NFL Power Rankings: Week 2 (2023)

 

Wow, Wow, Wow. Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season is in the books, and there are a lot of crazy things that went down during the first week of the new season, including Aaron Rodgers tearing his Achilles, dominant performances by the 49ers and Cowboys over the Steelers and Giants respectively, and some sloppy performances by Super Bowl contenders such as the Bengals, Bills, and the Eagles.

Let's take a look now at where all 32 teams stack up against each other heading into Week 2.

1. San Francisco 49ers (+2 from last week)

The 49ers showed why they have made the last two NFC Championship Games on Sunday, as they completely dismantled the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Quarterback Brock Purdy looked excellent in his return from injury, showcasing great chemistry with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and their defence was dominant as usual. They look like the most complete team in football right now.

2. Dallas Cowboys (+5 from last week)

The Cowboys completely embarrassed the Giants on Sunday Night, winning 40-0 at MetLife Stadium. Their new-look offence didn't have to do much, as Dallas scored 12 points off of a blocked field goal and a pick six respectively. The defence, led by Micah Parsons and a ferocious front seven got after Giants quarterback Daniel Jones repeatedly and dominated the game. Up next is their home opener against the now Aaron Rodgers-less Jets.

3. Miami Dolphins (+5 from last week)

The Dolphins won a thriller against the Chargers in LA on Sunday, led by their explosive offence headlined by three words: Tua to Tyreek. Tua Tagavailoa threw for 466 yards, with 215 of those going to Tyreek Hill. The defence did give up 34 points, but they were going up against a very talented Chargers offence and when it mattered most, they were able to stop Justin Herbert late to secure the victory. Nice win for Miami to start the season.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (-2 from last week)

The Eagles are 1-0, but they didn't look very good against the Patriots on Sunday. Jalen Hurts and the offence struggled against Bill Belichick's defence, while the defence gave up 354 passing yards to Mac Jones and New England's passing attack. But at the end of the day, a win is a win and now the Eagles will try to go to 2-0 for the second consecutive season when they host the Vikings on Thursday Night Football.

5. Kansas City Chiefs (-4 from last week)

For the first time since 2014, the Chiefs lost in Week 1. Without Travis Kelce, Kansas City's other playmakers were unable to step up for Patrick Mahomes and make plays throughout the game. The defence was surprisingly solid against a talented Lions offence and will now get All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones back after he signed a new one-year contract on Monday evening. They take on the Jaguars this week in what should be a fun one between Mahomes and Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

6. Jacksonville Jaguars (+3 from last week)

It certainly wasn't easy, but the Jaguars were able to knock off the AFC South rival Colts in Week 1. Trevor Lawrence was awesome, and so was Calvin Ridley, who was making his Jaguars debut on Sunday. Awaiting the Jags next is a big test against the Chiefs in a game that could have huge playoff implications down the line.

7. Baltimore Ravens (-1 from last week)

The Ravens managed to defeat the rebuilding Houston Texans last week, although it wasn't really an impressive victory. Lamar Jackson threw one interception and fumbled twice and the Ravens also lost running J.K. Dobbins for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles. However, on the bright side, the defence looked great even without All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey. This week, Baltimore will try to knock off the Bengals in an early season AFC North showdown.

8. Detroit Lions (+3 from last week)

The Lions pulled off the upset in the season opener, as they narrowly defeated the Chiefs at Arrowhead last Thursday. Jared Goff and the offence weren't as explosive as I thought they would be against a mediocre Kansas City defence, but they did enough to get the job done and the defence made play after play against Patrick Mahomes. Up next is their home opener against the Seahawks, which should be a great one.

9.  Cleveland Browns (+6 from last week)

In one of the most surprising games from Week 1, the Browns completely shut down the Bengals, allowing just 3 points and forcing Joe Burrow into his worst game as a professional quarterback. It already appears that new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has really made an impact, putting players like Myles Garrett, Za'Darius Smith and Grant Delpit in positions to excel within the scheme. In Week 2, Cleveland will try to do something they haven't done since 2003: beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh in the regular season.

10. New York Jets (same as last week)

Man, you have to feel horrible for Jets fans. Somehow (mainly because of the ineptitude of Josh Allen), the Jets managed to beat the Bills on Monday Night Football to start off a season at 1-0 for the first time since 2018. But now, Aaron Rodgers is out for the rest of the season, which completely takes the Jets out of the Super Bowl conversation, even though they still have a fantastic team across the board. They have a tough one this week against a very good Cowboys team in Dallas.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (-7 from last week)

The Bengals looked horrible against the Browns on Sunday, as the offence couldn't gain any traction against Cleveland's stifling defence. Joe Burrow was awful, but I'd bet that a lot of that has to do with the fact that he was out for most of training camp with a calf injury. Plus, the Bengals got off to a 0-2 start last season, so even if they start off slow, we all know what this team is capable of. However, it also goes without saying that this week's matchup with the Ravens is a big one.

12. Buffalo Bills (-7 from last week)

When Aaron Rodgers got injured, it seemed like it was impossible that the Bills were going to lose on Monday Night. But after FOUR turnovers from Josh Allen, the impossible became possible. If Allen had just taken care of the football, the Bills would've started off 1-0 with a win over a division rival. Instead, now, they have to find a way to beat the Raiders to avoid a 0-2 start for the first time since 2018.

13. Los Angeles Chargers (same as last week)

The Chargers lost in Week 1, but they had the best effort from any losing team from last week. Their new-look offence with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore looked fantastic against the Dolphins, led by the running game (233 rushing yards). Justin Herbert played well, but he was also outplayed by Tua Tagovailoa, which ultimately proved to be the difference maker. L.A. will try to bounce back on Sunday afternoon against the Titans in Tennessee.

14. New Orleans Saints (+3 from last week)

The Saints started off 1-0 for the fifth consecutive season. Derek Carr wasn't that good in his Saints debut, but he did enough, slinging the football around to Chris Olave and Michael Thomas. Meanwhile, the defence completely shut down the Titans' offence, intercepting quarterback Ryan Tannehill three times while also holding Tennessee to just 15 points. Let's see if Carr and the offence can improve on their Week 1 showing this week, as they take on the Panthers on Monday night in a NFC South matchup.

15. Green Bay Packers (+9 from last week)

The Packers make a huge jump in this week's rankings after a dominant win over the Bears, marking Green Bay's ninth straight victory over their oldest rival. Quarterback Jordan Love looked great in his first start as the franchise quarterback, while the defence put the clamps on Justin Fields, pressuring him an astonishing 36 times while holding the Bears to just 14 points before they scored a meaningless garbage-time touchdown in the final minutes. The Pack will try to improve to 2-0 on Sunday as they travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons.

16. Los Angeles Rams (+12 from last week)

The Rams make the biggest jump in this week's rankings after they dominated the Seahawks in Seattle. Head coach Sean McVay was cooking on Sunday and so was quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw for 334 yards. The defence also did a great job of slowing down Geno Smith and a talented Seahawks offence. We'll get a good glimpse of how good this Rams team really is this week when they take on a 49ers team that has beaten them eight consecutive times in the regular season.

17. New England Patriots (+3 from last week)

The Patriots fell short to the Eagles, but they played very hard and nearly came back from a 16-0 first-quarter deficit. Quarterback Mac Jones looked better on Sunday than he ever did last season with offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien calling the shots. The defence also played well against a stacked Eagles offence. This week, New England stays at home to take on the Dolphins in what should be a great AFC East showdown.

18. Atlanta Falcons (+5 from last week)

The Falcons got off to a great start this season, as they defeated the Panthers last week 24-10 at home. The defence did an excellent job of shutting down rookie quarterback Bryce Young, and the running game behind Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allegeir was dominant. Quarterback Desmond Ridder didn't have to do much, however, and he could be forced to throw the ball more often this week against a good Packers defence.

19. Minnesota Vikings (-1 from last week)

The defending NFC North champion Vikings were unable to get a win last week, as they dropped a close one at home against the Buccaneers. Kirk Cousins turned the ball over three times, which just can't happen if the Vikings want to repeat as division champions. They have a very tough game tonight, as they're in Philly to take on a great Eagles team.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers (-6 from last week)

After looking amazing in the preseason, the Steelers got a reality check in Week 1, as they were dominated by the 49ers on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Kenny Pickett didn't look comfortable behind their new-look offensive line, and the defence looked like they couldn't stop a nosebleed. A huge Monday Night Football matchup against the AFC North rival Browns awaits Pittsburgh in Week 2.

21. Seattle Seahawks (-9 from last week)

The Seahawks looked surprisingly horrible against the Rams in Week 1, losing 30-13 at home. Quarterback Geno Smith only averaged 4.3 yards per passing attempt and he has quietly struggled for the last 7 games or so dating back to last season. Seattle will now try to regroup and avoid a 0-2 start this week, but it won't be easy going on the road and beating a good Lions team in their season home opener.

22. Tennessee Titans (-3 from last week)

The Titans' defence looked great against the Saints in Week 1, but the offence was horrible, as they only scored 15 points while gaining just 285 yards of total offence. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill simply has to be better, plain and simple. They'll try to get their first win of the season at home this week against Justin Herbert and the Chargers.

23. Las Vegas Raiders (+4 from last week)

The Raiders are 1-0 for the fourth time in the last five seasons, as they defeated the Broncos 17-16 in Denver, which marked their seventh consecutive victory over their AFC West rivals. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was both efficient and clutch in his Raider debut, showcasing a nice connection with wide receiver Jakobi Myers. But Vegas will have a tough one this week, as they travel to Highmark Stadium to take on the Bills.

24. Washington Commanders (+1 from last week)

Washington put up an uninspiring performance against the lowly Cardinals at home, but ultimately, they were able to come out with a 20-16 win. Sam Howell was decent in his debut as the Commanders' franchise QB and the defence did it's job against a bad Cardinals offence. Their game against the Broncos this week should be a tough, defensive-oriented battle.

25. Denver Broncos (-4 from last week)

The Sean Payton era in Denver didn't get off to a good start, as the Broncos still can't find a way to beat the Raiders. Russell Wilson looked decent and was on target for most of the game, but he barely threw the ball down the field. If that doesn't change soon (regardless of how stout the Broncos' defence is), Denver's ceiling in 2023 will be limited.

26. New York Giants (-10 from last week)

The Giants got walloped by the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, as they weren't even able to score a single point. They do have a much easier matchup this week against the Cardinals, but last week's showing proved that the Giants are just not on the level of the top teams in the league. Tough pill to swallow for general manager Joe Schoen.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3 from last week)

The Bucs looked better than I thought they would last week, as they managed to beat the Vikings in Minnesota. The defence made plays all afternoon to keep Tampa Bay in the game before Baker Mayfield and company were clutch when it mattered most. They have a decent shot to improve to 2-0 on Sunday when they take on the Bears at home.

28. Carolina Panthers (-7 from last week)

Carolina got outplayed on the road against the Falcons, losing by double digits to their NFC South rival. Bryce Young looked very shaky in his debut, while the defence got gashed in the ground game. Look for the Panthers to put up a better performance in Week 2 when they host the Saints at home on Monday Night Football.

29. Chicago Bears (-3 from last week)

Even with Aaron Rodgers gone, the Bears still can't get over the hump and beat the Packers. Justin Fields and the offence looked discombobulated for much of the game, while the defence got shredded by the Packers' offence. Chicago has some soul-searching to do and that starts with trying to notch a road victory over the Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon.

30. Indianapolis Colts (-1 from last week)

Indy put up a good fight against the Jaguars in Week 1; in fact, they actually held a 21-17 lead in the 4th quarter before Jacksonville took over late to secure the win. Rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson looked very solid in his debut, showcasing the unique talent that made him the 4th overall pick in this year's draft. Richardson will now try to get his first victory in the NFL this week against another rookie quarterback in C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans in an AFC South matchup.

31. Houston Texans (same as last week)

Houston hung around against the Ravens in Week 1, eventually losing 25-9. C.J. Stroud struggled in his debut, which wasn't surprising against a good Ravens defence. But the Texans' defence did a great job of slowing down star quarterback Lamar Jackson. If they can keep playing like that, they could pull off a few upsets this season.

32. Arizona Cardinals (same as last week)

Arizona battled valiantly against the Commanders in head coach Johnathan Gannon's debut, but they weren't able to get the victory mainly because they only managed 210 yards on offence. Much of the same should be expected this week, as they take on a Giants team that should be motivated to avenge their embarrassing Week 1 loss.