NFL POWER RANKINGS WEEK TWO

BY ADAM GREENE

We got our first look at “Pandemic NFL” over the weekend and the results were not that bad. Teams piped in some low fake crowd noise for the television viewer, even boos, and so far professional football has gone off without a hitch.

With real games to factor in, we can now look at the Power Rankings with some clarity, in spite of the fact that these are arbitrary and based mostly on gut reactions. Pretty much like our national pandemic response.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)

I saw nothing in last Thursday’s manhandling of the Houston Texans to move the Chiefs so much as a decimal point. Preseason: No. 1

2. Seattle Seahawks (1-0)

Is it possible that Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer figured out he has one of the two best quarterbacks in the league running his offense? Preseason: No. 4

3. Baltimore Ravens (1-0)

While they do move up a couple of spots, I’m not sure how seriously to take a win over a Cleveland Browns team that has already entered its December swoon in September. Preseason: No. 5

4. Green Bay Packers (1-0)

No quarterback on the planet played better than Aaron Rodgers Sunday, adding fuel to the fire that maybe the team could have picked him up more offensive help at No. 26. Like Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Tee Higgins or Van Jefferson for instance. Preseason: No. 9

5. New Orleans Saints (1-0)

The Saints won the first NFC South Battle of Hall of Famers and all it cost them was their best receiver who they kept into block during garbage time. Preseason: No. 6

6. New England Patriots (1-0)

Fun Fact: Cam Newton was the only “new” quarterback to win his start last week. There’s plenty more coming. Preseason: No. 8

7. Los Angeles Rams (1-0)

And just like that, all the naysayers are back on the Sean McVay bandwagon after a solid, season-opening win over the favored Dallas Cowboys. Preseason: No. 11

8. Tennessee Titans (1-0)

At one point you had to stop making fun of kicker Stephen Gostkowski and just hope he hadn’t purchased any real estate in Nashville. Preseason: No. 8

9. San Francisco 49ers (0-1)

I predicted all offseason this team could be in trouble. A coach that doesn’t trust his QB and a Super Bowl hangover is bad mix in an NFC title defense. Preseason: No. 2

10. Buffalo Bulls (1-0)

The Bills did exactly what a good team is supposed to do Sunday, crush a weaker opponent early and cruise through the fourth quarter. Josh Allen also managed one of the best QB performances of the week, going 33 of 46 for 312 yards and two touchdowns with no picks. Preseason: No. 10

11. Houston Texans (0-1)

There’s only so much Deshaun Watson can do when hamstrung by Bill O’Brien as both a head coach and general manager. It gets no easier when Baltimore comes to town Sunday. Preseason: No. 3

12. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)

The beauty of Mike McCarthy’s fourth down call is that he coached from a card, citing “metrics” with no feel for the game, eschewed the tie with a field goal, and then called a play designed to be short on Fourth-and-Three. Just flawlessly awful. This is a team that could realistically start 0-3. Preseason: No. 13

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)

The Steelers bandwagon filled back up in a hurry after a game that, to me, didn’t seem all that impressive. Preseason: No. 17

14. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0)

Gardner Mishew threw one incompletion Sunday in their upset win over the Indianapolis Colts. It’ll be tough to improve on that. Preseason: No. 24

15. Chicago Bears (1-0)

Just another stellar fourth quarter performance from Mitchell “Money” Trubisky. Preseason: No. 19

16. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)

By season’s end, I feel like the Cards’ 24-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers won’t look like an upset. Preseason: No. 21

17. Las Vegas Raiders (1-0)

The Raiders open their new desert digs this week after stealing a road win against a surprisingly plucky Panthers squad. Fun fact: That was head coach Jon Gruden’s 12^th win in three seasons. Preseason: No. 23

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)

Tom Brady is 43 and last Sunday he looked 43. Preseason: No. 14

19 Philadelphia Eagles (0-1)

As ugly losses go, blowing a 17-point lead to the Washington Football Team is Cinderella stepsister category. Preseason: No. 12

20. Los Angeles Chargers (1-0)

The Chargers escaped Cincinnati with a three-point win and that doesn’t bode well for their prospects this season. Preseason: No. 27

21. Washington Football Team (1-0)

This is why you hire Ron Rivera as your coach. Preseason: No. 30

22. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)

Philip Rivers threw two picks when his opponent QB didn’t even throw two incompletions. Preseason: No. 16

23. Atlanta Falcons (0-1)

For the third season in a row the Falcons posted a loss to open the season. Not the streak you want to keep going when your head coach nearly got fired last year. Preseason: No. 18

24. Carolina Panthers (0-1)

That was a solid effort from Matt Rhule and Teddy Bridgewater in their first team up. A similar one in Tampa Bay Sunday could really mess up some survivor pools. Preseason: No. 28

25. Detroit Lions (0-1)

There are tough ways to lose and then there’s making Mitchell Trubsiky look like Patrick Mohomes ways to lose. Preseason: No. 29

26. Minnesota Vikings (0-1)

No team will be more hobbled by the loss of home fans than the Vikings, who could conceivably lose four extra games from it. Preseason: No. 15

27. Denver Broncos (0-1)

A close loss loses some of its luster when you realize that Stephen Gostkowski missed three field goals and an extra point. Preseason: No. 22

28. Miami Dolphins (0-1)

After a three-pick performance, the Dolphins are sticking with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback so bet accordingly. Preseason: No. 26

29. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)

Joe Burrow made his first start and looked like an NFL quarterback. He set his team up for what should have been a win before kicker Randy Bullock blasted his own ass into the stands in the final seconds. Preseason: No. 31

30. Cleveland Browns (0-1)

This team’s roster is too good to be this bad. And now there’s rumblings about trading Odell Beckham Jr. I’d ship Baker Mayfield out before I did that. Preseason: No. 25

31. New York Jets (0-1)

Sure, criticize Adam Gase all you want, but in what world do the Jets, with this roster, beat the Bills last Sunday? What universe? Preseason: No. 20

32. New York Giants (0-1)

The worst team in the league actually looked kind of OK for a half Monday night. That could be good news for the Giants or bad news for the Steelers. Preseason: No. 32