Week 2 NFL Power Rankings: 49ers, Seahawks Bengals, Bills Rise as Packers, Patriots Implode

The wait is over, with Sunday kicking off the main slate of Week 1 action to really begin the start of the 2026 NFL season. It's never wise to overreact too much to a single game, especially this early, but we can make some assessments of all 32 teams right now.

Let's dive into our Week 2 NFL power rankings, evaluating how teams performed in their regular-season opener. We'll also have updates after Sunday Night Football ( Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants ) and Monday Night Football ( Denver Broncos vs Kansas City Chiefs ).

The Seattle Seahawks demonstrated why they are the best team in the NFL right now in their Week 1 win over New England . Even with backup quarterback Drew Lock forced into action, reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba delivered the game-changing play the offense needed and Seattle's defense put the team on its back for much of the night. Even if Darnold were to miss the next two weeks, the building blocks of the Seahawks roster can beat the Cardinals (Week 2) and Commanders (Week 3).

Josh Allen finally exorcised one of his biggest demons in Week 1, beating the Houston Texans with an outstanding performance against an elite defense that has shut him down in the past. Adding DJ Moore (100 yards, 1 touchdown on 5 receptions) clearly is an elevator for Buffalo's passing game and it appears Buffalo might also be getting that breakthrough year from tight end Dalton Kincaid . If the Bills can do this against Houston's defense, the Lions are in serious trouble on that side of the ball in Week 2.

What a difference-maker it is for the Baltimore Ravens to have a healthy Lamar Jackson behind a quality offensive line. Naturally, this team looks even better when the Ravens' defense plays up to its talent level, and that should happen more consistently in 2026 under head coach Jesse Minter, with pass rusher Trey Hendrickson now leading that front seven. On Sunday, Baltimore showcased why it might be the best team in the AFC.

If the San Francisco 49ers are going to have a defense capable of playing at the level we saw in Australia, this is one of the five best NFL teams in 2026. Even with rookie receiver De'Zhaun Stribling out for a month-plus , there are more than enough offensive weapons on San Francisco 's offense for Kyle Shanahan, Brock Purdy , and Christian McCaffrey to put up 27-plus points a game. An outstanding offense, great coaching, and an above-average defense can take San Francisco to the Super Bowl.

Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos have a great opportunity on Monday Night Football. The Chiefs' weaknesses right now align perfectly with Denver's strengths, and that creates a great chance for Nix to demonstrate that these two AFC West rivals are simply on different tiers right now. We're particularly intrigued to see what offensive coordinator Davis Webb can draw up in his first game as play-caller.

Kamari Lassiter will lose a lot of sleep for the next few nights over dropping that game-sealing interception and then surrendering the game-deciding touchdown. Starting 0-1 is a blow for the Houston Texans, but DeMeco Ryans at least has to feel good about C.J. Stroud's performance (106.7 passer rating, 7.2 YPA and 2-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio) and what Houston got from David Montgomery and Woody Marks (102 yards, two touchdowns on 29 carries). Dropping this one hurts, and it makes it imperative that the defense turns things around in Week 2 against Joe Burrow and the Bengals .

So, clearly the Los Angeles Rams ' strategy for travel blew up in their face. What is far more troubling is that for as talented as this offense is, its third-down issues remain. A season after ranking 17th in third-down conversion rate (39.6 percent), Los Angeles went 2-for-9 on Thursday night. To make matters worse, All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett is now on injured reserve after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Is it time to panic in Los Angeles? No, but the "Dream Team" label is clearly a curse.

Ben Johnson stated before the season that he wanted the Chicago Bears offense to set single-season NFL records in 2026. If Week 1 is any indication of what's to come, that might be on the table. Caleb Williams had some MVP-caliber moments and Chicago's rushing attack seemed to already be in midseason form. So, what prevents a team that dropped 45 points in three quarters from being even higher in the NFL power rankings? Chicago's defense might be even worse than feared.

Not exactly an inspiring performance by the Philadelphia Eagles. Washington came within a two-point conversion of sending this one into overtime at Lincoln Financial Field. Turnovers and third-down woes (6-for-14) weren't necessarily the problem for the Eagles offense, but making it into the red zone on just three of 12 drives isn't exactly a ringing endorsement of offensive coordinator Sean Mannion against this Commanders defense. We came away from Sunday believing the gap between Philadelphia and Dallas is closer than some may realize.

If the Cincinnati Bengals have a viable defense, another Super Bowl contender has emerged in a wide-open AFC. Takeaways aren't the best way to measure a defense, as they can be sporadic, but Cincinnati also fared pretty well in Week 1 on simply containing the Buccaneers ' offense. The fan base and organization should be feeling great right now because this absolutely looks like the best team around Joe Burrow since the Bengals made consecutive trips to the AFC Championship Game from 2021-22.

We remain high on the Dallas Cowboys heading into their Sunday Night Football matchup. This remains one of the league's best offenses, with the lone thing separating Dallas from becoming a top-tier NFC team in 2026 being its defense. Similar to the 49ers, all the Cowboys really need is for defensive coordinator Christian Parker to get this unit to a top-15 level. There is a chance of that happening, and even if this is just a top-20 defense, Dallas is a wild-card contender who can challenge Philadelphia for the NFC East crown.

Week 1's matchup against Cleveland essentially felt like a tune-up game for the Jacksonville Jaguars . Trevor Lawrence got to show his mastery of Liam Coen's offense and that his production late in 2025 ( 13-1 TD-INT ratio and 113.5 passer rating in final five games) was no fluke. Meanwhile, Jacksonville's defense feasted on the Browns' offense like it should. This team might be lower in our NFL power rankings entering Week 2 than Jacksonville fans want to see, but it can absolutely prove it's in the cream of the crop in the AFC if it beats Denver next Sunday.

The Detroit Lions took a 21-0 lead at home over New Orleans in the midway point of the fourth quarter. That's when the wheels fell off, with Detroit's offense putting up 23 total yards on its next two possessions while the defense surrendered four consecutive scoring drives covering 274 yards, with 24 points put on the board. The Lions' offense managed to take it to overtime and find the end zone on its first extra possession, but the defense gave it right back, and Detroit got the 31-30 win instead of a tie entirely because New Orleans opted to roll the dice on a two-point conversion.

There are a few reasons to be concerned with the New England Patriots coming out of Week 1. First, All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown will miss 4-6 weeks with a high-ankle sprain and this Patriots offense likely won't see him at 100 percent for two-plus months. Romeo Doubs clearly isn't suited for that No. 1 role either. That only puts a bigger microscope on Drake Maye , who has a 7-7 TD-INT ratio with 24 sacks taken in his last five games. The issues might not prove costly in Week 2 at home against Pittsburgh , but they could be responsible for losses in a two-week stretcha fter that against the Jaguars and Bills on the road.

The final score (39-22) wasn't a true indication of how close this NFC North game was. However, the Minnesota Vikings proved they are far better at handling adversity and stepping up in critical moments. Minnesota didn't wave the white flag when Kyler Murray got knocked out on an unnecessary hit in the first quarter, nor did this team wave the white flag when it trailed by two scores late in the third quarter. Murray will return, and the coaching staff and locker room now have a 1-0 record with momentum to carry over into the rest of the season.

The Green Bay Packers imploded on Sunday afternoon in Minnesota. It truly started with Matt LaFleur's dumbfounding decision to turn down 3 points for an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter to go for it on 4th-and-1, an attempt that failed. Did Minnesota get bailed out by highly questionable penalties on its go-ahead touchdown drive? Sure. However, that doesn't cast away LaFleur's bad decision, nor does it overshadow how this team just imploded after giving up that touchdown. There's a ton of talent on this Packers roster, but the inability to maintain composure and close games in the fourth quarter is an awful sign for an organization with playoff aspirations.

We are lower on the Kansas City Chiefs than the consensus NFL power rankings, and a few of the reasons why should be demonstrated on Monday night. Kansas City's standout left tackle Josh Simmons remains sidelined by an injury, and there are added concerns about this new-look secondary with Chamarri Conner sidelined. In Patrick Mahomes ' first game back from ACL surgery and with the inexperience on Kansas City's defense, this feels like a matchup that highlights this team still isn't ready to return to peak form.

Not what anyone expected from this Los Angeles Chargers offense in the first game of the Mike McDaniel era. Days ahead of this Week 1 matchup, Jim Harbaugh shared his belief that Justin Herbert would go down as the best quarterback in NFL history. That young passer just took 3 sacks, threw an interception, and finished with an 83.7 passer rating in a 12-point loss at home to the Cardinals. Given Harbaugh's recent track record, see his comments on J.J. McCarthy , perhaps we should worry more about his talent evaluations.

If it could go wrong for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first half of Sunday's game, it did. Right when it seemed like some semblance of momentum was being regained, Baker Mayfield was stripped of the football at the 4-yard line, and Cincinnati recovered it in the end zone and then answered with an 80-yard touchdown drive. Three-turnover games are obviously an outlier, but this team-wide performance did nothing to erase criticism of the Buccaneers for retaining head coach Todd Bowles.

The Carolina Panthers might not have come out of Week 1 with the win, but there are reasons for optimism. Jalen Coker is clearly ready to take that next big leap this season, and quarterback Bryce Young took advantage of Chicago's secondary. Plus, the rest of the NFC South didn't look all that impressive on Sunday. Someone has to win this division, and the Panthers' season debut provided a few pieces of evidence to believe they can.

Things looked bleak for the New Orleans Saints in the third quarter, trailing 21-0 with no real semblance of hope. Tyler Shough had turned it over three times, and some in the Bayou might've started thinking about the 2027 quarterback class. Then, the Saints offense came marching back to send it to overtime. The gamble for the game-winning two-point try backfired, but New Orleans demonstrated in Week 1 that it has the fortitude and talent to compete for the division.

Beating a team led by a third-string quarterback because of a pick-six is not a ringing endorsement of the Pittsburgh Steelers . Aaron Rodgers (5.5 yards per attempt, 3.4 QB rating on 40 attempts) looked like a 42-year-old starting quarterback, and the Steelers couldn't run the football effectively (2.8 yards per carry on 21 attempts). Pittsburgh might be 1-0, but that performance did nothing to make us feel like it is a viable playoff contender.

There are plenty of reasons to be intrigued with the New York Giants this season. A healthy trio of Jaxson Dart , Cam Skattebo , and Malik Nabers will generate plenty of explosive plays, and tight end Isaiah Likely could be primed for a breakout year. Defensively, this front seven's ability to generate pressure will rival some of the top units around the league. We just do not have enough faith in New York's secondary nor its offensive core staying on the field and playing consistently well.

The Arizona Cardinals offense was already good enough to win three to four games this season. In Sunday's stunning Week 1 victory over the Chargers, it was Arizona's defense and special-teams units that made the difference. No one is going to mistake this club for a playoff contender, but maybe six or seven wins is on the table for Arizona in 2026.

The Washington Commanders fought back and came within a failed two-point conversion of sending this one into overtime in Philadelphia. While it might have ultimately ended in a loss, quarterback Jayden Daniels played reasonably well given the defense he faced, and rookie Antonio Williams made his first big play in the league. Victories will determine if Dan Quinn keeps his job or not, but we see positives for Washington today.

The Las Vegas Raiders beat a team they were supposed to. That might sound like a knock, but it's something this team couldn't do last season, especially when a quarterback threw two interceptions. Ashton Jeanty (147 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns) largely carried this offense on Sunday, and Maxx Crosby showed why he can still be a game-wrecker. There's just no room for Las Vegas to move up on a Sunday where other teams looked better in terms of the eye test.

Sunday's loss in the home opener against Baltimore should serve as a reminder of just how many tiers below the best NFL teams the Indianapolis Colts are. Daniel Jones is coming off an Achilles injury, and it's not like the Colts' offensive line is as good as it used to be. The ceiling for this offense just isn't what we saw during its peak moments in 2025, and if the Colts' secondary struggles like it did Sunday in the months to come, a sub-.500 record is possible.

Dare we say that the New York Jets could be a competitive and entertaining team in 2026? The Jets' offensive line looked as good as we could ask for, allowing Geno Smith to operate from a clean pocket with an array of on-target throws, all the while this run game consistently gained chunks of yards. New York might still be headed for a three-game losing streak (Packers, Lions, and Bears in Weeks 2 to 4), but we also believe it won't be in the mix for a top-three pick in 2027.

That was actually a closer game than we expected for the Atlanta Falcons considering they had to roll with a third-string quarterback with little time to prepare. With that said, Sunday also serves as a reminder of how bad Atlanta's quarterback situation truly is because the injured alternatives ( Michael Penix Jr . and Tua Tagovailoa ) are still bottom-tier starters. It's going to be a rough season for Atlanta, but at least Bijan Robinson will get his numbers.

The rebuilding Miami Dolphins are a bad football team. Not entirely shocking. Malik Willis doesn't really have the supporting cast to be successful, and opponents can throw everything they have to stop De'Von Achane while putting up points against a bottom-10 defense. This is going to be a weekly theme for Miami, and they are firmly in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick.

Our expectations for the Tennessee Titans in 2025 were admittedly low, but we didn't think it would look this bad in Week 1. Brian Daboll's debut as the Titans' play-caller went about as poorly as one could imagine, with Cam Ward finishing under 50 net passing yards on more than 20 dropbacks before garbage time hit. Equally troubling is this defense under Robert Saleh, which made Geno Smith look like the standout quarterback we saw a few seasons ago in Seattle. It might only be one game, but Tennessee easily looks like it will be one of the worst NFL teams this season.

Week 1 left no doubt that the Cleveland Browns are the worst NFL team in 2026. Deshaun Watson is abysmal as a starter, and it feels like a distinct possibility that Browns head coach Todd Monken makes a change to Shedeur Sanders by the home opener in Week 3. Expectedly, this defense also appears poised to take a step back with Jim Schwartz and Myles Garrett gone. On the bright side for Cleveland, it's the favorite for the No. 1 pick.