Where have all the elite teams gone?

With three weeks of the 2016 season in the books, one question should be dominating the NFL landscape: Where are all the great teams?

With nearly a quarter of the regular season played, the cream has usually begun rising to the top. The NFL is always volatile, but this year it seems even more difficult to get a read on which teams will compete for a title come January.

Outside of the New England Patriots, the vast majority of supposed top teams have faltered out of the gate, or appear fatally flawed.

Arizona, a sexy Super Bowl pick, is arguably the biggest disappointment so far, sitting at 1-2 and maybe a victim of its own hype.

A tight loss to the Tom Brady-less Patriots was understandable, if disappointing, but a Week 3 beatdown at the hands of the lowly Buffalo Bills should raise serious questions.

The Cardinals played some spectacular football in 2015, looking unbeatable at times, but also played down to the level of their opponents. They fell victim to that same trap Sunday.

Arizona's roster was supposed to be among the league's most complete, with offensive ability to dominate any team. But the Cardinals didn't gain a first down against the Bills until their 18th play, and even more alarmingly, Carson Palmer's awful 2015 postseason play has continued into this campaign.

The Pittsburgh Steelers' loss in Week 3 was almost as bad as Arizona's.

Entering at 2-0, with an offense firing on all cylinders and one game away from Le'Veon Bell's return, the Steelers should've proved their legitimacy. Instead, they were embarrassed by the Eagles and rookie quarterback Carson Wentz.

Pittsburgh will hope this was just one dud performance, but the cracks that appeared are serious.

The defense will continue to be torched if tackling doesn't improve, the lack of a consistent pass rush could kill them against top quarterbacks, and the sacks Ben Roethlisberger took cannot continue if Pittsburgh wants its quarterback to make it through the season,

Speaking of top quarterbacks staying healthy, the Carolina Panthers seem intent on finding out if Cam "Superman" Newton is really made of steel, while the Seattle Seahawks are forcing Russell Wilson to drink copious amounts of his miracle water to stay on the field.

Minnesota manhandled Newton during Sunday's game, sacking him eight times and forcing three interceptions. Wilson, who already suffered a high ankle sprain this season, sustained a knee injury in Week 3.

While the Panthers and Seahawks are contenders for multiples reasons - both boasting great defenses and coaching staffs - their dynamic quarterbacks are ultimately what makes them elite.

But right now, neither is putting their franchise passer in position to succeed. The Seahawks, especially, seem to be spinning their wheels offensively, despite a strong performance against the 49ers.

With no Marshawn Lynch, the offense was meant to become a passing attack led by Wilson. But the O-line's putrid play and Wilson's injuries meant they scored just 15 points over the first two games. Sunday's destruction of San Francisco could be a turning point, but Seattle has lost its aura of invincibility.

Eventually, top teams will emerge from the pack. The Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings still have questions at quarterback - despite solid play from Trevor Siemian and Sam Bradford - but appear set everywhere else, keeping them closest to New England for now.

And the Cardinals, Steelers, Panthers, and Seahawks all have the makings of Super Bowl contenders, with 13 games left to figure out their issues.

But until then, the Patriots sit alone atop the NFL mountain, wondering who will mount a challenge.