Week 2 Power Rankings: Dynasties don’t last forever

The first off day of the NFL regular season arrived Tuesday and a collective deep breath could be in order.

A loss by the three-time defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens’ lateral of a sure victory into the hands of the Buffalo Bills are no cause for immediate panic.

All three teams remain in the upper echelon of the AFC, but is the balance of power shifting conferences?

Philadelphia had its hands full with Dallas and wasn’t the most impressive team out of the gate. That gold star goes to the Green Bay Packers for a complete team effort in steamrolling the Detroit Lions out of Lambeau Field.

We take stock the bottom-to-top NFL pecking order after a first look at every team in Week 1.

32. New Orleans Saints (0-1)

Last Week: L, 23-20 vs. Arizona Cardinals

Up Next: vs. San Francisco 49ers, 1 p.m. ET

Surprisingly competitive in Kellen Moore’s debut, the Saints are still a QB away from being a contender in the NFC South.

31. Carolina Panthers (0-1)

Last Week: L, 26-10 at Jacksonville Jaguars

Up Next: at Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. ET

Subtracting security blanket Adam Thielen (now on Vikings) was a hit to Bryce Young, who also took the field without starting LT Ikem Ekwonu at Jacksonville.

30. New York Giants (0-1)

Last Week: L, 21-6 at Washington Commanders

Up Next: at Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m. ET

No one returned to New York on Sunday night enthralled with the offense, but the Giants opt to stick with Russell Wilson on the road again this week.

29. Cleveland Browns (0-1)

Last Week: L, 17-16 vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Up Next: at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. ET

Cleveland’s defense was more than good enough to win. The Browns held the Bengals to 141 yards — seven in the second half — and 2.0 yards per carry.

28. Tennessee Titans (0-1)

Last Week: L, 20-12 at Denver Broncos

Up Next: vs. Los Angeles Rams, 1 p.m. ET

Protecting Cam Ward was a problem at Denver, and life won’t get any easier this week. NFL-high four takeaways something to build on for Titans.

27. Miami Dolphins (0-1)

Last Week: L, 33-8 at Indianapolis Colts

Up Next: vs. New England Patriots, 1 p.m. ET

Mike Vrabel has some fixing to do or the Patriots’ pass defense will be the victim in a get-right week for Tua Tagovailoa.

26. New England Patriots (0-1)

Last Week: L, 20-13 vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Up Next: at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET

One of these teams exhales on Sunday night. The other starts hearing NFL draft talk. Drake Maye should be smiling after the Dolphins made Daniel Jones look the part of Unitas last week.

25. New York Jets (0-1)

Last Week: L, 34-32 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Up Next: vs. Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET

Kudos to Justin Fields for the fight. Lost in the QB chatter was the sterling performance of the Jets’ maligned offensive line.

24. Las Vegas Raiders (1-0)

Last Week: W, 20-13 at New England Patriots

Up Next: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 10 p.m. ET (Monday)

RB Ashton Jeanty ran for nine yards on his first carry, then 28 yards on his next 18. Teams are already scheming to take Jeanty away, inviting the Raiders to have QB Geno Smith counterpunch.

23. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)

Last Week: L, 24-20 at Philadelphia Eagles

Up Next: vs. New York Giants, 1 p.m. ET

Going scoreless in the second half spoiled a strong upset bid from the Cowboys. Trick will be getting same focus, effort from both lines consistently.

22. Indianapolis Colts (1-0)

Last Week: W, 33-8

Up Next: vs. Denver Broncos, 4:05 p.m. ET

Daniel Jones aced remedial test against turnover-happy Dolphins for Colts first Week 1 win since 2013. Denver’s toothy pass rush and secondary crank things up a notch.

21. Seattle Seahawks (0-1)

Last Week: L, 17-13 vs. San Francisco 49ers

Up Next: at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m. ET

No risk, no reward. Seahawks lost two fumbles, averaged 3.2 yards per carry and tried to survive with paper-airplane range pass completions.

20. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)

Last Week: W, 20-13 at New Orleans Saints

Up Next: vs. Carolina Panthers, 4:05 p.m. ET

Schedule-maker teed up the Cardinals with a shot at 2-0 before a trip to San Francisco.

19. Atlanta Falcons (0-1)

Last Week: L, 23-20 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Up Next: vs. Minnesota Vikings, 8:20 p.m. ET (Sunday)

Don’t look now, but the Falcons have lost seven of their past nine games. Those two wins came against Desmond Ridder (Raiders) and Drew Lock (Giants) last season.

18. Chicago Bears (0-1)

Last Week: L, 27-24 vs. Minnesota Vikings

Up Next: at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. ET

Ben Johnson dropped his Bears debut, blowing an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter. Out of the frying pan and into the fryer? Lions will be riled up after a blowout loss at Packers.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0)

Last Week: W, 26-10 vs. Carolina Panthers

Up Next: at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. ET

There’s a whole lot of overreaction love for a Jacksonville win over the Panthers. We’re playing harder to get until seeing another inspired team effort.

16. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)

Last Week: W, 17-13 at Seattle Seahawks

Up Next: at New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. ET

Has the physical bill come due on the 49ers’ run of success under Kyle Shanahan? Without George Kittle for at least a few weeks, the 49ers are not deep enough to dip down the depth chart at multiple positions.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)

Last Week: W, 34-32 at New York Jets

Up Next: vs. Seattle Seahawks

Stat sheet says vintage Aaron Rodgers. He was pressured and accuracy was far from pinpoint. If Pittsburgh can’t dig out some running room, Week 1 was a major mirage. Steelers also allowed 182 rushing yards to Jets.

14. Houston Texans (0-1)

Last Week: L, 14-9 at Los Angeles Rams

Up Next: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7 p.m. ET (Monday)

Offense sputtered and Texans managed only three field goals in Week 1. Home opener in primetime brings urgency.

13. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)

Last Week: W, 17-16 at Cleveland Browns

Up Next: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET

Explosive offense went flat with 2.0 yard-per-carry average and one 20-yard pass play.

12. Denver Broncos (1-0)

Last Week: W, 20-12 vs. Tennessee Titans

Up Next: at Indianapolis Colts, 4:05 p.m. ET

No sleeping on the Broncos’ pass rush. Denver has five-plus sacks in three consecutive regular-season games.

11. Los Angeles Chargers (1-0)

Last Week: W, 27-21 vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Brazil)

Up Next: at Las Vegas Raiders, 10 p.m. ET (Monday)

A couple of extra days to prepare for the new-look Raiders sets up the Chargers to get to 2-0 before a surprising showdown with the Broncos on Sept. 21.

10. Minnesota Vikings (1-0)

Last Week: W, 27-24 at Chicago Bears

Up Next: at Atlanta Falcons, 8:20 p.m. ET (Sunday)

Scintillating comeback by J.J. McCarthy allows for a mulligan on the forgettable first half by the Vikings in Chicago.

9. Los Angeles Rams (1-0)

Last Week: W, 14-9 vs. Houston Texans

Up Next: at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. ET

Losing their first three games on the road last season might imply Week 2 a risky trap at Nashville for the Rams. But this defense will travel, and rookies rarely thrive under the type of duress the Rams’ front can pile on a QB.

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0)

Last Week: W, 23-20 at Atlanta Falcons

Up Next: at Houston Texans, 7 p.m. ET (Monday)

Rookie Emeka Egbuka caught two TDs last week. His matchup with the stellar secondary of the Texans should be worth the price of admission.

7. Washington Commanders (1-0)

Last Week: W, 21-6 vs. New York Giants

Up Next: at Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET (Thursday)

Picked up where they left off last season with 432 yards and a strong defensive effort.

6. Detroit Lions (0-1)

Last Week: L, 27-13 at Green Bay Packers

Up Next: vs. Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET

Are the Lions lost without Ben Johnson calling plays for Jared Goff? We’ll wait for this week, against Johnson and the Bears, to decide.

5. Baltimore Ravens (0-1)

Last Week: L, 41-40 at Buffalo Bills

Up Next: vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. ET

Fourth-quarter breakdowns led to 22 points for the Bills and a horrific loss in the opener. How do the Ravens respond?

4. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)

Last Week: L, 27-21 vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Brazil)

Up Next: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET

In last place in the AFC West for the first time in four years, maybe the last defense Patrick Mahomes wanted to see coming is at Arrowhead on Sunday.

3. Buffalo Bills (1-0)

Last Week: W, 41-40 vs. Baltimore Ravens

Up Next: at New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET

Busted up by big plays, the Bills have serious concerns on defense. They also have Josh Allen. Allen had four TD passes and two rushing touchdowns in a pair of wins over the AFC East rival Jets last season.

2. Green Bay Packers (1-0)

Last Week: W, 27-13 vs. Detroit Lions

Up Next: vs. Washington Commanders, 8:20 p.m. ET (Thursday)

Micah Parsons is the ship raising all boats on a dynamic Green Bay defense. Jordan Love being overlooked among top quarterbacks in the league.

1. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

Last Week: W, 24-20 vs. Dallas Cowboys

Up Next: at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET

To paraphrase Jalen Hurts, the Eagles don’t care about style points, only wins. The secondary and pass rush left plenty to be desired in the opener and Hurts didn’t connect with his top receivers. But the Super Bowl champions still beat the Dallas Cowboys.

–Field Level Media