NFL Power Rankings 2014: Breaking Down Early Pecking Order Before Week 2

One week down in the 2014 NFL season, 16 more to go. Now comes the toughest part of the September slate: judging every team based on tiny tidbits of data.

Week 1 typically defies some thoughts football fans held before the season began. Those who touted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the ultimate sleeper team and the New England Patriots as the future champions are now doubting those predictions, even if they still may come true.

While we obviously can't ignore Week 1, such a small sample size is hardly enough to eviscerate our preseason notions. Just because the New Orleans Saints lost an overtime thriller on the road to the once-again dangerous Atlanta Falcons doesn't mean they plummet down the chart.

Before blowing up these rankings again in a few days, let's take a snapshot of the league's hierarchy heading into Week 2.

32. St. Louis Rams (0-1)

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What started as a promising season for the St. Louis Rams has quickly evolved into chaos. First, Sam Bradford goes down for the season, and now defensive end Chris Long will miss two months to undergo ankle surgery.

St. Louis' strengths were nowhere to be seen in a 34-6 blowout at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings. The ferocious defensive line recorded zero sacks and the running game averaged 3.3 yards per carry.

31. Oakland Raiders (0-1)

The Oakland Raiders' 19-14 Week 1 loss looks much worse after taking a second glance. They managed 158 total yards (25 rushing) to the New York Jets' 402. Derek Carr's 151 passing yards and two touchdowns isn't bad for an NFL debut, but he mustered a mediocre 4.7 yards per attempt against a supposedly depleted Gang Green secondary.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

Things are bad when, "Hey, they looked good for one half!" is considered a sincere compliment. After jumping out to a 17-0 lead over the Philadelphia Eagles, the Jacksonville Jaguars remembered they were the Jaguars. They gave up 34 points in the second half, turning a huge lead into a decisive loss. But at least they momentarily looked good.

29. New York Giants (0-1)

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So much for Eli Manning's 70 percent completion rate. He completed 18 of 33 attempts in a crippling loss to the Detroit Lions, giving him a 54.5 completion percentage along with a measly 163 yards and two interceptions. Numbers Never Lie picked on the slumping quarterback, which isn't hard to do these days.

Did I mention Victor Cruz hasn't scored a touchdown since last September? Or that Calvin Johnson burned New York for another score while you read that last sentence?

28. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)

Considering what everybody expected, the Dallas Cowboys defense only allowing 319 yards in a 28-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers wasn't too bad. Tony Romo had a horrific day with three interceptions, but he won't be the Cowboys' weak link going forward.

27. Cleveland Browns (0-1)

Only the Saints allowed more total yards than the Cleveland Browns (503) last week, and defense was this team's strength last season. On the bright side, rookies Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell filled in seamlessly for the injured Ben Tate, who will miss this weekend's game against New Orleans.

26. Washington Redskins (0-1)

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Washington moved the ball against the Houston Texans, but it finished with six points despite amassing 372 total yards. A loss to Jacksonville this Sunday would banish Robert Griffin III and Co. down to the bottom of the rankings, but the offense should find the end zone much more during Week 2.

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)

Understudy Derek Anderson looked competent for the first time since 2007, and the returning Doug Martin ran for nine yards on nine carries. Not a great debut for head coach Lovie Smith. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost a lot of steam as a trendy playoff contender.

24. Minnesota Vikings (1-0)

Enjoy this good feeling while you can, Viking fans. They'll go from facing Shaun Hill and Austin Davis to five of the league's premier quarterbacks.

Even after decimating the Rams to start the season, it wouldn't be the least bit surprising to see Minnesota drop all five of those tough games.

23. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)

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"Woah," you're likely thinking right now. "What happened to not taking giant leaps after one game?" In this case, the Kansas Chiefs falling to the Tennessee Titans doesn't constitute the upset the records suggest. A depleted offensive line stumbled terribly in its 26-10 loss, as Jamaal Charles compiled just 19 rushing yards while a usually accurate Alex Smith surrendered three interceptions.

The Chiefs benefited from a gracious schedule and a stellar offensive forcefield last season. With both of those gone, they could struggle to finish at .500, yet alone make the playoffs again.

22. Buffalo Bills (1-0)

The Buffalo Bills matched up perfectly with the Chicago Bears. One team can run the ball and the other can't stop the run. A heavy run game led them to an overtime win, but what happens when E.J. Manuel is forced to do more against the Miami Dolphins?

21. New York Jets (1-0)

While out-rushing the Raiders 212-25 last Sunday, the Jets looked like the old, physical powerhouse that made two straight AFC Championship Games in spite of Mark Sanchez. But it came against the Raiders, so let's cool our jets and see if they look as good against Aaron Rodgers in Week 2.

20. Chicago Bears (0-1)

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Stopping the run continued to confound the Chicago Bears during last week's 23-20 loss to the Bills, who gained 193 yards on the ground. If they can't contain the run, it won't matter how many points Marc Trestman's high-powered offense produces.

19. Baltimore Ravens (0-1)

Joe Flacco delivered his first 300-yard passing game since Week 6 last season, but it took him 62 passes to get there. Oddly enough, he fired just as many pass attempts to begin the 2013 season, only that came out of necessity to keep up with the Denver Broncos, rather than necessity from having no running game.

18. Houston Texans (1-0)

Facing the Raiders, Giants, Bills and Cowboys over their next four games, the Houston Texans could become this year's Chiefs. They'll be much better than last year's 2-14 model, but not as great as a misleading record will make some viewers believe. J.J. Watt could very well lead his squad to a 5-0 start before facing the Indianapolis Colts for AFC South supremacy in Week 6.

17. Tennessee Titans (1-0)

If Jake Locker stays healthy, the Tennessee Titans have a fighter's chance to steal the AFC South. In his first game under Ken Whisenhunt's tutelage, the signal-caller threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns during an impressive win. Tennessee's new head coach noted his young quarterback's rapid improvement.

"Jake did great," Whisenhunt said to the Associated Press, via Fox Sports. "All those things we've worked with, footwork-wise and technique-wise, and you saw it. That's really exciting. But it's just one game."

Don't sleep on the Titans, who should also enjoy a fortuitous schedule this season.

16. San Diego Chargers (0-1) 

The San Diego Chargers lost by just one point to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night, but they were outgained by more than 100 yards. A passing defense that ranked No. 29 last season once again looks vulnerable.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)

Pittsburgh played great offensively, but the defense let two rookie rushers nearly steal an upset for Cleveland. For better or worse, these are not your parents' Steel Curtain Steelers.

14. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)

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Michael Floyd took one step closer to supplanting Larry Fitzgerald as Arizona's No. 1 wide receiver. The third-year wideout finished the late victory with 119 receiving yards. Nobody else amassed 30 or more yards through the air.

The Cardinals could really use a victory against the Giants this Sunday, as the 49ers and Denver Broncos await afterward.

13. Miami Dolphins (1-0)

The Miami Dolphins started 3-0 last season and then promptly lost their next four games. Don't hand them the AFC East just yet.

But wow, they made quite the statement by outscoring New England 23-0 during the second half. Finishing the day with 134 rushing yards and a score, perhaps Knowshon Moreno was not just a product of Peyton Manning receiving all of the opposing defense's attention in Denver.

12. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)

On one hand, we shouldn't overreact to the Indianapolis Colts getting their butts whooped by the Broncos. Then again, regression could finally sink in for a team with a combined plus-25 point differential over the past two years. While the Colts went 11-5 during each of those seasons, the Steelers went 8-8 both years with a combined plus-31 point margin.

11. Detroit Lions (1-0)

The Lions pounced on a weak opponent on Monday night, but they also erased some of the self-inflicted wounds that cost them dearly last season. A year removed from trailing only the Giants with 34 turnovers, the Lions didn't suffer a single giveaway, nor did they drop any passes.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, dropped passes also hurt them significantly last year.

If they remain more disciplined under new head coach Jim Caldwell, all the talent is there to seize the NFC North crown.

10. Atlanta Falcons (1-0)

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Hey everybody, look who's back. Quickly erasing the bitter taste of a 4-12 campaign, the Falcons knocked off the Saints at home with 448 passing yards and three touchdowns. Much like Season 4 of Community, write off 2013 as a gas-leak year now that wideouts Julio Jones and Roddy White are back at 100 percent.

9. Carolina Panthers (1-0)

No Cam Newton, no problem. Despite worries of a non-existing wideout corps, Derek Anderson compiled 230 yards and two scores to knock off Tampa Bay. Don't look now, but the NFC South could challenge the West as the conference's toughest division.

8. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

Nick Foles turned the ball over four times. Chad Henne found rookie Allen Hurns deep twice in a shocking first half. The Eagles, however, saved their spot inside the top 10 with a brilliant second half, but natural regression from Foles and a leaking secondary persist as legitimate concerns.

As long as they avoid imploding, the Eagles will still win the dreadful NFC East by default.

7. Green Bay Packers (0-1)

Hey, you try to beat the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Last year's No. 25 defense remains a concern, especially without B.J. Raji, but let's see how the Packers fare against a normal adversary.

6. New England Patriots (0-1)

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You may say one game doesn't matter, but FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver disagrees. His Elo playoff probability model has New England's chances dropped significantly after an ugly opening loss.

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Why such a big shift? Well, every game counts (especially a divisional game; our simulation accounts for playoff tiebreakers). But also, the Patriots now look slightly worse than Elo originally pegged them, and the Dolphins look slightly better. Before Week 1, Miami had projected to win 7.7 games; it now projects to win 9.1. In other words, one NFL win for the Dolphins was worth more than one win in the Elo standings because Miami’s Elo rating improved.

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Tom Brady received a mulligan for his subpar 2013 campaign, but we'll have to rethink that pass if he averages 4.4 yards per pass attempt at Minnesota. The Patriots will probably bounce back, but another division title is not a given.

5. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)

The Cincinnati Bengals benefit from the Packers' and Patriots' mishaps, sneaking into the top five after fending off the Ravens in a close AFC North showdown. They'll have plenty of chances to prove they're for real this season, going up against Atlanta this weekend as well as New England, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Carolina and Denver in 2014.

4. New Orleans Saints (0-1)

After ranking fourth in total defense and second against the pass last season, Rob Ryan's unit got dismantled by Ryan and the Falcons. The dominant performance might say more about the Falcons than the Saints, but it's still an unfortunate outcome for the top threat to block a Super Bowl rematch.

3. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)

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Carlos Hyde needs to keep getting the football. The rookie registered 50 yards on seven carries against Dallas, averaging 7.1 yards per carry to veteran Frank Gore's 4.1. San Francisco should gradually wean off the 31-year-old back to add some big-play potential to the ground game.

2. Denver Broncos (1-0)

There really ought to be more than one space separating the top two teams from everyone else. Never before has a Super Bowl rematch felt more probable than this season, with the Broncos looking better than last year in pursuit of vengeance.

Yes, Andrew Luck nearly rattled off yet another fourth-quarter comeback, but Denver's 21-point second quarter proved enough to score a Week 1 victory. Tight end Julius Thomas, who scored all three touchdowns during those 15 minutes, described on ESPN's NFL Live what it's like to have Manning under center

Look for the defensive additions to show more against Kansas City this Sunday.

1. Seattle Seahawks (1-0)

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The reigning champions tightened their grip on the No. 1 spot with a rousing 36-16 victory over the Green Bay Packers. The Legion of Boom once again shut down a superstar quarterback, limiting Aaron Rodgers to 189 yards, with nothing over 23 yards on the evening.

With the league's premier defense augmented by an efficient offense, the Seahawks are a strong choice to earn the Vince Lombardi Trophy again.