Week 2 NFL Power Rankings (2020)

It was an upside-down Week 1 in the NFL, with many underdogs pulling off upsets on their way to 1-0 records. We saw numerous fourth-quarter comebacks and saw just how big of an impact new weapons like DeAndre Hopkins and Stefon Diggs are going to make on their respective teams. It's just one week, but these rankings are already undergoing drastic changes.

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32) Carolina Panthers (Prev: 30)

The numbers for the Panthers actually look pretty good. They outgained the Raiders, they didn't turn the ball over once, they ran the ball 30 times and passed 34, and yet they still lost the game. Finding a way to lose was the problem for the Panthers in 2019 as well. Teddy Bridgewater and Christian McCaffrey may get the Panthers a few extra wins this year, but until they get the first one, they will be in the cellar of these rankings.

31) New York Jets (Prev: 29)

The Jets are really bad. Other than a 69-yard touchdown reception by Jamison Crowder and an 11-play 86-yard drive during garbage time, the offense was absolutely nonexistent on Sunday against the Bills. The defense couldn't stop Josh Allen, and the offense only managed 15 first downs all game. That's not a good combination for winning football games.

30) Cincinnati Bengals (Prev: 28)

Randy Bullock spoiled Joe Burrow's debut when he missed a 31-yard field goal attempt to tie the game and force overtime. Burrow didn't look bad in his first start, throwing for 193 yards and an interception. He also rushed for 46 including a 23-yard touchdown scamper. There is potential with Burrow, but it would have been nice to have the potential and get the win in Week 1.

29) New York Giants (Prev: 27)

The Giants came out fired up against the Steelers, playing with the lead for almost the entire first half Monday night. After falling behind by two possessions, Daniel Jones threw the first red-zone interception of his career which ended any hopes for New York to spark a comeback. The Giants' defense looked competitive throughout, but the offensive line had zero success blocking for the run. Saquon Barkley ended the game with 15 carries for six yards.

28) Jacksonville Jaguars (Prev: 32)

How is it that Minshew Mania always seems to rear it's head just when you think it's gone forever? Gardner Minshew threw just one incompletion all game long as he led his team back against the heavily favored Indianapolis Colts. Though the Jaguars offense only gained 241 yards, the defense intercepted Philip Rivers twice, which gave the offense a favorable field position of which they capitalized on.

27) Cleveland Browns (Prev: 21)

The Browns have started off the season with yet another disappointing performance. Yes, it came against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, but there was absolutely no life to this team in Week 1. Odell Beckham Jr continued his struggles as a Brown with just three catches for 22 yards.

26) Miami Dolphins (Prev: 25)

If Ryan Fitzpatrick continues throwing three interceptions in winnable games, it won't be long before Tua Time becomes a reality in Miami. The Dolphins mustered just 269 yards of offense, but the defense kept them alive for most of the game by containing Cam Newton. If the Dolphins stop turning the ball over, they could find themselves one of the big surprises in the NFL. Of course, that is a big if.

25) Washington Football Team (Prev: 31)

Say hello to the first-place Washington Football Team. In their first game with their new team name, Washington stormed back from a 17-0 deficit to steal a divisional game from the Eagles by a final of 27-17. The offense had its moments, but it was the defense that sprung the comeback, forcing three turnovers and giving the offense great field position throughout the second half. Now the question arises: if Washington keeps winning, will they keep the team name?

24) Detroit Lions (Prev: 22)

It feels a little like history repeating for the Lions. In three years as head coach, Matt Patricia has simply blown it in season openers. In 2018, he got decimated by Sam Darnold, in 2019, he blew a huge lead against Kyler Murray, and now in 2020, he blew a 17 point fourth-quarter lead over the Chicago Bears. The Lions drop to 0-1 and if they don't turn it around fast, it won't be long before fans start calling for Patricia to be fired. In one bright spot, Adrian Peterson rushed 14 times for 93 yards in the loss.

23) Los Angeles Chargers (Prev: 26)

It was looking like the Chargers were going to be the same old team that loved to blow fourth-quarter leads, but somehow, someway they found a way to escape Week 1 with a victory. The defense was solid in turning the Bengals over twice, and the offense didn't turn the ball over once. The biggest issue moving forward is going to be putting the ball in the end zone. The Chargers were just 1-3 in the red zone in Week 1.

22) Denver Broncos (Prev: 20)

The defense did all they could to keep the game within reach, but the Broncos ultimately fell short on a last-second heartbreaker. It's something Denver fans have become all too familiar with in recent years, but at least this loss came against one of the best teams in AFC. Vic Fangio not calling timeouts late when the Titans were driving will certainly go down as one of the most questionable choices of Week 1.

21) Houston Texans (Prev: 18)

The Texans miss DeAndre Hopkins. It was unclear if the Texans would have enough weapons coming into Week 1, but after their first matchup against the Chiefs, it's clear they need more options for Deshaun Watson if they want to be competitive in the AFC South. The defense was going against Patrick Mahomes so maybe they deserve a little break, but they looked outmatched in every facet of the game against Kansas City. David Johnson does look like he's back to his old self. He averaged seven yards per carry and scored a touchdown in the loss.

20) Las Vegas Raiders (Prev: 23)

In their first season in Las Vegas, the Raiders begin 1-0. Josh Jacobs was absolutely unstoppable in Week 1, rushing for 93 yards and three touchdowns in the victory over Carolina. The one thing that is worrisome, however, is how easily the Raiders gave up a 12-point lead against one of the worst teams in the league. Luckily for the Raiders, they found a way to fight back and get the win, which is ultimately all that matters.

19) Atlanta Falcons (Prev: 15)

Matt Ryan threw for 450 yards but most of it came when the game was already far out of reach. In his first game with Atlanta, Todd Gurley had 14 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown. Atlanta will travel to Dallas in Week 2 to take on another team that had a disappointing Week 1. A loss there and things start to become nerve-wracking yet again for a team that ended the season 6-2 in their last eight of 2019.

18) Indianapolis Colts (Prev: 10)

Once again Philip Rivers' team found a way to lose a game that they had no business losing. The defense gave up just 241 yards of offense, but two costly Rivers' interceptions led to easy scoring opportunities for the Jaguars. Now, the favorites to win the division are sitting in the cellar because of a Week 1 loss to easily the worst team in the division. It's a different uniform for Rivers, but this Week 1 felt very similar to past seasons.

17) Philadelphia Eagles (Prev: 12)

The offensive line was a worry coming into Week 1, and it was worse than advertised giving up eight sacks to Washington. The defense was okay, never giving up a scoring drive longer than 48 yards, but blowing a 17-0 lead in Week 1 against a team that many expected to finish at the bottom of your division is almost certainly a cause for concern.

16) Tampa Bay Buccanneers (Prev: 14)

Tom Brady struggled in his first start for the Bucs throwing two interceptions as Tampa Bay fell 34-23. Overall, Week 1 was not a total disaster for the Bucs as their defense actually looked pretty good despite the final score. They gave up only 271 yards of offense; 82 rushing and 189 through the air.

15) Chicago Bears (Prev: 24)

The Bears looked inept for three quarters, but in the fourth, Mitchell Trubisky led an epic 17-point comeback to secure a divisional road win in Detroit. I move the Bears up not so much because of how they looked, but because a lot of the teams I had above them looked downright bad in Week 1. Was the comeback a fluke or did it spark something that will restore the Bears to their 2018 form? It's hard to say, but they have a good chance to start 2-0 with the Giants coming to town next week.

14) Minnesota Vikings (Prev: 8)

The Vikings are going to have nightmares about Aaron Rodgers throwing touchdowns against them. Coming into the season, Minnesota was the favorite to win the NFC North, but after Week 1, there are a lot of questions about their defense and their offense. Don't be fooled by the offensive numbers. The score was 29-10 before Kirk Cousins and Adam Thielen showed any semblance of being on the same page.

13) New England Patriots (Prev: 19)

Cam Newton rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns as life without Tom Brady began quite well in New England. What was perhaps most promising was that the offense didn't rely on Newton's arm to achieve success. Newton was 15-19 for just 155 yards and yet the Patriots seemed to have no problem scoring. The defense picked up right where it left off in 2019, allowing 269 yards and intercepting Ryan Fitzpatrick three times.

12) Dallas Cowboys (Prev: 7)

There was a lot of excitement around Dallas after they fired Jason Garrett, but the same old problems still came back to bite them in Week 1. Also, why in the world did they not kick the field goal down 20-14 with plenty of time left in the game? It's a question that is going to haunt Mike McCarthy all week as the Cowboys get ready for their home-opener against the Falcons.

11) Arizona Cardinals (Prev: 17)

Welcome to Arizona, DeAndre Hopkins. In his first game, Hopkins hauled in 14 balls for 151 yards as he instantly became Kyler Murray's favorite target. Murray himself was phenomenal as well, throwing for 230 yards and a touchdown and adding 91 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The Cardinals' defense was able to make stops when necessary and because of it, the Cardinals are already looking like a contender in the NFC.

10) Los Angeles Rams (Prev: 16)

Malcolm Brown rushed for two touchdowns as the Rams opened up SoFi Stadium with an upset victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Many were writing off the Rams after a disappointing 2019, but they played very well on both sides of the ball on Sunday night and there is no doubt the offense looked much more comfortable than it did a year ago.

9) Tennessee Titans (Prev: 13)

Imagine what the Titans could be if they could make field goals consistently? Future Hall of Famer Stephen Gostkowski was a miserable 0/3 on field goals and 1/2 on extra points when he lined up for the game-winner with just seconds remaining. He made the kick which ironically made him the hero, but it's hard to imagine Tennessee is going to accept such a performance in upcoming weeks. It speaks volumes for this team that they were able to still find a way to win a road game even though they left 10 points on the board.

8) Pittsburgh Steelers (Prev: 9)

Ben Roethlisberger very quietly went for 221 yards and three touchdowns in his first game since Week 2 of 2019. He looked shaky at the beginning, but quickly found his stride and connected with JuJu Smith-Schuster for two touchdowns in the game. The rushing attack was mostly quiet, and Benny Snell Jr saw most of the carries after James Conner was held out for the second half with an ankle injury.

7) Green Bay Packers (Prev: 11)

How good did Aaron Rodgers look in Week 1? The QB went for 364 yards and four touchdowns, two of which were to Davante Adams. The Packers accumulated 522 yards of offense against one of the better defenses in their division and played nearly the entire game with a multiple score lead. Many were picking the Vikings to win the NFC North. After Week 1, it's clear who the class of the division is.

6) San Francisco 49ers (Prev: 3)

The 49ers drop slightly after their Week 1 loss to the Cardinals, but the sky is not falling in San Francisco just yet. The defense could not contain DeAndre Hopkins, but lucky for San Francisco they won't be facing a weapon like him every week. Notably disappointing in the loss was the rushing attack which mustered just 123 yards. Raheem Mostert led the way with just 56 yards.

5) Buffalo Bills (Prev: 6)

An early candidate for the most boring game of the season, the Bills handled the Jets in Week 1 with ease. Buffalo earned 31 first downs on Sunday compared to just 15 for the Jets, as the Bills walked to a 27-17 victory over their division rivals. Stefon Diggs was a welcome addition to the offense, catching the ball eight times for 86 yards.

4) Seattle Seahawks (Prev: 5)

Russell Wilson threw just four incompletions on 35 attempts as he led the Seahawks to a 38-25 victory in Atlanta. The defense gave up 506 total yards, but with a big lead for most of the game, they never broke and turned the Falcons over twice.

3) New Orleans Saints (Prev: 4)

Drew Brees does not look good, but the Saints are 1-0 after knocking off the redesigned Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Michael Thomas had just three catches for 17 yards and was only targeted five times. Despite the woeful passing numbers, the Saints managed to score 34 points and win by double-digits against their biggest competition in the NFC South.

2) Baltimore Ravens (Prev: 2)

Lamar Jackson was 20-25 for 275 yards and three touchdowns as the Ravens routed the Browns in Week 1. What was even more impressive is how the Ravens' defense was able to shut down the Browns' offense. The Browns amassed 306 yards, but they made it to the red zone just one time. The Ravens also forced three turnovers. 

1) Kansas City Chiefs (Prev:1)

No need to move the defending champs after their dominant Week 1 performance against the Texans. Clyde Edwards-Helaire looks like the real deal and just made an already incredible offense even better. The rookie carried 25 times for 138 yards and one touchdown. He didn't catch a single pass, but one would think that it's only a matter of time before Andy Reid finds a way to get him involved there as well.

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