Two weeks into the 2024 NFL season and do we really know anything about how this season is going to unfold? The Baltimore Ravens ā a popular pick to reach the Super Bowl out of the AFC ā have yet to win a game and supposed NFC also-rans such as the New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks are 2-0. All we can do is sit back and enjoy watching these teams. Oh, and at least one of us has to rank them, so here we go!
- Kansas City Chiefs +1
The Three-peat is very much on. The Chiefs have been battle tested early in 2024 and they have seen off the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals. That said, they are an inch out of bounds and a pass interference penalty away from being 0-2, so there is still work to be done.
- San Francisco 49ers -1
If we were looking for chinks in San Francisco's armour heading into this season it would have been the offensive line and the secondary. Both were exposed in Sunday's loss to Minnesota as Brock Purdy was sacked six times and Justin Jefferson scored on a 97-yard reception.
- Houston Texans +2
What has impressed me the most about how Houston has opened 2-0 is that fact that quarterback C.J. Stroud has not needed to be the driving force. He has been a very good piece of the puzzle, but the perfect start has also been down to the running game and the defense.
- Buffalo Bills +5
The Bills were supposed to see their Super Bowl window snapped shut, but they look like being serious players in the AFC. Quarterback Josh Allen is off to an MVP-like start in leading his team to wins over Arizona and Miami, the second of which came in very dominant fashion.
- Detroit Lions -2
The early stages of the 2024 season have been exactly what Dan Campbell predicted for his Lions. An absolute scrap at every turn. Detroit have won one and lost one and need to avoid the late mistakes that hurt them against Tampa. Another test at Arizona beckons in Week 3.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers +4
The Bucs are no fluke at 2-0 and neither is their quarterback. Baker Mayfield is playing with great confidence and is smart enough to know that leaning heavily on the likes of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin is good business. Todd Bowles' defense was also key in the Detroit win.
- Los Angeles Chargers +8
All Jim Harbaugh has ever done as a football coach is win. And he has the Chargers off to a 2-0 start on his return to the NFL after a decade in the college ranks. Justin Herbert has superstar skills at quarterback, but Harbaugh would rather see him hand off more than throw the rock.
- Philadelphia Eagles -2
The Eagles had a late play-calling nightmare in losing to Atlanta on Monday Night Football as Nick Sirianni handed the Falcons some extra time by calling a pass that fell incomplete. That turns the pressure dial up just a notch or two on a coach who was heavily scrutinised in 2023.
- New Orleans Saints +13
The Saints are 2-0 and have scored 91 points in two games ā second-most in NFL history. They opened their season with 15 straight scoring drives and Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara are demanding attention from the rest of the NFL with their play on the offensive side of the ball.
- Baltimore Ravens -6
The Ravens are staring at an 0-3 start unless they can find a way past the Cowboys in Dallas in Week 3. Since 1990, teams who have started the year with three straight losses have made the playoffs just four times. Baltimore should start by improving the protection for Lamar Jackson.
- Minnesota Vikings +9
Justin Jefferson insists he can play against Houston this Sunday despite suffering a quad injury last week. His inclusion will be vital, but this is also a team that has shown that multiple players can be contributors in 2024. Offense, defense and special teams shone in their Week 2 win.
- Cincinnati Bengals --
The Bengals are 0-2 for the fourth time in five seasons with Joe Burrow at quarterback. But they have a couple of "get right" games coming up against Washington and Carolina. Burrow looked healthy and the defense certainly woke up and came to play in KC. That's positive.
- Dallas Cowboys -6
Who are the real Cowboys? The team that won big in Cleveland on opening day or the one that got embarrassed at home by the Saints last weekend? The Cowboys cannot run the ball or stop the run. I'm not an expert on the trenches, but that would suggest a lack of toughness.
- Seattle Seahawks +7
The Seahawks deserve more attention than they get. Mike Macdonald's men are 2-0 following their overtime win in New England. After seeing off Bo Nix and Jacoby Brissett at quarterback in the first two weeks, Seattle's D can get after Miami backup Skylar Thompson on Sunday.
- Green Bay Packers -1
Matt LaFleur kept it simple during last week's win over Indianapolis. With Malik Willis subbing for injured quarterback Jordan Love, Green Bay ran the football 53 times for 261 yards. The ghosts of old-school Lambeau Field legends must have nodded their approval from the heavens.
- Pittsburgh Steelers -3
Pittsburgh have scored just 31 points and one touchdown this season. But it's not about how you win, it's about how many you win and the Steelers are 2-0. They lean heavily on T.J. Watt and that defense. The Justin Fields vs Russell Wilson quarterback battle feels far from over.
- New York Jets -1
Aaron Rodgers may not move like he used to, but he can get the Jets into good situations with his football brain and his 40-year-old arm can still make every throw. I'm keen to see how the youngest player in the NFL, 20-year-old Braelon Allen gets worked into the attack even more.
- Cleveland Browns +6
It was better from the Browns in Week 2, particularly on the offensive side of the ball where it could hardly have been worse on opening day. But the mistakes are still there and will prove costly down the stretch. Cleveland have been flagged for 24 penalties in two games. Ouch!
- Atlanta Falcons +4
Kirk Cousins produced a masterpiece drive to deliver a late road win against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football. One thing we're going to see with a Raheem Morris-coached team is plenty of fight and spirit. That was certainly the case in that victory.
- Miami Dolphins -12
Miami's fall from the top 10 is not only down to Tua Tagovailoa being sidelined until Week 8 with a concussion. It's because Miami were already getting blown out, out-played and out-coached by the Bills before Tua went down. This team still cannot win the biggest of games.
- Chicago Bears -3
It was supposed to be a very different story in Chicago. So far this season, the Bears have scored one offensive touchdown. Rookie Caleb Williams, who was sacked seven times last Sunday, has blown hot and cold and has yet to throw an NFL touchdown pass.
- Arizona Cardinals +4
Let's keep an eye on Kyler Murray to Marvin Harrison Jr. and see if these Cards can rise up the Power Rankings. There has been a lot to like in six of the eight quarters played by Arizona in 2024. That poor second half against Buffalo has been the only negative for an intriguing team.
- Los Angeles Rams -12
It's only Week 3 and yet the Rams have been decimated by injuries to their offensive line and star wide receiver Puka Nacua. That made life next to impossible against the Cardinals. The Rams could not protect Matthew Stafford nor could they run the football with any gusto.
- Jacksonville Jaguars -7
Trevor Lawrence was seething when facing the media after Sunday's home loss to Cleveland. His team is massively under-achieving and the pressure is only going to build on Lawrence and his coach, Doug Pederson. His seat is warming ever so slightly with seven losses from eight.
- Indianapolis Colts -6
The Colts have a lot to get excited about on the offensive side of the ball. Their attack is not the finished product, but it has a high ceiling. The defense? What a mess. Through two games, the Colts have allowed Houston and Green Bay to run for a combined 474 yards on the ground.
- Las Vegas Raiders +2
The Raiders were stuck in first gear offensively for the first game and a half of this season, but Gardner Minshew found the gas pedal and pulled off a surprising win against Baltimore. He was certainly backed up by a Maxx Crosby-led defense that got after Lamar Jackson.
- New England Patriots -2
As much as a home overtime loss to Seattle would have hurt, there is no shame in New England being 1-1 and being very competitive in both their outings so far. That's the positive. But Jerod Mayo and his players will know they blew a golden opportunity on Sunday.
- Washington Commanders +1
The Commanders got their first win of the season last week and while it was not flashy, it offered the road map for future success; at least until Jayden Daniels gets up to speed at quarterback. Washington were solid on defense and ran the ball really well against the Giants.
- Tennessee Titans -2
Will Levis may be doing well off the field with a series of mayonnaise adverts that are currently running on American television, but boy oh boy does he blow hot and cold on the it? He seems to make two or three, 'What were you thinking' plays each weekend. Very frustrating.
- Denver Broncos --
Russell Wilson was very poor during his time in Denver, but the Broncos' attack has slid even further with rookie Bo Nix at the helm. Surely that is to be expected? Nix has to get up to NFL speed and he is spearheading one of the weakest rosters in the league. Tough times lie ahead.
- New York Giants --
The real NFL is a lot more complicated for a coach than it would be for one of us sitting on the couch playing Madden! That said, Brian Daboll can make his attack as simple as possibleā¦ feed Malik Nabers, the rookie receiver who went 10 for 127 and a touchdown in Week 2.
- Carolina Panthers --
Dave Canales is all too aware of the fate that has been suffered by previous head coaches of the Carolina Panthers. After two losses in which his team was out-scored 73 points to 13, the rookie head coach has taken drastic action, benching Bryce Young in favour of veteran quarterback Andy Dalton.
