The start of week two coincides with the kick off of the NFL's Color Rush campaign tonight in Buffalo. Fortunately, the Bills and Jets have coordinated their outfits better this year so as to not ruin the night of color blind people everywhere.
Last year's disaster would rank last in any NFL Power Ranking. Here's my top five teams for this year after week one.
1. STEELERS
Pittsburgh was my Super Bowl pick entering the season and sure looked the part Monday night, dismantling Washington 38-16. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns, two to Antonio Brown, who looked indefensible with eight catches for 126 yards. Throw in DeAngelo Williams' 143 rushing yards and two touchdowns and the Steelers offense looks pretty much unstoppable.
2. PATRIOTS
Tom Brady, who? Jimmy Garoppolo went 24-33 for 264 yards and a touchdown in his first start and the Patriots hardly missed a beat without the suspended Brady or the injured Rob Gronkowski. It's still at least three more weeks until New England will be whole, but beating one of the NFC favorites on their homefield in week one was pretty impressive.
3. SEAHAWKS
The 12-10 win over the Dolphins wasn't pretty, but the Legion of Boom defense looks like it will be back to its normal ferociousness in 2016. And Russell Wilson showed his leadership with the endgame drive and winning touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin with 31 seconds left.
4. PACKERS
Don't be deceived by the 27-23 week one win in Jacksonville. The Packers are really good. Aaron Rodgers remains the quarterback that I would most like to build a team around based off his arm, smarts and mobility, and he has a full compliment of weapons this year. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb are healthy and playing together, and Davante Parker is an emerging threat. Throw in a slimmed down Eddie Lacy in the backfield and Green Bay has an offense to be reckoned with. The fact that people around the team believe this year's defense could rival the 2010 unit that the Packers rode to the Super Bowl says something.
5. PANTHERS
I know the Broncos won Thursday, but I just can't bring myself to rank a team with Trevor Siemien as their quarterback. I think both the Panthers and Cardinals will prove to be better than they were in week one, so for now I give this spot to the defending NFC champs and their MVP QB Cam Newton.
26. TITANS
Tennessee fans felt like they had seen this script before Sunday, when the Titans blew a 10-0 halftime lead with three second half turnovers, two returned for touchdowns in a 25-16 loss to the Vikings. Despite the familiar result, there were some positives to take away from the game. The Titans controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball much of the day against a team that was in the playoffs last year, even limiting reigning rushing champion Adrian Peterson to just 31 yards on 19 carries. If they continue to play with that toughness and physicality they will climb these rankings in the upcoming weeks.
