Brock’s 2023 NFL Power Rankings – Week 2
1. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (1-0)
It was exactly a “statement win”, but the Eagles took care of business in Foxborough as they begin their quest for a ring.
2. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (1-0)
Brock Purdy’s work on silencing the critics got started with a bang. Purdy will look to prove that he’s for real this year, and going on the road and beating a Top 5 defense by 23 points is a good way to do that.
3. MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-0)
I’m probably higher on the Dolphins than most people, but that’s fine. When Tua is healthy, this offense is elite and can hang with anyone.
4. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (1-0)
Blame it on the Super Bowl hangover and the absence of Kelce. The Chiefs will be just fine.
5. NEW YORK JETS (1-0)
There was a lot of hype with this Jets team coming into the season. The year got off to a nightmarish start with Aaron Rodgers going down on his 3rd play as the Jets QB. In a surprising turn of events, Zach Wilson came in and got the win – but in reality the Jets defense won this game.
6. BUFFALO BILLS (0-1)
Yikes. Not a great way to come out of the gate. Aaron Rodgers going down 3 plays into his first series turned what was expected to be a close game, into a game that should have been very manageable for Buffalo. But turnovers and costly mistakes ensued, leaving the Bills at 0-1.
7. BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-0)
The Ravens just cant catch a break when it comes to injuries. JK Dobbins is done for the year after missing the majority of last season. This is still an elite team, but Dobbins is a piece that you want to have. But it’s the NFL, so it’s gotta be “next man up”.
8. DALLAS COWBOYS (1-0)
Is it possible for a game that ended 40-0 to be closer than the score indicated? It’s not everyday that you see a team put up 40 points with only 265 yards of offense. But Dallas capitalized on the Giants’ mistakes and that is extremely important at this level of football.
9. CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-0)
What a statement win for Cleveland. Watson didn’t look great, but the pieces are there for this team to be a contender if Watson can find his game again.
10. CINCINNATI BENGALS (0-1)
This was one of the most surprising results of Week 1. When you are a team with Super Bowl-level expectations, it is NEVER a good thing to have one of your games be described as “surprising”.
11. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-0)
The Jags went into Indy and took care of business, which is exactly what a trendy, dark horse contender should do.
12. DETROIT LIONS (1-0)
At long last, Detroit has themselves a football team! The offense is still there from last year, the coach is aggressive, the defense has improved, and the competition in the NFC North hasn’t been this weak in years. Could we see a postseason appearance for the Lions?
13. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (0-1)
Here we go again. This has to be one of the most underachieving rosters in NFL history. After blowing a massive lead in the playoffs last year, the Chargers got right back into the saddle and blew a 4th quarter lead at home.
14. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1-0)
A lot of people may be overlooking the Saints. This is an above average roster, with a QB in Derek Carr who can manage games and play the position effectively. Will they be a Top 10 team this year? Probably not. Will they be a difficult team to play against each week? Absolutely.
15. LOS ANGELES RAMS (1-0)
This obviously isn’t the same team who won the Super Bowl two years ago, but I didn’t understand why people were so low on these guys. They still have some key pieces from that championship team and one of the best head coaches in the league. Not to mention an absolute wrecking ball on defense in Aaron Donald.
16. GREEN BAY PACKERS (1-0)
This was a big win for Green Bay. Jordan Love looked good – not great. But the important thing is that the Packers went out and showed that they aren’t just going to roll over and play dead now that Aaron Rodgers is gone.
17. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (0-1)
Not to be outdone by the division rival Bengals, the Steelers also went out and laid an egg. After a lot of preseason hype, it’s eerily quiet in Pittsburgh after that embarrassing performance against the 49ers – except for the people calling for Matt Canada’s head in the streets.
18. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (1-0)
I’m a Sam Howell believer. I liked seeing him get a win in Week 1. That being said, it wasn’t exactly an inspirational performance.
19. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (0-1)
Did the Geno magic wear off? He didn’t look great. But his defense wasn’t doing him any favors.
20. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (1-0)
From Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield. That’s a pretty steep drop. Mayfield, however, went out and got the job done on the road against a Minnesota team who won their division last year.
21. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (0-1)
Sunday was just an ugly start to the season. There were a lot of self-inflicted wounds, and Alexander Mattison didn’t have a great start as the Vikings new RB1. They need to get it together – and fast. They travel to Philly to play the Eagles on a short week.
22. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-0)
You have to imagine Jimmy Garoppolo is thrilled with that one. After years of being called a product of Shanahan’s system, he surely must want to show the world that he can win with a team like Las Vegas.
23. DENVER BRONCOS (0-1)
Uh-oh! Sean Payton made a lot of noise coming to Denver, speaking out against Nathaniel Hackett’s coaching job. So much so that he earned himself a fine from the NFL. Then he goes out and drops his debut – a home game against the lowly Raiders. Awkward.
24. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (0-1)
The Patriots had a chance to win their game against the Eagles. They just couldn’t get it done on the final drive. This is Mac Jones’ team now after the Pats cut Bailey Zappe. Let’s see if that confidence booster of a move can heighten his performance on the field.
25. ATLANTA FALCONS (1-0)
The key pieces to the rebuild are in place. Now it’s time to see if the Falcons made the right moves. They got off to a good start with a 14-point victory over Carolina.
26. TENNESSEE TITANS (0-1)
The AFC South isn’t going to be a cakewalk for the Titans anymore. Dropping winnable non-conference games isnt going to help their cause.
27. NEW YORK GIANTS (0-1)
The New York Giants will be making their 2023 NFL debut in Week 2 – because they clearly didn’t show up for Week 1.
28. CHICAGO BEARS (0-1)
Is Justin Fields really expected to succeed with these second-rate players he has around him? If so, just label him a “bust” and move on.
29. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-1)
It was an inspiring debut for Anthony Richardson. He showed real promise before leaving with an injury. The Colts say the injury is not severe, so I’m excited to see how he looks in Week 2.
30. CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-1)
It wasn’t a great debut for #1 overall pick Bryce Young. He failed to break 150 yards passing, and threw two passes to guys in the wrong jersey. But you can’t expect too much out of him this season considering the roster he has around him.
31. ARIZONA CARDINALS (0-1)
The Cardinals held the lead in the 4th quarter with QB Josh Dobbs at the helm. The game ended in a loss, but they looked better than expected.
32. HOUSTON TEXANS (0-1)
Once again, we find the Texans at the bottom. It wasn’t a horrible debut for Stroud, but it hardly inspired awe.
