Week 2 of the 2024 NFL Season is just about over, so let's get into the latest edition of NFL power rankings. As I type these words, the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears will begin their Sunday Night Football matchup, and on Monday Night Football, we'll have a matchup of two birds with the Atlanta Falcons facing off against the Philadelphia Eagles.
There are a ton of stories that popped up from the Week 2 action thus far. Some teams are riding high at 2-0, and some are perhaps shockingly in the hole two games already. Let's try to sort all of this out in this week's edition of NFL power rankings.
NFL Power Rankings, Week 3: Biggest risers and fallers after Week 2
32. Carolina Panthers - (0-2)
I understand that it still may be early on in his NFL career, but Bryce Young just does not look even close to being a franchise QB in the NFL. The Carolina Panthers, for the second week in a row, got blown out, and they did it in front of their home crowd this time. Right now, Carolina is racing toward having the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which they may be able to use on someone like Carson Beck from Georgia or even Shedeur Sanders from Colorado.
It's just not looking good for Young. He looks tiny and overwhelmed out there to say the least. When will the Panthers consider accepting defeat with this 2023 NFL Draft pick? Just imagine if they had taken CJ Stroud, instead...
31. Tennessee Titans - (0-2)
Will Levis may also not be it at all. He's made a slew of horrid decisions in the 2024 NFL Season thus far. Levis and the Titans may also be raving their way to a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they did keep their Week 2 matchup against the New York Jets quite close, which is a bit impressive.
The Titans do have a new coaching staff and a ton of new bodies on both sides of the ball, so this could be them just starting slow and not having a lot of chemistry yet.
30. New York Giants - (0-2)
The New York Giants are the New York Giants. They're a horribly-run, pathetic excuse of a football team if we are being honest here. What is there to like about the Giants at this point? And while I have said I think Brian Daboll is a good head coach, I'm not sure that is as true anymore.
The Giants need to clean house from top to bottom and are not going anywhere with this current setup. I would place the most blame on General Manager Joe Schoen and the horrid roster he's put on the field. New York is clearly going to struggle to win just a handful of games this season, as their Week 2 loss came in last-second fashion against the lowly Washington Commanders, so that kind of tells you where this franchise is at.
29. Denver Broncos - (0-2)
You know, the Denver Broncos do have a rookie QB, and if you actually watched the game, you would see that Bo Nix did seem a lot more comfortable this week. The end-zone interception he threw, according to head coach Sean Payton, seemed to have been on the play-makers, as he indicated that someone ran the wrong route there.
The second interception you'd see in his stat line was the last play of the game, so it's not like we can really criticize him for that, but the Denver Broncos are not a good football team. They lack legitimate play-makers on offense, and the play-calling from Sean Payton has actually been a bit odd to say the least.
The Broncos may have a long way to go to fix their franchise for the long-term, but this team did start 1-5 last year only to end the season with eight wins, so they do have some sort of formula for a mid-season turnaround in 2024, and I guess if nothing else, Bo Nix did look a lot better from his Week 1 start.
28. Indianapolis Colts (0-2)
Folks, are we sure that Anthony Richardson is a franchise quarterback in the NFL? I mean, he is struggling to simply complete passes at this point. Maybe I'm way too impatient here, but when is it going to click for Richardson? The Indianapolis Colts are 0-2 and it does not feel like this team has many wins on their schedule if Richardson keeps playing this poorly.
The Colts were able to win nine games in the 2023 NFL Season with Gardner Minshew taking most of the snaps, so perhaps Richardson can gradually get better during the 2024 NFL Season and squeeze out some wins. He's still very young, just 22 years old,
However, he's completed less than 50% of his passes in 2023 and has thrown three touchdowns on four interceptions. That is horrible.
27. Washington Commanders - (1-1)
Congratulations to the Washington Commanders on their first win of the Dan Quinn/Jayden Daniels era, but it took them seven field goals to get there, so the underlying story may end up being the lack of a touchdown, but I guess that can sometimes be expected with these rookie quarterbacks.
The Commanders are not going to be a good team in the 2024 NFL Season, but there has been a lot to like from Daniels through two games in the NFL. He is going to need to learn how to better protect himself, as he did take some unnecessary hits.
The issue that some dual-threat rookie QB have is that they tend to think that they're unstoppable and may use their legs more than they should. If Daniels has the right coaching in front of him, they'll be able to break him out of that, which may lead to a more efficient offense and a healthier QB.
If the Eagles lose on Monday Night Football, all of the Commanders, Eagles, and Cowboys would be sitting at 1-1.The
26. Atlanta Falcons - (0-1)
The Atlanta Falcons will travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles on Monday Night Football, and it just was not pretty for the Falcons in their Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It felt like Kirk Cousins was not all the way there physically, so some speculated that his Achilles injury was still not 100% recovered.
Well, the Falcons can right the ship a bit and perhaps upset the Eagles on Monday Night Football. On paper, the Falcons feel like the most talented team in the NFC South, but through two weeks, it’s clear that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the team to beat there. Can the veteran Cousins figure this thing out in Atlanta?
If not, there may be more calls for the Falcons to pull Cousins already in favor of the rookie QB Michael Penix Jr.
25. Los Angeles Rams - (0-2)
The Los Angeles Rams might be cooked, folks. The team got their rear ends handed to them in Week 2 by the Arizona Cardinals, so I keep telling you, are and will be better than you think in the 2024 NFL Season. The Cardinals are now 1-1 on the season and just bullied the Rams in Week 2. The big issue for LA is obviously the injuries. The offensive line and WR rooms are just decimated at this point, and it’s been two games.
You have to wonder what the Rams will do if they keep losing. Would they consider perhaps blowing it up at the NFL trade deadline? That may seem a bit aggressive, but they could probably fetch a draft pick and some change for QB Matthew Stafford if they wanted to make that major of a move.
This season may give the Rams reason to turn the page and begin a new era.
The Rams are 0-2 and it does not feel like many wins are coming this season.
24. Las Vegas Raiders - (1-1)
When it seemed like the Baltimore Ravens were going to run away with the game in Week 2, the Las Vegas Raiders had other ideas and were able to steal this game away from Baltimore. All of a sudden, the Raiders put themselves back on the map a bit after their brutal Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. This Raiders team has some bit to them, and that could be because of Antonio Pierce, who seems to coach with an edge.
The Raiders aren’t going to win many games this year overall, though. The roster is just not all that talented and they are weak at QB with Gardner Minshew. The Raiders will need to try and draft a franchise quarterback, and if they only come away with five or six wins in the 2024 NFL Season, could find themselves in range for one of the top QB prospects in the coming class.
Las Vegas feels like a team that could play spoiler a few more times during the 2024 NFL Season, but they still come in low on these power rankings.
23. Chicago Bears - (1-0)
As I type these words out, the Chicago Bears are playing the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football. I would expect the Bears to not win this game, so I reckon they will drop to 1-1 on the season. Caleb Williams did not look good in Week 1 but should probably play a lot better in Week 2. Given how highly Williams was touted coming out of college, there is a ton of pressure on him and the Bears in 2024 already.
The roster is pretty solid, but Williams is a rookie QB, so this may take some time to get up and running efficiency. This also may be a huge year for head coach Matt Eberflus, who probably needs to finish with a winning record to keep his job. The Bears hired Shane Waldron as their new offensive coordinator, so if Bears GM needs to pull the plug on Eberflus in-season, they have an interim head coach in waiting with Waldron.
22. Jacksonville Jaguars - (0-2)
Is it time that we have a conversation about the Jacksonville Jaguars? I mean, what is going on with this team? Two horrific losses has this team already way on the outside looking in. I mean, they don’t feel like close to a playoff team at this point, and it’s actually quite a shock. On paper, this Jaguars team is the most talented it’s been since their magical run back in 2017 to the AFC Championship Game.
The defensive line is loaded and Trevor Lawrence does have a ton of weapons to use in the passing game. Something is really wrong with this team in the 2024 NFL Season. QB Trevor Lawrence has barely completed over 50% of his passes through two games, which are words I thought I would never type.
There is also something to be said about Lawrence; he has not been nearly as good as many of us thought he would be heading into his career, which began in 2021. You have to wonder what the solution is here for this team, which has to begin getting a bit unsure about head coach Doug Pederson.
21. New England Patriots - (1-1)
The New England Patriots may just prove me wrong this year and be a lot better than I and many others thought. They took down the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 and gave the Seattle Seahawks a run for their money in Week 2. New England is 1-1 through two games, and could have a few more wins on their schedule. The team is far from being a playoff club, though. They are missing multiple starters on their offensive line and definitely need another player or two at wide receiver.
Could the Patriots be better than we expected in the 2024 NFL Season? Perhaps first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, who is replacing the legendary Bill Belichick, was the right hire.
20. Arizona Cardinals - (1-1)
The Arizona Cardinals are indeed better than you think and just embarrassed the Los Angeles Rams in the 2024 NFL Season. I mean, this game was not close at all. Kyler Murray may just earn some MVP votes this season, and the Cardinals are going to flirt with a winning record. This would set the stage for them to go all-in for 2025 and beyond.
They aren’t far away from contending once again. The defense definitely needs some more talent and the offense could use another play-maker, but this team is close and they are fun. Can the Cardinals continue to play this good of football against what we thought were superior opponents?
Also, can we please give Kyler Murray credit? He’s one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the NFL and had a perfect 158.3 passer rating in Week 2. He’s not yet thrown an interception in the 2024 NFL Season and has a 122.9 passer rating.
Kyler Murray tore his ACL during the 2022 NFL Season, so he’s now approaching his second year removed from the major injury. We should see Murray playing like his old self, and I think during this injury recovery, we all kind of forgot just how good Murray is at the position.
19. Cincinnati Bengals - (0-2)
The Cincinnati Bengals are 0-2. Where have you heard that before? I mean, it’s truly amazing that the Bengals can continue to find themselves in these early-season holes year after year. They’re just awful in the first couple weeks of the season. They did play quite well against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2 but got Harrison Butker’d and went home with a loss.
The Bengals should be just fine, but it’s just amazing that they are always starting out slow like this, and their inability to get a deal done with Ja’Marr Chase may come back to bite them.
18. New York Jets - (1-1)
The New York Jets have not really looked quite as good as many of us thought they were going to look. It did take them quite a bit to beat the Tennessee Titans of all teams in Week 2. Aaron Rodgers did play better in Week 2 than they did in Week 1, so I guess that’s a win. Well, at the end of the day, a win is a win, but the Jets feel like a fringe playoff team at this point.
And with Rodgers being 40 years old and coming off of a major injury, it’s fair to wonder if the veteran QB is even going to survive the entire season. The Jets have really been at the forefront of many of the NFL stories this offseason, especially with Rodgers returning from the Achilles.
He also had this weird thing last year where he was trying to convince everyone that he was going to return in a few months from this injury if the Jets remained in the playoff hunt. Egos are certainly abound in New York.
17. Miami Dolphins - (1-1)
The Miami Dolphins are in a tough spot. They got blown out by the Buffalo Bills in Week 2 of the 2024 NFL Season and could be without QB Tua Tagovailoa for some time. The QB suffered yet another scary concussion, and you have to wonder if it’s a good idea for him to continue his NFL career. Personally, I don’t think he should, but it’s not my choice I suppose.
The Dolphins also can’t figure out how to beat the Bills and just aren’t a tough team at all. They’re all finesse, and that is just not going to fly in the AFC at all. It’s not clear at this point if head coach Mike McDaniel is going to be the one to get them over the hump for the long-term.
16. Baltimore Ravens - (0-2)
I was trying to tell you all that the Baltimore Ravens were not going to be as good as we thought in the 2024 NFL Season, and through two weeks, I have been right. The Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was expected and just not a huge concern, but their fourth-quarter collapse against the lowly Las Vegas Raiders was just nasty stuff, and we should sound the alarm bell on this team.
Lamar Jackson did not have a great game, and while he is the most explosive QB in NFL history, you have to wonder if he’s hit his ceiling in the NFL. I would also ask the same about head coach John Harbaugh. Both Jackson and Harbaugh are very good at what they do, but it does not feel like either is going to be able to bring a Super Bowl back to Baltimore.
Something is missing with this team and it’s hard to pinpoint what. Where do the Ravens go from here?
Lamar Jackson may have to clean up his game and bit and perhaps figure something out on that side, and for John Harbaugh, it just feels like he has run his course in Baltimore. I am not sure he’s the one to continue leading this team for the long-term.
15. Seattle Seahawks - (2-0)
The Seattle Seahawks survived a Week 2 scare from the New England Patriots and move to 2-0 on the 2024 NFL Season. The team’s ceiling feels limited with their rookie head coach and their QB in Geno Smith, but I mean they are winning games, so there’s that. Their wins have come against two of the worst teams in the NFL with the Patriots and the Denver Broncos, so they’re no overly-impressive wins by any means.
Can the Seahawks keep winning games and being a shocking contender for the NFC West in the 2024 NFL Season?
14. Green Bay Packers - (1-1)
The Green Bay Packers went into their Week 2 game against the Indianapolis Colts with a clear game plan to run the heck out of the football, and boy did they do that. And let’s give some credit to Malik Willis here as well; what he was asked to do, he did, so that’s also another plus here.
The Packers feel like one of the most well-coached teams in the NFL, and their Week 2 victory was proof of that. I would not rule out Jordan Love suiting up in Week 3, as crazy as that might sound. Green Bay could be a Super Bowl team if Love comes back, begins to tear it up like he did in 2023, and the defense plays well.
This team has loads of talent on both sides of the ball and are one of the youngest teams in the league. They also extended Jordan Love this offseason, so they are really going all-in on Love. Running back Josh Jacobs had himself a day here in Week 2. The Packers were able to even out their record in Week 2 and are now 1-1 on the season.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers - (2-0)
The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Denver Broncos in Week 2 of the 2024 NFL Season, but was not a pretty win, and while they are 2-0, the way they are winning these games is not sustainable. They’ve scored 31 points in two games, which is just not going to cut it, but some Steelers fans would lead you to believe that QB Justin Fields is a franchise QB and can keep winning games like this.
At some point, the Steelers are going to get embarrassed, and it may come soon. They have won both of their games this season on the road, so that does deserve some credit, but through two games, Pittsburgh has been the most predictable team in the NFL thus far, and I am not sure they aren’t the “worst” 2-0 team in the NFL at this point.
12. Minnesota Vikings - (2-0)
How about the Minnesota Sam Darnolds? Darnold may end up being better than we think this year and has thrown four touchdowns against two interceptions for a 111.8 passer rating this season. He’s actually on pace to throw 34 touchdown passes against 17 interceptions. He’s completed 72% of his balls and was essentially handed the starting job when rookie QB JJ McCarthy went down with that torn meniscus.
However, is it crazy to think that Darnold may play well enough in 2024 for the Vikings to actually give it a consideration to start him in 2025? They’d have to bring him back, but Darnold may, regardless, be playing his way into a contract from the Vikings or from another team.
Let’s give credit where credit is due; Darnold has been on several teams, has been a backup at multiple stops, and seems to finally be figuring it out in 2024 with the Vikings, who had a very nice win against the San Francisco 49ers. Good for Sam Darnold.
11. Cleveland Browns - (1-1)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson still did not play all that well for the team, but it was enough for a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are just an awful team at this point in the 2024 NFL Season. Watson did not throw an interception, which greatly helped Cleveland’s chances in Week 2.
Until further notice, the Browns are going to have to win games with their defense making a majority of the plays. When the Browns traded for Watson, they surely hoped for a lot more than what they are getting now. The contract he is on is untradeable and uncuttable, so the team is stuck with Watson for another few seasons.
If Deshaun Watson can figure this QB thing out, the Browns can be a very dangerous team. They were able to cruise into the postseason when they signed Joe Flacco off the couch, so they aren’t new to this.
10. Philadelphia Eagles - (1-0)
The Philadelphia Eagles are playing at home on Monday Night Football, so if you are reading this piece on Monday, you have one more game left to enjoy. The Eagles notched a nice win in Brazil in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, who did lose Jordan Love in that game. Philly has a new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore and a new defensive coordinator in Vic Fangio, so this team may not reach their potential until late in the season given how much change they have undergone.
The Eagles should be able to advance to 2-0 on the season with a win over the Falcons, their opponent on MNF. The Falcons looked quite bad in Week 1 at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers, so unless something wild happens, the Eagles should be 2-0. I do believe this team actually has a quarterback issue, as I don’t believe the ceiling is there anymore with Jalen Hurts and think he’s just not a very good passer.
9. Dallas Cowboys - (1-1)
OK, are we surprised? I mean, the Dallas Cowboys do this every single season, don’t they? I figured they were going to light the New Orleans Saints up in Week 2, but boy was I wrong. They got the doors blown off of them and just got embarrassed in every single way. It’s the same old Cowboys it seems, but they have been able to win 12 games in each of the last three regular seasons.
Through two weeks, though, doesn’t it feel like Dallas is again going to win a ton of games only to crash and burn in the playoffs? Am I really wrong there? We’ll see. Dallas did lose quite a bit on defense this offseason, and that unit got exposed in Week 2.
They’ll be fine, but this was about an ugly of a loss as there can be.
8. Los Angeles Chargers (2-0)
The Los Angeles Chargers have beaten the Week 1 Las Vegas Raiders and took down the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. It’s not like they are playing great teams, but they’re playing smart, sound football and are winning the games they should. Head coach Jim Harbaugh, who makes his return to the NFL after a decade away from it, has this team in a great spot thus far. It’s not a shock at this point to think that the LA Chargers can indeed make the playoffs.
This team is not going to make a deep run or anything, but they’re well-coached enough to make a run and perhaps win 10-ish games. You have to take a sigh of relief if you’re a Chargers fan given how incompetent the team has been in recent years under former head coach Brandon Staley.
Perhaps this is the head coach that is finally going to unlock whatever we have yet to see from a team QB’d by Justin Herbert?
7. San Francisco 49ers (1-1)
The San Francisco 49ers do this weird thing every year where they win a great game and lay an egg soon after. The Niners lost to the Minnesota Vikings in Minnesota during the 2023 NFL Season and did it again in 2024. Now yes, the Niners are going to rank high in these NFL power rankings all season, but this weird quirk they have may come back to bite them deep in the season.
Brock Purdy did not look great in the loss and it was just a brutal effort from San Fran on both sides of the ball, and now they may be without Christian McCaffrey for at least half of the season. Is the “Madden Curse” actually legitimate?
I envision that head coach Kyle Shanahan is going to have his team ready to go next week and will find a way to win at least 11 games this season. It’s just what they do.
6. Detroit Lions (1-1)
The Detroit Lions are going to be fine, folks. Their Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was not bad by any means. I know it surely was not pretty, but the Bucs are clearly a very good football team and are 11-8 since the start of the 2023 NFL Season. The Lions are 13-6 during that same time, so these teams aren’t worlds apart by any means. On paper, the Lions still have the best roster in football and are going to win double-digit games this season.
I do think that the head coaching decisions by Dan Campbell at times can really limit this team, but the Lions have been trending the right way for years now. I know I am getting ahead of myself here, but I do wonder how this team is going to look when the time comes for offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to get that head coaching job he nearly got last offseason.
Don’t sweat this week, Lions fans, you guys will be just fine, trust me.
5. Houston Texans - (1-0)
The Houston Texans are currently up by seven points on the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football, and I reckon that they will win this game and move to 2-0 on the 2024 NFL Season. They’re going to remain quite high in these power rankings all season, and they should. I have picked the Texans to make and win the Super Bowl this year, and I’ve even gone as far as to pick CJ Stroud to win the NFL MVP award.
I struggle to see where the Texans are weak and believe they are going to win against the teams they should and also come away with some clutch wins late in the season. If you’re a Texans fan, you have to be on cloud nine, right? I mean, just two years ago, this team was among the worst in football, and it’s easy to see just how big of an impact a franchise QB can have like Stroud.
4. New Orleans Saints - (2-0)
I bet none of us thought that we’d see the New Orleans Saints of all teams near the top of NFL power rankings. I mean, what a team this has turned out to be through two weeks of the 2024 NFL Season. Derek Carr is playing out of his mind and is clearly the front-runner for the NFL MVP award. At this rate, the Saints may run away with the NFC South en route to a home playoff game.
Carr seems like he’s playing the best football of his career, and the defense has taken care of business thus far as well. Through two weeks, the veteran Carr has 443 yards, five touchdowns, one interception, and a stellar 142.4 passer rating. I mean, those are video game numbers. Some of the Saints best players are aging veterans, so the current foundation they have is not going to be here for the long-term, but it’s working for now.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - (2-0)
How about Baker Mayfield and te Tampa Bay Buccaneers, man? They are cruising and are 2-0 on the season, now surely looking at those New Orleans Saints as being their toughest competition in the division. Both the Saints and Bucs are 2-0 with quarterbacks that we just did not think were all that special.
Baker Mayfield is playing the best football of his career, as he helped lead his Bucs teammates to a huge win in Detroit in Week 2. It was quite an impressive victory, and on the 2024 NFL Season, Mayfield has tossed five touchdowns and has earned a 129.1 passer rating, so both Mayfield and Carr are MVP candidates through two weeks.
Could the NFC South come down to the Bucs and the Saints?
What would be kind of cool is to see these teams meet in the first round of the NFL playoffs. I know that’s months away, but a potential matchup feels extremely even on paper.
2. Buffalo Bills - (2-0)
Through two games, the Buffalo Bills feel like they finally have found a bit of an identity. They are running the ball with great success and have not had Josh Allen playing like a crazy person. Allen has thrown three touchdowns against zero interceptions thus far, which is huge. Allen tossed 18 interceptions in the regular season last year, and his turnovers did become an issue.
Can the Bills continue this new-ish era on offense and continue to take down their opponents?
They beat the pulp out of the Miami Dolphins, so they were able to run out to a 1-0 start in their AFC East divisional play. The Dolphins, New England Patriots, and New York Jets are all 1-1, so each team in the division has at least won a game.
But I think that as the season goes on, this new-look team is going to separate themselves in the AFC East.
1. Kansas City Chiefs - (2-0)
Well, well, well, is anyone surprised? The Cincinnati Bengals gave them a run for their money in Week 2, but the Kansas City Chiefs came away with the victory to the surprise of no one. Patrick Mahomes was not as sharp as he could have been, but at the end of the day, the Chiefs got it done and are still the best team in the NFL until further notice.
Sure, the Chiefs are flawed, and the Bengals did have a lead for much of the game, but with Mahomes on the other sideline, it’s clear that no lead is safe. Through two weeks in the 2024 NFL Season, the Chiefs now have head-to-head tiebreakers over the Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens. Both teams are also 0-2, so the Chiefs are sitting pretty at the moment.
There you have it, NFL fans. As we progress through the 2024 NFL Season, there is surely going to be a ton more movement here.