2024 B/R NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stand Entering Week 2?

The first week of the 2024 NFL season is in the books. There was no shortage of excitement, even if quite a few games featured sloppy play—the first couple weeks of the season have essentially become the new preseason with so many teams resting starters until games start.

There were a pair of rematches of playoff games from a season ago, both won by the home team. The first-ever NFL game in Brazil—that ended in disaster for one team. An absolute debacle in the Big Easy. A shocking upset in the Queen City. And three mostly rocky debuts by rookie signal-callers making their first career starts.

It was another shining example of something we learn every year—what we think we know about the NFL and what actually takes place in Week 1 are often two entirely different things.

It's important not to overreact to one game (or at least that's what the long-suffering fans in Cleveland are telling themselves now), but it also can't be denied that now that we have seen all 32 teams in action, the NFL's pecking order has been shaken up.

As they do every week during the regular season here at Bleacher Report, NFL Analysts Gary Davenport, Kristopher Knox, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski have come together to rank the league's teams from No. 32 to No. 1.

There are familiar faces in both spots, although the team in the former is no doubt tired of the title of the league's premier tomato can.

Last Week: 30

Week 1 Result: Lost at New Orleans 47-10

Well, so much for the new and improved Carolina Panthers.

There's no sugarcoating it—the Panthers looked terrible Sunday on both sides of the ball. And per Yahoo's Frank Schwab, no one personified those struggles more than Panthers quarterback Bryce Young.

"The Panthers' renewed optimism was burned to the ground before halftime of the season opener. They trailed the New Orleans Saints 30-0 before their season was even two quarters old. Young, who struggled badly as a rookie after being the first overall draft pick following the Panthers' monster trade to go up and get him, threw a bad interception on his first pass of the season. He threw a worse interception to start the second half, throwing well past an open Adam Thielen. The Saints turned that interception into a touchdown and a 37-3 lead. At that point, Young's line was horrific: 6 of 14, 50 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions and a nearly impossible 13.1 passer rating."

"It's only one game," Knox said, "but the Panthers still look like the worst team in the NFL. I had high hopes that an improved supporting cast and the hiring of Dave Canales would help improve the efficiency and confidence of quarterback Bryce Young. Unfortunately, Young looked and performed like the rookie he no longer is against the Saints on Sunday. Between inaccurate passes and bad decisions, he failed to give Carolina's offense much of a chance.

"What was truly alarming was the performance of Carolina's defense. It was a unit that at least kept the Panthers in some games last season, but it was a veritable sieve against New Orleans. On a positive note, if the Panthers 'earn' the No. 1 pick in the draft this year, they'll actually get to use it."

Last Week: 31

Week 1 Result: Lost vs. Minnesota 28-6

The Carolina Panthers had the largest margin of defeat in Week 1, but it can be argued the New York Giants looked every bit as bad. Celebrating the 100th season of Giants football, New York got dusted by a mediocre Minnesota Vikings team.

This was a game where Daniel Jones had a passer rating under 45 and his only touchdown pass was completed to Vikings edge-rusher Andrew Van Ginkel. Where the Giants had all of 74 yards on the ground and 240 yards total.

The boo birds were out in full force in this mess, which left Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence in something of a mood after the game.

"I don't respect it, honestly," Lawrence told reporters. "I get it; they want to see their team win. It's just a rough patch."

Jones was a bit more understanding.

"I think it's our job to give them something to cheer about and to play well, to execute," Jones said. "We take that seriously. They expect us to play well. We expect to play well. We've got to do that.''

Moton was just blunt.

"Brian Daboll has taken over the Giants' offensive play-calling duties, but he can't pull off a magic trick that turns Daniel Jones into a high-level quarterback," he said. "Though it's one game, Jones looked like the same struggling signal-caller we have seen over the previous few years. He completed 52 percent of his passes and threw two interceptions in a blowout loss.

"After watching Saquon Barkley have one of his best career outings with the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil, outscoring the Giants 18-6 in Week 1, owner John Mara may have nightmares about that HBO Hard Knocks episode that revealed the process of losing his star player to a division rival."

Last Week: 27

Week 1 Result: Lost at Chicago 24-17

It takes serious effort to build a 17-point lead, shut out an opposing offense and yet somehow still lose a game. It takes will. Grit. Determination. Flat-out refusing to win.

That's what the Tennessee Titans did Sunday. Despite holding rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears to 148 total yards of offense and zero points on that side of the ball, the Titans blew a three-score lead and lost.

It certainly wasn't the coaching debut Brian Callahan was looking for, and he told reporters after the game that it's frustrating to see such a stellar defensive effort wasted.

"It was a winning effort on defense," Callahan said. "They did a really nice job. They made life hard for those guys, exactly how we wanted to. And we just handed them points."

Quarterback Will Levis, who threw a terrible pick-six in the second half, admitted to the media afterward that he's never been part of a choke job quite like this.

"It's gut-wrenching," Levis said. "It's tough, having a 17-point lead and giving them the game. I can't remember a loss in my career where it felt like I blatantly handed it over to them. It's hard for me to deal with that."

"Will Levis has only started in 10 career games," Moton said. "He has room to grow, but the Titans coaching staff has to let him know that flipping the ball toward the sideline in their territory could lead him to the bench. Levis made an ill-advised throw that resulted in a back-breaking pick-six. As a young signal-caller, Levis will either learn from that mistake or become categorized by it. In the meantime, Tennessee should feed its running back duo, Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, to take some pressure off its inexperienced quarterback."

Last Week: 32

Week 1 Result: Won at Cincinnati 16-10

Not a lot was expected of the New England Patriots in 2024—as evidenced by the fact they opened the season in the basement of these power rankings. The Pats were heavy underdogs in their Week 1 matchup with the Bengals in Cincinnati.

Apparently, someone forgot to tell the Pats.

Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux told reporters that the team was doing its best to block out all the outside negativity, instead trying to adopt the hard-nosed mentality of first-year head coach Jerod Mayo.

"We're doing a good job not listening to what the naysayers are saying outside about the Patriots. Because at the end of the day, the game still has to be played within the white lines. That's why you have to love the game of football," he said. "There are going to be obstacles during the season, there is going to be adversity, and I feel like we have the right guys to overcome it. And it starts with the head coach, of course. Just being a tough coach and understanding we're going to do hard things. Also, smart. He played linebacker, in the middle of the field, made all the calls. It's just the aspect of understanding his players when it comes to being a head coach, but putting his player hat on, too."

It showed on Sunday. New England won in the trenches on both sides of the ball, with Rhamondre Stevenson rushing for 120 yards and the Pats defense putting the clamps on Cincinnati most of the game.

New England still isn't a good team. But for one week at least, the naysayers have been silenced.

"I don't know if the Patriots will win many games in 2024, and I'm sure they'll still turn the keys over to rookie third overall pick Drake Maye at some point," Knox wrote. "However, Sunday's upset over Cincinnati shows that New England can win games by leaning on the ground game, a stout defense and smart game management from the quarterback position. Perhaps more importantly, Sunday's game showed that Mayo just might be up to the challenge of coaching in Bill Belichick's shadow. New England looked and played like a scrappy, physical, well-coached and well-prepared team against the Bengals. The Patriots might not be relevant in the AFC East race, but future opponents cannot afford to overlook them."

Last Week: 28

Week 1 Result: Lost at Seattle 26-20

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix made his NFL debut Sunday, and like the other rookie quarterbacks making their first start, the numbers weren't pretty—138 passing yards, two picks and a passer rating under 50 in a six-point loss.

However, while talking to reporters after the game, head coach Sean Payton said the Broncos didn't do enough around the signal-caller, whether it was drops or a sketchy ground game.

"He gave us a chance," Payton said. "I mean, our protection was average, at best. ... At one point in the game, I talked to the receivers, 'Hey, let's go.' I don't know how many drops we had, but man, let's help this guy. For any quarterback playing, we've got to be more effective running the football. Not nearly good enough. Us as coaches, we've got to evaluate the run plan and why it wasn't as effective as we'd like. It's going to be hard playing quarterback, period, if that's the best we can do running the ball."

"Well, the Broncos didn't receive the short-term bump they hoped to get from rookie quarterback Bo Nix," Sobleski said. "Nix's biggest strengths as a prospects were threefold. First, he was the most experienced quarterback prospect ever. Second, he turned 24 well before the regular season game, with a maturity to handle being 'the guy' at two different programs, while learning and executing multiple offenses. Finally, Nix was thought to be a perfect fit in Sean Payton's offense.

"The perfect fit part actually backfired, as the rookie failed to threaten the intermediate or deep portions of the field by averaging 3.3 yards per throw on 42 total attempts. Nix didn't look the part as a calm, collected starter, either. Maybe those initial expectations were unfair. But the Broncos drafted Nix in the first round for a reason when many didn't have him graded that high. The team is now suffering through rookie growing pains just like multiple other franchises around the league."

Last Week: 24

Week 1 Result: Lost at Tampa Bay 37-20

As it turns out, playing quarterback in the NFL is kind of hard.

Actually, compared to the other first-year signal-callers who made their professional debuts Sunday, Washington's Jayden Daniels actually played pretty well. He completed 17 of 24 passes for 184 yards and added another 88 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. It wasn't his fault that the Commanders had no answer for Baker Mayfield and the Tampa offense.

However, while addressing the media after the game, Daniels said he wasn't especially interested in a moral victory. Washington lost, and that made the day a disappointment.

"I grade myself hard. We didn't win. I like to win," Daniels said. "Overall, it went pretty well. There's some stuff as an offense that we left on the field. We've got to execute better. It's a long season. We're going to move on."

The bigger concern in Washington this season may be a defense that ranked dead last in the league last season and didn't appear significantly improved against the Buccaneers. Washington gave up a four-score effort to Mayfield, allowed 392 yards of offense and let Tampa convert nine of 13 third-down attempts.

"Daniels may have had the best debut of any rookie signal-caller in Week 1," Davenport said. "But if the Commanders play like that defensively every week, it's going to be a long season in the nation's capital. You can't expect a rookie quarterback to go out there and lead touchdown drives on every possession. But the way the Washington defense looked in Week 1, that's what Daniels will have to do to keep the Commanders in games. If Washington's defense struggles again in Week 2 against the hapless Giants, this team is in very real trouble."

Week 1 Result: Lost at Los Angeles Chargers 22-10

After a hot finish to last year earned Antonio Pierce the full-time job as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, there was optimism that perhaps the team was turning a corner. Headed in the right direction.

If Sunday's loss to the rival Chargers was any indication, the only direction the Raiders are headed is nowhere.

Not much went right for Vegas in Week 1. Gardner Minshew II's Raiders debut included a pair of costly turnovers. The team gained just 3.2 yards per carry on the ground and lost at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

As Pierce lamented to reporters after the game, the Raiders had no success stopping the run.

"When the game was on the line, we've got to fit up the run correctly," Pierce said. "Guys have got to get off blocks. Second-level players have got to fit up. Hats off to them. They stayed consistent with their game. They didn't beat themselves."

There was also Pierce's puzzling decision to punt from the Chargers' 43-yard line in the fourth quarter down six. The Bolts then drove the ball 92 yards for the score that put the game on ice.

For Moton, it was an unsettling performance.

"The Raiders lost the turnover battle in a sloppy performance," he said. "They gave up possession three times. Minshew threw an interception and the ball slipped out of his hands on a fumble. Zamir White also fumbled, and the Chargers turned that takeaway into three points. Pierce made the rare decision to punt the ball on 4th-and-1 in opponent territory while down one score. According to Josh Dubow of the Associated Press, the Raiders are the first to do this since Rex Ryan's Buffalo Bills in 2016.

"In that moment, Pierce showed a lack of confidence in his offense after it failed to convert on 4th-and-1 at the Raiders' 40-yard line in the first quarter. If the Raiders struggle to score 20 points like last season, they'll likely have another sub-.500 campaign and take a step back in their first full year under Pierce."

Last Week: 29

Week 1 Result: Lost at Buffalo 34-28

Any team that faces the Bills knows that they are going to have their hands full with quarterback Josh Allen. But ahead of Sunday's trip to Buffalo, Arizona Cardinals linebacker Owen Pappoe told reporters that the Redbirds had a plan for holding Allen in check in Week 1.

"It's all within the game plan that we have, and we execute it to the highest of our ability," Pappoe said. "Guys like him, he's going to make plays. But we still got to make sure we limit as many of those as possible. Nick (Rallis) has a really good plan for us to be able to limit the things he's going to do. He's a talented player and we just got to come ready to play."

For a time at least, it looked like the Cardinals might just pull off an upset in Week 1, with Arizona racing out to a 17-3 lead in the second quarter.

But from that point, Allen went off—the Bills outscored the Cardinals 31-11 the rest of the game, with Allen accounting for all four touchdowns—two passing and two rushing.

As if that squandered lead wasn't bad enough, the debut for Arizona's new No. 1 wide receiver was less than ideal. Rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. had just one reception for four yards in the loss, and his biggest moment in the game came when a wide-open Harrison was ignored by Murray on what would have been a sure touchdown.

Last Week: 16

Week 1 Result: Lost vs. Dallas 33-17

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson hadn't played since Week 10 of the 2023 season. Cleveland is all kinds of banged up on the offensive line. The Dallas Cowboys are one of the best defenses in the NFL.

All will be used to one extent or another to rationalize another atrocious effort from Cleveland's $46 million quarterback—24-of-45 for 169 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

To his credit, Watson wasn't interested in excuses while talking to reporters after the game.

"Some people can say that contribute(d) a lot (or) my injury, guys missing time," he explained. "But at the end of the day, once you're on the field, you've got to perform. You've got to execute, and we didn't do that overall, and it showed. We've just got to play better."

At least one of our analysts is done making excuses for Watson as well.

"The Deshaun Watson trade and contract is the single biggest boondoggle in the history of the National Football League," Davenport said. "It's a nightmare the Browns can't wake up from, either—there's no way out of the deal that won't cripple Cleveland's salary cap through 2026.

"The Browns are 8-5 with Watson as the starter in spite of Watson, not because of him. "Thinking that Watson will magically turn back into his 2020 self is laughable at this point. At some point in the not-too-distant future, Kevin Stefanski is going to have to ask himself if Jameis Winston gives Cleveland a better chance to win. And he already knows the answer to that question."

Last Week: 22

Week 1 Result: Won vs. Tennessee 24-17

Sunday at Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears trailed the Tennessee Titans 17-0. The Bears scored exactly zero touchdowns on offense.

In the Super Bowl era, there have been 1,228 instances of those two things happening in the same game. The Bears are the third team to win.

They overcame a rocky debut by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams thanks to a pick-six, a blocked punt returned for a score and three Cairo Santos field goals.

Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, who had the interception return, told reporters that the improbable victory showed the resolve the Bears have.

"It's one hell of a team, a team full of dogs," Stevenson said. "At some point it's going to be (the offense) helping us out. It is what it is. We still got the win. I'm happy for the boys."

Williams, who was 14-of-29 for just 93 yards, acknowledged that he needs to play much better under center.

"It was a frustrating game," Williams said. "But the most important thing is that it shows a bunch of the personality of this team, I would say—the fight, the resiliency that we had."

Frankly, the game was a reminder that for all the talent the Bears put around Williams, he was still a rookie quarterback making his first career start. There are no more vanilla preseason defenses. No more playing against second-stringers.

And unless Williams looks exponentially better Sunday night against the Houston Texans, there won't be another improbable victory.

"Let's not put lipstick on a pigskin with Caleb Williams' NFL debut," Moton said. "He struggled mightily, completing less than 50 percent of his passes for less than 100 yards. Fortunately for Williams, he still made better decisions from the pocket than Tennessee Titans second-year quarterback Will Levis. Williams showed off his athleticism by extending plays behind a suspect offensive line. He also completed a pass to D'Andre Swift for a two-point conversion. Williams owes the Bears defense a steak dinner for bailing him out in the season opener, though he's talented enough to return the favor on the field."

Last Week: 15

Week 1 Result: Lost vs. Pittsburgh 18-10

There was more than a little excitement surrounding the Atlanta Falcons entering this season. The arrival of veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was going to unlock running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts.

Apparently, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense didn't get the memo.

Cousins' Atlanta debut was less than impressive—16 completions in 26 attempts, 155 yards, one score, two picks and a passer rating under 60.

Cousins was honest in his assessment of his play while talking to the media after the game,

"I was disappointed," Cousins said. "Certainly disappointed. You always go out there with an expectation that you're going to play at a high level, and we didn't play up to our standard today. Needed to play better. That's the bottom line. I thought our defense played very well; I thought our special teams played very well. We didn't complement that enough on offense."

On some level, Cousins' rustiness was to be expected. The 36-year-old is coming back from an Achilles tear and didn't see much in the way of game reps in the preseason. But with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints both posting emphatic wins in Week 1, the Falcons are already a game back in what should be a closely contested division.

Now Atlanta heads into a brutal schedule stretch that includes a trip to Philadelphia and home dates with Kansas City, New Orleans and Tampa.

If the Falcons can't get the offense untracked soon, this team could be in trouble early.

Last Week: 25

Week 1 Result: Won at New York Giants 28-6

Something happened Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Something terrifying. Something that may potentially be a harbinger of the end times.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold was good against the New York Giants in a lopsided win. Really good. 19-of-24 for 208 yards, two scores and an interception with a passer rating of 113.2.

Given all the struggles that Darnold had in the building as a member of the New York Jets, he told reporters that it felt good to leave the field with a win this time.

"Obviously it's great to be back," Darnold said. "It's been a while since I played here. I played here my first year in Carolina coming back. That was the last time I played here. It's always good to get back in MetLife."

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell praised Darnold, who was pressed into action by the season-ending injury suffered by rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

"Sam Darnold, for a guy in a new system to start 12-for-12 and be incredibly poised throughout the day, it was a huge performance for us to be able to build off," O'Connell said.

It's entirely possible that Sunday's blowout had as much to do with the Giants being terrible as Minnesota being better than expected. But it's still a best-case scenario to start the season, and it won't take that long to find out just how good these Vikings really are—over the next two weeks, the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans visit U.S. Bank Stadium.

"Sam Darnold's 2024 season may play out like Baker Mayfield's 2023 campaign—minus the playoff berth," Moton said. "Nonetheless, Darnold looks ready to shed the bust label associated with his name since he flamed out with the New York Jets and became a journeyman quarterback. Perhaps Darnold found the right spot for a career rebirth. He has a star wide receiver, Justin Jefferson, and head coach Kevin O'Connell, who's an established play-caller, can put him in the best situations for efficient performances.

"Aside from a throw that fell short on an interception because Dexter Lawrence II hit his arm, Darnold had a clean season opener and looked like a quality starting quarterback. With J.J. McCarthy on season-ending injured reserve, Darnold has the Minnesota stage to himself under center and a chance to extend his career as starter."

Last Week: 20

Week 1 Result: Lost vs. Houston 29-27

On one hand, the only thing that mattered at the end of Sunday's matchup with the Houston Texans was that the Indianapolis Colts didn't have as many points. A loss is a loss. There are no moral victories. Insert cliché here.

But there were positives for the Colts, even in defeat. Second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson completed just nine passes, but he posted a passer rating over 100 and had a hand in three Colts touchdowns. Indy hung in there until the very end of the game with a Texans team considered a Super Bowl contender by many.

After the loss, Colts head coach Shane Steichen told reporters that now a young Colts team needs to figure out how to pull out victories in close contests.

"It's going to be like this a lot, you know, there's going to be a lot of one-score games," Steichen said. "We've got to find ways at the end, offensively and defensively, to make the plays in critical situations."

"The roller-coaster that is Anthony Richardson's play is a fun ride," Sobleski wrote. "Richardson flashed to the point where he's making plays other quarterbacks can't. For example, the sophomore signal-caller completed three passes of 50 or more yards on Sunday. Only six quarterbacks had more than three all of last season, according to Unexpected Points' Kevin Cole. Also, the 6'4", 250-plus-pound Richardson barreled his way through a defender into the end zone to keep the Colts within striking distance as the fourth quarter waned. However, Richardson's consistency must improve. He completed less than 50 percent of his attempts. Once this 22-year-old phenom hits the easy passes as well as the spectacular throws, he'll elevate the entire Colts roster."

Last Week: 21

Week 1 Result: Won vs. Las Vegas 22-10

There was more than a little ugly football played in Week 1, and Sunday's tilt between the Raiders and Chargers was no exception. This was a game where the Bolts had all of 11 first downs. Where Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins had nearly as many rushing yards as Justin Herbert had passing yards—on 10 carries. Where the Chargers converted just four of 15 first downs.

But the Chargers played lights-out defensively, allowing just 296 yards of offense, forced three turnovers and sacked Gardner Minshew II four times.

Veteran safety Derwin James told reporters that while it may not have been pretty, Jim Harbaugh's first game as L.A.'s head coach was one of the better team efforts he has seen during his time with the franchise.

"This is the first time I felt like we played actual, real complementary football from where the offense was struggling a little bit and we picked them up, and then we gave up a play and they came back and gave us a play, they gave us a big first down," James said.

Now, one win over a Raiders team that looked, um, ungood in Week 1 does not fix all the issues the Chargers have. But the team has some momentum heading into next week's trip to Carolina to face the hapless Panthers.

A 2-0 record heading into a Week 3 trip to Pittsburgh would be a nice start to the Harbaugh era.

Last Week: 23

Week 1 Result: Won vs. Carolina 47-10

Raise your hand if you thought the New Orleans Saints would post the most impressive game of Week 1.

Now put your hand down. Lying is wrong.

Granted, it came against a Panthers team that won just two games last year. But the Saints dominated every facet of Sunday's contest. Offensively, Derek Carr threw three touchdown passes and running back Alvin Kamara logged 110 yards from scrimmage and a score. Defensively, the Saints held Carolina under 200 yards of offense and forced three turnovers.

Carr lauded the effort on both sides of the ball while speaking to reporters after the game.

"Everyone's going to want to talk about how exciting it was for your offense. But our defense gave us a lot of short fields," Carr said. "Them setting us up with short fields and us executing allows a day like that to happen. That was a fun way to start the season. They (the fans) liked us a lot today. That was nice."

Knox isn't reading too much into this lone game, but even he admitted that Klint Kubiak's debut as offensive coordinator was an impressive one.

"I probably had the Saints ranked too low coming into the season, but I had serious questions about Derek Carr's ability to return to Pro Bowl form," he said. "However, Carr and the rest of the Saints offense looked brilliant under new coordinator Klint Kubiak in Week 1—New Orleans scored on its first nine drives. This may be an overreaction to dismantling a bad Panthers team, but I believe the Saints will be a significant factor in the NFC South race this season. This is, after all, a team that won nine games and fielded a top-10 scoring defense a year ago. If Kubiak can right the ship offensively, this is also a team few will want to see in December or January."

Last Week: 18

Week 1 Result: Lost at Miami 20-17

For 30 minutes, it appeared that the Jacksonville Jaguars may have exorcised some of the demons from last season's late collapse—the Jags held Miami's high-octane offense in check and led 17-7 at the half.

But the Jaguars didn't score another point the rest of the way, and after a disappointing defeat to open the season, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was left looking for silver linings while talking to reporters.

"We just kind of gave it away. There's going to be a lot to learn from Week 1. It's early, and we've got a lot of confidence in the group we have," Lawrence said. "We've got a really good team, but we can't give games away, especially against another really good team, which is going to be every week. Yeah, definitely disappointing."

Knox isn't giving up on the Jags yet either.

"I still think that Jacksonville can challenge for a playoff spot this season, and Sunday's loss doesn't do much to change that," he said. "Trevor Lawrence looked healthy. The Jags may have something in the backfield tandem of Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby. Aside from napping on Tyreek Hill's 80-yard touchdown, the defense did a terrific job of slowing one of the league's more dynamic offenses.

"Had Etienne scored instead of fumbling on Miami's 1-yard line late in the third quarter, we'd probably be discussing a Jags' 1-0 start today. The loss hurts, and I'm not positive Jacksonville can reclaim the AFC South from the Texans, but it should be fine if it can clean up the mistakes. The bad news is that there isn't much room for error with a tough slate—Browns, Bills, Texans, Colts—upcoming."

Last Week: 19

Week 1 Result: Won vs. Denver 26-20

The first half of Mike Macdonald's head coaching debut for the Seahawks didn't exactly go as planned—there was a sack and interception on the first series of the season, and the Seahawks gave up not one but two safeties.

However, the team settled down, and thanks largely to a 100-yard effort from running back Kenneth Walker III, the Seahawks got the offense going and logged a victory in Week 1.

While addressing the media after the game, Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith said Walker's hard running helped settle the entire offense down.

"Once the run game opened up, it allowed us to then get into some of our tempo stuff and then start to pass the ball, and then you started to see our offense really come alive," Smith said.

Seattle was the only NFC West team to log a victory Sunday, but Davenport isn't sure how much that really means.

"The Seahawks we saw Sunday rather looked a lot like the Seattle team from Pete Carroll's final season," he said. "The team has talent on both sides of the ball, whether it's Walker and wide receiver DK Metcalf on offense or cornerback Devon Witherspoon and safety Julian Love on defense.

"But while the Seahawks were able to outlast the Denver Broncos Sunday, the team didn't rack up many style points doing so—especially in the first half. Maybe this can be a 10-win team that sneaks into the postseason, but it's hard to imagine it doing any real damage against the NFC's best teams."

Last Week: 8

Week 1 Result: Lost vs. Philadelphia 34-29 (Sao Paolo)

That the Packers came up short against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 is far from ideal. But it was what happened in the closing moments of that loss that made the season opener an absolute disaster for Green Bay.

Packers quarterback Jordan Love went down with just six seconds left in the contest with what has been diagnosed as an MCL sprain. Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Packers will be without Love, who signed a four-year, $220 million contract extension in the offseason, for a few weeks.

While addressing the media after the game, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that Love's injury isn't the only issue facing Green Bay as it prepares to face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2.

"There's a lot to clean up," LaFleur said. "It was definitely a sloppy game, I think, from us. There were some uncharacteristic things that we did as a staff, quite frankly, and that trickled down to our players. So, ultimately, we've all got to look ourselves hard in the mirror and find ways to get better because tonight obviously wasn't good enough."

Still, it's hard to view anything but Love's knee as the biggest problem for the Packers moving forward. The good news is that Green Bay's next three games will all be against teams that missed the postseason last year.

The bad news is that one week into the season the Packers' backs are essentially up against the wall—and they have to try to find a way to win two of three (at least) with Malik Willis, who will start in Week 2.

Last Week: 13

Week 1 Result: Lost at San Francisco 32-19

Hall of Famer Warren Moon knows a thing or two about playing quarterback in the NFL. Per ESPN's Rich Cimini, Moon admitted that was curious to see what Aaron Rodgers had left in the tank as he made his second Jets debut (the first hardly counts) Monday night in San Francisco.

"Your body doesn't do the same things at 40 as it did at 30," Moon said. "You don't react as fast, you lose some of your athleticism, you don't heal as fast. All those different things happen as you get older. I know Aaron takes care of himself, but then again, he has the major injury -- the Achilles tendon -- he's coming back from. I'm interested to see how he bounces back."

The good news is that this time Rodgers made it through the entire game. And as a whole, he was at least decent—13-of-21 for 167 yards with a score and an interception on a tipped pass. The bad news is that New York's allegedly stout defense was gashed by the 49ers on the ground and the final score looked a lot like most Jets scores have in recent years.

"If I'm Robert Saleh," Davenport said, "I'm not worried about my old man quarterback. I'm worried about a defensive front seven that essentially knew what the 49ers were going to do and got blown off the ball anyway. That was a bad performance defensively—period. The silver lining is that the Jets won't see another playoff team from a year ago until their first matchup with Buffalo on October 14."

Last Week: 14

Week 1 Result: Won at Atlanta 18-10

No NFL team wants to go into the season with the starting quarterback sidelined. But when you have a pair of quarterbacks with extensive starting experience, it takes some of the sting out of it.

To be clear, it's unlikely that Justin Fields played well enough against the Atlanta Falcons to force a quarterback controversy—all of Pittsburgh's points Sunday came on Chris Boswell field goals. But head coach Mike Tomlin still lauded Fields' play while speaking to reporters.

"Justin, as I've gotten to know him, he is a real Steady Eddie," Tomlin said. "He's not overly talkative, but he's got steady, strong demeanor. Just being in stadium with him, some of the things I've seen through team development were confirmed. It's just good to be able to communicate with a guy that, when things get thick, you see the clear eyes, here's there, he's solid as a rock, and I think his play—and thus our play—is kind of reflective of that."

"The Steelers are exactly who we thought they were: a talented team with an aggressive defense and remaining questions at quarterback," Sobleski said. "Starter Russell Wilson didn't make his debut against the Atlanta Falcons after reaggravating a calf injury during last week's practice. Instead, Justin Fields led the way. The latter did nothing to change the minds of those within the organization regarding the Steelers' quarterback setup. Fields looked out of sorts from the start. The former first-round pick didn't make any major mistakes. Yet his mobility continues to be his greatest asset. The Steelers can win this way, as they did Sunday. But Wilson will give them a greater chance of being better overall."

Last Week: 17

Week 1 Result: Won vs. Washington 37-20

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won three straight NFC South titles, but when the NFC's best teams are discussed, the Bucs are rarely in the conversation. After watching them dismantle the Washington Commanders Sunday, perhaps that should change.

And Baker Mayfield's contract extension looks like a bargain.

It can be argued there wasn't a quarterback in the league that had a better Week 1 than Mayfield—24 completions in 30 attempts for 289 yards and four scores.

After the performance, Mayfield praised both his offensive line and offensive coordinator Liam Coen while speaking to reporters.

"Those two guys [Washington] has on the interior are no slouches, so I thought guys played well up front," Mayfield said. "Any time you're that efficient on offense the big men up front play well ... I feel really confident, like I thought they played really well. I thought Liam called a great game. Didn't really have to reach into the toolbox that much."

"Think the Cleveland Browns have any remorse about punting Mayfield for Deshaun Watson?," Davenport asked rhetorically. "If Sunday's dissection of the Commanders was any indication, Mayfield's 2023 success was no fluke. He was accurate, consistently found the open man and looked like more than just an average quarterback—he looked like a difference-maker.

"Granted, it's a long season. And Tampa was just a nine-win team a year ago. But that nine-win team dropped a piano on the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round, and it's high time to start giving Baker's Buccaneers the dap they deserve as a legit contender."

Last Week: 6

Week 1 Result: Lost vs. New England 16-10

The Cincinnati Bengals were already facing adversity as they entered the 2024 season. After missing most of the offseason angling for a new contract, star wideout Ja'Marr Chase had barely practiced this summer. Fellow receiver Tee Higgins was unavailable for Sunday's matchup with the Patriots due to a hip injury.

However, per Geoff Hobson of the team's website, quarterback Joe Burrow said he was ready to do whatever it took to help the heavily favored Bengals log a victory in the opener.

"I'm going to go into the first game like I always do and lean on the guys and go out and make plays if I have to," Burrow said. "That's kind of how I'm going to approach every game. Play within the offense. See how the game's going, and then, if something else above and beyond is needed, I'm going to go try and do it."

Um, yeah—about that.

Yes, the Bengals had issues at wide receiver in this game. But the Cincinnati offense was putrid against New England. The Bengals managed just 224 yards of total offense, converted just four of 11 third downs and turned the ball over twice.

Knox advises taking a deep breath—into a paper bag.

"After seeing the Bengals open the season sloppily in each of the past two seasons, I refuse to overreact to Sunday's loss against New England," he said. "The offense is still adjusting to a new offensive coordinator, Tee Higgins didn't play, and Ja'Marr Chase had zero prep time for Week 1. We've seen Cincinnati overcome rough starts and go deep into the playoffs before. However, I do have some concerns coming out of Week 1. The offensive line didn't look any better than it did a year ago, while the defense—which ranked 31st overall in 2023—had its hands full with New England's ground game. Those are potentially huge problems in an AFC North that features top-tier pass-rushers and physical rushing attacks."

Last Week: 11

Week 1 Result: Lost at Detroit 26-20 (OT)

The Rams came very close to starting the 2024 season off with a statement win in Detroit Sunday night. But almost means little in the NFL, and there were several factors that contributed to Los Angeles coming up short in Motown.

First, there were the injuries. An already banged-up Rams front was forced to shuffle players around even more when tackle Joe Noteboom and guard Steve Avila went down, and second-year receiver Puka Nacua left the field on a cart after aggravating the knee injury he suffered in training camp.

Nacua was placed on IR on Monday, meaning he'll miss the team's next four games.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford tried to talk up the team's other wideouts while speaking to reporters after the loss.

"We'll see what it is," Stafford said. "I have no idea to be honest with you. But he's obviously a big part of our offense. But I do think that [Tyler Johnson] and those guys stepped in and did a really nice job today."

The Rams' struggles in the red zone against the Lions also continued. Dating back to last year's postseason loss, the Rams just haven't been able to punch the ball in at Ford Field, and Los Angeles was 2-of-5 in the red zone Sunday night.

Still, McVay applauded his team's effort while addressing the media.

"I'm really proud of this group," Rams coach Sean McVay said. "We had a lot of guys go down and a lot of people stepped up. We just came up short."

Now, a potentially short-handed Rams team travels to Arizona in need of a win, and with the 49ers coming up the week after, Los Angeles is up against it just one week into the season.

Last Week: 9

Week 1 Result: Won vs. Arizona 34-28

Lots was written about all the changes to the Buffalo Bills offense in 2024. Heading into Sunday's opener against the Arizona Cardinals, Bills quarterback Josh Allen told reporters that his intent was to throw the ball more and run a bit less this season.

"I've got some big, tall guys that can go jump for a ball now and it's been an adjustment for me," Allen said. "You know, I've got Keon (Coleman) and Mack (Hollins) that I've gotta learn how to layer certain balls a different way, which has been fun. It's been challenging, but it's been fun. And just understanding that he may not look open, they may not look open, but they are if you put it in the right spot. Or with Curtis (Samuel), having a gadget guy that we can bring in the backfield and run routes, and do different things with."

Allen was solid throwing the ball in Sunday's win, misfiring on just five of 23 passing attempts and tossing a pair of touchdown passes. But once the Bills fell behind 17-3, Allen put on his cape and essentially willed the team to a win, adding two more scores on the ground.

"It's safe to say that Bills head coach Sean McDermott isn't happy about falling 14 points behind a mediocre Cardinals team or having to scratch and claw out a Week 1 win at home," Davenport said. "But the Bills were hardly the only team that didn't play its sharpest game Sunday, and thanks to Allen's heroics, the Bills got all that matters at the end of the day—a win. Still, giving up 28 to the Cardinals is a concern for a Buffalo defense that now has to play the high-octane Dolphins on the road on a short week."

Last Week: 10

Week 1 Result: Won vs. Jacksonville 20-17

Over the first 30 minutes of Sunday's tilt with the Jaguars, the Miami Dolphins looked nothing like the offensive juggernaut so many expected in 2024. By intermission, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa told reporters that he had had enough.

"We just needed to get our head out of our (butt)," Tagovailoa said. "That was it. That was it."

The Dolphins did just that—and per James Trefry of Dolphins Wire, by the end of a comeback win, Tagovailoa's stat line looked much more like we expected this season.

"A 336-yard, one touchdown, and no interception performance is a great start for Tagovailoa to kick off his 2024 campaign," he said. "With a heavily injured group of wide receivers, Tagovailoa was forced to lean on Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, getting them both over the 100-yard mark. He also got second-year running back De'Von Achane involved in the pass game, connecting with him on all seven of his targets for 76 yards. The quick start to the year for Tagovailoa puts him in the early MVP conversation once again."

Knox, however, remains skeptical.

"I had Miami outside of my top 10 entering the season, and Sunday's ugly win against the Jaguars did nothing to change my mind," he wrote. "We saw some explosive plays from Tyreek Hill and De'Von Achane, but the Dolphins never really establish an offensive rhythm. Inconsistent offensive line play was a factor in that, just as it was when the line dealt with injuries late last season.

"Right now, the Dolphins look a lot like they did in late December and in their wild-card loss to the Chiefs. They have loads of talent and they'll generate the occasional splash play, but they need to find their groove, and quickly, if they hope to be a Super Bowl threat in 2024."

Last Week: 12

Week 1 Result: Won at Cleveland 33-17

Not too long ago, the Dallas Cowboys made CeeDee Lamb one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. Sunday, the team inked quarterback Dak Prescott to a four-year extension that averages a whopping $60 million a season.

Now, the team needs to back up the Brink's truck for edge-rusher Micah Parsons. Because the story Sunday in Cleveland wasn't Lamb, Prescott and the Dallas offense. It was a Cowboys defense that dominated the game from start to finish.

The contract drama surrounding Lamb and Prescott was the dominant storyline in Big D this offseason, and after the win head coach Mike McCarthy lauded his quarterback for dialing out the noise and getting down to business.

"We have a little bit of experience with distractions, so we dealt with it," McCarthy told reporters. "The timing was different, but he handled it well. We made sure to congratulate him on the development because this is something you have to celebrate. But as soon as we got done, he was locked in."

However, it wasn't Prescott who won this game. The Cowboys allowed just 230 yards of offense. Forced a pair of turnovers. Sacked Deshaun Watson six times. And controlled the game throughout.

"With quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb signed and happy, as well as running back Ezekiel Elliott back in the lineup, the Cowboys offense will move the ball throughout this season," Sobleski said. "That's a given. How the defense would respond with new coordinator Mike Zimmer calling plays wasn't.

"Most expected the group to remain among the league's best. It sure looked like it in Cleveland. Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence terrorized a reworked Browns offensive line. The duo finished with nine quarterback hits and 17 total pressures, per NFL Next Gen Stats. With so much uncertainty swirling around the Cowboys leading up to the regular season, the team took it in stride and came to play at a high level from the onset of the campaign."

Last Week: 5

Week 1 Result: Lost at Kansas City 27-20

There's no shame in losing at Arrowhead Stadium. And a Week 1 defeat hardly dooms the Baltimore Ravens' season—the Chiefs lost last year's opener to the Detroit Lions before going on to win Super Bowl LVIII.

After tight end Isaiah Likely (who had a fantastic opener, catching nine passes for 111 yards and a score) came down just out of the end zone on the game's final play, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh lauded his team's effort in a hard-fought game while addressing the media.

"I thought our guys (overcame) setbacks at times, and fought like crazy to overcome. It looked like we had an opportunity there to tie the game up and try to win," Harbaugh said. "Didn't happen at the end, but our guys fought."

The problem is that while one loss isn't the end of the world, it was yet another setback against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. One that could come back to haunt Baltimore where home-field advantage is concerned come playoff time. And there were legitimate issues in the game, whether it was shaky offensive line play from a front with three new starters or a less-than-impressive Ravens debut for running back Derrick Henry.

The Ravens will Likely (see what we did there?) get back on track next week against the Raiders at home. But beating up on bad teams isn't good enough for these Ravens. Only a trip to New Orleans next February is.

And to do that, Baltimore is going to have to try to figure out a way to get past the team even Lamar Jackson has called Baltimore's "kryptonite."

Last Week: 7

Week 1 Result: Won vs. Green Bay 34-29 (Sao Paolo)

The mission for the Philadelphia Eagles in Friday's game in Brazil was simple—establish some positive momentum after the 2023 season ended in collapse.

With a hard-fought win over the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles did just that—and the team's newest weapon played a huge role in the victory.

Running back Saquon Barkley had an outstanding Eagles debut—24 carries for 109 yards and two scores on the ground, and two catches for 23 yards and a score through the air.

It marked the first time since Terrell Owens in 2004 that an Eagles player scored three times in his debut with the team, and Barkley told reporters after the game that he has high hopes for the season to come.

"I'm always about visualizing success and putting positivity in my mind," Barkley said. "That's one of my goals this year: Be more of a positive thinker."

Davenport isn't quite ready to anoint the Eagles as "back," but he does think what we saw from Philly's offense should make for some sleepless nights for defensive coordinators in the NFC East.

"The Eagles may still have issues defensively," he said. "They allowed 414 yards of offense and 29 points, although they also permitted just three third-down conversions by the Packers in 11 attempts. But if Philly can have that kind of success on the ground, it will only serve to make Jalen Hurts and the passing game that much more difficult to defend. Given the odd circumstances of Friday's game, Week 1 went about as well as the Eagles could have hoped. Now it's a matter of building on that offensive success in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons."

Last Week: 4

Week 1 Result: Won at Indianapolis 29-27

The Houston Texans entered the 2024 campaign with lofty expectations, in part because of the arrivals of proven veteran players like wide receiver Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon.

It didn't take long for the duo to start paying dividends.

In his Houston debut, Mixon was a workhorse on the ground—a whopping 30 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Diggs caught six passes for 33 yards—and a pair of scores.

While speaking to reporters, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans sounded like a man who could get used to having an offense loaded with skill-position talent.

"It's everything for us," Ryans said. "Those guys go out and make plays no matter what the situation is, like when you can count on those guys to make plays it's huge for our team, not just our offense but what they did for an entire team, providing the energy they did for our team, it's outstanding."

To be clear, the Colts gave the Texans all they could handle, with Indy converting half their third-down tries and staying in the game until the very end. But the Texans amassed over 400 yards of offense, quarterback C.J. Stroud posted a passer rating north of 115 and the Texans were 7-of-14 on third downs in their own right.

If the Houston offense plays at that level on a weekly basis, the Texans are going to be hard to beat. They also won't have to face a team that made the postseason last year until they host the Buffalo Bills on October 6.

Last Week: 3

Week 1 Result: Won vs. New York Jets 32-19

No Christian McCaffrey?

No problem.

For most NFL teams, losing arguably their most dangerous offensive player just before the game would be a death knell. But in San Francisco's dismantling of the New York Jets, McCaffrey was barely missed—largely because of the running of third-year pro Jordan Mason.

Mason tallied 147 yards and a score on 28 carries (his most since high school), consistently gouging the Jets right up the gut. The former undrafted free agent may have been the star of the night, but as Yahoo's Frank Schwab wrote after the game, the ease with which San Fran won demonstrates just how loaded this team really is offensively.

"Mason wasn't carrying the 49ers, of course. Deebo Samuel Sr. split backfield duties and had a touchdown. George Kittle made plays. Brock Purdy started slow but got hot as he settled in. Purdy hit fullback Kyle Juszczyk for a 34-yard catch that set up a Mason touchdown early in the third quarter that effectively took the Jets out of the game. The 49ers defense is one of the best in the NFL and it showed. But Mason lived out what every backup dreams of, getting his chance and shining when the spotlight was on him."

Mason isn't going to do this every week, of course. And make no mistake, if the Niners are going to get over the hump and avenge last year's Super Bowl loss, the team is going to need McCaffrey out there.

But this was a Jets team that some believe is the best in the AFC East—and the Niners handled them with ease. If they can do the same to the Rams in Week 2, San Fran could be firmly in the driver's seat in the NFC West before the end of September.

Last Week: 2

Week 1 Result: Won vs. Los Angeles Rams 26-20 (OT)

The Los Angeles Rams gave the Detroit Lions everything they could handle in the Sunday night opener. But it was the Lions who emerged with the victory—and in doing so, an already dangerous offense may have become that much more explosive.

Jameson Williams' first two NFL seasons were relatively quiet. But against the Rams, Williams exploded—five catches, 121 yards and a score. After the win, Williams said he believes that was only the beginning.

"This is just Game 1," Williams said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "Like I said, I put in a lot of work. I expected to have a big game. Me personally, I expect to have a big game, I guess, it's just big to the world just cause it's my first one. But I plan to have a lot more. I don't plan on this being my best game of my career. I plan on this just being a start of me being me."

Detroit's performance left Sobleski impressed.

"Two things should have Lions faithful giddy after Detroit emerged with an overtime victory over the Rams," he said. "First, Jameson Williamson came alive and set a career high with 121 receiving yards. He finally looks like the explosive target that made him a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft. A vertical element will only open up Detroit's offense even more for the likes of All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown and tight end Sam LaPorta.

"Second, the Lions are more than capable of playing bully ball when it matters the most. With arguably the game's best offensive line paving the way, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson called only one pass play during extra time. Detroit leaned on its front five and marched its way down the field, with running back David Montgomery finally plunging into the end zone and ending the contest."

Last Week: 1

Week 1 Result: Won vs. Baltimore 27-20

It didn't stop them from winning a second straight Super Bowl last year, but the Kansas City Chiefs had a fairly glaring offensive deficiency. The team's lack of wide receiver talent outside Rashee Rice made it all but impossible to hurt opponents vertically. Kansas City had one touchdown pass all season from outside the 20-yard-line.

The Chiefs matched that total Thursday night against the Baltimore Ravens.

We knew that the arrival of veteran Marquise Brown (who sat out Thursday's opener) and rookie Xavier Worthy would inject some badly needed speed in Kansas City's passing game. And the latter wasted no time showing just how fast he really is.

It was also Worthy that scored on that long pass, although that had as much to do with Marlon Humphrey's blown coverage as Worthy's 4.21-second wheels. But Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters it was still great to see Worthy make such an impact in his first NFL game.

"Xavier coming out as a rookie and having a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown, that was beautiful," Reid said.

It might have been beautiful for the Chiefs, but the rest of the NFL should be terrified in Davenport's opinion.

"Giving Patrick Mahomes this many options in the passing game is just unfair," he said. "Defenses have to respect Rice and Worthy, which leaves light boxes for running back Isiah Pacheco and the underneath wide open for that Kelce guy, who I hear is a pretty good tight end. Mind you, the Chiefs were rather sloppy Thursday and Hollywood Brown didn't even play, and Kansas City dropped 27 on the NFL's No. 1 scoring defense from last year."