Our NFL Team Rankings are based solely on the The Trench Counter, which is an objective formula measuring average yards per pass and run on both offense and defense, along with first downs registered and given up, turnovers for and against, and total penalty yards.

Without a subjective override, the Week 2 rankings still look suspiciously inaccurate, as there haven't been enough games to create a substantial sample size. The Patriots are one example, as they had a +7.5 Trench Counter despite losing to the Cardinals. Conversely, the Cardinals are ranked 26th with a 2-0 record since they had Trench Counter deficits to both the Seahawks and New England.

Over time, without fail, Trench Counter rankings begin to closely resemble the standings but goes even further to determine which teams are truly the best when on the line of scrimmage.  

Each team’s Trench Counter ranking from Week 1 is listed in parentheses.

We are also including the Bill Parcells/Michael Lombardi stat that we modified called Total Rushes/Completions, which is the third number listed below.

* The schedule and weekly results from each team are available by clicking below.

Trench Counter (TC) Rankings 

1.

Houston Texans

18.5

(2)

33.5

2.

New England Patriots

13.6

(1)

10.5

3.

San Francisco 49ers

10.3

(5)

5.0

4.

Atlanta Falcons

9.0

(6)

-3.5

5.

Washington Redskins

6.4

(4)

12.5

6.

San Diego Chargers

6.2

(19)

15.0

7.

Seattle Seahawks

5.9

(16)

14.0

8.

Baltimore Ravens

5.7

(3)

-12.5

9.

Philadelphia Eagles

4.1

(15)

23.0

10.

Green Bay Packers

2.9

(28)

4.5

11.

Denver Broncos

1.4

(8)

-1.5

12.

New York Jets

1.3

(10)

-4.5

13.

Carolina Panthers

0.8

(24)

-9.5

14.

Minnesota Vikings

0.8

(13)

-2.5

15.

New York Giants

0.6

(22)

5.5

16.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

-0.3

(9)

-1.5

17.

Buffalo Bills

-1.0

(23)

-6.0

18.

St. Louis Rams

-1.3

(21)

-1.0

19.

Detroit Lions

-1.5

(12)

2.0

20.

Cleveland Browns

-2.1

(18)

-12.5

21.

Dallas Cowboys

-2.2

(11)

-4.5

22.

Miami Dolphins

-2.4

(31)

3.5

23.

Pittsburgh Steelers

-2.7

(25)

11.0

24.

Indianapolis Colts

-3.1

(26)

-9.5

25.

Chicago Bears

-3.2

(7)

-0.5

26.

Arizona Cardinals

-4.0

(17)

-1.5

27.

Oakland Raiders

-5.0

(14)

-7.5

28.

Cincinnati Bengals

-7.6

(30)

2.0

29.

Kansas City Chiefs

-8.0

(27)

4.5

30.

Jacksonville Jaguars

-12.4

(20)

-21.5

31.

New Orleans Saints

-12.9

(29)

-13.0

32.

Tennessee Titans

-17.9

(32)

-25.5

Total Rushes/Completions (TRC) Rankings

1.

Houston Texans

33.5

2.

Philadelphia Eagles

23.0

3.

San Diego Chargers

15.0

4.

Seattle Seahawks

14.0

5.

Washington Redskins

12.5

6.

Pittsburgh Steelers

11.0

7.

New England Patriots

10.5

8.

New York Giants

5.5

9.

San Francisco 49ers

5.0

10.

Green Bay Packers

4.5

11.

Kansas City Chiefs

4.5

12.

Miami Dolphins

3.5

13.

Detroit Lions

2.0

14.

Cincinnati Bengals

2.0

15.

Chicago Bears

-0.5

16.

St. Louis Rams

-1.0

17.

Denver Broncos

-1.5

18.

T.B. Buccaneers

-1.5

19.

Arizona Cardinals

-1.5

20.

Minnesota Vikings

-2.5

21.

Atlanta Falcons

-3.5

22.

New York Jets

-4.5

23.

Dallas Cowboys

-4.5

24.

Buffalo Bills

-6.0

25.

Oakland Raiders

-7.5

26.

Carolina Panthers

-9.5

27.

Indianapolis Colts

-9.5

28.

Baltimore Ravens

-12.5

29.

Cleveland Browns

-12.5

30.

New Orleans Saints

-13.0

31.

Jacksonville Jaguars

-21.5

32.

Tennessee Titans

-25.5