Written by Ben Slavin
NFL teams must be as pumped for football as we fans are, judging by how they’ve just been throwing money around the past few weeks. A couple of those deals ended holdouts and definitely affected the rankings. Speaking of the rankings, they’re mainly based on a combination of how talented I believe the team is and what I assume their final record to be.
Now that football is finally back, enjoy these extra-long week one power rankings that will be continued throughout the season.
32. Buffalo Bills
Despite being a (flukey) playoff team last year, the Bills seemed more committed to trading for young players and draft picks than going for veterans and a playoff spot. That trend continued this offseason with the subtraction of a starting quarterback and left tackle and it appears those decisions are going to affect the team this year even if they didn’t necessarily last. Bills fans can hate Tyrod Taylor all they want, but it’s hard to deny he’s going to be better this season than whoever wins the job in Buffalo. It might not even matter who the starting quarterback is because with how bad the offensive line has looked, they won’t be starting long. Sean McDermott did a brilliant job getting this team to a playoff spot last year, but it would take an even bigger miracle than the Ravens-Bengals game last year to get them there this year.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Don’t expect the Bucs to eat too many w’s this year. For everything Jameis Winston might have done, it’s hard to argue that he’s a better quarterback than Ryan Fitzpatrick. And with the sorry state of the rest of the roster, the Bucs aren’t one of the teams that can afford to compensate for drop offs in quarterback play, like the Eagles last season or the Jaguars weekly. They don’t even have a coaching staff good enough to compensate for the team’s weaknesses and coach up young guys. This should be the last year of the disappointing Dirk Koetter era.
30. Arizona Cardinals
Sam Bradford will make this team quasi-competitive for the 2-6 games he plays -- likely closer to 2 with the state of the Cardinals offensive line. Once Josh Rosen comes in, though, I expect this team to essentially shut down. David Johnson is one of the three best running backs in the league, but behind the line he often won’t look like it and I don’t expect a running back to carry this team out of the cellar. On defense the Cardinals are mediocre at best, even after going with a defensive head coach in Steve Wilks. Maybe if Bruce Arians stayed another year he could’ve worked his magic and kept the Cardinals afloat another year or maybe he recognized this was the end and wanted to go out on his own terms.
29. Miami Dolphins
The first team Dolphins offense has looked pretty solid in the preseason, with Ryan Tannehill looking like a semi-competent starting quarterback and a great fire and ice backfield duo of Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore. Those are about all the positives for this last-ranked team, though. The run defense has been abysmal in the preseason -- starters through fourth-stringers -- and would be on pace to give up an all-time record for rushing yards per game if these games mattered. The pass defense hasn’t been great either, but in comparison is already garnering comps to the ‘85 Bears. Even the offense should be expected to fall toward the bottom of the league when you look at how mediocre both the offensive line and receivers are. Adam Gase, recently the Vegas favorite for first coach to be fired, should definitely be regretting his decision to trade out his few talented players in order to establish a culture. I’m sure whatever culture he’s establishing will be great for the next coach of the Miami Dolphins.
The first team Dolphins offense has looked pretty solid in the preseason, with Ryan Tannehill looking like a semi-competent starting quarterback and a great fire and ice backfield duo of Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore. Those are about all the positives for this last-ranked team, though. The run defense has been abysmal in the preseason -- starters through fourth-stringers -- and would be on pace to give up an all-time record for rushing yards per game if these games mattered. The pass defense hasn’t been great either, but in comparison is already garnering comps to the ‘85 Bears. Even the offense should be expected to fall toward the bottom of the league when you look at how mediocre both the offensive line and receivers are. Adam Gase, recently the Vegas favorite for first coach to be fired, should definitely be regretting his decision to trade out his few talented players in order to establish a culture. I’m sure whatever culture he’s establishing will be great for the next coach of the Miami Dolphins.
28. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts might have the weakest roster in football, but a certain number 12 has shown that he can carry weak rosters to the playoffs in the past. Slotting them near the bottom gives Andrew Luck a lot more room for error than playoff expectations, especially coming off over a year without touching a ball. I like new coach Frank Reich, along with Luck, to figure out a way to use the many weapons he has to carve out a solid offense that really flashes once Luck gets going towards the end of the year. It’s just the defense is bad. Like really bad. Good luck finding and naming a single true game-breaking difference maker on that side of the ball.
27. Oakland Raiders
When the Raiders fired Jack Del Rio and hired a revered offensive mind as the new coach, they made it clear they wanted to win. When that coach, Jon Gruden, prioritized signing a bunch of veterans over taking a couple years to implement his system with young guys, he made it clear he wanted to win. So why was the best player on this team traded for an underwhelming package? Even worse, that player is the best at his position, top-20 overall, and the only reason the defense doesn’t rank at the very bottom. The offense, with all of Gruden’s fancy plays, can do whatever it wants, but it won’t be enough to counteract the lack of defense.
26. New York Jets
Many expected the Jets to give the Browns a run for their money in the worst team in the league department last year; surprisingly, though, the Jets were a 5 win team that nearly came away with a few more victories. The Jets look like essentially the same team that shocked everyone last year, but with one noticeable change. In comes the bright young rookie and out goes the 39 year old journeyman at quarterback. While Sam Darnold has looked great in the preseason and has more natural talent than Josh McCown, he’s also a rookie on a poor team, so expect lots of growing pains. The Jets grabbed two great young safeties in the last draft in Jamal Adams in Marcus Maye and along with newly added Trumaine Johnson, they should form a special secondary. The front seven is less special and would have really benefited from a Khalil Mack trade. New York should give teams trouble once again, but also disappoint their fans with pathetic losses. Or in other words, the typical Jets season.
Many expected the Jets to give the Browns a run for their money in the worst team in the league department last year; surprisingly, though, the Jets were a 5 win team that nearly came away with a few more victories. The Jets look like essentially the same team that shocked everyone last year, but with one noticeable change. In comes the bright young rookie and out goes the 39 year old journeyman at quarterback. While Sam Darnold has looked great in the preseason and has more natural talent than Josh McCown, he’s also a rookie on a poor team, so expect lots of growing pains. The Jets grabbed two great young safeties in the last draft in Jamal Adams in Marcus Maye and along with newly added Trumaine Johnson, they should form a special secondary. The front seven is less special and would have really benefited from a Khalil Mack trade. New York should give teams trouble once again, but also disappoint their fans with pathetic losses. Or in other words, the typical Jets season.
25. Cleveland Browns
A new front office and ensuing bolder approach has everyone’s favorite laughingstock looking much better coming off of a 1-31 stretch. Although, you have to consider perspective when a team that couldn’t manage to win a game in 16 tries last year looks much better. The fluctuations on projections for this team will likely be large based on those who buy into the Browns as a playoff sleeper and those who won’t even give the team a second glance because they’ve only won one game the last two years. I’m in the middle because I expect both sides of the ball for Cleveland to have talent and be solid, but for it to be wasted by a head coach unfit for the job once again. Overall, though, the Browns are definitely trending up.
24. Denver Broncos
Denver’s one of those teams I just can’t buy into. Some people have them as a playoff team and I think they’ll be lucky to finish .500. Case Keenum is better than anything the Broncos have had at quarterback in years, including the ghost of Peyton Manning. The backfield will once again be a committee of guys who wouldn’t start in most situations. The receivers, who were able to make poor quarterbacks look better for years, are clearly on the decline and the offensive line is still rough. This defense is a lot worse than the one from two or three years ago, which could have carried the offense since it was that special. The current defense I would expect to be slightly above-average, which won’t be nearly enough to save Denver.
Denver’s one of those teams I just can’t buy into. Some people have them as a playoff team and I think they’ll be lucky to finish .500. Case Keenum is better than anything the Broncos have had at quarterback in years, including the ghost of Peyton Manning. The backfield will once again be a committee of guys who wouldn’t start in most situations. The receivers, who were able to make poor quarterbacks look better for years, are clearly on the decline and the offensive line is still rough. This defense is a lot worse than the one from two or three years ago, which could have carried the offense since it was that special. The current defense I would expect to be slightly above-average, which won’t be nearly enough to save Denver.
23. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals who were a guaranteed playoff team (and first round loss) may be gone, but this current Bengals team is at least pretty close to them in talent. The massive problem for Cincy is the pitiful offensive line and that’s enough to hold any team back, no matter how talented. The Bengals do have some serious talent, though, The pass rush is borderline top-5, ditto for the secondary, and you can’t just forget about A.J. Green or he’ll drop 150 and 2 tds. I also would have recommended a coaching change for the Bengals because even if Marvin Lewis has probably proven he’s worthy of being a head coach in the NFL, sometimes teams just need to make a change and there were some solid candidates available. If Cincinnati is able to sort out its offensive line and Lewis is still able to rally the team, the Bengals are a sleeper team to make it in the sad AFC playoffs.
The Bengals who were a guaranteed playoff team (and first round loss) may be gone, but this current Bengals team is at least pretty close to them in talent. The massive problem for Cincy is the pitiful offensive line and that’s enough to hold any team back, no matter how talented. The Bengals do have some serious talent, though, The pass rush is borderline top-5, ditto for the secondary, and you can’t just forget about A.J. Green or he’ll drop 150 and 2 tds. I also would have recommended a coaching change for the Bengals because even if Marvin Lewis has probably proven he’s worthy of being a head coach in the NFL, sometimes teams just need to make a change and there were some solid candidates available. If Cincinnati is able to sort out its offensive line and Lewis is still able to rally the team, the Bengals are a sleeper team to make it in the sad AFC playoffs.
22. Detroit Lions
I really tried to get behind the Lions as a sleeper because I thought Matt Patricia could fix the defense and Legarrette Blount and rookie Kerryon Johnson would improve the run game just enough. The preseason, though, really changed my point of view due to how inept the Lions have looked. While the games don’t count and you can’t base everything on it, Detroit looked dreadful in just about every way. The run game has looked better and that’s encouraging, but everything else has gone very wrong. The pass game, which has carried this team for years, has looked nothing like itself, with Matt Stafford even turning in some underwhelming showings. And the defense, which Patricia was supposed to come in and improve right away, has made other quarterbacks look like Stafford on his best days. The Lions could need another year to get it going with a new head coach, or they could be stuck in the worst place you can be in the NFL -- mediocrity.
I really tried to get behind the Lions as a sleeper because I thought Matt Patricia could fix the defense and Legarrette Blount and rookie Kerryon Johnson would improve the run game just enough. The preseason, though, really changed my point of view due to how inept the Lions have looked. While the games don’t count and you can’t base everything on it, Detroit looked dreadful in just about every way. The run game has looked better and that’s encouraging, but everything else has gone very wrong. The pass game, which has carried this team for years, has looked nothing like itself, with Matt Stafford even turning in some underwhelming showings. And the defense, which Patricia was supposed to come in and improve right away, has made other quarterbacks look like Stafford on his best days. The Lions could need another year to get it going with a new head coach, or they could be stuck in the worst place you can be in the NFL -- mediocrity.
21. Washington Redskins
Washington is one of the teams that seems to get perennially attacked by injuries and so far this year they’ve already suffered one huge one in rookie running back Derrius Guice tearing his ACL. The most important position in the game, quarterback, is one where they seem to have a downgrade, even if it isn’t a particularly large one from Kirk Cousins to Alex Smith. Their play-style will definitely change now that they are moving on from the aggressive Cousins to the overly-careful Smith, and they don’t have the weapons to make Smith look as good as he did with his old team. The backs remaining are so underwhelming that the Redskins had to go out and sign Adrian Peterson right out of his nursing home. The same Peterson who looked awful on a Saints team that had one of the top offensive lines and offenses in the league and couldn’t stick on a Cardinals team looking to replace David Johnson. While the defense should be solid with a good defensive line, the Redskins look to be a team that’s going to be in a lot of games this year, but lose the majority of them.
Washington is one of the teams that seems to get perennially attacked by injuries and so far this year they’ve already suffered one huge one in rookie running back Derrius Guice tearing his ACL. The most important position in the game, quarterback, is one where they seem to have a downgrade, even if it isn’t a particularly large one from Kirk Cousins to Alex Smith. Their play-style will definitely change now that they are moving on from the aggressive Cousins to the overly-careful Smith, and they don’t have the weapons to make Smith look as good as he did with his old team. The backs remaining are so underwhelming that the Redskins had to go out and sign Adrian Peterson right out of his nursing home. The same Peterson who looked awful on a Saints team that had one of the top offensive lines and offenses in the league and couldn’t stick on a Cardinals team looking to replace David Johnson. While the defense should be solid with a good defensive line, the Redskins look to be a team that’s going to be in a lot of games this year, but lose the majority of them.
20. Seattle Seahawks
I might have been too rash in predicting Seattle would go 4-12 the last time around, but this is America so I’m sticking to my guns and keeping the Seahawks far away from the playoffs once again. The defense is going to have to replace a lot of the players that brought them to back-to-back Super Bowls and the stand ins look average to below average. Even still, Russell Wilson will do whatever necessary to keep Seattle competitive and for a few weeks they might actually look like a good team, but after about 6 weeks of near-death misses, an ankle sprain or something of the sort will slow his superhero sort. Wilson would be my MVP favorite if his team was better or if I could in good conscious vote for someone whose teammates have gone public as hating him. Maybe that’s the reason Seattle hasn’t had a good offensive line in his time. Although, to be fair, they held up pretty well against the vaunted Vikings starting defense in the dress rehearsal game, so maybe this is the year Wilson gets help and I look like an idiot.
I might have been too rash in predicting Seattle would go 4-12 the last time around, but this is America so I’m sticking to my guns and keeping the Seahawks far away from the playoffs once again. The defense is going to have to replace a lot of the players that brought them to back-to-back Super Bowls and the stand ins look average to below average. Even still, Russell Wilson will do whatever necessary to keep Seattle competitive and for a few weeks they might actually look like a good team, but after about 6 weeks of near-death misses, an ankle sprain or something of the sort will slow his superhero sort. Wilson would be my MVP favorite if his team was better or if I could in good conscious vote for someone whose teammates have gone public as hating him. Maybe that’s the reason Seattle hasn’t had a good offensive line in his time. Although, to be fair, they held up pretty well against the vaunted Vikings starting defense in the dress rehearsal game, so maybe this is the year Wilson gets help and I look like an idiot.
19. Kansas City Chiefs
If you’re a fan of hard-nosed defensive battles, never ever turn on a Chiefs game. Prepare to see a lot of 27-24 and 35-30 ballgames at Arrowhead this year. With Patrick Mahomes taking over for good ole Captain Checkdown, Alex Smith, the offense should be even more explosive than last year. Combining Andy Reid’s deep playbook with the ridiculous amount of weapons they have is going to lead to some fun moments. An offense this good should make the Chiefs contenders, but Mahomes has only played one real game and the defense is almost as bad as the offense is good. Opposing teams’ number one wideouts are going to look as fast Tyreek Hill, their running backs are going to look as explosive as Kareem Hunt, and their tight ends are going to look as dependable as Travis Kelce. Get every Chief you can on your fantasy team -- except the defense, definitely not the defense.
If you’re a fan of hard-nosed defensive battles, never ever turn on a Chiefs game. Prepare to see a lot of 27-24 and 35-30 ballgames at Arrowhead this year. With Patrick Mahomes taking over for good ole Captain Checkdown, Alex Smith, the offense should be even more explosive than last year. Combining Andy Reid’s deep playbook with the ridiculous amount of weapons they have is going to lead to some fun moments. An offense this good should make the Chiefs contenders, but Mahomes has only played one real game and the defense is almost as bad as the offense is good. Opposing teams’ number one wideouts are going to look as fast Tyreek Hill, their running backs are going to look as explosive as Kareem Hunt, and their tight ends are going to look as dependable as Travis Kelce. Get every Chief you can on your fantasy team -- except the defense, definitely not the defense.
18. San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan and Jimmy Garoppolo put together a special end to the season and if we’re to project that over a full season, the 49ers would comfortably be the best team in the league. However, it isn’t that simple because the 49ers had the advantage of surprise for a while with them being a horrible team record-wise, there being little film on Garoppolo, and them playing only 1 legit contender (Jacksonville) and only one other decent team (Tennessee). This year, Shanahan and Garoppolo should still be able to carve up any defense in the league, but their defense will likely allow just as many points in some games. Despite not being a superstar back, the downgrade from Jerick McKinnon to the Alfred Morris/Matt Breida tandem will be stark. After another season together and a few more key free agent additions, this team could be ready to compete for real.
Kyle Shanahan and Jimmy Garoppolo put together a special end to the season and if we’re to project that over a full season, the 49ers would comfortably be the best team in the league. However, it isn’t that simple because the 49ers had the advantage of surprise for a while with them being a horrible team record-wise, there being little film on Garoppolo, and them playing only 1 legit contender (Jacksonville) and only one other decent team (Tennessee). This year, Shanahan and Garoppolo should still be able to carve up any defense in the league, but their defense will likely allow just as many points in some games. Despite not being a superstar back, the downgrade from Jerick McKinnon to the Alfred Morris/Matt Breida tandem will be stark. After another season together and a few more key free agent additions, this team could be ready to compete for real.
17. Houston Texans
I might be too low on the Texans, but I just don’t buy into the Super bowl hype many are throwing out there. I truly believe that Deshaun Watson, along with Carson Wentz, has the best chance to be the face of whatever remains of our league in the near future. Yet he’s still a young mobile quarterback coming off ACL surgery while still being expected to carry a team that only managed one win without him. Don’t expect the J.J. Watt that returns to be the Watt of old after multiple serious injuries. Speaking of injuries, the real best player on the Houston defense, Jadeveon Clowney, has struggled staying on the field in the past and will be the key to keeping this defense from being unspectacular. If everything goes right for the Texans, they are a legitimate Super Bowl sleeper, but there’s far too many if’s for my blood.
I might be too low on the Texans, but I just don’t buy into the Super bowl hype many are throwing out there. I truly believe that Deshaun Watson, along with Carson Wentz, has the best chance to be the face of whatever remains of our league in the near future. Yet he’s still a young mobile quarterback coming off ACL surgery while still being expected to carry a team that only managed one win without him. Don’t expect the J.J. Watt that returns to be the Watt of old after multiple serious injuries. Speaking of injuries, the real best player on the Houston defense, Jadeveon Clowney, has struggled staying on the field in the past and will be the key to keeping this defense from being unspectacular. If everything goes right for the Texans, they are a legitimate Super Bowl sleeper, but there’s far too many if’s for my blood.
16. New York Giants
The Giants have been a surprise team each of the past two years. In 2016, fresh off a poor season and a bunch of free agent signings, the Giants rode a stellar defense and star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and earned themselves a playoff spot. The next year, with many predicting a big follow-up for the Giants, Beckham got injured early and the Giants ended with the second pick in the draft. Now, expectations are once again low, but I see the Giants as a team primed for a bounce-back. Part of that is because they took the best player in the draft class, running back Saquon Barkley, with that number two pick. Put him on the field with Odell and I don’t know what a defense can do, even with Eli Manning being the quarterback. Also expect the defense to be closer to the dominant 2016 iteration than the abysmal 2017 version. The Giants are a dangerous team, but their weaknesses (Eli, offensive line) are likely crippling enough to keep them out of the playoffs.
The Giants have been a surprise team each of the past two years. In 2016, fresh off a poor season and a bunch of free agent signings, the Giants rode a stellar defense and star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and earned themselves a playoff spot. The next year, with many predicting a big follow-up for the Giants, Beckham got injured early and the Giants ended with the second pick in the draft. Now, expectations are once again low, but I see the Giants as a team primed for a bounce-back. Part of that is because they took the best player in the draft class, running back Saquon Barkley, with that number two pick. Put him on the field with Odell and I don’t know what a defense can do, even with Eli Manning being the quarterback. Also expect the defense to be closer to the dominant 2016 iteration than the abysmal 2017 version. The Giants are a dangerous team, but their weaknesses (Eli, offensive line) are likely crippling enough to keep them out of the playoffs.
15. Baltimore Ravens
Another team that’s been ravaged by injuries the past few years, the Ravens seem to have gotten luckier so far. Not only that, as we saw with Smith and Mahomes last year, drafting a rookie quarterback in the first round can light a fire under the starting quarterback’s ass. It’s hard to trust Joe Flacco after the last couple years, but any sort of improvement from him, with the help of a much improved receiving core, should go a long way towards helping this team win. The run game looks great, with Alex Collins coming out of nowhere to become a solid back while having the backing of a great offensive line. This is Baltimore, so expecting anything less than great defense is foolish. That expectation will once again be fulfilled by a great pass rush and solid back seven. Despite coming in at 15, the Ravens are the sixth best team in the AFC in these power rankings and I fully expect them to make the playoffs and potentially even steal the division from Pittsburgh if things go their way.
Another team that’s been ravaged by injuries the past few years, the Ravens seem to have gotten luckier so far. Not only that, as we saw with Smith and Mahomes last year, drafting a rookie quarterback in the first round can light a fire under the starting quarterback’s ass. It’s hard to trust Joe Flacco after the last couple years, but any sort of improvement from him, with the help of a much improved receiving core, should go a long way towards helping this team win. The run game looks great, with Alex Collins coming out of nowhere to become a solid back while having the backing of a great offensive line. This is Baltimore, so expecting anything less than great defense is foolish. That expectation will once again be fulfilled by a great pass rush and solid back seven. Despite coming in at 15, the Ravens are the sixth best team in the AFC in these power rankings and I fully expect them to make the playoffs and potentially even steal the division from Pittsburgh if things go their way.
14. Tennessee Titans
The Titans look solid in every area, yet spectacular in none. That makes them tough to rank because any team they play is going to have to play a near-perfect game in order to get the win. It also means they won’t be much of a threat against the big dogs come playoff time if they are to make it. Marcus Mariota really needs to take a step forward this year for the Titans to be treated as a threat. He had the big playoff game, but really wasn’t that good during the regular season. The run game should be able to support Mariota, though carrying the offense seems out of the picture. The defense is pretty much in the same boat with good players and not enough game-breakers. If Mariota can take another couple steps forward in his development, the Titans are a team that could have a serious chance at a championship in the next two or three years.
The Titans look solid in every area, yet spectacular in none. That makes them tough to rank because any team they play is going to have to play a near-perfect game in order to get the win. It also means they won’t be much of a threat against the big dogs come playoff time if they are to make it. Marcus Mariota really needs to take a step forward this year for the Titans to be treated as a threat. He had the big playoff game, but really wasn’t that good during the regular season. The run game should be able to support Mariota, though carrying the offense seems out of the picture. The defense is pretty much in the same boat with good players and not enough game-breakers. If Mariota can take another couple steps forward in his development, the Titans are a team that could have a serious chance at a championship in the next two or three years.
13. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers could actually be dangerous this year now that Cam Newton finally has some weapons. Shockingly, giving him starting wideouts who would make the roster of other playoff teams and an offensive coordinator who knows more than three plays improves his completion percentage and ability as a “pocket passer.” Their receiving core is extremely well-balanced this year and has gone from one of the worst in the league to fringe-top ten. Throw in Christian McCaffrey, who is greatly improved as a runner, while still being an amazing pass-catching back, and the Panthers offense could potentially be lethal in spurts. It’s just unfortunate there seems to be a yearly epidemic targeting Panthers offensive linemen. I also don’t expect the defense to be as fierce as we’ve seen in years past, but if the offense can compensate. Watch out.
12. Chicago Bears
Well, that came as a shocker. I was already high on the Bears, and then they go out and trade for Khalil Mack. There are only a few talents in the league as special as Mack and he joins an already stout defense. Matt Nagy was a great hire and should be able to transform the offense immediately. That job will be a lot easier for him now that there’s actually a decent wide receiver on the team. The running backs are still among the best in the league and Trubisky won’t look nearly as bad as he did last year with a new play caller and better weapons. It’s startling how fast people can give up on the 2nd pick of the draft. Before the Mack trade, I would call the Bears a team to watch out for next year, but the Bears were clearly not contempt with waiting. Put Chicago down as Super Bowl sleepers this year.
Well, that came as a shocker. I was already high on the Bears, and then they go out and trade for Khalil Mack. There are only a few talents in the league as special as Mack and he joins an already stout defense. Matt Nagy was a great hire and should be able to transform the offense immediately. That job will be a lot easier for him now that there’s actually a decent wide receiver on the team. The running backs are still among the best in the league and Trubisky won’t look nearly as bad as he did last year with a new play caller and better weapons. It’s startling how fast people can give up on the 2nd pick of the draft. Before the Mack trade, I would call the Bears a team to watch out for next year, but the Bears were clearly not contempt with waiting. Put Chicago down as Super Bowl sleepers this year.
11. Green Bay Packers
This team really comes down to one player. While it’s nice the Packers got a new GM in Brian Gutekunst and he went out and signed guys like Muhammad Wilkerson and Jimmy Graham, this team will sink or swim on the backs of the new $134 man, Aaron Rodgers, only. Last year, the Pack got off to a hot start and then Rodgers got annihilated by an Anthony Barr hit. All hope ended after that. People started to realize that the defense allowing 24 points per game meant that it was terrible and the receivers begun to look much worse without Rodgers buying them seven seconds to get free from their defenders. This year, the team will be slightly better, but that doesn’t say much and it’s hard to buy a one-man show going very far when there’s so many great well balanced teams in the league.
This team really comes down to one player. While it’s nice the Packers got a new GM in Brian Gutekunst and he went out and signed guys like Muhammad Wilkerson and Jimmy Graham, this team will sink or swim on the backs of the new $134 man, Aaron Rodgers, only. Last year, the Pack got off to a hot start and then Rodgers got annihilated by an Anthony Barr hit. All hope ended after that. People started to realize that the defense allowing 24 points per game meant that it was terrible and the receivers begun to look much worse without Rodgers buying them seven seconds to get free from their defenders. This year, the team will be slightly better, but that doesn’t say much and it’s hard to buy a one-man show going very far when there’s so many great well balanced teams in the league.
10. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas won 9 games with their best player missing 6 games, their second-best defender missing 5, and quite a few injuries and suspensions sprinkled in between. Dak Prescott is as mediocre a starting quarterback as they come, but with Zeke and that offensive line, health permitting with Travis Frederick’s situation, he doesn’t need to be much more. Rod Marinelli is also one of the most underrated defensive coordinators in the league. What he does with that defense to make them solid when they have no talent is magical, and now that they have some talent, they could be good. The Cowboys should be able to assert themselves as one of the better teams in the league, but with a tough schedule and a tougher conference, the playoffs are no certainty.
Dallas won 9 games with their best player missing 6 games, their second-best defender missing 5, and quite a few injuries and suspensions sprinkled in between. Dak Prescott is as mediocre a starting quarterback as they come, but with Zeke and that offensive line, health permitting with Travis Frederick’s situation, he doesn’t need to be much more. Rod Marinelli is also one of the most underrated defensive coordinators in the league. What he does with that defense to make them solid when they have no talent is magical, and now that they have some talent, they could be good. The Cowboys should be able to assert themselves as one of the better teams in the league, but with a tough schedule and a tougher conference, the playoffs are no certainty.
9. Los Angeles Chargers
Scroll through the Chargers’ roster and you’ll see one of the most talented in football. Same story as the last couple years where they’ve still managed to miss the playoffs. That’s why it’s hard to go all in on this team. Going half-in on this team isn’t particularly hard to convince yourself of, though. Phillip Rivers is at the very least a steady veteran quarterback and I think he’s very overlooked. His weapons are among the best in the league, and the offensive line is getting a lot of help from both returns from injury and free agent additions. They added Mike Pouncey to solidify their center position and return guard Forrest Lamp and his awesome name from an ACL injury. They have two star pass rushers helping compliment a great secondary and forming the crux of a good defense. If the Chargers can finally stay out of their own way, they will be a serious threat to the powerhouses of the league.
Scroll through the Chargers’ roster and you’ll see one of the most talented in football. Same story as the last couple years where they’ve still managed to miss the playoffs. That’s why it’s hard to go all in on this team. Going half-in on this team isn’t particularly hard to convince yourself of, though. Phillip Rivers is at the very least a steady veteran quarterback and I think he’s very overlooked. His weapons are among the best in the league, and the offensive line is getting a lot of help from both returns from injury and free agent additions. They added Mike Pouncey to solidify their center position and return guard Forrest Lamp and his awesome name from an ACL injury. They have two star pass rushers helping compliment a great secondary and forming the crux of a good defense. If the Chargers can finally stay out of their own way, they will be a serious threat to the powerhouses of the league.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers
Any loyal followers of the Franchise Quarterback Blog may remember that a few short months ago I had predicted the Steelers to win the Super Bowl, but that was likely due to a testing-induced haze. Judging by the handling of the Le’veon Bell situation by both parties, it’s likely the Steelers took the same test we did. Everything else with the team is the same as always. The receivers are great, the offensive line is solid, while the defense will dominate one week and let up big play after big play the next. It’s starting to seem like with the way the Steelers are built it’s going to take some perfect circumstances -- whether those are breakout stars on the team, injuries to other contenders, or a few well-timed helmet calls -- for the Steelers to return to the big game.
Any loyal followers of the Franchise Quarterback Blog may remember that a few short months ago I had predicted the Steelers to win the Super Bowl, but that was likely due to a testing-induced haze. Judging by the handling of the Le’veon Bell situation by both parties, it’s likely the Steelers took the same test we did. Everything else with the team is the same as always. The receivers are great, the offensive line is solid, while the defense will dominate one week and let up big play after big play the next. It’s starting to seem like with the way the Steelers are built it’s going to take some perfect circumstances -- whether those are breakout stars on the team, injuries to other contenders, or a few well-timed helmet calls -- for the Steelers to return to the big game.
7. Atlanta Falcons
So long as the Falcons can get their talented offense back on track, they should have a good chance to avenge their embarrassing Super Bowl loss from two seasons ago. Everyone knows the stars on offense -- Julio Jones, Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman, and a bunch of other great role players --, but the defense is what is going to allow this team to get a trophy. They’re young, fast, and hungry. Players like middle linebacker Deion Jones, strong safety Keanu Neal, and edge rusher Vic Beasley will make sure the Falcons stay competitive even if the offense can’t find the groove it did during the Super Bowl run. It wouldn’t shock anyone if the Falcons went either of two ways; lethargic and competitive like last year or dynamic and dominant like the year before.
So long as the Falcons can get their talented offense back on track, they should have a good chance to avenge their embarrassing Super Bowl loss from two seasons ago. Everyone knows the stars on offense -- Julio Jones, Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman, and a bunch of other great role players --, but the defense is what is going to allow this team to get a trophy. They’re young, fast, and hungry. Players like middle linebacker Deion Jones, strong safety Keanu Neal, and edge rusher Vic Beasley will make sure the Falcons stay competitive even if the offense can’t find the groove it did during the Super Bowl run. It wouldn’t shock anyone if the Falcons went either of two ways; lethargic and competitive like last year or dynamic and dominant like the year before.
6. New Orleans Saints
Many put the Saints in the same tier as the top-three in the NFC, but I don’t see it. The offense is going to be special like last year, with no weaknesses at any position. They also have the original Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay calling plays in Sean Payton. The problem for them is the other side of the ball. Whereas the Eagles, Rams, and Vikings have three of the best defenses in the league, the Saints have two superstars in Marshon Lattimore and Cam Jordan and then a bunch of above-average to below-average players. That’s not bad, but in comparison, it could be enough to hold them down when the competition gets toughest.
Many put the Saints in the same tier as the top-three in the NFC, but I don’t see it. The offense is going to be special like last year, with no weaknesses at any position. They also have the original Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay calling plays in Sean Payton. The problem for them is the other side of the ball. Whereas the Eagles, Rams, and Vikings have three of the best defenses in the league, the Saints have two superstars in Marshon Lattimore and Cam Jordan and then a bunch of above-average to below-average players. That’s not bad, but in comparison, it could be enough to hold them down when the competition gets toughest.
5. New England Patriots
The Patriots once again head into the season looking extremely mortal. The receiving core is dangerously thin with guys getting cut and retiring, and what's left isn’t pretty. The Patriots strategy for hiding all the holes in their defense is bold: a bend-but-don’t-break defense. Employing a bend-but-don’t-break defense only works when you have an offense capable of scoring fast and scoring often. Fortunately for the Patriots, they have Tom Brady, so they’re just about the only team in the league that could get away with employing such a porous defense while still being a Super Bowl favorite. Unfortunately for the Patriots, there’s so many well-balanced and just in general better teams than the Patriots that for the first time they shouldn’t be the Super Bowl favorites.
The Patriots once again head into the season looking extremely mortal. The receiving core is dangerously thin with guys getting cut and retiring, and what's left isn’t pretty. The Patriots strategy for hiding all the holes in their defense is bold: a bend-but-don’t-break defense. Employing a bend-but-don’t-break defense only works when you have an offense capable of scoring fast and scoring often. Fortunately for the Patriots, they have Tom Brady, so they’re just about the only team in the league that could get away with employing such a porous defense while still being a Super Bowl favorite. Unfortunately for the Patriots, there’s so many well-balanced and just in general better teams than the Patriots that for the first time they shouldn’t be the Super Bowl favorites.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
Stop sleeping on the Jaguars. How many rants does Jalen Ramsey have to go on before Jacksonville gets the attention of the New England’s, Pittsburgh’s, or Green Bay’s? They may not have the consistent playoff tickets of those teams, but as currently constructed, the Jaguars have the best roster and that’s what matters. Marqise Lee’s injury is unfortunate, but the Jaguars have a room full of solid receivers and it's not like the passing game is what scares you when game planning for Doug Marrone’s team. What scares you is the 6’ 1” 230 lbs freak of nature in the backfield and the defense full of similar athletes.
Stop sleeping on the Jaguars. How many rants does Jalen Ramsey have to go on before Jacksonville gets the attention of the New England’s, Pittsburgh’s, or Green Bay’s? They may not have the consistent playoff tickets of those teams, but as currently constructed, the Jaguars have the best roster and that’s what matters. Marqise Lee’s injury is unfortunate, but the Jaguars have a room full of solid receivers and it's not like the passing game is what scares you when game planning for Doug Marrone’s team. What scares you is the 6’ 1” 230 lbs freak of nature in the backfield and the defense full of similar athletes.
3. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings may not have the ceiling of the top-two teams on this list, but I consider them the team with the lowest bust potential out of all the NFC. Minnesota is stacked at every position on both sides of the ball. Their biggest weakness would have to be offensive line, but even that is not drastic and can be mitigated by strong quarterback and running back play. The defense is dynamite, with playmakers at all three levels. The secondary, especially, has back-ups that could start for many other teams, and they seemed to sign George Iloka just for fun. With Kirk Cousins at the helm, the Vikings might be able to push past the more combustible teams ahead of them and march right to the Super Bowl.
The Vikings may not have the ceiling of the top-two teams on this list, but I consider them the team with the lowest bust potential out of all the NFC. Minnesota is stacked at every position on both sides of the ball. Their biggest weakness would have to be offensive line, but even that is not drastic and can be mitigated by strong quarterback and running back play. The defense is dynamite, with playmakers at all three levels. The secondary, especially, has back-ups that could start for many other teams, and they seemed to sign George Iloka just for fun. With Kirk Cousins at the helm, the Vikings might be able to push past the more combustible teams ahead of them and march right to the Super Bowl.
2. Los Angeles Rams
The superteam is finally complete. Now that Aaron Donald signed his megadeal, the Rams have all the talent they need to rampage through the league en route to a Lombardi Trophy. There’s still a bit of risk with this team, though. Adding so much talent in one offseason means there will likely be a jelling period that could cost them a couple games. Jared Goff is a quarterback who will put up great numbers with Sean McVay calling plays for him, but when you need a couple clutch throws to win you a close game, there’s many guys you’d rather turn to. Those might not sound crippling, but for a team this talented you have to scrape the absolute bottom-of-the-barrel to find negatives. Add one of the brightest young offensive minds as a head coach, one of the most well-respected defensive-coordinators of all-time, and one of the most star-studded rosters of all-time and you get serious Super Bowl contenders.
The superteam is finally complete. Now that Aaron Donald signed his megadeal, the Rams have all the talent they need to rampage through the league en route to a Lombardi Trophy. There’s still a bit of risk with this team, though. Adding so much talent in one offseason means there will likely be a jelling period that could cost them a couple games. Jared Goff is a quarterback who will put up great numbers with Sean McVay calling plays for him, but when you need a couple clutch throws to win you a close game, there’s many guys you’d rather turn to. Those might not sound crippling, but for a team this talented you have to scrape the absolute bottom-of-the-barrel to find negatives. Add one of the brightest young offensive minds as a head coach, one of the most well-respected defensive-coordinators of all-time, and one of the most star-studded rosters of all-time and you get serious Super Bowl contenders.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
Have the Eagles looked particularly deserving of the number one spot in the preseason? Maybe not, yet here they are — the reigning Super Bowl Champions about to get their best player back. Even so, the Eagles as a team really didn’t look that bad in the dress rehearsal game against Cleveland. Holding the new Browns to 3 points, while the real Nick Foles does everything possible to sabotage your team (two interceptions and a safety in just a half) is a good indication that the defense is ready for another deep playoff run. And once Wentz is back, they won’t have to do everything themselves. As reigning champs, the Eagles are entitled to the top spot. But with Wentz’s uncertain health, that likely won’t last long.
Think your team is ranked too low? Or just in general think I know nothing about football? Go crazy in the comments.
Works Cited:
IV, Bob Garcia. “REPORT: Raiders Officially Trade Star Khalil Mack.” ClutchPoints, ClutchPoints, 1 Sept. 2018, clutchpoints.com/raiders-news-khalil-mack-traded-to-the-bears/.
Have the Eagles looked particularly deserving of the number one spot in the preseason? Maybe not, yet here they are — the reigning Super Bowl Champions about to get their best player back. Even so, the Eagles as a team really didn’t look that bad in the dress rehearsal game against Cleveland. Holding the new Browns to 3 points, while the real Nick Foles does everything possible to sabotage your team (two interceptions and a safety in just a half) is a good indication that the defense is ready for another deep playoff run. And once Wentz is back, they won’t have to do everything themselves. As reigning champs, the Eagles are entitled to the top spot. But with Wentz’s uncertain health, that likely won’t last long.
Think your team is ranked too low? Or just in general think I know nothing about football? Go crazy in the comments.
Works Cited:
IV, Bob Garcia. “REPORT: Raiders Officially Trade Star Khalil Mack.” ClutchPoints, ClutchPoints, 1 Sept. 2018, clutchpoints.com/raiders-news-khalil-mack-traded-to-the-bears/.
no way the bills are the worst team in the league how is a playoff team ranked worse than the browns who've won a game in 2 yrs smh
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