Steelers begin out of the Playoff Picture in Week 1 NFL Power Rankings

Unlike any river known to man, the NFL season ebbs and flows chaotically. "Any given Sunday" is less of a cliche and more of a standard of life in the league.

But even before the season gets started, the NFL landscape is largely understood among the haves and have-nots. Where every team falls in a full power ranking of all 32 teams is a daily debate. We'll make our call each week based on the outcomes and news.

An old saying goes, "To be the man, you've gotta beat the man." Looking for a three-peat, few have beaten the man, and even fewer when it counts.

For my money, San Francisco has the best roster in the NFL outside of its quarterback. But Brock Purdy has shown he can hang with the big boys with the weapons surrounding him. The status quo in San Francisco remains the same.

The Ravens remain on the cusp of greatness. Still, Baltimore welcomed several new faces and not all are guaranteed to be the answer to get the team over the hump.

Detroit is alive with the pride of Lions football. Dan Campbell's concerns that last year was their one shot to capture lightning in a bottle were unfounded. His team is even stronger in 2024 and has the confidence to back up every positive prediction.

Cincinnati is in a position where if Joe Burrow is healthy, they can win it all. Their defense might be the worst in the AFC North and it's still top-10 in the NFL. They've got the pieces in place to continue to be a threat to the Chiefs' AFC crown.

Houston doesn't carry much experience, but the Texans' roster might have some of the most exciting young core of players the league has seen in some time. DeMeco Ryans's impeccable coaching staff can take this team far.

Buffalo will likely rise back to the top five after the offense settles in. Josh Allen just has to protect the football and not force the issue now that he's throwing to some unproven receivers.

Philadelphia is a giant question mark. They have all the skill on both sides of the ball you can ask for. However, the results on the field in 2023 weren't reflective of the talent. Can they get back to championship-caliber football in 2024?

No one is in the Cowboys' way quite like the Cowboys. The rushing attack is the biggest question mark, but Dak Prescott has shown for long enough he can get the ball to his playmakers. Dallas's defense will carry the load regardless.

Green Bay ended on a high note in 2023 and with the pieces surrounding Jordan Love growing at his pace, the Packers can be a nuisance to the top teams in the NFL this season.

Miami is in the same boat as Cincinnati just without prior success. They have more than enough firepower on both sides of the ball to make a run, but they have to have better injury luck than last year.

The Rams continue on without Aaron Donald, but the offensive prowess lessens the blow. Matthew Stafford could stand to throw fewer picks, but a healthy Cooper Kupp should help in that regard.

Jim Harbaugh may run the ball a bit more than the Chargers have in recent years, but that doesn't mean the offense will suffer. Regardless of how anyone feels about him, Harbaugh is a winner and he's now coaching one of the most promising young quarterbacks in the league.

The Browns' defense could take the franchise to previously unseen heights in the Super Bowl era. Unfortunately for them, Deshaun Watson still hasn't returned to form.

The Steelers slot in behind the Browns because Cleveland at least has some optimism surrounding its offense. The Steelers have been anemic offensively for years, and the defense can only do so much. At this point, something has to give with Arthur Smith and Russell Wilson at the forefront.

Tampa Bay had some consistency issues in 2023, but they've taken on all of Baker Mayfield's moxie. The NFC South is their's to win.

We know what the Jets are without Aaron Rodgers, but we don't know what they are with him. Conventional wisdom says they should be pretty damn good with Rodgers on the field. Maybe I'm overly skeptical.

Who wouldn't want to be Caleb Williams right now? The Bears have done a solid job of surrounding him with quality weapons and that defense isn't too bad either. Still, Chicago has to prove every bit of optimism is warranted with some wins before they can climb into the playoff conversation.

The Falcons should be improved offensively with Kirk Cousins taking over at quarterback. There are plenty of playmakers he can spread the ball to. Is the defense going to match up? It's not likely.

Seattle could use a heavy dose of Kenneth Walker III in 2024. If the Seahawks can control the pace of the game, they'll most likely win it. The problems lie in the passing game inconsistencies and the defense, which is far removed from the Legion of Boom era.

Jacksonville in 2023 was a total let down and the roster in 2024 doesn't look quite as good. Trevor Lawrence has to find that guy who dominated at Clemson and unleash him this year, or some uncomfortable questions may begin to arise.

If Anthony Richardson can stay healthy, the Colts could be one of the most exciting teams in football. That's a big if.

The Cardinals played with a ton of heart in 2023. They are one of my favorite dark horse teams this year. If Kyler Murray stays healthy, they can hang with almost anyone in the NFL.

There was plenty to like from Will Levis in his rookie campaign. The rest of the Titans season was largely unpleasant viewing. This season is all about getting Levis comfortable and showing growth. Making the playoffs is out of the question in my opinion.

Jayden Daniels provides the spark, but also a red flag. Can he keep himself healthy with his running style? If not, the Commanders are in for a rough season. Still, no one should be surprised if Daniels can replicate RGIII's stellar rookie campaign in the capital.

Most expected Sam Darnold to be the starting quarterback before handing things over to JJ McCarthy anyway. The Vikings were in a rough position from the start. Hopefully, Justin Jefferson will still be good for some highlight-reel plays.

There isn't a lot to like about the New Orleans Saints. Derek Carr plateaued a while ago and the playmakers are aging. The Saints look destined for an unwelcomed rebuild.

Maybe I should be more optimistic about Bo Nix, but I'm not seeing it. If Sean Payton is the quarterback whisperer he's billed to be, he's Nix's best chance at success. Denver will climb with some wins, but they are still far from contending for a precious AFC playoff spot.

If you have two quarterbacks you have none. In the case of the Las Vegas Raiders, they'd settle for just one. The defense will keep them in more games than they have business being in, if there is a silver lining.

Malik Nabers looks like the real deal. Unfortunately for the Giants, the Daniel Jones experiment has panned out as expected. Their only hope is for Brian Daboll to unlock whatever magic he found in 2022.

The Carolina Panthers have one thing over the Patriots to stay out of the bottom spot: Bryce Young. The cast around him is improved, even if by a smaller margin than he'd probably like.

I expect the Patriots will be interesting on defense, but the offense might just be the worst in the NFL. Jacoby Brissett does have some exciting young options at receiver. But make no mistake, Brissett is starting because the offense in New England isn't NFL caliber and Drake Maye doesn't deserve the same fate as Young in Carolina last year.