Someone should definitely notify Chris Berman.
The well-known ESPN personality regularly predicted a Super Bowl matchup between the 49ers and Bills throughout the 1980s and 1990s—reportedly over a span of 12 consecutive years—leading many to believe that it would eventually come to pass.
But it never materialized, even as one or the other made it to seven consecutive Super Bowls.
Fast forward to today, and both teams have had a phenomenal start to the season. Honestly, it wouldn’t seem like a far-fetched prediction for Super Bowl 61 anymore.
Some things really don’t change, do they?
Here are the NFL power rankings for Week 3:
1. Bills 2-0 (1)
Josh Allen performed impressively in his first game at the Bills’ new stadium, throwing for five touchdowns, four of which were scored during the initial four drives, securing a 41-31 win against the Lions. James Cook contributed with 134 rushing yards and added a critical touchdown.
2. 49ers 2-0 (3)
Back from Australia, the 49ers showed no signs of travel fatigue in their commanding 35-6 victory over the Dolphins. Christian McCaffrey became the fourth-fastest player in Super Bowl history to reach 100 career touchdowns, achieving this milestone in just 114 games. Brock Purdy’s impressive performance included completing 20 of 22 passes. This marks the first time in franchise history that the 49ers have opened the season with two wins by over 20 points.
3. Seahawks 2-0 (4)
With Sam Darnold injured, Drew Lock stepped up as the starting quarterback, leading the Seahawks to a decisive 31-7 victory over the Cardinals. Having Jaxon Smith-Njigba as a target definitely helped, with nine catches for 155 yards and three touchdowns. The Seahawks scored 24 unanswered points in the second half, extending their winning streak against the Cardinals to 10 games.
4. Chiefs 2-0 (7)
Yes, the Chiefs are back in action. Harrison Butker nailed a game-winning 40-yard field goal as time expired in overtime to secure a 33-30 victory over the Colts. Patrick Mahomes threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns, while Kenneth Walker amassed 178 total yards. Travis Kelce had a stellar game, catching nine passes for 101 yards.
5. Bengals 2-0 (12)
Ja’Marr Chase dazzled fans with a stunning 32-yard touchdown catch against the strong Texans defense, helping the Bengals secure a 20-6 win. Joe Burrow, despite dealing with back tightness, threw for 207 yards. Dexter Lawrence made a crucial stop on fourth down and played a key role in restricting the Texans’ running backs to just 18 rushing yards.
6. Rams 1-1 (6)
Matthew Stafford proved he’s still got it, throwing four touchdown passes—two to Davante Adams, who racked up 195 yards without competition from Puka Nacua—in a 28-6 victory over the Giants. The Rams amassed 481 total offensive yards, while Aaron Donald made his return after a two-year break, achieving three tackles, including one for a loss.
7. Eagles 2-0 (9)
In sweltering conditions that reached 157 degrees on the turf in Tennessee, Jalen Hurts overcame two interceptions to throw a game-winning 3-yard touchdown pass to Darius Cooper with just nine seconds left, sealing a 24-20 comeback against the Titans. Saquon Barkley suffered a left arm stinger and only managed four carries.
8. Patriots 1-1 (13)
In his season debut, TreVeyon Henderson rushed for a 39-yard touchdown, while Elijah Ponder returned a fumble recovery for a 19-yard touchdown, highlighting a strong defensive showing (four sacks, two takeaways) in a 20-3 win over the Steelers. Drake Maye threw for 208 yards with an interception but did connect with Romeo Doubs for a 63-yard play.
9. Broncos 1-1 (14)
After last year’s amazing run, where they had 11 one-score victories, the Broncos are at it again, scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to edge out the Jaguars 20-13. Rookie Jonah Coleman struck for the game-winning touchdown. Jaylen Waddle had a standout performance with eight catches for 138 yards after a quieter debut week.
10. Vikings 2-0 (17)
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores showcased impressive strategy in a 9-3 win against the Bears, who had scored 59 points just a week earlier. The Vikings limited them to 297 total yards, forced two turnovers, and recorded four sacks, with one crucial sack stopping a fourth down from the 12-yard line on the last play of the game.
11. Bears 1-1 (2)
12. Saints 1-1 (16)
13. Ravens 1-1 (5)
14. Texans 0-2 (8)
15. Jaguars 1-1 (11)
16. Giants 1-0 (15)
The Giants might have been better off not playing at all after Jaxson Dart got hurt early in the game against the Rams. This led to other players like Malik Nabers, Arvell Reese, Andrew Thomas, and Brian Burns sustaining injuries as well. The rushing offense struggled (averaging 2.5 yards per carry) and the pass rush barely showed up with only one sack.
17. Lions 1-1 (10)
18. Raiders 2-0 (26)
19. Packers 1-1 (21)
20. Cowboys 1-1 (24)
21. Panthers 1-1 (28)
22. Colts 0-2 (22)
23. Steelers 1-1 (18)
24. Cardinals 1-1 (20)
25. Jets 1-1 (25)
With a prime chance to secure back-to-back wins for the first time since 2015, the Jets allowed a 10-point lead to slip away in the final eight minutes of regulation, ultimately losing 20-17 to the Packers in overtime. There were some critical coaching mistakes made by Aaron Glenn, with Braelon Allen being stopped on a pivotal fourth-and-1 at midfield. The rushing attack averaged just 2.5 yards per carry.
