AFC Power Rankings, Week 3: Dolphins swim upstream, as injuries create questions

Two weeks of the NFL season have passed. Don't worry, though, there are 16 more to go in the regular season alone.

Still, two weeks is still enough time to try to reassess where the 16 AFC teams are with that amount of evidence. That's not longer just projection, but also production.

That means there's been some shuffling around from what was the order going into the season-opening games. The top 10 teams remain the top 10, but definitely not the same way they were placed two weeks ago.

Injuries have played a role in that shuffling as well, injuries to some major players, in fact, which has created questions about down the road.

That's down the road, though. For now, this is how they look.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (1-1)

Previous ranking: 1

Last two weeks: Week 1, Detroit Lions, L, 21-20; Week 2, at Jacksonville Jaguars, W, 17-9

Next two weeks: Sept. 24, vs. Chicago Bears, 4:25 p.m.; Oct. 1, at New York Jets, 8:20 p.m.

Why here? The loss can be easily excused as a hyped-up Lions team facing a Chiefs team minus two All-Pros in tight end Travis Kelce (knee injury) and defensive lineman Chris Jones (contract dispute). Both were back in the lineup Sunday in Jacksonville, where they again reminded another AFC contender they're going to have to beat them to take their crown.

2. Miami Dolphins (2-0)

Previous ranking: 6

Last two weeks: Week 1, at Los Angeles Chargers, W, 36-34; Week 2, at New England Patriots, W, 24-17

Next two weeks: Sunday, vs. Denver Broncos, 1 p.m.; Oct. 1, at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m.

Why here? Have you watched this team play the first two weeks? Yes, both games have been close, but winning on the road over two AFC teams is nothing to dismiss. It's hard not to be mesmerized by what the Miami offense can do when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is healthy. That's going to be the perpetual question lingering over this team.

3. Baltimore Ravens (2-0)

Previous ranking: 5

Last two weeks: Week 1, vs. Houston Texans, W, 25-7; Week 2, at Cincinnati Bengals, W, 27-17

Next two weeks: Sunday, vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m.; Oct. 1, at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.

Why here? Speaking of quarterbacks being healthy, Lamar Jackson is just that to start this season. Not only that, but it's looking like new offensive coordinator Todd Monken is fitting him just right through two games. Odell Beckham Jr.'s ankle is something to watch, but it's been pretty good so far for the Ravens.

4. Buffalo Bills (1-1)

Previous ranking: 4

Last two weeks: Week 1, at New York Jets, L, 16-13, OT; Week 2, vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 38-10

Next two weeks: Sunday, at Washington Commanders, 1 p.m.; Oct. 1, vs. Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m.

Why here? Because their first two weeks provided no reason to either raise or lower them. Yes, the Bills lost their opener to the Jets and Josh Allen played badly in that game. However, we're chalking that up to Week 1 and everything that surrounded that game in the Meadowlands. Buffalo's bounce-back win Sunday was impressive enough to counter balance anything that may have stuck to it from the opener.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)

Previous ranking: 8

Last two weeks: Week 1, at Indianapolis Colts, W, 31-21; Week 2, at Kansas City Chiefs, L, 17-9

Next two weeks: Sunday, vs. Houston Texans, 1 p.m.; Oct. 1, vs. Atlanta Falcons (at London, England), 9:30 a.m.

Why here? It recognizes the Jaguars may have been a touch too low in the previous rankings. However, this feel about right for what is the best team in the AFC South. They handled their business against a bad team in the opener, and acquitted themselves OK in facing the Chiefs on Sunday. The next two weeks could be a chance for the offense to flex its muscles.

6, New York Jets (1-1)

Previous ranking: 3

Last two weeks: Week 1, vs. Buffalo Bills, W, 16-13, OT; Week 2, at Dallas Cowboys, W, 30-10

Next two weeks: Sunday, vs. New England Patriots, 1 p.m.; Oct. 1, vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m.

Why here? Much like the team that will appear right below them, the Jets are a conundrum because of a major injury to arguably their best offensive player. Like the next team on this list — bet you've figured it out without scrolling down — the Jets have a defense capable of taking them a long way, even with an offense that lost its most reliable player. And like the next team on the list, it just doesn't feel right to put this team below two 0-2 teams, especially since both won big games in Week 1.

7. Cleveland Browns (1-1)

Previous ranking: 9

Last two weeks: Week 1, vs. Cincinnati Bengals, W, 24-3; Week 2, at Pittsburgh Steelers, L, 26-22

Next two weeks: Sunday, vs. Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m.; Oct. 1, vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m.

Why here? Yes, they lost Monday night to the Steelers. No, the loss of Nick Chubb for the season isn't good. Yes, the defense looks absolutely dominant if it can stay healthy. No, Deshaun Watson still doesn't look anything like a top-10 quarterback in the NFL. Yes, they're here because it didn't feel right to put them below the Bengals, especially with questions about Joe Burrow's health. No, the Steelers don't necessarily belong in front of them because they turned two turnovers into two touchdowns that were the difference in Monday's outcome. Yes, this is all just an internal debate because the questions remain about this team.

8. Cincinnati Bengals (0-2)

Previous ranking: 2

Last two weeks: Week 1, at Cleveland Browns, L, 24-3; Week 2, vs. Baltimore Ravens, L, 24-17

Next two weeks: Monday, vs. Los Angeles Rams, 7 p.m.; Oct. 1, at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m.

Why here? Because it doesn't feel right to put them any lower. The calf injury to Burrow remains a concern that will linger as long as it lingers for the star quarterback. However, if it doesn't truly become an issue that costs him game time, one has to bank on their track record of shaking off a slow start. An 0-3 start, though, would make it a much different proposition.

9. Los Angeles Chargers (0-2)

Previous ranking: 7

Last two weeks: Week 1, vs. Miami Dolphins, L, 36-34; Week 2, at Tennessee Titans, L, 27-24, OT

Next two weeks: Sunday, at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m.; Oct. 1, vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 1 p.m.

Why here? For much the same reason why the Bengals are a spot in front of them. This is too talented a team to be 0-2. Those players seem like they'll be able to right the ship and turn this thing around. Whether or not Brandon Staley as a head coach can do it, we shall see.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1)

Previous ranking: 10

Last two weeks: Week 1, vs. San Francisco 49ers, L, 30-7; Week 2, vs. Cleveland Browns, W, 26-22

Next two weeks: Sunday, at Las Vegas Raiders, 8:20 p.m.; Oct. 1, at Houston Texans, 1 p.m.

Why here? There were about three minutes left in Monday night's win over the Browns and the crowd, loudly, was chanting "Fire Canada" — their offensive coordinator is Matt Canada, if you were unaware — as the Steelers offense once again stumbled around. Look, this team is good when T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are both scoring game-changing defensive touchdowns. If you really dug deep into that game, though, did you really learn anything more about the Steelers than they absolutely own the Cleveland Browns when the latter plays in Pittsburgh? Everyone already knew that long before Monday night.

11. Tennessee Titans (1-1)

Previous rankings: 11

Last two weeks: Week 1, at New Orleans Saints, L, 16-15; Week 2, vs. Los Angeles Chargers, W, 27-24 OT

Next two weeks: Sunday, at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.; Oct. 1, vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m.

Why here? This may just be a decent football team. The defense is nasty. Derrick Henry is one of the best running backs in football. Mike Vrabel is a terrific coach. If the Titans get quarterback play from Ryan Tannehill like they did last week against the Chargers, then they could push Jacksonville in the AFC South, just like they did all of last season. A consistent Tannehill, though, is something few people have seen in the wild.

12. New England Patriots (0-2)

Previous rankings: 12

Last two weeks: Week 1, vs. Philadelphia Eagles, L, 25-20; Week 2, vs. Miami Dolphins, L, 24-17

Next two weeks: Sunday, at New York Jets, 1 p.m.; Oct. 1, at Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 pm.

Why here? Because of the remaining teams, they feel like they're the best. They did play two pretty good teams down to the wire, even if the final score wasn't quite indicative of the game play. They next two weeks aren't going to be much easier, either. The Patriots have a huge AFC East game this week they need to win to move up the rankings, the divisional rankings, if nothing else.

13. Las Vegas Raiders (1-1)

Previous ranking: 14

Last two weeks: Week 1, at Denver Broncos, W, 17-16; Week 2, at Buffalo Bills, W, 38-10

Next two weeks: Sunday, vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:20 p.m.; Oct. 1, at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m.

Why here? One-point win over the Broncos? One-spot jump in the standings over the Broncos. That really is pretty much it, because there's very little discernible difference between those two teams two weeks into the season.

14. Denver Broncos (0-2)

Previous ranking: 13

Last two weeks: Week 1, vs. Las Vegas Raiders, L, 17-16; Week 2, vs. Washington Commanders, L, 35-33

Next two weeks: Sunday, at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m.; Oct. 1, at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m.

Why here? They're 0-2 and they have two bad losses. Home losses, no less. Whatever Russ is cooking, it's not tasting good for Broncos fans.

15. Indianapolis Colts (1-1)

Previous ranking: 16

Last two weeks: Week 1, vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, L, 31-21; Week 2, at Houston Texans, W, 31-20

Next two weeks: Sunday, at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m.; Oct. 1, vs. Los Angeles Rams, 1 p.m.

Why here? They won a game last week. Not just won a game, won a game over the team right in front of them in the standings. Congrats Colts, you're not last.

16. Houston Texans (0-2)

Previous ranking: 15

Last two weeks: Week 1, at Baltimore Ravens, L, 25-7; Week 2, vs. Indianapolis Colts, L, 31-20

Next two weeks: Sunday, at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m.; Oct. 1, vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m.

Why here? Winless team. Rookie quarterback. First-year head coach. Lost to the team that had been beneath it in the rankings that had been last. Adds up.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Miami Dolphins swim upstream in Week 3 AFC Power Rankings