2021 NFL power rankings, Week 3: Raiders impress, Dolphins stifled

The Purple Gang hit the road for the second straight week to take on the Cardinals. Unfortunately, Minnesota’s defense picked up where it left off last season in an overtime loss to the Bengals and that was the case again in the desert.

Mike Zimmer’s team allowed a whopping 474 total yards on 60 offensive plays (7.9 average). Dalvin Cook and Kirk Cousins had solid showings. But Greg Joseph missed a 37-yard field goal on the final play of the game.

Dan Campbell’s team fought back from a 41-17 fourth-quarter deficit last Sunday vs. San Francisco to make things interesting. But the bottom line is that the Lions were on the short end of the scoreboard once again.

And it was a dubious start for a team that a year ago allowed 519 points – the second-highest single-season total in NFL history. And now the team will have to deal with Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers without cornerback Jeff Okudah.

The Indianapolis’ defense looked helpless last week against Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. Now the Colts were at home for a second straight Sunday as they took on the Rams. Matt Eberflus’ unit did pick off Matthew Stafford but their pass rush only sacked him once.

And the Colts’ secondary has no answers for Rams’ wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Carson Wentz and the Indianapolis’ offense reached the end zone just once in a second straight home loss.

Under Matt LaFleur, the Packers have won back-to-back NFC North titles, finished 13-3 each year and reached the conference title game both times. But the Super Bowl has eluded Green Bay these past two years.

Now the club looks to bounce back from a Week 1 debacle vs. the relocated Saints – a 35-point loss at Jacksonville. But the Pack has yet to lose consecutive games in the same season under LaFleur and have beaten the Lions four straight times.