NFL Power Rankings Week 2: Early Overreactions

Power rankings are a concise way of covering every game for every NFL team throughout the course of the season. Week 1 saw a few upsets, a few blowouts and a whole bunch of exciting action. There was musical chairs-like movement in my power rankings this week as compared to my preseason one, but that's to be expected.

Week 1 is always crazy. 

Remember that these are my particular power rankings, and they are highly subjective. They aren't completely based on how the team performed in previous action, although that is a major factor. For instance, the bottom 16 teams aren't going to be those that lost, and the top 16 the ones that won. That's bogus. 

The rankings are based on whom I would bet my life savings on if two teams played on a neutral field with the rosters exactly how they stand right now. The team that wins in my imaginary scenario gets a higher spot. Make sense? Good. Let's get right to it.

Where does every team stand after the first week of action? Find out here.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 28-2 vs. Kansas City

Last Week: 30

Move: Down 2

No one expected much from the Jacksonville Jaguars this year. We all figured Blaine Gabbert would continue to struggle, Maurice Jones-Drew would be buried behind a poor offensive line and the skill players would be woefully lacking. But what happened Sunday had to be one of the most pitiful season debuts in professional football history.

With so much incompetence, where do I begin?

Gabbert completed just 16 of 35 attempts. He threw two interceptions, including one that Tamba Hali took back easily for a touchdown. His QB rating was 1.2.

The offensive line allowed six sacks, and MJD was held to just 45 rushing yards. The defense gave up 21 points in the first 25 minutes of the game, and the final score could have been a lot worse had the Chiefs not eased off the gas pedal. 

The only positive play came from the special team unit, which blocked a punt for a safety. But losing 28-2 is so sad you would almost rather lose 28-0. 

At this pace, it's going to be a long season in Jacksonville. Gabbert has already been sidelined for the next game with a hand injury, and depending on Chad Henne's play it may be a long-term arrangement.

I sure hope it is for the fans' sake. Henne might win two or three games this year. I'd be surprised if Gabbert won one.

31. Oakland Raiders (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 21-17 at Indianapolis

Last Week: 32

Move: Up 1 

I was giddy with excitement on Monday morning because, at that point, no one had run for more yards than Oakland Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor. And who doesn't want to live in a world where Pryor leads the NFL in rushing?

Unfortunately, LeSean McCoy shattered those dreams Monday night, and I guess I'll have to go on living in a world where Pryor is only second in the NFL in rushing. 

But still, it was a really nice season opener for Pryor and the much-maligned Raiders. After falling behind 14-0 early, it appeared the expected rout was on. But the Raiders fought back, something no one has been able to say since 2002. They actually held the lead at 17-14 in the fourth quarter, and Pryor—with the gobs of aforementioned rushing yards—gave the Raiders a chance to win the game.

The problem is that the Raiders did not win. Their defense could not hold a scrambling Andrew Luck out of the end zone with about five minutes left. Then, after the offense found its way all the way to Indy's 8-yard line, it took a bad sack and Pryor's second interception of the day to end it.

I understand that it was an optimistic showing for Oakland. No one expected them to compete in this game, and the Raiders could have gone home with the win. Pryor exceeded everyone's expectations, and looks promising if he can minimize his mistakes.

But at the end of the day, they blew this game. Their defense blew a fourth-quarter lead, and their offense blew a chance to go ahead late.

I wouldn't expect a major turnaround and 10 wins for Oakland, but I also don't think it will go 2-14. 

30. Arizona Cardinals (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 27-24 at St. Louis

Last Week: 29

Move: Down 1

This Cardinals game looked a lot like the Raiders game. Arizona put up more fight than many expected. It got some great play out of its new quarterback. The Cardinals led in the fourth quarter but ultimately fell in a close game. 

But no one is fawning over Carson Palmer and the Cardinals.

I thought they looked good for most of the game. Larry Fitzgerald finally looked like himself again. Palmer found him twice on beautiful touchdown passes. Young guns Andre Roberts and Michael Floyd combined for 12 catches and 175 yards. Even the run game moved along at a decent pace, with 26 carries for 88 yards split between two backs.

The Cardinals even found themselves ahead 24-13 through three quarters, and the defense looked as good as it did at the start of last year. 

But just when you thought the ship had been righted, it hit another iceberg. Palmer coughed up a costly fumble inside his own 25. The offense fell apart, and the 11-point fourth-quarter lead was gone. 

Just like the Raiders in the spot below them, perhaps the Cardinals performed better than expected. But they just can't lose these games. 

29. Cleveland Browns (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 23-10 vs. Miami

Last Week: 20

Move: Down 9

If any team needed a strong showing in Week 1, it was Cleveland. With a new head coach and general manager, expectations for the Browns were higher than any other year in recent memory. They were the sexy sleeper pick of the preseason. Maybe Brandon Weeden was ready to take the next step.

He wasn't.

After the egg they laid Sunday, the Browns' bandwagon may be empty.

Weeden was just one more of several quarterbacks who Tebowed in Week 1. For those of you who don't know, I have redefined the term "Tebowing" to mean "completing less than 50 percent of one's passes." In addition, he threw three interceptions, which cost his team in an ugly, low-scoring game. 

After leading 7-6 at the half, the Browns crumbled and were outscored 17-3 in the second half. Now, the Dolphins aren't a bad team, but they don't have the Patriots offense out there. And a double-digit home loss is unacceptable for the Browns. 

The Browns defense deserves a better offense, and Trent Richardson deserves a better offense. And the offense deserves a better Weeden. I would be shocked by a playoff season for the Browns after their Week 1 performance.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 18-17 at New York Jets

Last Week: 23

Move: Down 5

Oh, Josh Freeman. You can't lose to the Jets. You just can't.

I wasn't as high on the Buccaneers as everyone else was, but I still thought they would roll in New York. As always, Freeman did a bunch of things right and a bunch of things wrong.

Sophomore running back Doug Martin was virtually nonexistent save for a short touchdown run in the second quarter. The Buccaneers just let the Jets stick around too long. And unlike the Cardinals and Raiders, the Jets got the job done.

We could talk for hours about the late-hit penalty that led to Nick Folk's game-winning field goal.

Was it that bad of a hit? Certainly not. Was it even late? Not particularly—Geno Smith still had one foot in bounds. Did the Buccaneers get screwed out of a win? No. 

The penalty was valid for the simple reason that it was unnecessary. Smith was clearly heading out of bounds. The Jets would have had just one play to get off a Hail Mary.

You have to better understand the situation if you're Lavonte David. But you can't say that the Bucs got screwed. They should not have even been within one score of the Jets at that point in the game.

You have to take care of business and put the game out of reach so there isn't any chance that this happens. It was a horrible start for Tampa Bay.

27. New York Jets (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 18-17 vs. Tampa Bay

Last Week: 31

Move: 4

The first winner of our list comes in at No. 27. The Jets are rewarded for their victory with a four-spot jump in the rankings, but they still trail other losing teams because they needed a lot of help to get to 1-0.

Geno Smith looked poised for a rookie. No matter how you feel about the late-hit penalty, he did what he needed to do to get the Jets into that situation. He wasn't brilliant by any means, but he was probably better than Mark Sanchez would have been, given what he's done in previous seasons. 

Looking at the rest of the Jets offense, I'm not sure how they won. Their running game was putrid, as Bilal Powell and Chris Ivory combined for 22 carries and 44 yards. Kellen Winslow was the only position player of note (seven catches, 79 yards, one touchdown). I guess that means more credit is due to the defense.

Even without Darrelle Revis, the Jets defense came up big when it mattered most. Maybe there was a reason for keeping Rex Ryan. 

Don't get too excited, Jets fans. Next up are the Patriots at Foxborough. The Pats have never lost to a rookie quarterback at home, and they have never won by less than 14 points to a rookie quarterback at home. It was a strong showing by the Jets, and for that they get a well-deserved boost up the rankings.

26. Buffalo Bills (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 23-21 vs. New England

Last Week: 28

Move: Up 2

We shouldn't be surprised that the Buffalo Bills stayed close with the Patriots. Including this game, six of the last nine meetings between these teams have been decided by one score. Sadly enough for Buffalo, it is 1-8 in those games.

But the story here was the only quarterback drafted in the first round this year, E.J. Manuel. Out of all the teams that were "so close yet so far away" last weekend, I think the Bills were the closest.

Manuel didn't look like a rookie at all. He looked comfortable in the pocket, scrambled well and extended plays when needed. His touchdown passes to Robert Woods and Steve Johnson were placed perfectly. And unlike the other young quarterbacks we've covered already, he didn't turn the ball over.

There is no shame in losing to the Patriots. Normally, they win games like this in their sleep. But the Bills punched back when they fell behind and made a game out of it. That's all you can ask from a rookie QB.

As long as the Bills can get C.J. Spiller back on track (17 carries for 41 yards), they can make some noise.

25. Carolina Panthers (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 12-7 vs. Seattle

Last Week: 24

Move: Down 1

I don't know what to do with the Carolina Panthers. I didn't see any part of the game, and there are no highlights to be found anywhere.

Just from looking at the box score, the main problem I can find is that Cam Newton accounted for only 163 total yards. Yes, that's rushing and passing combined. The Seattle Seahawks defense is one of the best in football, but in a close game, Newton putting up less than 175 yards and just seven points isn't good enough. 

I knew the Panthers defense was solid, and it didn't disappoint. The defense controlled the game through three quarters, holding the supposedly high-powered Seattle offense to two field goals over that span. The Seahawks only found their way through on a long leaping touchdown reception by little-known receiver Jermaine Kearse.

If that pass falls incomplete, the Panthers may have won the game, and I would be writing a different power ranking. 

Like I said, I need to see more from the Panthers offense. If the offense can get it together, Carolina can be a threat, given its strong defense. But right now, I'm skeptical.

24. Minnesota Vikings (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 34-24 at Detroit

Last Week: 21

Move: Down 3

At about 1:10 p.m. ET Sunday, the Falcons vs. Saints game cut to a highlight of Adrian Peterson taking his first carry of the game 78 yards to the house. Imagine my surprise when AP was credited with 18 carries for just 93 yards in the box score.

If math isn't your strong suit, that means his last 17 carries went for a total of 15 yards. If logic isn't your strong suit, that means the Lions shut him down following the long touchdown run.

That is a bad sign for the Vikings. 

Yes, Peterson ended up with three touchdowns (one through the air), but that's not the point. The run game is Minnesota's only viable weapon. When the team goes ahead 7-0 five minutes in and runs for 27 yards after that (Christian Ponder added 12 yards to Peterson's 15), there's is a big problem. 

Ponder did complete 18 of 28 passes for 236 yards, but he also had three costly interceptions. When the team can't move the football on the ground, Ponder is forced into throwing situations on mainly long second and third downs. That's when interceptions happen and games are lost by double digits. 

The Vikings could be in deep trouble, as the Lions may be the weakest of their three divisional opponents. It's hard to believe they managed a 4-2 record in the NFC North last season. It's going to take a massive effort to get there again.

23. San Diego Chargers (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 31-28 vs. Houston

Last Week: 17

Move: Down 6

New coach, same problem. 

That's all I have to say about this team.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 16-9 vs. Tennessee

Last Week: 9

Move: Down 13

This is by far the biggest drop in our rankings, and some may think 13 spots is a bit harsh for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Admittedly, I had them rated too high to begin the season, which makes the fall seem all the more drastic.

But can you make a case for this team being higher? What did they do well Sunday?

Pittsburgh has the worst rushing offense in the league after parting ways with the only halfway decent back on the roster, Rashard Mendenhall. The team went into this season with Isaac Redman and LaRod Stephens-Howling, who combined for 28 yards on 14 rushes. Great. 

Furthermore, the Steelers have the worst offensive line in the NFL (which, incidentally, is the only saving grace for my San Diego Chargers), and that was before the terrible injury to center Maurkice Pouncey.

Quick side note: I saw the play when Pouncey got injured, and no one felt it necessary to mention that it was his own teammate, David DeCastro, who caused the injury, and that he dove at his legs for no apparent reason. Was he trying to throw a block? On whom—the guy Pouncey already had completely wrapped up? It looked like DeCastro was after his job or something. All I know is you can never trust a Stanford Cardinal.

Anyway, the Steelers looked abysmal all day, especially on offense. They almost pulled a Jacksonville, going scoreless after a game-opening safety. But they scored a late touchdown after the game was out of reach.

Based simply on their performance, they should probably be 30th or 31st in these rankings. But they are the Steelers. I trust Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin more than most, and it's hard to imagine them as a bottom-dwelling team. But if they don't turn it around quickly, they may be headed there.

21. Tennessee Titans (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 16-9 at Pittsburgh

Last Week: 27

Move: Up 6

Another big win and a big jump for a team I didn't expect to be very good.

The offense was right about where I thought it would be, with 16 points, 229 total yards and 11 pass completions (only one for more than 15 yards).

It wasn't an impressive performance on that side of the ball. Chris Johnson started off marginally better than he did last season, rushing for 70 yards, although it took him 25 carries to get there. Jake Locker only threw 20 times and didn't throw any back-breaking picks. He gave the ultimate Trent Dilfer performance.

Why didn't Johnson see a single target in the passing game? He is the most powerful weapon on the roster, and clearly he wasn't breaking the big play on the ground. The team should get him swinging out of the backfield and downfield on screen passes.

Heck, Tennessee could line him up as a receiver if it wants. Anyway you slice it, Johnson has to get the ball more. And I don't just say that because he's on my fantasy team.

On the other hand, I have no questions for this defense. It looked absolutely stifling. The Titans sacked Roethlisberger five times and gave up nothing on the ground. They allowed zero meaningful points; as I said, they only gave up seven after the game was in hand, and obviously the safety was not their fault.

I'm not ready to say that the Titans can contend for a playoff spot, but if their defense keeps up the stellar play and their offense can put up a few more points, they could be in great shape to surprise some people. 

20. St. Louis Rams (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 27-24 vs. Arizona

Last Week: 22

Move: Up 2

A good come-from-behind win for the St. Louis Rams gives them a slight boost into the top 20. However, the team did not look spectacular by any means. The run game was decent at best. Sam Bradford threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns but threw an interception out of his own end zone that went back for a touchdown. 

The defense struggled against the pass, although, to be fair, Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald form a formidable passing combination. But the Rams also sacked Palmer four times, controlled the line of scrimmage against the run and forced turnovers when the offense needed the help. 

Jared Cook looked like a brilliant pickup, going off for 141 yards and two scores. It would have been three if not for a great forced fumble by the "Honey Badger," Tyrann Mathieu, as Cook approached the goal line. 

Although the Rams trailed by 11 in the fourth, they fought back and grabbed a big home win. They play in a difficult division but could be a sneaky contender for a wild card if they continue to make big plays and avoid turnovers.

19. Detroit Lions (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 34-24 vs. Minnesota

Last Week: 26

Move: Up 7

I may have completely misfired on the Detroit Lions.

We know their offense is potent. The problem the last few years has been the defense, but they weren't the problem Sunday.

Adrian Peterson is going to get his yards, touches and touchdowns. But the Lions stymied everyone else on the Vikings offense. They gave Christian Ponder problems all day. They made big plays and made it easy for the offense. 

Speaking of the offense, Reggie Bush made a splash in his Detroit debut, rushing for 90 yards and taking a middle screen pass 77 yards for a touchdown. Matthew Stafford threw all over the field, and Joique Bell punched in two TDs in the red zone. The offense fired on all cylinders. My only concern was Joseph Fauria's touchdown dance.

If this defense is for real, the Lions are a playoff team. Period. I just need to see a few more games out of them before I anoint them. They have a tough stretch in Weeks 3, 4 and 5 against Washington, Chicago and Green Bay.

We'll see how they come out of that, but for now it looks good for the Lions.

18. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 28-2 at Jacksonville

Last Week: 25

Move: Up 7

I may also have misfired on the Kansas City Chiefs, but that was more out of personal bias. Every year, pundits and predictors tout the Chiefs, and I just never believe it's going to happen. It could be this year, certainly. But they could also be a 1-15 team because the Jaguars are so bad. There's just no way of knowing.

With that being said, I ranked them too low to begin with, and their jump up the rankings is more correcting my mistake than anything they did in Week 1.

There isn't a whole lot to say about the Chiefs so far. They took care of business on the road, that much we know. Alex Smith looked better than Matt Cassel, but we figured as much. Jamaal Charles left the game with an injury, but what else is new? The defense pitched a shutout, but the Jaguars might not score on offense until Week 7.

It's likely that the Chiefs are pretty good, better than the last few years for sure, but I just don't have much to work with so far. They have an interesting matchup with Dallas at home this week, and we'll see what they've really got.

17. Washington Redskins (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 33-27 vs. Philadelphia

Last Week: 14

Move: Down 3

So much for Robert Griffin III's triumphant return. It was still a nice picture, though. 

The Washington Redskins fell victim to an offense they were completely unprepared for. It is as simple as that. And I don't just mean the speed of the no-huddle—I mean the formations, personnel and execution. The defense was completely overwhelmed as Philadelphia ripped off a record 53 plays in the first half. 

But that could have happened to anyone. When the Wildcat was first revealed in Miami, the mighty Patriots took it in the teeth. Likewise, with the 49ers' read-option offense, the Packers were left scratching their heads.

The Redskins had a massive disadvantage in having to play the Eagles first. They can thank the schedule-makers for this loss. 

But I digress. I can fawn over the Eagles more once I get to their spot, which is above this one. 

The Redskins had to drop down a few spots because Griffin and the offense got off to a disastrous start. He looked rusty. No matter what he said about not using that as an excuse, it showed that he hadn't played football in eight months.

Alfred Morris, on the other hand, doesn't have much of an excuse. He fumbled on his first carry and is at least partially responsible for the bad pitch in the end zone that resulted in an Eagles safety. He finished the game with 45 rushing yards, and it looked like it might be a lot worse than that for a while in the first half.

Griffin will shake off the cobwebs with time. You could see he started to look more comfortable in the second half when the Redskins mounted an ultimately unsuccessful comeback. And the defense won't have to play an offense like this every week, so don't worry too much, Redskins fans. 

Washington faces a big opportunity next week at Green Bay. We'll see if RGIII can get back into a groove against a defense that Colin Kaepernick carved up for 412 yards and three TDs.

16. Miami Dolphins (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 23-10 at Cleveland

Last Week: 19

Move: Up 3

Unsurprisingly, the Miami Dolphins' running game was awful. Daniel Thomas led the team with 14 yards. Let that sink in for a minute: He led the team with 14 yards.

But not be outdone was Lamar Miller, who was somehow credited with three yards on 10 carries. It's mind-boggling to think about, but it gets better. His first run of the game went for five yards. His second carry went for three.

Try to keep up here, we're already at eight yards with just two carries. Slow down the breakneck pace, Miller! Six of his next eight rushes went for negative yardage, and Thomas started getting more and more touches, opening the door for his explosive 14-yard performance. 

But I should stop ragging on the Dolphins, seeing as they won on the road by double digits. That's mainly why they got the bump. Even though it's Cleveland, it's still hard to win on the road in the NFL.

Ryan Tannehill had a solid stat line: 24/38, 272 yards, one TD, one INT. Although, I agree with Mike Wallace that Tannehill didn't throw him the ball enough. I don't care if he's triple covered; ignore Brian Hartline streaking wide open down the field and force it into Wallace!

The real winners are the Dolphins defenders, namely Cameron Wake, who ruined Brandon Weeden's afternoon. They sacked Weeden six times and forced him into three interceptions. That is, I assume they forced him into it, but you never know, he may have thrown three picks willingly.

I picked the Dolphins as a surprise wild card this year, and I'm sticking with them...for now, at least.

15. Indianapolis Colts (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 21-17 vs. Oakland

Last Week: 15

Move: None

It must have been a somewhat disappointing home opener for Indianapolis Colts fans. They don't get dropped because they won their game, but they didn't look great. 

After reeling off 14 points early, the offense went silent until the fourth quarter, which allowed the Raiders to claw their way to a late-game lead. And consequently, the defense had problems defending Terrelle Pryor through the air and on the ground for most of the game.

Andrew Luck didn't have one of those monster stat lines we may have anticipated before this game. We expected he would go Peyton Manning and throw for 400 yards and seven TDs against what we thought was the worst team in football.

He didn't quite hit those marks, but he was highly efficient. He was the most efficient QB in the NFL, according to his QB rating of 95.1. He completed 18 of 23 passes for 178 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. In addition, he scrambled for 38 yards, including the winning touchdown run, which reminded us that Wilson, Kaepernick and Griffin don't have the running-quarterback market cornered.

Reggie Wayne picked up right where he left off last year and made the T.Y. Hilton fanatics feel just a little stupid for saying he's too old.

The Colts take on the Dolphins in Week 2 in a game with huge early-season implications. It seems likely that these two teams may be fighting for a wild-card spot down the stretch, and tiebreakers are supremely important there. Keep an eye on this one.

14. Baltimore Ravens (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 49-27 at Denver

Last Week: 12

Move: Down 2

As I went to sleep last Thursday night, I wanted to drop the Baltimore Ravens about 500 spots. I felt that they got annihilated by Denver. It seemed impossible that they had led at halftime or at all in the game.

What if the Denver Broncos hadn't made the mistakes they did? If Danny Trevathan hadn't done his best DeSean Jackson impression and dropped the ball on the 1-yard line? If they hadn't coughed up two fumbles, the shellacking could have been even worse.

But then I started to come back to Earth a little, and I realized that the Broncos are going to make a lot of teams look silly. 

The Ravens did some good things, especially in the first half. The pass protection for Joe Flacco was near perfect in the first 30 minutes, and the new-look defense was able to hold Peyton Manning to just 14 points, which is not terrible when you consider that the Ravens had 17.

It all just went downhill after the break. Michael Oher left the game with an injury. Jacoby Jones got walloped by a teammate on a punt return and never came back on the field. The Broncos never allowed Ray Rice to get going, and the score forced Flacco to throw 62 times, which I doubt was in the game plan.

I wanted to hate the new Ravens, but when I really think about it, I still believe they could beat half of the teams in the NFL.

13. New York Giants (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 36-31 at Dallas

Last Week: 11

Move: Down 2

I can never get a grasp on the New York Giants. They have to be the most erratic team in recent NFL history. 

David Wilson appears to be a real problem after he lost two fumbles, adding to his already-established reputation of poor ball protection. Da'Rel Scott took over and looked fine in limited time. But reports are that the Giants do not feel comfortable with him carrying the load yet, and so they have re-signed good old Brandon Jacobs.

I don't mean to be harsh, but that's not a solution, New York. You better figure this out and fast, because Denver is knocking on the door in Week 2. 

Eli Manning has his typical four-touchdown, three-interception game, which is great for fantasy purposes but rarely leads to real-world victories. Besides the three interceptions, the Giants passing game looked unstoppable. Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Rueben Randle all had five catches for more than 100 yards. That's individually, just to be clear. Together, they had more receiving yards than 24 NFL teams. And there were still 117 yards to go around to other Giants players.

Obviously, we all know what the problem is here. New York can't turn the ball over six times and expect to win. But that probably isn't going to happen every game, so I'll take the Giants over most teams, hoping that they can just keep the turnover count under four.

12. Dallas Cowboys (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 36-31 vs. New York Giants

Last Week: 13

Move: Up 1

Which brings us to the team that was the benefactor of six Giants turnovers. Talk about a gift. 

Wins in the NFC East are always at a premium, so you can't knock the Dallas Cowboys for their five-point home victory. These games are almost always close, and as I've said a million times by now, the Cowboys got the job done. They did what they had to do.

Now, this isn't to say that Dallas can't improve. The offense accounted for only 23 points, which, when you consider how many short fields they got off turnovers, is not great in terms of efficiency. And a team never want its defense to give up 31 points when so many of the opponent's drives end in turnovers.

The Giants had 14 total drives in the game, six of which halted with interceptions or fumbles. That means of the eight drives that didn't end in a turnover, New York scored on five of them. For the Cowboys defense, that is not good in terms of efficiency.

But let's not focus on all the negatives. The Cowboys were one of the few teams that produced in the ground game in Week 1. DeMarco Murray put in a good effort with 86 yards on 20 carries, which was good enough for sixth in the NFL.

Additionally, Tony Romo completed nearly 75 percent of his passes and threw just one interception, which I count as a victory for him. That was also the Cowboys' only turnover, which is a positive sign for the team in general. 

Overall, the Cowboys won a sloppy game that maybe they shouldn't have. But that's how it goes sometimes. 

11. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 33-27 at Washington

Last Week: 18

Move: Up 7

Well, I figured I may as well overrate the Eagles, seeing as everyone else is doing it.

I picked the Eagles to win in Washington and felt confident about it, too. I've had firsthand experience with Chip Kelly. As a fan of the California Golden Bears, I was there for the very beginning of his head-coaching regime at Oregon. His first year as head coach, 2009, was my freshman year at Cal. That year, Cal was ranked sixth in the country after Week 3, heading into Eugene to play the unranked Oregon Ducks.

Cal was totally obliterated. 

The final score read 42-3, but it felt like 84-0. I don't remember Cal scoring. All I remember is Oregon scoring.

We all know that Oregon took off after that. Four straight appearances in BCS bowl games. Victories in the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. A hard-fought loss in the National Championship game. This all means nothing of course, because the NFL is a completely different monster. But a guy can only be beaten down by Chip Kelly so many times, you know. 

The main issue regarding the Eagles' high-tempo offense is Michael Vick's health. Can he handle that many plays a game? And not only do they run a lot of plays, he gets hit on a lot of them. He was visibly limping toward the end of the game, and the offense became noticeably less dangerous as time wore on. 

But it isn't my job to predict if Vick stays healthy. Right now, I'll take the the Eagles just outside the top 10 until either he gets hurt or the rest of the league figures out how to play defense against them, which I think is probably around Week 4.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 24-21 at Chicago

Last week: 10

Move: None

I still like the Cincinnati Bengals despite the tough loss. The offense was able to move the ball well against a stout Chicago Bears defense.

A.J. Green was a monster, just a total menace. We are getting to the point with him (like with Calvin Johnson) where teams have to draw up formations and game plans specifically directed at stopping him, and it doesn't even matter. He had nine catches, 162 yards and two touchdowns against the Bears secondary. You can't ask for much more, can you?

The running game, frankly, was a problem. I sound like a broken record, I know. But only 11 teams had more than 100 yards of rushing offense this week, so stick with me here.

Andy Dalton had to make up for the lack of a ground game, and, for the most part, he was great. He was 26-of-33 for 282 yards and two touchdowns. However, he threw two interceptions, which you just can't do in close games. His team almost made up for it with big offensive plays and staunch defense but couldn't triumph in the end.

The game changer came early in the fourth quarter. The Bengals were driving into Bears territory, up 21-17. Jay Cutler had just thrown his required gut-wrenching interception. The outlook for the Bears looked bleak. Mohamed Sanu caught a pass for a first down inside the 20-yard line but was stripped by Tim Jennings. The Bears recovered the ball and went down for the go-ahead score. 

Without the turnover, the Bengals are looking at a field goal at least and possibly a touchdown to put them ahead by 10. Instead, the lead evaporated before they got the ball again, and then they saw the Bears run out the last seven minutes of the game.

With what we know about the Bears and the way they force fumbles, that turnover probably doesn't even happen against most teams. The Bengals are still a strong contender and can rebound Monday night against divisional foe Pittsburgh.

9. Chicago Bears (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 24-21 vs. Cincinnati

Last Week: 16

Move: Up 7

Let me start off with the most important and telling stat of this game: Jay Cutler was sacked zero times for a total of zero yards.

That's it, isn't it? That was the last piece of the puzzle for the Chicago Bears: a competent offensive line. I'm not saying that they have the greatest line ever or that the O-line is even going to be capable over the course of the season. But the line was competent Sunday.

The Bengals aren't some pushover defensive front. Last year, they had 51 sacks, just one less than Denver and St. Louis, who tied for the league lead.

Given that much time, Cutler played a good game. He didn't have a great game, because he did throw what should have been a game-ruining interception. But his defense bailed him out.

That's going to happen for Cutler. His defense is the best in the league at forcing turnovers. And that interception was his only mistake. The Bears can live with one interception a game (probably) if the defense is going to step up like it did.

Brandon Marshall had a good showing, while Matt Forte did not. But I like the Bengals defense, so I'm not going to pick on the shortcomings of the Bears offense. At the end of the day, the Bears beat a consistently competitive playoff team that is going to win 10 games this year.

8. Atlanta Falcons (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 23-17 at New Orleans

Last Week: 3

Move: Down 5

I understand that a five-spot drop seems a little harsh for a team that played well and lost to a good team on the road. But I had to reward Houston, Seattle and New England for winning tough games, as well as the 49ers and Packers, both of whom I thought looked like top-five teams, regardless of the outcome of that game.

And of course, I had to move New Orleans up because I picked them to win, they did win, and I would pick them to win again if these teams played tomorrow.

So the Falcons get the short end of the stick with the No. 8 spot, but they still make the cut for the elite tier of NFL teams. 

First, the good: Matt Ryan was 25-of-38 with 304 yards and two touchdowns. He was credited with an interception, but it came on a fourth down at the end of the game, so it doesn't really count. He spread the ball around well and dealt with a lot of pressure, not to mention an uninspired effort from the ground game.

The only question is, why couldn't they punch it in at the end? I feel like I have seen that game-winning drive from "Matty Ice" so many times, yet he falls short against the Saints D? Does that mean the Saints defense might be for real? We'll get to that.

Now, the bad: Steven Jackson. I don't care what the stats say, he didn't look good to me. The box score says he ran 11 times for 77 yards, which is a fantastic yards-per-carry average. However, he broke one run for 50 yards (I'm still not quite sure how, seeing as he was running in slow motion). So if you take that one away, he ran 10 times for 27 yards. That's not such a great average.

Lastly, the average: Atlanta's defense. Drew Brees is good for 300 yards a game, so I wouldn't worry about his 357-yard performance. Atlanta limited New Orleans to just two touchdowns and held on three drives to force field-goal attempts. The Falcons even picked Brees off once.

I mean, what are you going to do? If you had told me the Saints would score just 23 points, I would have told you the Falcons would win. 

Atlanta is going to be fine; it is still a 10-win team. But the offense may have taken just a tiny step back.

7. Houston Texans (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 31-28 at San Diego

Last Week: 8

Move: Up 1

I still don't want to talk about it.

Good for you, Matt Schaub. 

6. Seattle Seahawks (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 12-7 at Carolina

Last Week: 5

Move: Down 1

Like I said, I don't have much to say about this game. The Seattle Seahawks won, but just barely over an inferior opponent. They got a major contribution from an unlikely source—wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, without whom they might be 0-1 right now. 

Russell Wilson ended up with a good-looking stat line. He went for more than 300 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. But he struggled with the Panthers defense. Marshawn Lynch had similar issues. He ran for just 43 yards on the day and only contributed with a 14-yard run down the stretch to put away the game.

All things considered, the Seahawks offense didn't play up to expectations. It was the defense that stood out.

Besides the Panthers' lone scoring drive, the Seahawks allowed them across midfield only twice. Once to Seattle's 41-yard line, where Carolina punted, and the other time to the 24-yard line, where Carolina fumbled away the game. Otherwise, the Seattle defense put on a dominating performance. The defenders are the real heroes of the game, besides Kearse, of course.

The Seahawks are going to need more stellar play from their defense, with the vaunted 49ers offense coming to town Sunday night in a huge Week 2 matchup.

5. Green Bay Packers (0-1)

Week 1 Result: Lost 34-28 at San Francisco

Last Week: 4 

Move: Down 1

The highest Week 1 loser on our list is the Green Bay Packers, sliding in at No. 5. They stuck with San Francisco to the final whistle, and fittingly the difference in the final score was less than a touchdown. They responded to every 49ers score, except for the last one obviously. Had the bounces gone their way, they might have won. 

The defense may a different story. It played spectacularly against Frank Gore and the rush and didn't let Colin Kaepernick beat Green Bay with his feet, as he had seven carries for just 22 yards. The defense just didn't have an answer for Anquan Boldin.

When you play a tough team on the road, you generally don't want to allow 208 yards to one receiver. Boldin caught jump balls; on crossing routes and hooks, he caught everything. However, I would like to point out that his fourth-quarter, fourth-down conversion was a blatant push-off. But you do what you have to do, right?

Few teams can keep up with the Packers (notice how there are only four teams ranked above them), and unfortunately they ran into one of them right off the bat. Again, we shouldn't panic about the Packers. They are going to be fine. They might want to readdress some of their secondary issues, but the 49ers are going to make a lot of secondaries look bad.

4. New Orleans Saints (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 23-17 vs. Atlanta

Last Week: 6

Move: Up 2

This was the biggest win of the week, in my opinion. Green Bay and San Francisco may have been bigger and more explosive, but the Saints just reclaimed the NFC South. 

The Saints offense did what it always does. Drew Brees threw some touchdown passes. Darren Sproles caught six passes out of the backfield. Jimmy Graham made an athletic play to get into the end zone. You know, the usual stuff.

The story was the Saints defense.

Last year, the Saints defense gave up the most yards ever. And they went 7-9. On Sunday, the Saints allowed 367 yards to the high-powered Atlanta Falcons, which puts them at 18th in the league. That's fine! Totally fine! And on top of it, they gave up just 17 points. Only six NFL teams gave up less than that.

It may not seem like a big deal, but it is. 

In their Super Bowl season (2009), the Saints defense gave up 357 yards per game (20th) and 21.3 points per game (25th). This is my whole point: The Saints defense barely has to do anything. The offense is so good with Brees at the helm that it can carry a subpar defense. We learned that they can't carry a historically bad defense, but the defense doesn't have to be amazing.

And the most exciting part was the goal-line stand at the end of the game. I would have bet anything that Matt Ryan was going to get it into the end zone somehow and steal the game for Atlanta. But the Saints held strong. 

I think this team is going somewhere. As long as the defense plays average football, the Saints could go deep.

3. New England Patriots (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 23-21 at Buffalo

Last Week: 2

Move: Down 1

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick just keep chugging along. It doesn't matter who the receivers are. It doesn't matter who the running backs are. It only matters that No. 12 is under center when the offense takes the field.

The Patriots get a slight bump down only because the 49ers looked so good and defeated a stronger opponent in the Packers.

It may not always be the prettiest, but the Patriots just find ways to win. And that's what this is all about, isn't it?

2. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 34-28 vs. Green Bay

Last Week: 7

Move: Up 5

I thought the San Francisco 49ers had one glaring problem: wide receiver. With the absence of Michael Crabtree, I didn't know whom Colin Kaepernick was going to throw to. I didn't think Anquan Boldin would be the answer, that's for sure. That's why I had them down at No. 7. 

Clearly, that isn't going to be a problem whatsoever. There were 412 yards of pass offense that said it's not a problem.

With the defense working like a well-oiled machine, the 49ers are dangerous. They are the only team I believe can run with the Broncos right now. 

They could use a boost in the run game, but who couldn't? Frank Gore will get it back on track. There's nothing else to say about the Niners. They are really, really good.

1. Denver Broncos (1-0)

Week 1 Result: Won 49-27 vs. Baltimore

Last Week: 1

Move: None

What is there to say? The Denver Broncos could have scored even more points? If Wes Welker hadn't fumbled inside Denver's own 5-yard line, the Ravens may not have even broken 20? Peyton Manning could have thrown 10 touchdowns if he wanted to?

Those are all true statements. 

I don't know many things for sure after Week 1 in the NFL. But I do know that the Broncos are in a league of their own.