Often times it is difficult to tell how good a team is after one week. Other times (Seahawks, Giants) one week might be all we need to see. Regardless, it was great to finally see some meaningful games again. The rankings from week one have no impact on these below. Also, before you say "how can so and so be better than a team they lost to!" of course they can. Do you really think the Bills are better than the Bears or the Falcons better than the Saints? That is the point of power rankings, otherwise you can just look at standings and be done with it. Of course, power rankings are pointless and standings are all that matters, but whatever! Enjoy.
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1. Seattle Seahawks (1) (1-0). A 20 point win against one of the better teams in the NFC. Domination on both sides of the ball. So much for a Super Bowl hangover.
2. San Francisco 49ers (5) (1-0). The 49ers were up 28-3 at the half before they took their foot off the gas. Colin Kaepernick looked great and Carlos Hyde should be a future beast.
3. Denver Broncos (2) (1-0). Late comeback aside, the Broncos offense was humming as good as ever in the first half. As long as Peyton Manning is healthy, Denver will remain the class of the AFC.
4. Carolina Panthers (20) (1-0). I severly underestimated the Panthers. With perhaps the best front seven in football, they shut down the Buccaneers offense, a freak 51 yard run by Javorski Lane not withstanding. If Kelvin Benjamin can show more right away, the offense will be just fine.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (7) (1-0). A good team like the Eagles should respond to a terrible half of football the way they did. Nick Foles rebounded from three first half turnovers to help Philadelpia score 34 second half points and dispose of the over matched Jaguars. This division is the Eagles to lose.
6. Green Bay Packers (4) (0-1). The Packers gain somewhat of a mulligan, it is almost impossible to go into Seattle and come out with a win. The defense is worrisome as always, though.
7. New Orleans Saints (3) (0-1). Rob Ryan's defense really struggled to contain Matt Ryan. The Falcons have an elite passing game but not much else. The offense continued to hum along, and that will be their bread and butter anyway.
8. Detroit Lions (13) (1-0). The Lions will go as far as a lethal offensive attack will take them. If Matthew Stafford can cut down on the errors, he has a real chance at a 5000 yard, 50 TD season.
9. Miami Dolphins (18) (1-0). Miami managed to survive three first half turnovers with a flawless second half. They completely controlled the game thanks to a devastating rushing attack. That was the type of balance that was missing in Miami all of 2013.
10. Cincinnati Bengals (8) (1-0). The Bengals offense looks so much better with Jeremy Hill replacing BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Expect Hill to get more touches. He can wear down the defense while Giovani Bernard provides explosive plays.
11. New England Patriots (6) (0-1). It is hard to know exactly what to take away from the Patriots week one loss to Miami. Is Tom Brady injured, or has he truly begun to regress? He did not look all that sharp last season, and last week his passes were very off target.
12. Indianapolis Colts (10) (0-1). I think Andrew Luck will be the best quarterback in the NFL in a few years, but I still do not love this Colts defense. I worry about the defense, although it is tough to judge any defense facing Peyton Manning. Things do not get any easier in week two when they go up against the Eagles.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers (14) (1-0). Coming into the season I was expecting very big things from the Steelers offense. Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, LeVeon Bell and Markus Wheaton all looked fantastic against a decent Browns defense. This is not your father's Steelers defense, so the offense will have to continue scoring points.
14. Arizona Cardinals (15) (1-0). Michael Floyd has overtaken Larry Fitzgerald as the best receiver on the Cardinals. If Bruce Ellington can stay healthy, this offense can do special things.
15. Atlanta Falcons (23) (1-0). Atlanta has no running game, a terrible offensive line and an over matched defense. But as long as Julio Jones, Roddy White and Matt Ryan stay healthy, they will score points.
16. Chicago Bears (11) (0-1). The Bears really had no business losing to an EJ Manuel led offense at home. The Bears defense continues to be a sore spot, as they allowed at least 50 yards rushing to three different Bills running backs.
17. Baltimore Ravens (12) (0-1). Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice.
18. San Diego Chargers (9) (0-1). I did not stay up to watch this game. I can see that the Chargers allowed 14 fourth quarter points. I still like San Diego as a playoff contender in the AFC.
19. Minnesota Vikings (28) (1-0). I have said it a hundred times. Norv Turner is a terrible head coach but there are few offensive coordinators as good. The Vikings offense stormed over St. Louis thanks to creative play calling, especially in regards to Cordarrelle Patterson.
20. Houston Texans (25) (0-1). JJ Watt is the best player in football. He put up a legendary, stat stuffing performance fresh off the heels of a monster contract extension. Even with the loss of Jadeveon Clowney, Houston's running game and defense should keep them in most contests.
21. Tennessee Titans (27) (1-0). There is a lot to be excited about in regards to Tennessee's offense, especially if Jake Locker can stay healthy. New head coach Ken Whisenhunt got the best out of Locker in week 1, as he spread the ball to a plethora of young, talented skill position players.
22. New York Jets (22) (1-0). The Jets are not one of the five worst teams in the NFL. They will be painful to watch, but with a solid front seven on defense and a committed running game, they should squeak out 6-9 wins.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (16) (0-1). Predictably, Jake McCown turned back into Jake McCown. The Carolina defense keyed in and shut down the running game, and McCown was unable to beat them. I think Mike Glennon is the better option, and would not be surprised to see him before long.
24. Cleveland Browns (24) (0-1). The Browns have talent, but the offense might be too raw to win many games. However, you have to like the fight they put forth after being down big against the Steelers.
25. Buffalo Bills (32) (1-0). I don't buy the Bills as real for a minute. They always seem to pull out their best performance of the season during the first week. Doug Marrone still has no idea how to use CJ Spiller. Spiller should be counting down the weeks until free agency.
26. Washington Redskins (21) (0-1). Robert Griffin III still does not look right. He completed a lot of dink and dunk passes, but looks tentative in the pocket. He needs to regain his confidence to scramble, where he is most dangerous. The sky is not falling in Washington. Not yet.
27. Kansas City Chiefs (19) (0-1). The sky is falling in Kansas City. Alex Smith had a terrible game after getting a new contract, but the biggest concern is all of the injuries on defense. Already without much depth, Kansas City lost two starters for the season. Last year's 8-0 start was definitely a fluke. This is just not a very talented roster.
28. Dallas Cowboys (26) (0-1). Tony Romo is everybody's favorite punching bag. Romo looked terrible early, but the onus is on him every game to chuck the ball all over the place, because the defense will not stop anybody. DeMarco Murray looked fantastic, and will have to be all season if the Cowboys have any chance to win.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (30) (0-1). The Jaguars put up a fight early against the Eagles. This is a team that will play hard and could pull an upset at any time, but generally is simply not talented enough to win on most Sundays.
30. New York Giants (29) (0-1). It looks like the Eli Manning/Tom Coughlin era has definitely run it's course in New York. If the Giants go 4-12 I expect the front office, and quarterback, to be completely different next year.
31. St. Louis Rams (17) (0-1). Sam Bradford's lack of health and development has kept this franchise hostage for years. The Rams looked to give up already last week. Management has got to figure out a way to get a real quarterback in town, because the primes of several very talented young players are being wasted.
32. Oakland Raiders (31) (0-1). I think going with David Carr right now is the best long term answer, but that doesn't fit with the Raiders washed up veteran spending spree. Carr's development will likely help the next General Manager, because Reggie McKenzie is toast.
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1. Seattle Seahawks (1) (1-0). A 20 point win against one of the better teams in the NFC. Domination on both sides of the ball. So much for a Super Bowl hangover.
2. San Francisco 49ers (5) (1-0). The 49ers were up 28-3 at the half before they took their foot off the gas. Colin Kaepernick looked great and Carlos Hyde should be a future beast.
3. Denver Broncos (2) (1-0). Late comeback aside, the Broncos offense was humming as good as ever in the first half. As long as Peyton Manning is healthy, Denver will remain the class of the AFC.
4. Carolina Panthers (20) (1-0). I severly underestimated the Panthers. With perhaps the best front seven in football, they shut down the Buccaneers offense, a freak 51 yard run by Javorski Lane not withstanding. If Kelvin Benjamin can show more right away, the offense will be just fine.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (7) (1-0). A good team like the Eagles should respond to a terrible half of football the way they did. Nick Foles rebounded from three first half turnovers to help Philadelpia score 34 second half points and dispose of the over matched Jaguars. This division is the Eagles to lose.
6. Green Bay Packers (4) (0-1). The Packers gain somewhat of a mulligan, it is almost impossible to go into Seattle and come out with a win. The defense is worrisome as always, though.
7. New Orleans Saints (3) (0-1). Rob Ryan's defense really struggled to contain Matt Ryan. The Falcons have an elite passing game but not much else. The offense continued to hum along, and that will be their bread and butter anyway.
8. Detroit Lions (13) (1-0). The Lions will go as far as a lethal offensive attack will take them. If Matthew Stafford can cut down on the errors, he has a real chance at a 5000 yard, 50 TD season.
9. Miami Dolphins (18) (1-0). Miami managed to survive three first half turnovers with a flawless second half. They completely controlled the game thanks to a devastating rushing attack. That was the type of balance that was missing in Miami all of 2013.
10. Cincinnati Bengals (8) (1-0). The Bengals offense looks so much better with Jeremy Hill replacing BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Expect Hill to get more touches. He can wear down the defense while Giovani Bernard provides explosive plays.
11. New England Patriots (6) (0-1). It is hard to know exactly what to take away from the Patriots week one loss to Miami. Is Tom Brady injured, or has he truly begun to regress? He did not look all that sharp last season, and last week his passes were very off target.
12. Indianapolis Colts (10) (0-1). I think Andrew Luck will be the best quarterback in the NFL in a few years, but I still do not love this Colts defense. I worry about the defense, although it is tough to judge any defense facing Peyton Manning. Things do not get any easier in week two when they go up against the Eagles.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers (14) (1-0). Coming into the season I was expecting very big things from the Steelers offense. Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, LeVeon Bell and Markus Wheaton all looked fantastic against a decent Browns defense. This is not your father's Steelers defense, so the offense will have to continue scoring points.
14. Arizona Cardinals (15) (1-0). Michael Floyd has overtaken Larry Fitzgerald as the best receiver on the Cardinals. If Bruce Ellington can stay healthy, this offense can do special things.
15. Atlanta Falcons (23) (1-0). Atlanta has no running game, a terrible offensive line and an over matched defense. But as long as Julio Jones, Roddy White and Matt Ryan stay healthy, they will score points.
16. Chicago Bears (11) (0-1). The Bears really had no business losing to an EJ Manuel led offense at home. The Bears defense continues to be a sore spot, as they allowed at least 50 yards rushing to three different Bills running backs.
17. Baltimore Ravens (12) (0-1). Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice Ray Rice.
18. San Diego Chargers (9) (0-1). I did not stay up to watch this game. I can see that the Chargers allowed 14 fourth quarter points. I still like San Diego as a playoff contender in the AFC.
19. Minnesota Vikings (28) (1-0). I have said it a hundred times. Norv Turner is a terrible head coach but there are few offensive coordinators as good. The Vikings offense stormed over St. Louis thanks to creative play calling, especially in regards to Cordarrelle Patterson.
20. Houston Texans (25) (0-1). JJ Watt is the best player in football. He put up a legendary, stat stuffing performance fresh off the heels of a monster contract extension. Even with the loss of Jadeveon Clowney, Houston's running game and defense should keep them in most contests.
21. Tennessee Titans (27) (1-0). There is a lot to be excited about in regards to Tennessee's offense, especially if Jake Locker can stay healthy. New head coach Ken Whisenhunt got the best out of Locker in week 1, as he spread the ball to a plethora of young, talented skill position players.
22. New York Jets (22) (1-0). The Jets are not one of the five worst teams in the NFL. They will be painful to watch, but with a solid front seven on defense and a committed running game, they should squeak out 6-9 wins.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (16) (0-1). Predictably, Jake McCown turned back into Jake McCown. The Carolina defense keyed in and shut down the running game, and McCown was unable to beat them. I think Mike Glennon is the better option, and would not be surprised to see him before long.
24. Cleveland Browns (24) (0-1). The Browns have talent, but the offense might be too raw to win many games. However, you have to like the fight they put forth after being down big against the Steelers.
25. Buffalo Bills (32) (1-0). I don't buy the Bills as real for a minute. They always seem to pull out their best performance of the season during the first week. Doug Marrone still has no idea how to use CJ Spiller. Spiller should be counting down the weeks until free agency.
26. Washington Redskins (21) (0-1). Robert Griffin III still does not look right. He completed a lot of dink and dunk passes, but looks tentative in the pocket. He needs to regain his confidence to scramble, where he is most dangerous. The sky is not falling in Washington. Not yet.
27. Kansas City Chiefs (19) (0-1). The sky is falling in Kansas City. Alex Smith had a terrible game after getting a new contract, but the biggest concern is all of the injuries on defense. Already without much depth, Kansas City lost two starters for the season. Last year's 8-0 start was definitely a fluke. This is just not a very talented roster.
28. Dallas Cowboys (26) (0-1). Tony Romo is everybody's favorite punching bag. Romo looked terrible early, but the onus is on him every game to chuck the ball all over the place, because the defense will not stop anybody. DeMarco Murray looked fantastic, and will have to be all season if the Cowboys have any chance to win.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (30) (0-1). The Jaguars put up a fight early against the Eagles. This is a team that will play hard and could pull an upset at any time, but generally is simply not talented enough to win on most Sundays.
30. New York Giants (29) (0-1). It looks like the Eli Manning/Tom Coughlin era has definitely run it's course in New York. If the Giants go 4-12 I expect the front office, and quarterback, to be completely different next year.
31. St. Louis Rams (17) (0-1). Sam Bradford's lack of health and development has kept this franchise hostage for years. The Rams looked to give up already last week. Management has got to figure out a way to get a real quarterback in town, because the primes of several very talented young players are being wasted.
32. Oakland Raiders (31) (0-1). I think going with David Carr right now is the best long term answer, but that doesn't fit with the Raiders washed up veteran spending spree. Carr's development will likely help the next General Manager, because Reggie McKenzie is toast.
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