28. Houston Texans (0-3)
So, it now does seem like the Houston Texans are bad. The offense has been broken for over an entire season now, and CJ Stroud simply looks bad. It was their first loss in Jacksonville in quite some time, and it now does feel like the Texans are becoming a non-factor in the AFC South.
They are already three games behind the Indianapolis Colts in the division and now two games behind the Jaguars as well. Houston keeps tumbling down our NFL power rankings, and there isn’t a clear solution in sight for this broken operation.
27. New York Giants (0-2)
The New York Giants square off on Sunday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs, and while I am typing this before the game begins, the Giants can hang around here and pull off the upset. The G-Men will be able to throw the ball down the field with Russell Wilson, and Malik Nabers might currently be the best offensive player on the field.
New York isn’t going to be consistent enough on offense to do a ton of damage all year, but they do field a fierce defensive line, so I reckon Patrick Mahomes is going to be running for his life on SNF. Despite this, overall, the Giants are one of the weaker teams in the NFL in 2025.
26. Atlanta Falcons (1-2)
The Atlanta Falcons managed to beat the Minnesota Vikings in primetime in Week 2, but somehow lost in blowout fashion to the Carolina Panthers, which just isn’t ideal. The NFC South is shaping up to be a wide-open division outside of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so the Dirty Birds already having two losses in the division is just brutal for their chances.
They could absolutely bounce back, as Michael Penix Jr is still quite early in his NFL career, but they’ve got to begin turning this thing on quickly. You figure that GM Terry Fontenot could be shown the door if the Falcons don’t make anything of 2025, so two-straight divisional losses and a 1-2 start is about as bad as you could possibly get in 2025.
The Falcons fall in our latest NFL power rankings after an encouraging Week 2 win.
25. Carolina Panthers (1-2)
Did anyone expect a Carolina Panthers blowout win in Week 3? It’s a huge win for the Panthers and the first of the 2025 NFL Season. The bigger story here might simply be just how bad the Atlanta Falcons looked, but a win is a win no matter how it does down.
The Panthers are in a tight spot, and this is especially true for third-year QB Bryce Young. The clock has never ticked faster for Young, as year three is typically a ‘put up or shut up’ type of season for many QBs.
Carolina needs to see their young QB turn it on, and turn it on rather quickly. The Panthers may also have to begin stacking some wins as well, as the regime that drafted Young is now two-years removed from being on the job.
A win for the Panthers in Week 3 gives them their first of the 2025 NFL Season. Do they have more in store?