NFL: Eagles Rise & Ravens Fall
The third full weekend of the NFL season just wrapped up, and a pair of our writers, Charles Post and Caleb Henderson, have come together to rank the top-10 teams in the league prior to Week 4. While the Atlanta Falcons escaped with a narrow 30-26 win over the Detroit Lions, the Baltimore Ravens were absolutely annihilated in London, 44-7, against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
1. Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) (+0): Kareem Hunt is still leading the NFL in rushing, and as long as that continues, the Chiefs should be able to hold on to the top spot. They beat the Chargers by a couple of touchdowns on Sunday, in what some people thought would be a close game. It's apparent that the Chiefs are head and shoulders above the rest of the division, right now, and that's why they're one of only two undefeated teams.
Team MVP: Kareem Hunt (RB) - 401 Yards & 4 TDs.
2. Atlanta Falcons (3-0) (+2): Matt Ryan was picked off three times against the Lions, but Devonta Freeman kept the Falcons in the game for much of the second half. And in the end, the Falcons were helped out a little bit by the officials, after it seemed like the Lions were going to pull off the upset and stay unbeaten. All in all, though, the Falcons are the only undefeated team left in the AFC and they could get back to the Super Bowl.
Team MVP: Matt Ryan (QB) - 867 Yards & 4 TDs.
3. New England Patriots (2-1) (+4): Tom Brady has looked like the MVP the last two weeks after struggling in Week 1 against the Chiefs in a loss. If you haven't seen the last second game-winning touchdown to Brandin Cooks in the final moments, check it out! It instantly became one of the most famous Brady throws. As long as Brady's making throws and plays like that, the Patriots have a chance to win it all (again).
Team MVP: Tom Brady (QB) - 1,092 Yards & 8 TDs.
4. Detroit Lions (2-1) (+2): Matthew Stafford didn't play up to his full potential, but late in the game, there aren't many players that you'd rather have than him. He led the Lions down the field, trailing 30-26, and put his team in position to win the game. Even for a moment, the scoreboard showed a Lions lead with just seconds remaining. Even with the loss, Detroit proved that they can play with the big boys.
Team MVP: Matthew Stafford (QB) - 678 Yards & 7 TDs.
5. Denver Broncos (2-1) (-2): Von Miller took the blame for the loss after the game, because it was his penalty in the fourth quarter that gave the Bills the ball following a failed third down play, but if you're like me, you're still baffled by that unsportsmanlike call. The context has to be taken into consideration when making the type of call. Anyways, the Broncos lost their first game, and their offense struggled for the first time this season.
Team MVP: C.J. Anderson (RB) - 235 Yards & 1 TD.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (2-1) (+6): Carson Wentz has put his team in a position to win, or have a shot at wining, over and over throughout his short career, and on Sunday, they actually came through with the victory. A 61-yard walk-off field goal shut the Giants up, and moved them to 3-0. Because of this division win, the Eagles keep pace with the Cowboys (2-1) and Redskins (2-1) atop the NFC East.
Team MVP: Carson Wentz (QB) - 816 Yards & 5 TDs.
7. Oakland Raiders (2-1) (-5): Derek Carr did not play like he did against the Titans or Jets, on Sunday Night Football against the Redskins. The Raiders as a whole didn't look like they were ready. But it happens, this is still one of the most talented teams in the league, and they should be in the playoffs come December and January. However, every loss slips them a little bit further behind the Chiefs in the division race.
Team MVP: Derek Carr (QB) - 610 Yards & 6 TDs.
8. Dallas Cowboys (2-1) (+3): Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott started to get back to their rookie level of play, on Monday Night Football, against the Cardinals. Although Larry Fitzgerald had 140+ yards on them, most of the Arizona offense struggled to get any type of momentum. Elliott found the end zone late in the game to seal the victory, 28-17, and the Cowboys have found themselves back in these rankings.
Team MVP: Dak Prescott (QB) - 689 Yards & 5 TDs.
9. Minnesota Vikings (2-1) (+4): Case Keenum (!) absolutely shredded the Bucs defense, passing for more than 350 yards, and keeping Jameis Winston on the sideline. The Vikings have looked pretty good through the first few weeks of the season, and Dalvin Cook has been one of the best rushers in the league. This Sunday's match with the Lions will create some space in the NFC North.
Team MVP: Dalvin Cook (RB) - 288 Yards & 1 TD.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) (-2): Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, and Le'Veon Bell were supposed to equate to one of the top offenses in the NFL, but so far this season, it hasn't shown. The defense has been solid, but if the Steelers can't even outscore the lowly Bears, losing 23-17, then there might be more issues than we once though with this team. However, they play in a pretty poor division so there is some room for mistakes.
Team MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (QB) - 741 Yards & 5 TDs.
Week 1 Top-10 - Dallas Cowboys.
Week 2 Top-10 - Kansas City Chiefs.
Player of the Week:
QB Jared Goff (Los Angeles Rams) - 292 Yards, 22-28, 3 TDs, 41-39 win vs. 49ers.
Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated & Sporting News.
