NFL Power Rankings Week 2: Which Teams Look Like Early Division Favorites?

While it is early in the NFL season, contenders to win their respective divisions are already emerging.

Going into the season, of course, there were a number of teams with high expectations and playoff promise. After Week 1, a number of them still appear to be on track to meet those expectations.

On top of the power rankings for the second week in a row is the Green Bay Packers. The defending Super Bowl champions defeated the New Orleans Saints in a Week 1 shootout, and they take on the Carolina Panthers this Sunday.

They should have little trouble in 2011 reprising their role as playoff contenders, and have the greatest shot of any NFC North team to win that division. Though the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions both won their respective contests last week, it will take a lot more than that for them to unseat Rodgers and the Packers.

More murky is the AFC North; the Baltimore Ravens clinched a decisive victory over the 2010 AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers this past Sunday, beating them 35-7.

While the Steelers are likely to rebound from their loss, starting with this Sunday's home opener against the lowly Seattle Seahawks, it is unlikely that the top contender in the division will emerge this early in the season.

Though both the New England Patriots and New York Jets won their respective Week 1 contests, the Patriots have emerged as the clear front-runner in the AFC East.

The Jets still have issues to resolve on both offense and defense; while the Patriots have some shakiness at defense, as evidenced in their Monday night contest against the Miami Dolphins. Their offensive dominance will carry them to a divisional title and into the postseason.

In the AFC West, the San Diego Chargers are clear favorites, and for good reason. They ended 2010 with one of the statistically best offenses and defenses in the NFL, and they've carried that momentum into 2011.

As long as they can continue to improve on special teams from their dismal outing last season, a divisional title is nearly a lock for the Chargers.

In the AFC South, three teams in chaos have thrust the Houston Texans into the front-runner spot, and it is hard to see them losing their grip on it as the season progresses.

While the Colts, Titans and Jaguars will likely tighten their games as the weeks pass, I do not see it being enough to unseat the Texans from being the favorites to win the division.

NFL Power Rankings, Week 2

1. Green Bay Packers
2. New England Patriots
3. Philadelphia Eagles
4. New Orleans Saints
5. New York Jets
6. Baltimore Ravens
7. San Diego Chargers
8. Pittsburgh Steelers
9. Houston Texans
10. Chicago Bears
11. Detroit Lions
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Atlanta Falcons
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15. New York Giants
16. St. Louis Rams
17. Arizona Cardinals
18. Washington Redskins
19. San Francisco 49ers
20. Miami Dolphins
21. Cincinnati Bengals
22. Cleveland Browns
23. Jacksonville Jaguars
24. Oakland Raiders
25. Carolina Panthers
26. Buffalo Bills
27. Seattle Seahawks
28. Kansas City Chiefs
29. Denver Broncos
30. Indianapolis Colts
31. Tennessee Titans
32. Minnesota Vikings