All the things we thought we knew coming into last week were either confirmed or rejected by the actual games on the field. A lot of people want to talk about “overreactions” from Week One, but those people are just flat out wrong. The problems that show up the first week of the season are there all season. What successful teams do is adapt and do their best to fix those issues. Some can and some can’t, but for a good handfull of teams, panic is not the wrong response.
1. New England Patriots – (1-0) I may have been the only writer who put the Patriots No. 1 to start the season, but I guarantee you’ll see them in the top spot this week. And that’s not even to say I believe they’ll stay here, but after manhandling the Steelers last Thursday, they’ve earned this spot, by hook or by crook… mostly by crook. Last week: No. 1
2. Green Bay Packers – (1-0) The Aaron Rodgers that was on display in the preseason was no mirage. This is his season and it’s going to take a tremendous effort from another team, its defense and its entire coaching staff to mess up his Super Bowl run. Last week: No. 3
3. Dallas Cowboys – (1-0) If you hear anyone talking down Tony Romo, just know they haven’t watched a football game in the last two years. Romo was as clutch as any QB could be against the Giants Sunday night and without his best receiver. Last week: No. 7
4. Buffalo Bills – (1-0) Too big a jump for the Bills? How so, when they completely destroyed one of the AFC Super Bowl favorites in Week One. The Colts were out of that game early, but the real test is this Sunday against the Patriots. Last week: No. 10
5. St. Louis Rams – (1-0) All the Rams have needed to make playoff runs the last two seasons is a quarterback and Nick Foles showed why Sunday, bouncing back from a sack-fumble to lead the team on a scoring drive to tie the game. The pass Foles threw in overtime, beating Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas on a perfect pass to Stedman Bailey should be your new screen saver. Last week: No. 16
6. Seattle Seahawks – (0-1) You can’t drop the Seahawks too far after an opening weekend loss, but with the Packers coming up on the schedule and real issues in their defensive backfield, the prospect of 0-2 is very real. Last week: No. 2
7. Indianapolis Colts – (0-1) The Colts got smacked in the mouth early against the Bills Sunday so there’s no excuse for them to let it happen again against the Jets this week. But make no mistake, the Jets have that hand cocked and ready. Last week: No. 4
8. San Diego Chargers – (1-0) The Chargers were way down early and looked like they were in danger of getting run off their own field. There are two reasons that didn’t happen; Philip Rivers is still their quarterback and Jim Caldwell is still the Lions’ head coach. Last week: No. 11
9. Pittsburgh Steelers – (0-1) The Steelers have holes all over their defense, but what really cost them the game against the Patriots last week was offensive playcalling, especially in the red zone. Todd Haley needs to stop reading his own press clippings and actually call NFL plays. Last week: No. 5
10. Arizona Cardinals – (1-0) Carson Palmer sliced up the Saints defense to the tune of 307 yards and three touchdowns, showing that he’s either completely bounced back from his second torn ACL or the Saints defense is a sieve. The jury is still out on both. Last week: No. 13
11. Cincinnati Bengals – (1-0) The Bengals win over the Raiders didn’t show much that we already didn’t know. Cincinnati is good in the regular season and the Raiders have a ways to go. Still, to actually perform to expectations is an accomplishment on a week that saw many contenders fall face-first into giant sheet cakes. Last week: No. 14
12. Atlanta Falcons – (1-0) I thought it would take Dan Quinn a while to put a decent defense together in Atlanta. He disagreed. The Falcons showed why they were the best open job in the offseason by unleashing a pretty potent offense that Quinn did little but add a running back to. But the defense that stifled the Eagles for most of the game was the real star. Last week: No. 17
13. Kansas City Chiefs – (1-0) The Chiefs dominated the opening half of their first game against the Texans, then took the second half off on offense and it nearly cost them. They can’t afford to be so generous against the Broncos this week. Last week: No. 20
14. Denver Broncos – (1-0) Speaking of the Broncos, it was nice of their defense to show up because the offense still thinks its April. If Peyton Manning thinks he had it rough against the Ravens, just wait until he sees what Justin Houston and the Chiefs have in store for him. Last week: No. 8
15. Philadelphia Eagles – (0-1) Sam Bradford came to life in the second half just to barely lose in his Eagles debut. I’ve seen that show plenty of times in St. Louis. I’ve got a bad feeling that Bradford has brought his poor luck with him to Philadelphia. Last week: No. 9
16. Miami Dolphins – (1-0) The Dolphins road to early season success is paved with NFL doormats. This week they’re at Jacksonville, so Harvard’s favorite Super Bowl pick should be fine for at least another seven days or so. Last week: No. 23
17. Baltimore Ravens – (0-1) A pitiful showing on offense from Joe Flacco and the Ravens doesn’t bode well for success this season. Losing Terrell Suggs on defense for the season doesn’t help either. Is it time to panic in Baltimore? Nope, because you’re about to play the Raiders. Last week: No. 6
18. Detroit Lions – (0-1) There’s the Jim Caldwell I know and think should be running a QuickLube in Topeka, Kansas. The Lions targeted Calvin Johnson only four times in the passing game last week. Good game plan, Jim. Last week: No. 12
19. New York Giants – (0-1) The Giants blew their game against the Cowboys with poor time management and they know it. Now they get to be the lesson for every other team in the league this week. It’s like a very special episode of Diff’rent Strokes, only this time Dudley doesn’t get molested because Gordon Jump can’t figure out how to work the VCR. Last week: No. 15
20. Carolina Panthers – (1-0) This might seem like a low spot to put a team that won its opener, but it was against the Jaguars in a game pretty much everyone had in their survivor pool. Let’s not go crazy just yet. Last week: No. 21
21. New Orleans Saints – (0-1) Rob Ryan and Rex Ryan are twins, but maybe Rob was dropped on his head coming out of the womb or something. Sure, the Saints defense was terrible, but the offense managed just 19 points against a Cardinals defense that gets the senior discount at the concession stand. Last wee: No. 18
22. Houston Texans – (0-1) So much for the Brian Hoyer comeback story. One day the Texans will actually draft a legitimate quarterback to help their team. If they keep playing like this, they’ll get a nice, early shot at it come April. Last wee: No. 19
23. San Francisco 49ers – (1-0) Again here I am sticking it to a team that won. But if you think this is too low for the 49ers, it’s obviously you were one of the people lucky enough to fall asleep in the first quarter. Last week: No. 31
24. New York Jets – (1-0) Another low-ranked winner? Yes, Jets. You played the Browns. Let’s see what happens against the Colts this week. If you beat them, you’ll be a lot higher. Trust me. Last week: No. 24
25. Tennessee Titans – (1-0) Marcus Mariota had the best debut by a rookie quarterback in NFL history and no one inside Tennessee’s locker room or coaching staff was shocked. I’ll bet Tampa Bay was. Last week: No. 28
26. Chicago Bears – (0-1) The Bears actually looked respectable in their loss to the Packers Sunday. But a loss is still a loss. It doesn’t get any easier with the Cardinals coming to town this week. Well, some easier. Carson Palmer isn’t Aaron Rodgers, after all. Last week: No. 25
27. Minnesota Vikings – (0-1) The Vikings, on the other hand, wished they’d at least looked respectable. The trendy playoff pick basically saved the day for sportsbooks all over the country by crapping the bed against the 49ers Monday night.. Last week: No. 22
28. Cleveland Browns – (0-1) Josh McCown’s leaping, spectacular sure-touchdown run that turned into a helicopter fumble concussion not only sums up his career as a quarterback, but the Browns’ organization since their return. Last week: No. 27
29. Jacksonville Jaguars – (0-1) The Jaguars are in the tough position of being significantly better than they’ve been in years, while at the same time being significantly worse than most teams they’ll play. Last week: No. 26
30. Oakland Raiders – (0-1) Derek Carr will likely miss at least a week with an injured hand, so it’ll be up to Mike McGloin to take every snap in an almost guaranteed loss to the Ravens. Last week: No. 30
31. Washington Redskins – (0-1) It’s not so much your play, Redskins, that took you out of the bottom spot of the power rankings. It’s just that one team was so much worse. Last week: No. 32
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – (0-1) Tampa Bay returns to the bottom where they spent most of last season. Sunday’s loss hurt the Bucs for multiple reasons, but the worst one is that it could be the beginning of confirmation that they picked Ryan Leaf over Peyton Manning. Last week: No. 29
