2021 NFL power rankings after Week 3: Rams take over No. 1 spot after beating Buccaneers
previous rank in parentheses):
1. Rams (2): With Sean McVay’s crew now 2-0 against Tom Brady’s Bucs, the road to Super Bowl 56 in Los Angeles might literally go through LA if these teams line up again in the playoffs.
2. Buccaneers (1): As if the football world obsessing over Brady’s return to New England on Sunday night isn’t enough, he also needs just 68 passing yards to break Drew Brees’ NFL career record (80,358) in front of the “road fans.”
3. Browns (4): Revamped defense arrived Sunday, posting nine sacks while limiting Chicago to 47 total yards and 1.1 per play. WR Odell Beckham Jr. (87 yards from scrimmage) also apparently arrived. The possibilities for Cleveland remain exciting.
Dallas is also on pace to reclaim the NFC East crown coming off a dominant Monday night win.WR Davante Adams now performing like the singular free agent combo they could be in six months.
14. Titans (12): Six targets per game for WR Julio Jones doesn’t seem like nearly enough, while 31 touches per game for RB Derrick Henry seems like a bit too much? Even for him?
put the Vikes’ teetering season back on track.
19. Seahawks (13): The LOB clocked out a minute ago, but there’s still too much invested in this defense for it to rank last overall in the entire league.
20. Steelers (8): After a Week 1 aberration, Pittsburgh has sunk to last place in the AFC North, thanks largely to an O-line that’s been as bad as forecast. Rookie RB Najee Harris is actually averaging more receiving yards (49.7) than rushing (41.0) per game.
prodigal son TB12 on his way back to Foxborough.
23. Washington (21): A defense that was the league’s second best statistically in 2020 is currently its second worst and has only six sacks despite its vaunted front.
24. Eagles (22): Jalen Hurts jerseys have been flying off the shelves recently, but you still have to wonder if they’re good long-term investments – especially in Philadelphia.
25. Colts (26): Wasn’t this supposed to an elite offensive line? Thus far, it’s done an elite job getting QB Carson Wentz banged around and rendering RB Jonathan Taylor close to invisible.
26. Lions (29): It took an NFL-record 66-yard field goal from Baltimore’s Justin Tucker to beat them at the gun Sunday … eight years after Tucker beat them with a 61-yarder in a similar situation … and 51 years after New Orleans’ Tom Dempsey set a then-record with a game-winning 63-yarder as time expired.
former All-Pro Jamal Agnew providing 100+ runbacks each of the past two weeks.
32. Jets (30): Never good signs when you become incrementally less competitive at start of a season … or see your rookie QB picked off seven times and sacked 15 in his first three NFL starts.
***
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.