[flanna.kersting]

I'm gonna list every team under 5 different catergories, and give reasons why.

Championship Callibur
New England: Does anyone honestly disagree? Brady is a top-notch leader, and the depth, talent, and coaching are excellent. Plus, there's no selfish player on that team. Everyone wants to win, no matter the costs.
Philadelphia: McNabb & company cannot be stopped. Too versatile on offense, too deep on defense...few teams can compare. Spirits are higher than ever in Philly.
^These two teams are in a league of their own. This should be the Super Bowl matchup this year. The Pats have the slight edge, but only because they won it all last year.

Contenders
NY Jets: Chad Pennington looks like he's ready to join the ranks of McNabb, Manning, Brady & the elite QB class. He may not throw for a ton of yards, but his completion percentage is unhuman. He also has one of the best WR duo's in Moss/McCareins. The defense may be the only thing that holds this team back.
Indianapolis: Manning will lead the Colts back to the Championship game against New England, and they may be able to fend off the Pats. This team is still another year away, I think. Not because they need to mature, but because they still need to upgrade the defense.
Denver: I don't see Denver making it too far, especially since Quintin Griffin has pretty much disappeared after a solid Week 1. Plummer can be inconsistent at times, but Mike Shanahan always finds a way to win. Denver will make the playoffs, especially in a fairly weak division.
Detroit: Yes, Detroit. They have a potentially explosive offense and a solid defense. The Philly game would have been closer today if it wasn't for the loss of Dre Bly and Boss Bailey. But this young team will still have trouble against the better teams such as the Eagles. Could be in the playoffs, coming from what could be a interesting division to watch.
Minnesota: This team has the offense to win, but it's defense will make it a hard year for Mike Tice and the Vikes. Injuries could hurt this team badly, but again, it should be an interesting division to watch.
New Orleans: They won without thier best player, and are another team with a potent offense and a questionable defense. Should make the playoffs, and if the defense steps it up, could pull an upset or two come January.
Carolina: I'm still not sold on this team, but they have a solid defense and enough of an offense to compete. Last year was a bit of a fluke. There's no way they should have beaten Philly, and most will agree. But they find a way to win. DeShaun Foster and Keary Colbert have stepped it up in the absence of Stephen Davis and Steve Smith, but this team doesn't have the top-notch QB or a talented enough O-Line to get back to the Championship game.
Seattle: They have finally proven they can win on the road, and that should be enough to live up to expectations. They aren't that much better than the rest of my Contenders to put them in the next level, but they have the capabilities to win it all. Defense is above average, but not stellar.

Pretenders
Baltimore: Most will disagree, but they aren't that good. The defense is awesome, but there's too many problems elsewhere. Jamal Lewis could miss time, and Deion and Ray Lewis can be major distractions. The offense is pitiful and if they were in another division, they'd have trouble finishing 9-7. Boller cannot lead this team to anything more than a first-round exit at best. This is a team that lost to a pathetic Cleveland team.
Jacksonville: I'll admit...they look good. But they have to come down to earth sometime. Byron Leftwich will still struggle with certain situations, and the defense is too much of a question mark. They still have another game against Tennessee, and Indianapolis twice. Jacksonville just isnt a major sports town, and Florida is a predominately College-oriented football state.
NY Giants: No way does this team finish any better than 6-10. They still have the Eagles and Redskins again, and two against the rival Cowboys. They will only win 1 of these 4 games. Tom Coughlin is too different from the players, which deserve what they get in most cases. Fines for being too early is one thing, but these guys don't have the talent to be slacking elsewhere. This team just isn't good enough to finish with a winning record.
Atlanta: Suprised? Cmon, they only scored 6 points against the Cardinals!!! They just don't seem to have it. They need something else. They need better passing from Vick and less running. Once he gets a feel for the West Coast Offense, they'll be fine and up with the elite of the NFC. But for now, they need some work. They'll finish 9-7, and maybe make the playoffs, but their current record is a poor example of their ablities, which is why they make this group instead of the Contenders.

Come-back Kids
Cincinnati: Carson Palmer needs to get used to the pressure he's gonna face and all the different defenses. He's got talent, it's just gonna take some time. If Marvin Lewis pulls the plug on him, then Jon Kitna leads them into the playoffs. If not, then we're lookin at another 8-8 season. The defense needs some work as well.
Tennessee: Jeff Fischer and Steve McNair won't let this ship sink. They've got too much competitiveness to let that happen. They still have a very powerful offense, and an average defense, but they're missing that leader on defense. Tennessee will be among the top 4 AFC teams as always, but they're gonna have to work harder this year than in the past. A lack of depth could spell trouble if injuries hit.
Houston: This team has all the talent that a playoff team needs. They've had a few rough losses, and will continue to suffer growing pains. But David Carr is ready to lead this team to the post-season, and the defense could suprise many. This is a very young team with a lot of potential superstars. If they continue to progress this way, in another two years, this team will be in the Super Bowl.
Kansas City: The defense just isn't getting it done. Trent Green and Priest Holmes can only carry a team so far. You can't win without a good defense, and Kansas City is learning that now. But the offense will win them some games, and they should at least win 3 of the 6 games in their division. This season is lying on the shoulders of the defense.
Chicago: Rex Grossman is showing he is a capable leader, with a few nice 4th quarter performances. Thomas Jones is finally living up to potential, and has exploded for this offense. The defense is good, but losing Mike Brown for the year really hurts. This team could push for the playoffs, and don't expect to see anything worse than 7-9. This will be an interesting division to watch. All 4 teams are pretty equal (which I know will piss off Vikes fans).
Green Bay: Brett Favre won't let this team go down. But the defense has some holes. The offense is plenty solid, but they're having trouble stopping other teams. If the Pack isn't playing in January 2005, Favre won't be playing in September of that same year.

Top 10 Draft Pick
Buffalo: This team is in total disarray. The defense is average at best, and the QB situation is a mess. They would love to get rid of Bledsoe and turn the reigns over to J.P. Losman, but that won't happen until he gets healthy again. Both lines are below average, and the pass rush is non-existant. This team only needs a few minor changes to be competitive, but that won't happen soon enough for this year to be anything more than a wash.
Miami: If Ricky Williams returns to pay off his debts, the Dolphins will keep out of this catergory. But in all likeliness, he won't. So the Dolphins, who may have the worst O-Line in football, are in trouble. The defense is good, but Feeley has no time to throw, and Gordon has no where to run. They could have the leagues best WR trio next season though, with Boston, Chambers, and Booker...if they are all brought back.
Cleveland: This team is another one that needs a major overhaul. The defense isn't good enough and the offense is just horrible. Running back and Tight End are the only positives of the offensive skill positions. A new coach is also a major need. This team seems to lack heart and desire.
Tampa Bay: Old and tired are two adjectives that come to mind when I think of Tampa. This team needs to get young and fast. It'll take a few years, and I wonder if Gruden will stay that long, be it his decision or the owners'. This team just can't hack it anymore. They'll need 2-3 years to get back on track.
Arizona: I think this one is pretty obvious. But Dennis Green will make this a playoff team by 2006. They already have the best young WR duo, although only half has been on the field at once this season. Boldin and Fitzgerald will terrorize opposing corners once Larry gets used to the NFL and the Cardinals get a better QB. The defense and the huge O-Line need some help, but that will come.
San Francisco: Dorsey could be a good QB in a few years. But this team is in a bad place right now.They lack a #1 WR and the WRs they have now will take some time to be that. Brandon Lloyd showed some promise last year, and Rashaun Woods has potential. It's a shame. It seems like San Fran has always been a good team, and always good for entertainment, whether it was Montana or Young to Rice, or TO and his flamboyant celebrations. Now it's just sad to watch.

The verdict is still out on some other teams. I ran out of space...lol. I'll update tomorrow.