You can always expect the unexpected when it comes to the NFL. In Week 1, four of the eight defending division champions took it on the chin. Home teams managed a disappointing 6-10 record. The supposedly weak NFC completed a four-game sweep of interconference games, including Detroit's upset of the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
Perhaps the real shocker came on Monday night. New Jets' quarterback Aaron Rodgers left the game in the fourth quarter and Robert Saleh's team still managed an overtime win over the visiting Bills. So here's the first edition of the 2023 NFL Power Rankings.
Big Blue hosted the rival Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night and we're hoping to snap a four-game losing streak to its long-time NFC East adversary. To say it was a rough outing for Brian Daboll's club would be an understatement. The Giants finished the evening with 171 total yards on 65 plays and had more turnovers (2) than points (0).
Daniel Jones was sacked seven times in the humbling loss. Dating back to the start of last season and including the playoffs, the Giants are just 1-6-1 vs. their division rivals. They were the only NFC East team to lose in Week 1.
The rebuilt Texans and rookie quarter C.J. Stroud headed north to Baltimore for the first time since 2019 looking to get the DeMeco Ryans Era off to a good start. The Texans brought an 11-38-1 record this decade into Sunday's clash with the Ravens and the team was looking for its first-ever win at Baltimore (0-6, including playoffs).
Stroud actually threw for 242 yards and was not intercepted. However, he was sacked five times, lost one of his two fumbles and failed to get the Texans into the end zone. Houston's defense allowed just 265 total yards.
The Cardinals make their first appearance in Washington since 2017. The new head coach is Jonathan Gannon and the new quarterback is Josh Dobbs, acquired from the Titans via trade, and Kyler Murray remains on the mend. Dobbs finished the game with 132 yards through the air and lost two of his three fumbles.
Arizona finished the game with 210 total yards and its offense failed to score a touchdown. Gannon's team took a 16-10 lead into the fourth quarter but couldn't close the deal. Make it eight straight losses dating back to 2022.
At 7-3, the Titans appeared on its way to a fourth-straight playoff appearance a year ago. However, Mike Vrabel's club team dropped its last seven games. On Sunday at New Orleans, the team looked to get back on the winning track. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was sacked three times and also totaled three interceptions.
Tennessee was limited to five field goals and 285 total yards. Derrick Henry ran for only 63 yards. The Titans sacked Saints' quarterback Derek Carr four times and picked him off once but threw for 303 yards and one score.
The defending AFC North champions have had a tough time with the rival Browns in recent seasons. Bengals' quarterback Joe Burrow, who agreed to a lucrative contract extension late last week, and the Cincinnati offense was virtually non-existent in rainy Cleveland. The Bengals gained 142 total yards on 54 plays (2.6 average).
Taylor's defense also had no answers for Browns' running back Nick Chubb (106 yards) and a Cleveland ground attack that rolled up 206 yards. Burrow hit on only 14-of-31 throws for a disappointing 82 yards in the loss.
The Seahawks surprised people last year by getting off to a good start and then holding on for a playoff berth. On Sunday, they hosted the Rams looking to make it three straight wins over Sean McVay's team.
Seattle owned a 13-7 lead in the first half and then Geno Smith and the offense completely disappeared. Pete Carroll's club came up with 12 yards of total offense in the final two quarters. That's not a typo nor a tribute to the "12th Man." The Seahawks were outscored 23-0 in the second half and finished the game with 180 total yards.
The Panthers look to get off to a good start against the rival Falcons. Rookie quarterback Bryce Young took his lumps against an improved Atlanta defense. He hit on 20-of-38 passes but totaled only 146 yards through the air. He found tight end Hayden Hurst for a first-half score, but he also threw a pair of interceptions.
Frank Reich's team owned a 10-7 lead early in the third quarter but watched the Falcons score the final 17 points of the game. Miles Sanders totaled 72 of Carolina's 154 rushing yards but lost a crucial fumble in the third quarter.
Mike Tomlin's club won seven of its final nine games a year ago. On Sunday, they faced a tall task in hosting the 49ers. On their first possession, the Steelers lost a total of five yards. The next time they got the ball, second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett threw an interception on third down.
Pittsburgh was down, 10-0, after 15 minutes of play and outgained in total yardage, 118-2. It would not get any better. Pickett was sacked five times, picked off twice. The Steelers' defense was gouged for 188 yards rushing.
Sean Payton is the team's newest head coach and the team looked to get off to a good start against the visiting Raiders. Last season, the Broncos finished dead last in the league in scoring points per game period. On Sunday, the Denver offense came up with 260 total yards. Russell Wilson threw for 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
While Payton's defense allowed only 261 total yards, the Broncos couldn't get to Raiders' quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. He wound up throwing for 200 yards and two TDs. Denver managed only a field goal in the second half.
The Vikings hosted the Buccaneers in a battle of 2022 division champions. Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins put up some big numbers on Sunday, both positively and negatively. He hit on 33-of-44 throws for 344 yards and a pair of scores. He also served up an interception, was sacked twice. and lost a pair of fumbles.
Minnesota's ground game was limited to only 41 yards on just 17 carries. New coordinator Brian Flores' defense gave up just 242 total yards, but the Vikings came up with just one sack and failed to come up with a takeaway.
The Patriots hosted the defending NFC champion Eagles looking to rebound from a rough 8-9 campaign. Speaking of rough, the first quarter on Sunday wound up being nightmarish for Bill Belichick's club. Quarterback Mac Jones had an interception returned for a touchdown and a lost fumble by Ezekiel Elliott set up another Philadelphia TD.
Jones would settle in and threw for 316 yards and three scores, two of those touchdowns to wideout Kendrick Bourne. Belichick's team drove the Eagles' 20-yard-line in the closing moments but the drive ended there.
It was the 207th overall meeting between longtime rivals Chicago and Green Bay. Just like the previous eight clashes between the clubs, the Pack was back in the win column. Matt Eberflus's team lost its 11th-straight game dating back to this past season. The Bears fell behind 7-0 in the first quarter and never took the lead.
Quarterback Justin Fields led the team with 59 yards rushing. He threw for 216 yards and one score. However, he was sacked four times and committed both of the team's turnovers, one of those a pick-six in the fourth quarter.
The Colts and new head coach Shane Steichen hosted the reigning AFC South champion Jaguars. First-round pick Anthony Richardson got the start at quarterback as the team looked to end a seven-game losing streak dating back to 2022. The rookie signal-caller threw for 223 yards and one TD (1 interception) and ran for another touchdown.
The Colts' defense forced the Jaguars into two turnovers, one of those a fumble by Tank Bigsby that was returned for a score by defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. However, Indy's defense bent and broke in the fourth quarter.
The Commanders ended 2022 on a high note and managed to avoid a losing season. Still, the franchise finished last in a division where the other three teams went onto the playoffs. Quarterback Sam Howell made just his second NFL start. Ron Rivera's team was hoping to get off to a good start against the visiting Cardinals.
Washington trailed, 16-10, in the final quarter but scored the final 10 points of the game. Rivera's club gave up 210 yards, forced Cardinals' quarterback Josh Dobbs into two turnovers and kept Arizona's offense out of the end zone.
For the first time since 2018, the Buccaneers' starting quarterback won't be Tom Brady. Former first-overall pick Baker Mayfield took the helm as Todd Bowles' team visited the Vikings. Tampa's offense managed only 242 total yards but the Bucs played turnover-free football. Mayfield threw for only 173 yards but came up with two scores.
Tampa's defense surrendered 369 total yards but limited the Vikings to only 41 yards on the ground. They gave up a pair of touchdown passes to quarterback Krik Cousins, but also forced the 12-year pro into three turnovers.
Sean McDermott's team has won three straight AFC East titles and took on the Jets (who lost quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the first quarter) on Monday night at MetLife Stadium. Quarterback Josh Allen had a rough evening and was under duress thanks to a New York defense that sacked him five times and forced him into four turnovers.
The Bills squandered a 13-3 halftime lead. McDermott's defense gave up 172 yards rushing. Allen drove the team to a field goal that sent the game into overtime. However, the Buffalo special teams gave up a punt return TD.
Falcons' second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder had his ups and downs on Sunday. Atlanta finished the game with only 221 total yards but the team played turnover-free football. The running back duo of Tyler Allgeier and rookie Bijan Robinson accounted for all three of the team's touchdowns.
The former ran for a pair of fourth-quarter scores and Robinson caught an 11-yard TD pass in the second quarter. The star on defense was safety Jessie Bates III, who totaled 10 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
The Raiders entered Sunday's game at Denver having beaten the Broncos in the clubs' last eight meetings. It was not pretty but Josh McDaniels' team did just enough to come away with a road win and extend its winning streak in this AFC West rivalry. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw a pair of TD passes to Jakobi Meyers.
The Raiders' defense only came up with two sacks of Denver's Russell Wilson but kept the heat on the veteran signal-caller. Amazingly, Las Vegas was the only AFC West team to come up with a victory in Week 1.
The Saints hosted the Tennessee Titans in a battle of teams that both finished 7-10 a year ago. New Orleans now has quarterback Derek Carr. The former Raiders' signal-caller hit on 23 of his 33 passes for 305 yards. His 19-yard TD toss to wide receiver Rashid Shaheed in the third quarter wound up being the only touchdown scored in the game.
Dennis Allen's defensive unit limited the Tennessee to 285 total yards and kept Mike Vrabel's team out of the end zone. The Saints sacked Titans' quarterback Ryan Tannehill three times and stole three of his passes.
The much-anticipated debut of quarterback Aaron Rodgers as a member of the Jets took place on Monday night as Robert Saleh's team hosted the rival Bills. Early in the first quarter, the veteran signal-caller went down with an ankle injury and did not return. Quarterback Zach Wilson would throw a fourth-quarter TD pass to Garrett Wilson.
Jets' safety Jordan Whitehead picked off Josh Allen three times. Second-year running back Breece Hall finished with 127 yards rushing. In overtime, Xavier Gipson returned a Buffalo punt 65 yards to the end zone for the victory.
Nick Sirianni's team underwent some changes in the offseason. The Eagles have a new offensive and defensive coordinator. Would that make a difference as the Birds headed to Foxborough to take on the Patriots?
The reigning conference champions got some early help from their defense and owned a 16-0 first-quarter lead. However, the Birds finished with 251 total yards and managed only three field goals in the final three quarters. The Eagles' defense wound up allowing 382 yards but made the big play when it counted most to hang on for the win.
John Harbaugh's team didn't figure to have many problems with the rebuilding Texans. Baltimore's defense limited Houston to 268 total yards and three field goals, while sacking rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud five times.
The Ravens' new offense wasn't very impressive. Coordinator Todd Monken's unit gained only 265 total yards and quarterback Lamar Jackson had his issues. He threw for 169 yards and ran for 38 more. He lost one of his two fumbles and was picked off once. The Ravens lost running back J.K. Dobbins (Achilles) for the rest of the year.
The Chargers were hoping to knock off the Dolphins for a second straight year. Running back Austin Ekeler capped off a 94-yard drive with a TD run to give the Bolts an early 7-0 lead. This turned out to be a very entertaining affair, The Bolts were able to run for 234 yards against the NFL's fourth-ranked run defense from 2022. It wasn't enough.
The bottom line is that Brandon Staley's defensive unit was carved up by Dolphins' quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (who wasn't sacked), wide receiver Tyreek Hill and a Miami offense that rolled up 536 total yards by game's end.
Doug Pederson's team made it way north to Indianapolis to renew acquaintances with the rival Colts. The Jaguars won their final five regular-season games a year ago to capture the AFC South for the first time since 2017. While Pederson's club wasn't necessarily sharp on Sunday, it found a way to win despite a pair of turnovers.
Trevor Lawrence hit on 75.0 percent of his throws (24-of-32) for 241 yards and two scores, with one interception. The Jaguars overcame a 21-17 fourth-quarter deficit to win at Indianapolis for the first time since 2017.
The Packers were at Soldier Field for a clash with the rival Bears. Green Bay has had amazing success on the road in this series and looked to make it five straight wins at Soldier Field. Quarterback Jordan Love enjoyed a solid outing, throwing for 245 yards and three scores, two of those touchdowns to wide receiver Romeo Doubs.
Running back Aaron Jones finished with 127 yards from scrimmage and two TDs. Linebacker Quay Walker picked off Justin Fields (sacked 4 times) in the fourth quarter and returned the theft 37 yards for a touchdown.
Off the first losing campaign of head coach Sean McVay's career, the Rams made their way to the Pacific Northwest looking to make amends for a 5-12 season. A year ago, the team was swept by the Seahawks for the first time since 2013. McVay's club trailed 13-7 at intermission and totaled only 169 yards in two quarters.
The Rams took control of the game the rest of the way. They shut out Pete Carroll's club while scoring 23 unanswered points. Matthew Stafford threw for 334 yards as McVay's team played turnover-free football.
The defending Super Bowl champions were without tight end Travis Kelce (injured) and defensive tackle Chris Jones (contract holdout). The Chiefs came into the Thursday night tilt with the Lions having won eight straight season openers. A pair of Patrick Mahomes TD passes gave Andy Reid's team a 14-7 halftime lead.
Mahomes also had a throw to Kadarius Toney go off the latter's hands and the other way for a score. The Chiefs' defense wore down in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Jones agreed to a new contract on Monday afternoon.
A year ago, the Browns won their season opener for the first time since 2004. Kevin Stefanski's team hosted the rival Bengals looking to continue Cleveland's recent dominance in the AFC North rivalry.
Running back Nick Chubb finished with more than half (106) of the Browns' 206 yards rushing. Quarterback Deshaun Watson was inconsistent but threw for 154 yards and one score (1 interception) and ran for 45 yards and another TD. Jim Schwartz's defense limited the defending AFC North champions to only 142 total yards.
Would the Detroit Lions be ready for primetime when they headed to Kansas City for a clash with the defending Super Bowl champions? Dan Campbell's team was more physical on Thursday night and it paid off late in the game.
Down 20-14 early in the fourth quarter, the Lions marched 75 yards on nine plays, capped off by an eight-yard touchdown run by David Montgomery with 7:06 to play. Campbell's club finished the evening with 368 total yards.
Jared Goff threw for 253 yards and his nine-yard TD pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown gave Detroit an early lead.
Mike McDaniel's club made its way west to SoFi Stadium for the second straight year to take on the Chargers. Miami was looking to avenge a 23-17 loss to the Bolts in 2022. It was a back-and-forth first half in which Miami owned a 20-17 lead at intermission and rolled up 326 total yards. They finished the game with 536 yards.
Tua Tagovailoa would throw for 466 yards and three scores (1 interception), two of those TD strikes to Tyreek Hill. The speedster finished with 11 grabs for 215 yards and his second score with 1:45 to play was the difference.
The Cowboys played a nearly flawless game, winning 40-0 over the Giants on the road. They forced three turnovers and ran and pummelled the Giants with efficiency, losing both the time of possession and total plays battle while still winning by a massive margin.
Dak Prescott only threw for 143 yards and didn't score a touchdown, but it wouldn't matter in the end.
Kyle Shanahan's club made its way to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers. Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa recently inked a new contract and was available for this interconference match-up. The first time the Niners got the ball, they marched 54 yards on seven plays and took a 7-0 lead.
The offensive stars for the defending NFC West champions were running back Christian McCaffrey and wideout Brandon Aiyuk. They combined for three touchdowns while defensive end Drake Jackson finished with three sacks.
