Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season is in the books, giving way to a week-long version of overreaction Monday. Take a quick look at Twitter and you'll be convinced that the New England Patriots are without a doubt winning another Super Bowl (okay, this probably is happening), the Cleveland Browns are pretenders, John Ross is a fantasy football god, and Lamar Jackson is the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
While there are plenty of legitimate takeaways to be had from the season's first slate of games, a lot can (and will) change between now and the end of December. Just a year ago, five non-playoff teams defeated five eventual postseason participants in Week 1. Don't be shocked if that happens again.
A lot will likely change on this list as well over the course of the season as each team fills out its resume, for better or worse. But we have to start somewhere, so let's get to it. Here are our ClutchPoints NFL Power Rankings heading into Week 2.
For full Week 1 analysis, listen to the Establish the Pass Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Spotify.
32. Miami Dolphins (0-1)
Outside of No. 1, this was the easiest decision to make. The Dolphins have embraced being terrible, leading to a number of players asking their agents to get them out of South Beach. We'll see if they can turn all of those draft picks into a good team down the line, but the 2019 rendition of the Dolphins will likely hold on the bottom spot on our power rankings all season.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)
Optimism about the Buccaneers' chances in 2019 were quickly shot down by one of the ugliest games of the first week, for both sides. A San Francisco 49ers secondary that only had two interceptions a year ago managed to grab three thanks to Jameis Winston's errant throws. Bruce Arians has worked magic with quarterbacks before, but Winston might be a lost cause.
30. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)
Nick Foles' injury obviously puts a huge damper on the Jaguars' chances this season, despite the heroics of folk hero Gardner Minshew. But perhaps more concerning was how a Jacksonville defense expected to bounce back from a subpar 2018 campaign got completely exploited on Sunday. To be fair, the Kansas City Chiefs have the most explosive offense in the NFL, but getting pushed around that easily at home doesn't bode well for their chances this year, especially without the QB they brought in to provide balance on the other side of the ball.
29. Arizona Cardinals (0-0-1)
Kyler Murray followed a horrible first impression through three quarters by going off in the fourth and overtime of Sunday's tie against the Detroit Lions. Perhaps Murray can recapture that magic on a more consistent basis moving forward, but Arizona's offensive line is still a huge problem and their defense is far from intimidating.
28. New York Giants (0-1)
Saquon Barkley is an absolute freak, piling up fantasy stats despite having defenders in his lap before he could even get out of the backfield against the Dallas Cowboys. That doesn't bode well for the rest of the offense, unless you have Evan Engram on your fantasy team. The defense is lacking the talent necessary to make New York a factor; the most interesting part of this team now is what happens with Daniel Jones.
27. Detroit Lions (0-0-1)
Inverse of the Cardinals, the Lions looked promising on both sides of the ball through three quarters before getting shredded by Murray and becoming anemic with the ball, often falling behind on early downs after running. T.J. Hockenson was a bright spot, but it looks like more of the same for Detroit.
26. Washington Redskins (0-1)
The Redskins started out hot thanks to a couple of huge plays through the air and Vernon Davis channeling his inner Hulk, but over the course of the game their defense faltered and the lack of a running game made it difficult to sustain drives. Washington has enough talent and they play hard enough under Jay Gruden to win some games, but don't expect them to be in the NFC East race like they were a year ago.
25. Denver Broncos (0-1)
Denver had one of the more disappointing outings of the opening weekend, struggling to get anything done against a revamped Oakland Raiders defense while getting virtually zero pressure on Derek Carr. Joe Flacco is not the answer, and while the defense should improve after Week 1, the Broncos still have a lot of questions to answer.
24. New York Jets (0-1)
The Jets may have only lost by one point to the Buffalo Bills in the season opener, but the score doesn't tell the full story. As Warren Sharp noted, no team lost in 2018 with a turnover margin of +3 combined with a return touchdown, but New York managed to do so after being outgained by Buffalo 370-223 and only forcing 10 third down attempts.
The Jets' schedule lines up well, but it might not end up mattering if they play like that all year.
23. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)
The 49ers were a trendy playoff pick before the season, and while they came away with a victory in their season opener in Tampa, it was far from pretty. Jimmy Garoppolo's struggles from training camp and the preseason carried over into Sunday as San Francisco struggled to move the ball against one of the worst secondaries in the NFL. We'll see how they stack up against a very deep conference as the year goes on.
22. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)
With all of the hype around the Cleveland Browns and high expectations for both the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bengals became an afterthought in the AFC North. Cincinnati made sure they were seen on Sunday, nearly pulling off the upset on the road in Seattle. Zac Taylor might be onto something with an offensive system catered to utilize the players he has; don't expect huge numbers from J0hn Ross every week, but his targets should still be solid moving forward.
21. Buffalo Bills (1-0)
Josh Allen reverted to his love for scrambling too many times against the Jets, but the offense started to find a better rhythm in the second half both running and passing. The defense looks dominant, making Buffalo at least an intriguing team to follow this season.
20. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)
I picked the Colts to upset the Los Angeles Chargers on our Week 1 preview podcast, and Indy nearly pulled it off. The moment wasn't too big for Jacoby Brissett, and the offensive line looked as strong as ever against a talented Chargers front. If the defense can tune things up, the Colts have enough talent to contend for the AFC South title despite Andrew Luck walking away.
19. Oakland Raiders (1-0)
It's one game, but the Raiders were on a mission Monday night in their victory over Denver. The shoulder injury to rookie standout Johnathan Abram is a huge blow to Oakland's secondary, but they dodged a bullet with Gareon Conley after his scary neck injury.
Josh Jacobs' presence and a creative passing game with a number of weapons make the Raiders another team to keep your eye on in the middle of the AFC.
18. Atlanta Falcons (0-1)
For a team that was losing 28-0 heading into the fourth quarter on Sunday, it wasn't all bad for the Falcons. Atlanta's defense allowed less than 60 total yards outside of drives that came after turnovers or blocked punts. Matt Ryan still needs to cut down on his turnovers in the red zone, but the pieces are there for the Falcons to be a factor this year.
17. Cleveland Browns (0-1)
We don't want to overreact too much to a Week 1 loss, but Cleveland's issues along the offensive line were concerning. When you can release your left tackle to pay him less after the fact because you know no other team will pick him up, it doesn't bode well for your ability to protect the quarterback.
The Browns offense did have some promising moments in the first half, and the defensive line is a strength. It's still too early to rule out a roster with this much talent, but if Cleveland loses to the Jets on Monday night, the collective criticism will grow louder.
16. Carolina Panthers (0-1)
Carolina's defense held their own early against the Los Angeles Rams, but as the game went on they were overmatched up front and couldn't stop L.A. on 3rd-and-short. More concerning was the play of the offense, including a number of missed throws by Cam Newton. Their 27 points were a bit misleading, as 14 came after a blocked punt that gave Carolina the ball inside the 5 and a final drive against a prevent defense from the Rams.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1)
Yes it was the Patriots, and yes it was only Week 1, but that was a brutal first impression by the Steelers. They were dominated in every facet of the game from start to finish, and while there's reason to believe the offense can take strides over the course of the season, the defense looks abysmal on the backend.
14. Seattle Seahawks (1-0)
It wasn't pretty, but the Seahawks did enough to come out of Week 1 with a victory over the Bengals, and that could prove vital in what figures to be a crowded NFC playoff race. The defense should improve as they meld together, but in Week 1 Earl Thomas' absence was especially evident.
It was nice to see DK Metcalf make an impact with the Bengals double and triple covering Tyler Locket. He needs to continue to produce to open up more opportunities for their No. 1 receiver with Doug Baldwin retired.
13. Houston Texans (0-1)
A lot of the Texans' flaws will remain in the shadows as long as Deshaun Watson stays on the field, but that's far from a guarantee. The star quarterback was hit hard more than once on Monday night, but he bounced back every time and should've had a signature moment with the touchdown pass to Kenny Stills in the final minute to put Houston ahead.
As long as Watson is on the field, the Texans have a shot. But Laremy Tunsil didn't solve every issue on that offensive line.
12. Chicago Bears (0-1)
Matt Nagy won the Coach of the Year award in 2018 after taking one of the worst offenses in the NFL and transforming it into a productive group with Mitchell Trubisky at the head. Questions about Trubisky's ability are back after an atrocious season opener in which the Bears scored a measly three points against the rival Packers.
The defense appears to be as strong as ever and will likely have to carry Chicago if they hope to make a deep playoff run. But again, it's only one week; hopefully Nagy and Trubisky bounce back in a hurry.
11. Tennessee Titans (1-0)
I picked the Titans to win the AFC South in our season preview podcast, and while I believed the defense would be stout, I did not anticipate them completely taking over against a talent-heavy Browns offense. New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was clicking on all cylinders, and the offensive line appears as strong as ever even without Taylor Lewan as he serves his suspension.
The AFC South is wide open, and while we can try to temper our expectations after just one week, the Titans should be a factor come December.
10. Los Angeles Chargers (1-0)
Injuries continue to dominate the narrative for the Chargers, and while Derwin James' impact in the secondary can't be replaced, Los Angeles' roster is deep enough to crack the top 10 of our power rankings. Austin Ekeler arrived as more than just a receiving back on Sunday, and overall the offense seems to be in good shape as Melvin Gordon's holdout continues.
9. Green Bay Packers (1-0)
It was a rough start for the Packers' offense against the Bears, but if their defense can consistently perform at that level all year, it will be trouble for Green Bay's opponents once Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur are firing on all cylinders. Adding Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos to a secondary already headed by Jaire Alexander gives the Packers a unit near the top of the league.
8. Baltimore Ravens (1-0)
We shouldn't penalize the Ravens for facing such an awful opponent in Week 1. Great teams are supposed to crush bad ones, and Baltimore did exactly that. Marquise Brown adds an element to their offense that will keep defenses honest with their rush-heavy attack. If Lamar Jackson can remain accurate deep down the field, the Ravens could be one of the last teams standing in 2019.
7. Minnesota Vikings (1-0)
After missing the playoffs a year ago, the Vikings came out with something to prove on Sunday. The defense was locked in and caused a ton of problems for a high-powered Falcons offense all afternoon, and Dalvin Cook was electric in the open field. There are still concerns with Minnesota's pass-blocking and how Kirk Cousins will perform in crunch time when the pressure is coming, but the overall roster talent of the Vikings is elite.
6. Dallas Cowboys (1-0)
For everything said about Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Amari Cooper, the top performer for the Cowboys offense on Sunday might have been offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. The former backup quarterback called passes on 21 of Dallas' 33 first or second-down plays in the first half, putting Prescott in a lot of easy down and distances to succeed. It was refreshing to watch after so many frustrating play calls in the past, and it makes the Cowboys a serious threat in the NFC once again.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)
The Eagles struggled out of the gate, but over the course of the game we saw what makes them one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL. Their offensive line took control and allowed Carson Wentz and DeSean Jackson to connect on a pair of long developing routes for scores. If the defense can avoid giving up the big play over the top, Philadelphia's offense should do enough this year for the Eagles to contend into January and possibly the first week of February.
4. New Orleans Saints (1-0)
The Saints haven't missed a beat since last season, and while the backend of the defense still had some breakdowns against the Texans, their front was able to apply pressure all day and the offense looks as electric as ever. Latavius Murray stepped right into Mark Ingram's role and succeeded, and Jared Cook adds another dynamic receiving weapon alongside Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara. There's a lot of talent in the NFC, but New Orleans might have the most.
3. Los Angeles Rams (1-0)
Questions about whether Sean McVay and Jared Goff would adapt after their three-point effort in Super Bowl LIII were quickly answered on Sunday. While we didn't see the same high-octane attack with big chunk plays down the field, McVay dialed up a lot of zone and blitz beaters to keep Carolina's defense honest, and the running attack found a groove in the second half behind solid efforts from both Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown.
While Aaron Donald's name wasn't mentioned by the commentators often, he played a big role in eating up blocks for both of Dante Fowler's sacks, and Taylor Rapp had no problem filling in for Eric Weddle (who is expected to play this week). Once Donald gets going, and with a more versatile offense that's working on producing with more personnel groupings, the Rams are poised to avoid a hangover from their Super Bowl defeat.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)
Yes, it's concerning that the Chiefs secondary made Gardner Minshew (I feel like we should always call him by his full name) look like Otto Graham, but Kansas City's offense somehow appears more explosive than last season. The combination of Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid simply isn't fair, and while Tyreek Hill will miss four-to-six weeks, they have plenty of other weapons running wide open in their scheme. If the pass rush Kansas City has worked hard to improve gets it going, the Chiefs have a chance to take the top spot in these rankings.
1. New England Patriots (1-0)
Was there really another option here? The Patriots have the best quarterback in the NFL, one of the top offensive lines in the NFL, one of the best receiving corps in the NFL, a crowded running back room, and perhaps the best secondary in the NFL (not to mention Kyle Van Noy and Dont'a Hightower. Oh, and they also have the best coach in the NFL. Need we say more?
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