As week three of the NFL rolls past, it may still be too early to make solid predictions; yet it appears that a new football power structure is coming into play.
Teams that in previous years were relegated to bottom-feeder status are now leading their divisions. There are good vibes in the Bay Area, as both the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders are 2-1, sitting at the tops of their divisions.
The Detroit Lions, who in 2008 became the only team in history to fail to win a game, are currently undefeated. Possibly the biggest surprise story is the Buffalo Bills, who at 3-0 are top dogs in the AFC East.
The balance of power in the NFL has remained relatively stagnant in recent years, with the playoff picture dominated by the same squads from year to year. Those teams are now the ones wondering what’s happening.
While the defending Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers have yet to stumble, all of their post-season companions have had surprising losses.
The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 35-7 in week one, but the Ravens themselves suffered an unexpected loss to the Tennessee Titans 26-13 the next week.
The Atlanta Falcons, who had the best regular season record in the NFC last year are 1-2, losing by a combined total of 17 points.
The Philadelphia Eagles are also 1-2, having lost quarterback Michael Vick in both losses to a concussion and a believed broken hand.
The Dallas Cowboys blew a 14-point, fourth quarter lead to the New York Jets in week one, and defeated the Washington Redskins by only 2 points without scoring a single touchdown in week three.
The Jets, in turn, were surprised by the Raiders last week, losing 34-24.
The Bills stunned the New England Patriots after a last-minute field goal put them up 34-31 in a game in which Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw four interceptions, equal to his total from last season.
The poor Indianapolis Colts, who are playing without their star quarterback Peyton Manning, are 0-3.
A quick look at some stats can illustrate further. The Bills are first in the league in points per game with 37.7.
The Raiders, led by NFL top rusher Darren McFadden, are racking up 185 yards per game rushing, first in the league.
The Detroit Lions are averaging 400 yards per game.
The Tennessee Titans have the best defense so far, allowing only 261 yards per game.
Three weeks is a good point to start noticing trends, but it doesn’t provide enough data to make solid conclusions.
There are still 14 weeks of games to be played, enough time for any team to turn their season around.
Next week’s action brings some crucial tests. When the Patriots go on the road at Oakland, will they rebound from last week, or will the Raiders be the next upset story?
The ascendant 49ers and the faltering Eagles will face off to see if their current trajectories will continue.
Will the Lions keep their winning streak going, or will the Cowboys play spoiler?
Whether the underdogs come out on top, or the natural order rights itself, one thing’s for sure: It’s a been a wild three weeks.
