NFL Top-10 rankings: Chiefs hold top spot; Saints, Bills, Bucs storm list
What a difference a week makes. After the action on Thursday and Sunday, the 49ers, Cowboys, Lions, Dolphins and Ravens have dropped out of my Top 10 from Week 1, replaced by five new teams showing they mean business in 2024. The best of them are the Saints, whose offense is exploding under a new coordinator.
It's still early, of course, and teams across the league have time to figure things out. If the first two weeks of the season are any indication, however, we might have a wide-open race to find a team that can challenge the Chiefs for NFL supremacy.
Here's my Top 10 for Week 2 of the 2024 season.
The defending champs have mastered the art of winning games. Andy Reid's crew has the talent and toughness to win high-scoring shootouts or grind-it-out affairs against elite competition. Against Cincinnati, the Chiefs overcame a sluggish performance from Patrick Mahomes to chalk up their second win of the season behind a pair of unlikely heroes (S Chamarri Conner and LT Wanya Morris) scoring pivotal touchdowns. With Harrison Butker nailing another game-winner, the Chiefs will be a tough out for every opponent on their schedule.
Credit Dennis Allen for finding an offensive coordinator with the scheme and wizardry to unlock a unit that dropped "40-burgers" on each of New Orleans' first two opponents. Klint Kubiak has tapped into Derek Carr's masterful ball-handling skills and efficient passing to spark an offense that deftly mixes pre-snap motions and shifts with creative play-action passes to keep defenders on their heels. As Alvin Kamara, Tom Brady's LFG Player of the Week, reemerges as an elite playmaker with unique talents as a runner-receiver, the Saints' offense looks like an unstoppable force after two weeks.
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The football world will have a chance to watch the Eagles on Monday night to see if offensive coordinator Kellen Moore will continue to expand his playbook with Saquon Barkley featured as the star. The Pro Bowl running back adds a dimension to a high-powered offense that features one of the best WR corps in the game. With Vic Fangio working his magic on defense, the Eagles look primed and ready for another title run.
Kevin O'Connell has turned Sam Darnold into the player scouts believed he could become when he was selected No. 3 overall in the 2018 draft. The journeyman quarterback relied heavily on his connection with Justin Jefferson to steady the offense, but the contributions of Ty Chandler and Aaron Jones on the ground helped the Vikings salt away a win over the 49ers in the fourth quarter. With a salty defense thriving under Brian Flores' direction, the Vikings have emerged as a surprise contender in the NFC.
The Texans' prime-time dismantling of the Chicago Bears allowed the football world to gain a better appreciation of DeMeco Ryans' work in H-town. The second-year head coach has not only flipped the culture but also assembled a team that can lead with its offense or defense. While C.J. Stroud & Co. garner the headlines for their spectacular efforts on the ground and through the air, edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. leads a disruptive unit that makes life miserable for quarterbacks.
Jim Harbaugh's old-school formula continues to work in the NFL. The combination of a dominant running game, stingy defense and efficient quarterback play produces wins in a league that rewards toughness and physicality. The Chargers pummel opponents with body blows as J.K. Dobbins (17 carries for 131 yards and a score) and Gus Edwards (18 carries for 59 yards) take turns blasting between the tackles. Meanwhile, Derwin James leads an aggressive defense that beats up opposing quarterbacks and running backs with blitzes and pressures that disrupt the offense's rhythm.
The football world might have prematurely dismissed the Bills' title chances after a mass exodus of big-name players in the offseason. Sean McDermott has tweaked the roster and the team's approach to help Buffalo better compete against the heavyweights in the AFC. Though a two-game sample size is insufficient to determine if the Bills are legitimate contenders, the team's adoption of a blue-collar playing style featuring a ball-control offense and physical defense could serve them well when they play more meaningful games down the stretch.
Perhaps the road to the AFC South title runs through Tampa after Todd Bowles' squad jumped out to a 2-0 record. The Buccaneers' blitz-happy defense creates chaos at the line of scrimmage, leading to turnovers, tackles for loss and sacks. The onslaught of negative plays enables Bowles to dictate the action and set his offense up for scoring chances on short fields. Baker Mayfield & Co. have taken advantage of their opportunities by making enough plays in the passing game to put points on the board. Though it has not always been pretty, the Buccaneers are a gritty team with enough firepower to make life miserable for elite opponents.
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Mike Macdonald has the Seahawks firing on all cylinders. The defensive mastermind has rebuilt the defense into a disciplined unit that creates headaches for opponents with an array of blitzes and simulated pressures. Offensively, the Seahawks' electric aerial attack challenges opponents to deal with the speed and explosiveness of a dynamic WR corps. As DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Tyler Lockett continue to find space against soft zone and loose one-on-one coverage, Geno Smith looks more and more like a Pro Bowl passer with the capacity to lead a deep postseason run.
Mike Tomlin finds a way to win ugly games. The Steelers have not generated much on offense, but their stellar defense continues to find ways to get the job done. Whether it is T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith making a timely sack or tackle for loss, or an unheralded defensive back making a key play in the red zone, the defense makes enough plays to support an offense designed to milk the clock and keep the ball away from the opponent.
Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the "Moving the Sticks" podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.