1. Los Angeles Rams: After three weeks, this has been the best team I’ve seen in the league. The offense is more complete now than it was with Jared Goff all those years. Matthew Stafford is off to the best start in his career, and it’s been fun to watch. He shredded the Buccaneers to the tune of four touchdown passes and knocked off the defending champs who had a winning streak of their own dating back to last season. Matthew has thrown nine touchdown passes in his first three games. The last person to do this for the Rams was Kurt Warner. He won MVP that year and led the Rams to a Super Bowl. Will history repeat itself?
2. Buffalo Bills: What we’ve seen from them in the last few weeks has been their style of football. Not what took place in week one. When they’re having fun and Josh Allen is spreading the ball around to his receivers, the Bills are very locked in. The defense is much improved. I see a unit that’s swarming to the football with athletic and rangy linebackers and I’m also noticing a pass rush that’s holding its own. People panicked too early with them. I wouldn’t worry after a week one game. If this was week 15, for sure. They got it together and all looks well at this point. They’re back home today for Houston.
3. Green Bay Packers: If you were one of the people that said Aaron Rodgers doesn’t care, how are you feeling now? The minute the 49ers scored in that game; I knew for a second that they gave Aaron too much time. When you have the chance to put a quarterback away, capitalize upon that. You play soft coverage on him just as the Niners did, he’ll eat you alive. Week one looks like a blur compared to how they’ve looked as of late. They’ll return home for a battle with the soft Pittsburgh Steelers in a battle of Super Bowl winning quarterbacks. This could be the final meeting between Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: They ran into a better team in week three. I don’t have a problem with their offense because they have so many weapons and they will keep you in football games. It’s the defense that’s concerning me. Let’s admit it, this isn’t the same group that went on a tear in the playoffs last year. They have issues with the secondary and they’re struggling to apply pressure on the quarterback. In three games, they’ve only logged two sacks in. That’s not going to cut it, especially if you want to repeat as champions. Tonight, there’s a homecoming of some sorts in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
5. Cleveland Browns: They could easily be 3-0 if they don’t fumble that week one game in Kansas City. Against the Bears, that defense showed up and showed out. Myles Garrett had the game of his life and when you don’t adjust on him, he’ll continue to get his. I really like this Browns secondary, especially Greg Newsome, the rookie from Northwestern. This is an old school football team because they want to beat you up in the trenches and run the ball. This is what Kevin Stefanski brings to the table. He gave the Browns an identity. That was something they were missing for years.
