An interesting week with what appeared to be course corrections after the nigh-disastrous Week 2.
The number of undefeated teams is dwindling, as usual. Parity is here to stay.
Still, that's not to say there are no great teams. In fact, I doubt you could go wrong with anyone in my top 5. Peyton Manning appears to have taken control of the offense again in Denver, and while not everything is clicking just yet, the defense is strong enough to mask inefficiency. Arizona, Green Bay, and New England are hotter than Rio in the summer too.
Of course, you can't have great teams without some truly dreadful teams at the bottom. There are some 0-3 teams worthy of being scoffed at, but even a 1-2 team like the Dolphins is getting increased scrutiny thanks to showing up small against a division rival.
My picks were undone this week by home teams, surprisingly enough. Three of my five misses were the result of home teams not taking care of business. I'm still chasing the elusive 16-0, although with Week 4 coming up, the byes begin.
Here are the Rankings for Week 3:
1.) New England (3-0) [no change]
I was a little concerned that Brady & co. might go easy on Jacksonville. Obviously, I had nothing to worry about, as the Pats scored 51, mostly by running the ball with Lewis and Blount. What a surprise, huh? Brady only managed to throw his 400th and 401st TD's, but hey, it's all good. Without a doubt the best team in the AFC, the champs look like the champs so far.
Next opponent: at Dallas (10/11)
2.) Green Bay (3-0) [no change]
Is there a safer bet (in the NFL, at least) than Aaron Rodgers at home? He threw five TD's and no interceptions (big surprise) in what looked like a close game by the end of it. It really wasn't that close, as the Packers were up 31-7 at one point. Rodgers probably could have gone for six, but apparently they didn't want to totally embarrass KC. And that's fine; Rodgers had already done enough for anybody who cared to witness it. Another solid contender in the NFC.
Next opponent: at San Francisco (10/4)
3.) Arizona (3-0) [+1]
One team that's getting more ink than usual about being "the best" so far is Arizona. They're fresh off butt-whippings of Chicago and San Francisco and look strong in all phases of the game. Carson Palmer has been one of the better QB's in the league, he's got plenty of receivers, and the running game is solid. Then you look at the defense, which got two pick-6's off of Kaepernick, and you just hope that everyone can stay healthy. If that happens, an NFC Championship is not out of the realm of possibility.
Next opponent: vs. St. Louis (10/4)
4.) Denver (3-0) [+1]
If indeed the "pistol" formation is a compromise between competing strategies, I'd say it's not bad. Generally, the pistol is like the shotgun, but with less distance between QB and center. The lessened distance allows the RB to line up behind the QB as would usually be the case. Kubiak wants the offense to line up with the QB under center. Peyton Manning has shown through three games that he works better in the shotgun. Hence, we have the compromise of the pistol and hopefully, both parties are pleased. I'd hate to see an ideological conflict derail what could be a very promising season, given just how good the defense has been and should continue to be. Also, Peyton's demise has been greatly exaggerated, though I'll admit that his first game against Baltimore was not a thing of beauty by any stretch.
Next opponent: vs. Minnesota (10/4)
5.) Atlanta (3-0) [+1]
Matt Ryan throwing to Julio Jones has become an event. It seems like every time Ryan throws to Jones, something amazing happens, or is threatened. Not only that, but the Falcons can run the ball. With a balanced offense and a ball-hawking defense, they'll be able to put points up on the board and generate enough takeaways to keep opposing offenses muffled enough. Eventually, someone will beat them, but it probably won't happen in Week 4.
Next opponent: vs. Houston (10/4)
6.) Carolina (3-0) [+1]
Somehow the Panthers are winning games. I guess the formula will remain defense + Cam Newton, because the QB surely has little to work with outside of Greg Olsen. And yet, they played quite well against New Orleans, exercising control over the majority of the game and taking it away late by intercepting backup QB Luke McCown. Hard to say where Carolina ends up because the receiving corps and running game aren't much to speak of, but as long as Newton gets some amount of protection and remains (relatively) injury-free, the sky appears to be the limit.
Next opponent: at Tampa Bay (10/4)
7.) Cincinnati (3-0) [+1]
Many observers are jumping/have jumped on the Bengals' bandwagon. I understand why they get the urge to do so, but I'll reserve judgment until the playoffs come around. Let's be honest here: the Bengals have yet to play a primetime game and the playoffs don't start for months. We really have no clue what this team will do in the "clutch". Dalton gave up a fumble for a TD and then went right back to A.J. Green to re-take the lead. Is that something that we can count on? I doubt it, personally, but if nothing else, it is a positive sign that Dalton has further heights he can reach.
Next opponent: vs. Kansas City (10/4)
8.) Dallas (2-1) [-5]
A precipitous fall from the top 5 thanks to a second-half no-show. I know that without Romo and Bryant they weren't "expected" to beat Atlanta (except in some optimistic corners), but the drop is not personal. They're my team, after all! At any rate, they'll probably be out by next week, but stranger things have happened.
Next opponent: at New Orleans (10/4)
9.) Pittsburgh (2-1) [+1]
Losing their QB will sting, without a doubt. However, they won in St. Louis and have looked good through three weeks. How they fare over the next 4-6 weeks without Roethlisberger is anyone's guess, though I suspect (like most other observers) that Antonio Brown won't be making the huge plays he has been and that Le'Veon Bell will be relied upon more.
Next opponent: vs. Baltimore (10/1)
10.) Buffalo (2-1) [-]
It's not the defense that is surprising, but the offense. They went down to Miami and won with ease thanks to the Dolphins not being ready to play, but it really was domination on all fronts for the Bills. Though they've lost to New England already, they look like a solid team nonetheless.
Next opponent: vs. NY Giants (10/4)
That's all for this week. See you next week.
