Ranking on two weeks’ notice
Not too early to size up best bets to deny Patriots another ring
NFL fans shouldn’t need a long memory to know not to get carried away by a 2-0 start. Since the league expanded its playoff field to 12 teams in 1990, 61.3 per cent of those who started off with consecutive victories reached the post-season. But look only to last year to see how a promising start doesn’t indicate whether a team is built for the long haul. The Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Cincinnati Bengals were all unblemished through the first two weeks before crumbling to losing seasons. With that in mind, we ranked all nine of this year’s 2-0 NFL teams and separated them into three tiers — contenders, check back later and fool’s gold:
CONTENDERS
1. New England Patriots
Any doubts about the defending champions seem more like wishful thinking by the franchise’s strenuous objectors at this point. The Patriots’ plus-73 point differential is already close to last year’s total (plus-111) and the highest mark through two weeks for any team since 1975. Tom Brady and the imposing receiving trio of Antonio Brown, Josh Gordon and Julian Edelman will draw the most attention, but the defence hasn’t allowed a touchdown since last year’s AFC championship game and could challenge to be Bill Belichick’s most formidable unit in New England yet. The only visible stumbling block is the loss of left tackle Isaiah Wynn, which likely will force a reshuffling up front until his expected return in November. But the Patriots are the best bet to be the last undefeated team standing — and that 16-0 talk might linger.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
If anyone is to challenge the Patriots for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, this looks to be the group to do it. Patrick Mahomes has lived up to last season’s MVP standards. Explosive outings from wide receivers Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson showed Kansas City can get by while deep-threat dynamo Tyreek Hill works his way back from a collarbone injury. Significant improvements still need to be made in the run blocking (just 3.0 yards per carry) and pass rush, particularly from prized edge acquisition Frank Clark. But so long as Mahomes and Andy Reid are in sync, the Chiefs will be one of the league’s hardest teams to put away.
3. Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay seems to have staved off any Super Bowl hangover ... for the most part. While Jared Goff has been out of sorts in early stretches of each of their first two wins, the defending NFC champions might be seeing the conference’s balance of power tilt in their favour after Saints QB Drew Brees’ injury. Additionally, running back Todd Gurley has resolved many of the questions surrounding his status and wide receiver Cooper Kupp’s return has elevated both the passing and running game. Aaron Donald’s sackless slump also seems likely to end sooner rather than later.
4. Dallas Cowboys
While continuity has been key for a Cowboys core that has re- mained in place, the prolific early performances are inextricably linked to perhaps the biggest change of the off-season: Kellen Moore’s promotion to offensive co-ordinator. Though he didn’t overhaul Dallas’ attack, Moore has placed an emphasis on pre-snap motion and play action to keep defences off balance. Dak Prescott has an NFL-best 82.3 per cent completion rate despite taking a bold approach with deep shots and Ezekiel Elliott (36 carries, 164 yards, two touchdowns) is off to the best two-game start of his career. Things likely won’t be this smooth for the offence for the duration of the year, but Moore isn’t giving opponents’ many openings to slow his group down.
5. Green Bay Packers
That Matt LaFleur has yet to lose despite his offence ranking 29th in yards (274 per game) can be taken one of two ways: as an indictment of the first-year coach’s slowly gestating attack or an indicator of how good Green Bay could be if the unit gels later in the year. While growth isn’t a given, Aaron Rodgers and Co. showed glimpses of what could be by engineering three straight touchdown drives to open a 21-16 win against the Vikings before stalling the rest of the game. What is clear: defensive co-ordinator Mike Pettine’s group looks like one of the NFL’s most tenacious and the Packers have a solid advantage in the NFC North after dispatching two divisional foes.
CHECK BACK LATER
6. Baltimore Ravens
Though many off-season tropes and talking points seemingly fade away once the games actually begin, the Ravens’ crowing about Lamar Jackson’s improvement proved to be on point. The second-year quarterback already has thrown more touchdowns this year (seven) than he did in all of 2018 (six) and helped power Baltimore to 1,083 yards of total offence, the third-highest total through two weeks in NFL history. But those current trajectories likely aren’t sustainable against a higher quality of opponent, as Baltimore beat down the team that drafted No. 1 this year (the Cardinals) and the one seemingly most likely to do so next year (the Dolphins). Upcoming tilts at the Chiefs and home against the Browns should reveal plenty.
7. San Francisco 49ers
Notching two road wins in the Eastern time zone, even against the Buccaneers and Bengals, is a solid accomplishment for a group that went 0-8 last year away from Levi’s Stadium. Though Jimmy Garoppolo likely won’t have targets running free downfield in the same way he did against Cincinnati, the promise of a fully functional Kyle Shanahan offence is starting to manifest. Investments in the front four are also paying off, as the defensive line is responsible for all seven of the team’s sacks so far this year. How the team handles the loss of stalwart left tackle Joe Staley, who is expected to be out eight weeks with a broken leg and will be replaced by sixth-round rookie Justin Skule, could prove telling for the team’s post-season fortune.
8. Seattle Seahawks
Save for Russell Wilson, style points are in short supply in Seattle. In squeezing out close wins over the Bengals without A.J. Green and a Steelers team that lost Ben Roethlisberger before halftime, the Seahawks overcame sloppy play and penalties to secure their first 2-0 start since their Super Bowlwinning campaign of 2013. Better protection is needed up front for a group in danger of regressing after last year’s leap forward, but Wilson’s quickpassing ability already has helped obscure this shortcoming. Though the September schedule should remain forgiving with an upcoming matchup against the Brees-less Saints, October could be a proving ground with matchups against the Rams, Browns, Ravens and Falcons on tap.
FOOL’S GOLD
9. Buffalo Bills
Triumphs at the Meadowlands against the Jets and Giants shouldn’t be dismissed and it’s possible the Bills exploit a favourable schedule (seven of their remaining games are against 0-2 teams) and threaten for a wild-card spot. But Sean McDermott’s staunch defence can carry this group only so far, while second-year quarterback Josh Allen hasn’t shaken concerns about his inconsistencies simply by topping two moribund opponents. Buffalo fans also ought to know better than to let this small sample reset expectations. In their previous five 2-0 starts since 2000, the Bills have finished with a winning record just once (2014, 9-7) and never made the playoffs. At least it’s good to be the kings of New York.