Like “Saving Private Ryan” or “The Dark Knight,” the NFL season starts fast and gets an audience hooked.
Week 1 offered five games decided by a winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime. Eleven of the 16 games were within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter. Four teams overcame deficits of 10 more points to win or tie.
Who among us expected the Giants, Bears, Texans and Commanders all to be undefeated after Week 1?
Who among us had the Packers, Bengals, 49ers and Titans all winless headed to Week 2?
Pretty much nobody. Here The Post’s NFL power rankings for Week 2:
Buffalo Bills 1-0 (Last week: 1)
What a statement. It felt almost impossible for the Bills to live up to the hype generated in the offseason — and they somehow did so and more with a 31-10 whooping of the Rams. Josh Allen accounted for four touchdowns, but the defense showed the most improvement. Von Miller, 33, looked a decade younger with two sacks.
Kansas City Chiefs 1-0 (2)
Patrick Mahomes didn’t seem to miss Tyreek Hill too much as he threw for 360 yards and five touchdowns, including three trips to the end zone on the first three drives. Travis Kelce topped 100 yards for the 30th time in his career, and the Chiefs built a 30-point fourth-quarter lead over the Cardinals.
Los Angeles Chargers 1-0 (3)
Spoiling Josh McDaniels’ first game as Raiders head coach still doesn’t make up for losing that win-and-in matchup and missing the playoffs last season. Justin Herbert threw for three touchdowns — all to players added in the offseason — and the defense intercepted Derek Carr three times. There’s concern for receiver Keenan Allen’s hamstring, however.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-0 (4)
Making the first start by a 45-year-old quarterback in NFL history, Tom Brady led five scoring drives, even if only one reached the end zone in a second straight season-opening win against the Cowboys. The NFL’s No. 1- and No. 3-ranked rushing defense over the last two seasons was strong again, allowing 3.9 yards per carry.
Baltimore Ravens 1-0 (9)
In the long term, it might hurt the Ravens not to have Lamar Jackson locked into a contract. In the short term, it might help get a highly motivated former NFL MVP. Cut off from running by the Jets, he threw for three touchdowns, and a depleted offensive line held up against a good defensive front.
Los Angeles Rams 0-1 (6)
Only one defending Super Bowl champion suffered a more lopsided season-opening loss than the Rams (21 points). They badly missed the two mercenaries who helped put them over the top –— Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr. — but retired left tackle Andrew Whitworth’s absence was most noticeable as Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions.
Philadelphia Eagles 1-0 (10)
The bold trade and new contract for A.J. Brown paid immediate dividends with a career-high-tying 155 receiving yards. When he wasn’t completing passes to Brown, Jalen Hurts ran 17 times for 90 yards, including a fourth-down conversion to seal a 38-35 win over the Lions. James Bradberry’s pick-six fueled a 24-point second quarter.
Minnesota Vikings 1-0 (19)
Justin Jefferson set a franchise-record with 158 yards receiving and heard “M-V-P” chants in the first half of a 23-7 win against the three-time defending NFC North champion Packers. None of the 10 new head coaches had a more impressive debut than Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings’ new-look 3-4 defense generated four sacks.
Pittsburgh Steelers 1-0 (21)
The Steelers actually beat the Bengals twice in their opener. First, by intercepting Joe Burrow four times to build a 17-3 lead. Then, after giving up the tying touchdown with no time remaining, they blocked the PAT to force overtime and win on a field goal. T.J. Watt’s torn pectoral muscle is a major blow to an elite defense.
Green Bay Packers 0-1 (5)
Maybe Aaron Rodgers should’ve waited until after he had better chemistry with his new drops-prone receivers before taunting the other NFC North teams for always thinking it’s their year. Don’t write off the Packers yet. They lost by 35 points in Week 1 last season and still finished with 13 wins.
Cincinnati Bengals 0-1 (7)
Indianapolis Colts 0-0-1 (11)
Miami Dolphins 1-0 (17)
New Orleans Saints 1-0 (20)
Cleveland Browns 1-0 (22)
Las Vegas Raiders 0-1 (16)
San Francisco 49ers 0-1 (13)
Seattle Seahawks 1-0 (28)
Denver Broncos 0-1 (8)
Dallas Cowboys 0-1 (14)
Washington Commanders 1-0 (23)
Arizona Cardinals 0-1 (12)
New York Giants 1-0 (29)
The Saquon Barkley Show has been renewed. A finally healthy Barkley totaled 194 yards from scrimmage with a touchdown and the game-winning two-point conversion. The Giants didn’t just snap a streak of five straight season-opening losses, they are .500 for the first time at any point in a season since the end of the 2016 after a 21-20 win over the Titans.
Tennessee Titans 0-1 (15)
Chicago Bears 1-0 (31)
New England Patriots 0-1 (18)
Carolina Panthers 0-1 (25)
Houston Texans 0-0-1 (30)
Jacksonville Jaguars 0-1 (26)
New York Jets 0-1 (24)
Dropped passes. Missed blocks. Fumbles. Blown coverages. Name a sloppy mistake and the Jets made it during a 24-9 loss to the Ravens. Joe Flacco has lost his last seven starts but will make at least two more with Zach Wilson sidelined … unless head coach Robert Saleh caves to the fans calling for third-stringer Mike White.
Detroit Lions 0-1 (27)
Atlanta Falcons 0-1 (32)
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