NFL Week 2 power rankings: How far do the Bengals fall after their stunning loss?

Week 1 of the NFL season is in the books. Certain teams put their foot down to show that they’re a force to be reckoned with, while others might not have gotten the memo that these games count in the standings. We’ve got a fresh power ranking ready to roll ahead of Week 2, starting with the team that had the most abysmal Week 1 performance…

Panthers fans already have to be readying the paper bags to put over their faces. Their season opener against the New Orleans Saints was over before it ever got going. Sports Illustrated wrote that Carolina is somehow off to a worse start in 2024 than last year, when they finished 2-15. It wouldn’t be shocking to see quarterback Bryce Young pulled sooner rather than later at this rate.

The Giants celebrated the 100^th anniversary of their franchise on Sunday with throwback uniforms, but there wasn’t much to cheer about besides that. Quarterback Daniel Jones looked bewildered and lost in the pocket. The Bergen Record believes that New York’s season might already be over if Jones continues the trend of lackluster play.

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Head coach Sean Payton seemed as excited as anyone to turn over a new leaf in 2024, starting a new with a signal caller he handpicked himself. The Broncos were frisky on the road against the Seattle Seahawks, but three turnovers put Denver in a bad position. Two of those giveaways were interceptions by rookie Bo Nix, who will need time to adjust to the NFL game.

Yahoo Sports’ Cam Garrity believes that the Patriots’ shocking victory over the Cincinnati Bengals could lead to a stronger than expected season for New England. While their performance and preparation deserves to be commended, it’s still difficult to envision a .500 finish for the team with their talent. With that said, the Patriots’ defense looks to be stout once again under new head coach Jerod Mayo.

Jayden Daniels showed the electric athleticism that compelled Washington to select him with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. They’re going to need every once of it this season, as the Commanders defense picked up where it left off in 2023—struggling mightily. The Washington Post called the unit “lost” after giving up nearly 400 yards of offense to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Things appeared promising for the Titans, who carried a 17-3 lead into halftime on the road against the Chicago Bears. However, Tennessee got shut out in the second half, as quarterback Will Levis tossed an inexcusable pick six on an errant flip as he was getting sacked. There are things for the Titans to build on from this game, but it seems clear that they’re still in rebuilding mode.

2024 was supposed to be the dawning of a new age for Atlanta, who would light the league on fire with spectacular offensive play. Instead, they only scored 10 points at home, so the potential eruption will have to wait. Kirk Cousins tossed two picks in his first game back from an Achilles tear. He told the NFL’s website that he was disappointed with his performance.

WKYC’s website said that the Browns were outclassed in nearly every way in their home opener against the Dallas Cowboys. The chatter surrounding Deshaun Watson’s meager effort in Week 1 will only continue to get louder, as fans wonder if he’ll ever reach his former superstar status. The New York Post writes that the calls to bench Watson have already begun.

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It was a relatively uninspiring performance for Las Vegas. They didn’t do anything particularly well against the Los Angeles Chargers, which speaks to their middle of the road projection for the 2024 season. Once again, it feels like the Raiders are underutilizing Davante Adams, who only had five catches on the day for 59 scoreless yards.

The Jim Harbaugh era is off to a promising start, as Los Angeles established the identity fans assumed they would take in Week 1. J.K. Dobbins gashed the Raiders on the ground to the tune of 135 yards rushing. Los Angeles’ defensive performance was also stout. Harbaugh told the NFL’s website, “The culture is already here.”

The Vikings ran circles around a hapless Giants squad in Week 1, thumping them 28-6. Minnesota’s front office has to be pleased with the early returns from linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, who recorded a sack and a pick-six on the road in New York. The New York Post wrote that Van Ginkel has a history of tormenting Giants quarterback Daniel Jones.

Seattle made an impact on the ground in Week 1 against the Broncos. Quarterback Geno smith scampered up the middle for a 34 yard rushing touchdown, while running back Kenneth Walker rushed for 103 yards. Seattle will have to monitor Walker’s health status, as he picked up an abdominal injury in the standout performance.

It’s hard to argue against the potential of a Joe Burrow-led team, but Cincinnati’s loss against the Patriots was the most unexpected result of the weekend. The vibes aren’t great right now, as Tee Higgins is out with a hamstring injury, and Ja’Marr Chase continues to clamor for a new contract. It wouldn’t be surprising for Higgins to take his time coming back with a big payday looming.

It was a mixed bag for the Bears in Week 1. They got off to a slow start against Tennessee, but picked things up in the second half to come back to win. It looks like Chicago is going to be strong on defense this season, as NBC Sports called that unit’s performance stellar. Fox Sports also gave kudos to their special teams play, as Jonathan Owens returned a blocked punt for a touchdown.

The Jaguars’ Week 1 performance summarized their perception. Jacksonville is good enough to be in every game they play, and arguably should have beaten the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. However, they have trouble shutting the door and making plays to secure victories. They went 3-4 in one-score games a year ago, and have some work to do to triumph down the stretch of games.

The overreaction to the Saints’ Week 1 bludgeoning of the Panthers might be tough to quiet down, but they were certainly impressive in most areas. New Orleans made big plays on offense and defense. Wide receiver Rasheed Shaheed got loose for a long touchdown early that essentially put the game away in the first quarter. It’ll be fascinating to see how the Saints fair in Week 2 against a stronger opponent in the Dallas Cowboys.

Arizona lucked out playing the Bills in Buffalo in September, but that shouldn’t cheapen what they were able to accomplish in Week 1. They gave a strong team all they could handle, and might have figured something out that could help the moving forward. DeeJay Dallas returned a kickoff for a touchdown in this game, the first under the NFL’s new rules so far this season.

The formula for the Steelers’ success this season was on full display in Atlanta. As show on the NFL’s website, Pittsburgh forces the Falcons’ second half drives to result in three punts, an interception, a fumble and the end of the game. Pittsburgh will just need adequate play from its offense, which it received on Sunday.

Miami’s explosive offense was in a malaise for much of Sunday’s win, but Tyreek Hill’s 80-yard touchdown demonstrates how quickly the Dolphins can strike. Another encouraging sign was the play of Jaelan Phillips, who recorded a clutch sack in the fourth quarter. Phillips tore his Achilles last November, but seems to be healthy to start the season.

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Green Bay appears to have found a budding star at wide receiver. Jayden Reed was sensational in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles, as the Packers got the ball in his hands as much as they could. They’ll need to continue to do so, as quarterback Jordan Love will miss some time with an MCL injury. Sports Illustrated thinks this may be a serious cause for concern, but if he’s only out for a month, it shouldn’t dampen Green Bay’s hopes too much.

All eyes were on Los Angeles’ defense, as they went up against a high-powered Detroit Lions team without the recently retired Aaron Donald. First round draft pick Jared Verse recorded a sack in his NFL debut. However, they'll be without wide receiver Puka Nacua for at least four games, which may hinder their ability to find their rhythm offensively.

The good news is, New York received competent play under center from Aaron Rodgers, who made it through the game healthy. The bad news is, their defense, which is touted as one of the best in the NFL, was exposed against San Francisco on Monday night. The Jets’ upcoming schedule eases up quite a bit, though, so there’s still a chance to get off to a strong start.

There may not have been a more impressive player in Week 1 than Anthony Richardson. The full range of his physical talents were on display, as Fox News described his 60-yard touchdown toss as sublime, and his play as dazzling. If he can stay healthy, Richardson may make a legitimate run for NFL MVP this season.

Questions swirled around Buffalo this offseason as two of their most important receivers were let go. The Bills didn’t seem to miss Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis too much against the Arizona Cardinals, as Josh Allen completed passes to nine different players. Allen also ran for two touchdowns in the season opener. Teammates told Sports Illustrated, “that’s our Josh!”

The Buccaneers were formidable in all phases of their 37-20 victory over the Washington Commanders. Tampa Bay took full advantage of a porous Washington secondary, as Baker Mayfield threw for four touchdown passes. However, the Tampa Bay Times notes that the Bucs will have to navigate injuries to three cornerbacks who went down in Week 1.

Dallas proved to be in a different class against a talented Browns team in Week 1. Cornerback Trevon Diggs told the Cowboys’ website that he cried “tears of joy” in his first game back from an ACL tear last October. Diggs picked off a Deshaun Watson pass in Week 1, proving that he might be back to his old form early on.

ESPN analyst Dominique Foxworth believed that Saquon Barkley’s addition for the Eagles would have a similar effect as Christian McCaffery’s did for the 49ers. That prediction looks to be spot on after Week 1, as Barkley scored three total touchdowns in Philadelphia’s season opening win. That’s bad news for the rest of the league.

The Ravens lost a nailbiter on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs, but their defeat had the feel of a heavyweight fight. While Baltimore is disappointing by the loss, they have to be encouraged by the continued emergence of tight end Isaiah Likely. GiveMeSport believes that he may have leapfrogged Pro Bowler Mark Andrews on the depth chart with his performance.

In what came as a shock to the NFL world, 49ers running back Christian McCaffery was unavailable for Week 1 due to lingering calf issues. It didn’t seem to matter, as San Francisco got 147 yards from reserve Jordan Mason on their way to a convincing victory over the New York Jets. Kyle Shanahan proved once again why he’s one of the best coaches in the NFL.

The Lions were tested at home against the Rams, but prevailed in overtime, 26-20. Their smash-mouth style was on full display, as ClickOnDetroit’s website highlighted a bullying run game that carried Detroit to the win. Running back David Montgomery was a catalyst in that regard, scoring the team’s game-winning touchdown.

C.J. Stroud looked to be in heaven on Sunday. He dropped back and had his pick of strong receivers to throw to, and a motivated running back in Joe Mixon to hand off to. It’s going to be nearly impossible for defenses to contain Houston’s attack this season, and that was evident in their Week 1 victory over Indianapolis.

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Arrowhead Pride’s website wrote that the Chiefs don’t dominate the NFL; they dissect it. Kansas City has yet another way to slice and dice opponents in 2024, as rookie Xavier Worthy’s sizzling debut performance left fans wondering whether he can be their next Tyreek Hill. Bleacher Report quoted a Ravens executive appearing to feel powerless after Worthy sliced up their defense.