The NFL season officially opened in September with a Super Bowl rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. However, it was the second game played thousands of miles away that had the fans talking as the Los Angeles Rams were stunned by the San Francisco 49ers. Most teams had cleared preseason by the end of August, leaving fans and pundits looking for clues about what to expect in 2026.
LA Rams Enjoyed a Clean Preseason
The Rams are still seen as favorites for the February 2027 showpiece at their home venue, the SoFi Stadium in California. In the preseason finale, they completed a clean sweep of three wins out of three, with a 20-18 win over their co-hosts, the Chargers.
Rookie quarterback Ty Simpson impressed in that match, although the Rams gave up their first touchdown. Otherwise, there is little cause for concern as they enter the regular season. With the new additions to the defense, Aaron Donald coming out of retirement to join Myles Garrett on the defensive line, and the current MVP Matthew Stafford back at quarterback, they head the power rankings.
The Buffalo Bills Make it Three Out of Three
The Buffalo Bills are another team that can walk away with a 3-0 record before the real business begins. Their 28-27 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers was an impressive comeback as they were seven points down with three minutes remaining. Wide receiver Skyler Bell made a 28-yard touchdown run. The fourth-round draft pick certainly impressed with his speed. It is surely time for the Bills to make good on so many promising near misses.
Quarterback Josh Allen has the talent to be the main man, and the promotion of Joe Brady to head coach could be a trigger for this. The Bills have the second-best winning percentage in the NFL over the last decade, just behind the Kansas City Chiefs. The DraftKings NFL Sunday odds betting page reflects the feeling that when the door is knocked so many times, it has to open eventually.
Baltimore Ravens are the other side to come out of preseason unscathed and are certainly in the top three mix for a third Super Bowl win. The Ravens finished things up with a massive 41-3 win over the Washington Commanders, meaning that the team conceded only 13 points over the course of the three matches. Jesse Minter’s return to the sideline has certainly smoothed things over.
Ravens Defense Hate to Concede Points
There’s not too much that can be read into such large scorelines when teams are resting their regulars. It is the attitude that counts. Minter and Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver are trying to install a system where the opposition finds no space. Think Philadelphia Eagles against the Chiefs in the 2025 Bowl. Any team with the mindset to defend for their lives is going to fire. The one negative was Tyler Loop, who missed two more field goals. Loop’s missed kick cost the Ravens a place in the playoffs.
Seattle Seahawks Didn’t Win Again But Does it Matter?
Nobody can count out the current holders, the Seahawks, who tied up their preseason with a 9-9 tie against the Chiefs. Given that this was on top of two losses, some might not read the room properly. Seattle is very calm about their chances as they defend their crown, with insiders saying that the summer training camp was as hard as they come.
The hunger is still there. The first-team starters may not have been present, but quarterback Jalen Milroe had a strong showing, and the defense kept the Chiefs out of the end zone towards the endgame. The Hawks didn’t see any injuries to players in the run-up to the regular season. They virtually have the same squad that did the dirty work in February and are ready to go again.
Mahomes Looks Good as Chiefs Need to Shake Off Last Season
As for the Chiefs, this is a key season after a sobering campaign where they failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Kansas put out many of their first-team players in their preseason finale against the Chicago Bears, which they lost 29-27 only after the regulars came off. One good thing to come from the game was that Patrick Mahomes looked sharp. The quarterback threw for 143 yards and a touchdown, also landing a 58-yard completion.
Preseasons are notoriously exhibition matches rather than anything else. However, they are more important for the coaches, who can see how concepts and tactics are being brought by players who are not usually starters. Some rookies like to put their hand up too.
The power rankings will not really be moved by the August results, which have no bearing on seeding or tables. However, it is also a glimpse into the future of raw talent.