NFL Power Rankings: Analyzing Each Team's Biggest Weakness After Week 2

With Week 3 of the 2012 NFL season already upon us, it is important to get one final power rankings in before Sunday’s action so you know where to lean with your picks this week.

As great as the first two weeks of football were, each team has shown it has weaknesses.

Every team in the league has proven that it is flawed, but some more than others. This is a complete ranking featuring every team’s biggest weakness.

Enjoy!

1. Houston Texans (2-0)

While there isn’t much to complain about when the Houston Texans have dominated early in the season, their main weakness comes in the offensive play-calling. With the lowest pass-play percentage in the NFL, the Texans could be too focused on the run for their own good.

2. Atlanta Falcons (2-0)

If you’re looking for a flaw on the Atlanta Falcons team, it won’t be on the offensive side of the ball—at least not until the playoffs. As for the team’s secondary, Asante Samuel has proven that he can be beaten, and the lack of depth behind him will be an issue against a tough team like the Green Bay Packers.

3. San Francisco 49ers (2-0)

The San Francisco 49ers have the most dangerous defense in the NFL, but their offense remains mediocre at best. While Alex Smith has become a reliable game manager, the lack of a deep-play threat could hurt the 49ers going forward.

4. Green Bay Packers (1-1)

Despite playing poorly through the first two weeks, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are still the most dangerous team through the air in the NFL. Their problem is that with no feasible rushing attack—Cedric Benson is averaging 3.4 yards per carry—the defense can focus on Rodgers and limit his damage.

5. New England Patriots (1-1)

Despite a loss to the Arizona Cardinals, the New England Patriots are still one of the best teams in the league. With that said, there were major offensive flaws in Week 2 that must be attributed to Bill Belichick.

Instead of working the other receivers, the Patriots have forced it to the tight ends down the seam as often as possible. That won't work.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (2-0)

While common sense says that the biggest issue in Philadelphia is Michael Vick’s inability to protect the football, the issues start before the ball is even snapped with the offensive line.

The Eagles have faced serious injuries to stars like Jason Peters and Jason Kelce and are riding with young players and new faces; no wonder Vick is being hurried on every play.

Philadelphia’s defense is much better this year and the offense has all the elite weapons, but the lack of protection from the offensive line will be ultimately be the end of Vick’s season.

7. San Diego Chargers (2-0)

Injuries have plagued the early part of the season, but the Chargers have made it through the first two weeks unscathed. While the team is getting healthy, the injuries have exposed just how thin the roster is at the skill positions.

That’s bad news if the injury bug bites again.

8. New York Giants (2-1)

The Giants have proven that their offense is stout and their defensive front seven can be very dangerous, but the play of the secondary has been lackluster. If it doesn’t sure up its secondary, New York could be in trouble.

9. Baltimore Ravens (1-1)

The Baltimore Ravens looked great through the first two weeks of the season, but there are still times when the team’s defense looks a step slow. There is no questioning how hard the Ravens hit or how much talent they have, but they are much more beatable than they once were.

10. Seattle Seahawks (1-1)

As much as experts have loved Russell Wilson’s play to start the season, defenses will start understanding the rookie quarterback and picking up on tendencies. In a defense-driven NFC West, Seattle’s young QB could be in trouble.

11. Denver Broncos (1-1)

Denver’s defense is still as talented as it was when Tim Tebow was leading them—if not better—so adding Peyton Manning to the team is a huge step forward. With that said, Manning depends on his receivers to be precise and that takes time. Until Manning and the receivers work in complete unison, there will be issues in Denver.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1)

For the last several years, the offensive schemes have been changing, but they have been consistently good. The problem now is how old the defensive unit is getting. With injuries piling up, the Steelers' once-terrifying defense is no longer as feared.

13. Detroit Lions (1-1)

The Detroit Lions made great strides in their secondary—adding rookie Bill Bentley and making strides with Chris Houston and Louis Delmas—but there are still issues. With little depth beyond those three, the Lions defense still finds itself susceptible to the big play.

14. Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

Last season, the Dallas Cowboys' unquestioned biggest flaw was their secondary, but an offseason rebuilding has that on the backburner now. This year, the offensive line has been leaking like a sieve and it is hurting the play of the entire offense.

15. Buffalo Bills (1-1)

As great as C.J. Spiller’s emergence as an elite running back has been for the Bills, the lack of ball protection for starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has everyone on edge in the Buffalo organization. The Harvard graduate better wise up fast.

16. New Orleans Saints (0-2)

After one of the most tumultuous offseasons in NFL history, the New Orleans Saints entered the 2012 campaign talking about how nothing had changed.

Everything has changed.

At 0-2, the New Orleans Saints defense has been absolutely awful. While Drew Brees hasn’t been perfect, his defense has done nothing but put pressure on the veteran QB to score huge chunks of points. New Orleans must improve its defensive play or it will miss the playoffs.

17. Arizona Cardinals (2-0)

Despite being 2-0 to start the season, the Arizona Cardinals don’t deserve the praise they are getting. While they can mask their offensive inefficiencies for a few games, they will be exposed when their defense breaks and they can’t mount a comeback.

18. Chicago Bears (1-1)

The Chicago Bears could be the team we saw in Week 1, but they could also be the team that was destroyed by the Green Bay Packers in Week 2. As bad as Jay Cutler has been, the biggest flaw in Chicago is the play of the offensive line; it is letting its QB and running backs get destroyed.

19. Indianapolis Colts (1-1)

Andrew Luck is proving that he was worthy of the No. 1 overall pick, but his offense hasn’t been getting much help from running back Donald Brown. This was supposed to be the young star’s breakout year, but so far he has been a non-factor.

20. New York Jets (1-1)

No one can doubt the merit of the secondary for the New York Jets, but the front seven has been less than elite so far in 2012. While the Jets have major offensive flaws as well—injuries have hurt them more than anything—New York needs much more pressure from its defensive line on plays other than 3rd-and-long.

21. St. Louis Rams (1-1)

While the defense was the biggest concern coming into the season, major improvements on that side of the ball has changed the team’s biggest flaw to its offensive line. There has been little room to run and Sam Bradford has been pressured far too much for St. Louis to be elite.

22. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

Cincinnati’s defense was the biggest strength coming into 2012, but the elite group has looked anything but great through the first two weeks. If it doesn’t step up, there is nothing A.J. Green and Andy Dalton can do to save the team.

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1)

After a major step back for Josh Freeman, this season has seen the young QB playing well again, but his defensive front seven failing him. As solid as Tampa’s secondary is, its front seven has been mediocre at best at stopping the run and getting pressure on QBs.

24. Miami Dolphins (1-1)

The Miami Dolphins had the benefit of a breakout game by Reggie Bush, but don’t expect more winning going forward. While fantasy owners will love Reggie Bush, the Dolphins will need his offense as their defense proves how overrated they are.

25. Carolina Panthers (1-2)

While most experts want to point at a sophomore slump for Cam Newton, the young QB is getting no help from the option run game that opens up the passing attack.

With three talented running backs—DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert—and an elite running quarterback, there is no reason the Panthers should be ranked 21st in the NFL in rushing yards.

Ron Rivera and the Carolina coaching staff needs to come up with better blocking schemes to get open lanes for his running backs. With the running game established, Newton can continue to be the dominant QB he was last year.

26. Washington Redskins (1-1)

The hype train around Robert Griffin has turned fans naïve, but hopefully the rookie’s words after the Rams game woke people up. After complaining about the rough play, it is obvious that Griffin can and will be rattled in the NFL.

The Redskins should be very nervous.

27. Minnesota Vikings (1-1)

The Minnesota Vikings' defense used to be one of the feared in the NFL, but their secondary has turned into a complete joke. With teams beating their corners and safeties regularly, they don’t even try to run into the Minnesota's tough defensive front seven anymore—they just bounce it to the outside.

28. Cleveland Browns (0-2)

As much as the Browns offense has struggled, it is full of rookies and that is to be expected. The biggest fundamental flaw is with the defense. While there are elite pieces—Joe Haden—there is no depth and too many fill-in players.

29. Kansas City Chiefs (0-2)

Injuries have derailed the Kansas City Chiefs early in the season, but they have the talent to be one of the best teams in the AFC West. If they can get healthy and stay healthy, they will climb the rankings.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2)

While the Jacksonville Jaguars believe that Blaine Gabbert is the future of their team, the rest of the league knows that he was an overrated spread-offense quarterback in college and will never translate to the NFL.

Jacksonville appears to be the last to realize this.

31. Oakland Raiders (0-2)

The Raiders have the skill players to make an offense dangerous, but the lack of protection from the offensive line is causing Darren McFadden and Carson Palmer to struggle. When they don’t perform, the offense fails.

32. Tennessee Titans (0-2)

Without a doubt, the offensive line’s play this season has been terrible this season for the Tennessee Titans. Not only have they kept Chris Johnson to 21 yards on 19 carries, Jake Locker has been under pressure almost every snap.

Check back for more on the National Football League as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s NFL page to get your fill of all things football.

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