The Green Bay Packers tumbled six spots, all the way to No. 22 overall, in the Week 2 NFL power rankings update at USA Today
following Sunday's meltdown in Minnesota to open the 2026 season. The Packers led 22-10 late into the third quarter but gave up 29 straight points and lost by 17 at U.S. Bank Stadium, and now Matt LaFleur's team is 0-1 with a disappointing defeat on the record to start a new year.Nate Davis of USA Today already had the Packers in the middling spot of No. 16 to start the season, and Sunday's collapse did nothing to calm concerns over Matt LaFleur's team, which hasn't won a real game since early last December.
From Davis: "The absences of OLB Micah Parsons and RB Josh Jacobs were quite evident during a second-half meltdown
that saw the Pack surrender 29 consecutive points."
The Packers certainly could have used their closer pass-rusher and their red-zone rushing threat to prevent what happened in the second half on Sunday. Alas, Parsons will still miss at least three more games, and Jacobs is out indefinitely while the league investigates him under the personal conduct policy.
The Vikings' comeback win didn't impress much. They climbed only two spots, replacing the Packers at No. 16. The Chicago Bears, who scored 59 points in Week 1, are the new No. 4 team overall.
The Packers will face the New York Jets in Week 2. Davis has the Jets ranked as the No. 27 team despite a convincing win over the lowly Tennessee Titans to open the season. Can the Packers finally snap their six-game losing streak?
Packers power rankings by week (USA Today)
- Week 1: No. 16
- Week 2: No. 22
Here's where the Packers rank in other national power rankings entering Week 2:
ESPN: No. 14 (down 7 spots)
Top newcomer from Rob Demovsky: "How about a 59-yarder for your first NFL field goal? Smack nailed it in the first quarter against the Vikings. He made all of his field goal attempts, also hitting from 43 and 26 yards. He even made a 40-yarder that coach Matt LaFleur took off the board because of a penalty on the Vikings. Smack's only miscues were a missed extra point attempt and one kickoff into the end zone."
Conor Orr, SI: No. 16 (down 1 spot)
From Orr: "I think the beauty of Green Bay’s decision to take points off the board is that it reflects the real time push and pull of analytics in the modern game. I’m not saying I would not have done the same thing, but I am saying that it would be harder for me to look Jordan Love in the eyes after he’d been pounded on nearly every snap and tell him that hard earned three points don’t matter."
The Athletic: No. 17 (no change)
From Chad Graff and Josh Kendall: "New season, same Packers...That was the headline of Matt Schneidman’s story, recapping how the Packers have now blown double-digit leads in the second half of three straight division games. This one was there for the taking, but the Packers’ defense couldn’t stop Carson Wentz, and the offense was befuddled by Brian Flores’ blitzing onslaught."
FOX Sports: No. 18 (down 2 spots)
From Ralph Vacchiano: "Jordan Love threw for a lot of yards, and it looks like he has some good WRs. But an offense without Josh Jacobs and a defense without Micah Parsons feels like too much for the Pack to overcome."
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers tumble to No. 22 in USA Today's Week 2 NFL power rankings
