NFL Week 2 Power Rankings: Good News/Bad News Edition

The first two weeks of NFL power rankings are primarily based on speculation on how each team will perform moving forward, and often how recent history suggests they will perform. 

Right now there are seven teams at 2-0, seven teams at 0-2, and 18 teams at 1-1 who are occupying all the space in the middle.  To this point only two teams have proven to be absolute standouts, but half the league is within one game of them and nobody is here to kiss the rings. 

Week 2 of the NFL season saw it all: the good (Bills stun the Raiders), the bad (feeble Seahawks shutout in Pittsburgh) and the ugly (Michael Vick’s Atlanta homecoming).

Biggest slide: Jacksonville Jaguars (-11)

Biggest jump: Tennessee Titans (+8)

Now, let the finest WAG representative from each team be your shoulder to cry on as I break down all of bad news (and good news!) for each of the 32 teams. 

32. Kansas City Chiefs, 0-2 (-3)

The Chiefs were outscored 89-10 in their first two games against the Bills and Lions.  Granted, these aren’t the same old Lions and Bills but they aren’t exactly the Packers, Patriots, Steelers or Jets; all of whom the Chiefs will be facing down the stretch. 

Bad news: It’s impossible to sugarcoat the fourth-worst start in NFL history.  Matt Cassel’s numbers against the Bills weren’t good, but against the Lions they were worse; he was 15-of-22 with no touchdowns and three interceptions.  Starting RB Jamaal Charles is out for the year with a knee injury, compounding their already problematic injury situation.  And now with head coach Todd Haley reportedly on the hot seat, sources close to the organization believe GM Scott Pioli wants to bring in Josh McDaniels to replace him.  

Good news: Sorry, Chiefs fans, I wish I had something for you besides my condolences. 

Up next: Kansas City @ San Diego  

31. Seattle Seahawks, 0-2 (-1)

The Seahawks suffered a brutal defeat at the hands of the Steelers in a game that wasn't nearly as close as the final 24-0 score would indicate.  The Steelers were hungry after their Week 1 defeat in Baltimore and a new, but substantially less intimidating, bird was on the menu. 

Bad news: In the first two games: their running game has been bad (under 100 rushing), they’ve racked up penalties (17-138), they’re not converting third downs (2-27), and they’re averaging 3.45 total yards per play. 

Good news: QB Tavaris Jackson has been substantially less terrible than anticipated!  The more games the Seahawks lose, and they will lose most of them, the more people are going to point the finger at Jackson, but as of right now he is not the reason they are losing games. Plus the division, though slightly improved, is still pretty terrible.

Up next: Arizona @ Seattle

30. Indianapolis Colts, 0-2 (+2)

The Colts lost their second consecutive game, falling to 0-2 for the first time since Peyton Manning’s rookie season in 1998.  They didn’t look quite as bad against the Browns as they did against the Texans, but that has less to do with the Colts and more to do with the Browns.   

Bad news: There’s no new information on the return of Peyton Manning, and Kerry Collins looks like a guy who was retired a few weeks ago; he was 19/38 for under 200 yards, a touchdown, a pick and a fumble.  Unfortunately, the Steelers are coming to town next week, which means things aren’t likely to improve. 

Good news: The running game improved significantly in Week 2, and Week 1 fumble machine Collins only fumbled once.  Oh, and the Chiefs are coming to Indianapolis on Oct. 9!   

Up next: Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis

29. Minnesota Vikings, 0-2 (-3)

The Vikings lost their second consecutive game, falling to the Bucs 24-20, despite leading 17-0 at halftime.  So far Year 3 of the aging retread quarterback experiment in Minnesota is faring no better under head coach Leslie Frazier than it did under the surly eye of “Chilly.”

Bad news:  Donovan McNabb continues his decline into a highly ineffective QB, completing just over 50 percent of his passes for a paltry 267 yards with one touchdown and a pick over two games.  Yes, it has only been two games, but McNabb hasn’t really shown anything that should give Vikings fans hope that the offense can become more than just Adrian Peterson.  By the way, where has Percy Harvin been?

Good news:  Tarvaris Jackson has been awful in Seattle, and McNabb actually played much better against the Bucs, which should be expected, considering he was only 7/15 for a laughable 39 yards against the Chargers in Week 1.  Adrian Peterson is going to punch the clock and churn out 100+ yards each week, so McNabb doesn’t have to be great, he just has to avoid being a liability.

Up next: Detroit @ Minnesota

28. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1-1 (-11)

The Jaguars are 1-1 after getting thoroughly beaten down by the Jets.  The final score of 32-3, as bad as it was, does not fully capture how terrible Jacksonville played in every phase of the game. The only teeny, tiny bright spot was the ever-dependable “Pocket Hercules.”

Bad news: Luke McCown was named the starting QB when the organization unceremoniously dumped the serviceable David Garrard after nine seasons; six days before the season opener.  McCown stuck it to them on behalf of Garrard with a shockingly bad performance; he was 6/19 for 59 yards, no touchdowns and four picks.  Gah!

Good news:  The Blaine Gabbert era begins.  Gabbert and the Jaguars may not win very many games this season, but at least the franchise will see what they have in the University of Missouri product.  He wasn’t great in the preseason, but neither was Cam Newton.  How has that turned out so far?  The Jaguars will see for themselves this week.

Up next: Jacksonville @ Carolina

27. Miami Dolphins, 0-2 (+1)

The Dolphins were gashed by Texans’ running back Ben Tate and couldn’t take advantage of their opportunities on the way to their fifth 0-2 start in six years.  The 23-13 home loss before a half-empty stadium continues Miami’s impressive home losing streak; they’re 1-11 at home since 2009.

Bad news:  The Dolphins look tragic and during his post-game press conference, (sitting duck) Tony Sparano responded to the loss with, “I don’t have any answers for it.” That has got to be depressing for Dolphins’ fans.   

Good news:  The Dolphins are not an entirely bad team; they were trailing 16-13 until the middle of the fourth quarter when Andre Johnson sealed it with a 23-yard TD catch.  Rookie running back Daniel Thomas had a nice debut, carrying the ball 18 times for 107 yards. 

Up next: Miami @ Cleveland

26. St. Louis Rams, 0-2 (-3)

The Rams lost 28-16 to the Giants in a game that neither team seemed eager to win.  An 0-2 start is nothing new to fans in St. Louis, but this one has got to hurt a little considering the progress the team made last season.

Bad news:  The perennially injured Steven Jackson is hurt again, and the offense, led by second-year starter Sam Bradford, looks out of sync.  Cadillac Williams started in place of Jackson and was notable only for one of the biggest gaffes of the young season thus far.  Bradford looked like he had regressed from his rookie season behind a leaky offensive line.  With the Ravens visiting next week, things could get a lot uglier before they get better.

Good news:  The Rams are in the unimpressive NFC West. For every awful moment, Sam Bradford makes a throw that flashes his true potential.  If the offense can become more consistent, there is no reason to believe the Rams won’t be in the mix to win the division.

Up next: Baltimore @ St. Louis

25. Denver Broncos, 1-1 (+6)

The Broncos beat the Bengals in one of uglier games of the week but who cares if it wasn’t pretty?  Any win at all is going to divert attention from the Tim Tebow circus they’re dealing with in Denver; and that is a very good thing. 

Bad news: Fumbles have plagued this team so far, and the Broncos aren’t talented enough to overcome constant turnovers. 

Good news: Kyle Orton looked better than he did in Week 1 against the Raiders.  Orton also got an awful lot of help from RB Willis McGahee, who rushed for over 100 yards and a touchdown. 

Up next: Denver @ Tennessee   

24. Cincinnati Bengals, 1-1 (-3)

The Bengals lost a close one to the Broncos in Denver but it certainly wasn’t all bad news for Bengals fans.  Nobody expected this to be a great game, but Bengals rookie QB Andy Dalton, who was coming back from a wrist injury that knocked him out of the game in Week 1, actually put on a show worth watching.     

Bad news: The Bengals were 1/11 on third down and only managed a paltry 72 rushing yards.  Cedric Benson looked impressive in Week 1 against the Browns, but the Bengals are going to need more consistent play from their starting RB if they want to surprise this year. 

Good news: Rookies Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are already in synch; Dalton connected with Green 10 times for 124 yards and a touchdown.  They have got to be thrilled about that in Cincinnati. 

Up next: San Francisco @ Cincinnati    

23. Carolina Panthers, 0-2 (-1)

Panthers’ rookie QB Cam Newton racked up his second impressive loss in a row against the Packers.  Seriously though, that wasn’t sarcasm, Newton has been so electric in his first two games that he’s managed to make losing look good. 

Nobody expected the Panthers to compete in their division this year, and they won’t, but Newton gives Carolina fans some much-needed hope.

Bad news: The biggest problem the Panthers have right now is their lack of rushing production.  DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are considered one of the best RB tandems in the NFL, but they’ve combined for a total of only 84 yards over the first two games.  These guys need more touches and more yards per carry because Newton can’t carry this team like he carried Auburn. 

Good news: They may be 0-2, but they’ve been competitive in each game and they hung with the Super Bowl champs until the very end.  The best news of all, though?  The Jacksonville Jaguars come to town this weekend. 

Up next: Jacksonville @ Carolina     

22. Cleveland Browns, 1-1 (+5)

The Browns improved to 1-1 by knocking off an increasingly hopeless Colts team.  They improved upon their Week 1 performance against the Bengals and looked substantially better on both sides of the ball. 

Bad news: The Colts weren’t much of a test, so it’s hard to give the Browns a lot of credit for their massive improvement.  Their game against the Dolphins this weekend, who are obviously better than the Colts at this point, will be a better test. 

Good news: The Browns have clearly improved as team since this time last year, which means they are in a substantially better position than a number of other organizations. 

Up next: Miami @ Cleveland      

21. San Francisco 49ers, 1-1 (-2)

After their thrilling Week 1 victory against the Seahawks, the 49ers managed to hang with the Cowboys through four quarters before losing by a field goal in overtime. 

Bad news: The play of QB Alex Smith, who is in his sixth season with the 49ers, continues to underwhelm.  RB Frank Gore is playing like he doesn’t care a lick about earning the incentive bonuses built into his new contract.  And their offense has only converted 25 percent of third downs through the first two games.    

Good news: Smith has been underwhelming, but he hasn’t been abysmal.  That’s a win, right?

Up next: San Francisco @ Cincinnati       

20. New York Giants, 1-1 (+4)

The Giants beat the Rams in what might have been one of the worst Monday Night Football games of all time.  The Rams looked bad, but somehow the victorious Giants came away looking a lot worse. 

Considering the chorus of boos that greeted him after a very ugly home win, Eli Manning’s enthusiastic post-game interview with Suzy Kolber was mind-boggling; that kid is clueless. 

Bad news: If two players faking injuries is the only way the Giants can stop an erratic Sam Bradford (and he looked much worse than his 331 passing yards suggest), this season is going to be bleak for G-Men fans.  They lost another player for the season when WR Domenik Hixon went down with a torn ACL for the second straight year. 

Good news: They won the game.  Enjoy it now, Giants fans, something tells me W’s are going to be few and far between this season. 

Up next: NYG @ Philadelphia

19. Arizona Cardinals, 1-1 (-4)

The Cardinals moved to 1-1 after a late Graham Gano field goal allowed the Redskins to walk away with a 22-21 victory. Call it “Hightower’s Revenge.” 

After an electrifying Kolb-to-Fitzgerald 73 yard touchdown pass to pad their fourth-quarter lead, the Arizona defense let the team down when it mattered most. The defense has given up 932 yards in two games. Yikes.

Bad news:  The defense is giving up a ton of yards, both in the air and on the ground, and made the combination of Tim Hightower and rookie Roy Helu look like Marcus Allen and Bo Jackson.  The Cardinals have dominated the putrid NFC West two of the last three years, living and dying by their ability to outscore the other team and rack up wins again the likes of the lowly Seahawks, 49ers, and rebuilding Rams.  It looks like this trend is going to continue.

Good news:  Beanie Wells ran hard and the Kevin Kolb trade is already paying off; if John Skelton was behind center, the score would have been 22-0.  The Cardinals have a great shot to win the NFC West and be a dangerous 9-7 playoff team once again. 

Up next: Arizona @ Seattle  

18. Oakland Raiders, 1-1 (+2)

Going into the locker room at halftime with a 21-3 lead over the Bills, the Raiders probably thought they were well on their way to improving to 2-0.  That could explain why they took most of the second half off, yielding 35 points to the determined Bills on the way to a 38-35 loss. 

Bad news: The Raiders surrendered a nearly three-touchdown lead in just over a quarter of football; that does not bode well with their next three games being against the Jets, Patriots and Texans, respectively. 

Good News: QB Jason Campbell, having only turned the ball over once in his first two games, is finally providing the Raiders with the stability they’ve lacked at the position for years.  Plus, RB Darren McFadden looks poised to repeat the 1,000+ rushing performance he gave in 2010.

Up next: NYJ @ Oakland                                                                                                                         

17. Tennessee Titans, 1-1 (+8)

Even before losing in Jacksonville, the Titans were kinda left for dead this year, weren’t they?  One win does not a season make, but a signature win against a perennial contender like the Ravens is what this Titans team needed to get back on the radar.

Bad news: Chris.  Johnson.  The RB, who thinks he’s worth as much as Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, has rushed for a whopping 77 yards in the first two games.  Johnson is averaging 2.3 yards per carry.  Seriously, dude?

Good News:  The good news is that QB Matt Hasselbeck and his new favorite target, WR Kenny Britt, have been picking up Johnson’s slack.  In his first season with the Titans, Hasselbeck ranks an impressive sixth amongst QB’s in passing yards, ahead of both Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford.  Team veteran Britt is ranked second amongst WR’s in receiving yards, behind only Carolina’s Steve Smith. 

Up next: Denver @ Tennessee

16. Buffalo Bills, 2-0 (+0)

It’s really difficult to say just how good the Bills are at this point, which is why they’ve stayed put at 16.  My instinct says they’re the real deal, but like everyone else, I’m anxious to see how they perform at home in Week 3 against New England.     

Bad news: They gave up 21 of the Raiders' 35 points in the second quarter, and that kind of defensive lapse will usually cost a team the game.  The Bills defense looked bad against a good, but not great, Raiders team; how will they look against the Patriots next week?

Good News:  Well, if the defense is the bad news, the offense is the good news.  Their offensive stats were even better against the Raiders than the Chiefs: 481 net yards, 223 rushing, 258 passing, 2-of-2 on fourth-down conversions, and they gained a stunning 9.3 yards per rush attempt.

Up next: New England @ Buffalo    

15. Dallas Cowboys, 1-1 (+3)

Tony Romo went from zero to hero in one week by playing through a fractured rib and a punctured lung, leading his Cowboys to an overtime victory against the 49ers. 

Bad news: Well, the bad news is that starting QB Tony Romo has a fractured rib and a punctured lung.  Romo showed his mettle by playing through the pain in Week 2, and it looks like he’s probably going to get the start in Week 3, but at this point his durability is definitely a concern.  Their divisional rival, the Redskins are coming to Dallas and have already said they will be going fast and hard at Romo’s ribs.   

More bad news (sorry, Cowboys fans):  Leading WR Miles Austin injured his hamstring and is likely out this weekend, WR Dez Bryant is expected to play, but was out with an injury in Week 2.  These injuries come as the Cowboys face what might be the toughest three-game stretch of their schedule; Redskins, Lions, and the Patriots in Foxborough.   

Up next: Washington @ Dallas   

14. San Diego Chargers, 1-1 (-6)

The Chargers put up 21 points against the Patriots, but were still two touchdowns and a two-point conversion short of a win.  They rallied late in the game with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns; unfortunately, both scores were matched by Tom Brady’s Patriots.     

Bad news: Chargers’ QB Philip Rivers has turned the ball over five times (4 INT, 1 FUM) in two games, which means at this point he has one more turnover than he has touchdowns.  Maybe it’s just a little rust, but he’s got to play better, because this team is built on his arm. 

Good news: The Chiefs visit San Diego next weekend, so there’s almost no chance that the Chargers will fall to 1-2.   

Up next: Kansas City @ San Diego  

13. Chicago Bears, 1-1 (-8)

Will the real Bears team please step forward?  The Bears turned in the exact opposite performance of their opening 30-12 victory over the Falcons by losing to the Saints 30-13 in Week 2.  The Packers’ visit to Chicago next week should clear up the confusion. 

Bad news: Jay Cutler’s completion rate plummeted from 69 percent in Week 1 to 42 percent in Week 2; he’s fumbled in each of the first two games, and his offense is only converting 28 percent of third downs. 

Good news: Matt Forte turned in another standout performance and continues to be the best RB in addition to the best WR.  Maybe he can’t do it all, but it certainly seems like he’s willing to try.   

Up next: Green Bay @ Chicago  

12. Washington Redskins, 2-0 (+2)

The Cardinals were almost 2-0, but a surprisingly tough and suddenly resilient Redskins team was able to bounce back from a fourth-quarter Cardinals touchdown.  Their game-winning drive went 73 yards in 5:41, and kicker Graham Gano sealed the victory with a 34-yard field goal. 

Bad news: Despite not throwing any in Week 1, it’s obvious that QB Rex Grossman still has a penchant for throwing the ill-timed interception.  Grossman has got to clean up his game if he wants to change the perception of him around the league; and if you live in Washington, you know that’s a priority for him. 

Good news: For the first time in a while, the good news outweighs the bad for the Redskins.  RB’s Tim Hightower and rookie Roy Helu combined for 170 yards against the Cardinals, Grossman was just nine yards short of a second consecutive 300-yard game, and they are one of the least penalized teams in the league through two games.   

Up next: Washington @ Dallas

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1-1 (+2)

The Bucs rallied back from a 17-0 deficit against the Vikings; outscoring them 24-3 in the second half.  They avoided the dreaded 0-2 start, but they have to find a way to play a full four quarters if they want to make it back to the playoffs.   

Bad news: In Week 1 against the Lions, the Bucs had problems with turnovers, a lack of a running game, shaky play at QB, and were well under 50 percent on third-down conversions.  They improved in every aspect of the game in Week 2, but there’s still room for improvement. 

Good news: It seems that young QB Josh Freeman is calm, cool and collected even under the most intense circumstances; pretty remarkable for a 23-year-old kid.  After complaining about a lack of touches in Game 1, RB LeGarrette Blount proved they should put the ball in his hands more often; he ran 13 times for 71 yards and two touchdowns.

Up next: Atlanta @ Tampa Bay  

10. Philadelphia Eagles, 1-1 (-6)

The Eagles lost an emotional game against the Falcons, and Michael Vick, the heart and soul of that team, was knocked out of the game with a concussion by one of his own guys. 

Bad news: It was a freak play, but Vick’s concussion again raises the injury question; can he stay healthy through a whole (or the majority of a) season?  The Eagles have to be concerned. 

Good news: They were dominant through three quarters, and the Falcons were a desperate team by the fourth quarter and had something to prove after getting annihilated by the Bears in Week 1.  RB Shady McCoy has been unstoppable through two games, WR Jeremy Maclin’s offseason health issues seem to be behind him, and this team still looks like the class of the division. 

Up next: NYG @ Philadelphia

9. Atlanta Falcons, 1-1 (+3)

The Falcons, who were dominated early in the game, squeaked by the Eagles in Atlanta thanks in part to Michael Vick’s early exit from a concussion.  The Falcons struck first, but then it was all Eagles until the fourth quarter when the offense found their stride and put up 14 unanswered points to seal the win. 

It wasn’t always pretty, but a win is a win against a tough team like the Eagles, and the Falcons needed it after their unimpressive showing against the Bears. 

Bad news: The Falcons were the fourth-most penalized team in the league last year, and the trend has continued this season; 16 penalties in the first two games.   They’ve also given up 61 points on defense; their defense is going to have to come up with a few more stops per game if they want to beat the Saints, because it’s going to be tough to beat those guys in a shootout. 

Good news: Michael Turner has looked great and the Falcons are amongst the league leaders in rushing, Anthony Gonzalez continues to defy his age and has lead the team in receiving yards in each of the first two games, and Matt Ryan rebounded in a big way against the Eagles after struggling against the Bears in Week 1.  They’ve got some issues to address, but this is still the same team that made it to the NFC Championship last year.   

Up next: Atlanta @ Tampa Bay  

8. Pittsburgh Steelers, 1-1 (+3)

Aside from Warren Sapp, nobody was ready to write off the Steelers as washed-up old losers after their Week 1 loss to the Ravens.  The Steelers responded by shutting out the struggling Seahawks, which even against the most unimpressive competition, is no small feat in the NFL.

Bad news: Their performance against the Ravens is still the bad news and the Seahawks are so horrifyingly awful that the win wasn’t enough completely forget about their Week 1 beating. 

Good news: The young receivers already look ready to step up and take the place of an aging Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger looked more like himself, and the Steelers meet the Manningless Colts next week to help build their confidence.   

Up next: Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis

7. Baltimore Ravens, 1-1 (-4)

Talk about a letdown after handing it to the Steelers last week!  Nobody expected the Ravens to repeat their Week 1 performance, but who thought they would go into Tennessee and let the Titans dominate them in every aspect of the game?

Bad news: QB Joe Flacco’s performance was poor, RB Ray Rice’s performance was poor, third-down conversions were poor; basically everything was poor. 

Good news: The loss to the Titans is almost certainly a fluke.  The Steelers rebounded in impressive fashion against the Seahawks, and the Ravens have got the inconsistent Rams next week to help restore their confidence.  Not that Ray Lewis ever needs a confidence boost.

Up next: Baltimore @ St. Louis

6. New Orleans, 1-1 (+3)

After a tough loss against the Packers, the Saints rebounded at home with an absolute drubbing of the Bears, a team who beat the Falcons in the same fashion a week prior.  The Saints defense gave up a touchdown early, but then shut down the Bears for the remainder of the game, and then the offense took care of the rest. 

Bad news: The worst news in New Orleans is that the Saints and franchise QB Drew Brees are said to be “far apart” in contract talks.  It’s hard to believe the organization would even contemplate letting Brees walk away, but a deal needs to get done early in the season because this will become a major distraction in December, no matter what the Saints are doing on the field. 

Good news: There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic in New Orleans: divisional opponents haven’t impressed thus far, they’re converting over 55 percent of third downs, Drew Brees has looked stellar with six touchdowns and no picks, and he’s got an army of capable (albeit under-the-radar) receivers that he trusts to catch the ball. 

Up next: Houston @ New Orleans

5. Houston Texans, 2-0 (+1)

The Texans didn’t look quite as good as they should have against a Dolphins team that gave up 622 net yards in Week 1.  That being said, they still looked pretty good. 

Bad news: The Dolphins were in the game until the very end, and the defense gave up a fair amount of yards, including 153 on the ground.  The Texans’ defense has been their Achilles heel for years, and although they’ve made a number of upgrades, it looks like it could still be an issue.  We’ll see how they look next week against the Saints. 

Good news: The entire offense looks solid, but RB Ben Tate, who is filling in for the injured Arian Foster, has been the best bit of news for the Texans.  Foster’s hamstring injury is clearly more serious than originally thought and it’s starting to look like the kind of nagging injury that requires an entire offseason to heal.  If Tate continues averaging over 100 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry, the Texans won’t be missing Foster for long.    

Up next: Houston @ New Orleans

4. Detroit Lions, 2-0 (+6)

In case you haven’t heard, the Lions have won 10 games in a row! Kidding! Obviously, you’ve heard that because people won’t shut up about it.  The annoyingly repetitive sports talking heads aside, the Lions are looking like the real deal.  So far they’ve won a close game against a solid Bucs team and absolutely destroyed an inept Chiefs team; that’s what the best teams do.    

Bad news: Not to be nitpicky here, but the eight penalties they racked up in each of their first two games could become problematic.  The running game has been only so-so, but honestly not bad enough to be considered a problem as long as they continue to get stellar play at QB.   

Good news: Matt Stafford!  Two games in and he’s still healthy, he’s thrown for over 600 yards, seven touchdowns, only two interceptions and is playing as good as any quarterback (not named Tom Brady) in the league.  There’s a lot to be excited about in Detroit. 

Up next: Detroit @ Minnesota     

3. New York Jets, 2-0 (+4)

The Jets laid a beating on a struggling Jaguars team, nearly shutting them out 32-3.  Their defense completely shut down the Jags' anemic passing offense, although that’s to be expected with Revis Island and Antonio Cromartie at corner. 

Bad news: The offense has some issues that need to be addressed if they want to hang with the Patriots.  Mark Sanchez has struggled with turnovers and would like to be able to rely more on RB Shonn Greene to take some of the pressure off, but Greene has yet to prove that he deserves a starting job.   

Good news: Well, the good news is that Rex Ryan’s defense will be enough to carry the up-and-down offense through many of their games. However, the biggest test for the defense is on Oct. 9 when the Jets make their annual trek to Foxborough. 

Up next: NYJ @ Oakland    

2. Green Bay Packers, 2-0 (-1)

Much like last week, Cam Newton’s 400+ yard performance seemed to be the bigger story than the team that beat them.  Considering Aaron Rodgers threw for over 300 yards, with one more touchdown and three less interceptions than Newton, something tells me nobody in Green Bay is concerned with the ESPN coverage of the game. 

Bad news: After their injury-plagued 2010 season, the worst news for the Packers is that FS Nick Collins, who was carried off the field on a stretcher after suffering a neck injury, is out for the season.

Good news: Rodgers is playing mistake–free football, the running game is averaging nearly five yards per carry, and Jermichael Finley is off to one heck of a start after missing most of the 2010 season with an injury. 

Up next: Green Bay @ Chicago   

1. New England Patriots, 2-0 (+1)

It was painful to move the Patriots to the No. 1 spot, but they left me no choice by beating a talented Chargers team 35-21; Tom Brady passed for over 400 yards for a second consecutive game.  They have simply looked more dominant through two games than the Packers. 

Bad news: The defense didn’t impress, but they showed up, which is a lot more than you can say about DT Albert Haynesworth, who didn’t even bother to do that.

Good news: As usual, it’s mostly good news for the Patriots.  Tom Brady is ridiculous and looks unstoppable with his old buddy Deion Branch catching passes.  Overall, the offense looks good enough to overcome the deficiencies on defense, and then some. 

Up next: New England @ Buffalo