2018 NFL Power Rankings: Week 2
Teams Ranked 32nd to 23rd
| Rank | Team | nERD | Rec | Playoff Odds | Off. NEP Rank | Def. NEP Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | Buffalo Bills | -9.95 | 0-1 | 3.4% | 32 | 26 | -1 |
| 31 | Indianapolis Colts | -7.12 | 0-1 | 13.7% | 16 | 24 | +1 |
| 30 | Oakland Raiders | -5.21 | 0-1 | 11.2% | 22 | 28 | -2 |
| 29 | Detroit Lions | -3.77 | 0-1 | 16.7% | 31 | 25 | -11 |
| 28 | Tennessee Titans | -3.57 | 0-1 | 15.2% | 30 | 14 | -2 |
| 27 | Arizona Cardinals | -3.45 | 0-1 | 8.6% | 27 | 29 | -7 |
| 26 | Miami Dolphins | -3.39 | 1-0 | 29.7% | 19 | 3 | +4 |
| 25 | Cleveland Browns | -3 | 0-0-1 | 18.0% | 26 | 4 | +4 |
| 24 | New York Giants | -2.43 | 0-1 | 12.7% | 25 | 13 | -1 |
| 23 | Denver Broncos | -1.66 | 1-0 | 38.6% | 13 | 15 | 2 |
Cleveland is still in search of its first win since 2016, but its tie against the Steelers was enough to move the Browns up four spots in the rankings.
The franchise had actually dropped its last 13 openers, so standing at 0-0-1 is actually its best start since 2004, believe it or not.
It was probably still a game the Browns should have lost, however, as Pittsburgh outgained them by 145 yards and 2.1 yards per play. Since 2000, teams that have a yardage advantage of 145 or more are 922-159-3 (an 85.2% winning percentage; incidentally, two of the ties were from Steelers teams, with the other occurring against the Falcons in 2002).
The Steelers were done in by six turnovers, compared to just one from the Browns, so score one for turnover regression. Cleveland was minus-28 last season, tied for the third worst turnover margin since 1940, and that is something that's just not sustainable.
Granted, not losing after getting out-gained by two yards per play is not sustainable either, but for a franchise that has not had a lot to cheer about this century, Iām sure Cleveland fans will take the result.
