NFL Power Rankings: Are the Green Bay Packers Headed for Super Bowl Repeat?

The Green Bay Packers looked impressive in their win against the New Orleans Saints in the Week 1 opener and because of that, and the fact that they are the reigning Super Bowl champions, they remain at the top of my power rankings for a second straight week.

The Packers are heading into a Week 2 contest against the Carolina Panthers and their surging rookie quarterback Cam Newton, but they shouldn't have a difficult time on either side of the ball.

Green Bay struggled in the secondary against Saints quarterback Drew Brees' passing attack. While Newton had an impressive 400-plus-yard passing game in his debut against the Arizona Cardinals, I do not believe he will repeat his performance against the vastly superior Green Bay Packers.

A repeat Super Bowl season is not out of the question for the Packers. While they have a difficult NFC North division to conquer in 2011, the remainder of their schedule is comparatively less challenging.

Their out-of-division opponents this season come from the AFC and NFC West, two of the weakest divisions in the NFL. Their other two contests are against the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons; these two games are definitely winnable for Green Bay.

Their schedule, combined with the fact that the Packers offense appears to have picked up where they left off in 2010, means that they have a very good shot at reprising their role as the NFC's representatives in this year's Super Bowl.

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