NFL Power Rankings: Who Will Be on the Rise After Week 2?

Last week saw the Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys leap up power rankings, and a few teams look ready to make a similar leap in Week 2.

Here is a full NFL power ranking, with a special emphasis on teams who look to be likely risers after this weekend's action.

32. Cleveland Browns

Brandon Weeden showed nothing in his NFL debut, which could make this offense historically bad. The defense looks good, but this is still a team that will struggle to win more than a couple of games.

31. Buffalo Bills

This must be a tough pill to swallow for Bills fans who saw their team as a playoff contender, but the Bills are simply not good. They were dominated in every phase of the game against the Jets, so expect more of the same from a solid Chiefs team.

30. Miami Dolphins

Unfortunately, Ryan Tannehill didn't display much of anything in his NFL debut. The Dolphins turned it over three times in three plays at one point last week, so sloppy play looks to be the limiting factor for this team going forward.

29. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have a very real chance to upset the Cowboys this week, and doing so would shoot them up these rankings. For now, the Seahawks will have to endure the growing pains of talented young quarterback Russell Wilson. He is capable of brilliance, but consistency will be hard to come by early in his career.

With a solid defense and a decent supporting cast, though, this Seahawks team is tougher than a lot of people give it credit for. Expect the Seahawks to give the Cowboys a tough, defensive game. Staying in the game against the Cowboys' dynamic defense would definitely make the Seahawks risers.

28. St. Louis Rams

A near upset of the Lions has the Rams looking like a solid football team, and they certainly are that. Unfortunately, they are not at all a dynamic football team. While the Rams should rarely get blown out, they probably won't be winning too many right away.

27. Tennessee Titans

The Titans are a good, solid football team, but if Chris Johnson and the running game remain dormant, this team will struggle to win more than a handful of games in 2012.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars

Give the Jaguars a lot of credit for looking very good last week in their loss to the Vikings. Blaine Gabbert has progressed a lot, and the running game and defense remain solid. Gabbert and the passing game are still too limited, though, for the Jags to be a serious contender.

25. New York Jets

The Jets jumped up rankings after clobbering the Bills last week, but they won't have Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing them interceptions every week. Expect the Jets to come back to Earth this week against the Steelers.

24. Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck will get better, and this young team will get better. A franchise quarterback goes a long way, and the Colts have one. They need him to step up, and the rest of the team with him. The Colts remain a contender to really surprise a lot of people this season.

23. Arizona Cardinals

This Cardinals defense looks legit, and the running game should improve after last week's abysmal performance. Who the starting quarterback really is remains to be seen, but both are good enough to pilot this team to at least a six-win season.

22. Carolina Panthers

A franchise quarterback is the key to any franchise, but he can only do so much. The Panthers need to do something to take pressure off of Cam Newton. They are paying their running backs far too much money for them to struggle the way they did last week.

21. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings just scraped by the Jaguars last week, but Christian Ponder looks to be progressing nicely. He has a lot of moxie that should help the Vikings upset a few teams this year, and having a healthy Adrian Peterson is definitely helpful.

Expect the Vikings to beat the Colts this week en route to a 2-0 record. Doing so would put them firmly on the rise, and maybe people would start to realize how talented this team really is. For now, though, a close win over a mediocre Jaguars team has the Vikings in the bottom half of these rankings.

20. Cincinnati Bengals

Is this Bengals team really as bad as they looked Monday night? The simple answer is no. The Ravens were connecting on throws despite solid coverage, and the offense moved the ball effectively. Andy Dalton needs to make better decisions, but this team isn't that far off from being very good.

19. Kansas City Chiefs

If the Chiefs had a franchise quarterback, they'd be a top-10 team. For now, they remain just average. Their defense is decent in spite of last week's showing, but they can't score with top teams due to Matt Cassel's limitations.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Make no mistake—this is a good Tampa Bay team. Josh Freeman is underrated, and now he has some serious downfield threats. When they develop that deep passing game, this team will be scary. 

The Buccaneers are good enough to take down the Giants this week and move to 2-0. Doing so would definitely boost them in these rankings significantly. This team is just too talented at the offensive skill positions to not be a playoff contender this year.

17. New Orleans Saints

Lost in the frenzy over Robert Griffin III's dynamic play was the fact that the Saints looked completely out of sync. The receivers were especially awful, dropping numerous passes and struggling to get open. Drew Brees can't win football games on his own, so the Saints will struggle until the receivers get their game back on point.

16. Oakland Raiders

The Raiders should remain in the top half of NFL rankings as long as Darren McFadden is healthy. He is an elite playmaker who takes a lot of pressure off Carson Palmer and makes this team look better than it is. The defense isn't bad, either, but Palmer's limitations will keep this team from being special.

15. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles have no excuse for their awful performance against the Browns, but don't expect a repeat performance against the Ravens. The Eagles have always played to the level of competition, so expect them to look better this week. They are still not a top team, but they have a talented roster.

14. Washington Redskins

Forget RGIII for a moment—the Redskins have one of the most terrifying pass rushes in the NFL. Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan are going to terrorize passers this season. With RGIII leading a revitalized offense this season, the Redskins could be a surprise playoff contender.

13. San Diego Chargers

The Chargers did what they needed to do to beat the Raiders on the road, which is no easy feat. Nobody really knows if the Chargers have enough weapons to compete for a playoff spot, but their defense is tough, and Rivers is still elite.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are still an elite team with Rashard Mendenhall, but for now, they are just average. Peyton Manning exposed the most overrated secondary in the NFL, but once the pass rush gets back in order, this defense will still be scary.

11. Dallas Cowboys

Dallas fans will not be happy to see the Cowboys behind the Giants, who they just beat handily. Admittedly, the Cowboys looked very good, but that's nothing new. When they string together multiple good games and show focus and grit, then the Cowboys will ascend to the status of elite. For now, one big win does not an elite team make.

10. New York Giants

The Giants secondary is a weak point that opponents will exploit all season, and the running game will need to improve for the Giants to have a chance. Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin are both too good at what they do, though, to stay down for long.

9. Chicago Bears

Watching the Bears get so thoroughly dominated makes this ranking seem absurd, but this is still a good Bears team. The defense played well, and Jay Cutler still has more good games than bad ones. These Bears will still blow up from time to time, but they are immensely talented all the same.

8. Detroit Lions

Matthew Stafford won't throw three interceptions in very many games. He's an elite quarterback, especially late in games, and the rest of the offense is dynamic as well. The connection of Stafford to Calvin Johnson is enough by itself to keep the Lions in the top 10 in these rankings. With a better defense and running game, the Lions would be Super Bowl contenders.

7. Atlanta Falcons

This offense is absolutely lethal, but teams might be able to make them one-dimensional as the season wears on. Matt Ryan still has yet to prove that he's a big-time playoff quarterback, but there is little else to find fault with on this team.

6. Houston Texans

Any worries about the Texans were put aside after a dominant 30-10 win over the Dolphins last week. Matt Schaub proved that he is the star of this team, and Andre Johnson is healthy again. This is a Super Bowl contender for sure, but they still need to prove themselves against a top team this season.

5. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens were absolutely dynamite on offense against the Bengals, but their inconsistency keeps them from being atop these rankings. The questions about the offensive line and defense remain unanswered.

4. Denver Broncos

The Broncos are the consummate risers. Pundits were unsure whether Peyton Manning still had the winning edge, the defense was a question mark and the running game was spearheaded by a rapidly aging running back.

All of these concerns were addressed in the Broncos' win over the Steelers. Manning was dominant, the defense contained the Steelers' speedy receivers and Willis McGahee looked solid against an elite run defense. A win over the Falcons this week could have the Broncos sitting firmly at the top of these rankings.

3. Green Bay Packers

The Packers defense has clearly improved, and they still have Aaron Rodgers. The running game has held this team back, but even Cedric Benson looked improved against the Bears. This team functions better as a dark-horse, and they might be just that once again. They are still deadly.

2. San Francisco 49ers

The sky is the limit for the 49ers. Their defense is dominant, and their offense is at least steady. The 49ers don't have a tough schedule, either, meaning they could stay near the top of these rankings for a very long time.

1. New England Patriots

Right now, this is the best team in the NFL. Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the NFL right now, the running game seems to be in good hands and the defense has been revitalized. The defense is still probably the weak point of this team, but it's definitely better than last year's unit. The Patriots have to be considered Super Bowl favorites this year.