NFL Composite Power Rankings: Bills Open Season No. 1
In this story:
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers open the 2022 NFL season as the fifth-ranked team in our NFL Composite Power Rankings.
Our poll combines our thoughts with the rankings of six national media outlets.
The Buffalo Bills are the top-ranked team on six of seven ballots. The other team to get a first-place vote was the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, who are No. 2 overall. Those teams will kick off the season on Thursday night.
“The Packers will be a different team this time around,” CBSSports.com’s Pete Prisco wrote in predicting a Packers-Bills Super Bowl. “They will still get the big plays from Aaron Rodgers, but the offense might not be as prolific without receiver Davante Adams. But that's fine. The defense could be dominant.
“Barring injuries, they have the best secondary in the league and have a young pass-rush star in Rashan Gary. They could end up as a top-3 defense, maybe even tops, which would give Rodgers time to adapt to his young receiving group. Don't worry about Rodgers.”
The Packers will open the season at the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Minnesota did not crack the Composite Top 10. It ranked as high as 11th (The Ringer) and as low as 23rd (ESPN).
“We don’t worry about the offense,” NFL.com’s Dan Hanzus wrote of the Vikings. “Kirk Cousins will do his Kirk Cousins thing (streaky production that lands with around 35 touchdowns, 4,000 yards and a 100 passer rating), and the power trio of Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook stacks up against any Big Three in the sport. We like the defensive front led by Danielle Hunter and Za'Darius Smith, too, but the cornerback group is worrisome. Two rookies – Andrew Booth Jr. and Akayleb Evans – are in line for significant roles in Minnesota's new scheme, while Chandon Sullivan joined as a free-agent acquisition. A Week 1 assignment against two-time reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers will serve as an immediate gut check.”
Here is our Week 1 Composite Power Rankings.
Packer Central: 1, Bills; 2, Buccaneers; 3, Chiefs; 4, Rams; 5, Bengals; 6, Packers; 7, Chargers; 8, Eagles; 9, 49ers; 10, Raiders.
Sports Illustrated: 1, Bills; 2; Packers, 3, Rams; 4, Chiefs; 5, Buccaneers; 6, Chargers; 7, Bengals; 8, 49ers; 9, Ravens; 10, Broncos.
ESPN.com: 1, Bills; 2, Buccaneers; 3, Rams; 4, Chiefs; 5, Bengals; 6, Packers; 7, 49ers; 8, Chargers; 9, Ravens; 10, Cowboys.
NFL.com: 1, Bills; 2, Rams; 3, 49ers; 4, Buccaneers; 5, Bengals; 6, Packers; 7, Chiefs; 8, Broncos; 9; Chargers; 10, Ravens.
CBSSports.com: 1, Bills; 2, Packers; 3, Chiefs; 4, Rams; 5, Bengals; 6, Saints; 7, Buccaneers; 8, Eagles; 9, Chargers; 10, 49ers.
Pro Football Talk: 1, Rams; 2, Buccaneers; 3, Bills; 4, Chiefs; 5, Packers; 6, Bengals; 7, 49ers; 8, Titans; 9, Eagles; 10, Cowboys.
The Ringer: 1, Bills; 2, Buccaneers; 3, Chiefs; 4, Packers; 5, Rams; 6, Chargers; 7, Bengals; 8, Ravens; 9, 49ers; 10, Broncos.
Composite: 1, Bills (9); 2, Rams (22); 3, Buccaneers (24); 4, Chiefs (28); 5, Packers (31); 6, Bengals (40); 7, 49ers (54); 8, Chargers (60); 9, Ravens (76); 10, Eagles (78).
Predicting Every Game on Packers’ Schedule
