Monday night wound up being one to forget for the Cleveland Browns. They dropped their first road game of the year and lost their best offensive player in the process when Nick Chubb was injured.
That means they're in a bit of a free fall heading in
Let's dive right into the Week 3 edition of our 2023 NFL Power Rankings to find out.
32. Houston Texans (0-2)
They were one of the worst teams in the NFL last season and this year, they seem to have the corner marketed. The Houston Texans are 0-2 after losing to the Colts this weekend. Rookie C.J. Stroud did what he could, throwing for 384 yards and two touchdowns but he did a lot of that damage when the game was already decided. He also had to throw it 47 times since they had 52 yards on 26 rushing attempts.
31. Arizona Cardinals (0-2)
For much of the day on Sunday, it looked as though the Arizona Cardinals were going to get their first win of the season. They were up 20-0 at the half and 28-7 late in the third. But their defense simply couldn't stop the Giants in the final 30 minutes. That ended with a 31-28 loss despite Josh Dobbs playing well. Sadly, this might wind up as one of their best performances this season — and it still wasn't enough.
30. Chicago Bears (0-2)
With a chance to steal a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Justin Fields responded by sealing the win for the Bucs. A late pick-six ended their comeback hopes and they're now off to a 0-2 start. And unless he gets it turned around in a hurry, this could wind up being the last chance Fields gets with Chicago.
29. Indianapolis Colts (1-1)
A win over the Houston Texans might not feel like much but for the Indianapolis Colts, it had to feel good. They saw Anthony Richardson move the ball well and then when he was lost to a concussion, Gardner Minshew showed out. He had 171 yards on 19-of-23 passing, making it look easy. Having said that, they still have a lot of holes to fill but should be happy with this start.
28. Carolina Panthers (0-2)
The Carolina Panthers were featured on Monday Night Football against the New Orleans Saints and had a chance to make a statement. That didn't happen as they fell to 0-2 on the season. There's a lot of young talent on this team but Frank Reich has his work cut out for him if they're going to turn into winners.
27. Denver Broncos (0-2)
There were a couple of games that seemed well in hand but then the unthinkable happened. That was the case for the Denver Broncos in Week 2 after they built a commanding 21-3 lead over the Washington Commanders in the first half. But then, they let Washington take over and before long, they were trailing 35-24. A late field goal from Will Lutz was followed by a Hail Mary touchdown for Brandon Johnson, making it a two-point game. However, a blatant penalty wasn't called on the two-point conversion. It was a frustrating finish for Denver but they never should have been in that position.
26. Minnesota Vikings (0-2)
The prime-time curse continued for the Minnesota Vikings, who fell to 0-2 with a loss to the Eagles. They fought hard and Kirk Cousins put up some impressive numbers but it simply wasn't enough. And he's likely going to take the heat for this slow start even though he's been on fire to start the year.
25. Cincinnati Bengals (0-2)
It was another one tough outing for the Cincinnati Bengals as they dropped their second game in a row. This time, it was a 27-24 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens.
While it’s true they started out 0-2 in 2023 and still won the division, they’ve lost to two AFC North rivals this time. It’s not an impossible hole to climb out of but not an ideal one either.
24. Los Angeles Chargers (0-2)
Kellen Moore was brought over to coach the offense as Brandon Staley tried to keep his job with the Los Angeles Chargers. After two weeks, it seems as though Staley could be in more danger than ever and Moore might be able to audition as a head coach on an interim basis.
The Chargers have had leads in their first two games of the year and wound up losing both. That’s been a problem since Staley arrived and his seat has to be on fire at this point.
23. New York Giants (1-1)
With 17 games now in the regular season, an 0-2 start isn't as detrimental as it once was. Even so, no one wants to start out that way — and the New York Giants nearly did. Trailing 20-0 at the half against the Arizona Cardinals, they were able to finally get rolling in the second half, stealing a 31-28 win. The only problem is that Saquon Barkley was injured late in the game which means there will be major concerns going forward.
22. New York Jets (1-1)
It's hard to figure out how in the world the New York Jets beat the Buffalo Bills without Aaron Rodgers because, in Week 2, Zach Wilson was a mess. He was sacked three times and threw three picks as they fell 30-10 to the Dallas Cowboys. The only positive thing that can be said is their defense held up in the red zone and held Dallas to five field goals. Otherwise, it would have been much worse than a 20-point loss.
21. Tennessee Titans (1-1)
Ryan Tannehill wasn’t putting up highlight-reel plays but he was very efficient in Week 2, going 20-of-24 passing. It was enough to get an overtime win over the Chargers as the Titans improved to 1-1 on the season. They’re tied with the Jaguars and Colts in the division and should remain in the mix all season. They’re never the best team but they’re one of the more resilient.
20. Las Vegas Raiders (1-1)
A 17-16 win over Denver in Week 1 gave the Las Vegas Raiders a lot of confidence heading into Week 2. They even jumped out to a 7-0 lead over Buffalo to start the game. But then, the wheels fell off. The Bills ended up winning 38-10 while Jimmy Garoppolo struggled with two picks in the loss. They face the Steelers in Week 3, which might help them get back on track.
19. New England Patriots (0-2)
This start has been less than ideal for the New England Patriots. They lost by five to the Eagles in Week 1 and then by seven to Miami in Week 2. Matt Judon says the team still believes in themselves and they should. They fought back in each of their first two games and made it close. And it’s safe to say at this point, they’re the best 0-2 team in the league.
18. Seattle Seahawks (1-1)
Geno Smith was firing on all cylinders again this weekend against Detroit. He and the Seattle Seahawks put a Week 1 loss in the rearview and kept pace with the L.A. Rams in their division. They also had some fun at the expense of the Lions, who did the most Dan Campbell-esque thing ever when they encouraged fans to show up in blue ski masks. An overtime win was capped off with another victory as Seattle players wore the masks and mocked the Lions afterward.
17. Los Angeles Rams (1-1)
With Matthew Stafford back, the L.A. Rams look like a completely different team. They won in Week 1 against Seattle and then hung tight with the San Francisco 49ers. In the end, they lost 30-23 but for a team that was written off by so many, they've made some noise early in the year.
They've even been able to move the chains without Cooper Kupp, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury. In his absence, Puka Nacua has become a star and pulled in 15 receptions for 147 yards this weekend.
16. Cleveland Browns (1-1)
Week 2 was awful for the Cleveland Browns. Not only did they lose to the Steelers but Nick Chubb was lost for the season due to a devastating knee injury. While their defense did all they could to keep them in the game, Cleveland's offense was simply abysmal. They gave up 14 points on a pick-six and fumble which wound up costing them a chance at going 2-0 for the first time since 1993.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1)
The Pittsburgh Steelers leapfrog the Browns but only barely. Their defense is better since they record more turnovers but their offense is less explosive. The one edge, however, is their offense hasn't left a ton of plays on the field or given up two touchdowns to the opposing defense in the same game.
14. Green Bay Packers (1-1)
The Green Bay Packers had 24 points in the second and third quarters this weekend but couldn't score in the first or fourth. That proved to be too much for them to overcome as the Atlanta Falcons dropped 13 in the final quarter to steal a win, 25-24.
Jordan Love had three touchdown passes and still looks the part but the offense got too conservative at the end. That will have to change if they want to make a run.
13. Atlanta Falcons (2-0)
Hardly anyone saw the NFC South being so impressive early on. Even fewer saw the Atlanta Falcons winning their first two games. This past weekend, they dropped 13 points in the final 15 minutes and won 25-24 thanks to a game-winner from Youngoe Koo.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0)
One of the big surprises early on in the 2023 season has been the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They made the playoffs at 8-9 last year with Tom Brady but were one-and-done. Now with Baker Mayfield under center, they're off to a 2-0 start. The two teams they've beaten are 0-2 but what matters is they take care of whoever is on their schedule. Keep doing that, and who knows what can happen in a suddenly competitive NFC South.
11. Detroit Lions (1-1)
A Week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs had the Detroit Lions on Cloud 9 to start the season. But then, they got one of the weirdest ideas ever when C.J. Gardner-Johnson started asking fans to wear blue ski masks. Naturally, they wound up losing and the ski masks made an appearance in the Seattle locker room as they made fun of the Lions following the win. Dan Campbell has turned this team around but eventually, their shtick could become annoying.
10. Washington Commanders (2-0)
Eric Bieniemy is running the offense in Washington as he's trying to prove he deserves a head coaching job in the NFL. He's off to a hot start, especially after finding a way to get his offense rolling following a 21-3 deficit. They ended up dropping 35 on the Broncos and it was enough for them to improve to 2-0 on the year. It's early but with Dallas and Philadelphia playing so well, it's important they keep pace.
9. New Orleans Saints (2-0)
The one issue the New Orleans Saints have right now is scoring in the red zone. They continue to move the ball on offense but then have to settle for one field goal after another. Thankfully for them, Blake Gruppe has been automatic. But going forward, they're going to have to learn to be more efficient in this area.
8. Buffalo Bills (1-1)
The Raiders took an early 7-0 lead and then after Buffalo scored 14 in a row, they made it 14-10. From there, Josh Allen and the Bills went off.
They scored 24 unanswered to secure their first win of the season, 38-10. It was a statement game and that statement went something like this:
“How did the Bills lose to the Jets with Zach Wilson under center?”
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
This week was supposed to feature a shootout between Trevor Lawrence and Patrick Mahomes. Instead, the Chiefs and Jaguars defense put on a clinic.
Jacksonville was unable to score a single touchdown, managing just nine points in a 17-9 loss. Usually, holding Kansas City to 17 is a major win but not in this case. Even so, this is still the top team in the AFC South and they could still make a run.
6. Baltimore Ravens (2-0)
Sitting at 2-0, the Baltimore Ravens are feeling great about themselves. In Week 1, they made it look easy against Houston. Now, they handed the Bengals their second divisional loss in as many weeks.
Next up, they’ll take on the Colts and should be able to improve to 3-0 before a huge showdown with Cleveland.
5. Kansas City Chiefs (1-1)
Most people who follow the NFL knew the Week 1 loss for the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t mean they were done. As long as Patrick Mahomes is under center, they have a chance to win. And in Week 2, they not only had him but Chris Jones returned from his holdout and Travis Kelce was back after an injury forced him to sit in Week 1.
They improved to 1-1 with a win over the Jaguars. They still have room to improve but will likely get there in no time.
4. Philadelphia Eagles (2-0)
After two weeks, the Philadelphia Eagles are 2-0 but they have some issues to clean up. They've twice allowed their opponents to get back into the game after it looked as though they had it well in hand. They still found a way to win in each, which is a testament to their resolve. Having said that, they can be incredibly dangerous if they get things on track and find a way to keep their foot on the pedal after taking a lead.
3. Miami Dolphins (2-0)
The Miami Dolphins had two tough tests to kick off the season and walked away with a 2-0 record. First, they fought back to knock off the L.A. Chargers in Week 1. Then, they took care of business against the New England Patriots, which is never an easy thing to do. They appear to be the best team in the AFC right now and as long as Tua stays healthy, they’re going to be a problem for any opponent.
2. Dallas Cowboys (2-0)
After two weeks, the Dallas Cowboys are outscoring their opponents 70-10. They were all over the Giants in Week 1 and then beat up on the New York Jets this weekend. Their defense continues to be one of the most opportunistic in the league, recording four turnovers against the Jets. This next weekend, they play the Cardinals followed by the New England Patriots. They could very easily be 4-0 before taking on the San Francisco 49ers, who have had their number in recent years.
1. San Francisco 49ers (2-0)
Now that Brock Purdy has come out of nowhere to lead this team, the San Francisco 49ers might not have a weakness on their roster. They won easily against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 and then in Week 2, they withstood everything Matthew Stafford and the Rams could throw their way. They're now 2-0 and also have winnable games against the Giants and Cardinals before the huge Week 5 showdown with Dallas.