NFL: Weekly Power Rankings
1. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0): The Eagles staved off a late rally by the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football, coming away with their fourth straight victory, dating back to the postseason and subsequent Super Bowl victory. Philadelphia can win any number of ways and they proved that again with the 18-12 win over Atlanta. It wasn't a pretty win by any stretch of the imagination, but they were able to grab a win in a defensive battle, which is always difficult to do. Even though QB Nick Foles couldn't get the offense going for much of the night, the defense stepped up and filled the gap. RB Jay Ajayi was also impressive in Week 1, scoring a pair of touchdowns and recording a game-high 62 yards for the Eagles.
2. New England Patriots (1-0): The Patriots allowed the Houston Texans to make a run late in the game, which made the score look a little bit closer than it actually was. But in reality, the Patriots were in control for most of the game and a 27-20 will suffice for a sloppy Week 1 across the league. QB Tom Brady was no exception to that as he threw an interception deep in his side of the field. But he was able to get it together and throw for 277 yards. TE Rob Gronkowski, who flirted with retirement over the summer, looked nothing short of great as well. He got the scoring starter with an early touchdown and ended the game with 123 receiving yards. The Patriots will take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in a Week 2 showdown.
3. Minnesota Vikings (1-0): The Vikings made it all the way to the NFC championship game last season, but they were still looking to get even better. And after one performance, it seems they might have done so. One of the biggest storylines over the summer was the addition of QB Kirk Cousins from the Washington Redskins, and it seems he fits in the Vikings' offensive system. Cousins was out-gained by QB Jimmy Garoppolo, but the San Francisco 49ers couldn't get to Cousins and that made all the difference. Minnesota played a really clean game and came away with the 24-16 victory. WR Adam Thielen led both teams in receiving yards with 102. We'll get the first of two heavily-anticipated games behind the Vikings and Green Bay Packers next week.
4. Los Angeles Rams (1-0): The Rams didn't exactly get off to a flying start on Monday Night Football as the Oakland Raiders marched right down the field and took an early 7-0 lead. But the Rams hung around, and waited for their opportunity to pounce. In the second half, they eventually did so. Los Angeles went into the half trailing 13-10, but outscored the Raiders 23-0 in the third and fourth to win easily. QB Jared Goff looked really patient, throwing for 233 yards and two touchdowns, and not turning the ball over at all. RB Todd Gurley, who is in the running for Offensive Player of the Year, compiled 108 yards on 20 carries. The Rams will be favored in their next two games: Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers.
5. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0): The Chiefs weren't supposed to be this good. At least not yet. We'll be cautious with them (especially because of how last year went), but after Week 1, they look like one of the best teams in the league. QB Patrick Mahomes looked more than comfortable in his first season opener, throwing for 256 yards and four (!) touchdowns on 55.5 percent. We knew he was good, but it's supposed to take players a little time to get adjusted to the NFL, right? Apparently that doesn't apply to Mahomes. He was also helped out by one of the most dangerous players in the league, WR Tyreek Hill, who exploded for 169 receiving yards on seven catches and two scores. The Chiefs will get a chance to prove it again versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.
MVP Rankings:
1. Tom Brady (Patriots)
2. Jared Goff (Rams)
3. Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)
4. Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
5. Jay Ajayi (Eagles)
Photo Credit: WBLZ Media.
