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NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins on Falcons, Penix Jr., and more
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins tells us about adjusting to his new team, the story behind his water park adventure, and his partnership with Frito-Lay.
NFL power rankings entering Week 1 of the 2024 season (previous rank in parentheses):
1. Kansas City Chiefs (1): They’d hardly scored the winning touchdown in overtime to successfully defend their crown in February before QB Patrick Mahomes, TE Travis Kelce and Co. were openly talking about the quest to become the first team to achieve a Super Bowl three-peat. With new weapons like blazers Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy at wideout, it’s quite possible these Chiefs will be more explosive than they’ve been in recent years. But to go back-to-back-to-(behind-the-back)-to-back, K.C. will have to overcome personnel losses on defense, hope WR Rashee Rice’s legal issues don’t come to a head at an inopportune time for the club and trust rookie LT Kingsley Suamataia is up to the task of safeguarding Mahomes.
2. Detroit Lions (4): Remember that WR Jameson Williams nearly put them over the top against the Niners in the 2023 NFC championship game. If he can develop into a consistent threat over a full season, there may be no stopping this team.
3. Green Bay Packers (5): Like their NFC North rivals in Detroit, the Pack nearly knocked off the 49ers on the road in last season’s playoffs but couldn’t manage to hold a second-half lead, either. However if QB Jordan Love’s ascent continues, free agent additions Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney pay off, and this defense performs closer to the sum of its numerous first-round parts? No top-tier team in the league may have more room for upward growth.
4. Baltimore Ravens (3): Yes, the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed last season has added RB Derrick Henry and is banking that his bruising style will mesh with MVP Lamar Jackson’s evasive (option-driven) one. But the AFC North rulers also lost a lot defensively, including coordinator Mike Macdonald. Perhaps most concerning are the turnover on the offensive line and the health of Pro Bowl C Tyler Linderbaum’s neck – those issues compounded by the sudden death of longtime O-line coach Joe D’Alessandris. Tragedy and adversity can fuel a team … but can also derail one.
5. San Francisco 49ers (2): The reigning NFC champs arguably own the league’s best top-to-bottom roster. However despite their resolved business (WR Brandon Aiyuk), they still have lingering financial issues with LT Trent Williams, arguably the club’s top player – and (consequently?) a first-team offense that hardly looked to be in sync during its preseason auditions. There are also a fair amount of injuries (S Talanoa Hufanga, LB Dre Greenlaw, G Jon Feliciano, CB Ambry Thomas) that are going to linger for some time – and that was on top of first-round WR Ricky Pearsall getting shot Saturday. Don’t be surprised if the Niners get off to a rocky start.
6. New York Jets (10): A third-ranked defense, RB Breece Hall and HC Robert Saleh probably don’t get sufficient credit for keeping a team that played with one hand tied behind its back relevant for so long in 2023. QB Aaron Rodgers need not win a fifth MVP for this talent-laden team to break its Super Bowl hex – he mostly just needs to stay upright and available enough to stabilize the franchise’s decades-long, well, positional Achilles. The Jets are so loaded, the absence of holdout OLB Haason Reddick might be more of a champagne problem than a front-burner one.
7. Houston Texans (8): The only franchise never to reach a conference title game surely seems primed to take that next step this season behind super soph QB C.J. Stroud. Yet it shouldn’t be assumed the Texans will retain an AFC South crown that was up for grabs to two others teams during last season’s regular-season finale, nor that all of Houston’s significant new parts will necessarily dovetail immediately. Still, the Texans don’t have the type of distracting issue here several other AFC contenders seem to still be dealing with.
8. Philadelphia Eagles (6): And the rich get richer – EVP/GM Howie Roseman tantamount to a talent hedge fund manager after buying low on new WR3 Jahan Dotson. He might have been a first-round disappointment in Washington, but few teams will have a more dangerous player in his role than Dotson, who’s likely to be routinely covered by the opponent’s No. 4 corner.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (9): Speaking of distractions, they’ve got a WR1 (Ja’Marr Chase) who’s intermittently practicing while seeking a new contract, a WR2 (Tee Higgins) who’s less than thrilled with his franchise tag, and a DE1 (Trey Hendrickson) who asked for a trade in April before backing off. Still, all of those issues should be overridden by the healthy return of QB Joe Burrow, who’s gotten Cincy at least as far as the AFC title round in the two seasons when he’s made at least 16 regular-season starts.
10. Los Angeles Rams (12): For a team coping with life AAD – after Aaron Donald – the fact that offensive pillars like QB Matthew Stafford, RB Kyren Williams and WR Puka Nacua have all been dealing with various physical issues in recent weeks and months is something of a concern. But assuming everyone’s good to go moving forward, this should be one of the league’s most fun offenses to watch.
11. Indianapolis Colts (14): Second-year QB Anthony Richardson is a bit of a wild card after missing 13 games of his rookie season with a shoulder injury that required surgery. But Indy might be at least a wild-card outfit with their young triggerman back – who’s finally alongside healthy RB Jonathan Taylor – and HC Shane Steichen calling his usual quota of dazzling plays.
12. Atlanta Falcons (19): With the additions of OLB Matthew Judon and S Justin Simmons, has any team improved more in the past month than one that was widely considered to be the NFC South favorite prior to those acquisitions?
13. Buffalo Bills (7): Though the spotlight has been focused on WR Stefon Diggs’ exit, there’s been so much roster churn – on both sides of the ball – since the perennial AFC East champs’ heartbreaking playoff loss to Kansas City. And to then lose All-Pro LB Matt Milano (biceps) for another extended stretch? The Mafia should expect a hit job to their recent aspirations.
14. Jacksonville Jaguars (21): To the degree it’s possible to quietly shell out hundreds of millions in contractual guarantees during the offseason, owner Shad Khan did so – which tells you something about the talent permeating a team that just missed a second straight AFC South crown in 2023. The Jags should be a dangerous dark horse in a sneaky stout division.
15. Cleveland Browns (11): Last season’s knee injury will keep RB Nick Chubb out for a while longer. Not a great portent for a team that just hasn’t been able to successfully leverage the talent (and investment) in QB Deshaun Watson, who’s coming off a 2023 shoulder injury, to date. Insurance policy Joe Flacco was also cashed out during the offseason.
16. Miami Dolphins (17): Last season’s knee injury will keep OLB Bradley Chubb out for a while longer. Not a great portent for a team that’s been light on steak, heavy on sizzle – and not much of that late in the season – the past two years.
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17. Chicago Bears (15): A team on the come in the latter part of last season courtesy of its ascending defense, the offensive reinforcements – obviously led by rookie QB Caleb Williams – could very well mean the franchise’s first postseason win in 14 years.
18. Dallas Cowboys (18): With WR CeeDee Lamb successfully extended, the 2023 NFC East champs … have checked off a major objective even as they’re likely on the way to being a lesser version of last year’s team.
19. Los Angeles Chargers (16): New coach, new season, new hopes … and stars like QB Justin Herbert (foot) and OLB Joey Bosa (hand) are already battling injuries. The more things change … (though both players seems on track to play in Week 1, so maybe new HC Jim Harbaugh can change the Bolts’ luck).
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (20): They spent nearly $300 million on free agents this year – before signing Pro Bowl LT Tristan Wirfs to a five-year, $140.6 million extension. Bravo. Still, lotta money spent to keep a team that’s gone 18-19 over the past two seasons intact.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (13): QB2 Justin Fields came in second during a positional battle he probably should have won. The team came in second in a bid to land Aiyuk … that always felt a little far-fetched. Close but no cigar already seems to be defining this squad.
22. Arizona Cardinals (22): So 106 catches and a shade shy of 1,500 receiving yards – those are the numbers that WR Marvin Harrison Jr. needs to elevate the constantly elevating rookie records for those categories. Honestly? Seems quite attainable for a talent of his caliber.
23. Washington Commanders (26): While Arizona’s “Maserati Marv” seems sure to prominently figure in the running for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, perhaps the frontrunner should be No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels. Caleb Williams might have the most upside, but Daniels is a much better runner and will quite likely have to shoulder a bigger offensive load for the Commanders – factors that could distinguish Daniels in Year 1.
24. Minnesota Vikings (23): Finding a positive spin to rookie J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending knee injury isn’t easy. But quarterback certainty, the arrival of CB Stephon Gilmore and a near lack of expectations could make the Vikes far more dangerous than they’re being given credit for.
25. Seahawks (25): The variance of outcomes for a team undergoing wholesale schematic changes makes it hard to peg Seattle. But the quiet August arrival of C Connor Williams could be a key factor in unlocking a running game that ranked 28th in 2023.
26. Denver Broncos (29): Yes, it was preseason – but it was impossible not to notice how much more efficiently HC Sean Payton’s offense operated with rookie QB Bo Nix than it did last year with Russell Wilson.
27. New Orleans Saints (27): Could we really see rookie QB Spencer Rattler starting by the end of this season? It’s not like Derek Carr hasn’t been shut down before by a team hoping not to trigger future contractual guarantees …
28. Tennessee Titans (28): Parfum de Mayonnaise? We promise this won’t be the defining moment of the 2024 Titans … even if they probably jumped the gun with all these insane free agency expenditures.
29. Las Vegas Raiders (24): All-Pro WR Davante Adams could have a huge impact on this organization’s future … assuming he plays well enough to fetch a sizable return before the trade deadline.
30. New England Patriots (30): No Judon. No Aiyuk, either, despite what the Pats were apparently willing to pay him. No problem? After all, QB Jacoby Brissett does have a .500 record here … in his two starts with the Pats … as a rookie … eight years ago.
31. Carolina Panthers (32): It can’t really get any worse, right? And it really should improve if rookie HC Dave Canales’ QB track record in recent years (Wilson, Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield) is any indication.
32. New York Giants (31): Any optimism that might have been engendered by the offseason version of “Hard Knocks” pretty much went out the window as soon as QB Daniel Jones reverted to his worst professional self during his preseason return.
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.
