NFL Power Rankings Week 2: Initial Standings Post-Thursday Night Football

Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are both going to have the opportunity to put up big numbers out of the Cleveland Browns backfield. Need proof? Look no further than their 35-30 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night.

Chubb paced Cleveland's rushing attack with 22 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns, while Hunt had 10 carries for 86 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving). Four days after getting blown out by the Baltimore Ravens in their season opener, the Browns came home and beat an AFC North rival, with their backfield duo playing a big role.

Meanwhile, rookie Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow has started his NFL career with a pair of losses in a five-day stretch. He was frequently airing it out against Cleveland, going 37-for-61 for 316 yards and three touchdowns.

All that offense made for an exciting start to Week 2 of the 2020 NFL season. With the second Thursday night game of the year in the books, here's a look at the NFL power rankings heading into the rest of the Week 2 action.

Current NFL Power Rankings

1. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)

2. Baltimore Ravens (1-0)

3. New Orleans Saints (1-0)

4. Green Bay Packers (1-0)

5. Seattle Seahawks (1-0)

6. Buffalo Bills (1-0)

7. Tennessee Titans (1-0)

8. San Francisco 49ers (0-1)

9. Los Angeles Rams (1-0)

10. New England Patriots (1-0)

11. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)

12. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)

14. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)

15. Minnesota Vikings (0-1)

16. Houston Texans (0-1)

17. Philadelphia Eagles (0-1)

18. Las Vegas Raiders (1-0)

19. Chicago Bears (1-0)

20. Atlanta Falcons (0-1)

21. Los Angeles Chargers (1-0)

22. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)

23. Washington Football Team (1-0)

24. Denver Broncos (0-1)

25. Cleveland Browns (1-1)

26. Carolina Panthers (0-1)

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0)

28. Detroit Lions (0-1)

29. New York Giants (0-1)

30. Cincinnati Bengals (0-2)

31. Miami Dolphins (0-1)

32. New York Jets (0-1)

Top 3 Teams

1. Kansas City Chiefs

Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

There's no reason for any team other than the reigning Super Bowl champions to be in the top spot. After their remarkable 2019 season, the Kansas City Chiefs started this year on a strong note by defeating the Houston Texans 34-20.

Kansas City will have had 10 days to prepare for the Los Angeles Chargers, whom it faces on the road Sunday afternoon in its first AFC West matchup of the season. And after the Chargers squeaked a 16-13 win over the Bengals in Week 1, don't be surprised if the Chiefs roll to a 2-0 start.

Like last year, Kansas City's offense is going to be a problem for opposing defenses. In the season opener, Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes passed for 211 yards and three touchdowns, throwing one apiece to wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins and tight end Travis Kelce. Plus, the Chiefs now have a talented rookie running back in Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut.

In Week 3, Kansas City will be tested when it travels to Baltimore for a Monday night matchup. But the Chiefs will likely be coming off back-to-back wins entering that matchup.

2. Baltimore Ravens

Nick Wass/Associated Press

After going 14-2 last season, the Baltimore Ravens are again poised to be one of the top teams in the NFL. And they opened the 2020 season in dominant fashion, beating the Browns 38-6 at home Sunday.

NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson had 275 yards and three touchdowns through the air against Cleveland, with two of those scores going to tight end Mark Andrews. Rookie running back J.K. Dobbins also had a pair of touchdowns, getting into the end zone twice on the ground.

With Jackson, Dobbins and starting running back Mark Ingram, Baltimore's rushing attack may be even more dangerous than last year. It also has other playmakers on offense and a solid defense, which makes it one of the favorites in the AFC.

The Ravens could face a bit of a challenge in Week 2, as they go on the road to face the Texans, who will be looking to avoid an 0-2 start. However, Baltimore beat Houston 41-7 in Week 11 of the 2019 season, and that was when the Texans still had top wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. So don't be surprised if the Ravens are off to a 2-0 start come Sunday night.

3. New Orleans Saints

Brett Duke/Associated Press

There was a ton of offseason hype surrounding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who brought veterans Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski into an offense that already featured wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. But in Week 1, the New Orleans Saints reminded everybody that they're still the class of the NFC South.

New Orleans beat Tampa Bay 34-23, with quarterback Drew Brees throwing two touchdowns, running back Alvin Kamara scoring twice and Janoris Jenkins notching an interception return touchdown against Brady. And with that performance, the Saints confirmed their status as the top team in the NFC.

The Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and even the Bucs could battle for that billing throughout the regular season. But the Saints remain a strong team with a high-powered offense and solid defense, making them difficult to beat.

In Week 2, New Orleans is traveling to Las Vegas for a Monday night matchup against the Raiders, who will playing in their first game at the brand-new Allegiant Stadium. It's not going to be a happy home debut for Las Vegas, though, as the Saints are likely to win handily and improve to 2-0.