NFL power rankings: Arizona Cardinals ascending after upset win

Thanks to their Week 1 26-14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, the biggest upset of the week, the Arizona Cardinals are getting a little bit of love and attention. In new NFL.com power rankings, they cracked the top 20 and moved up six spots. In USA TODAY's Week 2 power rankings from Nate Davis, th

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What is the story about?

Thanks to their Week 1 26-14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, the biggest upset of the week, the Arizona Cardinals are getting a little bit of love and attention. In new NFL.com power rankings, they cracked the top 20 and moved up six spots.

In USA TODAY's Week 2 power rankings from Nate Davis, the Cardinals didn't reach as high, but they had a greater ascent.

They moved up seven spots from No. 31 to No. 24.

After starting 12 games in 2025, QB Jacoby Brissett has already matched last season's win total. Tough to see the Cards escaping the NFC West cellar this year, either, but they showed Sunday that other teams would be unwise to take their fleet of playmakers lightly.

Maybe it was a Week 1 fluke. Maybe the Chargers aren't as good as believed

to be. Week 2 will be a great test, as they host the defending champion Seattle Seahawks.

Can they stay competitive against that elite defense?

If they can, expect the narrative around the team to start changing.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple Podcasts.