NFL Power Rankings: Which Teams Are Newcomers to League's Elite?

Each season there's always familiar faces near the top of the food chain.

And after last season, not much has changed, as expected; Patriots, Packers, Jets, Saints, Ravens, Eagles, etc...

However, there's also a few teams that have opened some eyes and turned some heads into gaining that same respect and recognition.

So who are these teams?

Let's begin in the AFC. 

San Diego Chargers

 Despite winning the AFC West four consecutive seasons from 2006-09 when they finished with a combined record of 48-18, they only managed to reach the AFC title game one time (2007).

And last season, the Chargers fell apart due to their poor special teams play, only finished 9-7 and lost the division title to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Now however, San Diego has once again reloaded itself and appears to be gearing for another AFC West championship.

Although the special teams still needs to improve, the offense and defense are even better this year, and will carry them back into the postseason. 

Houston Texans

Even though it's only been one week, 2011 has the feel that this is the year for the Texans to finally make the playoffs.

And if there's any fanbase who deserves it, Houston does, as they lost their beloved Oilers to Tennessee in 1997.

With a significantly improved defense, combined with a high-flying offense, head coach Gary Kubiak may have just saved his job for at least the immediate future.

Detroit Lions

 Don't look now, but The Motor City is back on the rise and quickly gaining notoriety as a great NFL team.

Now, the Lions still have a lot of work to do, being that they're in the same division as Green Bay and Chicago, but with as much talent and potential as they have, Detroit could very well earn a wild-card berth in 2011.

Not since the days of Barry Sanders have the Lions been a legitimate contender, and they've only been getting better since WR Calvin Johnson was drafted.

And if there's any city in the country that needs a psychological boost, Detroit is it, after all that's occurred in the economy. 

2011 NFL Power Rankings: Week 2

1. Green Bay Packers (1-0) (LW 1)	17. Indianapolis Colts (0-1) (LW 12)
2. New England Patriots (1-0) (LW 2)	18. Arizona Cardinals (1-0) (LW 23)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) (LW 3)	19. St. Louis Rams (0-1) (LW 18)
4. Baltimore Ravens (1-0) (LW 7)	20. Buffalo Bills (1-0) (LW 28)
5. New York Jets (1-0) (LW 5)	21. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1) (LW 15)
6. New Orleans Saints (0-1) (LW 4)	22. Washington Redskins (1-0) (LW 29)
7. Houston Texans (1-0) (LW 13)	23. Oakland Raiders (1-0) (LW 26)
8. San Diego Chargers (1-0) (LW 10)	24. San Francisco 49ers (1-0) (LW 24)
9. Chicago Bears (1-0) (LW 14)	25. Miami Dolphins (0-1) (LW 19)
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1) (LW 6)	26. Carolina Panthers (0-1) (LW 31)
11. Atlanta Falcons (0-1) (LW 8)	27. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) (LW 32)
12. Detroit Lions (1-0) (LW 17)	28. Tennessee Titans (0-1) (LW 25)
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1) (LW 9)	29. Minnesota Vikings (0-1) (LW 20)
14. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) (LW 21)	30. Denver Broncos (0-1) (LW 22)
15. Dallas Cowboys (0-1) (LW 16)	31. Seattle Seahawks (0-1) (LW 30)
16. New York Giants (0-1) (LW 11)	32. Cleveland Browns (0-1) (LW 27)

Be sure to check out John on Bleacher Report.

And, you can follow him on Twitter @ Sportswriter27.