NFL power rankings Week 2: Settled Cowboys soar while battered Packers don't feel the (Jordan) Love

NFL power rankings entering Week 2 of the 2024 season (previous rank in parentheses):

1. Kansas City Chiefs (1): If you think it's patently unfair that a two-time defending champion led by three-time Super Bowl MVP QB Patrick Mahomes would land WR Xavier Worthy, who scored two TDs in his NFL debut, in the first round of the draft … then blame the Bills. Buffalo traded K.C. the Round 1 selections used both on Mahomes in 2017 and Worthy.

2. Detroit Lions (2): Did we mention this club might be unstoppable if WR Jameson Williams (5 catches for 121 yards and a TD in Sunday night's win) consistently plays up to his ability? (Hint: We did.)

3. San Francisco 49ers (5): Lingering contract issues, lingering injuries, lingering pall from their latest Super Bowl setback. No matter the offseason's various dilemmas, plug in RB Jordan Mason and reap the rewards (152 yards from scrimmage and a TD) of a resounding Week 1 victory that portends another deep playoff run.

4. Baltimore Ravens (4): RB Derrick Henry's former teammate, retired OT Taylor Lewan, says the Ravens are inviting an "identity crisis" with their deployment of the two-time rushing king. And the issues the offensive line were expected to have did, in fact, materialize. Despite all that, last year's top-seeded playoff team in the AFC took the Chiefs to within a toe of overtime on the road in last Thursday's regular-season kickoff game.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

5. Philadelphia Eagles (8): As good as RB Saquon Barkley (132 total yards, 3 TDs) was in his Philly debut, QB Jalen Hurts and the defense still have significant room for improvement as they adapt to the team's third set of coordinators in the past three seasons.

6. Houston Texans (7): Hard to say if running new RB Joe Mixon a career-high 30 times a week and dominating the ball for 40 minutes is sustainable … but it's working out nicely so far.

7. Dallas Cowboys (18): Let's give them their flowers after handling QB Dak Prescott's contract at the 11th hour. But the real story Sunday was the defense, a unit now run by Mike Zimmer and one that generated 25 pressures on Cleveland's 56 dropbacks.

8. Buffalo Bills (13): A little uneven defensively … as you'd expect. A little uneven in the passing game … as you'd expect. QB Josh Allen can still take over a game … as you'd expect.

9. Indianapolis Colts (11): QB Anthony Richardson averaged more than 23 yards per completion and more than 9 yards per rush Sunday. But when you only run 43 plays, you're likely to run your league-worst Week 1 winless streak to 11 seasons.

10. Los Angeles Rams (10): WR Puka Nacua's knee injury, which will keep him out at least a month, is only the most notable test to a depth chart already under serious duress.

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (20): With four more TD passes in Sunday's runaway from Washington, just amazing the Browns ever let QB Baker Mayfield out of their building.

12. New York Jets (6): A rocky debut rendered them the only winless team in the AFC East. But QB Aaron Rodgers survived the night, the schedule seems poised to ease up significantly and – who knows? – maybe LB Haason Reddick will even show up rather than continue to miss game checks. Panic would be premature.

13. Miami Dolphins (16): They were fortunate to beat the self-sabotaging Jags. But the Fins certainly weren't fortunate to be dealing with the off-the-field circumstances surrounding All-Pro WR Tyreek Hill and others before kickoff. Understandable why they'd come out flat given the troubling details that continue to emerge regarding Hill's treatment by local police Sunday morning.

14. Cincinnati Bengals (9): The pair of fumbles Sunday matched their total for the 2023 season. But far more important, this team needs to figure out WR Ja'Marr Chase's contractual situation – especially with a visit to the rested Chiefs coming up.

15. Jacksonville Jaguars (14): RB Travis Etienne's disastrous fumble Sunday exceeded his total for the 2023 season. But far more important, this team needs to figure out how to close – and that probably includes a re-examination of HC Doug Pederson's game "management" techniques.

16. Green Bay Packers (3): New QB2 Malik Willis' brief track record in the league isn't especially encouraging as he prepares to stand in for injured Jordan Love (MCL). But at least Willis had a few extra days to prepare for a Colts team he's already familiar with.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers (21): OC Arthur Smith got his revenge in Atlanta on Sunday. Will QB Russell Wilson get his pound of flesh this weekend in Denver? Should he even be granted the chance?

18. Los Angeles Chargers (19): Suffocating defense, relentless run game, physical fronts. HC Jim Harbaugh's new team debuted as advertised. (And just wait until QB Justin Herbert gets to be a bigger part of the attack after passing for a meager 144 yards Sunday.)

19. Atlanta Falcons (12): And it kinda felt like Smith never left. RB Bijan Robinson, WR Drake London and TE Kyle Pitts combined for 152 yards in Sunday's loss, not nearly enough.

20. Chicago Bears (17): Their 148 yards of total offense were the fewest by a winning team in the league in the past four years. Seems like a glass half full situation.

All NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.

21. Arizona Cardinals (22): They nearly stole from the Mafia – in Buffalo – despite rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and TE Trey McBride combining for 34 yards. Seems like a glass half full situation.

22. Cleveland Browns (15): Bad day to be without both starting offensive tackles, to say nothing of RB Nick Chubb's continued absence. But that hardly explains just another bad day from QB Deshaun Watson.

23. Minnesota Vikings (24): Playing at MetLife Stadium, QB Sam Darnold connected on his first 12 passes in Sunday's win over the Giants. Safe to say New Yorkers did not recognize the former first-round Jets washout.

24. New Orleans Saints (27): Guess who's 6-0 in Week 1 over the past six seasons, best in the NFL? The same team that scored on its first nine drives Sunday.

25. Seattle Seahawks (25): At age 33, QB Geno Smith posted a career-best 34-yard TD run – which was also Seattle's longest play in Sunday's win.

26. Washington Commanders (23): What's more concerning – that rookie QB Jayden Daniels is already taking way too many hits or that Dan Quinn's defense is already taking way too many hits?

27. New England Patriots (30): Give them credit for the win, especially DE Keion White and RB Rhamondre Stevenson. But they also caught a good team dealing with myriad problems.

28. Denver Broncos (26): If you thought QB Bo Nix's age (24) was going to prevent him playing like a rookie in his debut … welp.

29. Tennessee Titans (28): Given the lack of spice in the passing game Sunday (104 net yards, 2 INTs), maybe QB Will Levis should switch from mayo to sriracha?

30. Las Vegas Raiders (29): After getting whacked by the Bolts, they got to travel cross-country to visit the salty yet rested Ravens. Can you say Silver and Black and Blue?

31. Carolina Panthers (31): Adding injury to insult, Pro Bowl DE Derrick Brown – arguably Carolina's most valuable player – might now miss the entire season with a knee injury.

32. New York Giants (32): They got to spend Friday night watching Barkley and S Xavier McKinney thrive in new uniforms. They got to spend Sunday afternoon watching QB Daniel Jones flounder in a new uniform – the Giants' hideous alternates unveiled to celebrate their 100th season … and that celebration may already be over as HC Brian Daboll is already being asked about Jones' status as QB1.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.