The Cleveland Browns had people, including the national media, buying in after their Week 1 dominant win against the Cincinnati Bengals. And then their offense completely imploded this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. They now have two weeks against the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens to prove they still belong among the elite in the NFL.
The offense in Cleveland, however, is going to have to figure it out fast for that to come to fruition. The defensive unit is excellent, among the best in the league. The loss to the inferior Steelers was embarrassing as the offense had more points scored on them than the defense did.
Buy Browns TicketsJust how far will they fall in power rankings as a result of this devastating and embarrassing loss? Browns Wire will begin putting out weekly power rankings to join in on the fun, so here is your Week 2 edition of NFL power rankings. Enjoy!
32
Arizona Cardinals (0-2)
The players and coaches are playing hard, led by former Browns quarterback Joshua Dobbs. Unfortunately, tanking happens at a player personnel level.
31
Chicago Bears (0-2)
The conversation on Justin Fields is way past overdue.
30
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are off to a slow start to the Bryce Young era but look at the playmakers around him. This is not a one-year rebuild for Frank Reich and his staff.
29
Houston Texans (0-2)
C.J. Stroud looks the part through two weeks, but with a decimated offensive line, the Texans are struggling to put points on the scoreboard.
28
Minnesota Vikings (0-2)
The Minnesota Vikings experienced the most one-score luck of any team a year ago, and it was evident the front office did not buy into it this offseason as they offloaded a great deal of talent. A regression was obvious and due for the Vikings this season.
27
Denver Broncos (0-2)
Let Russ cook?
26
Las Vegas Raiders (1-1)
Josh McDaniels brought in Jimmy Garoppolo to help him save his job this season. And it is going about as you would expect.
25
New York Jets (1-1)
Lets not lie to ourselves here about what kind of season the Jets are going to have after the injury to Aaron Rodgers.
24
Green Bay Packers (1-1)
Jordan Love has shown flashes of elite throws and spurts of off-target and braindead quarterback play. We do not know who the Green Bay Packers are through two weeks.
23
Atlanta Falcons (2-0)
They beat the Packers, which was unexpected, but the Atlanta Falcons are doing their best to trick people just like they did a year ago. Their quarterback play is far from sustainable and it will bottom out sooner rather than later.
22
Tennessee Titans (1-1)
The Tennessee Titans are a testament to what good coaching can do for a team. Their roster, especially offensively and in the secondary, is not good. But Mike Vrabel continues to prove to be a player’s coach who can get his guys to run through a brick wall week after week. With a matchup against the Browns looming, expect another gritty performance.
21
New York Giants (1-1)
The Giants are not a good football team and were destined for regression after a season where they saw a great deal of one-score luck and a playoff win against another team with a ton of one-score luck. And now with Saquon Barkley dealing with an ankle injury, the burden will fall on Daniel Jones.
20
New England Patriots (0-2)
Even after moving on from Joe Judge and Matt Patricia as co-offensive coordinator (still one of the funniest developments in the last decade), Bill O’Brien and Mac Jones cannot find drive-to-drive consistency. It’s time to accept that Jones is a less efficient Jimmy Garoppolo.
19
New Orleans Saints (2-0)
If you look up mid in the dictionary, you’ll get a picture of Derek Carr and the 2023 New Orleans Saints. Play a real team.
18
Indianapolis Colts (1-1)
The Offensive Rookie of the Year through two weeks is in Indianapolis. Anthony Richardson looks anything but raw, and his partnership with head coach Shane Steichen (who got the most out of Jalen Hurts) looks like one that could dominate for many years.
17
Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1)
The Steelers are not a good football team. The Browns should have beat them by two scores and Kenny Pickett looks just as bad as Deshaun Watson. Through two weeks, Matt Canada’s unit is the worst in football by a wide margin. If they struggle to score points the next two weeks against the Raiders and Texans, they may be looking for a new offensive coordinator.
16
Los Angeles Rams (1-1)
Despite a massive departure of talent from this Super Bowl-winning team two years ago, never count out a strong quarterback/head coach combination. And that’s what the Rams have.
Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
15
Washington Commanders (2-0)
The Washington Commanders might have something in Sam Howell.
14
Los Angeles Chargers (0-2)
At some point, Brandon Staley will pay for his crimes. This team has no fight.
13
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0)
One of the biggest surprises through two weeks has been the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield. However, after facing off against the Bears and Vikings through the first two weeks, the Bucs will now have to fight through a tough six week stretch.
12
Cincinnati Bengals (0-2)
Despite an 0-2 start, the Cincinnati Bengals are still one of the best teams in the NFL. The bigger question mark, however, is just how long Joe Burrow will be hampered by his calf injury.
11
Cleveland Browns (1-1)
Jim Schwartz’s defense will carry this team far. And if the offense would have just taken a knee and punted the entire fourth quarter, the Browns would be 2-0. If the quarterback can even get back to average quarterback play the Browns are contenders. Even after losing a game they should have won by two scores.
10
Seattle Seahawks (1-1)
Geno Smith is finding sustainability after his breakout season. The defense in Seattle, however, needs some help. They’ll score points, but can they go shot for shot with elite offenses if their defense cannot keep opponents out of the endzone?
9
Detroit Lions (1-1)
Hesitation still remains about Dan Campbell as a head coach. Offensive coordinator is getting the most possible out of Jared Goff, but the defensive unit in Detroit has been putrid for three years running.
8
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson were cooking in Week 1. Then Steve Spagnuolo and the Kansas City Chiefs shut down Calvin Ridley and company in Week 2. This is still one of the more explosive offenses in football whose defense is giving up just 15 points per game through two weeks.
7
Buffalo Bills (1-1)
Josh Allen continues to play like Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde on any given Sunday. He is prone to the ugly turnovers but is just as prone to making magic and creating explosive plays down the field. The Bills are a well-rounded football team, but we never know which quarterback is going to show up.
6
Miami Dolphins (2-0)
The Dolphins have the most explosive offense in the NFL. Hands down. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle can both create an absurd amount of separation, and Tua Tagovailoa is throwing the football with great anticipation and precision. Their defense, however, needs to play catchup a bit.
5
San Francisco 49ers (2-0)
Brock Purdy is doing just enough. But he is also leaving big plays all over the field as his accuracy is sporadic. However, the Niners have the best play-caller in the NFL, a top-tier defense, and a plethora of playmakers all over the field that Purdy just has to distribute to and let them do the rest.
4
Philadelphia Eagles (2-0)
The Eagles are 2-0 against teams with a combined record of 0-4 on the season. These next six weeks will tell us more about who this team is in 2023. For now, we know the defending NFC East champs are good at this.
3
Baltimore Ravens (2-0)
The marriage of Lamar Jackson and Todd Monken is going swimmingly in Baltimore as the Ravens are putting up points. And doing behind the arm of Jackson more so than his legs. This team is dangerous.
2
Kansas City Chiefs (1-1)
The Kansas City Chiefs are 1-1 and they have had to slug it out for two straight weeks against two good teams. But they have the ultimate wildcard in the best player in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes. And that carries a ton of weight.
1
Dallas Cowboys (2-0)
The Dallas defense is the only one in the NFL that rivals that of the one the Browns are putting on the field. Their offense has not had to play without a lead all season, but this roster is well-rounded from top-to-bottom.
