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NFL standings update, Week 3: AFC West, Falcons rise

By John Buhler

DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 17: Running back C.J. Anderson
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 17: Running back C.J. Anderson /
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The AFC West looks very strong and the Atlanta Falcons did work on Sunday Night Football. Here are the updated standings in the NFL heading into Week 3.

We have just one more game left on the Week 2 slate in the NFL. Fortunately for us, it’s a great one, as the New York Giants will host the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football on ESPN. While Detroit can be in sole possession of first place with a thrilling road win, New York doesn’t want to be the lone team in the NFC East without a victory heading into Week 3.

It’s still insanely early in the season, but trends are starting to form in the NFL. As expected, the two best divisions in football are the AFC West and the NFC South. Six of the eight teams in those two divisions are undefeated, while the Los Angeles Chargers and the New Orleans Saints are winless.

The Denver Broncos look to be legit with Trevor Siemian quarterbacking the team. They just thrashed the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2. We already knew that the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders were going to be good.

In the NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons are 2-0 after handling the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football. That being said, Atlanta will have tough competition in the division with the likes of the rival Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Here are the updated standings heading into Week 3 of the NFL season.

AFC East

  1. Miami Dolphins (1-0)
  2. Buffalo Bills (1-1)
  3. New England Patriots (1-1)
  4. New York Jets (0-2)

Miami is the only undefeated team in the AFC East. The Dolphins’ thrilling road victory over the Chargers has them at 1-0. Buffalo and New England are half a game back at 1-1. Both have played well in the early part of the season. Then, there’s the lowly New York Jets.

AFC North

  1. Baltimore Ravens (2-0)
  2. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0)
  3. Cincinnati Bengals (0-2)
  4. Cleveland Browns (0-2)

The AFC North looks to have two good teams and two awful teams. Ohio is not for football champions this year, as the Bengals and Browns remain winless. Baltimore has dominated both Ohio teams thus far. Pittsburgh has won both of its games without being truly dominant in either.

AFC South

  1. Tennessee Titans (1-1)
  2. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
  3. Houston Texans (1-1)
  4. Indianapolis Colts (1-1)

It’s only Week 2, but the AFC South looks to be a total disaster again this year. If the Tennessee Titans don’t win the division, something’s wrong. By clobbering Jacksonville in Jacksonville, the Titans have risen to the top of the worst division in football. Does that mean Jacksonville is No. 2? Yes, as the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts look to be that bad.

AFC West

  1. Denver Broncos (2-0)
  2. Oakland Raiders (2-0)
  3. Kansas City Chiefs (2-0)
  4. Los Angeles Chargers (0-2)

The AFC West might send three teams to the playoffs. While the Chargers can’t make field goals, the division looks to be a total bloodbath between their three other rivals. It’ll be interesting to see who comes out on top between Denver, Kansas City and Oakland.

Right now, here would be your six playoff teams in order by seeding in the AFC: Baltimore, Denver, Miami, Tennessee, Oakland and Kansas City/Pittsburgh.

NFC East

  1. Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)
  2. Dallas Cowboys (1-1)
  3. Washington Redskins (1-1)
  4. New York Giants (0-1)*

The Giants still have to play, but it’s otherwise all tied up at 1-1 in the NFC East. Washington got in the win column by beating the Rams on the road. Dallas and Philadelphia lost to AFC West teams in Week 2 on the road in Denver and Kansas City, respectively.

NFC North

  1. Detroit Lions (1-0)*
  2. Minnesota Vikings (1-1)
  3. Green Bay Packers (1-1)
  4. Chicago Bears (0-2)

Detroit will be in first place by itself with a win on the road over New York. The Vikings lost to the Steelers in Week 2. Green Bay couldn’t hang in Atlanta. Chicago is 0-2 after falling to two NFC South teams in a row in Atlanta and Tampa Bay.

NFC South

  1. Atlanta Falcons (2-0)
  2. Carolina Panthers (2-0)
  3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0)
  4. New Orleans Saints (0-2)

Three of the four teams in the NFC South are undefeated. Atlanta has defeated Chicago and Green Bay. Carolina has gotten past San Francisco and Buffalo. Tampa Bay slaughtered Chicago. New Orleans is 0-2 after two tough losses to Minnesota and New England.

NFC West

  1. Seattle Seahawks (1-1)
  2. Arizona Cardinals (1-1)
  3. Los Angeles Rams (1-1)
  4. San Francisco 49ers (0-2)

The NFC West doesn’t look to be all that good. Seattle leads because it beat the 49ers in a field goal game in Week 2 to get back to .500. Arizona needed overtime to beat the Colts in Indianapolis. Los Angeles couldn’t stop the run versus Washington. Kyle Shanahan is winless in Santa Clara.

Next: NFL Power Rankings: 30 Best Defenders of All-Time

Right now, your six playoff teams in the NFC are as follows: Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia, Seattle, Carolina and Tampa Bay.