Power Rankings

[OSUViking 505]

I agree that Ponder definitely needs to step up (a lot) and that we can't expect AP to carry us on offense like he did last year, but I feel that putting us in the 20s is a bit low. Of course, this could just be my own homerism speaking, but we are a pretty solid team all-around (of course, the main weakness being QB). I'm not saying we're elite by any means, but I definitely feel like the Vikes are in the Top 20.

[DavethePanther 37]

That's not much of a book, more like a Bleacher Report article.

 

If you lose.. make sure you get your subscription in early. You might make a buck or two reading it.

 

You were a simple pass from walking out of Carolina with a "L". This team will not be anywhere near the same you faced last year. The offense is better and the defense is going to be nastier.

 

Russell Wilson is a favorite in NC. We'll see if that trip back to Seattle will be a good one. I am banking as Thanatos19 is.

 

Upset written all over this one.

[GA_Eagle 595]

Ref to Abraham being replaced by Osi. Rain Man that still doesn't improve a pretty crappy pass rush, just keeps it roughly the same. I agree that Abraham declining and looked overmatched at times but he was serviceable and did get more pressure than nearly anyone else. Well Osi is roughly the same guy as Abraham in terms of the type of production you're going to get from him. They need more rush from somewhere.

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

No, I'm not saying its improved, I'm saying I don't believe it's really a loss. The guy I think will give the opportunity to improve it is Goodman. At any rate, I don't think you sink us further in the rankings because of the defense. With Jackson added, it should give us the running game we lacked so when we get a lead we can grind the clock down. I look for the Falcons to use Jackson like the Seahawks use Lynch, a chain mover.

[GA_Eagle 595]

No, I'm not saying its improved, I'm saying I don't believe it's really a loss. The guy I think will give the opportunity to improve it is Goodman. At any rate, I don't think you sink us further in the rankings because of the defense. With Jackson added, it should give us the running game we lacked so when we get a lead we can grind the clock down. I look for the Falcons to use Jackson like the Seahawks use Lynch, a chain mover.

 

Perhaps it doesn't get any worse but, in reference to your division, not improving is going backwards. Hopefully (for you) the pieces the Falcons added are enough to keep pace in the division since nearly every team is going to be better this upcoming season as opposed to last, imo. I think they are good enough but I can see why someone else wouldn't.

Edited July 12, 2013 by GA_Eagle

[GA_Eagle 595]

edit: apparently i quoted myself

Edited July 12, 2013 by GA_Eagle

[KempBolt 498]

No, I'm not saying its improved, I'm saying I don't believe it's really a loss. The guy I think will give the opportunity to improve it is Goodman. At any rate, I don't think you sink us further in the rankings because of the defense. With Jackson added, it should give us the running game we lacked so when we get a lead we can grind the clock down. I look for the Falcons to use Jackson like the Seahawks use Lynch, a chain mover.

 

This is just food for thought- so don't take this as a prediction or anything- but in the past I have seen Mike Nolan defenses bust out of the gate production wise, and then struggle once teams get some tape on what he was doing. In 2009, when he was with the Broncos, they began the season on a tear. They employed a lot of diverse packages and exotic blitz schemes, confused a lot of QB's, and racked up the negative plays. But they came back to earth once teams got tape on what they were doing. Does the same thing happen in Atlanta now that teams have some film on how he's using his peronnel? Because if I know anything about playing defense in the NFL, it's that having to send more than four guys any time you need to generate some pressure isn't a recipe for success. It's somethnig I'll be interested to watch unfold.

[True Blue 16]

If you lose.. make sure you get your subscription in early. You might make a buck or two reading it.

 

You were a simple pass from walking out of Carolina with a "L". This team will not be anywhere near the same you faced last year. The offense is better and the defense is going to be nastier.

 

Russell Wilson is a favorite in NC. We'll see if that trip back to Seattle will be a good one. I am banking as Thanatos19 is.

 

Upset written all over this one.

You think the Seattle team you saw in week 5 last year is anywhere close to the same team that finished 2012 with a three game annihilation of Arizona (58-0), Buffalo (50-17), and SF (42-13)? Cute.

 

I'm not saying it will be a blowout or an easy win, but I wouldn't want to be your defense.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

I'd put the Vikings in the late to early teens. Around 17.

[Thanatos 2,847]

That's not much of a book, more like a Bleacher Report article.

 

That's an awful comeback. And the Panthers defense won't be the issue lol. The Panthers defense will be fine, it's the offense against Seattle's defense that will decide the matchup.

[Crash 105]

You think the Seattle team you saw in week 5 last year is anywhere close to the same team that finished 2012 with a three game annihilation of Arizona (58-0), Buffalo (50-17), and SF (42-13)? Cute.

 

I'm not saying it will be a blowout or an easy win, but I wouldn't want to be your defense.

Plus that defense is going to be even better and will be able to pressure QBs better while they could be one of the better offenses in the league. Anyone doubting Seattle is going to be in for a shock this season

Edited July 12, 2013 by Crash

[Gsam 3]

MY HUMBLE OPINION:

 

1 Top 3 offense and Defense. No other team has both.

2 Most potent offense in NFL. Defense has some good pieces.

3 Best D in NFL. Sub Par Offense when you are comparing to other elites.

4 Very good D, Promising young offense.

5 Very potent O, Decent D.

6 Top 3 D, Decent O.

7 :Patriots: Any time you have an elite QB like Brady. Too many ?'s to rank higher. Health of Amendola, Gronk, Etc.... Ho Hum D.

8 I dont care what anyone says, Flacco is not the real deal. Ravens D could be as good as in the past, but overall this Offense is less than stellar.

9 Great offense, up and coming D. Don't sleep on them.

10:Bucs: Odd placement I know, but they have all the talent at every slot to go places. Very talented D, great run game, 2 very good WR's. IF freeman wakes up, they go places.

11 Ho Hum offense, Ho Hum Defense, well coached, I don't expect much but they are still a threat with Ben.

12 If luck avoids sophmore slum they should content for wildcard.

13 Very talented offense, lots of questions on D

14 Great building blocks on D. Solid run game. Can newton makes his mediocre receivers great?

15 This team is always a threat

16 Love this offense. If D shows up, watch out.

17 Decent O, Decent D. Might shock a few people

18 Solid O, Solid D. As Cutler goes, so go the bears. #Cutler #headcase

19 Finally healthy D, young promising O. Could be a wild card contender.

20 Too many ?'s. O line? new CB? LB? RB Health? WR health? Turnovers? some good talent, but I think at best they #6 seed in wild card.

21 I am very high on them. I think Weeden puts it all together. They have a ton of sleeper talent on D as well.

22 AP drives that offense, but I have 0 faith in Ponder or the D.

23 If Alex smith shows up, expect this to be a top 10 team.

24 Toughest division in football. They have a great young core, but they need another year.

25 I honestly think they are boom or bust, I lean more toward bust.

26 Love spiller and the D, thats about it.

27 Young talented playmakers on O. Ton of questions about Kelly and the D.

28 If the new lineman additions work out, CJ could return to form. Don't really trust locker or the D

29 PAlmer will help, but brutal division to play in.

30 :Jaguars: Love Cecil Shorts, thats about it.

31 LOL

32 Poor McFadden.

Edited July 12, 2013 by Gsam

[True Blue 16]

That's an awful comeback. And the Panthers defense won't be the issue lol. The Panthers defense will be fine, it's the offense against Seattle's defense that will decide the matchup.

Considering there was no initial jab, it wasn't a comeback at all, but rather a statement. I digress. The only concern I have regarding Seattle D vs. Carolina O is our pass rush with Irvin suspended and Clemons still a ???. It will be interesting to see how Dan Quinn decides to use Avril and Bennett, along with rookie DT Jordan Hill. I do know that Quinn will be more aggressive than Gus Bradley was and blitz more often, especially with DBs. With Red Bryant healthy (plantar faciitis) and the addition of big Jesse Williams, I doubt you'll have much success on the ground. No more Trufant to take advantage of in the slot either. Of course a lot can change between now and then, but I see it along the lines of 28-13 or so.

[True Blue 16]

My stab:

 

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7. :Patriots:

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[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Everyone's list has the Saints in the top 10, and the Vikings not even in the top 20. Seriously? Come on. The Vikings are getting severely underrated on here. Not really surprised to see all the love for the Saints, it happens every year.

Edited July 12, 2013 by RogerGoodellSucks

[True Blue 16]

Everyone's list has the Saints in the top 10, and the Vikings not even in the top 20. Seriously? Come on. The Vikings are getting severely underrated on here. Not really surprised to see all the love for the Saints, it happens every year.

 

Vikings still have Ponder under center. QB is more important than RB. Doesn't matter they added Jennings and Patterson, they still have Ponder throwing the ball.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Vikings still have Ponder under center. QB is more important than RB. Doesn't matter they added Jennings and Patterson, they still have Ponder throwing the ball.

 

As long as he's not a turnover machine, they shouldn't be in too much trouble. I'm not saying they are going to be great or even make the playoffs next season, but they are definitely a top 20 team.

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

This is just food for thought- so don't take this as a prediction or anything- but in the past I have seen Mike Nolan defenses bust out of the gate production wise, and then struggle once teams get some tape on what he was doing. In 2009, when he was with the Broncos, they began the season on a tear. They employed a lot of diverse packages and exotic blitz schemes, confused a lot of QB's, and racked up the negative plays. But they came back to earth once teams got tape on what they were doing. Does the same thing happen in Atlanta now that teams have some film on how he's using his peronnel? Because if I know anything about playing defense in the NFL, it's that having to send more than four guys any time you need to generate some pressure isn't a recipe for success. It's somethnig I'll be interested to watch unfold.

 

I know exactly what you're saying and I agree with that assessment. Outside of the game against the Denver Broncos though, he didn't really take our guys to the next level last year. They didn't employ really any new strategies, they were playing the typical Mike Smith "bend but don't break defense". In the game against Denver he told our safeties and linebackers to move around and do what is natural, and we absolutely confused the hell out of the offensive line. That's what we need to see. We need to see him employ new packages in the defense. Our defense is what will decide how much the Falcons actually need to use Steven Jackson.

[KempBolt 498]

I know exactly what you're saying and I agree with that assessment. Outside of the game against the Denver Broncos though, he didn't really take our guys to the next level last year. They didn't employ really any new strategies, they were playing the typical Mike Smith "bend but don't break defense". In the game against Denver he told our safeties and linebackers to move around and do what is natural, and we absolutely confused the hell out of the offensive line. That's what we need to see. We need to see him employ new packages in the defense. Our defense is what will decide how much the Falcons actually need to use Steven Jackson.

 

I see. I thought they were employing stuff like that all year, but that's probably because one of the two games I watched was the Broncos game on Monday night.

[KempBolt 498]

Everyone's list has the Saints in the top 10, and the Vikings not even in the top 20. Seriously? Come on. The Vikings are getting severely underrated on here. Not really surprised to see all the love for the Saints, it happens every year.

 

Here's the way I see it with the Vikings: I don't like most of their back 7 on defense. Greenway is good and Smith should be really good, but the other 5 starters and depth aren't so good in my opinion. On offense, I don't much like their receivers or their guards. And while AP was awesome enough to keep their offense going last year, that type of performance is basically not repeatable. Meaning that Ponder needs to step up this year or they won't be able to hack it. I don't see him doing that. And when six of your games are against the Packers, Bears, and Lions, there isn't much margin for error.

 

As for the Saints, why wouldn't you show them some love? Yes, they went 7-9 a year ago but they did that without a head coach. If you look at them the three years before that, you see two 13-3 seasons, an 11-5 season, and a SB ring. And the core of the team that made them so good is still in place, so I don't think it would be fair to judge them on last year when they had to do it without Payton.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Here's the way I see it with the Vikings: I don't like most of their back 7 on defense. Greenway is good and Smith should be really good, but the other 5 starters and depth aren't so good in my opinion. On offense, I don't much like their receivers or their guards. And while AP was awesome enough to keep their offense going last year, that type of performance is basically not repeatable. Meaning that Ponder needs to step up this year or they won't be able to hack it. I don't see him doing that. And when six of your games are against the Packers, Bears, and Lions, there isn't much margin for error.

 

As for the Saints, why wouldn't you show them some love? Yes, they went 7-9 a year ago but they did that without a head coach. If you look at them the three years before that, you see two 13-3 seasons, an 11-5 season, and a SB ring. And the core of the team that made them so good is still in place, so I don't think it would be fair to judge them on last year when they had to do it without Payton.

 

I was a huge fan of Rhodes coming out, so I like him in the secondary. I think he is going to translate very nicely into the NFL. If we had kept our 1st rounder, Rhodes was one of the guys I wanted us to take. Not sure how much you like him though. They also brought in Desmond Bishop who I think was a very good pickup to improve their LB corps.

 

Once again, I was high on Patterson coming out and rumor has it that he has been killing it in OTA's. I think he'll take on the role that Percy Harvin gave the Vikings. They also added Greg Jennings who is a nice deep threat, and don't sleep on Jarius Wright. These guys, plus Kyle Rudolph, who is one of the best young TE's in the game, makes for some solid receivers IMO. Don't think their guards could be too awful if AP managed to run for 2,000 behind them last year. Guards usually have more of an impact in the running game than the passing.

 

For the Saints, maybe it's just my hatred for them kicking in, but I think they may be the worst team in the division. Their defense is still crap and I don't think switching to the 3-4 is going to help at all. We all know their offense will put up a lot points, but over the past few years, Drew Brees has been turning the football over an awful lot. Turnovers + Bad defense = Trouble

[KempBolt 498]

I was a huge fan of Rhodes coming out, so I like him in the secondary. I think he is going to translate very nicely into the NFL. If we had kept our 1st rounder, Rhodes was one of the guys I wanted us to take. Not sure how much you like him though. They also brought in Desmond Bishop who I think was a very good pickup to improve their LB corps.

 

Once again, I was high on Patterson coming out and rumor has it that he has been killing it in OTA's. I think he'll take on the role that Percy Harvin gave the Vikings. They also added Greg Jennings who is a nice deep threat, and don't sleep on Jarius Wright. These guys, plus Kyle Rudolph, who is one of the best young TE's in the game, makes for some solid receivers IMO. Don't think their guards could be too awful if AP managed to run for 2,000 behind them last year. Guards usually have more of an impact in the running game than the passing.

 

For the Saints, maybe it's just my hatred for them kicking in, but I think they may be the worst team in the division. Their defense is still crap and I don't think switching to the 3-4 is going to help at all. We all know their offense will put up a lot points, but over the past few years, Drew Brees has been turning the football over an awful lot. Turnovers + Bad defense = Trouble

 

Rhodes and Patterson are nice talents, but rookie corners and wide receivers- even the best ones- tend to struggle. I don't think they'll be very good right away. But I forgot about the Bishop addition, which was a nice move.

 

On the Saints- I recognize that their defense was and probably is bad. But that was true before last year and they still had terrific seasons. 13-3 the last time Payton was actually allowed to coach his team- that's all I'm saying.

[OSUViking 505]

I'd put the Vikings in the late to early teens. Around 17.

 

This, pretty much.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Alright. My turn.

 

1. - Great defense, #1 in the league, IMO. Great young QB who I do not believe will have any slump in year two, (mostly because the sophomore slump is a COMPLETE FABRICATION BY THE MEDIA- we won't go into that here), a great run-game, and they had a great offseason, picking up some key pieces.

2. - San Fran is only below Seattle by a razor-thin margin. Honestly, if Crabtree wasn't lost for probably the season, I think I rank them #1. It is that close, and it will be fun watching these two teams go at it.

3. - Peyton Manning will be Peyton. In both the regular season and the playoffs. They picked up some good people during the offseason, they're in a weak division that they can pummel into the ground- this might be a bad thing come playoff time- and well, they have Wes Welker and Demaryius Thomas. The run-game is probably the weak spot here, but having a general on the field like Manning means that even average RBs can do enough.

4. - The defending champs rest at #4, mostly because I think the three teams above them all did a better job shoring up holes. The Ravens did an excellent job in the offseason as well, minus Boldin and Flacco's contracts. They will be hard-pressed to retake the AFC North though, with 2 of their division rivals also in the top-10.

5. - Houston's defense received some veteran leadership with the Ed Reed pickup. What the old man lacks in speed, he makes up for with savvy technique. Sure he isn't the best safety in the game, but he's still good. Arian Foster and Andre Johnson make up a potent duo on offense, and how far the Texans go will depend, once again, on Matt Schaub.

6. - Green Bay's run-game is also their weak spot, like Denver, they have a fantastic QB to make up for it. The loss of Greg Jennings doesn't hurt them as much as many would like to think, and I really think they run away with the North this year.

7. - Atlanta picking up Steven Jackson shores up a huge hole on that team, assuming S-Jax still has gas left in the tank. They are a good team, have been for awhile, they just can't get over that last hurdle.

8. - Pittsburgh's fortunes rest squarely on the shoulders of one man- Ben Roethlisberger. If Ben is healthy, the Steelers are contenders for the AFC North. If he isn't, they don't even make the playoffs.

9. :Patriots:- Brady is going to have to carry this team. He is more than capable of doing so, but the Pats defense is going to have to step up in order to take some pressure off his shoulders. I think they still run away with the AFC East, but that's simply because it's a weak division. The Fins could give them a bit of trouble if they underestimate them.

10. - Cincinnati rounds out the top-10 as possibly the most overhyped team in the league coming into 2013. I've heard talk saying the Bengals are the best team in the AFC. Not hardly. They're the 3rd best team in their own division until they show me they can beat their division rivals- someone other than the Browns, please.

11. - I'm really not comfortable putting Tampa up this high based on acquisitions, but I'm less comfortable with rating any of the other teams ahead of them. The Bucs picked up a lot of pieces over the last couple years, it is now squarely on the shoulders of Josh Freeman, entering a contract year, to show that he can be the QB for this team to allow them to take the next step.

12. - I like New York the best out of the teams in the NFC East, with possibly the exception of the Skins, however injury concerns for RG3 prevents me from listing the Skins this high. Eli Manning has both his favorite targets for this upcoming year, and a division that always fights each other tooth and nail to look forward to. 9-7 might be enough to win the East, and I think the Giants have the best shot at that.

13. - Cam is entering year #3, and needs to show improvement in his game. The Panthers shored up their D-line during the draft so it is now one of the strongest positions on the team. The big question mark for Carolina is that secondary going up against the elite receivers in the NFC South.

14. - Romo is always the reason why the Cowboys lose if you listen to the average NFL fan. In reality, the Boys lead the league in comebacks last year, and Romo has the highest 4th quarter rating among active QBs. The Cowboys just need to give him some help and they are more than capable of taking the NFC East.

15. - The Skins hopes ride on the legs of RG3- not that they need him to run, but they need him to stay healthy. RG3's coming out party last year masked a pass defense that was absolutely abysmal and didn't receive much help in the offseason. The Skins will be in shootouts a lot, I think.

16. - Speaking of shootouts, the Saints will be in a ton themselves. So long as Brees is around the Saints are contenders, but that defense was literally the worst ever last year. Rob Ryan coming in and the defense swapping to a 3-4 doesn't exactly fill me with confidence that the defensive woes are completely fixed.

17. - Yes I have the Colts much much lower than most other people. That's because an 11-5 team with a negative point differential doesn't make me believe they are that good of a ballclub. Luck needs to take a rather large step forward and that defense must improve if the Colts are going back to the playoffs in 2013.

18. - Another playoff team that has lots of question marks around them, mostly the question being, "Can AP carry this team again?" Christian Ponder only needs to be slightly above-average for the Vikings to be a serious contender, so long as AP keeps up that frantic pace.

19. - Phillip Rivers had a poor year last year, (by his standards), and needs to improve in 2013. If the Chargers had a run-game, it would help out Rivers a bit, but they need more weapons for him to throw to as well.

20. - Chicago is a complete enigma to me. They could be 4-12 or 12-4. They've got a decently tough division to work through, but I'm just not sure where to put Chicago in here. Cutler has showed signs of being a franchise QB, but he has to cut down on the boneheaded plays. Matt Forte gives the Bears a great weapon on offense, and the defense should still be pretty tough even without Brian Urlacher.

21. - St. Louis is held back by Sam Bradford. The man now has a plethora of weapons at his disposal, and a rather good defense. If the Rams are going to be able to do anything in the hotly contested NFC West, Bradford has got to take the next step.

22. - Detroit just inked Matthew Stafford to a 3-year deal, which is not, in my eyes, what you give to a person you have full trust in to be your franchise QB. It's something where you want to see, you want a little more time to make a full evaluation. The Lions run-game should be helped by the addition of Reggie Bush, but Stafford needs to get back to his 2011 form, as he took several steps backward in 2012.

23. - The Fins brought in a lot of talent, but there is still a major gap between them and the Patriots. It remains to be seen whether Tannehill has what it takes, but he showed a lot of promise in 2012.

24. - Philly is another enigma. A new coach, a new scheme, but the same QB situation leaves them sitting here. They had a lot of holes to fill after a 4-12 season and I don't think they quite filled them all, but I believe they did enough to have an outside shot at the NFC East.

25. - Cleveland has quietly shored up a lot of their weak spots, but Brandon Weeden is still under center, and the AFC North is one of the toughest divisions in football. If Weeden can't carry the load, I'm not sure the Browns go anywhere in 2013.

26. - I like a lot of what Tennessee did during the offseason. Chris Johnson has no more excuses. Hand the ball off and do it a lot to help out your QB. Locker needs to take a large step forward in year 3 or the Titans might be looking elsewhere come next spring.

27. - Bruce Arians wasn't a great OC for the Steelers, but he sure was able to coach the Colts last season- unless it was really just inspiration driving that team. Now with a new team, and Carson Palmer as his QB, Arians will try to make the Cards competitive in the NFC West. The Cardinals have a good defense with key pieces to build around, but it will be tough turning the franchise around when you have four games against the Niners and Seahawks to deal with.

28. - Buffalo drafted EJ Manuel to be their franchise QB over Geno Smith, a decision that is looking decent so far. It remains to be seen whether the Florida State QB has what it takes, of course. The Bills defense has one of the best safeties in the league in Jairus Byrd to help out, and Mario Williams looked to be turning it on at the end of the year. CJ Spiller gives any young QB a good checkdown option.

29. - KC was the worst team in the league last year, but the acquisition of Alex Smith and picking up Andy Reid to be their new coach leaves them not quite the worst team anymore. Still, they have a long hill to climb to be relevant in the AFC, though they have plenty of talent to do it with.

30. - New York's QB problems are all in the past with Geno Smith now... right? Smith refusing to attend Sanchez's workouts bodes ill for Jets fans. It's not like the team has a great amount of talent in the first place, but all the questions about Geno's character that helped to drop him into the second round of the draft are resurfacing now.

31. - When Blaine Gabbert is your starting QB, you're only going to go so far. Props to the Jags for not reaching on a QB this year, though, build your team up, give the kid one last chance to prove himself, and if it doesn't work, there's a decent crop of QBs coming into the league in 2014.

32. - Oakland rounds out my list, a completely unproven QB, a RB who can't seem to stay healthy, and a defense that acts like swiss cheese isn't a good combination. Flynn will be thrown in the fire, it looks like. Good luck to him.

[KempBolt 498]

I understand why people question the Chargers' OL. They were bad last year, are totally different this year, and I don't even know what to expect. But what I am confident about is that by season's end the rest of the league will know that Rivers has some weapons.

 

We don't really have an "A" level pass catcher now that Gates is past his prime, but we should be flush with "B" types. The aforementioned Gates, Alexander, Floyd, Woodhead, and Brown are all proven as capable receivers for their positions. Vincent Brown and Ladarius Green are, in my opinion, poised to break out. And then you have Keenan Allen, who many pegged as a first round talent at receiver.