Week 2 AP NFL Power Rankings: The AFC dominates the top five

The Arrowhead Pride team ranks the league from top to bottom.

By Tom Childs@tomchilds56 Sep 13, 2022, 1:42pm CDT

Well, that was worth the wait, wasn’t it?

Yeah... Thursday’s game between the Rams and the Bills wasn't as close as the neutral would have liked — but Sunday sure made up for it with some crazy games and spectacular performances.

The last half hour in Cincinnati was certifiably mental, the coaching decisions in Houston were mind-boggling and the play of Patrick Mahomes was so good that he looked like a quarterback who is ready to make the leap to being up there with top-tier quarterbacks like Justin Fields, Kirk Cousins and Ryan Tannehill.

But the real story of the week was saved for Monday night in Seattle...

Now don’t get me wrong, I would have been delighted with the Broncos losing regardless... but the way they lost... OMG. Imagine (IMAGINE) paying your quarterback that much money to not even let him cook at fourth-and-5 with 50 seconds left. Andy Reid would never.

This week's voters were Jared Sapp, Stephen Serda, Rocky Magana, Talon Graff and myself.

1. Buffalo Bills (1st)

The Bills’ hype train will not be slowing down any time soon.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (3rd)

Normal people: Mahomes was unbelievable.

PFF: But Josh Allen, Kirk Cousins, Ryan Tannehill, Justin Herbert, Jameis Winston, Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts were better.

3. Los Angeles Chargers (5th)

Last season, they would have almost certainly lost that game.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4th)

Easily the most impressive of the NFC South teams this weekend.

5. Baltimore Ravens (8th)

Lamar Jackson was absolutely right to turn down the Ravens’ contract offer.

6. Los Angeles Rams (2nd)

That was the single worst banner-game performance since the Patriots were steamrolled by Alex Smith’s Chiefs in 2017.

7. Minnesota Vikings (16th) This week’s highest riser

Justin Jefferson for Offensive Player of the Year?

8. Cincinnati Bengals (6th)

Why couldn’t Evan McPhearson miss kicks in January?

9. Philadelphia Eagles (10th)

I still cannot believe the Titans let A.J. Brown go.

10. Green Bay Packers (7th)

The Packers were also battered in Week 1 of last season. This isn’t the time to overreact.

11. San Francisco 49ers (9th)

I’m willing to give a pass to the 49ers — but only because of the field conditions.

12. Las Vegas Raiders (12th)

Derek Carr was holding the ball for soooooooo long during that final drive. Have some self-awareness, man.

13. Miami Dolphins (21st)

The way Chiefs Twitter collectively went after Tua after he underthrew Tyreek was both hilarious and predictable.

14. New Orleans Saints (20th)

It’s nice to see elite players come back from injury and prove that they’ve still got it. Before you ask, I’m talking about Michael Thomas — not Jameis Winston.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (18th)

If the Steelers could get competent quarterback play, then they would be Super Bowl contenders.

16. Arizona Cardinals (15th)

You’re right, Kyler Murray. You did get your a** kicked.

17. Tennessee Titans (14th)

The AFC South is awful.

18. New England Patriots (19th)

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

19. Indianapolis Colts (17th)

The AFC South is depressing.

20. Denver Broncos (13th)

Hahahaha.