NFL Power Rankings Week 2: Bears up four spots |
The 2022 NFL season is underway, and what a wild week we had in week 1.
As last year was, this year will also have 17 games in 18 weeks, with seven playoff positions in each conference. Last season, the Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl over the Cincinnati Bengals to cap off an excellent season. An offseason with a lot of roster moves brings us to an NFL with loads of parity, and here is BearsHQ' second power rankings of the 2022 season. *We decided to explain the top 16 and the Bears*
The Bills are one of the league’s best teams and had a heartbreaking end to the postseason. Josh Allen and the Bills won the AFC East and dominated New England in the playoffs before falling to Kansas City in overtime in the playoffs. Either way, the Bills are primed to own the AFC East and contend in the AFC. They are motivated and showed it in their week one blowout of LA.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs turned a rocky start into a dominating end of the season. Aside from two losses to the Bengals, the Chiefs have did not lose since October. However, without Tyreek Hill, the offense will look much different, although the Chiefs did acquire Ju-Ju Smith Schuster, Marquez-Valdez Scantling, and rookie Skyy Moore to an offense that has Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. And that offense was clicking in week one.
So we know the Bucs have a wildly talented offense and a defense with young stars — plus Tom Brady, so this team really does not have any flaws — and that was on display Sunday night in Dallas.
The LA Rams came into this season as defending champions. Throughout the season, they became improved even more with various acquisitions and have a Super Bowl trophy as a reward for it. They are the champions, so although a choppy week one performance did not prove much, we are not giving up on the Rams.
LA might have had the best off-season in the league. The offense had no problems, but the Chargers struggled to get stops. This year, the Chargers add pass rusher Khalil Mack and shut down corner JC Jackson to a defense that will be getting a healthy Derwin James and Joey Bosa back in 2022. This team might be the most complete team in the NFL, and they looked like it handling the Raiders in week one.
Baltimore has one of the league’s strongest rosters but they spent most of 2021 as the most injured team in the sport. But this team has speed all over the field, on both sides of the ball, and they know their identity. Led by an MVP in Lamar Jackson, the Ravens have the recipe for success — they just need to stay healthy. Beating the Jets has Baltimore 1-0.
With an offensive-minded head coach and the best wide receiver in football, the Minnesota Vikings look like legit contenders early on. A blowout win of the division rival Green Bay Packers certainly helps.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals shocked the world in 2021, and almost won the Super Bowl. The team had some clear weaknesses that were addressed in the offseason, so there is no reason the Bengals won’t be better in 2022. The recipe is there for the Bengals to last as a contender in the AFC, although a 4-int performance from Burrow in week one will not help.
Philadelphia ended last season on a hot streak, and added AJ Brown to an offense that was missing a WR 1 and all of a sudden the Eagles look like a playoff team. 38 points in week one, more to come.
The question surrounding the Miami Dolphins is how good can Tua be, because the offense that features Tyreek Hill, Jalen Waddle, Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert is loaded with speed. If Tua can tie it all together, Miami looks scary.
No longer are the Saints an offensive powerhouse, they are a gritty defensive minded team with a few superstars on the offense. If Jameis Winston can continue to find Michael Thomas, the Saints could be great in 2022.
For most of last offseason the Packers were one of the most questionable teams — and it all depended on reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. Well, he led the Packers to the No. 1 seed in the NFC before getting upset by the 49ers. Despite Devante Adams switching teams, Aaron Rodgers makes Green Bay solid team despite their week one loss.
San Francisco has one of the most talented rosters in the sport, and rode their best players to an NFC Championship appearance. The 49ers made the change to Trey Lance, but with Kyle Shannahan and the defensive superstars the 49ers have, they are easily one of the NFC’s best teams on paper — they just need to see a bit out of Lance.
Mitch Trubisky is now under center, not Ben Roethlisberger, but the strong defense and solid weapons allow Pittsburgh to remain in every game, which is how they beat Cincinnati on Sunday.
Down to the top 15 is the Denver Broncos, a loaded defense and young talented pieces on offense. All the Broncos were missing was a quarterback. Now, with Russell Wilson, they have one. Keep an eye on the Broncos to turn heads in 2022 after dropping their opener to Seattle.
After looking like the NFL’s best team for most of the first half, a dramatic fall-off thanks to injuries left the Cardinals with some question marks. However, Kyler Murray got paid, and the Cardinals added a few pieces to their roster, and they are more than good enough to be a top 10 team, even after getting throttled by KC in week 1. 17. Las Vegas Raiders 0-1 (down 5) 18. Chicago Bears 1-0 (up 4) The Bears go into the offseason with a new coach, a new general manager, a new staff, and a quarterback who many expect to take the next step. Now it’s just time for the Bears to upgrade the offensive line and build around Justin Fields, and finally, show some promise on the field. Which they did in their week 1 win over the 49ers. 19. Indianapolis Colts 0-0-1 (down 6) 20. New England Patriots 0-1 (down 6) 21. Tennessee Titans 0-1 (down 6) 22. Dallas Cowboys 0-1 (down 6) 23. Cleveland Browns 1-0 (no change) 24. Washington Football Team 1-0 (no change) 25. Seattle Seahawks 1-0 (up 7) 26. New York Giants 1-0 (up 4) 27. Carolina Panthers 0-1 (down 2) 28. Detroit Lions 0-1 (down 2) 29. Houston Texans 0-0-1 (down 2) 30. Jacksonville Jaguars 0-1 (down 2) 31. New York Jets 0-1 (down 2) 32. Atlanta Falcons 0-1 (down 1) Stay tuned as we update these rankings every week.1. Buffalo Bills 1-0 (up 1)
2. Kansas City Chiefs 1-0 (up 1)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-0 (up 1)
4. Los Angeles Rams 0-1 (down 3)
5. Los Angeles Chargers 1-0 (up 1)
6. Baltimore Ravens 1-0 (up 3)
7. Minnesota Vikings 1-0 (up 10)
8. Cincinnati Bengals 0-1(down 3)
9. Philadelphia Eagles 1-0 (up 9)
10. Miami Dolphins 1-0 (up 10)
11. New Orleans Saints 1-0 (up 8)
12. Green Bay Packers 0-1 (down 5)
13. San Francisco 49ers 0-1 (down 6)
14. Pittsburgh Steelers 1-0 (up 7)
15. Denver Broncos 0-1 (down 6)
16. Arizona Cardinals 0-1 (down 5)
