The NFL’s first week brought enough shake-up to redraw the top of ESPN’s power rankings, and the biggest mover landed all the way at No. 1. After opening the season at No. 3 in the preseason list, the Buffalo Bills climbed to the top spot following their 36-31 road win over the Houston Texans.
That result carried extra weight for Buffalo. It was the Bills’ first win in Houston since 2006, ending a run of losses down in Texas. It also came in the first regular-season game coached by Joe Brady, and the Bills handled it well.
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz highlighted DJ Moore’s debut as a big reason for the bump. Moore finished with five catches for 100 yards, and one of those grabs turned into a 43-yard touchdown after Houston safety Reed Blankenship missed badly while going for an interception.
Schatz also pointed to the other ways Moore impacted the game, writing, "However, Moore also did a lot of things that didn't end up in his standard receiving totals. He drew a 46-yard pass interference penalty and later an illegal contact flag.
He also slapped away what appeared to be a very likely interception for Houston safety Calen Bullock."
He summed it up this way: "It was everything the Bills could have asked for when they traded for Moore in March."
For Buffalo, the payoff is obvious: Josh Allen has a dependable target, and ESPN’s rankings reflect just how strong that opener looked.
Behind the Bills, ESPN slotted the Seattle Seahawks at No. 2, followed by the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos and New England Patriots to round out the top 10.
The Texans checked in at No. 11 after the loss to Buffalo, while the Detroit Lions landed at No. 12. The rest of the top half included the Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers.
Rounding out the full Week 2 rankings were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 20, Pittsburgh Steelers at No.
21, Indianapolis Colts at No. 22, Washington Commanders at No.
23, Arizona Cardinals at No. 24, New Orleans Saints at No.
25, Carolina Panthers at No. 26, New York Jets at No.
27, Las Vegas Raiders at No. 28, Atlanta Falcons at No.
29, Tennessee Titans at No. 30, Miami Dolphins at No. 31 and Cleveland Browns at No.
In Other News...
Bills Home Opener Is Becoming A Costly Headache For Fans
The Bills home opener against the Detroit Lions is turning into a planning exercise as much as a football date for fans hoping to be in Orchard Park. Hotel rooms near Highmark Stadium are scarce and expensive, and even getting a place to leave the car has become part of the scramble, with stadium parking already sold out and neighborhood lots left as the main backup.
With a big crowd expected, the game day logistics are getting tighter by the hour. Several roads around the stadium will close before kickoff, adding another layer for anyone making the trip, and it has turned what should be a straightforward opening weekend into a costly headache for Bills supporters trying to get in the door. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Fans Got The DJ Moore Update They Needed
DJ Moore gave the Bills something to keep an eye on after he was hurt on the final snap of Buffalos game against the Panthers, but the immediate concern has eased. Head coach Joe Brady later said Moore was good to go, and the receiver is not listed on Buffalos injury report heading into the next matchup with the Detroit Lions.
That is welcome news for a Bills offense that already saw what Moore can bring in his debut. He finished with five catches, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown, giving Buffalo a big-play presence that showed up right away and should matter again as the schedule stiffens. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Win Didnt Stop Jim Leonhard From Zeroing In On One Concern
Jim Leonhard had plenty to like after Buffalos 36-31 season-opening win over the Houston Texans, but the Bills defensive coordinator did not sound interested in treating the result as proof that everything was already in place. The score mattered, of course, and so did the way Buffalo opened the year with a victory, yet Leonhard still spent his review pointing out the defensive areas that need cleaning up as the Bills move deeper into September.
One of the clearer concerns came with inside linebacker Terrel Bernard, who played the entire game but showed up on the injury report the next day. For a defense trying to settle into Leonhards approach, those small turns can matter just as much as the big-picture result, and the early evaluation suggests Buffalos coordinator is keeping a firm eye on both the progress and the problems after a week one win. [Read more 🡒]