NFL Power Rankings 2014: Predicting Post Week 2 Standings

NFL power rankings are volatile this early in the season.

Lessons learned with regard to league hierarchy after the events of Week 1 can just as easily go out the window in Week 2 as players and staff still shake off the rust, get the timing down and simply show their true selves.

Before Week 2 gets underway with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football, let's take a predictive stance as to how the power rankings will look this time next week after the dust settles on a slate of matchups that is quite stacked.

32. St. Louis Rams

Michael Thomas/Getty Images

Everything that could go wrong, did.

In an ugly loss to Minnesota, Austin Davis was the main man under center and threw for 192 yards and an interception. Zac Stacy only received 11 carries. The defense gave up 345 total yards. The team committed 13 penalties, good for 121 yards.

Fans should not fool themselves into thinking the team stands a chance against a reeling Tampa Bay squad in Week 2.

31. Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders rookie quarterback Derek Carr was everything the team could have asked for in his first NFL contest on the road in the face of a great defense.

Too bad the team around him stinks.

Carr threw for 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the loss, but running back Darren McFadden gained 15 yards on four totes. Maurice Jones-Drew gained 11 on nine.

So no, a game against Houston this week is probably not going to end well.

30. Washington

Robert Griffin III looks lost in new coach Jay Gruden's offense.

In the Week 1 loss to a team that had previously lost 14 straight games, RGIII was quiet with 267 passing yards and three rushes for two yards.

The defense needs some work, too. It allowed Houston to convert 50 percent of its third-down attempts.

A date with Jacksonville in Week 2 is no sure thing.

29. Houston Texans

Now winners of one straight, Bill O'Brien's run to the top of the AFC South can begin in earnest.

Alright, not just yet. But an elite defense led by J.J. Watt is sure to give Oakland's Carr plenty of trouble, and Arian Foster's return to prominence (103 yards on 27 carries last week) bodes well for an offense that will only have game managers under center all season.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Marc Serota/Associated Press

Tampa Bay showed signs of life in garbage time during its Week 1 loss to Carolina.

Not that it means anything.

The Buccaneers are a mess. Josh McCown looks lost without Marc Trestman, and Lovie Smith's defense clearly needs some work.

Now for the good news—the team gets what amounts to an exhibition game against St. Louis.

27. Cleveland Browns

Led by veteran journeyman Brian Hoyer, the Cleveland Browns were oh-so-close to pulling off an AFC North upset over Pittsburgh last week.

Most impressive was the no-huddle attack that gave the Steelers fits, as Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan notes:

As good as that attack looked, the Browns still have a rookie (Terrance West) as their primary back and simply will not be able to keep pace with New Orleans.

It's a better 0-2 than in year's past, but still 0-2.

26. Buffalo Bills

Buffalo managed the top upset of Week 1 thanks to a relatively strong defensive showing and a great effort on the ground from a number or backs—the offense had three players rush for 50 or more yards.

The road doesn't get any easier, though, with Miami set to visit for an AFC East clash. The Dolphins, of course, enter riding high off an upset of their own over New England.

Buffalo has one too many issues to clean up before it can be the favorite in most contests. Quarterback EJ Manuel threw for just 173 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while the team as a whole tallied nine penalties for 108 yards.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars

The road gets a bit easier for Jacksonville in Week 2 after a brief flirtation with relevance against Philadelphia.

The blown lead hurts, but perhaps it was exactly what quarterback Chad Henne and the team needed to take that so-called next step.

As long as the defense can play a consistent four frames and Henne can continue to make fantasy superstars out of relative unknowns, the Jaguars actually have a pretty good chance of stealing one on the road.

24. Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs hit the road to Denver for a Week 2 loss soon.

Unless coach Andy Reid can get it together. 

Against Tennessee, without No. 1 wideout Dwayne Bowe, Jamaal Charles received just seven carries. Seven. Quarterback Alex Smith led the team in rushing. Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star captured Reid's thoughts afterwards:

Even if Reid gets his act together, it is difficult to see his offense being able to match Denver blow-for-blow.

23. New York Jets

Geno Smith led the New York Jets to a gritty Week 1 win over Oakland, but he will have to turn up his production a notch and keep his apparent turnover bug in check for his team to survive a Week 2 trip to Green Bay.

In theory, New York's elite defensive front should have no problems with what is an injured, miserable Green Bay offensive line.

Then again, turnovers from Smith, who threw an interception and fumbled twice against Oakland, just means more opportunities for the defense to face a high-powered offense.

22. Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo did his very best Tony Romo impression Week 1 by throwing three interceptions. 

Should he do so again against a very good Tennessee defense, the result will wind up pretty much the same. 

Dallas simply cannot win a game if Romo plays like that, especially when his offense is complemented by what might end up as the NFL's worst defense by season's end. It is not how the organization intended things to go, but Romo will have to carry the team on his shoulders once again.

21. New York Giants

When it rains it pours.

After a Monday night debacle in which the offensive line was horrific and the defense was about as bad, Eli Manning and the Giants must recover in a hurry with Arizona set to pay the team a visit.

Most concerning is the defense, which gave up 417 total yards to Detroit and made even Calvin Johnson look better than his usual self, as noted by Numbers Never Lie:

It's a lot to fix before an offense with a pair of great receivers trots into town, and the offense has to find some semblance of a running game to stand a chance.

20. Baltimore Ravens

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Off a short week, the Baltimore Ravens have a ton of work to do that would not necessarily fit into a normal workweek.

There is the matter of dropped passes, which destroyed the team's offense in the first half of a loss to Cincinnati. There is also the matter of finding a quality starter after Bernard Pierce was benched for fumbling and Justin Forsett flashed, but only after Cincinnati lost its best linebacker to injury.

Baltimore gets to play at home Thursday, but a divisional clash against Pittsburgh has the look of a loss.

19. Tennessee Titans 

Once again, Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker looks great, as he did in Week 1 against Kansas City when he went for 266 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Although it should be noted that Kansas City coach Andy Reid decided to just up and not use his best player for most of the game.

Anyway, the Titans seem set to make some serious noise in the AFC South provided Locker can actually stay healthy, although a visit from Dallas certainly feels like a trap game that could see him outgunned by Romo.

18. Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta is quietly on the hunt for a division crown this year, although the new-look defense is going to have to do better than giving up 472 yards of total offense as it did last week.

Then again, Matt Ryan threw for 448 and the Falcons pulled off the upset over New Orleans.

Things don't get easier, though, as now the team hits the road to the Queen City and encounters a Cincinnati team that seems to already be firing on all cylinders. Unless the defense fixes a wealth of problems in a hurry, it has the look of a loss.

17. Indianapolis Colts

After nearly pulling off an epic comeback to down Denver, the Indianapolis Colts must show on Monday Night Football against Philadelphia that the defense has a pulse.

This is especially the case after it was revealed that linebacker Robert Mathis suffered a season-ending injury. ESPN Stats & Info breaks down what this means for the unit:

What better way to prove the defense can act as a strong complement to a quality offense than an encounter with one of the league's best offenses under the national microscope?

No pressure.

16. Minnesota Vikings

Strong defense has been the calling card for Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer throughout his career, so it should come as no surprise that his team held St. Louis to three points in Week 1, Sam Bradford or not.

Combine that with Adrian Peterson on the ground, and the team has a very good winning formula.

It's a good time for things to seemingly be coming together, as Zimmer's roster must find a way to win at home when Tom Brady and New England come for a visit.

15. Miami Dolphins

If Miami can get another win to make it two in a row, the team will be one of the fastest risers in all kinds of power rankings.

There seems to be some semblance of balance to the offense, at long last. Ryan Tannehill was only sacked once to start the season after being the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL last year, and running back Knowshon Moreno proved his worth with 134 yards and a score on the ground.

If Miami can go to Buffalo and pick up a win while keeping a defensive line that features Mario and Kyle Williams in check, the Dolphins are in business in a big way.

14. Pittsburgh Steelers

It took a last-second field goal, but Pittsburgh was able to overcome the Browns to start 1-0.

The offense, led by running back Le'Veon Bell (who rushed for 109 yards and a score and added 88 more yards through the air), has the look of an elite unit. That will be put to the test in Week 2 against rival Baltimore, an unpredictable matchup, as ESPN Stats & Info explains: 

Baltimore's aforementioned shoddy play is encouraging, though, so expect the Steelers to pull through courtesy of a great offensive balance.

13. Philadelphia Eagles

For a brief moment against Jacksonville in Week 1, Philadelphia had the look of a massive dud.

Of course, then Chip Kelly's side went on a 34-0 run in the second half to end the game.

Things won't be as easy on Monday night when the Eagles continue their tour of the AFC South, as quarterback Andrew Luck on his own has enough firepower to counter the numbers Kelly's offense posts on the scoreboard.

It has the look of a must-see affair.

12. Chicago Bears

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Arguably the biggest upset of Week 1 went to Chicago, and not in a good way.

An upset at the hands of Buffalo in overtime stings, but it can be simply a blip on the radar in the grand scheme of things—if quarterback Jay Cutler and his offense can go out and have a major rebound in San Francisco.

No, that does not sound likely. Cutler may be able to exploit a questionable secondary, but his defense is an absolute mess despite smart free-agency additions in the trenches such as Jared Allen and Lamarr Houston.

11. San Diego Chargers

Monday's one-point loss to Arizona stings, as Bleacher Report's Christopher Hansen points out:

Of course, there is room for improvement. But one has to wonder just how much can happen with Seattle set to visit the team this weekend.

The San Diego defense seems to be on a rebound tour, but the offense won't be able to accomplish much of anything against Seattle's well-rounded defense.

10. Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals are a scary team, in a good sort of way.

Despite losses such as Darnell Dockett and Daryl Washington, Bruce Arian's defense (he's known for offense) still looks like an outstanding unit. Bleacher Report's Alessandro Miglio concurs:

After a win on Monday night, that dominant unit gets to hit the road to New York and take on the hapless Giants. Expect plenty of turnovers in that one, as the Cardinals can brutalize a weak offensive line and fluster quarterback Eli Manning into mistakes.

9. Carolina Panthers

Carolina got by in Week 1 without quarterback Cam Newton thanks to an encounter with the downtrodden Buccaneers (already, yes).

Week 2 certainly will not be as easy, as Detroit comes to town for a matchup that is as good as anybody's guess.

For Carolina, even a loss won't hurt much as long as Newton's return shows strong signs of improvement right off the bat. Per ESPN.com's David Newton, he will be suiting up for the contest, so any sort of progress with a new-look wideout corps is a good sign.

8. Detroit Lions

It is quite easy to forget that Detroit ranked just outside the top five last year against the rush.

The secondary is a mess, but when Matthew Stafford can get the ball to Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate—who caught six of six targets in a Week 1 victory over the Giants—the team will be able to compensate when the defense cannot uphold its end of the bargain.

A trip to Carolina in Week 2 is a tricky endeavor, but one that should see Stafford have another great game against an up-and-down secondary.

7. New England Patriots

The path does not get any easier for New England in Week 2.

The offense is just fine, as Rob Gronkowski even played well in the team's Week 1 loss to Miami with 40 yards and a touchdown, but the defense is very much a work in progress.

Now the unit has to encounter Peterson, as well as find a way to stop wideout Cordarrelle Patterson. It is a true barometer as to how the rest of the season will go for the unit, so fans had better pray for the best.

6. Green Bay Packers

Despite the opening-week loss, the Packers have plenty of talent to make fans quickly forget about that ugly affair.

While the line in front of quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a mess, the weapons around him are healthy, and he happens to be one of the best in the game. Just ask Jets head coach Rex Ryan, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News:

It won't be pretty—an elite New York defensive front assures that—but Rodgers will lead his team to a 1-1 mark and back where they should be in the power rankings.

5. Cincinnati Bengals

The young Bengals are all grown up.

Andy Dalton threw for 301 yards, and his team got a win in Baltimore for the first time in the last five tries in Week 1, a piece of momentum that will translate well to Week 2 when the Bengals welcome the Falcons to town.

The Cincinnati defense will surely struggle with Atlanta's pair of elite wideouts, but the Falcons defense will be unable to line up and run with the Bengals' wealth of offensive weapons on each down.

It's sure to be Cincinnati's first time in the top five in quite some time.

4. New Orleans Saints

The Saints got the 2014 season off on the wrong foot with an overtime loss in Atlanta, to an NFC South rival, no less.

Now the team is on the hunt to make things right, as a quote from defensive end Akiem Hicks, via the team's Twitter account, illustrates:

But enough with the somber attitude. The Saints remain a surefire contender, and a trip to Cleveland to face a defense that gave up 365 passing yards to start the season will have the Saints back on track in a hurry.

3. San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco feasted against a miserable Dallas defense in Week 1, but the best seems yet to come as Stevie Johnson and rookie back Carlos Hyde continue to solidify their spots on offense.

Defensively, the 49ers appear to not have skipped a beat despite some marquee absences. The unit gets a strong test against the Chicago offense, which features elite receivers Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall, in Week 2.

Still, that game is on the road, and the offense will dine on a miserable Bears defense.

2. Denver Broncos

We'll know more about just how great Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos are after Week 3, which is highlighted by their showdown against Seattle.

For the time being, a matchup with Kansas City isn't going to reveal all that much.

Manning will continue to have no issues throwing the ball, and his defense is a unit that continues to jell. With no player such as Luck to fluster the unit this week, expect an uptick in play on that side of the football to solidify the No. 2 spot in the rankings.

1. Seattle Seahawks

The defending champs must leave the confines of home this week, but do so in the most desirable way possible.

Not that a trip to San Diego is easy, but the Seahawks get to take on a Chargers team that is on a short week thanks to their Monday night game. Even better, Seattle has about 10 days of rest under its belt after kicking off the season.

As Sigmund Bloom of Footballguys.com muses, the Seahawks were easily the most dominant team in Week 1:

The champs are here to stay for a long time, folks.

Statistics courtesy of NFL.com. Advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus (subscription required).