2024 NFL Power Rankings: Week 2

Week 1 lived up to the hype, with plenty of exciting finishes and scintillating performances to enjoy. Four primetime games this week mostly delivered, with only Monday Night Football falling a little flat — the others all came down to the final play.

Power rankings always see the most change across the first few weeks, as preseason expectations give way to in-season realities. It can be tempting to make massive movements from this first week, but I tried to avoid overreacting. Balancing appropriate responses to surprising performances with the knowledge that this is a one-game sample size can be tough, but is important.

We’ll be updating these rankings every Tuesday throughout the NFL season, so check back each week to see where your team lands!

1 — Kansas City Chiefs (1-0, —)

It wasn’t a perfect opener for the defending champs, but they took care of business at home against a fellow AFC contender in the Ravens and looked like the superior team throughout. This offense looks more explosive than it has in a while, and WR Rashee Rice has seemingly settled into his role as QB Patrick Mahomes’ top target. The defense doesn’t look to have missed a beat after the departure of top CB L’Jarius Sneed, either.

2 — San Francisco 49ers (1-0, up 1)

Monday night saw a dominating performance from the 49ers against Aaron Rodgers’ Jets. The vaunted Jets defense couldn’t stop San Francisco’s rushing attack, even with RB Christian McCaffrey missing the game due to a calf injury. The defense clamped down on the New York offense, forcing two turnovers and keeping Rodgers under constant pressure. The hunt for HC Kyle Shanahan’s first Super Bowl win kicks off another season with a strong performance.

3 — Baltimore Ravens (0-1, up 1)

The Ravens went toe-to-toe (pun intended) with the Chiefs, ultimately falling a toe short on an overturned touchdown. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson played his heart out, but there are a few causes for concern. The offensive line had no answers for the Chiefs’ pass rush, and the secondary had a few uncharacteristic coverage busts. Still, playing a game like that on the road in Kansas City highlights what this team is capable of when clicking.

4 — Detroit Lions (1-0, up 1)

The Rams gave them everything they could handle, but the Lions managed to escape in overtime. Former first-round WR Jameson Williams enjoyed a breakout performance to open his third season, showcasing the dangerous speed that made the Lions trade up to draft him in 2022. Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson dominated a depleted Rams offensive line, and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown made some key plays despite a quiet night overall. Detroit looks the part of a contender.

5 — Los Angeles Rams (0-1, up 3)

Despite the loss, I came away impressed with this Rams team. They entered the game down their two starting tackles and had two more offensive line injuries mid-game. Star WR Puka Nacua reaggravated a knee injury and missed most of the game and the secondary was beat up as well, yet the Rams took the Lions to overtime in Detroit. Star QB Matthew Stafford had a vintage performance and WR Cooper Kupp rolled back the clock to 2021. If this team can get healthy, they look like a group that can make a serious run.

6 — Houston Texans (1-0, up 3)

It wasn’t QB C.J. Stroud’s best performance, but the second-year passer made big plays with the game on the line to get the season-opening win in Indianapolis. The new wide receiver trio of Nico Collins, Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs looked as advertised, but the surprise was new RB Joe Mixon. He gashed the Colts on the ground to the tune of 159 yards on 30 carries. The defense needs to clean some stuff up, as the secondary allowed Colts receivers to get behind them too often, and the defensive line didn’t get much push.

7 — Indianapolis Colts (0-1, up 7)

Colts QB Anthony Richardson had the throw of the season. Slipping during his dropback and with his right tackle in his lap, he laced a ball 65 yards through the air and dropped a pinpoint pass right in his receiver’s arms for a touchdown. Though the Colts ultimately lost to the Texans, they were within two points and left a few plays on the field. The run defense needs to improve, as they were unable to stop the Texans’ rushing attack and this cost them the game. The young corners did okay against an excellent Houston receiving core, and the Colts’ own receivers won their matchups against a talented Houston secondary. If Richardson can continue to create explosive plays while hitting a few more of the routine ones, this is a much better team than many expected.

8 — Philadelphia Eagles (1-0, down 1)

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts had a shaky performance in Brazil, throwing some head-scratching interceptions that kept the Packers in the game. The defense had too many lapses, looking eerily similar to their disastrous play down the stretch of the 2023 season. But these issues were offset by a consistent pass rush and an explosive offense, led by new addition RB Saquon Barkley who had three touchdowns in his Eagles debut. Philadelphia has some things to clean up, but it was a strong opening performance overall.

9 — Dallas Cowboys (1-0, up 4)

Time will tell if the Cowboys’ Week 1 victory over the Browns said more about Dallas or Cleveland. It wasn’t the cleanest win, but it was one of the most convincing blowouts of the weekend. Dallas’ defense won at every level, and the offense didn’t appear to miss a beat despite star WR CeeDee Lamb missing most of training camp for a contract dispute. First-round LT Tyler Guyton did about as well as you could hope against DE Myles Garrett, and he shows promise moving forward. His play could be key to the Cowboys’ season.

10 — New York Jets (0-1, down 4)

It was not what QB Aaron Rodgers wanted in his return. The Jets’ defense had no answers for the San Francisco rushing attack, and the offense looked sloppy and out-of-sorts outside of one drive and a few big plays. The connection between Rodgers and WR Garrett Wilson should be a staple of this offense once they get more live reps together. The good news is Rodgers came out of this game healthy, and the schedule eases up significantly over the next four weeks. There’s a good chance the Jets will be 4-1 entering a primetime showdown with the Bills.

11 — Buffalo Bills (1-0, down 1)

Many of the preseason concerns for the Bills proved true in their season opener, but Josh Allen is still Josh Allen. The battle-tested quarterback carried his team to victory over the Cardinals, willing his team to the finish line despite shaky games from the rest of the roster. This is a defense featuring a lot of new faces, and it’ll take time for them to gel. The offense doesn’t have a reliable No. 1 option, though a production-by-committee approach might just be enough with Allen at the helm.

12 — Miami Dolphins (1-0, —)

Overcoming a 10-point halftime deficit, the Dolphins ran away from the Jaguars in the second half, letting their speedy weapons run roughshod over the Jacksonville defense. The offensive line failed to get much of a push or keep QB Tua Tagovailoa clean, but the injured defensive line got significant pressure on Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence. It didn’t live up to the awe-inspiring early-season performances we’ve become accustomed to under HC Mike McDaniel, but they took care of business and can turn their attention to the Bills.

13 — Cincinnati Bengals (0-1, down 11)

There’s no excuse for a lackluster performance against such an overmatched opponent. I still believe in the Bengals long-term, but no part of Sunday’s game inspired confidence in them. QB Joe Burrow was accurate but the offense lacked pop, with top WR Ja’Marr Chase easing back into the offense and WR Tee Higgins out with a hamstring injury. This is a team with Super Bowl aspirations, and they need to get their legs under them quickly with a game against Kansas City up next.

14 — Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1, up 6)

Though the offense came undone in the second half, the Jaguars put up an impressive performance in Miami. They led 17-7 at the half and were about to add another touchdown to their lead when a fumble changed the course of the game. Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence was too inconsistent, an all-too-common theme in his young career. He’ll need to step it up moving forward if the Jaguars are to make it back to the playoffs. It’s not often you lose a game and jump up six spots in the rankings, but hanging blow-for-blow with one of the premier AFC contenders will do that.

15 — Green Bay Packers (0-1, down 4)

It was an up-and-down performance for a young Packers team in Brazil Friday night. Packers QB Jordan Love made some sloppy errors before leaving the game a few plays early due to an injury. That injury will keep Love out for at least a few weeks, leaving the Packers to start backup QB Malik Willis in the interim. If Willis plays as he has in the past, the Packers could be in a serious hole when Love returns.

16 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0, up 3)

Baker Mayfield looked like the best quarterback in the league in Week 1. It was only against the Commanders, true, but this Buccaneers offense was firing on all cylinders. New slot receiver Jalen McMillan adds an extra element to this offense, able to take the top off the defense and give star WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin one-on-one matchups they can feast on. On defense, much of their secondary is injured, which they’ll have to overcome to repeat as division champs.

17 — Seattle Seahawks (1-0, down 1)

Perhaps I was too bullish on the Seahawks to open the year. Their offensive line was an issue against the Broncos front on Sunday, ceding constant pressure and allowing two safeties. However, QB Geno Smith played well and they have a variety of weapons across this offense. The defense was lights-out, too, and should be a force this year. If the offensive line can’t improve, though, it could be a disappointing season in Seattle.

18 — Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0, up 4)

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin might just do it again. With QB Russell Wilson dealing with a nagging calf injury, the Steelers elected to start QB Justin Fields instead. Their defense, and OLB T.J. Watt specifically, dominated the Falcons offense and won them the opener. Fields protected the ball and used his legs to spark the offense, doing just enough to give Pittsburgh the win. It wasn’t confidence-inspiring from an offensive standpoint, but it worked. Perhaps that formula will carry them to a winning season once again.

19 — Atlanta Falcons (0-1, down 4)

It was a forgettable debut for QB Kirk Cousins with his new team. The Steelers defensive line dominated the Falcons offensive line, leaving Cousins under constant pressure. The defense mostly held down the fort and didn’t give up big plays but couldn’t stop the Pittsburgh offense from routinely moving the ball into scoring range. If the offensive line issues persist, it may keep Atlanta from reaching its goals.

20 — Chicago Bears (1-0, down 2)

First-round QB Caleb Williams got the win in his first start despite throwing for less than 100 yards and failing to score a touchdown. The Bears’ defense shut down the Titans’ offense in the second half, and Williams taking care of the football prevented the disaster plays that Tennessee had. The secondary looks legit, though Williams and the offensive line will have to play better moving forward. First-round WR Rome Odunze missing time due to injury won’t help, either.

21 — Tennessee Titans (0-1, —)

Tennessee thoroughly outplayed Chicago for three quarters before second-year QB Will Levis threw the game away. The Tennessee defense was flying around making plays and putting Chicago’s rookie quarterback in a lot of tough situations. The offensive line held up better than expected, too, which is promising for the rest of the season. Levis has to play better, however, or the Titans will struggle to win games.

22 — Arizona Cardinals (0-1, up 5)

Although the Cardinals couldn’t quite hold on to beat the Bills in Buffalo, they showed a lot more fight than most expected. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray is fully healthy and in control of this offense, and he looked as fast and dangerous as ever. Arizona’s offense is loaded with weapons, and when first-round WR Marvin Harrison Jr. gets on the same page with Murray, it’ll look even better. The defense is undermanned, yet feisty. This will be a fun team to watch all year.

23 — New Orleans Saints (1-0, up 1)

Unfortunately for Saints fans, there simply isn’t much we can take away from the Panthers game. Carolina looks even worse than they were a year ago, and we’ll need to see the Saints play a team with a pulse before discussing any firm takeaways. That said, QB Derek Carr looked better than he did most of last season, and New Orleans has some explosive downfield threats. The offensive line will be the unit to watch against stronger defenses.

24 — Minnesota Vikings (1-0, up 2)

While the Vikings don’t deserve a ton of credit for beating up on the lowly Giants, they did look sharp on Sunday. Vikings QB Sam Darnold had one of his classic early-season breakout games, and the talented Minnesota receiving core shredded the New York secondary. What will be interesting to monitor moving forward, besides Darnold’s performances, is how the defense plays. They were lights-out against the Giants offense, but stiffer tests await.

25 — Los Angeles Chargers (1-0, —)

Despite the division win to open the season, I wasn’t terribly impressed with the Chargers. QB Justin Herbert doesn’t have much to work with on offense, which made for sluggish ball movement for most of the game. It remains to be seen if the defense can lock down against an offense with a pulse as well. What was impressive about that game was first-round OT Joe Alt, who is switching from the left side to the right and absolutely stonewalled Raiders star DE Maxx Crosby for much of the game.

26 — Cleveland Browns (0-1, down 9)

The Browns probably aren’t this bad, but they deserve to be here after whatever it was we saw Sunday. Browns QB Deshaun Watson looked lost and completely unequipped to be an NFL quarterback, and he wasn’t even the worst part of the offense. The offensive line allowed constant pressure, though they were down their two starting tackles. Browns WR Amari Cooper also dropped Watson’s best throw of the day. The entire offense was out of sync. The defense didn’t play great, either, and the future in Cleveland is looking increasingly murky.

27 — Las Vegas Raiders (0-1, down 4)

The Raiders were in a good spot late in the fourth quarter against the Chargers, driving into Los Angeles territory with a chance to take the lead. Then HC Antonio Pierce elected to punt on 4th-and-1, Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins ripped off a massive run and the game was over. While the game was closer than the final score indicated, QB Gardner Minshew was not up to the task in this one. He was unable to get the Raiders offense going, and a few more weeks like this and we might see QB Aidan O’Connell take over as the starter for the second straight season.

28 — Denver Broncos (0-1, —)

First-round QB Bo Nix was known for always being in control and minimizing turnovers when he was in college at Oregon, but in his NFL debut, he threw two interceptions and looked out of sorts against the Seattle pressure. Most notably in this game, however, was the Broncos defense getting two safeties against the Seahawks’ offense. The pass rush was swarming, although the back end of the defense couldn’t live up to their end of the bargain.

29 — New England Patriots (1-0, up 3)

I’m going to wait another week or two before reacting too dramatically in the rankings here, but the Patriots deserve a small bump after their performance this past weekend. The Bengals were a popular pick to win the Super Bowl and New England never let them get comfortable in a 16-10 victory. That defense is legit, and although the offense didn’t inspire confidence, they did just enough to win. Second-year DE Keion White and CB Christian Gonzalez look like they’ve taken the next step into impact players for HC Jerod Mayo‘s defense.

30 — Washington Commanders (0-1, down 1)

Rookie quarterbacks rarely impress in their first games, and though Jayden Daniels had a rough passing debut, his rushing made a difference for this offense. The Commanders are a depleted roster in the early stages of a rebuild, so it’s not surprising to see them struggle to keep up with the Buccaneers in a blowout loss. This season is about Daniels’ development, and hopefully fans can look forward to some exciting moments from the LSU product this season.

31 — New York Giants (0-1, —)

Even with journeyman QB Sam Darnold under center, the Vikings have an explosive offense. But there’s no excuse for only scoring three points at home against a depleted Minnesota defense. Giants QB Daniel Jones looked as bad as he ever has, making poor decisions and showcasing his lack of field awareness. First-round WR Malik Nabers had a solid debut as one of the few bright spots for the team, and this defensive line is a talented one, but it’s looking like a long season in New York.

32 — Carolina Panthers (0-1, down 2)

This team just makes me sad. I want QB Bryce Young to be good, I really do. For those of us holding out hope that he would improve in his second year with more offensive talent around him, he didn’t give us much to believe in Sunday. On the other side of the ball, the defense looks significantly worse than last season, and they got steamrolled by a mediocre Saints offense. To top it all off, Carolina lost star DT Derrick Brown to a likely season-ending injury. The performance we saw in Week 1 does not look like that of a team capable of winning a game this season.