NFL Power Rankings

My current NFL Power Rankings.

I’m going to use these rankings as the order for my 2022 NFL Mock Draft during the 2020 season. Follow @walterfootball.

I’ve gone from WORST to FIRST, so if you don’t see reverse numbering (via Javascript), don’t worry; the Jets and Giants aren’t my top teams.

Updated: Sept. 21

Houston Texans (1-1) – Previously: 29.
For a second, I thought my Texans under four wins bet was doomed. Somehow, Houston led the Browns, 14-7, and it looked like the team would be 2-0 with a stunning upset. But then, Tyrod Taylor got hurt, and the Texans lost by double digits, and the under four wins is still possible.

At any rate, the Texans have dropped back to No. 32 because of Tyrod Taylor’s injury. Davis Mills, Taylor’s replacement, is not a viable NFL quarterback of any sort.

New York Jets (0-2) – Previously: 26.
Zach Wilson’s debut wasn’t very good, and he was far worse against Bill Belichick. Things won’t get easier for Wilson, who has to battle Vic Fangio’s Broncos, a team that just dismantled Trevor Lawrence. On the bright side, Wilson will have a job ready for him at JetBlue if things continue to go south.

Atlanta Falcons (0-2) – Previously: 32.
The Falcons would be ranked at the very bottom if it wasn’t for Tyrod Taylor’s injury or Zach Wilson’s incompetence. They failed to cover either game thus far, and making matters worse, they’re feeding the ball to Cordarrelle Patterson.

Detroit Lions (0-2) – Previously: 31.
The Lions didn’t have the best coaching in the second half against the Packers. They were pounding the ball down Green Bay’s throat in the first half, yet they rushed just twice with their running backs after intermission despite entering the third quarter with a 17-14 lead. The Lions also couldn’t seem to figure out that they couldn’t substitute against the Packers when they’re not doing so.

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) – Previously: 30.
The bad news is that Trevor Lawrence played poorly against the Broncos following an opening touchdown drive. The good news is that Urban Meyer learned not to feed the ball to Carlos Hyde this week. It’s a small victory, but any bit of progress helps.

New York Giants (0-2) – Previously: 28.
Daniel Jones didn’t commit a turnover for probably the first time in his professional career. Then again, he always plays well against the Redskins. I have to believe Jones will be back to his old fumbling ways next week.

Minnesota Vikings (0-2) – Previously: 27.
Overrated NFL Team: See why the Vikings are an overrated NFL team in our Overrated-Underrated page.

Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) – Previously: 25.
The Bengals would probably be 2-0 right now had Joe Burrow not thrown three interceptions in three consecutive passes against the Bears. He actually played well otherwise, though his team’s upside is capped by the horrendous offensive line play.

Chicago Bears (1-1) – Previously: 24.
It’s Justin Fields’ time to shine. He would’ve had a nice debut against the Bengals had his receivers not dropped a pair of passes, including a potential touchdown. Then again, Fields had an easy matchup at home. Battling the Browns on the road will not be easy.

Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) – Previously: 22.
The Eagles outplayed the 49ers, averaging 1.5 more yards per play, but they were horrible in or near the red zone until the very end. The defense also collapsed once Brandon Graham suffered a season-ending injury. They were doing a great job versus the run until then, but Graham’s absence changed the dynamics of the game.

Washington Redskins (1-1) – Previously: 12.
If you told me the Redskins would score 30 on Thursday night, I would have bet everything I have on them.

I can’t possibly list the Redskins as underrated after their humiliating near-loss to the Giants on Thursday night. Where was the pass rush? Why did Daniel Jones have so much time behind his horrible offensive line? Why can’t William Jackson cover anyone? I thought the Redskins had a top-five NFL defense, but they could be in the bottom five after their humiliating performance versus Jones and the Giants.

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) – Previously: 14.
Overrated NFL Team: See why the Steelers are an overrated NFL team in our Overrated-Underrated page.

Miami Dolphins (1-1) – Previously: 16.
Tua Tagovailoa never got a chance to compete with the Bills because he suffered an injury on the team’s second drive. I saw a report that said the Deshaun Watson trade talks would heat up if Tagovailoa is out for a while, but what happened to those 22 sexual assault allegations? Do they just disappear because another quarterback got hurt?

Indianapolis Colts (0-2) – Previously: 20.
Underrated NFL Team: See why the Colts are an underrated NFL team in our Overrated-Underrated page.

New Orleans Saints (1-1) – Previously: 13.
Overrated NFL Team: See why the Saints are an underrated NFL team in our Overrated-Underrated page.

Carolina Panthers (2-0) – Previously: 23.
Overrated NFL Team: See why the Panthers are an overrated NFL team in our Overrated-Underrated page.

Dallas Cowboys (1-1) – Previously: 19.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen such biased officiating in an NFL game. I should’ve known something was up when the refs showed up in these uniforms:

The Cowboys were close to making the overrated list, though Randy Gregory’s return next week should help the pass rush.

Las Vegas Raiders (2-0) – Previously: 21.
Overrated NFL Team: See why the Raiders are an overrated NFL team in our Overrated-Underrated page.

Tennessee Titans (1-1) – Previously: 18.
Derrick Henry failing to get anything on the ground made sense because Taylor Lewan and Rodger Saffold were out of the lineup. And yet, Henry trampled the Seahawks in the second half, bulldozing the helpless defense despite being in a 24-9 deficit out of the locker room. It was an impressive showing by the offense, but Tennessee’s defense is an abomination.

New England Patriots (1-1) – Previously: 17.
Mac Jones once again outplayed a young quarterback counterpart, though to be fair, a glass of water with the letters “QB” on it could’ve outplayed Zach Wilson going against Bill Belichick. If Tagovailoa is out for a while, that’ll greatly increase New England’s chances of making the playoffs, as Miami has the tie-breaker over the Patriots at the moment. Then again, if Josh Allen continues to disappoint, maybe New England will win the division outright.

Green Bay Packers (1-1) – Previously: 15.
The Packers looked great in the second half against the Lions. However, that just means they’ve played one great half of football so far this year, and it happened to be against the lowly Lions. There’s nothing to worry about regarding Aaron Rodgers, but both the run defense and the offensive line are major concerns.

Seattle Seahawks (1-1) – Previously: 9.
The Seahawks tricked us! I thought their defense would be OK after what occurred against the Colts in Week 1, but the stop unit was thoroughly embarrassed in the second half of the Tennessee game. I have a feeling Russell Wilson will bounce back and ultimately lead his team to the playoffs, but the defense is as miserable as I originally thought it would be.

San Angeles Chargers (1-1) – Previously: 7.
Underrated NFL Team: See why the Chargers are an underrated NFL team in our Overrated-Underrated page.

Baltimore Ravens (1-1) – Previously: 11.
I’d like to substantially move the Ravens up these power rankings, but they have so many injuries. I don’t see how they can sustain their success unless they get some of their key players back into the lineup. Sure, they just beat the Chiefs, but I guarantee Kansas City wins that matchup seven out of 10 times.

Buffalo Bills (1-1) – Previously: 8.
I have no idea what to make of what’s happening to Josh Allen. His team just destroyed the Dolphins, but he barely completed half of his passes, and he left lots of points on the table. Besides, it’s destroying a mistake-prone, Jacoby Brissett-led Miami team all that impressive, no matter what the score is?

San Francisco 49ers (2-0) – Previously: 6.
I want to mark the 49ers as underrated because they’re great in the trenches and possess some talented skill players. However, I also want to denote the 49ers as overrated because of their cornerback problems. I suppose they’re neither, but the 49ers’ chances could go south if they continue to suffer injuries.

Denver Broncos (2-0) – Previously: 10.
Underrated NFL Team: See why the Broncos are an underrated NFL team in our Overrated-Underrated page.

Cleveland Browns (1-1) – Previously: 5.
The Browns had quite the scare when Baker Mayfield got hurt right after throwing an interception against the Texans. Here’s how you know Cleveland’s luck is turning around: Not only was Mayfield healthy, but the other quarterback got injured! I feel like the Browns would’ve completely imploded prior to 2020, but this is now a completely different franchise.

Arizona Cardinals (2-0) – Previously: 4.
I’m so disappointed in the Cardinals. They beat the Vikings, but could’ve easily lost if Minnesota had a viable kicker. As amazing as Kyler Murray was at times in the game, he nearly gave the victory away with his two second-half interceptions. I love Arizona as a Super Bowl dark horse, but Murray won’t be winning anything if he makes mistakes like that.

Los Angeles Rams (2-0) – Previously: 3.
The Rams’ offense has looked great through two weeks, aside from one Matthew Stafford pass against the Colts. Stafford is just going to keep improving as he continues to be integrated into Sean McVay’s system. It’s amazing what Stafford and Cooper Kupp are already doing with each other. To quote a friend of mine, “Cooper Kupp must be Matthew Stafford’s long-lost son.”

Kansas City Chiefs (1-1) – Previously: 2.
I’m grateful for the Chiefs’ loss to the Ravens because I want a good number on them to win the Super Bowl. They were 4.5/1 entering Week 2, so let’s see what number we get this upcoming week. I’m hoping for 7/1 or better.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) – Previously: 1.
The Buccaneers are going to be widely considered the best team in the NFL in the wake of Kansas City’s loss. However, it must be noted that they beat two bad teams at home. I still have Tampa at No. 1 overall in these power rankings, but it’s fair to say that they haven’t been legitimately tested yet. That’ll change this week when they play the Rams in Los Angeles.

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