[I9dydJrX]

About one week of camp in for all teams, with the first preseason game this Sunday, so let's see where things now stand in my messed up mind....

32) Jaguars-(Previously 30) Things couldn't be going worse for the Jags. MJD is a no show, Blackmon got hinself arrested and is the only unsigned draft pick left, Laurant Robinson is dropping everything, injuries on the OL...Everything had to break right for this team to rank even as high as 30, but everything is breaking wrong.

31) St. Louis Rams- (31)The team still needs weapons for Bradford to throw too, but that defense looks like it could become good in a hurry. Just not in time for much help this season. No worries, though. Another year picking high and the rest of the Bob Griffen bounty should get this team in contention within the next two seasons.

30) Colts- (27) I still think the team may take to the 3-4 defense quickly, and I still think Luck is the truth, but I'm not in love with his protection, and with so many young parts on offense, I'm tempering my expectations a little.

29) Vikings-(32) They have risen! Not a lot, but at least they haven't had the issues the Jags have had. Still room to rise, if Ponder can show something and Peterson makes it all the way back early. Vikings probably have more long term pieces in place than the rest of the rebuilding teams, but may still end up with the worst record due to the division. But these are power rankings, and not standings, so 29 it is, until next time.

28) Redskins-(26) Offensive line issues and likely rookie QB growing pains has me scaling the Skins back a bit. Maybe Bob Griffen can be the next Cam Newton, as far as rookie performances go, but the odds are against it. Not a huge fan of the quantity over quality approach to the WR's, and still waiting for Shanahan's running attack to take off. If Griffen leads the team in rushing, the team is not in good shape.

27) Miami- (25)Tannehill has impressed in camp thus far, and might win the starting job yet. Dolphins also believe they are getting a Chad Johnson resurgence. But other than Bush and possibly a rejuvenated and motivated OchcoCinco, this team is lacking juice on the offensive side of the ball. Some of that could be masked by what could be an excellent offensive line, though. Still, more questions than answers on this team, not the least of which is Mike Sherman's creativity as a playcaller.

26) Browns-(24) I still think this team could surprise, but there is a lot of talent lacking experience that will have to step up for that to happen. But the sheer number of young talented players the team will be throwing into the fire should make things interesting, at least. Weeden is more mature than the other 1st round QB's, so maybe he has success quicker than the rest. He certainly has more talent around him than the others- Pro Bowl quality left tackle and center, stud running back, potentially dynamic receiver in Little, a big target in Gordon, a speed option in Benjamin, and a dangerous after the catch target in Cribbs. Not to mention last year's starter Massoquoi as depth. The defense has young talent as well, having been addressed the previous year. The knocks: youth, Philip Taylor's injury, and the Shurmur/Childress combo.

25) Raiders- (28) Moving up more because of other downgrades than anything they've done. The fans cite their 8-8 record last season as a sign of hope, but I still see the end of season slide, hard but necessary talent cuts, and a division where the other teams all did more to improve. Good times may be coming, but a slide back is likely before that happens.

24) Cardinals-(22) Another training camp, another Beanie Wells injury. Kolb has yet to grab the starting QB job by the reigns, and the longer the starting job is in question, the more likely the "if you have two, you really have none" maxim will apply. Impressive receivers and tight ends will be wasted if the team suffers another season of mediocre QB play. The defense may be ready to help hold up the team though. Cards could finish anywhere from third to first in a division in which the most talented starting quarterback is on the one team not likely in contention.

23) Jets- (23) A team with outside pass rush issues chose to further address the defensive line, add another QB that can't pass, and look to their contact-avoiding corner for passing game juice. Really, though, with a Sanchez/Tebow combo at QB, they might as well have Revis join Cromartie on offense, for how much it would matter. The team's hope for improvement comes from Tony Sparano, known more for his running game than passing or QB development. But at least Tebow looks the part for the Wildcat.

22) Panthers- (29) I still think Newton slides back to earth a bit, with more defenses keying on him specifically, but I also now think the Williams/Stewart running game might reappear if Newton is taken away. And I may have previously underrated their defense. We shall see.

21) Cowboys-(19) I'm not ruling out an elite defensive season manufactured by Rob Ryan, but somehow, someway, Jerrah's team will find a way to mess things up.

20) Falcons-(18) It will be interesting to see if the team takes the leash off of Ryan and the passing game, and if they do, this ranking may be too low. But old habits die hard, and defensive coaches like pounding the ball. Until I see more play action and deep outs than 3 yard runs up the middle, I'll expect the Falcons to slip.

19) Titans- (21) Team is still "meh", but maybe Locker can give them some juice. I'd be more excited if their receivers were all healthy, and the offensive line was stronger.

18) Chargers-(20) Still waiting to see which Rivers we get this season. If it's the one that puts up MVP type numbers, this ranking is probably too low. But I'll stick with it just in case this year's model is somewhere between last year's version and the previous year's. At least Ingram brings some excitement and intrigue to the defense.

17) Saints-(17) Still not sure how this coaching thing will work, and the team has some suspensions and defections to work through. But they do have Drew Brees, which could cause a fast rise in these rankings. What else would convince me? A fast conversion to Spags' defense.

16) Buccaneers-(15) This team could be much better than expected. And they could easily be much worse. But I have faith in the running game, and a bounce back season from Freeman. Getting some leads could do as much to help that horrible rush defense ranking as any influx of talent.

15) Texans- (11) This team has talent, do not get me wrong. But the salary cap took a big bite out of their depth, and it's not like Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub, and Arian Foster are know for being iron men. If(when?) one or more of them goes down, will the defense still be able to keep the team in the playoff hunt? I'm not convinced.

14) Seahawks-(16) I think this team has improved it's passing attack, but questions on the offensive line remain, and could sink the teams chances. Still, that defense should be one of the NFC's best, and I wouldn't be shocked if Seattle somehow ended up winning that division.

13) Bills- (14) It's hard to conceive of even Wannestadt messing up what should be a very disruptive defense, with a stacked line and talent throughout. But being ranked this high is dependent on Fitzpatrick being effective for a full season. I'm betting the improved offensive line makes that happen.

12) Steelers- (8) The Steelers had a nice draft, but still may slip due to the youth infusion on defense and change in offensive scheme. Wallace's situation and lack of time in the new offense is a concern as well, but the biggest issue may be Big Ben's rotator cuff. I'll move them here until I know more.

11) Chiefs- (9) Still looking for health to be the main factor in improvement, and I still believe this team has the talent and the right scheme to be a playoff factor. The big issue is Cassell, who isn't Peyton Manning. But the team should be ok as long as HE remembers that he isn't Manning, and the rest of the walking wounded stay healthy, especially Charles and Berry.

10) Broncos-(12) So, Peyton is in camp and throwing. But he really hasn't thrown deep. If the Broncos are getting anything close to the old Manning, they should win this division. But if he's not the same guy, and still tries playing like the same guy, this thing could get ugly quickly. Smart money says Peyton adjusts to whatever limitations he has and changes his game to suit.

9) Ravens-(10) So, McKinnie supposedly got hurt and showed up late for camp, meaning the offensive line shuffle is on. This team could slip farther if the line doesn't come together quickly, and if Flacco plays at any level below as good as he thinks he is.

8) 49ers- (7) Still thinking having a target on their back will make the team that came from nowhere slide a bit in both rankings and standings. This team put a ton of focus on improving the offense, bringing in names like Moss, Manningham, and Jacobs. And the head coach appears to want to open that passing game up. But at the end of the day, can Alex Smith handle a bigger workload, and be trusted to take more chances? I still believe this may hurt the team before eventually helping it.

7) Lions-(5) Still waiting to see how the secondary gets fixed, and waiting to see what Fairley and LeShoure can bring to this team. Chances are that Stafford's success is toned down a bit this season, and other than defensive line and wide receiver, I still see some depth issues. Maybe Reiff solves the offensive line problem, and maybe Backus' injury is the opening he needed. Regardless, Calvin Johnson is still one of, if not THE, most dangerous weapon in the league offensively.

6) Bengals- (6) I'm holding firm on this one for now. I'm a fan of the coaching staff-still not of the owner/GM- and I like a lot of the pieces this team has, especially on defense. Zimmer is probably overdue for a head coaching position, and I think this season he adds enough to his resume to finally get that shot.


5) Bears-(13) So, maybe the Cutler/Marshall/Bates reunion will have a happy ending. Tice may find a way, even with increased duties, to polish the turd that is the Bear's left tackle situation and the offense flourishes. Even if none of that happens, Lovie's conservative strategy defensively and the team's always outstanding special teams units put the team in every game, very rarely out of it, and poised to strike as soon as their opponents make a mistake, and most of the time they WILL make that mistake. Concerns on this team are the same--left tackle(or offensive line as a whole)and aging on the defense, but it really just boils down to keeping Cutler healthy. As long as he's upright, they have a chance.

4) Eagles-(3) This team's fortunes still rely on keeping Vick healthy and improving on defense. The talent is there for a deep playoff run. The reason the Eagles have slipped, in my view, is because of nagging doubts about DeShawn Jackson, the left tackle situation, and the offensive line coach moonlighting as a defensive coordinator. At the end of the day, I match up the Eagles against the Giants, and at this point, the Eagles come up short in that match up to me.

3) New York Giants- (4) The Giants are a team that battles depth issues around the middle of every season, and depending on how they deal with it, either miss the playoffs or go on a Super Bowl run. The sheer amount of talent on the defensive line makes them contenders every year, as they can always find a match up to exploit. The only thing separating this squad from the top two teams is the aforementioned depth issues at every position other than D-line.

2) Packers- (2)Offensively, they have more talent than any other team. The task is to now get the defense back up to the same standards, and they focused on that all off season. After focusing on defense in the draft, the Packers made another change by moving Charles Woodson to strong safety in the base defense. This opens up a starting corner spot to be won in a competition between 2nd year man Davon House, rookie Casey Heyward, 3rd year speedster Sam Shields, and special teams ace Jarret Bush. Having at least one of these 4 players step up, along with Nick Perry helping to bring pressure, should improve the defense greatly. In sub packages, the team also needs either 2nd year man MD Jennings or rookie Jarron McMillian to be competent enough at safety to allow Woodson to move to the slot, while Jerel Worthy and Mike Daniels attempt to bring more juice to the interior pash rush. Capers has more pieces to work with this year, and any lack of improvement would be inexcusable.

1) Patriots- (1) Still keeping the Pats here, with the additions to the receiving corps, defense, and coaching staff. Maybe this is the year time catches up to Tom Brady...but probably not. Patriots also are facing defensive issues like the Packers, but like the Packers, they threw a lot of draft picks at the problem. I'm assuming, with this ranking, that Andre Carter eventually re-signs with them.

And there it is....Flame away!

[I9dydJrX]

No flaming? Everyone is...happy?

Ha!

[mr.calisto]

Eagles are way too low.

[I9dydJrX]

Eagles are way too low.

You had your chance and missed it.

Just sit back and bask in the perfection now.

[BaselBimbooooo]

eagles are way too high. and who is deshawn jackson?

[pipitous]

23) Jets- (23) A team with outside pass rush issues chose to further address the defensive line, add another QB that can't pass, and look to their contact-avoiding corner for passing game juice. Really, though, with a Sanchez/Tebow combo at QB, they might as well have Revis join Cromartie on offense, for how much it would matter. The team's hope for improvement comes from Tony Sparano, known more for his running game than passing or QB development. But at least Tebow looks the part for the Wildcat.

Way too low. Sparano is a key addition because this team used to beat up on people with solid defense and a good running offense. As Sanchez progresses, an improved running game could really bring this team to the next level. Besides that, I just don't see how you rank a team with such a good defense this low. They should at least be top 16 since their defense alone makes them a marginal playoff contender. And if the offense gets going, the team could be very dangerous.

20) Falcons-(18) It will be interesting to see if the team takes the leash off of Ryan and the passing game, and if they do, this ranking may be too low. But old habits die hard, and defensive coaches like pounding the ball. Until I see more play action and deep outs than 3 yard runs up the middle, I'll expect the Falcons to slip. Too low. You have them below the Buccaneers and the decimated Saints? While I'm now wowed by the Falcons, they've got a lot of pieces in place to have a great season. Frankly, I think they'll get humiliated in the playoffs but I see them getting there.

19) Titans- (21) Team is still "meh", but maybe Locker can give them some juice. I'd be more excited if their receivers were all healthy, and the offensive line was stronger. Too high. All you say is "meh" about this team and you rank them 19th based on maybe Jake Locker giving them some juice? That doesn't seem fair to the Jets or Falcons who have a lot more going for them than Tennessee.

17) Saints-(17) Still not sure how this coaching thing will work, and the team has some suspensions and defections to work through. But they do have Drew Brees, which could cause a fast rise in these rankings. What else would convince me? A fast conversion to Spags' defense. I'd rank them higher based on Brees alone.

16) Buccaneers-(15) This team could be much better than expected. And they could easily be much worse. But I have faith in the running game, and a bounce back season from Freeman. Getting some leads could do as much to help that horrible rush defense ranking as any influx of talent. I love me some Schiano, but really? I see 8-8 being a good season for this team.

15) Texans- (11) This team has talent, do not get me wrong. But the salary cap took a big bite out of their depth, and it's not like Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub, and Arian Foster are know for being iron men. If(when?) one or more of them goes down, will the defense still be able to keep the team in the playoff hunt? I'm not convinced. Too low. Great defense and an explosive offense. A better version of the Eagles (who also have some injury concerns -- see Michael Vick, Desean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin who miraculously recovered from whatever disease it is he had last year).

14) Seahawks-(16) I think this team has improved it's passing attack, but questions on the offensive line remain, and could sink the teams chances. Still, that defense should be one of the NFC's best, and I wouldn't be shocked if Seattle somehow ended up winning that division. Too high. Two words: Pete Carroll.

11) Chiefs- (9) Still looking for health to be the main factor in improvement, and I still believe this team has the talent and the right scheme to be a playoff factor. The big issue is Cassell, who isn't Peyton Manning. But the team should be ok as long as HE remembers that he isn't Manning, and the rest of the walking wounded stay healthy, especially Charles and Berry. This team's success is based too much on Charles coming back healthy.

9) Ravens-(10) So, McKinnie supposedly got hurt and showed up late for camp, meaning the offensive line shuffle is on. This team could slip farther if the line doesn't come together quickly, and if Flacco plays at any level below as good as he thinks he is. Probably should have won the Superbowl last year -- or at least been in the big game. So they get ranked 9th? Easily a top 4 team going into 2012. The biggest question for me is when this defense will finally fall off. Ray Lewis isn't getting any younger.

6) Bengals- (6) I'm holding firm on this one for now. I'm a fan of the coaching staff-still not of the owner/GM- and I like a lot of the pieces this team has, especially on defense. Zimmer is probably overdue for a head coaching position, and I think this season he adds enough to his resume to finally get that shot. Too unproven to put this high, but I understand they're your sleeper so I'll allow it.

5) Bears-(13) So, maybe the Cutler/Marshall/Bates reunion will have a happy ending. Tice may find a way, even with increased duties, to polish the turd that is the Bear's left tackle situation and the offense flourishes. Even if none of that happens, Lovie's conservative strategy defensively and the team's always outstanding special teams units put the team in every game, very rarely out of it, and poised to strike as soon as their opponents make a mistake, and most of the time they WILL make that mistake. Concerns on this team are the same--left tackle(or offensive line as a whole)and aging on the defense, but it really just boils down to keeping Cutler healthy. As long as he's upright, they have a chance. Too high. I won't comment other than that since it seems to annoy Bears fans.

4) Eagles-(3) This team's fortunes still rely on keeping Vick healthy and improving on defense. The talent is there for a deep playoff run. The reason the Eagles have slipped, in my view, is because of nagging doubts about DeShawn Jackson, the left tackle situation, and the offensive line coach moonlighting as a defensive coordinator. At the end of the day, I match up the Eagles against the Giants, and at this point, the Eagles come up short in that match up to me. Too high. Based on talent alone, the team is awesome but they need to put it all together for more than half a season.

[I9dydJrX]

Way too low. Sparano is a key addition because this team used to beat up on people with solid defense and a good running offense. As Sanchez progresses, an improved running game could really bring this team to the next level. Besides that, I just don't see how you rank a team with such a good defense this low. They should at least be top 16 since their defense alone makes them a marginal playoff contender. And if the offense gets going, the team could be very dangerous.

First off..."as Sanchez progresses"...You are clearly trolling. But let's look at that awesome defense, shall we? For a team with Rex Ryan as the head coach, the defense has been declining since his first season. Last year, they allowed more points per game than even the storied Packers defense. Now back to that running game..Adding Sparano is well and good. The guy was Parcell's hand picked OL coach, and then head coach. How well he can call an offense, who really knows? Beyond that, his lead back is still Shonn "Nothing Special At All" Greene, and outside of Ferguson and Mangold, the offensive line boasts some of the worst starters in the league. Coaching is part of the equation, but you need some players, as well. So far their best running back is holding a clipboard.


Too low. You have them below the Buccaneers and the decimated Saints? While I'm now wowed by the Falcons, they've got a lot of pieces in place to have a great season. Frankly, I think they'll get humiliated in the playoffs but I see them getting there. Another case of offensive line issues. They have some explosive weapons, but I'm not sure they have the time to use them. On the other side of the ball, they are missing a linebacker, and have a pass rush that consists entirely of part timer Abraham. The team is also adjusting to scheme/coordinator changes on both sides of the ball. I'm calling an adjustment year here, especially considering the teams in their division.


Too high. All you say is "meh" about this team and you rank them 19th based on maybe Jake Locker giving them some juice? That doesn't seem fair to the Jets or Falcons who have a lot more going for them than Tennessee. The Titans were a better team than the Jets last year. And only a game behind the Falcons. I feel they've done enough to at least maintain, while I feel the Jets and Falcons have slipped a bit.


I'd rank them higher based on Brees alone. I'm reserving judgement until I see how the coaching works out. They've lost their top two corners(one to free agency, one to injury), so defense could be an issue. Not sure if Nick Toon is enough to replace Meachem, either. And if they end up trying to feature Ingram more, it probably holds the offense back. Another factor is the likely regression of Sproles.



I love me some Schiano, but really? I see 8-8 being a good season for this team. I think this team will be very, very solid offensively, able to run at will and get good looks downfield in the passing game. It's all on the defense, although like I said, not imploding offensively could be exactly what that defense needs.



Too low. Great defense and an explosive offense. A better version of the Eagles (who also have some injury concerns -- see Michael Vick, Desean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin who miraculously recovered from whatever disease it is he had last year). The offense was explosive until Schaub went out. After that, not so much. Now the line is weaker, and the depth is more an issue. And Andre Johnson has already gotten hurt--the passing game loses all it's explosion without him, and neither he nor Schaub can be relied on to make it through a full season.



Too high. Two words: Pete Carroll. Funny, those are the two words I've looked at as reasons this team has been able to compete despite the talent gap, which is closing fast.



This team's success is based too much on Charles coming back healthy. Berry is more important. They can pound it with Hillis if need be. The defense just needs to return to beastly.



Probably should have won the Superbowl last year -- or at least been in the big game. So they get ranked 9th? Easily a top 4 team going into 2012. The biggest question for me is when this defense will finally fall off. Ray Lewis isn't getting any younger. Losing Suggs is huge. And the offensive line has some issues as well, with McKinnie a question and Grubbs gone. Is Reed's head in the game for this season? Will Flacco try to do too much in a contract year? Too many questions for me to put them in the top 4.



Too unproven to put this high, but I understand they're your sleeper so I'll allow it. Damn straight.



Too high. I won't comment other than that since it seems to annoy Bears fans. Riding the good PR vibes. They can stay here until they give me a reason to drop them.



Too high. Based on talent alone, the team is awesome but they need to put it all together for more than half a season. Preseason games haven't even started yet. I'm basing it primarily on talent.

[BaselBimbooooo]

but who the hell is deshawn jackson?

[I9dydJrX]

but who the hell is deshawn jackson?

Don't you know?

[avarberickibe]

Eagles too high. Also, too much love for the NFC North.

[pipitous]

First off..."as Sanchez progresses"...You are clearly trolling. But let's look at that awesome defense, shall we? For a team with Rex Ryan as the head coach, the defense has been declining since his first season. Last year, they allowed more points per game than even the storied Packers defense. Now back to that running game..Adding Sparano is well and good. The guy was Parcell's hand picked OL coach, and then head coach. How well he can call an offense, who really knows? Beyond that, his lead back is still Shonn "Nothing Special At All" Greene, and outside of Ferguson and Mangold, the offensive line boasts some of the worst starters in the league. Coaching is part of the equation, but you need some players, as well. So far their best running back is holding a clipboard.

Let me first be clear in stating that I think Mark Sanchez sucks -- but he's gotten better each year from his rookie year. Of course, it would be hard to be worse than he was back in 2009. In the last 2 years, Sanchez has 8 4th quarter comebacks and 10 game winning drives.

Perhaps I'm putting too much emphasis on the Jets' defense but I think they have what it takes.

Plus, they have Tebow and we know that he's a born winner.

[Yarikoff]

Comment away Clifton, if we are too high, state why.. Saying "Im not gonna comment because it pisses bears fan off" just tells me you dont have much other than the old O LINE argument.