Post-Week 2 Power Rankings

In another wild week of football, the NFL’s elite strutted their stuff while the rest of the league caused a ton of shuffling in the rankings. Here’s how I stack the teams up 1-32 after another fun week.

Cover photo taken from Getty Images.

1 – Bills (2-0)

The Bills reassured everyone of their dominance on Monday night and their worthiness of this #1 spot. They somehow managed to look even better than they did on opening night, absolutely walloping the Titans in front of a national audience thanks to Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs being the best QB-WR duo in the league and their defense continuing to make life hell for opposing offenses. They’ve been the best team in the NFL by a longshot through two weeks and it’s not even close. The scariest part? It looks like they haven’t even broken a sweat in doing so.

2 – Chiefs (2-0)

Kansas City had perhaps the best win of Week 2, coming back to beat the Chargers on Thursday night thanks to the greatness of Patrick Mahomes and their defense stepping up in a massive way. Yes, Mahomes had some poor throws that should have gone the other way. Yes, he had an inferior game to Justin Herbert. Yes, the defense got away with a lot and may have gotten lucky with their game-winning pick six. But, the breaks went their way, and they came away with a win. That’s all that matters. Divisional games are always wonky like that. Don’t lie to yourself, you know the Chiefs are a top two team in this league regardless of how lucky they may have gotten. They showed how great they are at their best, and considering they’ll be the better team in nearly all of their games, they’ll be playing at that level all year long.

3 – Buccaneers (2-0)

I recognize that this may be a bit high for Tampa, but I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt for two reasons. The first is that they have the best defense in the NFC and perhaps the entire league. They look as dominant as they’ve ever been at every level. The front seven is absolutely ferocious and the secondary has been the best in football through two weeks. The other reason is Tom Brady, who may not be playing his best football, but he’s making it work. When the run game wasn’t working, he was able to put points on the board with his arm against a very good defense. This team’s ability to go on the road to a raucous environment in NOLA and win a highly emotional game featuring an all out brawl shows their toughness, which is what they need if they want to get back to a Super Bowl.

4 – Chargers (1-1) 1

The Chargers may have lost on Thursday night, but that was one hell of a loss. Justin Herbert looked phenomenal yet again, despite getting absolutely rocked in the fourth quarter. The pick six that lost LA the game was not his fault, but I know he wants that one back. The defense looked solid until they eventually succumbed to Patrick Mahomes. Under better circumstances, the Chargers probably would have blown Kansas City out. I have no doubts about this team moving forward other than concerns surrounding Herbert’s health. But considering the way he was throwing the ball with one functioning side of his ribs, those concerns should be put to bed.

5 – Eagles (2-0) 4

No team in football is living up to the hype more than the Eagles, and it’s honestly pretty awesome to watch. I hate this team more than almost any other in football, but it’s just too fun watching Jalen Hurts and this offense make plays. They’ve improved everywhere and it’s showing in a huge way. The offense is both explosive and methodical, Hurts has a plethora of playmaking options with his receivers and his arm, the pass rush is dominant, the linebackers fly all over the field, and the secondary has been lockdown. Not many defenses can put Justin Jefferson in a straitjacket like this one did. Darius Slay might cement himself as a top 5 CB by the time this season is over. With a remarkably easy schedule, Philly can play themselves into 1 seed contention if they continue to excel at this level.

6 – Dolphins (2-0) 2

Well, that was a lot. Miami detonated the NFL’s equivalent of a nuclear bomb on Sunday afternoon. Down 21 in the 4th quarter, the high-powered offense finally took flight and proved just how incredibly deadly they can be. Tua Tagovailoa was slinging the ball all over the yard, especially to the WR duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, which I’m already willing to call the best in football and one of the scariest I’ve ever seen. Just to put things in perspective for you, Hill and Waddle are first and third in receiving yards, respectively, through two games. Their speed and quickness left Baltimore’s defense lost and confused en route to an incredible comeback win which saw Tua throw 4 TDs in the 4th quarter and both Waddle and Hill eclipse 10 catches and nearly 200 yards each(!). The defense was getting carved up by Lamar Jackson for three quarters, but when they needed to step up and make plays, they did so with flying colors. The lesson to be learned from that game is that you do not want to see this team when they are clicking like that. They will run right past you and throw up the deuces before you can even turn your head around.

7 – Vikings (1-1) 3

This team got shelled on Monday night, but I’m giving them a pass. For starters, it’s Kirk Cousins on MNF. We all knew what was going to happen. They lost to a better team, plain and simple. It doesn’t change the fact that they had a dominant win over a good team in Week 1 and still have all the talent in the world to be an elite team. I still love what this team has on both sides of the ball, although I think their front seven needs to do a better job of containing the run. Their offense is more than equipped to bounce back as well. When they’re not playing perhaps the best team in their conference on Monday Night Football, they will be more than fine.

8 – Packers (1-1) 2

I’m not entirely moved by the Packers dominating the Bears on Sunday Night Football the week after getting smacked for the trillionth straight year, and you shouldn’t be either. That being said, we all know Green Bay is a more than capable team. I still have a ton of questions about their receiving core, but they get fantastic contributions from their backfield of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon to help offset that. This defense is still one of the best in the league, although them locking up the Chicago offense doesn’t stick in my head as much as when they got diced up by the Vikings. This week’s matchup with the Buccaneers will be the best indicator of where this team truly lies.

9 – Ravens (1-1) 3

The Ravens had a really, really poor fourth quarter on Sunday. It was inexplicable and I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. It makes a lot more sense when you consider how young and inexperienced their secondary is with three rookies who were tasked with stopping the fastest WR duo we’ve ever seen. I’m honestly just sick for Lamar Jackson, who had one of the best games of his career in a loss that wasn’t on him. There’s no excuse for blowing a three score lead in a single quarter, and I’m sure Baltimore will tighten up as the season progresses. This is still a great team, which was on display for three quarters, and as their secondary continues to develop and improve, they will be even better.

10- Saints (1-1) 3

Is this a bit high for the Saints? Maybe. Did they fall apart in the clutch against a great team? Yes. Do I still think this is a great roster that’s more than capable of doing big things? Absolutely. Sunday’s game was highly emotional, and without their star RB in Alvin Kamara against perhaps the best defense in the NFL, I’m giving them a pass for struggling to put points on the board. We know what they’re capable of, and if they can’t produce against their division rival with a suffocating defense, so be it. Let’s not forget how great their own defense was playing for most of the game. That is still a great unit, as is their offense. We can make all the jokes we want about Jameis Winston, but I think he’s going to be just fine as long as his receivers continue to dominate. I have no doubt in their ability to bounce back from a tough loss like this one.

11 – Rams (1-1)

Yeah, I still don’t feel it with this team. Nearly blowing a 28-3 lead at home to the Falcons should really warrant a bump down in the rankings, but I’ll be nice to the defending champs. Their offense was able to bounce back from a brutal opener, putting up big numbers against a porous defense. But, that’s what they should be doing. I’m not moved by Matt Stafford and Cooper Kupp feasting on one of the worst secondaries in football. I am still worried about their nonexistent run game and poor offensive line. The defense also bounced back from a bad first game until they nearly let the game slip away from them. Although they locked it down in the end, I still have a plethora of concerns about this team. I just don’t feel anything positive about them.

12 – 49ers (1-1) 1

Sunday evening was heartbreaking. I feel absolutely awful for Trey Lance, who was ready to take the league by storm this year. He was the reason I felt so strongly about the 49ers this season and had them going to the Super Bowl. I hope he is able to make a speedy recovery and do big things next year. In the meantime, the reins are handed back to Jimmy Garoppolo, which honestly isn’t as bad as it sounds. This team loves him, and he wins games. You can’t ask for much more out of your QB. The defense looked like the dominant unit they are and the offense looked much more dynamic and effective. But, of course that’s going to happen against the Seahawks. I still feel good about this team with Jimmy at QB, and I hope they can continue to prove their worth as the schedule ramps up.

13 – Cardinals (1-1) 7

I’m not sure how any of that happened, but good for you, Arizona. The Cardinals had an incredible comeback win of their own on Sunday, storming back from a 20-0 deficit thanks to the heroics of Kyler Murray, who might be the least containable QB I’ve ever seen, and the incompetence of the Raiders. Their defense had a poor start, but they ramped it up in the second half and OT, eventually winning the game with a scoop and score. The story of the game was Murray’s incredible playmaking ability, and while it was very fun to watch, I have my reservations about him doing that against better teams. The Cards get the Rams in a huge divisional matchup this week, and their performance in that game will give me a much better idea of where this team stands.

14 – Browns (1-1) 2

Don’t get caught up in this team being bumped up this week. A lot of other teams just laid duds. The Browns may have laid the biggest dud of the week, throwing their game by inexplicably allowing the Joe Flacco-led Jets to score two touchdowns in ninety seconds. The glaring issues in the secondary showed in a massive way. That’s the biggest weakness of this team, which otherwise doesn’t really have any. I still like their front seven and their offense, even with Jacoby Brissett at the helm. Nick Chubb has been the best RB in football through two weeks; their ground game is still unstoppable. But that’s as bad of a way to lose a game as you could ask for. This team should be 2-0, and they need as many wins as they can get until… that QB they traded for… returns from suspension.

15 – Cowboys (1-1) 10

As much as it pains me, the Cowboys are the biggest leapers this week. But, the question is this: are they actually good? Or are the Bengals just bad? Time will tell, but in the meantime, I think it’s the former. More specifically, I think Dallas’ defense is for real. Their secondary still raises questions, but their pass rush is legit thanks to Micah Parsons continuing to be the NFL’s most impressive wrecking ball. His DPOY campaign is off to a fantastic start with 4 sacks in just two games. The offense wasn’t necessarily firing on all cylinders under Cooper Rush, but they looked competent enough to be winning games. We’ll see if they can continue that competence on Monday night against the Giants.

16 – Bengals (0-2) 4

I’ve taken the liberty of compiling a list of needs for the winless Bengals: carbohydrates, pain relievers, coffee, tea, and lots of water. Those are helpful cures for a hangover. Because Cincy’s is as real as it gets. Through two games, this team looks worse than they did at any point during their magical 2021 season, and it’s largely thanks to Joe Burrow of all people. You can complain all you want about his supposedly improved offensive line still giving up sacks left and right, but have we taken the time to consider Burrow’s negative pocket presence? Perhaps in an effort to always be making plays, so many of the sacks this team allows are at the fault of their star QB. Their defense is honestly fine to me, but their offense is suddenly the problem. Until Burrow both improves in the pocket and their offensive scheme improves to actually get their WRs open, that side of the ball is going to hold this team back. Imagine telling that to yourself three weeks ago.

17 – Lions (1-1) 9

Yes, this is pretty high for the Lions. But I just really like what this team has going on. Their offense is great, but we already knew that. Jared Goff is a competent QB whether you like it or not, Amon-Ra St. Brown is a bonafide WR1, and D’Andre Swift kills defenses out of the backfield. The offensive line is also much improved and might be one of the best in the league. The defense is still a huge question, but they have found themselves a star in Aidan Hutchinson. The #2 overall pick had 3 sacks in his second career game against a solid Washington OL. He was my pick for DROY for good reason. This is a scrappy, gritty, and flat out fun team that might be able to make some noise. It’s early, but watch out for Detroit.

18 – Commanders (1-1) 3

Until this team fires DC Jack Del Rio, they are genuinely not worth talking about. This defense has been abhorrent for over a year now, and we know exactly who is at fault, yet he is still employed. There is no reason. I don’t know how many games of us getting sliced and diced it will take for someone in the front office to open their eyes and cut ties with the man who is an awful coach and a worse person. He should have been fired long ago. I want to talk about how much I like the offensive production and the performance of Carson Wentz, but I can’t do that much when you can’t muster up 60 yards of offense and multiple first downs in a half against a bad Lions defense. Sunday’s game left as bad of a taste in my mouth as any game in recent memory. It was a comedy of errors. Fitting for this franchise.

19 – Jaguars (1-1) 8

The Jaguars and the Lions are in the same category in my mind. These are young teams with very bright futures thanks to shockingly good personnel decisions. Trevor Lawrence is finally budding into a young star thanks to being surrounded with competent weapons; Doug Pederson is proving to be the perfect HC for him. Christian Kirk is emerging as a true WR1 and the backfield tandem of James Robinson and Travis Etienne continues to produce. And against an albeit awful Colts team, Jacksonville’s defense showed up and showed out to put up the season’s first shutout. This is just a fun young team with a ton of nice pieces that are gelling into a solid squad. In the NFL’s worst division, look out for the Jags of all teams to perhaps be in the playoff mix.

20 – Patriots (1-1) 9

New England shut me up on Sunday, but not in the most emphatic fashion. Their offense looked fine, and their defense played a great game, but it was against Mitch Trubisky. I still don’t feel very confident in this team to do anything worth a damn in games against actually good opponents. Considering the division and conference they play in, I still have little to no faith in the Patriots.

21 – Steelers (1-1) 7

Sunday’s performance was about as poor as any in football for the Steelers. They did approximately nothing from start to finish thanks to a horrible outing from their offense. I will say that I still think this defense is a great unit even without TJ Watt, but they alone cannot overcome the incompetence of Mitch Trubisky and the offensive line that protects him. They still cannot run the ball whatsoever, and their receivers aren’t good enough to bail out poor QB play. I think Kenny Pickett time is fast approaching in Pittsburgh. Not soon enough for their fans.

22 – Raiders (0-2) 4

What a joke. What an embarrassment. Just another week for the Raiders at this point. There really aren’t enough words to describe my disdain for this team. They finally think they have a good thing going, almost beating the Chargers in Week 1 and dismantling the Cardinals for most of the game on Sunday. That is, until they blow a 20-0 lead by allowing two fourth quarter TDs and 2-point conversions and quite literally fumbling the game away in OT. Their splash WR acquisition and supposed best friend of Derek Carr in Davante Adams was held to a whopping 2 catches for 12 yards against a defense that got annihilated the previous week. It’s just a mess all over the place with this team, as it always has been and always will be. Yet somehow, they aren’t even the biggest mess in their own division.

23 – Broncos (1-1) 4

Good lord. What do the Broncos even have to say for themselves at this point? This team was gassed up all offseason long after acquiring a legend at QB and a supposed offensive guru at HC. All they’ve done through two weeks is show nothing but incompetence and a complete lack of any offensive substance. Russell Wilson and the rest of the offense have been dreadful against two very bad teams, and Nathaniel Hackett continues to prove that he is in way over his head as a coach. The defense has done their job, but nobody else has. Until they do, this team is going absolutely nowhere fast.

24 – Giants (2-0)

I’m pretty sure this is the worst 2-0 team in NFL history, but they are 2-0 nonetheless. Two wins in two weeks against two putrid opponents has this team feeling good about themselves. Good for you, New York. I’m sure that feels nice after nearly a decade of incompetence. Don’t get too full of yourselves, though. I know you think Daniel Jones is finally coming into his own and that your defense is incredible after locking up Ryan Tannehill and Baker Mayfield. It’s only a matter of time before it all comes crashing down. Enjoy it while it lasts!

25 – Titans (0-2) 8

Blow it up. Seriously. It’s time to start over. You had your few years of success, but now you have to hit the reset button. All of a sudden, there’s nothing redeemable about the Titans. The offense quite literally cannot move the football. The defense, which is supposed to be elite, is falling apart. Even Derrick Henry, arguably the best RB in the sport, has been invisible through two weeks. It’s an absolute mess that I never could have seen coming. You have your head coach and QB of the future, a solid young WR1 in the making, and a talented defense. The pieces are there for a rebuild to be short, but productive. This season is over and it’s time to accept that. Just build for the future.

26 – Bears (1-1) 5

The Bears got their annual blowout loss to the Packers on SNF out of the way early this year. I don’t think they looked as horrible as they could have, but it was still ugly. I was thoroughly impressed with David Montgomery, who was undoubtedly their bright spot, running through a great defense all night long with over six yards per carry and nearly 150 yards on the ground. Justin Fields struggled, but got no help from his receivers or his offensive scheme. I guess that’s what happens when you hire a defensive HC and bring in no offensive weapons in the offseason. It’s going to be a struggle every week for the Bears, but they knew that would be the case. The important thing is that the team continues to improve through better defensive play and more reps for their young QB.

27 – Falcons (0-2) 1

The Falcons exorcising the demons of 28-3 would have been one of the cuter stories of the season. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Yes, this team made a furious fourth quarter comeback, but it doesn’t change the fact that they were getting smacked around in the first place. This is a pretty poor team on both sides of the ball, but they have to like what they’ve seen out of their first round WR Drake London. Marcus Mariota has also been as solid as you could ask for. If they can get Kyle Pitts more involved offensively (it’s incredible that he’s not the most involved player), they will be a tough out.

28 – Jets (1-1) 4

How about the Jets pulling off a miraculous win? You do not see that very often. Hell, you don’t see them pulling off any wins very often. Good for them. This is a team that deserved to have something like that happen to them. They let the game slip away late, but somehow pulled off two touchdowns and an onside kick in the final ninety seconds to win it. I personally got great enjoyment out of it thanks to the heroics of their first round WR Garrett Wilson, who is already proving his worth after just two games. Wilson had a monster game with 102 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches, including the game-winner in the final seconds. There aren’t many positives with this team, but they can take solace in the fact that they’ve found a stud WR1.

29 – Seahawks (1-1) 7

That was the Seahawks I expected to see this season. Sunday’s game in Santa Clara was just horrible all across the board. The offense was nonexistent, the defense was lost and confused, and nothing went right. Geno Smith looked like the Geno Smith we’re accustomed to seeing. Seattle got their cute little win out of the way in Week 1, and the majority of their games moving forward will look a lot more like this.

30 – Panthers (0-2)

Our expectations for you were low, but come on now. Losing in embarrassing fashion to the Giants? Really? The defense honestly held their own, but the offense’s refusal to hold onto the football cost them the game against a team that’s probably worse than they are. That’s a sign of bad coaching and just bad personnel. The Panthers really should be 2-0 by all accounts, but they have screwed themselves out of both wins and dug themselves an 0-2 hole. If that’s not a sign of what this team has become under Matt Rhule, then I don’t know what is.

31 – Colts (0-1-1) 8

Wow. Just wow. I picked this team to lose and I’m still embarrassed by what they did on Sunday. Zero points and not showing up on either side of the ball against last year’s worst team. It’s just shocking. I know the Colts forget how to play football every time they go to Jacksonville, but there’s just no excuse to play like that. Matt Ryan looks genuinely awful, they only have two real offensive weapons, and the defense looks surprisingly poor through two games. This team should be 0-2 with losses to the Jaguars and Texans. That statement alone is enough to warrant them being this low.

32 – Texans (0-1-1) 1

Welcome to the #32 spot, Houston. Please make yourselves comfortable. You’ll probably be staying here for a long time.

All stats taken from ESPN.

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Week 2 Picks

After a remarkably fun first week of football, Week 2 promises to continue the excitement of the young season. Here are my picks for this week’s slate of games.

Cover photo taken from NFL.com.

The first week of the NFL season is in the books, and it was a doozy. So many crazy things have already happened in just 17 games, and we could be in for some more drama this week. This is a great slate of games that should provide some more great moments as the young season continues to get underway. Amidst all the chaos, I went a measly 9-6-1 in Week 1. Let’s try to have a bounce back week, shall we?

Chiefs 27-24 Chargers

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

Even against a team as good as the Chargers, picking against the Chiefs in September is sacrilegious, especially in Arrowhead. I think this game is going to be a blast, and it’s always fun to have the week’s best game as its first. Every time Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert face off, fireworks ensue. The promise of this game speaks for itself and is even further amplified by how great both of these teams looked in Week 1. The matchup I’m most interested in is LA’s defense trying to contain the Chiefs offense, which looked as dominant as ever last Sunday. If they can, then it’ll be up to the Chargers without their top WR in Keenan Allen to muster up enough offense to win the game. In Kansas City, with #15 doing what he does, it’s just too hard to visualize that coming to fruition.

Browns 26-16 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Browns looked much better than I thought they would last week, and the Jets somehow looked worse than I imagined. That makes this pick rather easy. New York is easily football’s worst team right now, and continuing to start Joe Flacco at QB doesn’t help that situation whatsoever. I have infinitely more faith in Jacoby Brissett, who looked solid last week for the Browns. Most importantly, Cleveland’s rushing attack and defense are good enough to beat most other opponents on their own, and they should ride both of those to a very easy victory.

Commanders 28-27 Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This might be the biggest tossup of the week. The Commanders had a nice game last week in their comeback win while the Lions’ furious attempt at one failed. Both of these teams showed some flashes in Week 1, but their weaknesses were also on full display. The common thread was offensive explosiveness at times but incompetence at others as well as some porous defense sprinkled in. With Washington playing a much more complete game last week, it’s hard to pick against them here. Detroit’s defense was nonexistent whereas the Commanders were able to get consistent pressure and stops to win the game. And while the Lions offense might be a bit spookier, Washington’s playmakers showed out in a huge way last week. Against another weak defense, I can see a repeat performance with them squeaking out another close win.

Saints 23-20 Buccaneers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I am done making the same mistake. I have picked the Bucs to beat the Saints every time since Tom Brady arrived in Tampa, and every time New Orleans manages to pull off a win. So, if the Buccaneers actually manage to win this game, you’ll know why! And if you’re curious, yes, that is the only reason I’m picking the Saints here. I like Tampa better on both sides of the ball, even with Chris Godwin out with yet another injury. That being said, I do think very highly of New Orleans, and their offense showed what they’re capable of last week. If their defense tightens up from how they began that game, then they could very easily give a battered Bucs offense trouble and allow their offense to win the game. That has to be the formula, as it has been every other time they’ve beaten this team in the last two seasons.

Panthers 20-17 Giants

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This game admittedly looks awful on paper, but perhaps it won’t be the worst game ever. The Panthers showed some flashes at the end of their game last week and arguably should have won, and the Giants actually did pull away with a win thanks to their offensive ability although they arguably should have lost. So, while this game might not look interesting, there’s actually quite a lot going on underneath the surface. While I think New York looked like the better team in Week 1, I just don’t like this matchup for them. They got cut up by Dontrell Hilliard out of the backfield last week, so who knows what Christian McCaffrey has in store for them. While the Panthers run defense was dreadful and Saquon Barkley likely sees food against them, I don’t think the Giants will be able to do enough offensively to make up for their defensive shortcomings. In all honesty, this game comes down to which QB will make the game-losing decision. And though it’s very close, I trust Baker Mayfield just a tad more than Daniel Jones.

Steelers 24-19 Patriots

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Remember when this game used to mean something? Yeah, those were good times. Now it’s just an absolute eye sore. At least the Steelers put on a very fun show in their Week 1 win and have enough players to enjoy watching them play. The Patriots, on the other hand, looked like one of the worst teams in the league last week, and I have no faith in them to do anything at this point. Against another tremendous defense, Mac Jones and the offense will once again be stifled, even with the Steelers missing TJ Watt. I do think New England’s defense can limit Mitch Trubisky and keep them lingering around in this game, but it won’t be enough to win this game. If there’s any week for the Patriots to fix their image, it’s this one, but I don’t see it happening.

Jaguars 25-22 Colts

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Though the Jaguars lost and the Colts tied last week, Jacksonville showed me more than Indianapolis did. Combine that with the fact that the Colts seem to forget how to play football every time they travel to Jacksonville and you have the perfect recipe for an “upset” on Sunday. I like what the Jags are doing, as their revamped offense looked pretty solid last week despite some mistakes and redzone woes. Their defense still isn’t there, but Travon Walker had a stellar debut fitting for a #1 overall pick. While the Colts came closer to a win, they struggled mightily for three quarters against an awful Texans team. Their offense figured themselves out and the defense was able to take the ball away, but it was all too little too late. If Indy can do that more consistently across the course of this game, they should be able to win with ease. But I just have a feeling about the Jaguars this week.

Ravens 23-17 Dolphins

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This is one of the better games of the week on paper, but be wary of it not exactly living up to the hype. Both of these teams feasted on vastly inferior opponents in Week 1, so their first games against real teams might be a bit sluggish. Still, the stars will be out for this one, and it should be a fun one. Both Miami and Baltimore won in the exact same fashion last week, using a dominant defense to shut down the other team while the offense did just enough for it to be out of reach. If that’s the formula, then the better offense should be the one to overcome the opposing defense win this game. While the Dolphins probably have the more high-powered offense, I can’t trust Tua Tagovailoa to win a game with his arm. I can, however, trust Lamar Jackson, especially at home. The massive gap between these two QBs is the differentiator in this game.

Rams 29-19 Falcons

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

The Rams need a bounce-back win more than any other team in football after being humiliated in the opener. Luckily for them, the football gods have gifted them the Atlanta Falcons on their schedule. We might not see Atlanta play three quarters better than the first three of their season. I expect most of the rest of their season to be like that fourth quarter, filled with mistakes and incompetence. LA is an angry team right now, and while I still don’t rate them too highly, they can certainly capitalize on playing an awful opponent and grab what should be one of the easier wins of the season.

49ers 24-17 Seahawks

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

San Francisco is another team that could definitely use the boost of a win after a subpar Week 1. While the Seahawks might be a tougher out this year than I imagined, I also recognize that there was a level of juice and emotion to their game last week that won’t be present for the rest of the season. This will likely be a tougher game for them, and I trust the Niners to bounce back with an imperative win. The world will once again be watching to see if Trey Lance can live up to the expectations placed on his shoulders. This is a great chance for him to prove the doubters wrong, but if he lays another dud, then there will be a lot of questions to be answered in the Bay.

Bengals 31-13 Cowboys

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

The Cowboys didn’t have a chance to win this game when Dak Prescott was still healthy. With Cooper Rush as their QB, this one will probably be over at halftime. The Bengals played far from their best game last week, especially with Joe Burrow committing a whopping five turnovers, but they still should have come away with a win. Their offense finally buttoned up and got back to their dominant ways. Going up against a secondary as weak as Dallas’ means that everyone in black is in for a huge game. The question here isn’t whether or not Cincinnati will win, but how much they will win by and what kind of stats they can put up.

Broncos 20-10 Texans

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

Considering the performance of both of these teams from last week, this might just be Week 2’s worst game. It should be a boring slog from start to finish on Sunday evening in Denver. No matter what the game itself looks like, I don’t see any outcome other than a Broncos win. Like so many other teams this week, they need a win to feel good about themselves after a poor first game. Playing one of the worst teams in football is always a good way to get that win. Russell Wilson and the offense should be able to bounce back, and when the defense shuts things down for Houston, the Broncos can ride to victory with ease.

Raiders 31-27 Cardinals

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

If you like shootouts, this is your game of the week. There are going to be points all over the place in this one. Neither of these teams possess a very good defense, which was on full display in Week 1. So, this comes down to whichever offense can make more fireworks go off to win the game. To me, the Raiders have the edge there, and it’s in large part thanks to Davante Adams. The best WR in football had a huge debut in the silver and black last week against a secondary much better than the one he’s facing this week. I expect another huge game out of him, and as long as he keeps getting fed the ball, Las Vegas will put up more than enough points to overcome Arizona.

Packers 26-17 Bears

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

Death. Taxes. The Packers beating the Bears on Sunday Night Football. The annual tradition returns this week and football fans everywhere are thrilled! Despite the counter-intuitive records of both of these teams, the Packers are the much better team and should win this game with ease. I was very impressed with the Bears ability to win last week, but going up to Lambeau and replicating that performance will be a challenge. While they were simply the team that made more plays in a monsoon in Week 1, they now have to overcome their nemesis Aaron Rodgers in his own home. Even though Green Bay’s offense isn’t what it once was, that’s not going to happen. I think they’ll be much more polished offensively on Sunday night, especially in the passing game. In any case, their defense should be able to contain Justin Fields and Chicago pretty easily.

Bills 30-14 Titans

Monday, 7:15 PM EST, ESPN

Though the Titans always seem to give the Bills fits, this game feels as lopsided as any in Week 2. It helps that Buffalo looks like the scariest team in football that’s seemingly unstoppable. But Tennessee also lost to the Giants of all teams last week, and though they should have won, I don’t like the way they played at all. Derrick Henry was a non-factor for them, so it’s hard to imagine he’ll be any better against a defense as good as the Bills’. Moreover, if the Titans defense got torched by Daniel Jones, then I can’t imagine what Josh Allen has in store for them. If history repeats itself and this game is much closer, then I won’t be surprised. But this just feels like another blowout in the making for football’s best team.

Eagles 27-24 Vikings

Monday, 8:30 PM EST, ABC

Week 2 concludes with another tremendous heavyweight fight in primetime. These are two of my most hyped teams of this season, and they both did their thing last week. Minnesota may have been much more dominant and impressive than Philadelphia was, but there’s no doubt that the Eagles still have what it takes to compete with the best teams in the league. They’re going to need to play a much tighter game on Monday night if they want to beat a Vikings team that looks as good as any on both sides of the ball. Luckily for them, I think they’ll do just that. Their defense played a great game outside of garbage time where they let up just enough to let the Lions back into the game. Their offense was firing on all cylinders both on the ground and through the air, especially with AJ Brown playing a dominant game. The Vikings looked even better on both sides of the ball, with their defense suffocating Green Bay all day long while Justin Jefferson went bonkers on offense, but it will be hard to replicate that performance in a raucous environment in Philly on Monday night. I think they are the better team in this game, but the circumstance might be too hard to overcome.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 6 Picks

by Raza Umerani October 9, 2025

Post-Week 5 Power Rankings

by Raza Umerani October 8, 2025

Week 5 Picks

by Raza Umerani October 2, 2025

Post-Week 4 Power Rankings

by Raza Umerani October 1, 2025

Week 4 Picks

by Raza Umerani September 25, 2025

Post-Week 1 Power Rankings

The 2022 NFL season kicked off with a wild, wacky weekend filled with drama and plenty of questions. Let’s stack up the league 1-32 after a thrilling Week 1.

Cover photo taken from ESPN.

1 – Bills (1-0)

My Super Bowl pick took the stage in the opening game of the season and seized it with full force, living up to the hype and proving to everyone how elite they truly are. Despite some errant turnovers, the Bills absolutely thrashed the defending champions in their own backyard on the backs of Josh Allen and their incredible defense. The MVP favorite wowed from start to finish with both his arm and his legs, making play after play and creating endless highlights. Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis were giving the opposing secondary fits all game long. Newcomer Von Miller led the charge defensively with two sacks against his former team. The secondary took the ball away when they weren’t keeping things on lock. The Rams had no answers on either side of the ball for this freight train of a football team. It’s hard to imagine any team will this season.

2 – Chiefs (1-0)

Any and all questions about how the Chiefs would look, especially offensively, after an offseason which saw them lose Tyreek Hill were quickly put to bed on Sunday. Patrick Mahomes was absolutely surgical, as I said he would be, to the tune of five touchdown passes. The offense didn’t miss a beat without the NFL’s most explosive player. They looked just as meticulous as they did in the preseason, going on long drives and putting touchdowns on the board. They might not have the same lightning strike threat on that side of the ball, but I promise you they do not need it. It was just a luxury. The defense also came to play against a solid Cardinals team. The defensive line gave Kyler Murray fits all game long as Chris Jones remains one of the premier defensive tackles in the sport. But Sunday evening was all about the offense. A lot changed in the last few months in Kansas City, but one thing remains the same. Defenses will still lose sleep over Mahomes and company.

3 – Buccaneers (1-0)

Some of you may think this is a bit high, but I was thoroughly impressed with the Bucs on Sunday night. Their defense looked like the incredible, dominant unit from 2020. They were the only team to not allow a touchdown in Week 1. Yes, Dallas’ offense was as incompetent as it could have been, but we have to recognize how elite Tampa is when they’re healthy. The offense looked pretty solid too, despite settling for four field goals. Tom Brady looked like a man who never retired, Mike Evans made huge catches, Leonard Fournette ran hard, and even Julio Jones got in on the action. Chris Godwin getting hurt again isn’t a shock, but is still unfortunate. But, if Sunday night was any indication, the Buccaneers will be just fine without him.

4 – Vikings (1-0)

There might not have been a team with more hype in the NFC than the Vikings coming into Week 1, and they delivered in a huge way. They had their way with the defending 1 seed Packers all game long, starting with an offensive blitz and closing it out with suffocating defense. Justin Jefferson, my OPOY pick, was predictably the star of the show with a whopping 184 yards and 2 touchdowns on 9 catches. Kirk Cousins played a clean game, and Dalvin Cook contributed in huge ways out of the backfield. The defense feasted on a stagnant Green Bay offense from start to finish, dominating up front and locking things down in the secondary. Sunday’s performance was exactly what we knew Minnesota was capable of coming into this season. If they can keep up this level of play, then they are a true contender.

5 – Chargers (1-0)

Like the Vikings, the Chargers have been hyped up to no end. While they weren’t as dominant as the team above them, they still put together a remarkably impressive, complete performance to warrant a top 5 spot. They controlled their game on Sunday evening from start to finish and clutched up defensively when the game was on the line. Their shiny new defense came to play, highlighted by the frightening edge duo of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack as well as their lockdown secondary. But, I have to most of the love to Justin Herbert for this week. My MVP pick looked absolutely incredible, making otherworldly throws with insane velocity and accuracy and looking like the truly generational QB that he is. The injury to Keenan Allen is a bit of a concern, but the Chargers were able to get by despite that and a lackluster performance from Austin Ekeler. They can finally say that even if their offense falters, their defense can win them football games. That’s what makes them one of football’s scariest teams.

6 – Ravens (1-0)

It may have been against the Jets, but the Ravens put together one of the more impressive performances of Week 1. The most important thing is that their offense looked great through the air despite the lack of weapons on paper. Lamar Jackson aired it out all game long and had a huge game thanks to Rashod Bateman finally bursting onto the scene and Devin Duvernay having a shockingly great performance. The run game wasn’t anything flashy, but it doesn’t need to be anything special if Baltimore can continue getting that type of production out of their wide receivers. Their defense also put together a promising performance, but again, it was the Jets. I’d love to see how they play against real football teams before making any bold proclamations.

7 – Saints (1-0)

Go ahead and call me crazy. The Saints may have needed some fourth quarter heroics to pull victory from the jaws of defeat in Atlanta, but that means a lot to me. After being stifled for 50 minutes, the entire team flipped a switch and turned into the Saints team that we all expected them to be. Jameis Winston was slinging the ball with confidence and accuracy, Chris Olave made an impact in his debut, and Michael Thomas silenced all of the doubters with a monster return to action. Their stellar defense went ahead and did the rest. I don’t love how badly they were being beaten, but I absolutely love their response and how they were able to pull away with a victory. Everyone needs that grace period in Week 1 to get their bearings set. New Orleans now has that, and I’m thrilled to see what the future holds for them.

8 – Dolphins (1-0)

The Dolphins were arguably the most dominant team of Week 1, even if their opponent was as bad as the Patriots are. Like so many other teams, we were eager to see how they’d look after such a huge offseason. The offense was pretty predictable, using short passes to chop up the defense. Tyreek Hill put up great numbers in his Miami debut, and Jaylen Waddle finally showcased how explosive he can be. All Tua needs to do is get the ball to his playmakers and let them do the rest. The defense was as stout as advertised, especially in the secondary, which had a massive day. Like Baltimore, I’d like to see what the Dolphins do against a better team, but I can’t say I wasn’t thoroughly impressed with them.

9 – Eagles (1-0)

If this feels low, it’s because it is. The Eagles should be much higher. But, I very much disliked how they closed things out on Sunday in Detroit. The first three quarters were absolutely dominant on both sides of the ball as Philly looked like the team we billed them to be. The run game was unstoppable, Jalen Hurts made some impressive throws, and AJ Brown made a gargantuan impact in his Eagles debut. The defense was off and on, but when they were on, they were awesome, even snagging a pick six thanks to the efforts of newcomer James Bradberry. But, they gave up two touchdown in the fourth quarter to make it a nail-biter. They were able to close it out, but I always hate when a game has to come to that after a team has been dominating for three quarters. I loved what I saw from Sunday on Philly, but it needs to be sharpened a bit before they move up.

10 – Packers (0-1)

The Packers are a very easy team to assess. They needed Davante Adams infinitely more than Davante Adams needed them. Their first offensive play was all you needed to see for that to reign true, as rookie Christian Watson dropped an easy touchdown, and the offense was never able to recover. Aaron Rodgers did what he could with a weak supporting cast, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an aggressive Vikings defense that had their way all game long. The offensive line struggled mightily, the run game couldn’t do enough, and the pass-catchers simply weren’t reliable. The defense got absolutely gashed early, and while they cleaned things up in the second half, it wasn’t enough to make up for their earlier shortcomings. I have no doubt that the Packers will iron out these issues as the season progresses, but they might not have the room to take their time in doing so with the division no longer being a cakewalk.

11 – Rams (0-1)

Told you so. I tried to warn you that the Rams got worse and weren’t as good as their Super Bowl-winning team from yesteryear. However, even I couldn’t have predicted them looking as dreadful as they did on opening night. Outside of a few nice plays by Cooper Kupp, which is a guarantee at this point, LA did nothing right against Buffalo. The defensive front could not contain Josh Allen, the secondary got carved up, and the offense was one-dimensional and stagnant. Their noticeably worse offensive line was porous, allowing seven sacks and making the run game a non-factor. Matthew Stafford had a very subpar game thanks to no WRs other than Kupp even showing up to the game. It was just a sham from start to finish in what should have been a night where the Rams showed us that they have what it takes to run it back. It’s going to take a while to get anyone to believe that now.

12 – Bengals (0-1)

Another year, another ridiculous OT game lost by the Bengals amidst hilarity and kicking disasters. I’m excited to see who it happens against next year! In all seriousness, Cincinnati lost to themselves on Sunday. The fact that they should have won despite Joe Burrow committing a whopping five turnovers shows you that this team is just fine. Burrow was able to bounce back from his horrible start with his patented poised play which eventually culminated in what should have been to the game-winning touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase, who had a monster game himself. But, a blocked extra point thanks to a long snapper injury sent us to overtime, where nobody wanted to make a kick until the Steelers did on the game’s final play. So, yes, the Bengals lost, but there was still plenty to like. I thought their defense was very solid, especially after going down 17-3 early. The offense figured themselves out eventually, and they deserved to win the game. If anything, this loss for the Bengals is proof that starters need to get action in the preseason. Just do it guys.

13 – 49ers (0-1)

Yes, the 49ers looked pretty abhorrent on Sunday in Chicago. But you know what else looked awful? Everything else on Sunday in Chicago. An utter monsoon is not an easy environment to win in for a west coast team, especially at the dumpster known as Soldier Field. I’m not here to make a bunch of excuses for this team, though. Weather aside, I was thoroughly disappointed with their performance. More specifically, I’m disappointed with Trey Lance. He just didn’t do anything of note in his first start as the guy for this team. Yes, it was very tough to do so in that situation, but you have to show me something. Justin Fields did! There’s simply no excuse; you cannot be the inferior QB in that game. Their defense held up for the first three quarters, but they forgot how to play football once the rain started coming down hard. Overall, the Niners showed me nothing to work with going into Week 2. I’m hoping next Sunday goes better, otherwise I’m going to look really, really stupid sooner than I’d like to.

14 – Steelers (1-0)

It has been two days and the Steelers are still wondering how they’re sitting at 1-0. They should have lost on the last play of regulation and instead found themselves victorious on the last play of overtime. Football is wonky like that sometimes. Despite the wackiness, Pittsburgh found a way to win, and I have to give them credit for that. They blitzed the Bengals early with a defense that refused to let them keep the ball and an offense that moved the ball surprisingly well. Mitch Trubisky was solid in his Steelers debut, and Diontae Johnson had himself a very nice game on the outside. Minkah Fitzpatrick was undeniably the player of the game with a pick six and the blocked extra point to send the game to OT. Without him, this team would be sitting at 0-1 and much lower in the rankings. Perhaps the Steelers can run with this and shock me this year. I doubt it, but their win on Sunday is proof that truly anything can happen in this league.

15 – Commanders (1-0)

Trust me, I’m just as shocked as you are. Not just at the fact that this team emerged victorious on Sunday, but at the manner in which they did so. The difference in this game was the first two and last two offensive possessions for Washington: the four touchdown drives. The team got off to a blistering start thanks to some pretty fantastic QB play by Carson Wentz and the incredible playmaking ability of Curtis Samuel and Antonio Gibson that we’ve been longing to see. The middle of the game was filled with nothing but weirdness, as the Jaguars seemingly had their way offensively but couldn’t put points on the board. The Commanders also struggled to do so, but stayed in the lead until they eventually gave the ball to Jacksonville on back to back interceptions by Wentz to seemingly bury the team. But, he was able to bounce back in a huge way, throwing two consecutive sensational TD passes to win the game, with the first coming on a beautiful deep ball to Terry McLaurin (who has been waiting for passes like that for the last three years) and the second coming on a perfect pitch and catch to the first rounder Jahan Dotson to win the game. Dotson was a massive contributor with two touchdowns including the game-winner, showcasing his great hands and impeccable route-running all game long. And Wentz’s final statline was more eye-popping than I ever could have foreseen with over 300 yards and 4 touchdowns. The defense also stepped up when necessary, and despite letting the Jags move the ball, I was pleased with their performance. The defensive line ate all game long, getting consistent pressure thanks to huge games from Montez Sweat, Jonathan Allen, and Daron Payne. Who knew that sending blitzes was so fruitful? The secondary made plays when necessary, highlighted by a breakout game from second year man Darrick Forrest, who nabbed the game-sealing INT. I don’t know how much of this performance can be replicated against teams better than Jacksonville, but I didn’t think we were capable of everything I saw this team do on Sunday. That gives me hope that maybe we won’t be as horrible as I may have presumed.

16 – Browns (1-0)

The Browns proved me wrong by winning on Sunday, but that’s about the only area that they did so. I wasn’t too moved by them squeaking out a win with a 58-yard field goal against one of the worst teams in the league. Jacoby Brissett held things down on offense, but it was nothing eye-opening. I did like what I saw out of their elite RB tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, but it’s pretty much a guarantee that they’re going to do their thing in every game they play. The defense looked okay, but only Myles Garrett put up a noteworthy performance. The secondary nearly lost them the game, which is pretty embarrassing considering they were playing Baker Mayfield. So yes, the Browns found a way to win, and it was cool. But I’m still not moved. And I don’t think I will be anytime soon.

17 – Titans (0-1)

For all intents and purposes, the Titans should have won on Sunday. They did everything they had to do, including setting up a very manageable game-winning field goal that was simply shanked. However, that doesn’t mean they get a pass. They were just an uninspired team who wasn’t doing anything great on either side of the ball. It’s kind of embarrassing to get pieced up by the Giants of all teams. Offensively, Derrick Henry was stifled so bad that the offense flowed through Dontrell Hilliard of all people. I thought Ryan Tannehill did his thing, but this team was about as boring as you’d imagine. That was a game they should have won and have to win. Let’s hope they clean it up as the season progresses.

18 – Raiders (0-1)

Outside of the stellar debut of Davante Adams, the Raiders were extremely underwhelming in LA on Sunday. They were completely shut down on offense outside of #17’s 141 yards, and while I thought they played better than expected on defense, they had no answer for the heroics of Justin Herbert. Their glaring holes showed in huge ways, especially with the woes of their offensive line. Derek Carr was in hell from start to finish, being pressured, sacked, or hit on nearly half of all dropbacks. That OL will be the death of them this season, just as I said it would be. Their secondary was gashed by the Chargers even with their offense struggling at times. It just wasn’t a promising day at all for the Raiders. At least Davante Adams fantasy owners are smiling.

19 – Broncos (0-1)

The Denver Broncos laid the biggest dud of Week 1, plain and simple. Their utter incompetence was on display all game long on national television and they deserve all the scrutiny that they’ll be receiving this week. Still, it’s one thing to lose a game on the boneheadedness of Nathaniel Hackett’s late game clock management gaffe. It’s another to be in that position against the Seahawks in the first place. Russell Wilson had a boring, mediocre debut highlighted by a long touchdown pass on a wildly underthrown ball. The rest of the offense showed nothing to like other than Jerry Jeudy making a lot of play out of nothing. And the defense, the supposed strong suit of the team, was rather shocking, letting Geno Smith carve them up all game long. Between the impotence of the offense, the defense’s effort, and the mind-numbing coaching, the hype has completely died with the Broncos. They have plenty of time to make amends, but they have a lot to prove to us.

20 – Cardinals (0-1)

The Cardinals unfortunately had to start their season by running into the buzzsaw that is Patrick Mahomes in the month of September. I don’t want to fault them too much for that. I do, however, want to fault them for not even showing up on Sunday. The dysfunction in this franchise is palpable, and there is a clear disconnect between Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray, despite the huge contract extension for the young QB. The offense did nothing of note outside of garbage time, and the defense… well they stayed home. I didn’t like this team much to begin with, and I like them even less now. The schedule isn’t getting any easier either. We might be burying the Cardinals very, very soon.

21 – Bears (1-0)

You can’t imagine how happy I am for Justin Fields and the Bears after Sunday’s awesome win in the monsoon. Not only did they have a tremendous fourth quarter on both sides of the ball, but they looked like a competent team and had so much fun winning that game. Everyone was eating offensively despite the conditions thanks to Fields’ tremendous playmaking ability. And the defense finally made some plays, none more important than Eddie Jackson’s INT of Trey Lance which essentially sealed the game. Chicago has to feel good about themselves after pulling off the biggest upset of Week 1. I know I do. It’s just a matter of whether or not they can keep the momentum going. Heading to Lambeau for a primetime clash with the Packers doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence, but we’ll see what the Bears can muster up as huge underdogs once again.

22 – Seahawks (1-0)

It took one game for the Seahawks to hit half of the wins I projected them to get this season. Good for them! Seriously though, good for them. Seattle was absolutely rocking on Monday night for the Russell Wilson return, and the 12th man was the real MVP of the game. I haven’t seen the crowd impact a game like that in nearly a decade. The team played a very good game, especially offensively, as Geno Smith had a shockingly efficient and effective performance. Even the defense, which I ripped to shreds less than a week ago, came to play. It’s hard to believe the team will put together that complete of a performance again this year considering the stage and the emotion of the game, but maybe the Seahawks won’t be as bad as I thought.

23 – Colts (0-0-1)

This feels a little harsh for the Colts, but I think it’s warranted. There really isn’t any excuse to tie with the Texans. There is even less of an excuse to find yourself down 20-3 like they did. I respect the ability to come back and force OT, and I recognize the monster games from Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr., but this team is too good to be in that position in the first place. I wasn’t inspired by their defense performance, and I need to see a lot more from the offense in the first three quarters to feel better about this team. At least they didn’t lose!

24 – Giants (1-0)

I don’t even think the Giants knew how they won on Sunday. But you have to feel good about it. They showed their stuff and had a pretty inspiring comeback to win, even if they should have lost. The story of the game was undoubtedly Saquon Barkley looking like his former self, showing incredible explosiveness and running harder than he has in years. I was shocked to see his level of play on Sunday, and if he can keep it up, it makes this team actually hard to stop. Even Daniel Jones looked solid, especially on a deep ball touchdown to Sterling Shepard. The defense had a solid showing, containing Derrick Henry and not allowing Tennessee’s offense to do much. I still don’t think this season will amount to much for the Giants, but they showed more promise in one game than they have in several seasons. That has to mean something.

25 – Cowboys (0-1)

I used to pray for times like this. The Cowboys are dead and buried after just one game. And it’s not because of the injury to Dak Prescott, although that certainly makes them much worse. It’s because, even with Dak at QB, this team looked absolutely atrocious on Sunday night. While the defense may have done their thing in spurts, highlighted by the brilliance of Micah Parsons, the offense was absolutely dreadful, unable to do a damn thing with the ball in their hands. CeeDee Lamb was invisible, Ezekiel Elliott is what you’d expect him to be in his seventh season, and the offensive line was predictably poor. The Cowboys were the only team in football to not score a touchdown this week, and who no one knows when they might even come close to reaching the endzone. Now, Cooper Rush takes the reins for the next month or so. Have fun at the bottom of the standings, Dallas!

26 – Lions (0-1)

The 2022 Lions opened the season the exact same way the 2021 Lions did: getting blown out for three quarters before putting together a furious comeback attempt in the fourth that falls just short. The only difference is that Detroit didn’t look completely incompetent for the most part in this game. They got consistent production offensively, especially from D’Andre Swift, who had a huge performance. Their defense was predictably Swiss cheese, but they still almost made enough stops to win the game. So, while the Lions once again got gashed en route to a loss, there’s plenty to like about what this team has. to offer. As I’ve said so many times, it won’t translate to a lot of wins, but this team has some grit to them and will be a tough out all year long.

27 – Jaguars (0-1)

The Jaguars are still just not there yet. They showed plenty to like on Sunday, but they also showed plenty to laugh at. The new acquisitions poured in big contributions, with Christian Kirk and Zay Jones getting involved in the passing game and the #1 overall pick Travon Walker having a monster debut. Travis Etienne’s NFL debut in his second season also proved to be a solid one, despite not getting nearly as much playing time as he should. Trevor Lawrence was on and off, but for the most part, he too had a decent showing. At the end of the day, this team really beat themselves. Ineffectiveness in the red zone, drops, and porous late-game defense proved to be their downfall. But for the most part, I liked what this team showed me, much like the Lions above them. They won’t be nearly as bad this year.

28 – Falcons (0-1)

New year, same Falcons. After dominating the Saints for 50 minutes thanks to a great game from new QB Marcus Mariota to the tune of a 16 point lead, Atlanta put on their choking caps, laid down, and died. Who could have seen it coming? Despite yet another disastrous collapse, the Falcons weren’t awful by any means on Sunday. As I said, Mariota had a productive debut and their defense was able to stifle New Orleans for most of the game. But, when it fell apart, it absolutely crumbled down. I have a feeling more games than not will feel that way for this team.

29 – Patriots (0-1)

After Sunday’s drubbing in Miami, I have a very interesting and important question to pose: can you name a single thing the Patriots do well? Because I cannot. The offense is stuck in both mud and the 1970s. The defense is lacking in playmaking with JC Jackson gone and also moves at the speed of an old minivan. Mac Jones can’t produce if there’s any adversity, and considering how bad New England’s offensive line was on Sunday, there will be plenty of adversity to be faced this season. The weapons are either invisible or lackluster, so it doesn’t help that the scheme is as poor as it is. I know this placement seems harsh for a team that has been so good for so long, but I think New England was arguably the worst team I watched this week. This could be a very long season for them.

30 – Panthers (0-1)

The Panthers got screwed pretty hard on Sunday, and there is definitely an argument to be made that they should have won. Their comeback in the fourth quarter was admirable, and I’ll give them credit for that. But, they lost, and I still don’t like anything about this team. Baker Mayfield wasn’t completely awful in his Panthers debut, but he still made those Baker-type plays to keep them out of the game. The rest of the offense was average despite some nice contributions from Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson. Their defense was got ran through by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt which eventually proved to be their downfall. I’m being a bit mean to the this team but I just don’t have a lot of faith in them in general, so this is more of a reflection of that than their performance on Sunday.

31 – Texans (0-0-1)

The Texans did not lose on Sunday. That is progress! In fact, they should have won comfortably, but a blown 20-3 fourth quarter lead let them settle for a tie after a stalemate in OT. I have no idea how they even found themselves up by 17 to begin with, considering they didn’t do anything special in the course of the game. Their defense just showed up and kept things under wraps for three quarters. The offense played a solid game, highlighted by two touchdown catches by OJ Howard in his Houston debut. So, maybe the Texans won’t be as bad as I may have thought. Still, they’re one of the worst teams in the league as it currently stands, and they’ll likely be in the cellar for 17 more weeks. However, they’re saved from the #32 spot for now.

32 – Jets (0-1)

Did you expect anything else? Led by Joe Flacco, the Jets were absolutely putrid in Week 1, doing absolutely nothing of note en route to a huge loss. That will likely be the theme of most of their games as this season progresses. They put up some numbers in garbage time, but nobody cares. Their defense was ripped apart by a subpar Ravens passing attack, and their offense was nonexistent while the game was still in question. I don’t think it would have been any different with Zach Wilson at QB, but with Flacco under center, this is by far the worst team in the league. I don’t see that changing any time soon.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 3 Power Rankings

by Raza Umerani September 23, 2025

Week 3 Picks

by Raza Umerani September 18, 2025

Post-Week 2 Power Rankings

by Raza Umerani September 16, 2025

Week 2 Picks

by Raza Umerani September 11, 2025

Post-Week 1 Power Rankings

by Raza Umerani September 10, 2025

Week 1 Picks

The 2022 NFL season finally kicks off tonight, followed by a fascinating slate of games this weekend. Here are my picks for Week 1.

Cover photo taken from Yahoo Sports.

Welcome to kickoff. Our waiting has finally come to an end as the 2022 NFL season gets underway tonight. Week 1 is always a blast, and the opening slate of games this year promise to be no different. It’s time for teams to put all the questions to bed and finally go out and play. And we, the fans, are oh so lucky to watch it all unfold. Let’s get into my picks for the opening week of the season.

Bills 31-23 Rams

Thursday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

The 2022 season kicks off with a potential Super Bowl preview between the defending champion Rams and the title favorite Bills in Los Angeles. I can think of no better way to start the season than with a game like this. We’re getting all the starpower in the world on full display as the first regular action of the season. These teams match up quite well with one another on paper, but as I said yesterday, I don’t like the moves the Rams made in free agency coming off of their Super Bowl win. I think they’re worse defensively, especially up front. It’s quite poetic that they lost Von Miller to Buffalo and now he’s lining up against them in the first game of their title defense. It’s just going to be too hard for LA to stop Josh Allen and company in their very first game with this downgraded unit. Their offense is good enough to keep them in this game, but I think the superior defense of the Bills will prove to be the difference in the clutch. Buffalo opens their potential season of dreams with a win.

Saints 24-10 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Saints are destined to bounce back from last season’s misery in a huge way. Luckily, the schedule-makers gifted them a free win to start their season. The Falcons are arguably football’s worst team. With New Orleans having one of the best overall rosters in football, this one shouldn’t be close. I’m personally very excited to see their offense back at full strength with Jameis Winston, Alvin Kamara, and especially Michael Thomas and Chris Olave. Look for the rookie to make a huge impact in his NFL debut. Defensively, the Saints should shut down whoever the Falcons throw out on offense all game long en route to one of their easier victories of the year.

49ers 27-13 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Like the game directly above, this one is a total mismatch. The 49ers boast perhaps the best roster in the NFL, while the Bears might have the saddest one. The biggest question in this game will be Trey Lance, and everyone’s eyes will be fixated on him as he makes his first start as the guy for San Francisco. I think he should thrive in their offense all year long, and it doesn’t get much easier than this for him to settle in. Meanwhile, the Niners defense should feast on a horrible Chicago offensive line and make life hell for Justin Fields, although he had a pretty nice game against them last year. While I’d love for the Bears to make some noise in this game, logic is pulling me in the exact opposite direction.

Bengals 24-19 Steelers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Everyone is wondering whether or not the Bengals can run back their improbable success from 2021 and build a new powerhouse in the AFC. It all starts with this game against their bitter rival with plenty of questions of their own. The Steelers have made the decision to rock with Mitch Trubisky as their starting QB, and while I think that’s the wrong decision, I don’t think it makes them that much worse. However, Cincinnati might prove to be too tall of a task to open the season. The Bengals have too much firepower offensively, and if the last few weeks of last season was any indication, their defense is pretty stout as well. These AFC North games typically prove to be slugfests, and while I like Pittsburgh’s defense, I’m taking the unit that shows me more to like. And if this one comes down to the wire, it’s no question that I’d rather have Joe Burrow.

Eagles 30-14 Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I really like the direction both of these teams are heading in, but it’s no secret that the Eagles are a far better squad as of right now. The Lions have a good thing going, but it’ll still be a while before it all comes to fruition. Meanwhile, Philly is ready to seize the moment and show the league what they’re made of this year. I think they’re going to come out with their new-look offense and revamped defense and absolutely thwart Detroit from start to finish in a dominant win. I can’t wait to see what Jalen Hurts, Devonta Smith, and A.J. Brown do in their first game together. The the other side of the ball should be a delight to watch as well. I wouldn’t doubt the Lions’ ability to move the ball with their offense, but I think points will be too hard to come by for them to keep up for four quarters.

Dolphins 21-16 Patriots

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Even with their flashy new offense, it’s hard to believe this game won’t be a grind for the Dolphins. New England always plays them close and hard, and this game should be no different despite the overwhelmingly new circumstances in Miami. However, I have no doubt that their superior offensive talent will put them over the top in this game. The Patriots are just a weird team on both sides of the ball, and I have no idea what their identity is coming into this game. At least I know what I’m going to get with the Dolphins, and they might shock me offensively. I’m very intrigued to see what their offense looks like with Tyreek Hill, who always seems to pop off against the Patriots. Even if he’s stifled, Miami should be able to make enough plays to win this one.

Ravens 31-17 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Joe Flacco facing his former team for the first time has to be the most underrated storyline of Week 1, right? Why is nobody talking about this? Well, perhaps because the Jets are awful and this is a pretty terrible game on paper. The Ravens are the much better team and should handle this game with ease. I am excited to see how their offense looks, and especially interested to see how their defense performs with so many exciting new pieces. But other than that, there’s nothing really to see here. Just a good team beating up on a bad one.

Jaguars 23-20 Commanders

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Oh brother. Can you think of any better way for the Commanders era of Washington football to start than a home loss to the worst team in football from the year before? Because I can’t! As much as I’d love to be optimistic about this game and this season, I just know what lies ahead: more embarrassment and sadness. This is how it begins. But, it’s not just the depression that comes with the Commanders. As I outlined the other day, I think the Jaguars had a very good offseason and will bring a level of energy to this game that Washington simply lacks. Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne will likely have their way with a porous defense from a year ago. I can’t put any faith in Carson Wentz to do the same thing considering that the last game he played was the embarrassing loss to Jacksonville. If he led his team to victory in that game, he wouldn’t be my QB today. So, what better way to start his tenure in DC than by kicking it off with the same result as the reason he’s here?

Panthers 20-17 Browns

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

If I’m being completely honest, there’s really no reason for the Browns to lose this game. But, I have agendas to push, and I’d really like to see Baker Mayfield exact his revenge on the team in his first game outside of Cleveland. Carolina does not match up well in this game at all, but it’s a bit hard to put any faith in a Browns team led by Jacoby Brissett. I do think their defense can carry them to victory, but I just don’t want to pick them. If the Browns can ignore logic and sense when making moves for a rapist QB, then I can also ignore logic and sense when it comes to picking their games!

Colts 28-13 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Colts are one of the most puzzling teams in the league heading into this season, but this should not be a challenge at all for them. Houston is arguably the worst team in the league with absolutely nothing to play for. Indy is in the midst of a new era with Matt Ryan at QB, but he is more than serviceable, and this team will see a good deal of success in 2022. There’s no easier way to start than being spoon-fed a win against your division rival. Look for Jonathan Taylor to kick off another potential MVP campaign with a massive game while the Colts defense flexes their colors against a putrid Texans offense.

Titans 22-10 Giants

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

Why do we have so many lopsided matchups in Week 1? This might be the worst one of them all. It’s not necessarily because the Titans are that good, despite being last year’s 1 seed in the AFC. It has more to do with how dreadful the Giants are. New York is a team already looking ahead to who they’ll draft with a top 3 selection next April. Tennessee should crush them, especially with their dominant defensive front. The offense won’t need to do too much, which is good news for Derrick Henry, who should have an even heavier load to carry this season.

Vikings 29-27 Packers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

What a great game this is going to be. I have such high hopes for the Vikings in 2022, and there’s no better way for them to show everyone else their potential than by opening with a victory over their division rival and defending 1 seed. If this game was at Lambeau, I’d easily pick Green Bay, but I just have a feeling about Sunday evening in Minneapolis. I think their star-studded offense is built to overcome great defenses like the Packers have, and their improved defense can certainly shut down an offense with Allen Lazard as its WR1. You can never count out Aaron Rodgers no matter who he’s throwing the ball to, but something tells me this first game without Davante Adams will be a learning curve. The Packers won’t lose many games in 2022, but I can see this being one of them.

Chiefs 33-27 Cardinals

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

If you like offense, tune into CBS on Sunday evening. It may be the first game without Tyreek Hill in Kansas City, but I have the utmost faith in Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to still be an elite offensive threat. The Cardinals should also be exciting on that side of the ball, even without DeAndre Hopkins. While you can make the argument that both of these teams are good enough on defense to prevent this from being a shootout, this game just has a back-and-forth feel to it. So, take the over. It’s virtually to bet against Mahomes and KC in the month of September, so I’ll rock with them. In any case, I think this could end up being one of the most entertaining games of the week.

Chargers 31-21 Raiders

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

There likely isn’t a Week 1 game featuring two teams that people want to see more than this one. The Chargers are the sneaky Super Bowl pick in the AFC after a terrific offseason, and the Raiders made a huge splash in getting WR Davante Adams to help them out in their division push. Every time these teams get together, it’s an absolute blast, and I don’t see this one going any different. However, I do think LA should have a comfortable grip on this game from start to finish. Their defense is much better than Vegas’, and they should feast on an absolutely porous offensive line. I do think the Raiders offense will put up their numbers, but points will be a commodity for them. Meanwhile, I can’t wait to see what Justin Herbert, my personal pick for MVP, does in his season debut. I have extremely high hopes for him and his team, and I’d hate for them to let me down in Week 1. All things considered, that would actually be the most Chargers outcome here.

Buccaneers 27-24 Cowboys

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

It doesn’t get much bigger than a Sunday Night Football clash between Tom Brady and the Cowboys in Week 1. Even with an injury-riddled offense to start the year, I find it far too difficult to bet against Tom Brady. In his first game since his non-retirement, he should be able to feast against a terrible Cowboys secondary as long as his now-subpar offensive line gives him enough time to get throws off. Meanwhile, the Dallas offense, which is worse just about everywhere compared to 2021, won’t have much room to work against a fantastic Bucs defense. However, this is primetime, and you have to imagine that this game will remain close for its entirety. Just think back to last year’s season opener in Tampa. Regardless, I see the exact same result here, with the Buccaneers walking it off with a FG and leaving more Cowboys fans in misery.

Broncos 28-10 Seahawks

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

Russell Wilson’s return to Seattle in his Broncos debut makes for one of the most fascinating storylines of the entire season. However, that’s the only interesting thing going on in this game. This should be an absolute wash for Denver. They’re infinitely better than the Seahawks at just about everything. I don’t even know if Seattle has it in them to score a single touchdown in this game. 10 points might be the most generous total I give them all year long. Meanwhile, I’m very excited to see how Russ and the Broncos offense performs in their first game of the year. My biggest question is, who will emerge as the true WR1 in this offense? And will they be effective enough to compete with the other great offenses of the AFC? Monday night’s game won’t give us all the answers, but it will definitely be a good indicator of how the Broncos are riding into this season.

All stats taken from ESPN.