Arizona Sports NFL Power Rankings Week 2: Cardinals surge

One week down, 16 to go.

There have been a couple of surprises within the opening weekend of 2020, most notably the Arizona Cardinals going to Santa Clara and knocking off the defending NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers and doing it by beating them at their very own recreation in lots of methods.

The Cardinals, bolstered by Kyler Murray’s scrambling, out-rushed the Niners and shut them down on third downs. Due to this fact, the Cardinals are one of many largest jumpers in our Week 2 Energy Rankings.

The Los Angeles Chargers made the largest bounce from the preseason rankings, elevating 9 spots after their win over the Cincinnati Bengals, whereas the Cleveland Browns, who have been largely non-competitive in a 32-point loss to Baltimore took the largest plunge, which was 11 spots.

Arizona Sports activities Week 2 NFL Energy Rankings

1. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (1-0)
Motion: —
The opening win over the Texans lacked aerial fireworks, however CEH seems like the true deal.

2. Baltimore Ravens (1-0)
Motion: —
Lamar Jackson selecting up proper the place he left off final common season.

3. New Orleans Saints (1-0)
Motion: —
Not a ton of offensive output, however the protection picked Tom Brady twice (together with a TD) and sacked him 3 times.

4. Seattle Seahawks (1-0)
Motion ▲2
Russell Wilson joins Brady and Drew Brees as the one QBs because the merger to have 35 or extra makes an attempt, 5 or fewer incompletions and at the very least 4 landing passes.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)
Motion: ▲3
Huge Ben together with his first three-touchdown recreation since 2018.

6. Inexperienced Bay Packers (1-0)
Motion: ▲6
Think about how good Aaron Rodgers would have regarded if the Packers really drafted a large receiver within the first spherical.

7. Buffalo Payments (1-0)
Motion: ▲2
Josh Allen went viral for a ridiculously wild go, however this will have been his greatest general recreation as a professional.

8. New England Patriots (1-0)
Motion: ▲6
Good debut for Cam Newton, simply go away his chain alone.

9. Los Angeles Rams (1-0)
Motion: ▲8
Christened SoFi Stadium with a win, thanks partly to Jalen Ramsey’s refined flop.

10. Tennessee Titans (1-0)
Motion: —
Undecided why you play for a subject aim to win when your kicker was that dangerous, however Mike Vrabel obtained away with it.

11. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)
Motion: ▲7
If DeAndre Hopkins goes to be that extensive open on a regular basis, look out.

12. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)
Motion: ▼7
Mike McCarthy citing analytics in his resolution making? What planet are we on?

13. San Francisco 49ers (0-1)
Motion: ▼9
Shorthanded, sure, however a fairly substandard effort throughout by the defending NFC Champs.

14. Los Angeles Chargers (1-0)
Motion: ▲9
Great subject aim protection. (Simply go along with it)

15. Las Vegas Raiders (1-0)
Motion: ▲9
Josh Jacobs may be spending lots of time in the long run zone this yr by the seems of the opener.

16. Minnesota Vikings (0-1)
Motion: ▼5
The protection couldn’t get off the sector towards the Packers — 76-49 play differential and 41:16 of possession time for Inexperienced Bay.

17. Philadelphia Eagles (0-1)
Motion: ▼10
Shorthanded or not, they blew a 17-point lead towards a seemingly weak crew.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)
Motion: ▼5
How lengthy will Brady’s rising pains final within the Arians offense acclimation?

19. Atlanta Falcons (0-1)
Motion: ▼3
Matt Ryan’s fourth quarter put lipstick on this pig of a loss.

20. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)
Motion: ▼5
Philip Rivers with a giant fourth-quarter choose and three straight incompletions in Jags’ territory to finish the sport. Sound acquainted?

21. Houston Texans (0-1)
Motion: ▼2
Excellent news: David Johnson regarded good. Dangerous information: They might miss Hopkins greater than initially thought.

22. Chicago Bears (1-0)
Motion: ▲5
Mitch Trubisky magic!

23. Washington Soccer Workforce (1-0)
Motion: ▲8
Sacked Carson Wentz eight instances in a gutty comeback win.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0)
Motion: ▲8
The Jags squashed speak of going 0-16 early behind Minshew’s extremely environment friendly outing.

25. Miami Dolphins (0-1)
Motion: ▼3
Struggled in stopping New England’s new-look working recreation; six gamers with 22 or extra yards.

26. Denver Broncos (0-1)
Motion: ▼5
Vic Fangio isn’t very talked-about in Bronco Nation proper about now.

27. New York Giants (0-1)
Motion: ▼2
Wonderful to see Saquon Barkley with solely six yards on 15 carries — his second-lowest complete as a professional.

28. Carolina Panthers (0-1)
Motion: ▲1
There may be rising pains, however I feel this crew will enhance rapidly below Matt Rhule.

29. New York Jets (0-1)
Motion: ▼1
Have been a multitude, are a multitude and should at all times be a multitude.

30. Detroit Lions (0-1)
Motion: ▼4
Sure, D’Andre Swift dropped the ball, however he didn’t blow a 17-point result in Trubisky’s Bears.

31. Cleveland Browns (0-1)
Motion: ▼11
Wow.

32. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)
Motion: ▼2
The long run may very well be shiny with Joe Burrow, however the future isn’t now.

Follow @Vincemarotta