National Football League

NFL Top-10 rankings: Chiefs keep top spot, but Vikings right on their heels

Published Sep. 23, 2024 8:27 a.m. ET

The Chiefs remain at the top, thanks to a gritty win over the Falcons, but if the first three weeks of the 2024 season are any indication, we have a wide-open race to find a team that can challenge the back-to-back champs for NFL supremacy.

Right now, that team looks like it could be the Vikings, who are thriving with journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold and a suffocating defense. Meanwhile, the Eagles and Steelers are grinding out wins, and the Bills are lurking.

Here's my Top 10 for Week 3 of the 2024 season.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

The back-to-back champs continue to find ways to win. It is not as pretty as it used to be when their high-powered offense led them, but they are a grittier squad led by a disruptive defense that makes timely plays. With defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo willing to dial up exotic pressures in key moments to get stops, the Chiefs can close out games with Patrick Mahomes on the sidelines. Given their championship mettle and unbreakable beliefs, Kansas City remains the team to beat in 2024.

2. Minnesota Vikings

After racing out to a 3-0 start with wins over a couple of heavyweights (San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans), it is time for the league to include the Vikings on the list of title contenders. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores is dismantling opponents with a creative scheme that enables his top playmakers to wreak havoc from various spots on the field. With the unit also bringing exceptional physicality and toughness, the Vikings challenge the mental and physical abilities of opponents unable to deal with a bum-rush from the bullies in purple.

3. Philadelphia Eagles

Saquon Barkley made amends for his late-game blunder in Week 2 with a spectacular showing against the Saints this week. The All-Pro tallied 158 scrimmage yards, showcasing the speed, quickness, and burst to take it the distance from anywhere on the field. As opponents are increasingly forced to defend the Eagles' dynamic running game, Jalen Hurts, & Co. find plenty of room to play pitch-and-catch on the perimeter. Given the Eagles' star-studded offensive lineup, opponents will struggle to keep this unit from lighting up scoreboards around the league.

Saquon Barkley takes off for a 65-yard TD, giving Eagles lead over Saints

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

Style points do not matter to Mike Tomlin and his crew. The Steelers grind out ugly wins, relying on a stingy defense and opportunistic offense to knock off quality opponents on their way to a 3-0 start. While Justin Fields is becoming more comfortable as the team's QB1 in Russell Wilson's absence, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is slowly crafting the playbook to accentuate the fourth-year pro's skills as a dual-threat playmaker. With the results starting to show up in the box score, the Steelers are quietly emerging as a contender with the potential to chalk up wins against any opponent utilizing a throwback approach.

5. Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen is thriving without an established No. 1 wideout on the perimeter. The two-time Pro Bowler is spreading the ball around, relying on the system and his improvisational skills to create big plays in the passing game. With James Cook luring safeties into the box with his electric skills as a runner, the Bills' balanced offensive approach is the perfect complement to the team's gritty defense. If the Bills show out Monday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars, they deserve to be included as a top-five team.

6. New Orleans Saints

Despite dropping a close one to the Eagles, Dennis Allen's squad is built for the grind as an NFC heavyweight. The Saints' explosive offense and turnover-obsessed defense poses a challenge for teams unable to play complementary football. Though the ball did not bounce the Saints' way on Sunday, the team's gritty effort in losing to a top team suggests they will be a tough out in a postseason tournament that could produce wild and wacky results.

7. Houston Texans

Sometimes, a good tail kick can help a team regroup and refocus as a title contender. The Texans suffered a brutal beatdown at the hands of the Vikings, which exposed their sloppiness and lack of details. From the egregious penalties to the costly turnovers, the Texans helped their Week 3 opponent with their miscues. With the blowout serving as a wake-up call, the Texans should be primed and ready for a bounce-back next week.

8. Seattle Seahawks

Taking care of business against a team playing with a backup quarterback is a sign of a mature squad, and that's what the Seahawks did in beating the Dolphins on Sunday. Mike Macdonald's crew has exceeded expectations with three strong outings to open the season. The defense is leading the way, utilizing a sticky playing style to stymie opponents at every turn. With opponents finding it tough to score points, the Seahawks can win with or without their offense bringing its A-game.

9. New York Jets

Aaron Rodgers is dusting off his four-time MVP form as the leader of an electric offense with dazzling young playmakers. Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson are borderline superstars, with games that are ready to pop, and Rodgers puts the ball in their hands early and often. As the defense continues to evolve into a suffocating unit that can blanket opponents without bringing blitzes to generate pressure, the Jets are a tough out that could become a dangerous foe for playoff hopefuls down the stretch.

Julian Edelman on how Aaron Rodgers is transforming the Jets

10. Los Angeles Chargers

Justin Herbert's high-ankle sprain could hinder the Chargers offense in the short term, but a dominant running game and stingy defense will keep the team in the mix until he returns to full health. Though Herbert's absence contributed to the loss in Week 3, the Chargers remain in the hunt as an emerging heavyweight in an ultra-competitive AFC.

Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the "Moving the Sticks" podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.

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