Official r/NFL Week 2 Power Rankings

The NFL Gods have blessed all the fans with two weeks of incredible games to watch at every time slot. With a handful of unexpected results, these rankings are as tumultuous as ever. 32/32 reporting, who hit the nail on the head? Who goofed? Discuss!

#		Team	Δ	Record	Comment
1.		Buccaneers	--	2-0	The Tampa Bay Buccaneers barreled to a perfect 2-0 after a dominating 48-25 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, who once blew a 25 point lead to Tom Brady in Super Bowl LI. Led by 5 TD's from Brady and two pick-sixes from Mike Edwards, the Buccaneers looked cleaner on both sides of the ball after a shaky start in week one. Vita Vea continues to look unblockable at 0-tech and is off to his best career start to date, but he definitely has some work to do at fullback. Next up, the Bucs play the (also) undefeated LA Rams, who this power ranker predicted would ultimately be the Bucs' opponent in the NFC Championship. Expect a violent slobberknocker of a game, and for both fanbases to assign blame to the referees depending on the outcome.
2.		Chiefs	--	1-1	Just yuck, man. The loss to the Ravens on Sunday Night was a reminder of what the 2018 Chiefs looked like and it was not pretty. Poor play, weird personnel decisions (why is Daniel Sorensen getting snaps over Juan Thornhill?), and no adjustments led to the Chiefs defense looking lost for 99% of the night. It is hard to say what the defense needs to change specifically after two poor weeks, but something does need to change. CEH joined the defense in having a night to forget with a critical fumble, as well. Chiefs don't have a break next week as they host the Chargers, so answers need to be found.
3.		Rams	--	2-0	Much like the rest of the NFCW, the Rams struggled, as sloppy action from everyone but Stafford and Kupp kept this a much closer game than need be. The takeaway from the ugly win is the mental fortitude exhibited despite many errors and momentum swings. Next up is the Buccaneers, where the Rams will get their first big test against an elite team.
4.		Browns	+2	1-1	The Browns have won a home opener but the team was racked with injuries. Offensive power was on display but defenses missteps and penalties hurt Cleveland though the game. Will next week show the world what the Browns are made of? Chicago visits with an impressive defense in week three.
5.		Ravens	+6	1-1	Something this team has repeatedly shown against Kansas City was the the inability to get off the early tilt. Lamar threw a pick-six and the dumbest end zone pick he's thrown since the Bills game. But then the team came roaring back, matching scores, catching interceptions. And then we went up 36-35 with 3 minutes left for Mahomes. Game over for us right?Except Odafe Oweh strips that shit out of Mahomes giving us that a glimpse of that pass rushing playmaker we've needed for so long. Then Harbaugh flexes his giant brass balls -- as he is wont to do -- and and ends the game in their own territory. Because how can we win the game if we can't get one of the greatest run games in history a single yard???
6.		Bills	+1	1-1	The Bills continue to beat the Dolphins like a red-headed step child. When expectations are high, it’s easy to get lost in what’s not going perfectly, but let’s not let ourselves get bogged down with that. At the end of the day, the Bills beat their stiffest competition in the division 35-0. Over the last two games, they’ve squished the fish by a combined 91-26. You simply love to see it. Buffalo faces another tough defense in what should be a winnable home game against Washington next week.
7.		Raiders	+8	2-0	The Raiders roll to 2-0 after beating a (last seasons) playoff team for the second straight week. Derek Carr is playing the best ball of his career and the defense looks anywhere from competent to good. The Ravens paid the Raiders back for beating the Steelers by handing the Chiefs a loss and giving the Raiders a game lead in the AFCW. Week 2 couldn't have gone better, meanwhile in week 3 they hope to make Allegiant Stadium resemble Taiji Japan as much as possible to stay in first place in the AFC.
8.		Cardinals	+1	2-0	Finally some poor kicking goes in favor of the Cardinals. Anyone check in on Zane Gonzalez recently? Still missing kicks in Carolina? Shame. Through 2 games, Kyler “I’ve never seen Star Wars” Murray has 740 all purpose yards, 9 TDs (7 passing, 2 rushing) and a 121.5 passer rating. Minus a few untimely interceptions and sacks, Murray has picked up from his 2020 pre-injury magic and looks to continue at Jacksonville this week in a 1st overall pick showdown with the newest kid in town.
9.		49ers	+1	2-0	Although the 49ers RB issues have taken the headlines coming out of week 2, the O line has quietly played exceptionally well to start the season. The unit has only allowed 7 QB pressures over the first two weeks, lowest in the NFL. After the gritty win in Philly, the team flies home for a matchup with the Packers on Sunday night football.
10.		Seahawks	-6	1-1	An absolutely brutal collapse has left all of Seattle lost.. The defense looked not good. Bobby Wagner had a franchise record 20 tackles and was the only presence felt on defense... aside from Alton Robinson, who forced a fumble on one of his 6 pass rushing snaps. It is time to #FreeAltonRobinson. Derrick Henry was able to do whatever he wanted in the second half. The only thing stopping AJ Brown was himself and the only thing stopping Julio was the refs. The offense looked like they picked up right where they left off for most of the game, but ultimately could not execute in the 4th quarter or overtime. Playing conservatively and not to lose continues to be a major struggle for Pete and the Seahawks. It is only week 2 and this team is too talented to fall apart.
11.		Packers	+3	1-1	The Week 1 rust seems to be firmly shaken off against the Lions, with Aaron Rodgers looking like a defending MVP with some killer throws to down the Lions after a nervy first half. Despite the second half shutout, the Packers defense is still very much a work in progress, with most of the stops coming from Goff and Co. shooting themselves in the foot with penalties and unforced turnovers rather than actual pressure brought on by solid defense. The Zadarius Smith-less front 4 finally got a sack after 7 quarters of trying and Eric Stokes might have announced his position as a CB2 with a couple clutch PD's, but for most of the game the pass rush was non-existent and the linebackers left intermediate routes wide open for easy pickings. Luckily on the offense the O-Line had a much better performance, still maybe one too many sacks given up but Aaron Jones ran super well, and good play-calling from Lafluer allowed him to score four times. All around a solid game against a team that looks to be at the bottom of the league barrel, but improvements are still definitely needed to solidify their spot as a true contender.
12.		Titans	+5	1-1	The Titans went into halftime having just given up a 48 second touchdown drive to the give the Seahawks a 15 point lead. At that point the Seahawks were 52-0 when gaining a 15 point lead at home. The Titans first half performance was reminiscent of week 1 against the Cardinals and nothing looked operational. The second half was a different game, behind Derrick Henry’s second half performance the Titans were able to out pace the Seahawks, bring the game to overtime and reply on Randy Bullock's leg to hand the Seahawks their first home opener loss since 2008. The Seahawks are now 52-1 at home with a 15 point lead.
13.		Steelers	-5	1-1	The Raiders. It's just getting bizarre at this point playing against them. When TJ Watt went down, that was all she wrote. He was doing it all, pressuring Carr and working in the middle of the field as well. After that, Carr got into a groove and threw at will against the Steelers' defense. It wasn't all bad, though. Najee Harris took some serious steps forward and was a definite bright spot. Chase Claypool also had a better game, but Ben kept trying to exploit Trayvon Mullen while Mullen was having an even better game. Matt Canada needed to adjust away from that. It's a work in progress, but there were bright spots even in a loss.
14.		Saints	-9	1-1	Up and down performances are to be expected with Jameis Winston at QB, but boy are they rough to watch. While the Saints were down on personnel both on the field and on the sidelines, those excuses should not be used to undermine the good performance of a Panthers unit which ruthlessly exploited all of those weaknesses. While there were positives in how the team responded in the second half it was too little too late.
15.		Cowboys	+1	1-1	Just as everyone expected, Dallas outlasted the Chargers in a run-heavy, penalty-filled, low scoring game decided by the reliable, confident leg of Greg Zuerlein. Vegas took a wash on all the people who smashed the under. Side note: holy crap, Micah Parsons is impressive. Last week, he matched the most forced tight-window throws by a LB in the last five years. This week, he played his first game as an EDGE since high school and led the league in PRWR.
16.		Panthers	+8	2-0	I have hope? I have hope! The Panthers are 2-0 for the first time since 2017 after taking and eating the Saints’ W. Sam Darnold is playing like an above average QB while the Panthers defense looks like some of the early John Fox-era defenses. Next up is the Texans.
17.		Chargers	-5	1-1	Given how the Cowboys were able to match up with the defending champs, this game was an early litmus test for the 2021 Chargers. They failed, despite Dallas not performing as well as they did in Week 1. The offense was extremely sloppy, accounting for 10 of the team's 12 total penalties. Justin Herbert played a whale of a game, interceptions notwithstanding. The Chargers defense bent too much for comfort, allowing 198 yards on the ground. There will be no room for error at Arrowhead next weekend.
18.		Patriots	--	1-1	Love a low stress spanking of the Jets. While the Pats never really got it going on offense, especially in the red zone, the Jets total failure to show up to play never had the game in doubt. Of course they were not up against a functional unit but the Defense did what it was supposed to do, relieving the Jets new QB of the ball four times. Mac Jones didn't fuck it up is about as much as you can say, he had some good throws - his protection however needs work, the O-Line was probably the weakest point for the Pats this week. All in all, a bounce-back against the Jets was just what the Pats needed, starting 0-2 in the hole to the division would not have been fun. Next week is the Saints, lets get Mac and the backs some better protection and keep the defensive momentum up against Jameis and co.
19.		Broncos	+3	2-0	Courtland Sutton, the QB Proof receiver, now has a QB. Defensive backfields across the league panicking. Is Teddy Bridgewater's play under pressure sustainable? Probably not. Especially when combined with the pressure he's sustained over the last two weeks. Still — enjoy it Broncos fans. This is the best QB play the Mile High city has had in a long time.
20.		Washington FT	-1	1-1	Washington was gifted this win on a platter but tried their damndest to find a way and mess it up. They may have squeaked out a victory but big questions marks remain about their very much overhyped "elite" defense and lack of any real pressure. Chase, not "Catch' Young hasn't looked like his DROY self yet and the competition is only getting tougher from here on out.
21.		Dolphins	-8	1-1	The Dolphins don't have a clue how to compete with the Bills. They don't even look like a football team when they play the Bills. The defense almost looked competent, but that doesn't matter if the offense gives the ball up over and over and over again!
22.		Colts	-1	0-2	Early red zone blunders decided the game for the Colts. Their opening drive came all the way down to 4th and goal at the 1-yard line, only to fail to convert; and then when they had the ball at the Rams' 5-yard line with a chance to take the lead, Carson Wentz threw a spectacular shovel pass interception. Despite these mishaps, the team played competitively throughout, certainly a step ahead of last week's dire performance. Wentz was solid, but just as the Colts were getting the ball back with a chance to tie or win late in the fourth quarter, he was ruled out with injuries to both ankles. Yes, both ankles. Jacob Eason came in his stead and immediately threw a pick that sealed the game for the Rams. Had the Colts simply kicked a field goal in just one of those early red zone possessions (or, you know, gotten a touchdown), the game likely would've ended differently. While the team played better overall, Wentz's injury and Frank Reich's play-calling are going to be yet another hurdle they'll have to jump to get this season back on track before things get worse.
23.		Eagles	-3	1-1	6 consecutive plays run inside the 49ers 10 yard line which resulted in 0 points, including a botched attempt at the (in)famous Philly Special. Awful coaching leads to awful results, and it was evident from the first drive on Sunday. Worse yet, the schedule does not get easier from here, where the Eagles - on consecutive weeks - face the Cowboys on MNF, then the Chiefs, Panthers, Bucs, and Raiders.
24.		Vikings	+1	0-2	The Vikings are 0-2 with a -4 point differential after an overtime fumble in enemy territory in week one and a missed 37-yard game-winning field goal in week 2.
25.		Bears	+1	1-1	The Bears' defense responded to last week's embarrassment by forcing 4 turnovers - including intercepting 3 straight passes. They needed every one of those turnovers after Dalton went down early in the game with a knee injury and the offense stalled out. In the movies, Justin Fields would have come in and led the offense to several touchdowns on the way to permanently taking the Bears' starting job. Since this is real life, Fields looked like the rookie he is -- there were flashes of brilliance but also mistakes ranging from small to huge. Every mistake Fields make is an investment in his long-term future - and the Bears managed to still win the game, too, so that was a bonus!
26.		Bengals	-3	1-1	Losing games they should have won has become the M.O. of the Zac Taylor era for the Bengals. The offensive game plan seemed questionable through three quarters. It seems like the team is unwilling to take deep shots down the field despite having very talented receivers. The middle of the offensive line has become a big concern as its evident Trey Hopkins is not yet back to 100%. If the coaches don't fix it soon, this team will not win very many games.
27.		Texans	+1	1-1	For a moment, there was hope. And then like some suddenly punctured zeppelin it all came crashing down. Oh the humanity. Now Davis Mills takes the helm of this team that isn't sure if it's tanking or not, and we will all have to wait and see how the Texans play on a short week with a rookie QB on his first start. Expert analysis points to "Outlook not so good"
28.		Lions	-1	0-2	Jared Goff was surgical in the first half, cutting up the Packers outside the numbers for over 100 yards and two TD's. That's where the scoring stops for the Lions. After going into the half with a lead 17-14, the Packers rallied. Ultimately ending at 17-35, the Lions made waves with the first half alone. There are still obviously negatives on the team, but Ifeatu Melifonwu played well considering he's a rookie shadowing Davante Adams... until he left the contest with an injury. On to the Ravens.
29.		Falcons	--	0-2	Those damn dirty birds showed flashes of hope again. Down 10-28, a pumped up team came within three points on the road Raymond James. AJ Terrell concussed himself leaping ala Brent Grimes to deflect a Brady pass, Deion sacked Brady on a blitz, and Ridley made a diving catch in the end zone. Ryan played fired up, Cordarrelle played hungry, and Dean Pees gave a teaser of what this defense can be capable of. But facing Goliath means you can't let up for a single minute of sixty, and for most of the game Atlanta looked like they were struggling through Rock Tunnel with nothing but a worm light. Consistent inconsistency, weak trenches, and dumb mistakes have plagued this team for fifty plus years. Last Sunday was no different.
30.		Giants	--	0-2	Say it with me: We. Will. Not. Blame. The. Refs. The NY Giants had several chances to put the game away on Thursday night, and failed to do so each and every time. Sloppy execution seemed contagious for Big Blue, but Daniel Jones showed an immunity as he had one of the strongest performances of his career. In a year where everyone expected this offense to be bad (at least to start), it's troubling to see a defensive unit that was top-10 a year ago underperform to such a degree through 2 games. The Giants get a chance to right the ship on Sunday when they take on Atlanta at home.
31.		Jets	--	0-2	Most of the national attention will focus on Zach Wilson’s abysmal Week 2 performance, and rightly so, but there were some positives to take out of the first two games for the Jets. The defense has played well despite injuries to key players. In particular, the secondary has been better than expected with second year player and 5th round draft pick Bryce Hall looking like a legit starting corner early in his career. A long way to go on this rebuild but there are pieces in place.
32.		Jaguars	--	0-2	The Jaguars did something they haven't done since the Obama administration: returned a kickoff for a touchdown! The Jaguars also did something not done since the Bush administration: tied the longest streak of consecutive losses since the '07-'09 Lions (17). Stay tuned to find out next week if they exceed that number! If you don't feel like waiting, I'll be starting a new business that will scoop your eyes out with a melon baller this week.