Week 2 had its share of upsets and surprise performances, but injuries dominated the headlines this week, specifically to young quarterbacks. Bears QB Caleb Williams, Commanders QB Jayden Daniels and Giants QB Jaxson Dart all left their games early with potentially season-altering injuries. While Williams seems to have avoided the worst-case scenario, we still don’t have much information on timelines for Daniels or Dart.

Still, aside from the injuries, there were plenty of takeaways to be had after this weekend’s action. Eyebrow-raising moments — positive or negative — from Week 1 were either reinforced into a potential trend or spotted as potential anomalies. And we got two overtime games, at least one of which could have serious playoff implications a few months from now.

Let’s dive into the rankings:

Tier 1: Super Bowl Favorites

1 — Seattle Seahawks (2-0, —)

Last week: W 31-7 vs. Arizona Cardinals

Even with backup QB Drew Lock, the Seahawks rolled to an easy win over their division rivals. After one long touchdown to WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, it took a minute for Seattle to settle into the game offensively. But once they did, Smith-Njigba absolutely took over, all the while this Seahawks defense didn’t allow Arizona an inch. It was a feel-good win for Seattle, especially with their backup quarterback.

2 — Los Angeles Rams (1-1, —)

Last week: W 28-6 vs. New York Giants

It wasn’t clean, but the Rams were eventually able to pull away from the Giants for a nice bounce-back win after the Week 1 dud in Melbourne. Los Angeles’ defense was absolutely dominant, with CB Trent McDuffie making multiple huge plays and DT Aaron Donald returning to the field for the first time after two years of retirement. But this offense was sluggish for large portions of this game, and the Rams will need to figure things out on that side of the ball quickly, especially considering their upcoming schedule.

Tier 2: Super Bowl Contenders

3 — Buffalo Bills (2-0, UP 1)

Last week: W 41-31 vs. Detroit Lions

Even through two games, the historical comps for Bills QB Josh Allen are ludicrous. It would be silly to name MVP favorites this early in the season, but he’s putting together quite the resume already. While Buffalo’s defense won’t win them many games by itself, this defensive line continues to impress. With their ability to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks and the unstoppable duo of Allen and RB James Cook on offense, this Bills team is checking a lot of Super Bowl-contender boxes.

4 — San Francisco 49ers (2-0, UP 2)

Last week: W 35-13 vs. Miami Dolphins

The 49ers got whatever they wanted against Miami. San Francisco QB Brock Purdy was an efficient 20/22, running in a touchdown of his own as well as welcoming TE George Kittle back from injury with a touchdown pass to his reliable target. Defensively, it was a group effort, and rookie third-round ED Romello Height got his first NFL sack.

5 — Cincinnati Bengals (2-0, UP 3)

Last week: W 20-6 vs. Houston Texans

The Bengals passed another big test in Week 2, grinding out a tough win over the vaunted Texans defense. The upgrades Cincy made in the trenches over the last two seasons were more apparent than ever, as they more than held their own against Houston in that department. Ja’Marr Chase made his case for catch of the season with an acrobatic display against Derek Stingley Jr. and the Bengals did enough in a road win.

6 — Baltimore Ravens (1-1, DOWN 3)

Last week: L 17-24 vs. New Orleans Saints

After blowing out the Colts in Week 1, the Ravens came back down to earth a bit against the Saints. The offense was stuck in the mud for much of the second half without WR Zay Flowers and the pass defense showed some cracks. Game management issues cropped up again for Baltimore, something that was a consistent problem in the later John Harbaugh years, but we can have some patience with first-year HC Jesse Minter.

Tier 3: Playoff Contenders

7 — Houston Texans (0-2, DOWN 1)

Last week: L 6-20 vs. Cincinnati Bengals

It’s hard to be too critical of the Texans for this one. QB C.J. Stroud was down his top target in Nico Collins and he still threw for over 300 yards. Houston’s defense bounced back, keeping the Bengals in check outside of a few chunk plays. But nonetheless, the Texans are sitting at 0-2, not an enviable position to be in. If it’s any consolation, three of their next four games are against division opponents, so the Texans have a chance to build some momentum in the AFC South.

8 — Minnesota Vikings (2-0, UP 6)

Last week: W 9-3 vs. Chicago Bears

This Vikings offense did just enough in a torrential Chicago downpour to allow their suffocating defense to win them the game. Even after Williams went down, backup Bears QB Tyson Bagent nearly led a game-winning drive, but third-year ED Dallas Turner sealed the game for Minnesota with a sack. Turner is one of the storylines of the first two weeks of the season, as the former first-round pick was quiet early in his career but has exploded in these first two games, making a huge impact in each.

9 — Chicago Bears (1-1, —)

Last week: L 3-9 vs. Minnesota Vikings

The city of Chicago saw its life flash before its eyes when Williams suffered a scary-looking non-contact leg injury late in this game, on a play he likely would’ve scored on no less. But one day later, good news broke through the clouds, as Williams avoided major damage and isn’t even ruled out for Week 3 yet. This was a weird game in heavy rain and the Bears’ chances were over when Williams went down, but if he won’t miss much time, Chicago is still very much a contender in the NFC.

10 — New England Patriots (1-1, DOWN 3)

Last week: W 20-3 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Patriots notched their first win of the new season with a comfortable win over the reeling Steelers. Third-year QB Drake Maye continued his rough start to the season, throwing another interception and taking three sacks. In some good news, New England’s defense was stifling and free-agent signee Romeo Doubs showed up big, snagging three catches for 96 yards. RB TreVeyon Henderson made a splash in his season debut, too.

11 — Kansas City Chiefs (2-0, UP 2)

Last week: W 33-30 OT vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Chiefs had a lot of issues defensively, getting consistently displaced in the run game and letting Colts receivers get behind them deep a few too many times. But this game was an offensive masterclass for Kansas City. Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker III might already be the signing of the season, as his ability to churn out tough yardage and break short runs into 10-15 yard gashes forces defenses to play more guys in the box, opening up the passing game considerably.

12 — Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1, DOWN 2)

Last week: L 13-20 vs. Denver Broncos

The Jaguars built a pretty dominating lead early, then let the Broncos rattle off 17 straight points to steal the win. After a scintillating Week 1 performance and strong first half on Sunday, Jags QB Trevor Lawrence struggled to find a rhythm against a much tougher Denver defense, particularly in the second half. Parker Washington was the only Jags receiver to put up consistent production, and this team needs more from the likes of Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers.

13 — Denver Broncos (1-1, UP 3)

Last week: W 20-13 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

This is how the Broncos won games last year. Against the Jags, Denver leaned on their defense and capitalized on their opponents’ mistakes, creating some chunk plays late that put them in scoring range. Denver WR Jaylen Waddle came through in a big way, and he does offer the Broncos a vertical element to their passing game that just wasn’t there last year.

14 — New Orleans Saints (1-1, UP 5)

Last week: W 24-17 vs. Baltimore Ravens

After coming up just short against Detroit in Week 1, the Saints got their first big win of the season on the road in Baltimore. They were every bit up to the challenge, going blow for blow with one of the AFC’s best teams and asserting themselves as a real factor in this playoff picture. Second-year QB Tyler Shough is becoming a high-volume passing savant and this defense is holding their own.

Tier 4: Playoff Hopefuls

15 — Dallas Cowboys (1-1, —)

Last week: W 37-20 vs. Washington Commanders

The Cowboys’ offense continued its great start to the season, tearing up the Commanders defense like they did the Giants’ last week. Except this time, the game was played at a much faster pace, allowing the Cowboys to get their offensive flow on. I still have questions about Dallas’ defense, a unit that had some busted coverages and sloppy execution once again. But this was a needed win against an overmatched opponent.

16 — Detroit Lions (1-1, UP 1)

Last week: L 31-41 vs. Buffalo Bills

It’s not entirely the Lions’ fault — they’re super beat up on defense. But this team can’t stop anyone. They aren’t the first and won’t be the last team to get shredded by the Bills and Allen, but they also collapsed against the Saints and Shough in Week 1. This offense is both efficient and explosive, but they have a lot of work to do each week. At some point, Detroit is expecting their defensive stars back, so they need to win enough shootouts in the meantime to hang around in the playoff picture.

17 — Philadelphia Eagles (2-0, DOWN 5)

Last week: W 24-20 vs. Tennessee Titans

I have real concerns over the Eagles’ offensive line and run game, as they can’t keep QB Jalen Hurts clean or create space for their running backs. That’s putting a lot of pressure on Hurts to lead a high-volume passing attack, and this team isn’t built for that. Defensively, Philly let Titans receivers run free all afternoon, failing to create separation against a much less talented team. They escaped against Tennessee with a last-second touchdown pass, but they might not be so lucky against better competition.

18 — Carolina Panthers (1-1, UP 6)

Last week: W 34-3 vs. Atlanta Falcons

Watch out for the Panthers. Fourth-year QB Bryce Young looks incredible through two weeks, and even with the caveat that he’s played two questionable defenses, he’s taken a real leap. Free-agent signee LB Devin Lloyd dominated along with the rest of Carolina’s defense, bouncing back in a big way from that disastrous Week 1 performance. This team is proving they won’t be an easy out and can be a real factor in the NFC South.

19 — Indianapolis Colts (0-2, UP 2)

Last week: L 30-33 OT vs. Kansas City Chiefs

It was a much cleaner performance for the Colts this week, but this team is in trouble. Top WR Alec Pierce left the game in the first half with a heel injury and did not return, likely a reaggravation of the injury he dealt with all summer. Defensively, this team is an absolute mess. Predictably, linebacker play is a major issue, and this team can’t get off the field on third downs. Even basic stuff, like tackling, isn’t consistent.

20 — Green Bay Packers (1-1, UP 2)

Last week: W 20-17 OT vs. New York Jets

It took overtime, but the Packers got into the win column and escaped a complete disaster. But they might be in real trouble. Two key players suffered serious injuries in this game in WR Jayden Reed and RT Zach Bako-Bewele, the latter of whom is their best offensive lineman. Without Bako-Bewele in this game, Green Bay couldn’t protect QB Jordan Love, and the Packers need to find answers quickly without him in the lineup for the foreseeable future.

21 — Los Angeles Chargers (0-2, DOWN 10)

Last week: L 14-26 vs. Las Vegas Raiders

I’m officially hitting the panic button on the Chargers. Normally, I wouldn’t drop a team I believed in so strongly this summer quite this far. But over the next seven games, Los Angeles plays the Bills, Seahawks, Broncos, Chiefs, Rams, Texans and Ravens. That was a brutal stretch when we all assumed the Chargers would enter it 2-0 — instead, they’re already trying to claw their way out of a hole. Los Angeles’ interior offensive line is a massive liability and outside of Ladd McConkey, none of these receivers are a threat. Even their star offensive tackle duo is giving up pressure like a sieve and QB Justin Herbert is far from blameless. A return to the playoffs might already be a pipe dream for this group.

22 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2, DOWN 2)

Last week: L 19-23 vs. Cleveland Browns

I didn’t have Bucs QB Baker Mayfield being outplayed by his Cleveland replacement, Browns QB Deshaun Watson, on my radar. But that’s what happened. Tampa Bay dropped a very winnable game and is now looking up at the Panthers and Saints in their own division. Only one game separates them, so the season is far from over, but the Bucs have a lot of work to do to fix issues on both sides of the ball. This roster should be better than this — at some point, something needs to change.

Tier 5: Maybe Not Your Year

23 — New York Giants (1-1, —)

Last week: L 6-28 vs. Los Angeles Rams

Without Dart, who injured his knee on the first drive of the game, the Giants just didn’t have the firepower to keep pace with the Rams. This injured secondary had no answers for Los Angeles WR Davante Adams, and New York’s offense was under constant pressure. The Rams owned the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, leaving the Giants to hope Dart’s absence doesn’t linger too long into the season.

24 — Arizona Cardinals (1-1, UP 1)

Last week: L 7-31 vs. Seattle Seahawks

This was a humbling game for the Cardinals. A week after firing on all cylinders against the Chargers, the Seahawks suffocated this Arizona offense, bottling them up in all phases. Surprisingly, the Cardinals’ defense kept them in this game for a half, but ultimately the reigning Super Bowl champs were just too much for this rebuilding unit. It’s good to see young defenders like DT Walter Nolen III and CB Will Johnson making plays, though.

25 — Washington Commanders (0-2, DOWN 7)

Last week: L 20-37 vs. Dallas Cowboys

In a brutal sequence, Daniels dislocated his elbow on a goal-line play after being stepped on by his own lineman. Washington was keeping this game close until Daniels’ injury, but this defense is an absolute mess. Without their star quarterback, Washington will struggle to stay in games as a result. Backup QB Marcus Mariota played a solid game, but this defense is an abject disaster.

25 — Las Vegas Raiders (2-0, UP 4)

Last week: W 26-14 vs. Los Angeles Chargers

These aren’t your grandfather’s Raiders. Or, more to the point, they actually might be. Las Vegas took care of business against an overmatched Dolphins team in Week 1, then turned around and took it to the Chargers on the road in impressive fashion. This was a good run defense last year, but the secondary is showing out right now. Rookies Hezekiah Masses, Treydan Stukes and Jermod McCoy have all been thrust into big roles early and are delivering. The Raiders’ new linebacker duo of Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker are stuffing the stat sheet, too.

26 — New York Jets (1-1, UP 2)

Last week: L 17-20 OT vs. Green Bay Packers

The Jets were oh so close to a monumental upset on Sunday afternoon. New York got some big plays out of their offense and played keep-away from the Packers at points in this game, but I was more impressed with their defense. The Jets hounded Love all game long, forcing Green Bay into consistent third-and-long situations and dragging this game into overtime.

Tier 6: Absolutely Disgraceful

28 — Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1, DOWN 2)

Last week: L 3-20 vs. New England Patriots

Technically the Steelers do have a notch in the win column, but this season couldn’t be off to a worse start. Pittsburgh’s offense is a complete joke and it puts a lot of pressure on their defense to make herculean plays to keep them in games. Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez took Steelers WR D.K. Metcalf out of the game and Pittsburgh didn’t have any answers.

29 — Atlanta Falcons (0-2, DOWN 2)

Last week: L 3-34 vs. Carolina Panthers

Getting competent quarterback play can’t make things worse for the Falcons, but this team is in a lot more trouble than just that. Five turnovers doomed Atlanta against Carolina — they need Michael Penix Jr. back as quickly as possible if they have any hope of salvaging this season. The Falcons defense won’t be nearly as easy to fix.

30 — Cleveland Browns (1-1, UP 2)

Last week: W 23-19 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I didn’t think Watson had a game like that in him at this point in his career. While his numbers don’t jump off the page, he was efficient and ran a clean operation, keeping Cleveland on schedule and taking advantage of several Bucs mistakes. After reports that the Browns could “reconsider” their starting quarterback situation after Week 2, Watson likely bought himself another week.

31 — Tennessee Titans (0-2, —)

Last week: L 20-24 vs. Philadelphia Eagles

It still ended in a loss, but that was a much more encouraging showing for this Titans offense than Week 1 was. Second-year QB Cam Ward was efficient enough on low volume, with WRs Elic Ayomanor and first-rounder Carnell Tate proving to be his favorite targets. There just isn’t much meat to this Titans offense right now, and there needs to be some growth for Ward in the coming weeks.

32 — Miami Dolphins (0-2, DOWN 2)

Last week: L 13-35 vs. San Francisco 49ers

Rather than focus on how overmatched this team will be seemingly every week, I’ll talk about some positive takeaways for Miami. Malik Willis played a largely mistake-free game at quarterback, and RB De’Von Achane continued his run of production. Rookie defenders Jacob Rodriguez and Michael Taaffe were everywhere, combining for 17 tackles against the 49ers.