As usual, the opening weekend of the NFL season provided plenty of fodder for analysts to over-digest. Team A is not what it was last year, Team B is a completely different team altogether, etc. It seems inevitable that over-analysis leads to overreaction. In adjusting my own power ratings after Week 1 of any NFL season, I always make a mental note to NOT overreact. Keep my wits and let the first few games of the season dictate the direction. I truly believe we won’t get a true picture of any team’s strength until they play under different circumstances, face varying levels of competition and make adjustments to things that aren’t working. As such, you will see that the biggest power rating move for any team this week is 2.5 points. Let’s take a look at how all of my strength indicators line up after the first week of games.
Power Ratings: Buffalo is a clear No. 1
Despite turnover problems and some other bad-luck scenarios in the first half of their season-opening win at the Rams, it was evident that the Bills are the class of the league. Quarterback Josh Allen showed his MVP form, and the addition of Von Miller on the defensive side of the ball looks to be an incredible boost to the pass rush. The Chiefs bumped up as well after a huge offensive outburst at Arizona, but they are 1.5 points behind the top spot. The Bucs, Chargers and Vikings round out the top 5. The bottom spot is shared by the Jets and Texans, although Houston moved up after a Week 1 tie with the Colts, while the Jets slid down after a woeful effort against the Ravens.
Biggest upward movers