2017 NFL Power Rankings: Week 2

And just like that, the first week of the NFL season is in the rearview mirror. After an exciting week with some surprising results (here’s looking at you, Chiefs), there have been some shake ups in the power rankings heading into Week 2. How does each team compare? What did we find out in Week 1?

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-1, Previous Ranking: 30)

Last Week: L, 46-9, at Rams
Next Week: vs. Cardinals (0-1)

Honestly, I’m at a loss for words to describe how painful the Colts were to watch this weekend. Scott Tolzien should not be under center in a starting capacity, even as a backup. There was already promise of the Rams improving in 2017 and Jared Goff making strides in his second year, but the Colts “improving” defense did little to stop him, as the Rams were firing on all cylinders. Add in the fact that Tolzien was benched for the newly-acquired Jacoby Brissett in the 4th quarter, and you have a team that is going nowhere quickly, especially until Andrew Luck returns from injury.

31. New York Jets (0-1, Previous Ranking: 32)

Last Week: L, 21-12, at Bills
Next Week: at Raiders (1-0)

It should be no surprise to anyone that the Jets dropped their season opener. What is surprising, however, is how horrendous the Jets’ run defense was. The Bills managed to gain 190 yards on the ground to LeSean McCoy (110 yards), Mike Tolbert (42 yards, 1 TD), and Tyrod Taylor (38 yards). Taylor also managed to pile up 224 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air. Offensively, the Jets’ lack of weapons was on full display, with Josh McCown going 26/39 for 187 yards and 2 interceptions and just a team total of 214 yards of offense. If the Jets struggled this much against an average Bills offense, they’re in for a long day against the Raiders in Week 2.

30. San Francisco 49ers (0-1, Previous Ranking: 28)

Last Week: L, 23-3, vs. Panthers
Next Week: at Seahawks (0-1)

Kudos to the 49ers for trying, but Kyle Shanahan’s head coach debut was anything but great. The Brian Hoyer-led offense struggled to get anything going, putting up only 217 total yards of offense. The offensive line didn’t help much, giving up 4 sacks on the day and not allowing much time for Hoyer to work. The defense looked solid for the most part but didn’t create any pressure on Cam Newton, which is never a good thing. It’ll likely take some time for the 49ers to adjust to Shanahan’s new offense, so give it some time. The expectations aren’t that high, to begin with for the 49ers.

29. Chicago Bears (0-1, Previous Ranking: 29)

Last Week: L, 23-17, vs. Falcons
Next Week: at Buccaneers (0-0)

The Bears were a surprise to me in Week 1, keeping the game against the defending NFC champs close. The Falcons high-scoring offense was held to just 23 points and the defense seemingly didn’t have an answer for the Bears offensive attack. Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen led the way to help the Bears to 125 yards rushing and create an exciting 1-2 punch on the ground and through the air. A loss is a loss, but the Bears showed vast improvement from their 3-13 record a season ago.

28. Buffalo Bills (1-0, Previous Ranking: 26)

Last Week: W, 21-12, vs. Jets
Next Week: at Panthers (1-0)

The Bills were one of the worst run defenses in the NFL in 2016, but that didn’t stop them from holding the Jets to just 38 yards rushing on Sunday. Their rushing attack looked strong just as it has over the last 2 seasons, with LeSean McCoy once again displaying why he is one of the league’s premier backs. In a battle of bottom feeder teams with little weapons on offense, I wasn’t surprised to see this game be close like it was. The Bills played efficient football and did enough to come away with a win.

27. Cleveland Browns (0-1, Previous Ranking: 27)

Last Week: L, 21-18, vs. Steelers
Next Week: at Ravens (1-0)

I have been much higher on the Browns than most since Hue Jackson took over last year and on Sunday, they proved to be a team that is improving. The Steelers looked quite shaky, but the Browns did everything in their power to make this a game. DeShone Kizer was the most impressive and promising rookie quarterback to wear a Browns jersey since arguably Tim Couch. Kizer went 20/30 for 222 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT, while also adding 17 yards and 1 TD on the ground. While Kizer had happy feet at times and was sacked 7 times, there is certainly a lot to be excited about moving forward if you’re the Browns. After seeing the Bengals ugly game against Baltimore, things could become interesting in the bottom of the AFC North.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0, Previous Ranking: 31)

Last Week: W, 29-7, at Texans
Next Week: vs. Titans (0-1)

I said last week that this defense (on paper) might be one of the most talented young groups in the NFL. They proved that in Week 1. While playing an admittedly below average Texans’ offense, the Jaguars piled up 10 sacks with 4 coming from former Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell. But what was the most shocking was the performance of the offense. The offense didn’t commit any turnovers and the offensive line looked better than they have in some time, allowing rookie Leonard Fournette to rush for 100 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut. Blake Bortles was Blake Bortles, but the defense picked up the slack. If they can keep this up, they could turn some heads this season.

25. Houston Texans (0-1, Previous Ranking: 14)

Last Week: L, 29-7, vs. Jaguars
Next Week: at Bengals (0-1)

In the blink of an eye, Bill O’Brien abandoned his word from the preseason and benched Tom Savage for rookie Deshaun Watson. The offensive line did not do much to help out the offensive cause and the team managed to turn the ball over four times. An inability to protect the ball, especially from your “starting” quarterback (Savage had 2 fumbles), will only lead to bad things. The defense held Jacksonville to just 203 total yards, but that wasn’t enough to offset the offense’s shortcomings.

24. Los Angeles Chargers (0-1, Previous Ranking: 21)

Last Week: L, 24-21, at Broncos
Next Week: vs. Dolphins

So much for having an explosive offense. Philip Rivers and the promising Chargers offense couldn’t stay on the field and didn’t get going until the end of the game when they were playing comeback. After the defense forced 2 turnovers in the 4th quarter and got the Chargers to within 3 points, it looked like they had all of the momentum in the world. After a series of some questionable urgency by the Chargers offense, the game-tying field goal by rookie Younghoe Koo was blocked, halting the comeback attempt. The Chargers can’t afford to be playing catch-up this season, especially if their offense comes out of the gates like they did against the Broncos.

23. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1, Previous Ranking: 16)

Last Week: L, 20-0, vs. Ravens
Next Week: vs. Texans (0-1)

The Bengals were shut out. At home. On opening weekend. By a division rival. Ouch. Talk about setting the tone for the season. The worst part is that the Ravens left plenty of points on the field, meaning this game could have been even uglier. Andy Dalton was sacked 5 times and threw 4 INTs with 1 fumble. The offensive line looked noticeably weaker without Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler and could create a lot of pressure on Dalton this season. Add in a defense that gave up 157 yards rushing on 42 carries, and there aren’t many bright spots to pull from the Bengals in Week 1. Except for Jordan Willis. That kid can ball.

22. Denver Broncos (1-0, Previous Ranking: 23)

Last Week: W, 24-21, vs. Chargers
Next Week: vs. Cowboys

If the Broncos couldn’t figure it out yet, C.J. Anderson is their unquestioned every-down running back. His healthy average yards per carry helped keep the offense moving while Trevor Siemian played smart, efficient football. Defensively, the Broncos were able to keep the pressure on Philip Rivers and minimize any offense that they tried to produce. Things began to fall apart in the 4th quarter, giving up 14 points off of 2 turnovers. But the Broncos held strong and blocked what would have been the game-tying field goal.

21. Washington Redskins (0-1, Previous Ranking: 19)

Last Week: L, 30-17, vs. Eagles
Next Week: at Rams (1-0)

When you have 4 turnovers in a game, with three coming from your quarterback, you aren’t going to win many football games. Kirk Cousins looked out of sync with all of his receivers throughout the entire game and completed just over 50% of his passes. In typical Redskins fashion, the run game was nonexistent. Statistically, the defense was nothing special, but the group played an average game that would be good enough for a win in most games. But until the offense can get things going, it is going to be a struggle to stay competitive.

20. Los Angeles Rams (1-0, Previous Ranking: 25)

Last Week: W, 46-9, vs. Colts
Next Week: vs. Redskins (0-1)

Sure, the Colts are terrible. Sure, it is only Week 1. But don’t undersell how well the Rams played on both sides of the ball, especially without their best player (Aaron Donald). Jared Goff took some nice strides this preseason and carried that into the regular season, going 21/29 for 306 yards and 1 TD. Cooper Kupp is also turning into the best receiver in Los Angeles and is going to be exciting to watch this season. The offensive line, however, remains to be a very weak point and with the exception of Andrew Whitworth, they need to find new pieces. When they go up against better front 7s in the league, they are going to be in trouble. Todd Gurley averaged just 2.1 yards per carry and that is a concern against better defenses.

19. New Orleans Saints (0-1, Previous Ranking: 15)

Last Week: L, 29-19, at Vikings
Next Week: vs. Patriots (0-1)

Drew Brees wasn’t terrible. He was just about the only saving grace from the Saints’ Week 1 matchup with the Vikings. The run game was putrid. While boasting one of the deepest stables of running backs in the NFL, the Saints managed to gain just 60 yards rushing on the night, with future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson and rookie Alvin Kamara each getting 18 yards on the ground and Mark Ingram gaining 17. Defensively, the already shaky secondary was exposed by the Vikings’ offense and it looks like this will continue to be an issue as the season progresses, especially against more potent pass games.

18. Baltimore Ravens (1-0, Previous Ranking: 24)

Last Week: W, 20-0, at Bengals
Next Week: vs. Browns (0-1)

Week 1 was the type of statement win that the Ravens needed to quiet doubters this season. Going into Cincinnati and shutting them out by putting on a defensive clinic has the team excited. The defense was able to force 5 turnovers on the day and prevented the Bengals from getting anything going at every level. They looked a bit rough on offense, with Joe Flacco trying to shake off a lot of the rust from his injury, but some big splash plays will continue to keep them moving forward while he readjusts.

17. Miami Dolphins (0-0, Previous Ranking: 18)

Last Week: Bye Week
Next Week: at Chargers (0-1)

Prayers to the residents of Florida.

16. Arizona Cardinals (0-1, Previous Ranking: 11)

Last Week: L, 35-23, at Lions
Next Week: at Colts (0-1)

Carson Palmer played like he was 37 in Week 1. The offense was not able to get anything going and scored touchdowns on only 50% of their trips to the red zone. The offensive line did the team no favors, preventing David Johnson from finding room to run before leaving the game with a wrist injury that could knock him out for up to 12 weeks, according to sources close to the situation. The Cardinals have a strong secondary but their lack of a pass rush will prevent them from being competitive this year if they are unable to fix this problem.

15. Tennessee Titans (0-1, Previous Ranking: 10)

Last Week: L, 26-16, vs. Raiders
Next Week: at Jaguars (1-0)

The Titans have one of the more balanced offenses in the NFL, but this did not seem evident in Week 1. The Titans have a strong 1-2 punch at running back with DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry but were not able to establish a ground game at all during the game. The Titans did not turn over the ball, which is promising moving forward, but they must be able to play better and put points on the board. The Raiders defense is nothing to write home about so their lack of an attack is somewhat concerning. The Jaguars defense in Week 2 will be a greater challenge.

14. Minnesota Vikings (1-0, Previous Ranking: 22)

Last Week: W, 29-19, vs. Saints
Next Week: at Steelers (1-0)

The Vikings defense has never been a question. When the team got off to a 5-0 start in 2016, it was almost solely because of their defense. Holding the Saints to 19 points is no small task at all. The offense we saw in Week 1 was a completely different story. The Sam Bradford-led passing attack looked strong and efficient against the Saints and Stefon Diggs made his presence known with 2 TDs, while Adam Thielen was a heavily targeted threat, having 9 receptions for 157 yards. Dalvin Cook also had a solid NFL debut, having over 137 yards from scrimmage. If the offense can find consistency this season, it would be no surprise to see the Vikings have serious playoff consideration at the end of the season.

13. New York Giants (0-1, Previous Ranking: 8)

Last Week: L, 19-3, at Cowboys
Next Week: vs. Lions (1-0)

This offense is not remotely close to being the same without Odell Beckham Jr. The offensive line struggled mightily and could singlehandedly ruin this season. Brandon Marshall had a Giant’s debut to forget. Eli Manning was pitiful. Paul Perkins was the leading rusher with… wait for it… 16 yards. The only bright spots on this roster in Week 1 were B.J. Goodson (18 tackles) and Shane Vereen (9 receptions). Beyond that, the Giants had about as painful of a season opener as a playoff hopeful could have.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0, Previous Ranking: 17)

Last Week: W, 30-17, at Redskins
Next Week: at Chiefs (1-0)

Carson Wentz had some pains during the game, but his big-play potential silenced the mistakes on the day. I also think it is safe to say that Zach Ertz has become Wentz’s favorite target. In his last 16 games, Ertz has caught 95 receptions for 1,061 yards. The secondary is still a question mark on defense, but they looked solid against the Redskins receivers. You can make the argument, however, that this success was because of the Eagles’ front 7. Regardless, this is a quality win against a team many consider to be a competitive team.

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-0, Previous Ranking: 12)

Last Week: Bye Week
Next Week: vs. Bears (0-1)

Prayers to the residents of Florida.

10. Carolina Panthers (1-0, Previous Ranking: 20)

Last Week: W, 23-3, at 49ers
Next Week: vs. Bills (1-0)

People will be calling for Kareem Hunt to be the OROY (more on that in a second), but Christian McCaffrey is the real deal. Jonathan Stewart led the way, but when you look closely at the intelligence that McCaffrey shows making plays, it is far beyond his rookie status. The Panthers offensive attack looks like it can turn into one with a lot of options and can fight with most of the teams in the league. They’ll be exciting as the season progresses.

9. Detroit Lions (1-0, Previous Ranking: 13)

Last Week: W, 35-23, vs. Cardinals
Next Week: at Giants (0-1)

This team will go as far as Matthew Stafford will take them. On Sunday, that was a victory to the tune of 292 yards passing and 4 passing TDs. Defensively, the Lions didn’t light up the stats sheet, but they played tough, effective football. They consistently got after Carson Palmer (1 sack with 7 QB hits) and the run defense held superstar David Johnson in check. They were far from perfect (no run game, too many penalties), but good enough to get a comeback victory against the Cardinals. They’ll need to be better moving forward to have a real chance.

8. Atlanta Falcons (1-0, Previous Ranking: 3)

Last Week: W, 23-17, at Bears
Next Week: vs. Packers (1-0)

Kyle Shanahan is gone, so it should be no surprise to see the offense take a step back as they adjust to Steve Sarkisian’s philosophy. The offense went 1 for 3 in the red zone, which is something that would have been unheard of last season. Matt Ryan still looked like Matt Ryan, passing for a modest (by his standards) 321 yards and 1 TD. Julio Jones had a quiet day as well, gathering 66 yards on 4 receptions. The defense looked excellent at times but often didn’t have an answer for Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen. It was Week 1 with some big changes for the Falcons and they still looked solid, even though the score was closer than most people would expect.

7. New England Patriots (0-1, Previous Ranking: 1)

Last Week: L, 42-27, vs. Chiefs
Next Week: at Saints (0-1)

Raise your hand if you thought that the Patriots would give up 42 points at home on the opening night of the NFL season? I mentioned last week that this team has some holes and they were exposed by the Chiefs. The defense gave up 537 total yards while also allowing the Chiefs to carrying out 3 90-yard drives. The Patriots pass rush was expected to be a problem this season and while they had three sacks, at least two of them were coverage sacks. The secondary is fantastic, but if they are unable to produce pressure, it doesn’t matter how good your secondary is. Also a side note, Tom Brady looked unusually rough. Not bad, but not what we’re used to seeing. It’s Brady, so that will change as the season progresses, but it’s something that is worth pointing out.

6. Oakland Raiders (1-0, Previous Ranking: 7)

Last Week: W, 26-16, at Titans
Next Week: vs. Jets (0-1)

Last week, I said that the Titans had one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the NFL. But after Week 1, it is quite clear who gets the distinction of being the most well-rounded: the Raiders. Derek Carr made it clear that his broken leg is behind him and he is yet again ready to make the Raiders Super Bowl contenders. I can also not stress the importance of Marshawn Lynch enough. His addition gives this offense so many more options. The defense has playmakers in the form of Karl Joseph and Khalil Mack, but as a whole, they could still improve. Linebacker will continue to be a concern for this team.

5. Seattle Seahawks (0-1, Previous Ranking: 4)

Last Week: L, 17-9, at Packers
Next Week: vs. 49ers (0-1)

I will always wonder what this offense would look like if they had an offensive line. I’ll sound like a broken record all year, but this offensive line is abysmal. Terrible. It is a good thing that Russell Wilson is a mobile quarterback because he’ll spend most of the year running for his life. This game wasn’t a clean one for the Seahawks, but all in all, they did a decent job of preventing Aaron Rodgers from doing what he normally does: make big, explosive plays. This will be a team contending for a Super Bowl this year, but the offense (mainly the offensive line) really needs to step up.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0, Previous Ranking: 2)

Last Week: W, 21-18, at Browns
Next Week: vs. Vikings (1-0)

Honestly, the fact that this game was close should surprise no one. The Steelers offense looked out of sync for most of the day, with the exception of Antonio Brown and (surprisingly) Jesse James. Ben Roethlisberger was average at best, Le’Veon Bell was held in check, and Martavis Bryant was largely a non-factor. The growth will come, as this group has not spent time together as a group. What was most concerning, however, was the amount of penalty yards the Steelers gave up (13 for 144 yards). That won’t get it done against the NFL’s elite when paired with that type of offensive performance. The Steelers defense was able to apply pressure often throughout the game, totaling 7 sacks, with 2 coming from rookie T.J. Watt. While some came from DeShone Kizer holding onto the ball too long, it was still nice to see the Steelers take advantage and consistently apply pressure. The team should continue to grow as the season progresses.

3. Dallas Cowboys (1-0, Previous Ranking: 6)

Last Week: W, 19-3, vs. Giants
Next Week: at Broncos (1-0)

The defense was a huge question mark entering Week 1. Even though they played a weak offense in the form of the Giants, this performance by the Cowboys made me a believer. They got pressure on Eli Manning and the secondary was able to hold their own (albeit against an Odell Beckham Jr.-less offense). Offensively, Ezekiel Elliott picked up right where he left off with 140 yards from scrimmage (104 yards rushing) and after shaking off a slow start, Dak Prescott made it look like he is ready to make strides and truly be the franchise quarterback for the Cowboys.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0, Previous Ranking: 9)

Last Week: W, 42-27, at Patriots
Next Week: vs. Eagles (1-0)

The Chiefs offense absolutely exploded against the Patriots. Alex Smith looked shaky early on but put all doubters to rest by the end of the game by making a clear statement that this is his job and not Pat Mahomes. Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt give the Chiefs so many options and make this team such a dangerous one moving forward. The defense was quiet early in the game, but as the game went along, they found their stride and made life rough for the Patriots offense. The penalties need to subside in the future, but the fact that they had those penalties and still had 537 yards of total offense is crazy.

1. Green Bay Packers (1-0, Previous Ranking: 5)

Last Week: W, 17-9, vs. Seahawks
Next Week: at Falcons (1-0)

The Packers didn’t dominate the Seahawks, but they did enough to win comfortably against a top-tier NFC opponent. Aaron Rodgers didn’t have any of the down the field magic that he has been known for throughout his career, but he still threw for 311 yards and was in command. The defense really stood out, consistently taking advantage of the Seahawks offensive line and keeping Russell Wilson on the run all game. The Packers are perennial contenders and they’ll continue to be just that this season. If Rodgers does what he always does and the defense continues to bring the heat with their front 7, don’t be surprised to see the Packers make a deep run.


Suggested articles from our sponsors