NFL Power Rankings: Week 1 (2021)
The NFL season finally kicks off on Thursday night as the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers host the visiting Dallas Cowboys, a team with high hopes and expectations – especially on offense.
It’s sometimes difficult for NFL fans to figure out where their favorite team stacks up against the other 31; there is no Top 25 like in college football. Division standings and conference playoff pictures are all we’ve got in the NFL, but it doesn’t give the complete view of all the teams throughout the league.
My weekly power rankings will attempt to solve this problem. Every Tuesday, I’ll release my rankings of all 32 NFL teams in order from best to worst, so you can get a better idea of where your team stands league-wide. The pre-Week 1 rankings are below, followed by some quick thoughts on the more polarizing teams.
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NFL Power Rankings Week 1
Big Movers
This section will detail the teams who moved up or down the greatest number of spots week over week and why. Since no games have been played, I'll pick a few teams who feel a bit higher or lower on my rankings than on many others across the NFL landscape.
New York Giants
Many have the Giants in the low-20s; I don't. I actually contemplated putting them below the Eagles but settled on 26. The hype around this team confuses me. They have the worst offensive line in football protecting a quarterback who has struggled in his first two years and is heading into a make-or-break year three. You can gather all the weapons you want, but they're useless if you don't have the time and personnel to get the ball into their hands.
Cleveland Browns
A definite top-10 team in nearly every preview and power rank across the Internet, but few have them at six as I do. I think their defense needs to be more consistent, but I love their offense and their commitment to running the football. They've got possibly the best one-two running back punch in the league, and if Baker Mayfield can take another step and Odell Beckham Jr. can stay healthy, they could finally win a division that's been owned by Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
Los Angeles Chargers
I'm very high on LA this year. Any coaching staff other than the old regime is an upgrade. I love how they reinforced their offensive line, and getting Derwin James back on defense is a huge boost. Justin Herbert is one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, and I'm looking for a big leap forward this year. This is a team on the rise who no team will want to play in the opening round of the playoffs.
Washington Football Team
Another team I'm high on - Washington. Their defense is legitimate, and their defensive line is the best in the league. That unit will give them a shot no matter who they play. Ryan Fitzpatrick has never been to the playoffs, but he's got a shot to break that streak this year on a sneakily dangerous offense that added Curtis Samuel. Ron Rivera's team finished 2020 with a 5-2 record over their last seven games as they got accustomed to his system, and that should be a precursor for more success this year.
Random Musings
This will be a section that touches on any interesting teams and tidbits that weren't mentioned above and previews big upcoming matchups, and recaps the best of the previous week.
Buffalo Bills
This is a team that has a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl, and they've got a chance to prove it right off the bat when they battle the Steelers. Pittsburgh isn't Tampa Bay or Kansas City, but they're still a legitimate team who expects to make the playoffs, so this is going to be a real test right out of the gate for the newly extended Josh Allen and company. The Steelers will want to run the ball, and that was a bit of a weak point for the Buffalo defense in 2020. This will be a great, hard-nosed Week 1 matchup.
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland has a chance to silence any remaining nay-sayers when they return to Kansas City to battle the team who ended their playoff run a year ago. They're one of the heavier underdogs in Week 1 despite being ranked sixth in my power rankings, but that's a testament to how difficult it is to go into Arrowhead and win. A tight loss won't change the optimism around the Browns this year, but if they look overmatched, we're going to hear the 'same old Browns' talk until they right the ship.
New England Patriots
Are the Patriots back already? Maybe not fully, but they silenced many doubters this preseason, despite the games being meaningless. New England looks committed to two things: running the football and playing strong defense. That'll make life and the NFL transition much easier for rookie Mac Jones. They've got a tough division test Week 1 against the Dolphins in a battle of two teams seemingly vying for one Wild Card spot. This game has enormous implications, and it's just the first week.
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Mike Wagenman is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @mjwags23.