When the NFL season began, conventional wisdom suggested there were six top-rank teams in the NFL -- St. Louis, Washington and Tampa Bay in the NFC, and Tennessee, Jacksonville and Indianapolis in the AFC.

After two weeks, four already have lost and only the Bucs look like the powerhouse they're supposed to be.

Not even teams conceded their division titles at the start of season look safe any more.

The Giants, with a revived and somewhat explosive offense, might offer some resistance to the sluggish Redskins in the NFC East. And Buffalo, with youngsters filling in for the Bruce Smiths and Thurman Thomases, might be a legitimate challenger to the Colts, who still lack a Super Bowl defense.

Add to those the Ravens, Raiders, Lions, Vikings, Panthers and Broncos, and maybe this will be a more competitive season than many thought.

NFC trends of Week 2
No one was supposed to challenge the Bucs, Rams and Redskins.

The Bucs and Rams remain unbeaten and Tampa Bay has looked the part. Its 41-0 blowout of Chicago was such a yawner that the main postgame attraction in the locker room was Michael Jordan, Warren Sapp's new buddy.

St. Louis is another story.

Its defense, underrated last season, is surrendering 35 points a game and Kurt Warner and the offense have had to average 39 to keep the defending champions 2-0. Their wins over Denver and Seattle have been schoolyard contests -- last team with the ball wins.

Washington has been sluggish in wins over Carolina and a loss in Detroit. The way Brad Johnson played Sunday against the Lions (four interceptions), a Jeff George sighting is almost inevitable.

The challengers:

1. New York. The Giants have beaten Arizona and the team of last week, Philadelphia, with their usual solid defense. The Eagles' Duce Staley, who ran for 201 yards against Dallas, had 11 yards on seven carries Sunday. But now there's offense. Tiki Barber has slashed for 240 yards in 24 carries in two games and has 78- and 31-yard TD runs. This on a team whose leading rusher in 1999 had 348 yards all season.

That and the new offensive line composed of old-timers like Lomas Brown and Glenn Parker has kept Kerry Collins safe. He's been sacked once for no yards in two games.

2. Detroit. The Lions are 2-0 and have yet to score an offensive TD. They scored on a kickoff return and interception to win in New Orleans and got five Jason Hanson field goals to beat the Redskins. "We know that once we get to the 35, we've probably got three points," says Charlie Batch, who was solid but conservative at quarterback in his first start after missing all of preseason with a knee injury.

Tampa Bay comes to the Silverdome this week. So we should know more.

3. Minnesota. Daunte Culpepper ran to beat the Bears and passed to beat the Dolphins. But like the Lions, who began inside in New Orleans, they haven't gone outdoors yet and the scouting tape on Culpepper isn't complete.

4. Carolina. Could have beaten the Redskins and trampled the 49ers. Can the Panthers stay with the Rams in the West? They can if the Rams' defense continues to leak.

AFC trends of Week 2
The Colts did what championship teams don't do -- blow a 21-point lead at home. The defense was the weak link last year and it was again Sunday, allowing Rich Gannon to run for three touchdowns.

Jacksonville did what championship teams don't do, too -- allowing Baltimore, a supposedly weak offensive team, make up a 23-7 deficit. Sure, Jimmy Smith caught 291 yards in passes against the Ravens' good defense. But Tony Banks is not supposed to throw for five touchdowns against the Jacksonville defense, which lost for the first time in two seasons to a team other than the Titans.

Tennessee, meanwhile, needed Neil O'Donnell off the bench for Steve McNair (bruised chest) to beat Kansas City 17-14 in overtime and avoid going 0-2.

The pretenders:

1. Baltimore: The Ravens were supposed to make the playoffs, but where was the defense against the Jaguars? Nonetheless, the 39-36 win was the first in 11 starts against Cleveland-Baltimore and put them right in the mix with Jacksonville and Tennessee in the Central.

2. Buffalo: For almost two decades, under Bill Polian and now John Butler, the Bills have had a front office that always seems to make the right move. It shed itself of big contracts in the offseason and has had a lot of great finds -- from Phil Hansen a decade ago to Marcellus Wiley, Pat Williams, Shawn Bryson, Jay Riemersma of the current crop. They haven't hit the road yet, but the defense gives them a shot at challenging the Colts.

3. Oakland. What does it say that the Raiders' wins are 9-6 and 38-31? Maybe that the NFL is strange? Maybe that they can play whatever sort of game they need? Whatever, they should be in the West race.

4. Denver. Everyone who's seen Brian Griese this year marvels at how much he's improved. "I don't think they've lost a step at quarterback," St. Louis coach Mike Martz said after the Rams beat the Broncos a week ago, the "step" being John Elway. And how do they keep coming up with late-round running backs, like 27-year-old ex-Marine Mike Anderson, who stepped in for Terrell Davis and Olandis Gary and ran for 131 yards in the 42-14 win over Atlanta?

Shave and a haircut
That's not what you'll get from the Barber twins, Tiki and Ronde.

Ronde, the Tampa Bay cornerback, had five tackles, 2½ sacks and returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown against Chicago on Sunday. Tiki gained 93 yards in 11 carries for the Giants, including a 31-yard touchdown run.