- The Bengals fall in the wake of Joe Burrow’s injury: Despite a 2-0 start, the Bengals drop after losing Burrow for the foreseeable future.
Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes
The power rankings below provide clear tiers on each NFL team’s market assessment, offering a comprehensive view of team standings and future prospects. All of the information below and more can be found in PFF’s Power Rankings tool, which is available with a PFF+ subscription.
It’s important to note that these rankings consider more than just win-loss records and playoff seeding. Factors like player and team-level grades, offensive and defensive efficiency, prior performance from past seasons and strength of schedule all play a role. This is why teams with worse records and slimmer playoff hopes may rank higher than those with better records who have managed wins against weaker opponents or delivered inconsistent performances from key players.
1. Baltimore Ravens (Up 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 88%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 13%
What a strange start to the season for the Ravens. They bounced back from the heartbreaking Week 1 loss with a 41-17 win against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2, but it wasn’t all that convincing despite what the score suggests. The Ravens totaled just 242 yards and 14 first downs, and the usually domineering ground game struggled. Still, Lamar Jackson threw for four touchdowns and earned a 64.6 overall PFF grade.
2. Buffalo Bills (Up 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 96%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 17%
Major concerns about the Bills’ defense will be put to bed — for now at least — following the 30-10 dismantling of the New York Jets. The Bills sacked Justin Fields five times and held the Jets’ offense to just 154 total yards in the win, while the offense racked up over 200 rushing yards. So far, the returns on free agent signing Joey Bosa have been positive: He dominated in Week 2, and his 91.5 overall PFF grade is second among edge defenders.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (Down 2)
Chance of making playoffs: 85%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 11%
The Eagles were on the winning side of a Super Bowl rematch that should have been more compelling than the slopfest it turned out to be, but at 2-0, there’ll be few complaints from the team. And why should there be? Philadelphia entered a hostile atmosphere and shut down the Chiefs‘ offense for most of the game, and even though they weren’t at their best, the Super Bowl champions have started the season undefeated. It helps having a tackle like Jordan Mailata, whose 91.3 overall PFF grade leads all at the position.
4. Green Bay Packers (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: 87%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 10%
The Green Bay Packers have all of the early makings of a juggernaut. In the first two weeks of the season, they’ve beaten the Detroit Lions and the Washington Commanders, both of whom made deep playoff runs in 2024, and were poised to do so again in 2025. Thursday night’s 28-17 win against the Commanders was as competent as it gets. The defense neutralized Jayden Daniels and the Commanders’ offense, while Jordan Love, who posted an 86.7 overall PFF grade, commandeered the Packers’ offense to three total touchdowns. The Packers are positioning themselves as early contenders.
5. Detroit Lions (Up 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 60%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 5%
The demise of the Detroit Lions was greatly exaggerated. The Lions rebounded from a poor Week 1 performance against the Packers to demolish the Chicago Bears, 52-21, in Week 2 and square off their record at 1-1. Obviously, the Lions aren’t going to score 52 points every week, nor are they going to be consistently stifled the way they were in Week 1. The reality is, they’re still one of the best teams in the NFL while led by Jared Goff, who received an 85.1 overall PFF grade in Week 2.
6. Kansas City Chiefs (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 58%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 5%
The Chiefs were looking for revenge at Arrowhead Stadium in a Super Bowl rematch against the Eagles, but the offense struggled to deliver the goods in a 20-17 loss on Sunday. The defense played well, and CB Jaylen Watson collected an 84.7 overall PFF grade, but the Chiefs are 0-2 for the first time since 2014. There’s no reason for serious concern yet, but the Chiefs now have a 58% chance of making the playoffs. They should rebound with a Week 3 win against the Giants, but it’s still an uphill battle from here.
7. Los Angeles Chargers (Up 2)
Chance of making playoffs: 82%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 7%
The Chargers got the job done in an impressive 20-9 victory on the road against the Raiders, and start the year 2-0 for the second-straight season. This time around feels a little different. The offense is thriving around Justin Herbert and his 80.1 overall PFF grade through two weeks, and the defense is top 10 in EPA per play allowed. They could be a force in 2025.
8. Los Angeles Rams (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: 68%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 4%
The Rams were able to pull away from the Tennessee Titans in a back-and-forth Week 2 game, eventually cruising to a 33-19 win off the back of 23 second-half points. Matthew Stafford looked great again, securing a 78.5 overall PFF grade in the win. His connection with Puka Nacua, who is fast on his way to cementing himself as one of the best receivers in the NFL, continues to drive the offense.
9. San Francisco 49ers (Up 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 66%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 2%
The 49ers have opened up the season with two road wins, and the passing game didn’t miss a beat with Mac Jones replacing the injured Brock Purdy under center. Jones, a former first-round pick, completed 26-of-39 pass attempts for 279 yards and three touchdowns against the Saints, generating a 58.6 overall PFF grade as the 49ers persevered for a 26-21 victory. San Francisco is now 2-0, and the last time it started the season with two road wins was in 2023, when the team made it to the Super Bowl.
10. Washington Commanders (Down 3)
Chance of making playoffs: 47%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 2%
A Week 1 victory over the New York Giants was a nice start for the Commanders, but it didn’t move the needle much in how they should be viewed in the broader picture. Should a loss to a very good Packers team in Week 2 change some perspective? Maybe. Jayden Daniels’ 56.1 overall PFF grade in the 28-17 defeat on Thursday was his worst since his Week 1 debut in 2024, and the Commanders’ offense was completely shut down. The sun is still shining in Washington, but the Commanders will have to be better against potential playoff opponents.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Up 3)
Chance of making playoffs: 75%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 3%
Just as they did in Week 1, the Buccaneers got it done late on the road, defeating the Texans 20-19. The ground game led the way, totaling 169 yards, and even without Liam Coen, the Bucs offense is fifth in EPA per play through two weeks. This team just keeps finding ways to be good.
12. Denver Broncos (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: 48%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 3%
The Broncos had this one in the bag, but let it slip. After surrendering an eight-point second-half lead, it looked like Denver escaped with the victory after Colts’ kicker Spencer Shrader missed a field goal as time expired. However, a rare leverage penalty against the Broncos allowed Shrader to kick a 45-yard field goal for the win. The offense looked better in Week 2, and former Oregon receiver Troy Franklin had the best game of his career, catching eight passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. But a loss is a loss, and this will be a frustrating one for the Broncos.
13. Minnesota Vikings (Down 2)
Chance of making playoffs: 27%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%
The Vikings were felled by the Atlanta Falcons in primetime on Sunday night, losing 22-6 and scoring just two field goals. The offense has played eight quarters of football through two weeks, and the fact of the matter is, they’ve struggled in seven of them. J.J. McCarthy turned the ball over three times in the loss, playing to a 49.4 overall PFF grade. Growing pains were to be anticipated, and if there’s any ecosystem where a rookie quarterback could succeed, it’s Minnesota. However, with McCarthy likely out for the next few weeks with an ankle injury, the Vikings will turn to Carson Wentz to steer the ship.
14. Arizona Cardinals (Up 3)
Chance of making playoffs: 48%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%
Try as they might, the Cardinals couldn’t throw away the game against the Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals comfortably led 27-3 in the third quarter after a two-yard James Conner touchdown run, but as the Panthers found their way back, the Cardinals struggled to really put the finishing pieces on the matchups. Eventually, Arizona held on to win 27-22, with veteran Calais Campbell rolling back the years with two sacks and a 77.0 overall PFF grade. Importantly, the Cardinals are now 2-0 to start the season.
15. Indianapolis Colts (Up 4)
Chance of making playoffs: 62%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 2%
The Colts have been emphatic over the first two weeks of the season, and though it’s fair to ask how long it can realistically last, you always have to give Daniel Jones and the team credit for their performances. Jones was electric against one of the best defenses in the NFL in Week 2, leading the Colts to a 29-28 comeback victory against the Denver Broncos. Jones has recorded a 79.9 overall PFF grade through two games, and the Colts sit atop the AFC South all on their lonesome.
16. Houston Texans (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 33%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%
Is the panic meter in Houston rising? After two weeks, the Texans are 0-2, and the offense has struggled to consistently move the ball. Houston is currently 26th in EPA per play, and the offensive line has struggled to protect C.J. Stroud. Things can only get better, but it’ll have to happen fast if the Texans don’t want to fall further behind the Colts.
17. Atlanta Falcons (Up 7)
Chance of making playoffs: 49%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%
One of the more surprising stories through two weeks is the Atlanta Falcons‘ defense. The unit held the Minnesota Vikings to just six points in a 22-6 Week 2 win in primetime, and helped even up the team’s record to 1-1 through two weeks. The first few contests of the season can sometimes be a mirage, but the Falcons’ defense is third in EPA per play allowed.
18. Seattle Seahawks (Up 3)
Chance of making playoffs: 36%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%
The Seahawks’ offense put together a much more complete performance against the Steelers in Week 2. Sure, they got some luck thanks to a special teams blunder, but the offense still assembled together close to 400 total yards, while the defense looks to really be one of the top units in the league. Second-year defensive tackle Byron Murphy II played one of the best games of his young career, too, notching four pressures, two sacks and a 74.7 overall PFF grade in the 31-17 win.
19. Jacksonville Jaguars (Up 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 46%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 2%
Had Brian Thomas Jr. held on to a Trevor Lawrence pass, we’d be talking about the Jaguars more positively at 2-0. Instead, the Jags are 1-1 after the late loss on the road to the Bengals, and questions are already emerging about this young offense. Thomas Jr., who has hauled in just five passes for 60 yards in two games with a 50.0 overall PFF grade, has caught a lot of the flak. It’s still early in Liam Coen’s offense, and the young receiver is talented enough to get back on track — although a scrambling Texans defense awaits in Week 3.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers (Down 4)
Chance of making playoffs: 38%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%
NFL games are so rarely decided by individual moments, but Kaleb Johnson’s flub, which led to the Seahawks downing a live ball in the end zone for a touchdown on a kickoff return, really changed the course of the Week 2 game for the Steelers. From then on, the Steelers struggled to regain control of the matchup and ultimately lost 31-17. After an impressive start to life as a Steeler in Week 1, this game was a little more of a struggle against one of the better defenses in the NFL for Aaron Rodgers, who earned a 62.3 overall PFF grade in the loss.
21. Chicago Bears (Down 3)
Chance of making playoffs: 12%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
The Packers beat the Lions convincingly, who beat the Bears easily in Week 2, after Chicago lost to the Vikings in Week 1. If you’re keeping track, the Bears are, once again, at the bottom of the NFC North food chain and are 0-2. There are positives, though, as 2024 first-round pick Rome Odunze caught seven passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns, and his 70.0 overall PFF grade is 26th among receivers in the NFL. It’s also early days, so no one should be writing the Bears off yet. However, the signs so far are that this could be a season dedicated to incremental growth, as opposed to a deep playoff run. That could all change in an instant, but the Bears have the fifth-toughest remaining schedule.
22. Dallas Cowboys (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 22%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%
No one expected a Week 2 matchup between the Cowboys and the Giants to be the most entertaining game of the week, but instead, we were treated to a 40-37 barnstormer that now pushes the Cowboys to 1-1. The first two weeks should serve as a reminder that this Cowboys offense still has the juice, so long as Dak Prescott is under center. His 89.9 overall PFF grade is the second-highest among quarterbacks through two weeks.
23. Las Vegas Raiders (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 29%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%
The Raiders struggled against a strong Chargers defense in Week 2, losing 20-9 and falling to 1-1. The offense, which currently ranks 29th in EPA per play, will see better days. There’s too much talent on that side of the ball, combined with Chip Kelly’s playcalling, for it to fail. Right?
24. New England Patriots (Up 2)
Chance of making playoffs: 38%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%
What a performance from Drake Maye and the Patriots’ offense in Week 2. Maye churned out an 83.6 overall PFF grade against the Dolphins, completing 82.6% of his passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns while adding another score on the ground. His breakout feels close and very real. The Patriots level up their record to 1-1 and take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3.
25. Cincinnati Bengals (Down 12)
Chance of making playoffs: 40%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 2%
The Bengals may have won the Week 2 battle against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they may have lost the war after losing Joe Burrow to a toe injury that will likely keep him out for a minimum of three months. That’s obviously bad news for the Bengals, who have started the season 2-0 for the first time since 2018. But, backup Jake Browning led the team to a 4-3 record when Burrow was sidelined in 2023, and he helped galvanize the team to victory against the Jaguars in Week 2 with a 57.1 overall PFF grade. Cincinnati did miss the postseason in 2023, but if Browning can keep the team steady until Burrow returns, the Bengals could have a chance.
26. Miami Dolphins (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 15%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
No team has less goodwill than the Miami Dolphins right now. A bad defensive performance in Week 2 has left the team already free-falling at 0-2. The preseason optics around the franchise weren’t good. We’re just two weeks into the season, but this team feels like it’s heading toward some big conversations. No defense has allowed a higher EPA per play through two weeks.
27. New York Giants (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 5%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
What a response from Russell Wilson in Week 2. Sure, the Giants were on the losing end of a 40-37 game and now sit at 0-2, but the perception feels a little better. Wilson’s place as the Giants’ starter felt immediately under threat after a poor Week 1, but Wilson responded with a 450-yard, three-touchdown performance, good for an 88.2 overall PFF grade against the Cowboys in the loss. The problem is the Giants still have the second-toughest remaining schedule, so wins are going to be hard to come by.
28. New York Jets (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 11%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
The Jets’ Week 2 loss against the Bills was a bad one. Justin Fields recorded a 30.7 overall PFF grade in the 30-10 defeat before exiting the game with a concussion. After all of the positives and moral victories from Week 1, the reality is the Jets are 0-2 and face the Buccaneers on the road in Week 3.
29. Cleveland Browns (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: 7%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
The Browns are 0-2 after a 41-17 loss against the Ravens in Week 2, but interestingly, they’ve outgained their opponents yardage-wise 649-383 in the first two weeks of the season. The defense has played out of its skin against two of the best offenses in the NFL and is currently ninth in EPA per play allowed. Cleveland’s defense should continue to play hard and make life tough for opponents moving forward. The big question is, who will start at quarterback in Week 3?
30. Carolina Panthers (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: 10%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
The Carolina Panthers deserve all of the credit in the world for battling from 27-3 down to 27-22 against the Cardinals in Week 2 and making this a game worth caring about, but at some point, they’re going to have to start contests more competitively — they’ve scored just six points in the first half through two games. Rookie first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan has looked the part so far, though, and his 75.8 overall PFF grade is 12th among receivers.
31. Tennessee Titans (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: 10%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
Week 2 proved a much better offensive performance from the Titans despite the 33-19 loss to the rolling Rams. Cam Ward earned a solid 68.5 overall PFF grade in his second career start, and his connection with rookie receiver Elic Ayomanor could become a foundational part of the offense. Ayomanor caught four of six targets for 56 yards and a touchdown, good for a 73.5 overall grade. Sure, the Titans are 0-2, but progression comes in all forms.
32. New Orleans Saints (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: 3%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
Like the Titans, the Saints are 0-2 but have been playing competitive football the entire way. Spencer Rattler’s 79.7 overall PFF grade is eighth among quarterbacks, and if his play continues to impress, there might be a chance we don’t see second-round pick Tyler Shough this season. Look, it’s still September, and the wheels could easily come off if the Saints keep losing games — and they will — but they’ve still impressed.
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