. He rallied late against Arizona and looked good down the stretch, but he has made far too many mistakes already in this young season.
- MIAMI DOLPHINS --
The heartbreaking moment of Miami's 33-27 loss to New England, at first glance, appears to be giving up a game-winning 90-yard kick-off return. But look at Tua Tagovailoa's late interception that ended the contest. Just a terrible read and throw with the game on the line.
