Arizona Sports’ NFL Power Rankings Week 2: Packers rise, Cardinals plummet

One week in and there’s already been a shakeup in the Arizona Sports NFL Power Rankings.

Of course, most of that shakeup was caused by Kansas City’s dismantling of the New England Patriots in the season’s first game last Thursday night. Alex Smith turned in one of the best performances of his career with 368 yards and four touchdowns and the world got introduced to Kareem Hunt. The third-round pick out of Toledo rolled up 246 yards from scrimmage and visited the end zone three times in the Chiefs’ triumph over last week’s unanimous No. 1 team.

With the win, the Chiefs bounced up to No. 2 in this week’s rankings and the Patriots fell to No. 5.

But it’s the Green Bay Packers taking over this week’s top spot. After debuting at No. 3, the Packers took apart the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field, sacking Russell Wilson three times and making life generally hard on Seattle’s already-challenged offense in a 17-9 win.

Here’s the rest of this week’s NFL Power Rankings from ArizonaSports.com.

Ties will go to the team that receives the majority of higher rankings from our panel.

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Week 2 Composite BallotBurns | Jurecki | Lapinski | Marotta | Morgan 

Biggest Riser: Baltimore Ravens ▲10
Biggest Faller(s): Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans ▼9

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1. Green Bay Packers (1-0)

Shift: ▲2
Hi: 1
Lo: 3
Comment: We already knew how good QB Aaron Rodgers was, but how about that much maligned Packer defense? — Morgan
Next: at Atlanta (Sunday night)

2. Kansas City Chiefs(1-0)

Shift: ▲5
Hi: 1
Lo: 3
Comment: The Chiefs looked better than any team in Week 1 and are loaded with offensive weapons. Losing Eric Berry hurts though. — Marotta
Next: vs. Philadelphia (Sunday)

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)

Shift: ▲1
Hi: 1
Lo: 7
Comment: Bell looked he was playing in the preseason; ground game vs. Browns 17 carries for 35 yards. — Jurecki
Next: vs. Minnesota (Sunday)

4. Oakland Raiders (1-0)

Shift: ▲2
Hi: 2
Lo: 6
Comment: Lynch was a clock killer in the 4th quarter. Impressive win. — Burns
Next: vs. New York Jets (Sunday)

5. New England Patriots (0-1)

Shift: ▼4
Hi: 2
Lo: 7
Comment: It’s one week. And the Brady/Belichick Pats have a history of winning Super Bowls after starting 0-1 and/or losing to KC. — Lapinski
Next: at New Orleans Sunday

6. Dallas Cowboys (1-0)

Shift: ▲2
Hi: 4
Lo: 6
Comment: The Elliot news changes the dynamic but I still think they’re going to regress. — Burns
Next: at Denver (Sunday)

7. Atlanta Falcons (1-0)

Shift: ▼2
Hi: 3
Lo: 8
Comment: Managed to hold on to a fourth quarter lead this time. Barely. — Lapinski
Next: vs. Green Bay (Sunday)

8. Seattle Seahawks (0-1)

Shift: ▼6
Hi: 7
Lo: 10
Comment: Packers were able to stop the run, Russell Wilson led the Seahawks in rushing. — Jurecki
Next: vs. San Francisco (Sunday)

9. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

Shift: ▲6
Hi: 8
Lo: 15
Comment: The Eagles snapped a five-game skid against the Redskins dating to Sept. 9, 2014. — Morgan
Next: at Kansas City (Sunday)

10. Minnesota Vikings (1-0)

Shift: ▲7
Hi: 10
Lo: 13
Comment: Bradford chucking the ball deep and Cook making AP a temporary afterthought. — Burns
Next: at Pittsburgh (Monday)

11. Denver Broncos (1-0)

Shift: ▲1
Hi: 8
Lo: 16
Comment: If Trevor Siemian can continue to play like he did Monday, this will be a playoff team. Big if though. — Marotta
Next: vs. Dallas (Sunday)

12. Baltimore Ravens (1-0)

Shift: ▲10
Hi: 9
Lo: 15
Comment: T Sizzle reportedly told Tony Jefferson “You were born to be a Raven.” — Burns
Next: vs. Cleveland (Sunday)

13. Carolina Panthers (1-0)

Shift: ▲2
Hi: 10
Lo: 15
Comment: I’d make Luke Kuechly a two-way player and put him at tight end. — Marotta
Next: vs. Buffalo (Sunday)

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-0)

Shift: ▼1
Hi: 11
Lo: 18
Comment: Irma made everyone wait a week to find out how real this Bucs team is. — Morgan
Next: vs. Chicago (Sunday)

15. Detroit Lions (1-0)

Shift: ▼1
Hi: 12
Lo: 16
Comment: That has to be the worst special teams performance by a winning team in years. — Lapinski
Next: at New York Giants (Monday night)

16. Tennessee Titans (0-1)

Shift: ▼5
Hi: 12
Lo: 21
Comment: Lost at home to the Raiders, scored only 16 points. Mariota still taking hits. — Jurecki
Next: at Jacksonville (Sunday)

17. New York Giants (0-1)

Shift: ▼5
Hi: 13
Lo: 23
Comment: Without OBJ, Eli just looks like the kid whose parents make him play football so he can meet new friends. — Lapinski
Next: vs. Detroit (Monday night)

18. Arizona Cardinals (0-1)

Shift: ▼9
Hi: 17
Lo: 20
Comment: I’m trying to convince myself they can still be okay this year. It’s not going well. — Burns
Next: at Indianapolis (Sunday)

19. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0)

Shift: ▲7
Hi: 17
Lo: 21
Comment: Calais Campbell’s four year, $60 million contract looked good on Sunday when he posted four sacks. — Morgan
Next: vs. Tennessee (Sunday)

20. Los Angeles Rams (1-0)

Shift: ▲8
Hi: 17
Lo: 22
Comment: Jared Goff passed the eye test, the defense had 2 touchdowns and a safety. — Jurecki
Next: vs. Washington (Sunday)

21. Miami Dolphins (0-0)

Shift: ▲2
Hi: 17
Lo: 24
Comment: Going 16 weeks without a bye is tough. — Burns
Next: at Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday)

22. New Orleans Saints (0-1)

Shift: ▼3
Hi: 20
Lo: 24
Comment: Does Adrian Peterson have anything left? Going back to ’16, he’s averaging 2.0 YPC in his last four games. — Marotta
Next: vs. New England (Sunday)

23. Washington Redskins (0-1)

Shift: ▼2
Hi: 18
Lo: 25
Comment: Pryor dropped the opening play of the game, and had another drop in the fourth quarter. — Jurecki
Next: at Los Angeles Rams (Sunday)

24. Los Angeles Chargers (0-1)

Shift: —
Hi: 21
Lo: 26
Comment: The Chargers have few fans in Los Angeles. They didn’t help the cause with that bizarre two-minute drill in Denver. — Morgan
Next: vs. Miami (Sunday)

25. Houston Texans (0-1)

Shift: ▼9
Hi: 20
Lo: 27
Comment: Benched QB Tom Savage for Deshaun Watson. Duane Brown is still holding out, O-line gave up 10 sacks. — Jurecki
Next: at Cincinnati (Thursday night)

26. Buffalo Bills (1-0)

Shift: ▲1
Hi: 25
Lo: 27
Comment: Enjoy your time atop the AFC East, Buffalo. — Marotta
Next: at Carolina (Sunday)

27. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)

Shift: ▼7
Hi: 26
Lo: 28
Comment: The foundation for any successful season: getting shut out at home to begin the year. — Lapinski
Next: vs. Houston (Thursday night)

28. Chicago Bears (0-1)

Shift: ▲1
Hi: 27
Lo: 29
Comment: Mike Glennon was decent in the opener and had a chance to win at the end of the game. — Jurecki
Next: at Tampa Bay (Sunday)

29. Cleveland Browns (0-1)

Shift: ▲1
Hi: 28
Lo: 30
Comment: Competitive vs. Steelers, they are going to be better this year. — Burns
Next: at Baltimore (Sunday)

30. San Francisco 49ers (0-1)

Shift: ▲1
Hi: 29
Lo: 31
Comment: The 49ers’ offense is an ocular affront. — Morgan
Next: at Seattle (Sunday)

31. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)

Shift: ▲1
Hi: 30
Lo: 32
Comment: The Colts without Andrew Luck are about as useful as a car without wheels. Or doors. Or an engine. — Lapinski
Next: vs. Arizona (Sunday)

32. New York Jets (0-1)

Shift: —
Hi: 31
Lo: 32
Comment: If I’m Sam Darnold, I’m looking for another sport to play. — Lapinski
Next: at Oakland (Sunday)

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