Ultimate NFL Power Rankings: Week 3

Entering the third week of the NFL season, the swashbuckling Bucs are the league's biggest surprise.

September 19, 2018 5:00 am
TAMPA, FL - SEP 16: Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) of the Bucs throws the ball downfield during the regular season game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 16, 2018 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - SEP 16: Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) of the Bucs throws the ball downfield during the regular season game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 16, 2018 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Through two games, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has thrown for 819 yards and eight touchdowns in place of suspended franchise QB Jameis Winston.

Thanks in large part to the Fitzmagic on display, those games both turned into wins for the Bucs, no small accomplishment considering the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles were the respective opponents.

Though the season is young, Tampa Bay is playing like the team some thought they would be last year when their receiving duo of Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson was looking like one of the best in the league. Unfortunately, Winston was unable to get them the pigskin consistently —a problem which Fitzpatrick has not had.

On the other side of the ball, the Bucs now also have a defensive dynamic duo in Gerald McCoy and Jason Pierre-Paul, who was acquired via trade from the New York Giants in the offseason.

Taking on the Steelers — a preseason Super Bowl pick for many — this week on Monday Night Football, the Bucs have the chance to prove they are for real and truly deserve to be considered one the league’s elite teams.

But how do the power rankers from ESPN, NFL.com, and USA Today see it?

Find out in the first edition of RealClearLife‘s Ultimate NFL Power Rankings, which combine ratings from those three outlets to get a single rank for all 32 teams in NFL and use segmented tiers to arrange them.

Also, for an even greater perspective on how the season has been progressing, check out how each team’s season average ranking compares with where they finished this week.

Blue-32, set, hut.

The Best of the Best (1.00-5.33)

No. 1.33, last 3.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 2.16: Los Angeles Rams (ESPN, 1), (NFL.com, 1), (USA Today, 2)

No. 1.66, last 5.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 3.33: Jacksonville Jaguars (ESPN, 2), (NFL.com, 2), (USA Today, 1)

No. 3.33, last 9.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 6.16: Kansas City Chiefs (ESPN, 3), (NFL.com, 4), (USA Today, 3)

No. 4.66, last 3.33, two weeks ago N/A, season average 3.99: Minnesota Vikings (ESPN, 6), (NFL.com, 3), (USA Today, 5)

No. 5.33, last 6.66, two weeks ago N/A, season average 5.99: Green Bay Packers (ESPN, 7), (NFL.com, 5), (USA Today, 4)

The Best of the Rest (5.34-10.66)

No. 6.00, last 2.66, two weeks ago N/A, season average 4.3: New England Patriots (ESPN, 4), (NFL.com, 6), (USA Today, 8)

No. 6.66, last 1.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 3.83: Philadelphia Eagles (ESPN, 5), (NFL.com, 8), (USA Today, 7)

No. 8.00, last 19.33, two weeks ago N/A, season average 13.66: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (ESPN, 11), (NFL.com, 7), (USA Today, 6)

No. 8.66, last 7.66, two weeks ago N/A, season average 8.16: Atlanta Falcons (ESPN, 8), (NFL.com, 9), (USA Today, 9)

So You’re Saying There’s a Chance (10.67-15.99)

No. 11.00, last 12.66, two weeks ago N/A, season average 11.83: Los Angeles Chargers (ESPN, 12), (NFL.com, 11), (USA Today, 10)

No. 11.00, last 10.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 10.5: New Orleans Saints (ESPN, 9), (NFL.com, 12), (USA Today, 12)

No. 12.33, last 10.66, two weeks ago N/A, season average 11.49: Carolina Panthers (ESPN, 14), (NFL.com, 10), (USA Today, 13)

No. 12.33, last 20.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 16.16: Cincinnati Bengals (ESPN, 13), (NFL.com, 13), (USA Today, 11)

No. 14.00, last 10.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 12.00: Pittsburgh Steelers (ESPN, 10), (NFL.com, 16), (USA Today, 16)

No. 15.66, last 17.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 16.33: Denver Broncos (ESPN, 15), (NFL.com, 18), (USA Today, 14)

Stuck in the Middle with You (16.00-21.32)

No. 17.00, last 12, two weeks ago N/A, season average 22.5: Baltimore Ravens (ESPN, 19), (NFL.com, 15), (USA Today, 17)

No. 17.00, last 23.33, two weeks ago N/A, season average 20.16: Miami Dolphins (ESPN, 16), (NFL.com, 17), (USA Today, 18)

No. 17.33, last 18.33, two weeks ago N/A, season average 17.83: Chicago Bears (ESPN, 23), (NFL.com, 14), (USA Today, 15)

No. 20.00, last 24.33, two weeks ago N/A, season average 22.16: Tennessee Titans (ESPN, 20), (NFL.com, 21), (USA Today, 19)

No. 20.66, last 20.33, two weeks ago N/A, season average 21.99: Dallas Cowboys (ESPN, 17), (NFL.com, 19), (USA Today, 26)

No. 21.00, last 20.33, two weeks ago N/A, season average 20.66: San Francisco 49ers (ESPN, 18), (NFL.com, 20), (USA Today, 25)

It’s Probably Not Your Year  (21.33-26.65)

No. 22.00, last 14.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 18.00: Houston Texans (ESPN, 22), (NFL.com, 23), (USA Today, 21)

No. 22.33, last 29.66, two weeks ago N/A, season average 25.99: Indianapolis Colts (ESPN, 25), (NFL.com, 22), (USA Today, 20)

No. 23.00, last 13.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 18.00: Washington Redskins (ESPN, 21), (NFL.com, 24), (USA Today, 24)

No. 24.66, last 22.66, two weeks ago N/A, season average 23.66: New York Jets (ESPN, 26), (NFL.com, 25), (USA Today, 23)

No. 25.66, last 27.66, two weeks ago N/A, season average 26.66: Cleveland Browns (ESPN, 28), (NFL.com, 27), (USA Today, 22)

See You in 2019  (26.66-32.00)

No. 27.33, last 23.66, two weeks ago N/A, season average 25.49: Seattle Seahawks (ESPN, 24), (NFL.com, 29), (USA Today, 29)

No. 27.66, last 19.66, two weeks ago N/A, season average 23.66: New York Giants (ESPN, 30), (NFL.com, 26), (USA Today, 27)

No. 27.66, last 28.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 27.83: Oakland Raiders (ESPN, 27), (NFL.com, 28), (USA Today, 28)

No. 29.66, last 28.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 28.83: Detroit Lions (ESPN, 29), (NFL.com, 30), (USA Today, 30)

No. 31.33, last 30.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 30.66: Arizona Cardinals (ESPN, 31), (NFL.com, 31), (USA Today, 32)

No. 31.66, last 32.00, two weeks ago N/A, season average 31.83: Buffalo Bills (ESPN, 32), (NFL.com, 32), (USA Today, 31)

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