Week 1 is a fascinating place in the NFL.
The teams you thought were great look extremely flawed (See: the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals). The teams you thought were awful pulled off shocking upsets (See: Baker Mayfield’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams). And the squads you thought would live up to the hype (see: San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions) are already making their fanbases swell with overzealous pride at what the season could hold in store.
And the best part is because it’s Week 1: A majority of these sentiments could be irrelevant by October. Isn’t it the best when the season opener is a de facto preseason game?
But let’s center on two of those hyped teams: The 49ers and Cowboys. We knew both San Francisco and Dallas would likely pick up where they left off as powerhouse contenders. After their respective road shellackings, both NFC contenders might be even better than we believed. A lot can change in the coming weeks and months, but it’s hard to imagine these two NFC powers losing their mantle — at least in the regular season.
Let’s take stock of the 49ers, Cowboys, and the rest of the league after a predictably unpredictable Week 1 in the first edition of For The Win‘s 2023 NFL season power rankings.
32
Arizona Cardinals
Preseason rank: 31
Phew, that was close. They almost won a game, thereby ruining what appears to be a masterful tank job. Why else turn the (temporary) starting QB role over to Joshua Dobbs? Or hire human charisma vortex, Jonathan Gannon? — CD
31
Carolina Panthers
Preseason rank: 23
Carolina has one of the league’s worst offensive lines and receiving corps. And that defense clearly needs Brian Burns for a more consistent pass rush. Suffice it to say: Even prime Peyton Manning would struggle with this roster. This year, any flash of greatness from Bryce Young should be considered a tremendous win. — RZ
30
Houston Texans
Preseason rank: 29
C.J. Stroud looked better than expected, but this mountain was too tall to climb. Barring a virtuoso performance, a road upset against the Ravens would never happen. Still, there were enough encouraging signs from a rebuilding team (how about that defense?) to think DeMeco Ryans is already pulling the right strings. — RZ
29
Tennessee Titans
Preseason rank: 28
Ryan Tannehill justified the Will Levis selection by being mostly bad at his job, and Nick Folk turned out to be the only Titan to score points on Sunday. DeAndre Hopkins probably isn’t loving his decision to play in Nashville this season. — CD
28
Indianapolis Colts
Preseason rank: 27
Anthony Richardson got off to roughly the start we’d expected. He had some dazzling throws and runs, some bad ones, and eventually tried so hard he hurt himself. If nothing else, he convinced Colts fans he’s willing to go out on his shield. Colts fans would probably prefer he didn’t. — CD
27
Chicago Bears
Preseason rank: 17
For a roster that turned over half its starting lineup, the rival Packers were probably the worst possible matchup for Chicago to open the season. Green Bay is strong in both trenches. Chicago is not. And Matt LaFleur is now an experienced coach who is comfortable designing gameplans. Matt Eberflus and Co. are still trying to find an identity.
Moving forward, the Bears probably won’t look as bad as they did in Week 1. But there are still enough red flags (Luke Getsy? Justin Fields? An utter lack of a pass rush or offensive push up front?) to wonder whether these Bears will ever piece it together. — RZ
26
Denver Broncos
Preseason rank: 19
Sean Payton changed nothing at Mile High. At least for one week. Russell Wilson still resembled an inefficient quarterback incapable of using his legs to escape pressure. The Denver offensive line still can’t pass block (Mike McGlinchey, oof). And Josh McDaniels schemed a perfect pop-gun plan to get just enough offense over a Broncos defense that, technically, did enough to win. If the Broncos will rebound from 2022, nothing from Week 1 suggests they’re on the right track. — RZ
25
Pittsburgh Steelers
Preseason rank: 19
The 49ers are probably the best team in pro football, so Mike Tomlin’s bunch gets a slight mulligan. Kenny Pickett is still developing, and Pittsburgh’s roster is too stacked to falter for long. That said, are we SURE Joey Porter Jr. isn’t better than Patrick Peterson already? Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin might wanna rethink that one. — RZ
24
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Preseason rank: 32
Fun fact: If you can rush the passer and have above-average skill players like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, you’ll hang until the end of most NFL games. You just need a quarterback to make the finishing touches where they can. In this case, that was Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers, once derided as a clear tank candidate for Caleb Williams, could still end up reaching their final destination. But an upset win on the road might halt those ambitions. — RZ
23
New England Patriots
Preseason rank: 22
Mac Jones overcame a rough start to look … well, not good, but certainly encouraging. Kendrick Bourne is back in the lineup, Demario Douglas looks useful, and it’s possible Bill O’Brien can get this passing offense back to respectability. The defense only gave up one drive covering more than 50 yards against a dynamic Eagles offense, so it’s not unreasonable to think these Patriots can linger in the playoff race. — CD
22
New York Giants
Preseason rank: 14
Okay. Deep breath. Let’s just hit a complete reset. Now, where’s the big red button that lets Big Blue get a do-over? Oh, right. It’s been a long time since the Giants looked as overmatched as they did Sunday night. Brian Daboll worked coaching wonders last year for a surprise playoff team. It’s hard to see him preventing a massive and unsurprising regression this season. — RZ
21
Washington Commanders
Preseason rank: 24
The first game of the Josh Harris era was nearly a loss to Joshua Dobbs and the barely-trying Arizona Cardinals. Not great. But Sam Howell rose up when it mattered most and, at the very least, came alive to secure a home win. — CD
20
Los Angeles Rams
Preseason rank: 30
Well, that was unexpected. Los Angeles went on the road with a rebuilt defense and held the Seahawks to 13 points. More notably, a refreshed Matthew Stafford found a way to turn Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell into 100-yard receivers. Can this last? Have the Rams engineered a low-key rebuild out of duct tape and Super Glue? — CD
19
Las Vegas Raiders
Preseason rank: 26
No one’s going to heap too much praise on the Raiders for beating the hapless Broncos. But you have to be encouraged by certain aspects. Jakobi Meyers looked like a perfect safety valve for Jimmy Garoppolo. Maxx Crosby pelted an overmatched Broncos OL. And Las Vegas is 1-0 with a road win under its belt, even though Davante Adams recorded just six catches for 66 yards. New England West is looking kinda sharp … for now. — RZ
18
Minnesota Vikings
Preseason rank: 20
Minnesota’s 2022 luck in close games was always going to come back to haunt it — you don’t go 13-4 with a negative-three-point differential because things are great everywhere. Hoo, buddy, we did not expect a home loss to Baker Mayfield, however. The Vikings squared off against last year’s worst starting quarterback and fell flat on their faces. Kirk Cousins did that thing where he produced a great stat line while simultaneously shooting his team in the foot. This could, and probably should, be the end of his time in the Twin Cities. — CD
17
Cleveland Browns
Preseason rank: 25
The defense looks great, and a secondary that’s perpetually had more potential than production came through in a big way to stifle Joe Burrow. But Deshaun Watson, acquired despite more than 20 accusations of sexual misconduct and what the NFL itself described as “predatory behavior,” still has yet to live up to his Houston production, leaving questions about whether the offense can keep up. — CD
16
New Orleans Saints
Preseason rank: 21
Did Derek Carr and the Saints’ offense play particularly well? No. Did the Saints’ win inspire confidence they’ll rise above the muck of a mediocre NFC South? Also no. But a win’s a win, even if it took Mike Vrabel turning into a coaching turtle during the most important sequence of the game. — RZ
15
Seattle Seahawks
Preseason rank: 11
Welp. So much for all the excitement around another successful Pete Carroll rebuild. If the Seahawks are a legitimate NFC contender, they looked far from the part against a green, inexperienced Rams team at home. And in case it wasn’t clear: Sean McVay coached circles around Carroll. With a road visit to Detroit this Sunday, Seattle is now staring 0-2 in the face. — RZ
14
Los Angeles Chargers
Preseason rank: 12
Contract year Austin Ekeler looks like a very real thing. So does the continued specter of Chargers-ing, which is how Los Angeles lost a home game in which their win probability was over 70 percent through the bulk of the fourth quarter. J.C. Jackson had three passes defended, but, hoo buddy, he had his share of completely regrettable coverage as well. — CD
13
Atlanta Falcons
Preseason rank: 18
It wasn’t a necessity against the Panthers, but Desmond Ridder’s gonna have to throw downfield at some point. He attempted just three throws that sailed more than 10 yards downfield in Week 1. Getting Drake London (one target) and Kyle Pitts (three) involved wouldn’t hurt, either. — CD
12
Buffalo Bills
Preseason rank: 5
So, uh, what’s going on with Josh Allen? His four turnovers helped sink the Bills on Monday night. While his connection with Stefon Diggs remains solid, he averaged only 5.2 yards per attempt when targeting anyone else. Those are sub-Brock Osweiler numbers! — CD
11
Green Bay Packers
Preseason rank: 16
Jordan Love didn’t show off his arm strength or pinpoint accuracy in his first start as the team’s definitive QB1. He made the right reads, hit open receivers — particularly on third down — and kept his offense on schedule. He’s still got a ways to go, but his play Sunday showcased a high floor and could help the Packers return to the postseason in a disheveled NFC. — CD
10
Cincinnati Bengals
Preseason rank: 2
It’s official. The Browns simply have Joe Burrow’s number. After Sunday’s clunker, Burrow is now 1-5 against Cleveland with three team scoring outputs below 20 points. After laying an egg in last year’s opener, too, Cincinnati will likely gel the more season rolls along. But this remains a troubling trend for a preseason Super Bowl contender. — RZ
9
New York Jets
Preseason rank: 13
Alright, this offense probably isn’t going anywhere with Zach Wilson. But for at least one week the defense and special teams make the Jets a top 10 team. Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson have the chops to drag Wilson to a winning record — as long as he avoids the brainfart interceptions like the one he threw to Matt Milano Monday night. — CD
8
Kansas City Chiefs
Preseason rank: 1
Don’t look now, but as you read this sentence, Kadarius Toney dropped another pass. So, uh, yeah: We may have undersold just how horrible this Chiefs’ receiver corps is. Yes, Kansas City was missing Travis Kelce. But no functional offense with championship aspirations should implode without one 33-year-old tight end. We’ll only doubt Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid when more appropriate, but that opening defeat should raise genuine alarm bells. — RZ
7
Jacksonville Jaguars
Preseason rank: 8
Style points be damned, the Jaguars earned a double-digit road win against a division opponent (please don’t look into who that opponent was or how experienced their quarterback is). Calvin Ridley proved he can still devastate NFL secondaries, giving Trevor Lawrence a deep core of playmakers. The defense held the Colts to a 35 percent success rate each play, which sounds great, but also … you know, it’s the Colts. — CD
6
Philadelphia Eagles
Preseason rank: 3
Philadelphia got a valuable lesson in Week 1. Win the NFC, and you’re going to get everyone’s best shot, especially from a Bill Belichick team. The Eagles are no longer the spunky upstarts. Fortunately, a September win is a September win. Still, a sputtering Jalen Hurts offense will have to improve against better competition. For now, Jalen Carter looks terrific already, and everyone should be flying high in Philadelphia. — RZ
5
Baltimore Ravens
Preseason rank: 9
The Ravens won their opener by double digits because that’s what John Harbaugh’s team does. Rolling up on the Texans won’t tell us too much, but it let us know two things about this offense. 1) Zay Flowers looks like the consistent wideout Lamar Jackson desperately needs, and 2) Baltimore’s running back injury curse is very real. — CD
4
Detroit Lions
Preseason rank: 10
It wasn’t the prettiest — and it hinged on a few timely drops from the Chiefs — but Detroit escaped Arrowhead Stadium with a win. The hype train has picked up speed as it slices back to Michigan, as Aidan Hutchinson’s pass rushing and Jared Goff’s ongoing revival are just two things Lions fans can be excited about. Could the franchise’s first playoff win since the first George Bush presidency be on the horizon? — CD
3
Miami Dolphins
Preseason rank: 7
Yes, the defense is a problem. But for one glorious week, we were able to bask in the Tua-Tyreek connection and watch the Chargers collapse in upon themselves in truly Chargers fashion. Mike McDaniel’s gotta hope Jalen Ramsey isn’t just coming back at full strength, but in 2017 form. — CD
2
Dallas Cowboys
Preseason rank: 6
The Cowboys had 265 total offensive yards, 143 passing yards, and won by 40 points. I guess that’s what happens when you demolish a rival’s overmatched offense — you barely need your own. Imagine what happens when Dak Prescott and Co. unleash the salvos. It’s Week 1, and it’s extremely early, but Dallas resembles every bit of a bona fide Super Bowl contender. — RZ
1
San Francisco 49ers
Preseason rank: 4
What’s the more impressive achievement; shutting out the Giants in a rainstorm or mauling the Steelers? Both the Cowboys and 49ers looked great, creating a clear early favorite for this winter’s NFC title game. Most importantly, Brock Purdy looked capable of executing Kyle Shanahan’s offense again, mixing viable scrambling ability with effective downfield throws. He was nine of 13 on passes that traveled at least 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage despite Pittsburgh’s pass rush pressure. — CD
