The Sturg’s 2023 NFL Season Week 2 Power Rankings
The Sturg’s Press Box power rankings are back for the 2023 NFL season
Last season, I did the power rankings backward to build up the suspense. This season, I decided to go back to doing them from top to bottom. I want to give the sports fans the information they want right off the bat. Plus, I figure if I do it this way this year, you’ll look to see where your team ends up landing anyway so it’s pointless to build up any unnecessary tension.
The 2023 NFL season is in full swing and these rankings are in no way going to be the way the season will end but it’s possible. Some notable stories here are the Aaron Rodgers potentially career-ending Achilles injury and some notable rookies. Let’s get to it.
1. Dallas Cowboys (2–0): Believe me, I also didn’t want to put them here. But they really are the undisputed champions of the first two games of the new season. Both sides of the ball look good and they have won by a combined 70–10 to start the season.
2. San Francisco 49ers (2–0): Christian McCaffrey has had a full offseason to get acquainted with this offense and it shows. Brock Purdy is still the young quarterback not making any needless mistakes. The defense is obviously still the 49ers defense. As long as both of these guys stay healthy and the defense remains elite, the 49ers should be a Super Bowl-contending team this year.
3. Baltimore Ravens (2–0): If you told me it would be the Ravens at the top of the AFC North when the season started, I would’ve laughed you out of the room considering Cincinnati’s recent rise in the past couple of seasons. Despite losing JK Dobbins to a season-ending injury, this running game is still very good, and Lamar Jackson is well, still Lamar.
4. Atlanta Falcons (2–0): Rookie running back, Bijan Robinson, is making an immediate impact and this team could very well be at the top of the NFC South at the end of the season. Desmond Ridder is starting an improved second-year campaign as well.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2–0): Who would’ve thought that Baker Mayfield would find ways to win and be a part of why this Buccaneers team just removed from Tom Brady’s retirement is tied at the top of the NFC South? Granted it’s still too early in the season but I’m excited to watch to see if Baker can actually resurrect his career here.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (2–0): This is still a very dangerous Philly team one season removed from losing to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Like last year, the division is going to be between them and the Dallas Cowboys. This should be a very fun and interesting team to watch this year yet again.
7. Miami Dolphins (2–0): Well, we just saw in the win against the Patriots that the Dolphins don’t need insane passing stats from Tua to win. They beat the Patriots on the ground with Raheem Mostert. This team’s offense is dangerous.
8. Washington Commanders (2–0): Sam Howell is exactly the quarterback that I thought he was when I wrote that piece about the QBs in the draft and how he would be a steal and a starter sooner rather than later. This team actually looks better than last year’s surprise team with Heinicke at the helm. And now Dan Snyder is no longer in control of the team. The sky’s the limit.
9. New Orleans Saints (2–0): Derek Carr doing just enough to help a team win? He’s definitely in a better situation than what he was in with Oakland/Las Vegas. Taysom Hill is also being utilized like he should again. This Saints team is going to be fun to watch. And I predict that they’ll win many close games.
10. Buffalo Bills (1–1): The Buffalo Bills bounced back from a horrific-looking Week 1 loss to the Aaron-less Jets (yeah, I can’t even get myself to say the Wilson-led Jets, sue me, on second thought, please don’t). Josh Allen needs to at least show why he’s considered one of the elite quarterbacks in the league. Week 1 was a fluke. This team should get back on track.
11. Cleveland Browns (1–1): This Browns team feels very up and down yet again this year. Now they’ll probably get a full season with DeShaun Watson at quarterback and he might return to early Watson form. They still only lost a close game to the Steelers so I’m not going to call the win against Joe Burrow’s Bengals a fluke just yet.
12. Green Bay Packers (1–1): Jordan Love is showing why he deserved to be a first-round draft pick at quarterback. He got to sit behind Rodgers for a few years which benefited his development. The Packers might’ve struck quarterback gold for the third time in a row.
13. Los Angeles Rams (1–1): This Rams team looks poised to rebound from the worst season in Super Bowl era history for a defending Super Bowl champion. This recent setback to the 49ers was just the fact that the 49ers are just that good but I could see a playoff berth in the Rams’ future this year.
14. Kansas City Chiefs (1–1): The Chiefs look a bit off this season. In the first two games even with a win in Week 2, there seems to be something off with either Mahomes or the offense in general. I expect them to rebound but it might not be until midseason. There was the Kelce injury in Week 1 so that could’ve affected things a bit. He is a huge part of that offense.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars (1–1): This Jaguars team could very well be the class of the AFC South again this year. Despite the recent setback against the Kansas City Chiefs, they look to be just fine. Trevor Lawrence is now in his third season and progressing along well. And the defense looks pretty good as well.
16. Tennessee Titans (1–1): A team that still very much relies on the success of their star running back, Derrick Henry. Tannehill looked horrid in the Week 1 loss but bounced back in Week 2 but I’m still skeptical of this team’s future especially considering that Henry is 29 years old and can’t play at a star level forever.
17. Indianapolis Colts (1–1): Their rookie quarterback just suffered a concussion in Week 2’s win over the Texans. Gardner Minshew is an electric backup and if they have to sit Anthony Richardson for a game or two, they’ll be in more-than-capable hands with Minshew at the lead. This Colts team already looks better than last year’s second-half disaster. A coach who knows what he’s doing definitely helps.
18. Seattle Seahawks (1–1): The win over the Lions in Week 2 was very exciting and a great example of Geno Smith’s continued resurgence. The Seahawks are definitely in the conversation for a possible playoff berth this year too. They are leaving off where they started in the post-Russell Wilson era. And having Kenneth Walker II at running back certainly doesn’t hurt either.
19. Detroit Lions (1–1): I want to place the Lions higher at this point because expectations for them are so high this season but they’ll have to earn their place there. They are tied at the top of a weaker NFC North division and could contend alongside the Green Bay Packers for the division title this year. The combination of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery at running back is a productive complement to the passing game.
20. New York Jets (1–1): Man, this team’s playoff chances exponentially dipped when Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles went out in the first few snaps of the first game. I’ll admit that I was excited to watch that unfold this year. Now, the Jets have to turn back to Zach Wilson and I don’t see that going well. This team’s next years will continue. I actually kind of feel bad for them at this point.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (1–1): The Steelers are .500 at any point in a season. I’m not surprised. They are hot and cold and are still a huge question mark of a team for me. George Pickens is the highlight of the early season though and their defense should improve as the season goes on.
22. Las Vegas Raiders (1–1): Jimmy G did his best Derek Carr impersonation in Week 2 against the Bills. I still think that he’s a better quarterback than Carr is but this Raiders team is going to need to get it together as the only win was a one-point win against the winless Broncos in Week 1. Also, Jacobs is going to need more than negative yards, also.
23. New York Giants (1–1): The Giants went from being embarrassed one week to winning a tough, competitive game on the road. I’m not ready to completely write them off but it seems that last year might’ve actually been a fluke season for them. Saquon is still Saquon and the receiver corps did get better but that defense is suspect.
24. Denver Broncos (0–2): Let’s ride…our way into the cellar of the AFC West again this year. Okay, okay, that was kind of mean, especially considering that the two losses have been much more competitive than last year. Russ is actually seeming to respond to Sean Payton’s coaching style. It’s just we haven’t seen those results translate into wins, just yet.
25. Los Angeles Chargers (0–2): Another disappointing Chargers team? Why am I surprised? Okay, again, this is another competitive team early in the season. They still have plenty of time to turn this around. And after all, Justin Herbert is still an exciting, young quarterback. The Chargers also have a running game with Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley.
26. Arizona Cardinals (0–2): This team confuses me. Are they good or is it an illusion? With this 0–2 start, it would seem that I’m the one being tricked but they have lost two close games. Without Kyler Murray, they actually seem like a better team. He’s still unclear on a return and Joshua Dobbs is doing a decent job at quarterback.
27. Minnesota Vikings (0–2): Anyone who’s thinking that the Minnesota start is because of Kirk Cousins is clearly delusional. Kirk Cousins lost in primetime despite an elite offensive performance, not because of it, Colin Cowherd. Minnesota’s defense is just bad and the offense needs to maintain a level they can’t possibly sustain. This is a bad Minnesota team and probably balancing out for such a fluke season last year.
28. New England Patriots (0–2): The Patriots are in a tough division this year. They could possibly leapfrog someone in the division to avoid the cellar but this team has cellar vibes going for them right now. And signing a shell of himself, Ezekiel Elliott, at running back. That smells of desperation. The defense is decent but not great. Mac Jones at quarterback is serviceable but not great.
29. Carolina Panthers (0–2): It pains me to put my favorite team here. The defense could win some games for them but the combination of rookie, Bryce Young to veteran receiver, Adam Thielen doesn’t sound very exciting. Also, Miles Sanders could have to carry more of the load on his new team for them to improve.
30. Cincinnati Bengals (0–2): I don’t see this team down here at the end of the season especially since they are just 2 years removed from their Super Bowl appearance against the Rams. They had a slow start last year too. I expect them to fully rebound and contend for the AFC North title.
31. Houston Texans (0–2): CJ Stroud at quarterback? How’s that going so far? He’s an improvement over their quarterback situation last year. He’ll continue to improve over the course of the season. They’re not playoff bound but they’re definitely better than the team that nearly nabbed the #1 overall draft pick last year.
32. Chicago Bears (0–2): So, the Bears are at the bottom of the league once again? It’s a sad story that Bears fans would love to remedy. But football is played on the field. And speaking of that, Fields has had three interceptions in the first two games. They’re going to need to clean that up and continue to let him run more which is what his strength is. If he doesn’t take a step forward, Chicago takes a huge step back.
So, sports fans, what do you think of my Week 2 rankings? Do you want to get upset at me for correctly ordering them in terms of how they’ve performed over the first two games? I know that I sometimes see rankings online and they go off what they think that the team should be doing and overrate or underrate many teams.
I find an objective balance by looking at the games, the quality of opponents, and things like offensive and defensive performance in the games already played to make my determinations. Sure, this method isn’t perfect but I feel that it’s much better than many of the “experts”. I feel like they sometimes mis-order teams just to start unnecessary controversy and get us to talk about them.
Well, back to football. I will be doing these every week until Week 18 this season on Tuesday or Wednesday every week here only at the Press Box on Medium. Come join us or just sit back and keep reading these lists.
