Sep 27, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) spikes the ball after scoring a fourth quarter touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
With the Green Bay Packers’ 10-point victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, Week 3 is now in the books. After three weeks of action, seven teams are left undefeated while four teams have yet to win their first game. Some teams are gaining momentum, while others are finally on the board after two straight losses. So with that, let’s get into the weekly awards.
AFC MVP: A.J. Green
A.J. Green went off on Sunday, posting the best game of his career with a 10 catches, 227 yards and two touchdowns in the Bengals’ 28-24 win over the Ravens. Green’s first touchdown came just seven seconds after the Bengals had been trailing for the first time of the 2015 season, and his second touchdown came just minutes later, right after Baltimore took the lead for a second time. Green’s two touchdowns sealed the Bengals’ victory in the fourth quarter, and his presence on the field is a huge reason why the Bengals have been so successful on offense thus far in 2015.
NFC MVP: Devonta Freeman
Who saw that Devonta Freeman performance coming? Taking 30 carries for 141 yards and three touchdowns against a hot Cowboys run defense coming off a week in which it allowed negative two collective yards to DeMarco Murray, Ryan Matthews and Darren Sproles was something no one imagined Freeman was even capable of doing. And in absolutely obliterating the Cowboys’ defense, Freeman helped his Falcons overcome a 14-point deficit and score 25 unanswered points in the second half to beat the Dallas Cowboys,preserving Atlanta’s undefeated record. Aaron Rodgers deserves a mention for his performance on Monday night, but I liked Freeman’s outing on Sunday more, particularly because he’s a running back and this is the first time I’ve highlighted a running back as a weekly MVP. Plus, we all already know that Rodgers is the greatest football player on the planet.
Coach of the Week: Rex Ryan
Rex’s Bills look legit. And Rex is just that kind of coach that makes football so enjoyable–he named BullyGate principal Richie Incognito a captain in his return to Sun Life Stadium; only Rex Ryan could ever think of doing something like that. To top the week off, Ryan’s Bills trounced the division rival Dolphins in a statement victory–and as a result, the Bills have jumped a spot forward in the Power Rankings.
With the awards handed out, let’s get right into it and take a look at this week’s Power Rankings. If you don’t agree with where your team is ranked, just remember that I purposely ranked them lower than they should be ranked as a personal attack on you because I don’t like your team. That being said, hit me up on Twitter @HoweNFL if you want to discuss why I ranked your team where I ranked it. Without further ado, let’s get started.