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NFL power rankings: What does Burrow injury, Chiefs’ 0-2 start mean?

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The top five teams remain unchanged going into Week 3.
One 2-0 team made a 15-spot advance, almost into the top 10.
Patrick Mahomes is 0-2 for the first time in his career. What has that cost K.C. in our weekly power poll?

NFL power rankings entering Week 3 of the 2025 season (previous rank in parentheses):

1. Philadelphia Eagles (1): They have yet to flash their 2024 dominance, and QB Jalen Hurts has done little with his arm so far. But the reigning champs are 2-0, an undefeated mark that will be difficult to maintain given their next three opponents were all playoff teams last season − starting with a Rams team that nearly knocked Philly out of the postseason.

2. Buffalo Bills (2): After trampling the Jets, they now start a three-game homestand against opponents with a combined 1-5 record and don’t see another 2024 playoff squad (K.C.) until November. Sure feels like a fast track to the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

3. Green Bay Packers (3): How well does DE Micah Parsons fit into this unit? Per PFF, he’s on (a very early) pace for 85 pressures even though he’s barely played more than half the Pack’s snaps.

5. Los Angeles Rams (5): For all of the headlines this offense generates, the defense has surrendered just one TD − a figure no other club can match.

6. Los Angeles Chargers (7): They’re set up to become the third team since the league expanded to 32 teams in 2002 to open their season with a 3-0 record that includes a sweep of all three of their divisional foes.

7. Washington Commanders (6): Coming off a deflating and damaging loss at Lambeau, at least their healthy players − TBD if QB Jayden Daniels’ knee will be sufficiently healed by Sunday − will have extra rest as the Raiders come cross country to the nation’s capital on a short week.

8. Kansas City Chiefs (8): Since QB Patrick Mahomes is their only player who can run the ball effectively, here’s an idea − get 310-pound LT Josh Simmons some carries.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10): Congrats to longtime LB Lavonte David, the first player in franchise history to start 200 games. If only a growing cast of injured teammates was so durable.

10. Detroit Lions (14): Ben who? During Sunday’s 52-point outburst against their former OC, the Lions averaged a team-record 8.8 yards per play under new coordinator John Morton.

11. Indianapolis Colts (26): Daniel ‘Indiana’ Jones? Let’s take him and his teammates seriously. The quarterback and his undefeated team have quickly become the young season’s surprise story, one that seems likely to continue with an upcoming trip to Nashville.

13. Arizona Cardinals (11): Good thing for the Cards that revenant DL Calais Campbell, 39, still knows how to close out a game.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (9): While the spotlight will doubtless remain trained on QB Aaron Rodgers, it has to concern coach Mike Tomlin that his historically reliable defense and special teams have already surrendered 63 points.

17. Atlanta Falcons (20): This defense generated six sacks and four takeaways? In one game? Seriously? That could be a pretty ominous sign for the rest of the NFC South.

18. Cincinnati Bengals (16): Burrow? Bro? What do you think is going to happen to your feet when you’re defacing your Air Jordans? Now your buddies get to face five 2024 playoffs squads without you over the next five weeks, and that’s just for starters.

21. Dallas Cowboys (23): How about RB Javonte Williams’ resurgence in Big D? Tied for the league lead with three rushing TDs, he’ll match his career high with the next one.

22. Minnesota Vikings (15): With apologies to injured J.J. McCarthy, here’s a wild stat − backup Carson Wentz is likely about to become the first quarterback to start for six different teams over a six-season stretch in the Super Bowl era, which dates to 1966.

23. Las Vegas Raiders (24): Rookie RB Ashton Jeanty has almost nowhere to go but up after averaging 2.4 yards per touch through two weeks.

24. New England Patriots (25): Tied for the league lead with 3½ sacks, OLB Harold Landry III is quickly proving worthy of his offseason investment.

25. New York Giants (28): Next up, a pair of dates with AFC West teams (Chiefs, Chargers) — so looking at Week 5 against the Saints as the possible sweet spot to insert rookie QB Jaxson Dart into the lineup, which might also coincide with Russell Wilson’s arm falling off.

26. Chicago Bears (22): Last year’s first-round pick is looking awfully good − an obvious reference to emergent WR Rome Odunze.

27. New York Jets (21): Where do New Yorkers go when they need to flee the big city? Florida. The NYJ’s next two games are in Tampa and Miami.

28. New Orleans Saints (31): Give them credit for being awfully competitive despite their inexperience under center and under the headset.

29. Tennessee Titans (30): No. 1 pick Cam Ward has already been sacked 11 times, putting him on pace to suffer nearly 100 over 17 games. Someone help this man.

30. Carolina Panthers (29): Monday may have been worse than Sunday amid the revelation that starting OL Austin Corbett and Robert Hunt are both headed to IR for at least a lengthy period of time.

31. Cleveland Browns (27): Dillon Gabriel got to mop up Sunday’s loss to Baltimore. Seems only fair that Shedeur Sanders should get a similar opportunity against Green Bay.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY