NFL Power Rankings Based On Super Bowl Odds Ahead of Week 3
By Peter Dewey
Week 2 of the 2021 NFL season did not disappoint with several games coming down to the wire, especially in the late window on Sunday.
The Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson made a statement on Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs, and all is well in Green Bay as Aaron Rodgers and the Packers handled the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football with 21 unanswered in the second half.
If you told me before the season that only two AFC teams were going to be undefeated heading into Week 3, and that they were the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders, I probably would have laughed. But that’s the beauty of the NFL. Anyone can win on any given Sunday.
Every week this season, yours truly will deliver NFL Power Rankings that incorporate each team’s Super Bowl odds at WynnBET Sportsbook as they change each week. You can check out last week’s edition here.
So, who is leading the charge in this week’s rankings?
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0, +550) Last Week: No. 2
Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski have turned back the clock, hooking up for four touchdowns through the first two weeks of the season. Tampa Bay looks better than last year, and that's a scary sign for the rest of the NFL. A potential NFC Championship Game preview awaits next with the Los Angeles Rams.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (1-1. +500) LW: No. 1
The Chiefs are still the favorite at WynnBET, but their run defense has been exposed the first two weeks of the season. Kansas City can only lean on Patrick Mahomes so much and the lack of a run defense (or offense for that matter) cost K.C. in Week 2.
3. Los Angeles Rams (2-0, +1200) LW: No. 3
Matthew Stafford made sure that the Rams escaped Indianapolis with a win, but Darrell Henderson's injury looms large with the Bucs next on the schedule. Cooper Kupp has looked like one of the game's best wideouts with Stafford under center.
4. San Francisco 49ers (2-0, +1200) LW: No. 4
San Francisco showed it can win a shootout in Week 1, and then came back with an elite defensive game against the Eagles in Week 2. The injuries at running back are concerning, but the 49ers have a chance to make a statement against Green Bay in Week 3.
5. Green Bay Packers (1-1, +1500) LW: No. 8
I hope Packers fans can R-E-L-A-X now. Aaron Rodgers bounced back, like he always does, with four touchdown passes (three to Aaron Jones) as Green Bay rolled over the Lions at Lambeau. The Packers' defense is suspect, but rookie corner Eric Stokes made some nice plays in the second half that could be a springboard for this team going forward.
6. Baltimore Ravens (1-1, +1200) LW: No. 9
Lamar Jackson showed why he's a perennial MVP candidate in the Ravens' come-from-behind win over the Chiefs. The clip of John Harbaugh asking his quarterback if he wants to go for it on fourth down to ice the game is pure gold, and the Ravens look like a contender again in the AFC.
7. Buffalo Bills (1-1, +1200) LW: No. 6
Buffalo dominated the Tua Tagovailoa-less Dolphins in Week 2, but Josh Allen really hasn't looked like himself these first two weeks. Buffalo is just 21st in the NFL in total yardage so far this season.
8. Arizona Cardinals (2-0, +2000) LW: No. 10
Kyler Murray is making a strong case to win the league's MVP award out of the gate, and Arizona's offense is one of the best in the NFL with the additions of Rondale Moore and A.J. Green. The NFC West is a juggernaut, but the Cardinals have been up to the task early this season.
9. Cleveland Browns (1-1. +1400) LW: No. 5
Cleveland picked up an easy win over the Texans, but its performance against K.C. in Week 1 doesn't look as good after the Ravens pulled off the upset on Sunday Night. The AFC North is going to be a fun race this season.
10. Seattle Seahawks (1-1, +2000) LW: No. 7
Seattle completely choked away Sunday's matchup with the Titans, and Derrick Henry looked absolutely unstoppable against the Seahawks defense. Russell Wilson has been hot to start the 2021 campaign, but he's going to need to prove it all season if Seattle wants to contend.
11. Las Vegas Raiders (2-0, +6000) LW: No. 18
Las Vegas followed up a thrilling overtime win in Week 1 with a strong performance over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2. Derek Carr and Josh Jacobs are banged up, but as long as Carr is on the field Las Vegas' offense is tough to contain. Carr has been playing at an MVP-caliber level early in 2021.
12. Dallas Cowboys (1-1, +4000) LW: No. 13
Dallas picked up a gutsy win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2, and the defense impressed against Justin Herbert. Dak Prescott was able to rely a little more on his running game in Week 2, and Dallas should be considered the clear favorite in the NFC East until further notice.
13. Los Angeles Chargers (1-1, +3000) LW: No. 15
The loss to Dallas hurts, especially since Herbert was picked off multiple times (once in the end zone), but the Chargers held a high-powered Dallas team to just 20 points. Derwin James has been fantastic early on in the season with 15 tackles and 0.5 sacks.
14. Denver Broncos (2-0, +4000) LW: No. 16
The Broncos haven't played a tough opponent yet, but back to back road wins is impressive regardless in the NFL. Denver is allowing just 13 points per game and Teddy Bridgewater has been exactly what the doctor ordered throwing for 328 yards and two more scores in Week 2. The Broncos are a sleeper in the AFC.
15. New Orleans Saints (1-1, +3000) LW: No. 12
Jameis Winston looked a lot more like Jameis Winston in Week 2, but the Saints' Week 1 win over Green Bay was still impressive. It'll be interesting to see what team shows up against the Patriots in Week 3.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1, +3000) LW: No. 11
The Steelers' offense is still stuck in mud, partly because Ben Roethlisberger is a shell of his old self, and Diontae Johnson went down at the end of their Week 2 loss to the Raiders. T.J. Watt's injury is a concern too, even though it isn't serious. The Steelers need to figure out how to move the ball and utilize all the weapons they have on offense or this is going to go downhill fast.
17. Carolina Panthers (2-0, +7500) LW: No. 24
I'll give credit where credit is due, and the Panthers deserve all of it. A dominant win over the Saints showed that this defense is for real right now and first-round pick Jaycee Horn brought in his first career INT. Sam Darnold looks like a new quarterback in Joe Brady's offense, and the Panthers have a cake matchup against the Texans and Davis Mills in Week 3.
18. Tennessee Titans (1-1, +3000) LW: No. 19
The Titans picked up a big win over Seattle on the back of Derrick Henry, but their defense is still very suspect this season. Tennessee was in the bottom five in terms of yards allowed in 2020, and things need to change in 2021 if the Titans want to contend for more than just a division title in a subpar AFC South.
19. New England Patriots (1-1, +3000) LW: No. 17
The Patriots handled business against the Jets, picking off Zach Wilson four times. Mac Jones has been a solid game manager so far this season, but the Patriots get a true test against the Saints in Week 3.
20. Miami Dolphins (1-1, +4000) LW: No. 14
The Dolphins' offense was god-awful without Tagovailoa, but he may return for the team's Week 3 matchup against the Raiders. Will Fuller is also on his way back, but the Dolphins showed they need Tagovailoa to have any chance at making the playoffs in 2021.
21. Indianapolis Colts (0-2, +4000) LW: No. 20
If Carson Wentz misses significant time, the Colts are in big trouble. However, when he was in the game on Sunday, Indy held tight with an elite Rams team. That deserves some love, but not enough to break the top 20.
22. Washington Football Team (1-1, +6000) LW: No. 23
Taylor Heinicke might be good enough to keep Washington afloat in the NFC East. Washington's defense didn't look great in Week 2 against the Giants, but Heinicke did enough to get the Football Team a win. The division is going to be a toss up after Dallas this season, so maybe the Football Team has an opportunity to make some noise if they can steal a few wins.
23. Chicago Bears (1-1, +10000) LW: No. 26
Matt Nagy, please start Justin Fields! The rookie replaced an injured Andy Dalton in Week 2 and rode a strong defensive performance to the team's first win in 2021. The Bears are going to need the defense to play that well if they want to win games, but Fields' upside if Dalton misses time gives me a little more hope.
24. Philadelphia Eagles (1-1, +7500) LW: No. 21
Philly took a step back after blowing out the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, but it came against a tough 49ers team. Jalen Hurts and the offense needs to be more consistent if Philly is going to go anywhere in 2021.
25. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1, +25000) LW: No. 25
Joe Burrow was not good against the Bears, and the lack of protection he's received so far is concerning (sacked nine times, second-most in the NFL). Ja'Marr Chase made another big-time play, but the Bengals don't look ready to contend just yet.
26. Minnesota Vikings (0-2, +6000) LW: No. 22
Greg Joseph's missed field goal as time expired against the Cardinals could be a defining moment in Minnesota's season if it can't turn things around. The Vikings don't get a break, as they face Seattle and Cleveland in their next two matchups.
27. Houston Texans (1-1, +50000) LW: No. 27
I feel horrible for Tyrod Taylor, as he was playing great football before injuring his hamstring in Week 2. Davis Mills will try to keep Houston competitive, but it's a huge ask for a third-round rookie on a short week.
28. Detroit Lions (0-2, +50000) LW: No. 30
The Lions aren't very good, but Jared Goff has looked a lot better than I think many of us expected this season. The Lions' offensive line is solid, but they weren't able to stop a soul defensively through the first two weeks, allowing 76 points.
29. New York Giants (0-2, +10000) LW: No. 29
The Giants wasted one of the best games of Daniel Jones' career on Thursday Night Football to lose to Washington. The offensive line lost Nick Gates to a broken leg, and it doesn't look like this is the year New York turns things around.
30. Atlanta Falcons (0-2, +20000) LW: No. 32
Atlanta actually held tough with the Bucs for a bit on Sunday, but three Matt Ryan picks ultimately sealed Atlanta's fate. Kyle Pitts took a step forward in Week 2, and that's about all you can ask for as a Falcons fan right now.
31. New York Jets (0-2, +50000) LW: No. 28
Zach Wilson was historically bad against the Patriots and things won't get any easier against the Broncos in Week 3. The Jets need a running game, or Jamison Crowder to return to make things easier on the rookie.
32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2, +50000) LW: No. 31
Kudos to the Jaguars social media team for making cool graphics out of Urban Meyer quotes to make it seem like the team is actually building towards something. Trevor Lawrence has five interceptions in two games and Meyer doesn't seem like the right man for the job. Who would've thought?
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