NFL Power Rankings Week 2: Jets Flying High

The NFL Power Rankings here at SB Nation NY are put together the way it should be done: by starting from scratch. Preseason hype doesn't mean a thing around, so if you perform well now that it comes, you'll jump to the top of the rankings. Turn in a couple of weak performances? Get ready to head south.

After one week, that's good news for the New York Jets and bad news for the New York Giants.

There are plenty of surprising names throughout. Check out our first batch of NFL Rankings and sound off in the comments.

Enjoy!

1. New England Patriots (1-0)
- Easily the best performance in the NFL this week. If rookies Dont'a Hightower and Chandler Jones are going to be impact players, good luck beating this team.
Star Of The Week: RB Stevan Ridley
Next up: vs. No. 19 Cardinals

2. Denver Broncos (1-0)
- If the most famous neck in the sports world holds up, the rest of the NFL is in trouble.
Star Of The Week: QB Peyton Manning
Next up: at No. 9 Falcons

3. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)
- Went into Lambeau Field and stood toe-to-toe with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
Star Of The Week: RB Frank Gore
Next up: vs. No. 12 Lions

4. Baltimore Ravens (1-0)
- A near-perfect debut from the defending AFC North champs.
Start Of The Week: QB Joe Flacco
Next up: at No. 22 Eagles

5. Dallas Cowboys (1-0)
- Took down the defending champs on the road and looked good doing it.
Star of the Week: WR Kevin Ogletree
Next up: at No. 25 Seahawks

6. Washington Redskins (1-0)
- A. Star. Is. Born. NFC East now officially on notice.
Star Of The Week: QB Robert Griffin III
Next up: at No. 21 Rams

7. New York Jets (1-0)
- There's no better example of why there's no reason to get worked up over preseason games.
Star Of The Week: WR Stephen Hill
Next up: at No. 15 Steelers

8. Houston Texans (1-0)
- If their defense can push real offenses around the way they did the Miami Dolphins, they could own the top spot here soon.
Star Of The Week: DE J.J. Watt
Next up: at No. 27 Jaguars

9. Atlanta Falcons (1-0)
- Matty Ice-led air attack can match up with anyone in the league.
Star Of The Week: WR Julio Jones
Next up: vs. No. Broncos

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0)
- Held off a Carolina Panthers team ready to take a big leap this season. Have the makings of a surprise squad.
Star Of The Week: CB Ronde Barber
Next up: at No. 17 Giants


11. Chicago Bears (1-0)
- Beat a Colts team that will lose a lot of games. Passing game could be deadly.
Star of the Week: WR Brandon Marshall
Next up: at No. 14 Packers

12. Detroit Lions (1-0)
- After a no-show by QB Matthew Stafford in the first half, the signal caller rallied the troops in a big comeback victory.
Star Of The Week: LB Justin Durant
Next up: at No. 3 49ers

13. New Orleans Saints (0-1)
- This offense can still come back against anyone.
Star Of The Week: QB Drew Brees
Next up: at No. 20 Panthers

14. Green Bay Packers (0-1)
- Only 18 rushing yards from players not named Rodgers? Yuck.
Star Of The Week: WR Randall Cobb
Next up: vs. No. 11 Bears

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1)
- Big Ben isn't going to survive if the Steelers don't fix their offensive line... and quickly.
Star Of The Week: LB Larry Foote
Next up: vs. No. 7 Jets

16. San Diego Chargers (1-0)
- If all their opponents have no idea how to punt the ball, the Chargers will go far this season.
Star Of The Week: K Nate Kaeding
Next up: vs. No. 24 Titans

17. New York Giants (0-1)
- Not the start Tom Coughlin and his crew were hoping for defending their title.
Star of the Week: LB Michael Boley
Next up: vs. No. 10 Buccaneers

18. Minnesota Vikings (1-0)
- The emotional return of Adrian Peterson carried Minnesota in a nail-biter against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Star of The Week: K Blair Walsh
Next up: at No. 26 Colts

19. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)
- Who needs a QB controversy? The Cards can just get John Skelton and Kevin Kolb to rotate on an injury basis.
Star Of The Week: LB Daryl Washington
Next up: at No. 1 Patriots

20. Carolina Panthers (0-1)
- Cam is still Cam, but he needs someone -- anyone -- to help him out on the ground.
Star Of The Week: DE Greg Hardy
Next up: vs. No. 13 Saints

21. St. Louis Rams (0-1)
- Held two leads in the fourth quarter, including inside two minutes. Defense couldn't close the deal and injuries are already starting to mount.
Star Of The Week: CB Cortland Finnegan
Next up: vs. No. 6 Redskins

22. Philadelphia Eages (1-0)
- It's hard to play as bad as the Eagles and still come away with a win. Michael Vick was picked off four times, but he was thisclose to six.
Star of the Week: RB LeSean McCoy
Next up: vs. No. 4 Ravens

23. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)
- Looked impressive in the first half, lost in the second.
Star Of The Week: WR Dexter McCluster
Next up: at No. 30 Bills

24. Tennessee Titans (0-1)
- Had the unfortunate luck to run into the Patriots buzz saw. Have already lost QB Jake Locker to an injury.
Star Of The Week: P Brett Kern
Next up: at No. 16 Chargers

25. Seattle Seahawks (0-1)
- The Russell Wilson preseason magic forgot to show up for the regular season.
Star Of The Week: KR Leon Washington
Next up: vs. No. 5 Cowboys

26. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)
- Andrew Luck looked a lot more like a rookie QB compared to what we saw from RG3. Some flashes, but long season ahead.
Star Of The Week: WR Reggie Wayne
Next up: vs. No. 18 Vikings

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)
- Put up a good fight, but choked down the stretch.
Star Of The Week: QB Blaine Gabbert
Next up: vs. No. 8 Texans

28. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)
- Hey, they managed to wait until the third quarter to get embarrassed.
Star Of The Week: RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Next up: vs. No. 31 Browns

29. Oakland Raiders (0-1)
- Sea bass for MVP!
Star Of The Week: K Sebastian Janikowski
Next up: at No. 31 Dolphins

30. Buffalo Bills
- Flat out rolled by the Jets. Terrible.
Star Of The Week: RB C.J. Spiller
Next up: vs. No. No. 23 Chiefs

31. Cleveland Browns (0-1)
- Hopefully next time the Browns are handed a victory on a silver platter, they'll actually take it.
Star Of The Week: K Phil Dawson
Next up: at No. 28 Bengals

32. Miami Dolphins (0-1)
- What's the fastest a General Manager has been fired? We might find out next week.
Star Of The Week: Lauren Tannehill
Next up: vs. No. 29 Raiders