Before the 2025 season started, it felt like the AFC would be the more top-heavy conference of the two, even with the NFC boasting the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Through the first month of the season, however, the NFC has proven it's gained some serious ground on its AFC counterpart.
Through the first few weeks of the season, we've seen a couple of breakout teams in the NFC along with the top-end teams playing as good or better than anyone else in the NFL right now.
After a wild Week 3 was capped off with the Detroit Lions' stunning blowout win over the Baltimore Ravens, how does each NFC team stack up in our latest NFL Power Rankings?
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking every NFC team ahead of Week 4 action
16. New Orleans Saints
After a couple of weeks where we were feeling like the Saints might be able to surprise some folks, they came crashing back down to earth in Week 3. The Saints "are who we thought they were" and it looks like they are speeding toward selling at the 2025 NFL trade deadline. The question at this point probably isn't a matter of "if" but "who's left when it's all said and done?"
15. Atlanta Falcons
A shutout loss to the Carolina Panthers combined with questions from the media about whether or not Kirk Cousins would be taking over for Michael Penix Jr. says all we need to know right now about the state of the Atlanta Falcons. This team is obviously in a bit of disarray at 1-2 with the second-worst scoring offense in the league through three weeks. Michael Penix Jr. has to be better.
14. New York Giants
The New York Giants just benched Russell Wilson after an 0-3 start and failing to score more than nine points in two of their first three games. It's time for the Jaxson Dart era to officially get underway as GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll are fighting tooth and nail to save their jobs. The Giants have a tough task in Week 4 hosting the Los Angeles Chargers.
13. Carolina Panthers
A shutout win against a division rival always feels good. Now we'll see whether the Panthers can actually build on that. It still hasn't been the best year for young quarterback Bryce Young, whose second half of the 2024 season is looking more like a flash in the pan by the week. But the Panthers have a strong young core and the defense may have turned things around.
12. Arizona Cardinals
There's no question about it, the Arizona Cardinals are going to miss James Conner, who suffered a gruesome injury in Week 3. The Cardinals have endured through the first few weeks of the season and have a tough matchup against their division rival Seahawks on Thursday night. But they'll be wearing their new sand-colored uniforms and looking good win or lose.
11. Dallas Cowboys
After playing the Eagles really well in Week 1 and then getting a win in Week 2, it was surprising to see the Dallas Cowboys lay as flat as they did in a Week 3 loss to the Bears. Now with CeeDee Lamb out for potentially up to a month, the Cowboys have some serious adversity to navigate. Will they be able to exact revenge on Micah Parsons and the Packers in Week 4? It's going to require a huge effort from Dak Prescott to avoid a tailspin.
10. Chicago Bears
I don't know that anyone was more surprised by the outcome of their team's game in Week 4 than Chicago Bears fans. Maybe Browns fans, but the Bears gave up a whopping 52 points to the Lions in Week 2 and then came out and dominated the Dallas Cowboys. Caleb Williams was locked in and looks like he may have turned the proverbial corner. We'll see if he can start stacking.
9. Minnesota Vikings
Playing against the Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals is hardly a huge test, but the Vikings were also rolling with a backup quarterback this past weekend and they still absolutely dominated. The Vikings are obviously an extremely well-coached team but they are dealing with some injuries at this point and are about to play a really physical game overseas against the Steelers.
8. Seattle Seahawks
I've been pleasantly surprised by how well the Seattle Seahawks have done up to this point, but they obviously have a tough task ahead of them with the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night Football. Passing that test would give the Seahawks a huge edge as we enter the month of October and a much-needed division boost after dropping the season-opener against the 49ers. This team has what it takes to be competitive into January.
7. San Francisco 49ers
If Brock Purdy is back for the 49ers, it'll be a bit of welcomed news on the injury front. That's hard to come by for this team these days. The loss of Nick Bosa to a torn ACL is detrimental to the 49ers' long-term hopes, but they can still be a tough out all throughout the regular season. Mac Jones helped keep the ship afloat while Purdy was out, and this San Francisco team has a lot of fight in it.
6. Washington Commanders
The theme for a number of NFC teams this past weekend was getting by with a backup quarterback. The Commanders did more than just get by in their matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, putting up a huge offensive performance with 41 points and 400 yards as Marcus Mariota led the way. Here's a stat to keep an eye on for the Commanders early this season: They are the #1 team in the NFL in third down defensive efficiency. For a team with questions off the edge, that's huge.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The "Cardiac Bucs" are one of the most fun stories of the season so far. The Bucs have perhaps not played up to the best level they're capable of at this point, but they've certainly been able to come through in clutch moments. Baker Mayfield already had the luxury of a lot of great weapons on offense, but Emeka Egbuka has been one of the most impressive rookies in the NFL so far this year to add to the arsenal.
4. Los Angeles Rams
Week 3 was tough for the Los Angeles Rams, who definitely feel like they should have come out of Philadelphia with a win. Matthew Stafford led his team down the field for a game-winning field goal, but the Rams obviously just couldn't finish the job. This is still one of the elite teams in the NFC and a contender for the long haul. You can't fault the Rams for losing on the road to the Eagles in thrilling fashion.
3. Green Bay Packers
After two weeks of dominating some of the better teams in the NFL to start the season, the Packers hit an unexpected speed bump in Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns. Any given Sunday, right? The Packers found that out the hard way as they were maybe overlooking the Browns a little bit because of the clash with the Cowboys in Week 4, where Micah Parsons will take on his former team.
2. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles can beat you way too many different ways right now. If you want to get into a low-scoring slugfest, they can play defense and run the ball better than you. If you want to get into a shootout, they can throw the ball better than you. And in Week 3, we saw them block a game-winning field goal attempt. This team is just such a tough out no matter how good you are.
1. Detroit Lions
After getting beat and only scoring six points in Week 1, I will admit that I was worried the changes in coordinators on both sides of the ball might affect the Lions more than anticipated. But the last two weeks, we've seen this team absolutely turn it on. The Lions are steamrolling right along now, and the impressive win on the road against the Ravens? That was a statement. Lamar Jackson had only lost to NFC opponents twice in his career before that, and the Lions shoved the Ravens into a locker after giving them a swirly.