B/R Experts Week 2 NFL Power Rankings

If there's one thing that's predictable in the NFL, it's that very few things are predictable. Week 1 of the 2026 season was no exception in that regard.

The Seattle Seahawks lost their starting quarterback in the first quarter of a Super Bowl LX rematch—and still won. Los Angeles Rams team that many were ready to crown champions before the season even started got their doors blown off Down Under. Sunday featured a shootout between contenders in Houston, a massive upset in Los Angeles and the highest scoring Sunday overall since the AFL/NFL merger.

As is so often the case, what we thought we knew about the NFL's pecking order entering the season and how it looks after one week are…not the same thing. And just as they do every week, Bleacher Report NFL analysts Gary Davenport , Kris Knox , Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski have come together to make sense of the chaos by ranking all 32 NFL teams from worst to first.

ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SEA | SF | TB | TEN | WAS

Week 1 Result: Lost at Jacksonville 34-10

It is going to be another long season at the Factory of Sadness.

Deshaun Watson's stats weren't bad in a blowout loss to the Jaguars, but his lone touchdown throw came in garbage time and for most of the game the Browns had no vertical passing attack. That let the NFL's best run defense from a year ago tee off on running back Quinshon Judkins, who averaged less than three yards per carry.

The even bigger disappointment was a Browns defense that ranked inside the top-five last year. Sure, Myles Garrett is gone. But the Jaguars did whatever they wanted offensively in Week 1, whether it was on the ground or through the air.

It was an ugly performance all the way around. And the Browns are the NFL's worst team. Again. -- Davenport

The Miami Dolphins are exactly who everyone thought they'd be. The organization is going through a rebuilding phases trying to figure out exactly what talent will be worthy of going into next offseason as potential building blocks.

On a positive note, third-round rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas showed up in his NFL debut with a team-leading five receptions for 94 yards. Conversely, the man throwing to Douglas, Malik Willis, will need to show more as the season progresses to ensure he's the Dolphins' starting quarterback beyond this season. Willis' athleticism makes up for some of the deficiencies found around the quarterback position. Still, the 27-year-old signal-caller must show more as a passer than what everyone saw Sunday. -- Sobleski

Week 1 Result: Lost vs. New York Jets 23-10

The Tennessee Titans offense is hard to watch in small doses, let alone for three-plus hours. Fans at Nissan Stadium rightfully booed Tennessee's offense off the field after stalled drives.

Perhaps Cam Ward's preseason struggles were a legitimate cause for concern. He didn't fare any better in a full game with starters. The second-year quarterback never settled in the pocket and misfired on several downfield passes.

Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll must go back to the drawing board and reduce the passing attack to short and intermediate throws until Ward finds his rhythm. -- Moton

The Atlanta Falcons are already a mess only one game into the 2026 campaign. Once again, the Falcons have significant offensive talent, just not at quarterback.

Cooper Rush was forced into the starting lineup for Atlanta's season-opener, because Tua Tagovailoa suffered a back injury and Michael Penix Jr. was not ready to take over the offense. Rush was even dealing with back spasms as late as this past Saturday.

With that setup, Atlanta's wide receivers caught four total passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Second-team All-Pro tight end Kyle Pitts was targeted once and didn't catch anything. Unless the Falcons somehow find consistent quarterback play, Atlanta won't be able to keep pace with opponents. -- Sobleski

Aside from a few big gains, the Indianapolis Colts offense didn't have enough explosive plays to keep pace with the Baltimore Ravens last week. As expected, coming off a torn ACL, Daniel Jones had a slow start to the season, mostly dinking and dunking his way downfield with only one rush attempt for four yards.

It may take a few weeks before we see the " Indianapolis Jones " version of the Colts' quarterback again, which may be an issue. Indianapolis risks falling into an early hole with a road matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs and a divisional battle against the Houston Texans on its schedule.

By the way, Indianapolis has allowed at least 36 points in four of its last six games. With a below-average defense, the Colts need an above-average offense to be competitive. -- Moton

Week 1 Result: Lost at Philadelphia 24-22

Sunday's road loss to the rival Eagles may well haunt the Commanders for some time—because of how Washington lost.

The Commanders showed resilience in coming back on the road from a 14-3 deficit. They were admittedly outgained in the game, but only by about 20 yards. Washington had twice as many first downs as the Eagles.

Twice in the fourth quarter, the Commanders were a two-point conversion away from tying the score. But a celebration penalty by Stefon Diggs made the first impossible, and the second came up just short.

It's not the end of the world—Washington hasn't won in Philadelphia since 2022. But two years ago, when the Commanders made it to the NFC Championship Game, this was the type of game the team found a way to win.

And with a tough schedule over the next month-plus, they needed to find a way in Week 1. -- Davenport

Over the last couple of years, it was easy to write off the New York Jets as one of the NFL's worst teams. A bit of role reversal occurred Sunday, when the Jets handled their business against an inferior team in the Tennessee Titans.

Specifically, quarterback Geno Smith deserves significant credit. He was the league's worst quarterback during the 2025 campaign. He played efficient football in his return to the Jets and didn't commit any turnovers, which is quite a feat unto itself after last season.

The formula for Aaron Glenn's team to win is obvious: Play the time of possession of game thanks to a strong ground game, hope Smith doesn't revert into bad habits and let a talented defense dictate terms. -- Sobleski

Week 1 Result: Won at Los Angeles Chargers 26-14

The Arizona Cardinals pulled off the upset of the week, and they led the Los Angeles Chargers for just about the entire game. The Cardinals aren't expected to win many games this year, but perhaps analysts have underestimated them.

But before we change our perspective on the Cardinals, let's see how they match up against the reigning champions in Week 2. Remember, the Las Vegas Raiders traveled to beat the New England Patriots in Week 1 last year and won two more games that season.

That said, don't overlook Arizona's offense. First-team All-Pro tight end Trey McBride and rookie running back Jeremiyah Love will lead an exciting young unit. -- Moton

Fans shouldn't overreact to a two-touchdown win over a Miami Dolphins team that has one of the NFL's most underwhelming rosters, especially at home. However, the Las Vegas Raiders looked more like a cohesive team than they did at almost any point last season.

It's too early to declare Klink Kubiak as Las Vegas' answer at head coach. However, his team was well-prepared for Week 1 and operated like a team that can probably pull off a few upsets in 2026. However, Kirk Cousins (2 INTs) will need to be more careful with the football to keep Las Vegas in the win column and to quiet calls for rookie Fernando Mendoza. -- Knox

The Carolina Panthers provided two unexpected outcomes from Sunday's meeting with the Chicago Bears.

First, Bryce Young went punch-for-punch with fellow No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams. Young hasn't lived up to expectations during the early portion of his NFL career. More often than not, the 2023 class' top selection held back Carolina's offense. To open the 2026 campaign, Young threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns. Though he probably wants the interception back.

Second, Carolina's defense didn't come to play. Ejiro Evero's unit surrendered 552 yards and allowed the Bears to score a touchdown on their last four offensive possessions. Before that point, the game was tied 31 apiece. -- Sobleski

The New Orleans Saints showed resilience by coming back from a 21-0 third-quarter deficit against the Detroit Lions. At the same time, Kellen Moore's squad came up short in overtime and failed to finish.

Moore and his staff have done a tremendous job making the Saints a competitive squad. This time a year ago, many viewed New Orleans as having the league's least talented roster. By the end of the 2025 campaign, the Saints were pushing for a potential postseason appearance. Thus, expectations rose.

New Orleans showed it could hang with the Lions despite playing poorly early in the contest. The ability to grind out a tough win when facing adversity is the next step the Saints must take. -- Sobleski

So maybe hiring John Harbaugh was a pretty good idea.

Offensively Sunday night, New York was ruthlessly efficient. Jaxson Dart was poised and accurate. Cam Skattebo didn't have huge numbers, but he got the tough yards when he needed to. Tight end Isaiah Likely was a revelation in his first game with the team.

New York was 9-of-11 on third down. That's nuts.

The defense remains a work in progress, but it made just enough plays against one of the NFL's best offenses a year ago to win the day—and a second straight contest with the Cowboys at Met Life Stadium.

It's still too early to say the Giants are good—the Dallas defense has been awful dating back to 2025. But they were in Week 1, and we'll find out soon enough how sustainable the improvement is.

The Giants are at the Rams in Week 2. -- Davenport

Five days before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened their 2026 campaign, the organization and quarterback Baker Mayfield agreed to a new three-year, $165 million contract extension. Buyer's remorse would be too strong of a word after Sunday's performance, but the Bucs certainly live and die with Mayfield's drastic swings in performance.

Mayfield's desire to make a play at all costs can be a positive and negative. Against the Cincinnati Bengals, his relentless nature became a significant problem. Mayfield fumbled the ball three times, which directly led to 17 points by the Bengals. When Mayfield is on his game, he can light up an opponent. But there's always that part of him where everyone knows he's operating on the edge. -- Sobleski

Are we sure that Mike McDaniel is an offensive guru? Justin Herbert never seemed to find a rhythm, and the Los Angeles Chargers offense looked every bit as disjointed as it did under Greg Roman last season. Unfortunately, the top-tier defense we saw from L.A. in 2025 was nowhere to be found.

Maybe the Arizona Cardinals are simply far better than anyone expected. However, the version of the Chargers we saw on Sunday looked like a team that could be headed to the AFC West basement. -- Knox

Week 1 Result: Lost at New York Giants 28-20

The Dallas Cowboys spent big bucks and early picks on overhauling arguably the NFL's worst defense in the offseason.

Is there a return policy? Because the new Dallas defense looked a lot like the old Dallas defense Sunday night in New York.

The New York Giants ran the ball right at Dallas to the tune of 165 yards on the ground. Jaxson Dart's passer rating was 134.2. The Giants had 11 third down attempts in the game and converted nine of them. The Dallas offense possessed the ball all of twice (scoring touchdowns both times) in the second half because the defense just could not get off the field. New York had the ball for 36:40.

We've seen this movie before—last year. And now this week's home date with the Commanders carries sizable stakes. -- Davenport

The Green Bay Packers are missing two of last year's top players, as Micah Parsons remains on short-term IR, and running back Josh Jacobs is on the commissioner's exempt list. However, that won't make the Packers feel any better about collapsing in a very winnable game against a division rival.

The Minnesota Vikings lost Kyler Murray to a concussion early, and Green Bay built a 22-10 lead by the third quarter. However, the defense failed to contain Carson Wentz, the offensive line couldn't protect Jordan Love, and the Packers watched Minnesota pull away with 29 unanswered points.

Green Bay simply can't be a factor in the NFC North if it has many similar performances. -- Knox

Granted, it was just one game. But in Week 1, Mike McCarthy's Steelers looked a lot like Mike Tomlin's Steelers of recent seasons. Good enough to beat an inferior opponent, but not like a real threat in the AFC.

Before we go any farther, respect must be placed upon the name of T.J. Watt. Watt was a wrecking ball against the Falcons, logging two sacks and notching the first pick-six of his career. But Pittsburgh having defensive success against a third-string quarterback isn't exactly a Herculean feat.

The offense was—not great. Pittsburgh had less than 275 yards of offense against a Falcons defense that isn't scaring anyone. The Steelers managed just 58 yards on the ground and well under three yards a carry.

That may be enough to beat Atlanta. But it's not going to fly next week in New England -- Davenport

This Vikings team is going to be a threat in the NFC if it can get steady quarterback play—regardless of which signal-caller provides it.

Carson Wentz largely played the game-manager role in relief of Kyler Murray (concussion). However, he put the ball in the end zone and allowed Minnesota's defense to take over the game instead of just keeping the team in it. Of course, one impressive win won't be enough to launch the Vikings toward the top of our power rankings. -- Knox

Patrick Mahomes is set to make his return from a torn ACL on Monday night against the rival Denver Broncos. The Kansas City Chiefs will need him to be in pre-injury form if they're going to get back in the playoff mix this season.

Denver should serve as a great measuring stick for how close Kansas City is to being a playoff team in 2026. -- Knox

More often than not in recent years, the Bengals have struggled out of the gate—since 2022, the Bengals are 2-6 over the first two weeks of the season. But the Bengals put one in the win column in Week 1 this year—and how they did it may have mattered even more than the win itself.

The Cincinnati offense was held at least somewhat in check—Joe Burrow barely topped 250 passing yards with a single touchdown pass. Star receiver Ja'Marr Chase had just two catches. Fellow wideout Tee Higgins and running back Chase Brown were—OK.

No, it was Cincinnati's revamped defense that won the day against Tampa, forcing four Buccaneers turnovers, dropping Baker Mayfield four times and holding the Bucs to just 282 total yards.

It's exactly what the Bengals were looking for—a measure of balance, And in Cincy can keep playing defense like this, the Bengals are going to be a tough out. – Davenport

Week 1 Result: Won vs. New Orleans 31-30 (OT)

Drew Petzing's first game as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator was a whole bunch of fine. Detroit's execution wasn't great early, and the Lions did put 31 points on the board. However, the offense seemed to lack rhythm for long stretches and finished just 5-of-13 on third down.

More concerning was the fact that Detroit's defense was about as stiff as a warm pat of margarine in the second half against the New Orleans Saints. The Lions escaped with a win, but they don't feel like title contenders and should feel very fortunate to be 1-0. -- Knox

The New England Patriots still haven't figured out the Seattle Seahawks, with bookend losses to end last season and open the current campaign.

Drake Maye's performance Wednesday is definitely concerning, because the quarterback had all offseason to figure out what went wrong during Super Bowl LX and fix those issues. Instead, he threw three interceptions during the season-opener, including when the Patriots were in game-tying field-goal position late in the contest, then admitted he grew impatient.

To make matters worse, star wide receiver AJ Brown, who was New England's prized offseason acquisition, suffered a high-ankle sprain during his Patriots debut. He's expected to miss six weeks, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport--which once again leaves New England without a legitimate playmaker at wide receiver. -- Sobleski

The Houston Texans' pass defense didn't have any answers for Josh Allen, who threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns. The Bills' dynamic signal-caller also ran for 23 yards and two scores.

The Texans defense has to take accountability for this season-opening loss, giving up 7.9 yards per play without a turnover. For comparison to the previous season, Houston allowed 4.8 yards per play and recorded a takeaway in all but two games, including the playoffs.

The Texans fall in our rankings, but they should be able to bounce back from an atypical leaky defensive performance. – Moton

During the summer, Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson told Dan Pompei of The Athletic that he wanted to field the highest-scoring offense in NFL history. Against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Chicago racked up 552 yards and 59 points.

The problem is that the Bears might have to have a historically good offense in order to repeat as NFC North champions. As was the case last season, the defense relied heavily on takeaways while giving up far too many yards (478, 7.7 per play) and points (37) for comfort. -- Knox

The Philadelphia Eagles don't lose openers under head coach Nick Sirianni—Sunday's victory over the Commanders makes the team 6-0 in Week 1 during his tenure. But Sirianni probably isn't doing cartwheels about how the Eagles won.

Jalen Hurts threw three touchdown passes but completed just 56 percent of his passes. The offense averaged six yards per play but converted less than half their third-down tries. The Philly pass rush was all but invisible, recording just one sack and two QB hits.

Now, some of that could just be rust—most of Philadelphia's starters spent the preseason in bubble wrap. A win is a win. And next week's trip to face the Tennessee Titans is hardly a daunting matchup.

But the Eagles have their sights set on SoFi Stadium and Super Bowl LXI, and if they are going to make a deep playoff run they need to tighten things up on both sides on the ball. -- Davenport

Week 1 Result: Lost vs. San Francisco 27-7

The Los Angeles Rams 2026 super team ate humble pie in Australia, but it would be an overreaction to say they'll be a disappointment this year.

Myles Garrett talked about getting over an offseason knee injury. He underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, according to The Ringer's Tom Pelissero . The Rams placed him on injured reserve, though he could return in a month or so. Aaron Donald didn't play.

If you're already selling your Rams stock, this analyst will buy it. Los Angeles was a Super Bowl contender before it acquired Garrett and Donald unretired; that doesn't change after a bad loss.

Even without Garrett, the Rams' defensive front should be much improved when Donald makes his on-field return. Los Angeles isn't going to give up 174 rushing yards to another opponent, and head coach Sean McVay will get last season's No. 1 offense going at home next Monday. -- Moton

The Jacksonville Jaguars weren't tested by the offensively inept Cleveland Browns, but it's still fair to acknowledge that Trevor Lawrence looked sharp, going 18-of-23 for 245 yards and four touchdowns. Keep in mind that he's completed fewer than 61 percent of his passes in back-to-back seasons. His accuracy is noteworthy, regardless of the opponent.

With all the talk about the Houston Texans defense, the Jaguars, after winning the AFC South title, are a bit overlooked among potential contenders this year. If Lawrence and Co. become more efficient on offense, this team will take another step in the right direction. Jacksonville may be a top-five team more so than a top-10 squad in the power rankings. -- Moton

Week 1 Result: Won at Indianapolis 41-23

Star power can be hard to beat. And Sunday in Indianapolis, Baltimore's offensive stars had themselves a game.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson threw for 324 yards and a score and ran for another touchdown. Running back Derrick Henry went off to the tune of 144 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Zay Flowers caught five of six targets for 150 yards and a touchdown—in a half.

The defense got in on the act, too—veteran linebacker Roquan Smith piled up 11 tackles and picked off a pass. The final score of this game wasn't very close—but it's closer than the game itself was. The Ravens controlled this contest from the jump.

However, there could be a dark cloud amidst the sunlight. Both Flowers (hamstring) and rookie wideout Ja'Kobi Lane (wrist) left the game with injuries, and that could leave the Ravens thin at that position at home against the Saints in Week 2. – Davenport

Week 1 Result: Won vs. Los Angeles Rams 27-7

Head coach Kyle Shanahan should feel encouraged by what he saw out of his offense.

Quarterback Brock Purdy has a strong connection with free-agent acquisition Mike Evans. Deebo Samuel Sr. fit in like he never left. Both scored touchdowns. Rookie second-rounder Kaelon Black looks like a solid complement to Christian McCaffrey as the two split a majority of the carries.

If the 49ers' veteran-led offense and defense stay healthy, with the help of a few young players like Black, this team will be in the thick of an NFC West title race again. -- Moton

The Broncos claimed the AFC's No. 1 seed last season and may have reached the Super Bowl with a healthy Bo Nix at quarterback. Based on what we saw from the likes of Baltimore, Buffalo, and Jacksonville on Sunday, Denver's path back to the top seed won't be an easy one.

The Broncos will face their first test on Monday night against the rival Chiefs. -- Knox

The Buffalo Bills staked their claim as the NFL's best team with the most impressive victory from Week 1. Josh Allen and Co. went into Houston, faced the league's best defense and posted over 400 yards of total offense.

Obviously, Allen's presence alone gives the Bills an advantage over most, if not all of their opponents. The former league MVP contributed four touchdowns Sunday, including a pair of scores on the ground, which made the NFL's all-time leader among quarterbacks in career rushing touchdowns.

However, a reworked defense under new coordinator Jim Leonard deserves credit for coming up big late in the contest with two sacks and a forced fumble to end Houston's chances of taking a lead deep in the fourth quarter. -- Sobleski

The reigning Super Bowl champions found a way to get a victory against the New England Patriots without quarterback Sam Darnold, who suffered a hip injury on the first drive of the game.

Yes, backup Drew Lock steadied the Seahawks offense and avoided turnovers, but Seattle's fourth-quarter comeback is proof that this team isn't a flash-in-the-pan squad that will fade after its title run.

Led by play-calling head coach Mike Macdonald, Seattle fields one of the league's best defenses, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to rise as a big-play star receiver.

The Seahawks should've been No. 1 to start our power rankings. They certainly belong there now. -- Moton