The Importance of Strategic Planning
As the 2025 NFL season approaches, our team at SB Nation has started laying out plans for our weekly content. A key feature will be our Power Rankings, which we aim to release every Tuesday morning.
After an intense first Sunday of games, however, things began to slip a bit. This continued into the second week.
But, silver linings exist. Waiting until week three to release the rankings allowed us to take things slow. This helped us avoid jumping to conclusions based on single-game performances.
It also provided a chance to revisit our preseason rankings and spot some notable shifts.
Power Rankings Overview
Starting from the third week, SB Nation’s Power Rankings will focus on both the biggest risers and those that have fallen significantly.
Let’s take a closer look at the two teams that have risen the most since training camp: the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts, alongside the biggest drops from the Las Vegas Raiders and Houston Texans.
Gradually, the Indianapolis Colts have gained recognition. Their win in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins was initially viewed as more reflective of Miami’s struggles rather than any significant improvement on their part.
However, they’ve since secured victories over the Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans. The Colts do have a relatively favorable schedule ahead before their bye week, but they’ll face some tougher matchups, including a visit to Los Angeles to take on the Rams.
Now, could this be a bit premature? Maybe, but for the moment, the Colts have earned some new fans.
As for the Seahawks, Sam Darnold hasn’t been flawless, but it doesn’t seem to matter much. Whether the switch from Geno Smith to Darnold in quarterback will pay off remains to be seen, but currently, things seem to be on the upswing.
Preseason expectations had Darnold appearing as more shadow than star when compared to his time with Minnesota. He’s better than many anticipated, landing somewhere between the ideal and the disappointing. This performance is enough to elevate Seattle from potential top-10 draft pick territory to a possible playoff contender.
It’s crucial to admit when predictions don’t pan out.
Reflecting on my pre-season hype for the Las Vegas Raiders, I felt confident about their new direction. I wrote about cultural shifts and the evolving dynamics between Geno Smith and Pete Carroll. The Raiders started strong, defeating the New England Patriots in their opening game.
Since then, though, it hasn’t gone well. They’ve faced back-to-back double-digit defeats, including significant losses to the Chargers and Commanders.
As it stands, the Raiders seem to have a long way to go.
If we pivot to Houston, expectations were high for a playoff run in the AFC South this year. Yet, sitting at 0-3 isn’t helping their case. Their chances of reaching the postseason are looking bleak, and overall, the Texans have not been convincing.
Quarterback Stroud has been under pressure, getting sacked eight times in three games. This indicates a lack of effective protection from the offensive line. Without adequate time to throw, his passing game suffers, and the running game isn’t finding its rhythm either. There seems to be a lack of direction for a team that possesses plenty of raw talent on both sides of the ball.
Even though this team might be close in some aspects, the reality is they continue to fall short.
