The 2025 NFL regular season is officially underway, and with the return of football comes the return of NFL power rankings.
Heading into Week 3 of the new year, certain teams are getting off to a hotter start than others. There’s a lot of football left to be played this year, but the tone that teams set in their first few games can often make or break the rest of their season. Here are our NFL power rankings after Week 2 of the 2025 season.
32) Carolina Panthers
- Last Week’s Ranking: 32
- Offense Rank: 24
- Defense Rank: 26
- Playoff Odds: 5.90%
A 13-point rally in the fourth quarter kept the Carolina Panthers in the game against the Cardinals, but it wasn’t enough to pick up the victory. With an 0-2 start to the season, they remain in the No. 32 slot of our Week 3 NFL Power Rankings.
Bryce Young showed encouraging flashes with three touchdowns and 328 passing yards, but a lackluster run game and 20 incomplete passes prevented Carolina from moving into the end zone consistently. Kyler Murray was also only sacked once and hit four times, giving him a pretty clean pocket to pick the Panthers’ defense apart.
31) Tennessee Titans
- Last Week’s Ranking: 30
- Offense Rank: 32
- Defense Rank: 15
- Playoff Odds: 8.90%
For the third time in four seasons, the Tennessee Titans have started the regular season with an 0-2 record. A 33-19 loss to the Rams spoiled Tennessee’s home opener and puts them further behind the 8-ball early in the 2025 NFL season.
Rookie quarterback Cam Ward has completed just 50.8% of his passes so far this season, but we’ve seen upside through some of the highlight-worthy passes he’s made. Though he’s taken 11 sacks through two weeks, he has yet to throw an interception, despite tough consecutive matchups with the Broncos and Rams.
30) New York Giants
- Last Week’s Ranking: 31
- Offense Rank: 28
- Defense Rank: 28
- Playoff Odds: 3.20%
Though the New York Giants fell short on Sunday to fall to 0-2, their offense was explosive in their showdown with the Cowboys. Russell Wilson threw for 235 yards in the 1st half, the fourth-most in the first half of a game in his illustrious career. That’s also the most passing yards in the first half by a Giants QB since Eli Manning in Week 12 of 2018 against the Eagles.
RUSSELL WILSON IS BALLING.
MALIK NABERS IS A SUPERSTAR. pic.twitter.com/3Blhtqjb7L
— Brett Hanfling (@Brett_Hanfling) September 14, 2025
Wilson, having the fifth game in Giants history with 450+ yards passing, wasn’t enough to overcome their disappointing defensive output. Still, the improvement through the air moves New York up a spot. Plus, these are the active players with multiple 165+ receiving yard games within their first 17 NFL games:
- Ja’Marr Chase
- Justin Jefferson
- Malik Nabers
29) Las Vegas Raiders
- Last Week’s Ranking: 25
- Offense Rank: 30
- Defense Rank: 12
- Playoff Odds: 20.90%
A firm win over the Patriots gave the Las Vegas Raiders some momentum going into their Monday night matchup against the Chargers, but they failed to capitalize on that buzz. The offense put up just nine points, with Geno Smith throwing three interceptions in the process.
In addition to a high turnover rate, Smith completed just 55.8% of his passing attempts, throwing the ball 43 times and finishing the game with only 180 passing yards. The Raiders’ aerial assault will need to be much more efficient if they are to find their way climbing these rankings again.
28) Chicago Bears
- Last Week’s Ranking: 23
- Offense Rank: 23
- Defense Rank: 31
- Playoff Odds: 3.60%
Coming off of a blown lead in Week 1 against the Vikings, the Chicago Bears had a chance to bounce back against the Lions on Sunday. Not only did they not bounce back, but their defense gave up 52 points, tying for the fifth-most points the team has ever allowed in a single game.
Since the fourth quarter of Week 1, the Bears’ defense has faced 16 drives. The results of those drives for the opposing offenses are as follows:
- 10 touchdowns
- 4 punts
- 1 field goal
- 1 missed field goal
27) New York Jets
- Last Week’s Ranking: 21
- Offense Rank: 26
- Defense Rank: 25
- Playoff Odds: 12.60%
Week 2 was the literal polar opposite of Week 1 for Justin Fields. In the season-opener, Fields averaged a career-best 0.54 EPA per dropback in the New York Jets’ narrow loss to the Steelers. Against the Bills, Fields averaged a career-worst -0.91 EPA per dropback before leaving due to a head injury.
An abysmal passing attack made it tough for the Jets to get anything going offensively against Buffalo on Sunday. Though Fields’ long-term status remains unknown as of this writing, don’t expect New York to win too many games if they keep playing like they did in Week 2.
26) Cleveland Browns
- Last Week’s Ranking: 26
- Offense Rank: 30
- Defense Rank: 10
- Playoff Odds: 11.30%
Predictably so, the Cleveland Browns struggled in their matchup with the Ravens on Sunday. Their offense didn’t light the world on fire, but it was their pass defense that truly let them down; Lamar Jackson threw for four touchdowns in Week 2.
One bright spot for Cleveland is its run defense. The Browns are allowing a minuscule 2.1 yards per rush and held the Ravens to just 45 rush yards, their fewest in a Lamar Jackson start. Cleveland is allowing only 2.1 yards per rush, the best through two games by any team since the 2019 Ravens, who went on to finish 14-2.
25) Miami Dolphins
- Last Week’s Ranking: 27
- Offense Rank: 17
- Defense Rank: 32
- Playoff Odds: 12.40%
The Miami Dolphins were able to rally back from a disastrous first quarter, but it wasn’t enough to give them the win over the Patriots on Sunday. A big reason for the loss was their defense: the Dolphins allowed a score on their first 10 defensive drives of the season.
That mark surpassed last year’s Panthers for the longest streak to begin a season since 2000. Considering the 2024 Panthers allowed the most points in NFL history, that doesn’t bode well for Miami. However, Malik Washington’s punt return touchdown was the first by a Dolphins player since 2020.
24) New Orleans Saints
- Last Week’s Ranking: 28
- Offense Rank: 14
- Defense Rank: 21
- Playoff Odds: 15.30%
Last season, the New Orleans Saints exploded offensively out of the gate before settling back down to Earth. This year, they aren’t even reaping the benefits of that early-season firepower; the Saints had 45.5 points per game through two weeks last season, and they have scored just 34 total points through two weeks this season.
A 0-2 start doesn’t bode well for the Saints if they plan on making the playoffs this season. Both of their losses have come by one possession, so there’s definitely room for optimism going forward. But there’s a lot of work to be done on offense before they’re considered a serious threat.
23) New England Patriots
- Last Week’s Ranking: 29
- Offense Rank: 16
- Defense Rank: 24
- Playoff Odds: 37.70%
As previously alluded to, the New England Patriots picked up the victory over Miami thanks to their strong offensive output. Drake Maye averaged 10.0 yards per attempt for the first time in his NFL career; the last time he did so was Week 10 of the 2023 NCAAF season against Campbell.
The Patriots also got some help from their special teams unit. Antonio Gibson’s kick return for a touchdown was the first by a Patriots player since 2023. Their matchup was the first game since 2018 in Week 1 where both teams had a special teams return for a touchdown. That game was also in Miami, when the Dolphins played the Titans.
22) Pittsburgh Steelers
- Last Week’s Ranking: 16
- Offense Rank: 25
- Defense Rank: 29
- Playoff Odds: 29.40%
Aaron Rodgers was clutch in Week 1, but not so much in Week 2. Rodgers had a 26.7% success rate during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 2 loss to the Seahawks. That was the third-worst fourth-quarter success rate of his illustrious career (min. 15 plays).
Allowing 17 points in the fourth quarter surely didn’t do the Steelers any favors, either. Their defense forced two interceptions, but they also allowed 105 rushing yards to Kenneth Walker II and nearly 300 passing yards to Sam Darnold on Sunday.
21) Atlanta Falcons
- Last Week’s Ranking: 24
- Offense Rank: 19
- Defense Rank: 18
- Playoff Odds: 22.20%
Thanks in part to a shutdown defense and a dominant run game, the Atlanta Falcons battered the Vikings 22-6 on Sunday night to pick up their first win of the 2025 NFL season. Bijan Robinson notably ran for 143 yards, while Tyler Allgeier added 76 rushing yards and a touchdown of his own.
Atlanta’s passing attack hasn’t quite come together yet, but the Falcons dominated in the run game to topple Minnesota. Their pass rush also looked quite impressive, sacking J.J. McCarthy six times.
20) Cincinnati Bengals
- Last Week’s Ranking: 15
- Offense Rank: 27
- Defense Rank: 17
- Playoff Odds: 57.80%
With Joe Burrow now injured and expected to miss time due to injury, the Cincinnati Bengals find themselves in a difficult position for the foreseeable future. They’re still 2-0 and came away with the narrow win over the Jaguars, but losing their franchise QB is a big blow.
Ja’Marr Chase has the 12th most games in NFL history with 10+ catches & 150+ yards.
He’s 25 years old… pic.twitter.com/cP8bVNaaLF
— Real Sports (@realapp_) September 14, 2025
Backup quarterback Jake Browning will take the reins for a few weeks. Judging by the Bengals’ target share and receiving performances in Week 2 against Jacksonville, it’s fair to assume who the most-targeted player will be while Burrow is gone:
- Ja’Marr Chase: 10/11, 128 yards
- Tee Higgins: 1/5, 42 yards
- Mike Gesicki: 3/4, 18 yards
- Chase Brown: 2/2, 18 yards
- Mitchell Tinsley: 1/1, 13 yards
- Andrei Iosivas: 1/4, 12 yards
- Drew Sample: 1/1, 7 yards
- Noah Fant: 2/3, 3 yards
19) Houston Texans
- Last Week’s Ranking: 17
- Offense Rank: 22
- Defense Rank: 20
- Playoff Odds: 23.90%
For each of the last two seasons, the Houston Texans have won the AFC South. There’s still plenty of football left to be played in 2025, but an 0-2 start will make it more difficult for them to reach the “three-peat” as divisional champions.
Houston’s pass rush harassed Baker Mayfield to the tune of four sacks, but their own offense failed to step up to the plate. The Texans stay in the top 20 of the rankings because they’ve played great teams really close, but the wins will have to start coming if they are to avoid the fall.
18) Jacksonville Jaguars
- Last Week’s Ranking: 19
- Offense Rank: 5
- Defense Rank: 12
- Playoff Odds: 40.80%
Sunday was Trevor Lawrence’s 19th career game with multiple turnovers. That’s two more than any other player since Lawrence debuted in 2021. Those big plays, along with a step back from their defense, led to the Jacksonville Jaguars falling to 1-1 with their Week 2 loss to the Bengals.
Intercepting Jake Browning three times wasn’t enough for the Jaguars’ defense to slow down Cincinnati’s aggressive passing attack. Ja’Marr Chase caught 14 of his 16 targets against Jacksonville, going for a whopping 165 yards and a touchdown.
17) San Francisco 49ers
- Last Week’s Ranking: 20
- Offense Rank: 10
- Defense Rank: 13
- Playoff Odds: 56.00%
In his first start with the San Francisco 49ers, Mac Jones averaged 0.12 EPA per dropback. That’s his third-best in 27 career road starts, and best since the 2022 season on the road. A commendable performance helped the 49ers secure a 26-21 win over the Saints.
It wasn’t a pretty win, and you arguably would hope for a larger margin of victory against a bottom-feeder like New Orleans. That said, the 49ers are surely happy with the fact that they maintained a strong passing attack while starter Brock Purdy was out due to injury.
16) Indianapolis Colts
- Last Week’s Ranking: 18
- Offense Rank: 1
- Defense Rank: 11
- Playoff Odds: 70.20%
After a missed field goal from 60 yards out, Indianapolis Colts kicker Spencer Shrader got a second chance at redemption after the Broncos got called for a 15-yard penalty. He proved to be more accurate from 45 yards out, securing the last-second victory for the Colts to improve their record to 2-0.
Indianapolis’ defense was inconsistent in shutting down the Broncos, but their offense more than made up for it. Daniel Jones played another clean game on Sunday, and Jonathan Taylor tallied 215 yards from scrimmage. Of the 2-0 teams remaining, the Colts have arguably been the most surprising.
15) Dallas Cowboys
- Last Week’s Ranking: 14
- Offense Rank: 4
- Defense Rank: 30
- Playoff Odds: 30.40%
Dak Prescott’s impressive career performance against the Giants goes beyond his 14-2 record over them. Since the 2022 season, Prescott has had 16 games averaging at least 0.20 EPA per dropback. Four of those have come against the Giants, including in Sunday’s win.
Most consecutive wins by starting QB vs opponent since 1980
2017-pres Dak Prescott vs Giants 14
2003-10 Tom Brady vs Bills 13
1987-98 Steve Young vs Rams 13 pic.twitter.com/5jhkagdKfy— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 14, 2025
The Dallas Cowboys have some work to do on defense, as giving up 37 points is hardly a sustainable way to build a serious Super Bowl contender. However, with how strong their offense has looked to begin the year, they look like they can duel with just about anybody in the NFL in an offensive shootout.
14) Minnesota Vikings
- Last Week’s Ranking: 8
- Offense Rank: 31
- Defense Rank: 6
- Playoff Odds: 49.80%
After an impressive comeback in Week 1, the Minnesota Vikings were unable to replicate that magic in their outing against the Falcons. Tallying less than 200 total yards on offense and scoring just six points played a big role in their first loss of the new year.
The Vikings’ defense still looked pretty big strong on Sunday night, though their run support wasn’t nearly as reliable as it was against the Bears the week before. But it was their lack of momentum in the passing game that really held Minnesota back in their primetime showdown.
13) Arizona Cardinals
- Last Week’s Ranking: 12
- Offense Rank: 13
- Defense Rank: 14
- Playoff Odds: 55.00%
The Arizona Cardinals hung on at the last possible moment to retain the win over the Panthers on Sunday, improving to 2-0 once Calais Campbell brought Bryce Young down for the sack. The 27-22 win rewarded the Cardinals for a strong offensive output.
A recovered fumble for a touchdown and two offensive touchdowns from Kyler Murray and James Conner propelled Arizona to victory. Their victories haven’t been by wide margins, but you take wins whenever you can get them in the NFL.
12) Denver Broncos
- Last Week’s Ranking: 11
- Offense Rank: 11
- Defense Rank: 1
- Playoff Odds: 47.60%
Bo Nix is the first quarterback the Denver Broncos have had with three passing touchdowns in the first half of a game since 2019, when Drew Lock did so in Week 14 against the Texans. Their explosive offense was on full display against the Colts.
Denver’s defense didn’t live up to its stellar reputation on Sunday, seeing as though Daniel Jones surpassed 300 passing yards in the Colts’ victory against them in Week 2. Those defensive struggles ultimately cost the Broncos, and they slipped to 1-1.
11) Seattle Seahawks
- Last Week’s Ranking: 22
- Offense Rank: 18
- Defense Rank: 8
- Playoff Odds: 41.70%
Although turnovers and missed kicks kept the game close for a while, the Seattle Seahawks thoroughly outplayed the Steelers in an impressive road win. The Seahawks had a plus-8 differential in explosive plays (runs of 12+ yards or passes of 16+ yards). That was tied for Seattle’s best explosive play differential in a game over the last 10 seasons.
The Seahawks’ defense picked off Aaron Rodgers twice and sacked him three times, limiting a passing attack that was strong for Pittsburgh in Week 1. Throw in a strong offensive output, and you have all the pieces for a big riser in our Week 3 NFL power rankings.
10) Washington Commanders
- Last Week’s Ranking: 10
- Offense Rank: 22
- Defense Rank: 5
- Playoff Odds: 47.60%
Jayden Daniels struggled with his accuracy downfield against Green Bay, throwing just five catchable (accurate) passes on nine attempts. Additionally, just 44 of his 200 passing yards came on throws targeted 11 yards or more downfield. It’s no surprise, then, that the Washington Commanders fell to the Packers 27-18 on Thursday night.
Washington’s offensive line did them very little favors, as they gave up 10 pressures on 37 pass-blocking reps. That was a significant jump from the five pressures they gave up as a unit in Week 1. Throw in a solid passing performance from Jordan Love, and the Commanders had an uphill battle most of the way through.
9) Kansas City Chiefs
- Last Week’s Ranking: 4
- Offense Rank: 20
- Defense Rank: 27
- Playoff Odds: 39.60%
For the first time in Patrick Mahomes’ NFL career, the Kansas City Chiefs have started the year with a 0-2 record. Granted, they’ve played a postseason team in the Chargers and the defending Super Bowl champions, the Eagles, to start their season.
Both games saw the Chiefs lose by just one possession, so we’re betting on them to remain competitive near the top of the AFC by keeping them in the top ten of our Week 3 NFL Power Rankings.
8) Los Angeles Rams
- Last Week’s Ranking: 13
- Offense Rank: 12
- Defense Rank: 2
- Playoff Odds: 68.90%
The Los Angeles Rams put together a convincing win over the Titans on Sunday, improving to 2-0 and scoring 33 points in a strong offensive performance. Davante Adams had a career high in end-zone targets for a regular season game with five. Though he didn’t catch his first four, he finished with a score on his final end-zone target.
Puka Nacua also had a strong outing, catching eight passes for 91 yards and rushing for a 45-yard touchdown against Tennessee. The Rams’ defense also held up its end of the bargain, sacking Cam Ward five times on Sunday.
7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Last Week’s Ranking: 9
- Offense Rank: 10
- Defense Rank: 14
- Playoff Odds: 82.10%
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered the 2025 season as the favorites in the NFC South, and they’ve lived up to that moniker so far. They find their way at the No. 7 spot for their resilience demonstrated through their 20-19 victory on Monday night over the Texans.
Tampa Bay didn’t have key contributors like Tristan Wirfs, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan going into their matchup with Houston. Starters like Luke Goedeke and Calijah Kancey both left in the middle of the game due to injuries, as well. Through all of that, the Buccaneers still picked up the win and start the year at 2-0.
6) Los Angeles Chargers
- Last Week’s Ranking: 7
- Offense Rank: 6
- Defense Rank: 9
- Playoff Odds: 87.70%
A convincing 20-9 win over the Raiders on Monday night help the Los Angeles Chargers move further up the top ten of PFSN’s Power Rankings. The defense did a fantastic job of keeping the likes of Geno Smith and Ashton Jeanty at bay, and the offense did its job, as well.
The big question going forward for the Chargers is the health of star edge rusher Khalil Mack. Having suffered an elbow injury in Week 2, it remains to be seen how their pass rush will fare without their best defensive lineman.
5) Baltimore Ravens
- Last Week’s Ranking: 3
- Offense Rank: 7
- Defense Rank: 23
- Playoff Odds: 76.10%
The Baltimore Ravens won in Week 2 despite their worst rushing performance of the Lamar Jackson era. Baltimore had just 45 rushing yards on 2.1 yards per rush against the Browns, both their worst in Jackson’s 96 career starts.
The good news is that Jackson has already thrown six passing touchdowns to wide receivers this season, more than a third of the way to his total of 17 from all of last season. Some inconsistency in the run game drops the Ravens down one spot, but they still scored 41 points and are very clearly a top team in the NFL right now.
4) Detroit Lions
- Last Week’s Ranking: 5
- Offense Rank: 6
- Defense Rank: 20
- Playoff Odds: 56.80%
Since he debuted in 2016, Jared Goff has had four games with five passing touchdowns and no interceptions, including his stellar play in the Detroit Lions’ blowout win over the Bears. That’s tied with Patrick Mahomes for the second-most in the NFL over that span and trails only Lamar Jackson, who has six.
Jared Goff with an ugly throw that was behind Jameson Williams, who caught it, turned around and went for 64 yards 🔥#OnePride pic.twitter.com/1A0G0waKRc
— Detroit Lions on Tap (@LionsOnTap) September 14, 2025
Any time your offense scores 52 points, you have to feel pretty good about your team’s performance. After a slow start to the year in their loss to the Packers in Week 1, the Lions bounced back in a major way on Sunday and looked like the powerhouse they’ve been the last few seasons.
3) Philadelphia Eagles
- Last Week’s Ranking: 6
- Offense Rank: 15
- Defense Rank: 22
- Playoff Odds: 79.00%
Both of their wins have been by the skin of their teeth, but the Philadelphia Eagles have started off the 2025 NFL season with a 2-0 record. That’s something worth celebrating, especially if you can march into Kansas City and defeat the Chiefs on their home field.
It wasn’t at all a flashy game for the Eagles, seeing as though Jalen Hurts finished with 94 net passing yards on Sunday. However, Philadelphia played the time of possession game perfectly, and their defense showed up with one interception, a forced missed field goal, and a turnover on downs.
2) Green Bay Packers
- Last Week’s Ranking: 2
- Offense Rank: 8
- Defense Rank: 3
- Playoff Odds: 85.40%
The Green Bay Packers cemented themselves as a powerhouse in the NFC with their firm victory over the Commanders. One player worth highlighting is cornerback Keisean Nixon, whose 98.7 (A+) grade was the second-highest single-game CB grade since 2019, trailing only Jason Verrett’s 99.5 performance in 2020.
Why did Nixon grade so highly? He allowed zero catches on five targets, with four pass breakups on those targets. That means he had an 80% forced incompletion percentage, which is the highest forced incompletion rate among 5,598 CB games with five or more targets since 2019.
1) Buffalo Bills
- Last Week’s Ranking: 1
- Offense Rank: 2
- Defense Rank: 7
- Playoff Odds: 85.60%
The Buffalo Bills’ defense allowed 40 points in the season opener, but they bounced back in a major way in their decisive 30-10 victory over the Jets. Buffalo averaged 0.29 defensive EPA per play, their best mark in a single game over the last two seasons.
For reference, the Bills averaged -0.33 defensive EPA per play in their Week 1 escape over the Ravens, which was the team’s third-worst since Sean McDermott became the team’s head coach in 2017. With their defense back on track to complement a strong offense, Buffalo is a safe bet for No. 1 in our 2025 NFL Week 3 Power Rankings.
