NFL Week 2 Power Rankings: Cowboys on the move, Lions make top 3

The Chicago Bears were among the teams that earned a win in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. They did it in comeback fashion, scoring 24 unanswered, as their defense and special teams led the way to victory.

Quarterback Caleb Williams, making his first start, wasn't great statistically, but he didn't turn the football over, which is something most rookie quarterbacks can't ever say about their first game. There are concerns about the offense following a rough start. But if the offense can find its rhythm, along with this defense, the Bears could be a dangerous team.

But where does Chicago stand among the rest of the NFL? Here are our latest power rankings heading into Week 2, where the Lions crack the top three and the Dallas Cowboys climb up the chart.

The Contenders

1. Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: 1)

2. San Francisco 49ers (Last week: 2)

3. Detroit Lions (Last week: 4)

4. Baltimore Ravens (Last week: 3)

5. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 7)

6. Houston Texans (Last week: 6)

7. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 13)

8. Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: 8)

9. Los Angeles Rams (Last week: 11)

10. Miami Dolphins (Last week: 15)

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last week: 18)

There isn't much change from the week prior when it comes to the best of the best in the NFL. We know that the top four teams here are super elite, and the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans are trying to be known as that, as well.

Will there be a team that challenges the Detroit Lions or San Francisco 49ers for the top spots in the NFC? The Los Angeles Rams had a good showing against the Lions in the opener, but they never got to touch the ball in overtime. The Philadelphia Eagles looked good in Brazil, as well.

Two Florida-based teams, the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also find their way into the contender tier as they had big wins that made them look dangerous coming into Week 2. With how good they've been in recent years, seeing them make this jump isn't all that surprising.

Teams To Watch

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last week: 21)

13. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 17)

14. Indianapolis Colts (Last week: 20)

15. Green Bay Packers (Last week: 5)

16. Chicago Bears (Last week: 11)

17. New York Jets (Last week: 16)

18. Atlanta Falcons (Last week: 14)

19. Seattle Seahawks (Last week: 19)

20. Los Angeles Chargers (Last week: 25)

21. Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: 9)

A lot is going on in this "Teams to Watch" tier. A few teams had really bad showings in the first week, including a few that we thought might be contenders. A few examples are the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons. We'll see if they can bounce back after some brutal Week 1 losses.

The Green Bay Packers fell 10 spots after a close loss, but it doesn't have anything to do with the game itself. It is all to do with the fact that quarterback Jordan Love is going to miss some time after an MCL injury. Can they win big without him? The answer is probably not so they can't be much higher in the power rankings. If he comes back and shows he is healthy, they will climb again.

The Bears stayed at 16 as their defense and special teams came to the aid of their struggling offense. If Caleb Williams gets going, they will also climb up the rankings.

Another big jump is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were the only AFC North team to win when they are expected by many to be the worst of what is a great division. We'll see if they come back down to earth or keep going with Justin Fields under center while Russell Wilson is hurt.

As for the rest of the teams, they all feel like they could either go on to be elite or just be "mid" all year long. There are even a few that are in danger of falling outside of this tier if they keep playing poorly.

Plenty To Prove

22. Cleveland Browns (Last week: 10)

23. Arizona Cardinals (Last week: 22)

24. New England Patriots (Last week: 32)

25. Minnesota Vikings (Last week: 24)

26. New Orleans Saints (Last week: 28)

27. Tennessee Titans (Last week: 23)

28. Denver Broncos (Last week: 27)

29. Las Vegas Raiders (Last week: 30)

30. Washington Commanders (Last week: 26)

31. New York Giants (Last week: 29)

32. Carolina Panthers (Last week: 31)

The Cleveland Browns came into Week 1 on the cusp of being in the contender tier. However, they were so bad in their first game and you can't look past how bad Deshaun Watson has been. Their defense, which is supposed to be the strength of the team, wasn't good at all either. They are the definition of "plenty to prove" after one week.

The New England Patriots pulled off a stunning victory over the Bengals who were favored by a wide margin. Their defense is great and they can no longer be thought of as the worst team in the league. They proved everyone wrong. Will they stay about the same this year or continue to climb?

The New York Giants were terrible, but they weren't as bad as the Carolina Panthers. Both teams have a ton of issues and no real solutions in sight. Most of these teams are feeling bleak right now but a couple of them could surprise as the season goes along.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: NFL Week 2 Power Rankings: Cowboys on the move, Lions make top 3