The Week 2 NFL Power Rankings from 97.5 The Fanatic have a few more variables than the Week 1 version.
Modern NFL head coaches have taken a lighter approach to the preseason, leaving some teams a little less sharp for the opening weeks. However, teams who haven’t distanced themselves from the rust are now facing more legitimate consequences with two of 17 games behind them.
Week 1 Power Rankings
Philadelphia Eagles Outlook
Jalen Hurts didn’t kickstart the passing game to its full potential in a 34-28 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. However, he still managed to complete 18 of his 23 passes for 191 yards.
The offense still ran efficiently with an excellent rushing attack. D’Andre Swift exploded for 175 yards on 28 carries after an incredibly quiet Week 1 performance.
The two new coordinators still have a lot of work to do. Weaknesses in the passing game and injuries in the defensive backfield create question marks. However, the defending NFC champions are 2-0 with no devastating long-term concern worthy of taking them out of the top spot.
Josh Sweat has been a disruptive force off the edge in two consecutive games, and young Georgia alumni Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis look strong up the middle. The city of Philadelphia’s passion will inevitably lead to intense scrutiny, but don’t sound any alarms about the preseason’s #1 team in the 97.5 The Fanatic rankings.
Week 2 NFL Power Rankings
The Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers both looked impressive for the second straight week. They’ve undoubtedly racked up more style points than the Eagles. However, it’s simply not enough to overturn the long-term case against the Eagles as the favorite in the conference and the entire NFL.
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills recovered from Week 1 losses, but the Cincinnati Bengals stumbled to an 0-2 record for the second straight season..
The New York Giants have saved their season (and their spot in the rankings) for now, but they have a long way to go to prove themselves as a playoff team for the second straight season. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears are worthy of a major plummet toward the league’s basement.
Best Matchup of Week 2
The Seattle Seahawks showed some resilience in an overtime victory against everyone’s (all-of-a-sudden) favorite 2023 team, the Detroit Lions. They earned their bump in Week 2.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (2-0)
Win 34-28 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Last Week: 1Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown were arguing on live TV! Inexperienced defenders let Justin Jefferson have a big game!
The Philadelphia offense also moved the ball enough to score 34 points. Jefferson handcuffed his team with an inopportune fumble. The Eagles have done nothing to convince preseason believers that expected a Super Bowl season that anything has changed.
2. Dallas Cowboys (2-0)
Win 30-10 vs. New York Jets
Last Week: 2The +60 point differential deserves some recognition, and Micah Parsons is unquestionably in the top tier of NFL defenders. The impressive spot helps them maintain a position toward the top of the NFL.
3. San Francisco 49ers (2-0)
Win 30-23 @ Los Angeles Rams
Last Week: 3Brock Purdy has led his team to two wins so far. He still has a lot to prove, but a road win within the division puts the 49ers in good position to take hold of the NFC West.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (1-1)
Win 17-9 @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Last Week: 4Do the Chiefs look like the same team that beat the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII? Not exactly, but a road win against a strong opponent and the return of Travis Kelce and Chris Jones should provide more than enough optimism in Kansas City.
5. Miami Dolphins (2-0)
Win 24-17 @ New England Patriots
Last Week: 6Tua Tagovailoa looks smooth, and the Dolphins have overtaken the long-time powerhouse Patriots in the pecking order of the AFC East. It looks like a race against the team in the #6 spot…
6. Buffalo Bills (1-1)
Win 38-10 vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Last Week: 7The sloppy performance from Josh Allen and company in Week 1 corrected itself. The better team rolled in a no-brainer.
7. Baltimore Ravens (2-0)
Win 27-24 @ Cincinnati Bengals
Last Week: 14A yawner against the Houston Texans in Week 1 didn’t get them a big jump. A road victory over a team that has advanced to two consecutive AFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl, however, advances the plot.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
Loss 17-9 @ Kansas City Chiefs
Last Week: 8The Jaguars have a good chance to pull away in the AFC South and crush an apparently weak NFC South. They will likely inch forward in the rankings in the coming weeks, but a home loss drops them for now.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (0-2)
Loss 27-24 vs. Baltimore Ravens
Last Week: 5They might be the one preseason favorite with legitimate concerns. They have an extra day of rest before facing the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football in a game that could determine whether an 0-2 start spirals out of control or becomes a concern of the past (like it did last year).
10. New Orleans Saints
Win 20-17 @ Carolina Panthers
Last Week: 11The Saints still look like the favorite in the NFC South. Is there really much to laud them for after this victory though?
11. Seattle Seahawks (1-1)
Win 37-31 @ Detroit Lions
Last Week: 15The Seahawks were a tough team in 2022, and they played more like it in Week 2. The Tre Brown pick-six provided an emotional lift for a team that should remain in the mix.
12. Detroit Lions (1-1)
37-31 Loss vs. Seattle Seahawks
Last Week: 10They lost an overtime slugfest, which provides a reminder that a big win in Week 1 doesn’t define an NFL season.
13. New York Jets (1-1)
Loss 30-10 vs. Dallas Cowboys
Last Week: 9The Jets stayed put after the injury to Aaron Rodgers because of an impressive Week 1 victory. However, a blowout loss in Week 2 will force them to face the long-term reality of Zach Wilson as a starting quarterback.
14. Green Bay Packers (1-1)
Loss 25-24 @ Atlanta Falcons
Last Week: 12A road win against an NFC North rival in Week 1 put them in a good position. However, a Week 2 loss against a team that doesn’t look like a legitimate contender erases the goodwill for Matt LaFleur and company.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1)
Win 26-22 vs. Cleveland Browns
Last Week: 16The Steelers scored two defensive touchdowns to help them back to .500. T.J. Watt looked as strong as ever on Monday Night Football, but the offense must pick it up if Pittsburgh expects to compete for a playoff spot.
16. Los Angeles Chargers (0-2)
Loss 27-24 @ Tennessee Titans
Last week: 13Will panic set in? Does Brandon Staley have job security? Things don’t look as rosy as they did in 2021 when the national media praised him while writing off fellow rookie head coach Nick Sirianni.
17. New York Giants (1-1)
Win 31-28 @ Arizona Cardinals
Last Week: 17It looked like it was over when the Giants went down 28-7. They survived with an impressive comeback, but can they travel to San Francisco and beat the heavily-favored 49ers four days later?
18. Los Angeles Rams (1-1)
Loss 30-23 vs. San Francisco 49ers
Last Week: 18Puka Nacua is on fire in the absence of an injured Cooper Kupp. He went off for 15 catches and 147 yards in Week 2. The Rams still have a chance to contend for the postseason despite the loss.
19. Atlanta Falcons (2-0)
Win 25-24 vs. Green Bay Packers
Last Week: 26Can Desmond Ritter lead a high-powered offensive attack for a full season? The Falcons have plenty left to prove. They’re the lowest-ranked undefeated team.
20. Tennessee Titans (1-1)
Win 27-24 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Last Week: 24The Titans don’t look like a big-time contender despite the win. However, they’re the type of team that doesn’t like to be counted out.
21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0)
Win 27-17 vs. Chicago Bears
Last Week: 27Baker Mayfield is a tough out, and Mike Evans went off for 171 yards in Chicago. You’ll find out one way or the other who this Tampa Bay team really is when they face the Eagles on Monday Night Football in Week 3.
22. Washington Commanders (2-0)
Win 35-33 @ Denver Broncos
Last Week: 22Washington is 2-0, but they are simply not on the same level as the Eagles and the Cowboys. Give them credit for two wins without getting carried away about their outlook for the rest of the season.
23. New England Patriots (0-2)
Loss 24-17 vs. Miami Dolphins
Last Week: 20The loss to Miami isn’t exactly a positive indicator of New England’s status in the AFC East. They’re vulnerable to a real fall from grace this season.
24. Minnesota Vikings (0-2)
Loss 34-28 @ Philadelphia Eagles
Last Week: 21They looked sloppy and unprepared with four fumbles on the way to an 0-2 start. Is it an indicator of their shortcomings or of the difficulty of traveling to Philadelphia on short rest for Thursday Night Football?
25. Denver Broncos (0-2)
Loss 35-33 vs. Washington Commanders
Last Week: 19The coaching change didn’t solve everything. Sean Payton has some work to do if he wants to salvage the Russell Wilson era in Denver.
26. Indianapolis Colts (1-1)
Win 31-20 @ Houston Texans
Last Week: 30The Colts won an NFL game on the road. A change in season expectations would be ambitious though. Let’s see a lot more.
27. Las Vegas Raiders (1-1)
Win 38-10 @ Buffalo Bills
Last Week: 23The Raiders avoided a fall in the rankings in Week 1, only to fall flat on their faces in Week 2. They’re still tied for the AFC West lead.
28. Cleveland Browns (1-1)
Loss 26-22 @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Last Week: 25There was an impressive win in Week 1 and an uninspiring loss in Week 2. They’re right back where they were after the preseason, which didn’t look great in the first place.
29. Chicago Bears (0-2)
Loss 27-17 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last Week: 28It’s been ugly in Chicago. It’s still early, but they might’ve already missed their chance to breakout in a wide-open NFC North.
30. Houston Texans (0-2)
Loss 31-20 vs. Indianapolis Colts
Last Week: 31C.J. Stroud threw for 384 yards and 2 touchdowns. It’s nothing to sneer at, but the organization has a long way to go before they can even think about contending for a playoff spot.
31. Ariziona Cardinals (0-2)
Loss 31-28 @ New York Giants
Last Week: 32The Cardinals built a lead against the Giants, but they couldn’t close the deal. Jonathan Gannon shouldn’t look for moral victories to begin his head coaching career.
32. Carolina Panthers (0-2)
Loss 20-17 vs. New Orleans Saints
Last Week: 29Bryce Young will experience growing pains this season. Two losses against division opponents have sunk Carolina into a tough spot with a bad outlook (at least for 2023).
