NFL Power Rankings Week 2: Updated Team Records and Review

While some of the NFL's dominant teams truly established themselves with strong performances in Week 1, others stumbled out of the gates and left observers wondering if their preconceived notions were wrong.

There always seems to be a great deal of uncertainty on the heels of the NFL's opening week, and this year is no different in that regard. Although a single week doesn't necessarily tell the story of how the entire season will play out, it provides an interesting snapshot of each team.

The balance of power in the NFL swings wildly on a week-to-week basis. With that said, here is a closer look at the league's hierarchy as it currently stands with just one week in the books.

32. Oakland Raiders (0-1)

The Raiders looked listless offensively throughout much of their Week 1 contest against the New York Jets. That was to be expected to a certain degree with rookie quarterback Derek Carr under center, but it also confirmed that Oakland has a long way to go before being taken seriously as a threat in the NFL.

31. St. Louis Rams (0-1)

Following a 7-9 season in 2013, many expected the Rams to take another step forward this year. They were dealt a major blow prior to the season when quarterback Sam Bradford went down with a torn ACL, and things got even worse in Week 1 when they lost 34-6 to the Minnesota Vikings at home.

With quarterback Shaun Hill now nursing a quad injury for the Rams as well, their future prospects don't look great.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

For one half, the Jaguars looked far superior to one of the NFL's top teams. Unfortunately, that didn't last as their 17-0 lead over the Philadelphia Eagles evaporated with Philly scoring 34 unanswered points in the second half.

Quarterback Chad Henne was actually competent under center, but head coach Gus Bradley's defense is obviously nowhere near where he would like it to be.

29. Cleveland Browns (0-1)

Things looked bleak for the Browns trailing 27-3 against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers at halftime on Sunday. Cleveland stormed all the way back to tie it in the second half, but it wasn't quite enough as Pittsburgh hit a late field goal to win it 30-27.

All eyes were on Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer. He came out of the gates poorly, but he turned it around and seemingly earned the respect of his teammates. According to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer, Browns cornerback Joe Haden loved what he saw out of Hoyer.

"Oh, man, I'm so proud of Hoyer," Haden said. "He was commanding the offense, controlling it, coming off to the sideline fired up, hot, just all in the defense's face and the offense's face. It just spread around the team. Everybody was walking around hyped, motivated."

As well as Hoyer performed down the stretch, he will need to finish and rack up some wins if he wants to avoid being overtaken by Johnny Manziel.

28. New York Giants (0-1)

The 2014 season feels like a make-or-break year for the Giants and head coach Tom Coughlin. Things are certainly trending toward break after one week as New York fell to the Detroit Lions 35-14 on Monday Night Football.

The G-Men were brutal on offense and simply couldn't stop the combination of Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. New York won't face such explosive offenses on a weekly basis, but it can't afford to turn in many more performances like Monday's.

27. Washington Redskins (0-1)

Things are supposed to be different this season for quarterback Robert Griffin III and Washington's offense now that he is another year removed from ACL surgery. Week 1 looked an awful lot like the 2013 campaign, though, as the Redskins fell 17-6 to the Houston Texans.

Despite having a host of weapons surrounding him, RG3 led just one scoring drive. The NFC East is a division that could be there for the taking, but the Redskins won't contend if they continue playing like this.

26. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)

It was widely assumed that the Cowboys' defense would be an issue this season, but the offense was just as bad during Dallas' 28-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Quarterback Tony Romo threw three interceptions, which even has ESPN's Skip Bayless wondering if the Cowboys' gunslinger is on the decline:

The Cowboys are so poor defensively that they can't afford to make many mistakes on offense. If Romo continues to play like this, it will be an extremely long and disappointing season in Big D

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)

The Buccaneers had a golden opportunity to start off 1-0 with a home game against the Cam Newton-less Carolina Panthers. Instead, backup Derek Anderson led the Panthers to a road triumph and left Bucs fans questioning whether or not the offseason moves made by the organization will lead to a better on-field product.

24. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)

There was no bigger surprise in the NFL last season than the Chiefs. It was obvious that it would be difficult for them to achieve that level once again in 2014, but the campaign couldn't have started off much worse with a 26-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

The most disturbing aspect of the loss was the limited usage of running back Jamaal Charles. He had just 11 touches and far less yards than he registered in his worst game last year, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk:

If Charles isn't leaned on more heavily moving forward, then Kansas City will certainly experience a huge drop-off.

23. Chicago Bears (0-1)

Chicago trailed for much of Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills at home but managed to force overtime. The Bears should have had momentum on their side, but they ultimately lost 23-20 due largely to their inability to stop the run.

Buffalo racked up nearly 200 yards on the ground, which neutralized Chicago's good work on offense. The Bears may have one of the most explosive offenses in football, but they won't go far if their defense continues to get gashed.

22. New York Jets (1-0)

The Jets are 1-0 after beating the Raiders in Week 1, but it is tough to get too excited about them. With that said, the tandem of Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson excelled on the ground, and quarterback Geno Smith looked competent with just five incompletions.

Until New York faces a true test and conquers it, though, expectations should be tempered.

21. San Diego Chargers (0-1)

San Diego appeared to have a firm grasp on its Monday Night Football meeting with the Arizona Cardinals as it led by 11 points entering the fourth quarter. The Chargers surrendered two touchdown drives, though, and disappointingly fell 18-17.

The Bolts have a strong team and should be able to bounce back, but giving away wins in the NFL is a sure way to miss out on the playoffs.

20. Houston Texans (1-0)

The new-look Texans got their season off to a strong start by beating the Redskins 17-6, but it wasn't all smiles in Houston. No. 1 overall draft pick Jadeveon Clowney suffered a torn meniscus, and the exciting pass-rusher is expected to miss at least four weeks, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:

That obviously hurts Houston, but the bigger concern moving forward may be quarterback play. Ryan Fitzpatrick managed the game effectively against Washington; however, it remains to be seen if he can captain a playoff-bound ship.

19. Buffalo Bills (1-0)

Few expected the Bills to march into Chicago and come away with a victory as touchdown underdogs, but that is exactly what they did. The three-headed monster of Fred Jackson, C.J. Spiller and Anthony Dixon befuddled the Bears all afternoon.

Quarterback E.J. Manuel wasn't great, but he did enough to win. As long as he can play largely mistake-free football this season, Buffalo has a good enough running game and defense to contend for a playoff spot.

18. Green Bay Packers (0-1)

The Packers didn't look great on either side of the ball in their season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks, but that was likely more a case of Seattle being great than Green Bay being terrible. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn't get off to an ideal start, although it is tough to imagine him having many more games like that.

Even after losing to Seattle, Green Bay may still be the class of the NFC North. Until the Packers make a statement, though, they have to be considered a middle-of-the-pack team.

17. New England Patriots (0-1)

There were a few shockers in the season's opening week, but none compared to the Patriots' 33-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The Pats held a 20-10 lead at halftime, but Miami stormed back and outscored New England 23-0 in the second half.

The Patriots are now in very unfamiliar territory, alone in last place following wins by the Dolphins, Bills and Jets. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, this is something that never previously happened under quarterback Tom Brady:

Brady and the offense looked good in the opening half, but things went haywire in the second. Perhaps it is nothing more than an outlier, but it is also possible that Brady simply doesn't have enough weapons to thrive.

16. Baltimore Ravens (0-1)

A late bomb from Joe Flacco to Steve Smith seemingly put the Ravens on course to start 1-0, but the Cincinnati Bengals answered back with a long touchdown of their own to deal Baltimore a difficult home loss to start the season.

The big story came on Monday, though, when the Ravens released running back Ray Rice after video of him striking his wife was released, according to ESPN.com. The video sparked a public outcry from many, including future Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez:

Releasing Rice will hurt the Ravens' running back depth, but it was a move that had to be made without football in mind. If Baltimore can get past this awful situation and focus on the task at hand, then it has a chance to reach the postseason.

15. Tennessee Titans (1-0)

The Titans entered 2014 as a potential sleeper team, and they made their presence known by crushing the Chiefs 26-10 on the road. In addition to shutting down Charles and Kansas City's vaunted running game, Tennessee moved the ball effectively on offense throughout the game.

The health and overall play of quarterback Jake Locker will have a huge impact on how far the Titans go this season. He looked great against the Chiefs, and it is certainly possible that he is starting to turn the corner.

14. Minnesota Vikings (1-0)

Like the Titans, the Vikings kicked off their season with a convincing victory away from home. Minnesota easily defeated the Rams 34-6, and they did so despite the fact that running back Adrian Peterson was merely ordinary with 75 rushing yards.

Blowing someone out without AP dominating is something Minnesota never would have done in past years. With wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson making plays, quarterback Matt Cassel running the offense effectively and the defense thriving as well, the Vikes are definitely a team to watch.

13. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)

Week 1 was ripe with comebacks, and the Colts were nearly able to complete a big one. Indy outscored the Denver Broncos 17-7 in the second half, but they fell a score short as Denver prevailed 31-24 to open the season.

The Colts' defense played respectably as Peyton Manning didn't exactly light them up. Also, quarterback Andrew Luck had a big second half, which is something Indianapolis should be able to build off. The AFC South definitely looks stronger this year than it did in 2013, but the Colts still have to be considered the favorites.

12. New Orleans Saints (0-1)

The Saints seemed to have the Atlanta Falcons down and out on a number of occasions in Week 1, but they allowed their NFC South rivals to strike back numerous times. When push came to shove, the Saints simply couldn't slow down quarterback Matt Ryan and the Atlanta offense.

A fumble by wide receiver Marques Colston in overtime turned out to be the difference, but Saints fans shouldn't be too distraught. Although the defense may not be quite as good as last season, New Orleans can still move the ball on anyone. Look for the Saints to bounce back and prove that they are still Super Bowl contenders.

11. Atlanta Falcons (1-0)

After an absolutely miserable 2013 season, the Falcons desperately needed to start 2014 on a good note. That is precisely what happened. They displayed a never-say-die attitude and defeated the Saints in a huge divisional clash at home.

Ryan's play was the difference, as he threw fot 448 yards and three touchdowns on the day. He also led game-tying and game-winning drives in the fourth quarter and overtime, which has become his specialty, according to ESPN Stats & Info:

Atlanta will have to score a ton of points all season long since its defense doesn't look particularly good, but Ryan has the weapons to make that happen.

10. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)

Just as they did so many times last season, the Cardinals essentially came back from the dead Monday night to defeat the Chargers in dramatic fashion. Quarterback Carson Palmer threw a pair of touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, and Arizona proved that it isn't flash in the pan.

The Cards still have an uphill climb on their hands with the Seahawks and 49ers standing in their way, but their grittiness is a major asset. If Arizona continues to display this type of resiliency, it will be a factor in the NFC.

9. Miami Dolphins (1-0)

The Dolphins have the Patriots' number in Miami during the Brady era, but that didn't make their victory on Sunday any less surprising and impressive. The Dolphins' new offense gave New England fits in the second half, and their defense shut the Pats down as well.

Miami's running attack was key with free-agent acquisition Knowshon Moreno gashing the Patriots for the second consecutive year. It remains to be seen if quarterback Ryan Tannehill has what it takes to lead a playoff team, but it looks like he has the pieces around him needed to succeed.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)

Sunday could have been a devastating day for the Steelers and their fans. They allowed the Browns to orchestrate a huge comeback. In the end, though, Pittsburgh had just enough magic to drive for a game-winning field goal.

It is somewhat disconcerting that the defense let Cleveland back in it, but Pittsburgh's offense truly shined. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was extremely productive, as was running back Le'Veon Bell. This Steelers team is constructed much differently than the ones that relied on defense first, but it can still be extremely successful.

7. Carolina Panthers (1-0)

It would have been easy for the Panthers to fold in Week 1 as underdogs on the road without their starting quarterback, but that wasn't the case. Carolina rallied around Anderson and defeated the Buccaneers in impressive fashion.

The defense was largely responsible for the win, but Anderson held up his end of the bargain as well. According to Rotoworld Football, Cam Newton is expected to be ready and under center for Carolina in Week 2:

That will give the Panthers an added dimension on offense, and it will make them even more dangerous moving forward.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

The Eagles couldn't get anything going in the first half on Sunday as they were shut out 17-0 by the Jaguars. The second half was a totally different story, though, with Philly racking up 34 points and surrendering none to win in comfortable fashion.

Quarterback Nick Foles certainly didn't have his best game, but running backs LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles provided support, while the defense buckled down as well. It wasn't a vintage performance by a Chip Kelly-led offense, but things should get better as the season progresses.

5. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)

It took a late 77-yard bomb from Andy Dalton to A.J. Green in order to get the job done, but the Bengals once again established themselves as the AFC North favorites by defeating the Ravens on the road in Week 1.

Cincinnati struggled to finish drives and had to settle for five field goals, but the defense was solid, and the offense was timely. The Bengals won't be able to take that next step until they start winning playoff games, but they clearly have a team capable of getting there.

4. Detroit Lions (1-0)

The Lions may very well be one of the most talented teams in the NFL, and their stars certainly shined on Monday Night Football against the Giants. Detroit defeated New York 35-14 as quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Calvin Johnson hooked up for a pair of touchdowns.

Megatron finished the night with seven grabs for 164 yards, and his current pace is quite insane, courtesy of ESPN's Numbers Never Lie:

Johnson won't reach those stats since most teams aren't likely to single cover him like the G-Men did. When teams decide to commit extra defenders to him, though, it will open things up for his teammates. As long as Detroit's defense is at least average in 2014, this team has a chance to do some major damage.

3. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)

There were definitely some concerns regarding the 49ers entering Week 1 due to a multitude of injuries and suspensions on defense. Even so, San Francisco picked off Romo and the Cowboys on three occasions and came away with a comfortable 28-17 win on the road.

The defense was fine, but the offense was even better. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick was decisive, while the running back duo of Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde provided an excellent dynamic. If the Niners continue to play like this offensively, then they will be even more dangerous when they start to get their guys back on defense.

2. Denver Broncos (1-0)

Things got a bit sketchy for the Broncos in the second half, but they ultimately got retribution for their loss to the Colts last season with a 31-24 win on Sunday Night Football. Manning threw three first-half touchdowns against Indy's defense, and tight end Julius Thomas was the recipient of them all.

With Thomas' contract set to expire at the end of the season, Bleacher Report's Jason Cole pointed out that he is already making himself a lot of money:

Denver's main focus at this point is getting back to the Super Bowl and winning it all after getting routed by the Seahawks last season. Seattle still looks like a more complete team, but the Broncos made it clear in Week 1 that they are still the class of the AFC.

1. Seattle Seahawks (1-0)

Crushing the Broncos in the Super Bowl was a tough act for the Seahawks to follow, but they did themselves justice in Week 1 by making the Packers look ordinary. Seattle thrived on both sides of the ball, and it essentially announced to the rest of the league that it is still very much the team to beat.

Not only did the Seahawks' defense shut down Green Bay's offense, but quarterback Russell Wilson, running back Marshawn Lynch and wide receiver Percy Harvin gave the Packers' defense fits as well. It won't be east, but Seattle has all the makings of a team that could potentially go undefeated in 2014.

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