Rankings of Powerfulness

[AL_Royalty 489]

He has a valid point about the Chiefs.

 

Chiefs had a nice little rid last year...but any time when you lose 3 key starters on your offensive line. The shakeup will not be pleasant.

 

I get that Jamaal Charles is a godsend and all around here..but he can only do so much. Alex Smith is a smart QB, but I just don't see the passing attack from you guys being all that explosive.

 

Losing Houston hurts, Hali gonna Hali, and say what you will about Flowers...but...I guarantee at some point the Chiefs are gonna miss him.

 

I'd be lying if I thought the Chiefs were gonna finish 1 or 2 in that division. I expect the Raiders honestly to give the Chiefs a fight for that third spot.

 

It is what it is my friend. KC expectations should not be high...a cool crisp .500 is in the air. Maybe.

Expectations aren't "high," but putting teams like Houston, Miami, etc... above them is a slap in the face. there's no way they aren't a top 20 team at least, and probably higher. If you see them hoovering around .500 this season—especially with their schedule this season—then you have to put them higher. Do you think that 23 teams will do better than 8-8? History says no. In fact, more than half of the league will most likely do worse, so again, 24th makes me

[KempBolt 498]

Houston isn't above them. And you're probably right that Miami shouldn't be. But as I noted in the intro, the tiers contain some teams without much separation. So if you put KC right at the top of that one, I wouldn't object.

 

And like I mentioned earlier, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Chiefs finish with a better record than some of the teams in the tier above them, because those teams are more volatile. But I gave preference to clubs with higher upside.

 

Sorry if you think I'm trolling. I'm really not. I just don't buy the Chiefs this year and think I have some fairly good reasons not to.

Edited July 23, 2014 by KempBolt

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

shame Rain I would've loved to read about your Kaepernick disapprovals

Sorry I don't think Kaepernick is the 48ers savior. No need to be upset about it. There's too much going on in the San Fran all at once.

 

I'll write it up layer when I get home. I was so asked last night I didn't feel like typing anything lol

[AL_Royalty 489]

Houston isn't above them. And you're probably right that Miami shouldn't be. But as I noted in the intro, the tiers contain some teams without much separation. So if you put KC right at the top of that one, I wouldn't object.

 

And like I mentioned earlier, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Chiefs finish with a better record than some of the teams in the tier above them, because those teams are more volatile. But I gave preference to clubs with higher upside.

 

Sorry if you think I'm trolling. I'm really not. I just don't buy the Chiefs this year and think I have some fairly good reasons not to.

No. you misunderstand. I don't think you're trolling at all. That would imply you're intentionally shortchanging the Chiefs, which I don't believe to be the case. I think you honestly see them as that bad because you genuinely dislike them with a passion. There's no crime in that. I hate the Raiders, and I'm not a big fan of Rivers despite all the statistical evidence pointing to the contrary. When it happens though, I'm going to mention it.

 

Truthfully, with the schedule that they have this year, I wouldn't be surprised if they do have a "down" year, but currently they're riding a good year. I'm not going to take anything away from them that they haven't lost yet. I just don't think they've lost enough to justify my predicting a crumble.

[KempBolt 498]

Here's my rationale on KC:

 

The 11-5 (or 6, including PO's) record was a really nice bounce back from the 2-14 campaign of the season prior. But it hid a 1-6 record against teams that made the playoffs. And related is how they finished the season. They had 8 games after their bye week and went 2-6, with the two victories coming against the 3-13 Redskins and the 4-12 Raiders. Note: if we want to say 1-5, and 2-5 respectively because they didn't use their starters @SD, that's fair.

 

Of the teams that they beat, you'll notice that all but 3 of them are either ranked beneath them or in the same tier. But it bears mentioning that 5 of those victories came against teams that were missing their starting quarterback. Two of those three are the Giants and Redskins, who were a mess last year but have the potential for high end QB play. The other is the Eagles, who the Chiefs defeated when they were still starting Mike Vick.

 

Ok, so all that considered being in the 20's is still too low. So let's look specifically at the roster. What has changed since season's end? Well, for starters they let Branden Albert, Geoff Schwartz, and Jon Asamoah walk. You and I have been over this about how good those guys really were/are, but I think it's fair to say that they at least produced solid play (probably better in the case of Schwartz and Albert). So that's 2000+ snaps of offensive line play gone, being replaced by a lot of uncertainty. The lone acquisition that they signed to offset the losses was Jeff Linkenbach (that's actually all that they did on offense).

 

The defense was a force to be reckoned with at times last season. Before the bye week, they were averaging 12.3 points allowed per game (!). Darned impressive. Then the bye week, the schedule turn towards tougher teams, and through the last 8 games they averaged 29.9 points allowed per game. In other words, they were better than the Seahawks for the first half of the season, and bad enough to tie for 32nd over the second half.

 

So what happened? Well injuries to Hali and Houston certainly didn't help (though that's part of football). But I'm not sure that tells the whole story. Because they had those guys against the Broncos and Colts, and still gave up 27 and 45 respectively. I think the other major factor was that they started playing quarterbacks who could exploit their shaky secondary. And since that time, the secondary looks even less reliable. I can understand that Flowers wasn't a scheme fit, but now they have Cooper, Owens, and 3rd rd rookie Gaines behind Sean Smith, who was only average himself. And across from Eric Berry, you have Husain Abdullah starting. Seems to me that the Chiefs could have even bigger problems with their pass defense than they did down the stretch in 2013.

 

In short, I think there's solid evidence that they were never as good as their record made them look. And then they got worse on paper. We'll see what 2014 holds, but there's my reasoning.

No. you misunderstand. I don't think you're trolling at all. That would imply you're intentionally shortchanging the Chiefs, which I don't believe to be the case. I think you honestly see them as that bad because you genuinely dislike them with a passion. There's no crime in that. I hate the Raiders, and I'm not a big fan of Rivers despite all the statistical evidence pointing to the contrary. When it happens though, I'm going to mention it.

 

Truthfully, with the schedule that they have this year, I wouldn't be surprised if they do have a "down" year, but currently they're riding a good year. I'm not going to take anything away from them that they haven't lost yet. I just don't think they've lost enough to justify my predicting a crumble.

 

Fair. I wouldn't expect you to see things the same way I do or drop your team for what could happen.

[BJORN 679]

Expectations aren't "high," but putting teams like Houston, Miami, etc... above them is a slap in the face. there's no way they aren't a top 20 team at least, and probably higher. If you see them hoovering around .500 this season—especially with their schedule this season—then you have to put them higher. Do you think that 23 teams will do better than 8-8? History says no. In fact, more than half of the league will most likely do worse, so again, 24th makes me

The fact of the matter is that you could make an 8-8 argument for a lot of teams in that range and maybe even most teams above that tier going by Kemp's list. I'm actually excited for this season for that very reason. The parity through out looks to be unreal. I mean looking at teams basically from 13-28, all of those teams could be good/competitive this upcoming season.

[Dutch 874]

Tier One: Elite

 

1. Just coming off a superbowl so by default, they are still the best team in the league until proven otherwise. They haven't lost any major pieces either to assume they will drastically regress. They added speed on their offense in the draft with Paul Richardson and also have to consider the possibility they may have Percy Harvin around. On defense, they lost a few pieces in their secondary; Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond. But they still have their major pieces that keep that defense running. I don't believe they will repeat but they are the best until proven otherwise.

 

2. :Patriots: The Patriots appear to be going back to their old blueprint from their dynasty days; defense. I love the pick up of Darrelle Revis and I think he is a huge acquisition for them. Belichick is the master of utilizing players in a way that best fits their talent getting the best use out of players. They add another tough press corner in Brandon Browner and will have a healthy Jerod Mayo, this defense will be the real deal in my opinion. As long as their O-line stays healthy, Brady will be Brady and be effective and he does has a run game. Shane Vereen is going to be a very big piece in their offense this year. I really believe the Patriots will get a Superbowl berth.

 

3. The Saints will be extremely dangerous this year. Defensively, they were a lot better than people expected. Rob Ryan finally earned his stripes in my eyes last year taking the worst defense in NFL history and making it a top 5 formidable defense. They also add Stanley Jean Baptiste (who I think will be a good asset) with Kenaan Lewis and Jairus Byrd to their secondary paired with Kenny Vacarro. Great improvements defensively imo. Offensively, they are still more dangerous than ever. The Drew Brees and Sean Payton combo is always lethal. They lost Darren Sproles and Robert Meachem but they have Kenny Stills and drafted Brandin Cooks who is going to be an amazing asset to their offense in my opinion. I even think he will be a candidate for rookie of the year. The Saints have a lot of speed play makers on offense now and that's scary.

 

4. Before the start of the offseason, I'd have the 49ers here. However, with all of the top quality free agent acquisitions they picked up this offseason, they sit here for me. I know you can't build a team through free agency. However, these quality players are merely additions to a team that's already built and primed to win a Superbowl which increases their chances. While the 49ers played better against the Seahawks (division rivalry, familiarity etc), I don't believe any other team could do what the Seahawks did to the Broncos. It's all about match ups and the Seahawks matched up perfectly with the Broncos. A really good pass rush and an elite secondary was the kryptonite against that Broncos team. The combination of both of those elements is what shut the Broncos down. No other defense has that and I believe that Broncos offense would be much more effective against any other team. On the defensive side, getting back a healthy Von Miller and with the addition of Ware (healthy or if slightly regressing, Miller will open up opportunities anyway) could be very problematic. Talib is a top 5 corner in my opinion and that pick up is huge if he can stay healthy and Ward is a solid safety. People can say what they want about this years Superbowl, the Broncos are still to be feared. Realistically, they are not a team you want to see in the AFCCG or the Superbowl.

 

5. One of the most dynamic teams in the NFL on both sides of the ball. I think they are the most balanced team in the NFL. Defensively, no one wants to go up against the 49ers in the trenches who have one of the best front 7's in the league and offensively they are probably one of the most explosive teams in the league. Kaep is the most explosive and probably dynamic QB in the league. He now has Stevie Johnson in his arsenal to compliment a healthy Crabtree, a tough Anquan Boldin and an elite TE in Vernon Davis. He has the most solid receiving core in the league. It will be tough to fail with that receiving core. If Kaep can get better with his progression reads, it can take this team to an entirely different level. They can already compete with any team in the league but Kap's progression will give them consistency and offensive stability. And when you pair that with their explosive capabilities, that spells dangerous.

 

Tier 2:

 

6. It feels weird having them outside my elite category because I believe they can win against any team but solely because of Aaron Rodgers. Unfortunately, an elite QB doesn't make the entire team elite for me. I'm not too keen on their defense. Offensively though, I think they will be even more dangerous with the emergence of Eddie Lacy (who reminds me of Steven Jackson) who I think will be a huge benefit to this offensive finally adding a run dimension to their offensive prowess. Also, I LOVE the Packers WR draft picks. Davante Adams was one of my favorites coming out as well as Jared Abbrederis who was the best route runner coming out the draft imo (reminds me of Nelson). I think they will be huge additions to an already potent and dangerous Packers receiving core (Nelson and Cobb).

 

7. I think Luck will continue to improve year after year and think he takes the next step this year. He now has Hakeem Nicks who I believe will be a great addition to this football team. I think he will emerge back to his old form prior to his injury and may even get comeback player of the year award. That's how much confidence I have in him. Luck also gets back Reggie Wayne who I believe will continue to play great in his slot receiver role eating up underneath while T.Y Hilton continues to be the Colts deep threat. The Colts also drafted Donte Moncrief who is a size and speed guy and should have some good opportunities to make plays because of the other receiver play makers. Defensively, I can't say too much but as long as they have Luck, I think they will be relevant.

 

8. While everyone loves to mention the WR situation in Carolina, they fail to remember that they weren't that great in the passing game last year either. Sadly, Steve Smith is gone but he wasn't even playing at 100% last year. Cam does get a new big weapon in Kelvin Benjamin (whom I am suspect about but won't give a verdict) and still has Greg Olsen his favorite weapon. Adding Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant will add depth at the position, but their success in the passing game will rely on Cam Newton being able to effectively distribute the ball. I think he has the ability to do that. They won't be a top passing team in the league by any means, but I think Cam can make it effective. Defensively, they have one of the best front 7's in the league. They play tough football and I love teams with tough defenses. If their defense performs well like last year, they are still in playoff talk.

 

9. The Eagles underwent the most changes than any other team in football last season. However, they set franchise records last and players set career years with Chip Kelly this past season. Nick Foles also emerged as a rising young star in the league and put up historic numbers. They have one of the best RB's in the league and a lot of weapons in their fast pace offense. The question is can they do it again in year 2? It's going to be interesting to see how defenses play them this year after a year of tape. However, I believe Chip is just getting started. He showed that he understood the cerebral part of the game and put players in the best situations to succeed showed the ability to play situational football. I don't expect Foles to progress from a TD/INT ratio aspect considering it was historic. But, if he can continue to make good decisions and limit turnovers, I don't think our offense misses a beat. Defensively, there were a lot of changes for them this season switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and new coordinators and coaches around the board. They were pretty bad in the beginning of the year. However, as the year progressed, the defensive also progressed. They finally were able to do good against the run but their pass defense was horrendous due to a lack of consistent pass rush and horrible safety play. The defense however was in the middle of the pack in scoring allowed and was 2nd in the league in turnovers which balanced out. It will be interesting to see if the defense can pick up where they left off last year.

 

10. The Chargers are slightly overlooked in my opinion. Offensively, they are as dangerous as anyone in the league. Philip Rivers is back in elite form and their offensive is rolling. However, it's their defense that I find intriguing this coming season. The addition of Brandon Flowers which I think will pay off and Jason Verrett in the draft whom I think will pan out to be a solid fit for them. I think Mark Ingram coming back will be a plus as well as Dwight Freeney whom I am eagerly waiting to see play in a 3-4. I also like the pick of Jeremiah Attachou who was one the pass rushers I had my eye out on. So defensively, I think they got better in key areas this offseason in the pass rush department and the secondary. I think the Chargers will be more solidly balanced this season.

 

11. The Bengals are another team that is balanced from top to bottom on both sides of the ball. The defense is exceptionally good. Very young and talented. I LOVE the addition of Darqueze Dennard who was my most favorite coveted player coming out the draft. He somewhat reminds me of Revis in the way he covers and I think he will be a very good CB in this league. Offensively, they are equally as dangerous. A.J Green is the 2nd best WR in the league and will only continue to get better. The only thing that is holding the Bengals back is Andy Dalton. The talent is definitely there. He just has to show up in the playoffs. I wasn't a fan of Gruden's play calling in the playoffs, but Dalton has to make better decisions. I think he has the ability to do that and I believe Hue Jackson will help him develop. I think this is the year the Bengals finally win a game in the playoffs.

 

12. I really like this football team. I really like Bruce Arians as a coach. The Cardinals played very well last year in a tough division. Michael Floyd seems to be coming into his own, Larry Fitzgerald is still catching TDs and I am very intrigued in Andre Ellington. I think he will be a valuable asset to that offense and is primed for a good season this year. If Carson Palmer just threw less interceptions, they could be so much better. However, "if" is the biggest word in the dictionary. Defensively, they were amazing. The loss of Darryl Washington is going to be hard to replace. However, I do like the additions of Antonio Cromartie who played like a top corner in the NFL before his injury. Him teamed up with Patrick Peterson is going to make for a lethal tandem in my opinion. Also, adding Deone Buccanon to Tyrann Mathieu (who was having a great season before injury) should make their secondary more explosive in my opinion. It seems they are building a Legion of Boom 2.0. I expect big things from their secondary.

 

13. As long as the Steelers have Big Ben and Dick Lebeau, I will never count this team out.The Steelers are a very well ran organization and a very resilient football team. I actually had them sneaking into the playoffs and making some noise last year. I love what the Steelers did in the draft. Getting young and fast at the LB position with Ryan Shazier. He has very explosive capabilities and might flourish under Lebeau. I LOVE the Stephon Tuitt pick. He was a first round talent in my opinion and is going to be a great asset to their defense. I think he's going to be one of those players who can dominate/control the line of scrimmage. Great pick up. Offensively, I think they are going to improve in the running game. I like the Blount pick up and think he will contribute to that running attack. The Steelers finished strong last year winning their last 6/8 games and expect them to be better than last year.

 

Tier 3: To be continued... Got to go to work lol

 

 

14. The Bears offensive fire power will continue to give defenses headaches. They have the best one-two punch WR tandem in the league and the best all purpose RB in the league in Matte Forte. It was fun watching Trestman's influence on the offense last year and I think in year two with Cutler, we will see improvement. Defensively, the Bears were at their worst as far back as I can ever remember. They drafted up front and picked up Houston which can help the back end. Going to have to see how it plays out. I love the pick of Kyle Fuller too.They will have to get much better to make any noise in the playoffs.

 

15. The Lions have been an underachieving team for years now considering the talent that they have on their football team. I believe the problem lied with coaching more than anything though. I never liked Schwartz. I think Caldwell is a better fit and we will see an improvement in an already potentially dangerous offense in drive productivity. Defensively, they have some talent on the D-line and maybe their new coaching staff can utilize them more effectively. The Lions are a threat every year and maybe this year with a new coaching staff they put something together.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Dutch

[KempBolt 498]

Nice list Dutch. We're within 3 slots of each other on every team you've listed so far save Arizona.

 

I was down on them last offseason too and they proved me wrong. So I suppose the burden of proof is on me here. But I really don't like how the front 7 is taking shape. Between Dansby and Washington, they've lost 19 tackles for loss (including 10 sacks), 23 QB hits, 6 picks, and 29 passes defended. And they're replacing those two with Kevin Minter (he of the 1 total snap played last year) and 34 year old Larry Foote (who played 58 snaps last year). That was really the engine of that great defense and it's gone.

 

So with those two gone, who do they really have in the front seven? Calais Campbell, for sure. The next two in that list would be Dockett (33) and Abraham (36). It's not set in stone or anything, but there is a really possible scenario here where the losses and age intersect to make the Cardinal's front 7 really, really bad. And depending on the extent of the decline, the secondary won't really matter. Even if Antonio Cromartie bounces back (which seems at least a little unlikely; if he just needed an offseason to get healthy, why would the Jets cut him?).

 

On top of that, I have a hard time believing the Palmer will be as good or better with another year and 98 more hits on his body.

 

Thoughts?

[BC 331]

:Patriots:

 

Also... I'd like to hear more about us as to what we lack as far as talent in a particular phase of the game. Like we have a shaky this or shaky that. Only 2 guys got mega deals and I'd like hear an argument for how either one of them will take a dive, as both of those players are pretty damn prideful. Chancellor, Wilson, Thurmond, Bobby Wagner, P-Rich, KJ Wright, Bruce Irvin all have paydays coming up. I really don't know about hangovers or big money ending Thomas' and Sherman's desires to be the best thing ever in their field.

Edited July 25, 2014 by BC

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

Time to type up my reasoning.

 

Also to be noted, while last year is huge into how everyones rankings are thought up, I've got to say I don't put an extreme premium on how the teams finished the season. Looking at how I think they will perform this year, not how they finished out last season.

 

 

1. - The Packers were on pace to have a great season last year. We all know how huge of a loss they endured when Aaron Rodgers went down against the Bears with a broken collarbone. The defense was bad last year, but there were some small bright spots to be had. Clay Matthews is still a force when healthy, and the addition of Julius Peppers could make him even better (although, the jury is still out on Peppers). I think Mike Daniels could be in store for a huge season, he had somewhat of a breakout last year but was in a jam on the depth chart. At any rate I think help is coming, perhaps not much in terms of the Packers turning a top defense, but they will be better than they were last year. The offense is absolutely elite status. That's where they earn this #1 spot on my list. Last year, Eddie Lacy proved to everyone he could be a lead running back in the NFL. Barring a catastrophe season as we saw from Trent Richardson, I believe that he will push the Packers offense to new heights. Lacy should make defenses think twice about stepping back and keeping their eyes on Rodgers and his receivers. Defenses were already struggling to stop McCarthy's high flying offense, now with the threat of a legitimate ground game, he should be leaving defensive players heads spinning. Aaron Rodgers could be in store for his biggest season to date.

 

 

2. - The Broncos were utterly embarrassed in the big game last year. I'm not really sure if we've ever seen that big of a choke job before. The impressive thing about it is that it wasn't just one or two guys that under-performed, the entire Broncos roster was at fault. So why are they at #2? Because I don't believe that Peyton Manning is going to let that happen again if they make it to the Super Bowl, and I also think that they are going to absolutely dominate in the regular season again. The Broncos entire off-season seemed to be centered primarily around bolstering their defense. They added Aqib Talib (who when healthy is a border line stud at corner), T.J. Ward at safety, and pass-rusher DeMarcus Ware. The Broncos should be an AFC favorite this year to reach the big-game once again. This time, looking for redemption.

 

3. - It's always tough to predict last seasons Super Bowl winning team to take a leap backwards, but the Super Bowl champion team always has a huge target on their back. Also to mention, the Seahawks face one of the toughest schedules in the league this season. Russell Wilson is a great quarterback for this young franchise and Marshawn Lynch has put the team on his back for years now. With talks of the Seahawks' Christine Michael cutting into Lynchs carries, it could make for an even better season for Lynch. I do have doubts about them though. Theirs always the looming Super Bowl hangover. They've also got young guys on defense that had huge pay days. Young players with big money generally don't pan out their first year after signing. I'm not sure why, and it's not necessarily going to happen, but I have a tough time believing the Seahawks can repeat their dominance. The Seahawks will be good, the Packers and the Broncos will look better though.

 

4. :Patriots: - The Patriots will win the AFC East. That seems to be the one thing in the NFL that you can almost bank on every year. The Patriots offense was a mess for the better part of three quarters of the year last season. Tom Brady was at his wits end with the young crop of receivers he had at his helms. Danny Ammendola couldn't stay on the field, much the same with Rob Gronkowski. I'm taking a Tom Brady come back season (to serious relevance) to the bank heading toward the NFL season. Did I mention that the Patriots still made it to the AFC Championship game? Incredible. The Patriots are also implementing an idea that got them plenty of rings in the past, defense. They are returning to their roots and trying to bolster a top defense. Additions at corner of Revis and Browner should help ease the bleeding and keep the Patriots from having to perform unbelievable come backs. Let's return to the offense though, remember those young receivers I mentioned? The Patriots bolstered their receiver position by making sure that Julian Edelman was resigned, and they brought Brandon LaFell. They've got 6 guys competing for what should be 5 spots on the roster.

 

5. - I don't want to get carried away here, so let's place the Bears here at #5 - assuming that Jay Cutler stay healthy of course. The Bears defense scares the hell out of me and honestly this was one of my hardest decisions. I had the Bears anywhere from 15 to 5 in my rankings. The Bears defense ranked 30th in the league for points per game. They added Jared Allen and Lamarr Houston on the defensive line. At this point, I'm higher on Houston than Allen. I think they will get from Allen exactly what they gave away in Peppers, just with less of a cap hit. I want to hit on the offense though. They averaged 27 points per game on offense last year, even with Jay Cutler missing a good portion of the year. That's impressive. I expect nothing different from the Bears offense, especially with the receiver duo of Marshall and Jeffery. They've also got a top rushing candidate in Matt Forte, whether he lives up to last seasons numbers or not, defenses have to account for him. A healthy Jay Cutler puts this team at 10 wins and sneaks them into the playoffs I believe. In case you didn't get it, the key to this is a healthy Jay Cutler.

 

6. - Me ranking the Saints this high almost feels like kissing my sister. The Saints somehow fielded a top 10 defense last season and with the fact that you can always pencil them in for a top 7 offense, they're impossible to ignore. Jairus Byrd is sure to make the defense even better this coming season, and an emerging pass rusher in Cameron Jordan is just going to create more problems for offenses. Drew Brees will do what he does and get the ball into the end zone. The loss of Sproles won't hurt nearly as bad as what people believe, as Pierre Thomas can do everything that Sproles could - perhaps with a lot less speed though. I am pretty high on Brandon Cooks (I hope he busts though!), and I think he could be in store for a solid rookie season (600 yards receiving, 4 TD?). The Saints will be the team to chase in the NFC South. Not sure anyone has the fire power to knock them off.

 

7. - The Bengals should make the playoffs. What they do in the playoffs is anyones guess. This roster is ridiculously talented at nearly every position on the field, they just haven't delivered when they need to. While most are looking toward Gio Bernard to break out in the ground game, I'm expecting big things from rookie Jeremy Hill. Hill should be the token goal line back for the Bengals after he beats out BJGE for the job in pre-season. Both Gruden and Zimmer leaving are huge losses, but despite how good they are, that may just be what the Bengals need to push them over the hump they've been stuck on for the past 3 years.

 

8. - I think Andrew Luck will finally live up to the insane hype that surrounds him. The Colts have no began to do what they did for Peyton, surround Luck with weapons that will challenge opposing defenses. Hakeem Nicks is a great receiver who is, when healthy, a legitimate #1 target in most offenses. If they Colts can keep him healthy, a Nicks-Hilton-Wayne trio could be considered among the best come the seasons end. Speaking of Reggie Wayne, am I the only one who thinks he can actually bounce back from injury? I believe Wayne will provide Luck once again with reliable hands on third down. Much like the Bears, the Colts ranking here just inside the top 10 relies heavily on their quarterback. At the end of the day, I believe the Colts win the division with ease. I'm not a believer that the Texans or the Titans will get solid quarterback play for a full season.

 

9. - Already been heckled about disliking Kaepernicks chances to actually play to his talent level. I'll hit it again though, I just simply don't believe he's anything more than what Vick was in Atlanta for years, a ticket seller with sky high potential that will never be touched. I digress. Kaepernick, middle of the road or not, is not the reason the 49ers are this low. Where do I start? The 49ers will be without Aldon Smith, for what length of time we do not know yet. Smith is their best pass rusher at any point. Navorro Bowman may not return to the team until the mid-point of the season, it could be earlier, but even still we've seen a ton of guys coming off an ACL take time to get back to NFL speed. Bowman is a huge piece on that 49ers front 7, that's a big loss. Despite the denials from the front office and Harbaugh, there are some obvious issues among the two parties. This could effect the entire locker room if it isn't figured out, or it could be a crazy media story that is just spinning. We've all been waiting for Frank Gore to break down, the team keeps stocking up on running backs to possibly replace him. Year after year we are fooled and Frank Gore dumps on our questions of him, but it could very well be this year! It boils down to the fact that I think there is just so much going on in San Fran. They are a good football team and if the cards fall right, they should make the playoffs and challenge the Seahawks.

 

10. - This team was on the brink last year. Carson Palmer developed a pretty good relationship with both Fitzgerald and Floyd by the seasons end. A huge bright spot on offense was rookie back Andre Ellington. He flashes resemblance to Jamaal Charles when he gets into space, and Arians is good at getting him there. The defense should be solid, relate it less to players and more to scheme. Patrick Peterson is a stud, and he's going to get help with Antonio Cromartie playing opposite of him. Washington is one of the best linebackers in the league when on the field, so losing him is huge for the defense. No one is going to argue that there aren't holes on the defense, but the Cardinals are on the rise and the team came together down the stretch last year. I think they should be candidates to make the playoffs this coming year.

 

11-15 is an absolute log jam for me. Tier two are teams that are very much still playoff threats, but just outside looking in.

 

11. - I have a tiny bit of worry about the receiving core, but I think they'll be fine. That defense is ridiculously good, expect it to carry them again.

 

12. - They have some great pieces in San Diego, just need to bring it all together. They're going to be battling for a wild card spot in the AFC come season end.

 

13. - Great team, Chip Kelly is a mastermind, I'm hesitant though. Really curious to find out if we will see whether or not defenses can catch up to this fast paced offense and put them down.

 

14. - Healthy Roddy White, healthy Julio Jones. Reloaded offensive line should set up for a great offensive showing. The defense has a lot of question marks though, we won't know what they have until they hit the field week 1 against the Saints.

 

15. - The Chiefs heavily benefited from a easy schedule last year. They absolutely struggled against playoff teams. If Jamaal Charles wasn't on this team, they'd be in the slums of the league. Huge Justin Houston fan.

 

Then there's the third tier, these teams could be marginally good or they could be irrelevant.

 

16. - The Steelers are always right there if they aren't leading the division. It's tough to say what they will bring to the table in terms of a passing game and even a defense. I love the 1-2 punch of Bell-Blount.

 

17. - RG3 needs to return to form. This is a solid football team and the addition of DeSean Jackson could mean trouble for opposing secondaries who need to cover him and Garcon. I'm not sold on my first comment though. This team will ride and die by RG3.

 

18. - This team is jeckyll & hyde. I'd like to see Joe Flacco show some sort of consistency. Torrey Smith is good, but he needs to develop his route running. The defense hasn't been the same since their Super Bowl victory. Something needs to give.

 

19. - Such a good football team on paper. DeMarco Murray is a stud, when he's on the field. The Cowboys are 11-0 when Murray carries the ball 20+ times. Dez Bryant is one of the top receiving threats in the league. Another case of the defense scaring me away here. The loss of Sean Lee is huge and dropped the Cowboys quite a bit in my rankings.

 

20. - I want to believe, but I can't. I don't think Locker will stay healthy for more than 3 or 4 games. Then again, that could be best case scenario if Mettenberger is as good as the coaching staff thinks he could be in the NFL.

 

 

And then there's the rest.....

 

21. - It's all Adrian Peterson for the Vikings. Despite a few good pieces added, and Patterson emerging at WR, I don't think we'll see any magic out of Minnesota this year.

 

22. - The Giants had a pretty good draft when you look back, I'm not sure they've got enough fire power to over take the Eagles or the Redskins though. Perhaps not even a healthy Cowboys team. It's tough though, we've all seen the Giants pull miracles out of their behinds before.

 

 

23. - Great, great defense - terrible offense. Sam Bradford hasn't shown anything, not even the ability to be a strict game manager. St. Louis hasn't taken the hint that it's time to move on yet.

 

24. - There are a lot of question marks in Tampa. Josh McCown caught lightning in a bottle last year and he's reaping the benefits. At least he has two big bodies to throw to again. Another down year for the Bucs.

 

25. - Calvin Johnson isn't enough to carry this talented roster full of under-achievers to success.

 

26. - We've always got C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson to look forward to watching. The Bills are just starting to catch up in the East. Not this season, maybe next.

 

27. - Nothing on the Dolphins makes me raise an eyebrow. Nothing excites me, except Brent Grimes. Sorry phins fans.

 

28. - The Jets are desperate, bringing in Vick to try and mentor Geno Smith isn't going to work in the long run. There are a lot of holes on this team and there has been for a while now. They continue to fail at closing them up.

 

29. - The Texans could be in the top 15.... If they had a quarterback and a running back that could stay healthy. Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't the answer, not even for a season. May as well throw Tom Savage to the wolves.

 

30. - The Browns will be the Browns. I'm not a JOhnny Manziel fan. Much like the Dolphins, I don't see anything exciting here - not now that Josh Gordon may not be playing all year.

 

31. - A running back combination of MJD and Darren McFadden sounds great, about 5 years ago. The receiving core is lousy and Matt Schaubb has been struggling. The Raiders tried to make a win-now team with a bunch of savvy veterans, not sure that's the best way to build a winning roster these days.

 

32. - The Jags are the Jags at this point. Blake Bortles is a bright spot, but I don't think he starts this year. Even if so, they would still rank outside the top 30.

 

 

 

[KempBolt 498]

I cannot wrap my head around the Seahawks being rated behind the Broncos after that game.

 

Also, your reasoning for Denver- that he won't let that happen to his team again in the playoffs... Peyton Manning teams have almost always had that happen to them in the playoffs. Not to the same extent, but it isn't like Manning has a track record of losing in the playoffs and then coming back to win it all. Outside of 2006, he comes back and loses again.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Elite, Super Bowl Contender teams

 

1. - Defending Superbowl Champs and they didn't really lose much. That defense is gonna be very scary once again and they have a very smart QB and great running attack, which is really all you need with an elite defense.

 

2. - Hate putting them here, but I think this team is going to be very tough to beat this year. They did lose Sproles on offense, but I don't think they are going to miss a much of a beat without him because they drafted Brandin Cooks who I think fits perfectly in New Orleans. Their defense was also pretty underrated last year and they shored up the secondary over the off-season, so they are going to very good IMO.

 

3. - I'm not a huge Kaepernick fan, but man, do they have a lot of weapons on offense. We know their defense will be really good, really comes down to how far Kap can take them.

 

4. - They added some vets to help the defense, but Ware isn't the same player he used to be and Talib is very inconsistent. As long as Manning stays healthy, they will have a top 3 offense, but I still have questions about their defense.

 

5. :patriots: - Adding Revis might have been the best move of the NFL off-season. Belicheck having a player of that caliber is not good for the rest of the league. Obviously, this team will be very competitive as long as Brady and Belicheck are there.

 

Very good teams, with outside shot at Super Bowl

 

6. - Aaron Rodgers is obviously an elite QB and will always keep the Packers competitive, but their defense is still kind of questionable to me. They did sign Julius Peppers but he is on the downside of his career, and their secondary is pretty weak. If the defense can get better, the Packers can be a very difficult team to beat.

 

7. - The Bengals are pretty stacked on both sides of the ball, it really comes down to Andy Dalton. I personally don't think he has what it takes, but there's really no excuse for him not to play well enough now to win a playoff game. He has plenty of weapons, a solid offensive line, and a very good defense. Can't ask for much more as a QB.

 

I'll continue my rankings later. Only have 2 teams in this second tier though.

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

I cannot wrap my head around the Seahawks being rated behind the Broncos after that game.

 

Also, your reasoning for Denver- that he won't let that happen to his team again in the playoffs... Peyton Manning teams have almost always had that happen to them in the playoffs. Not to the same extent, but it isn't like Manning has a track record of losing in the playoffs and then coming back to win it all. Outside of 2006, he comes back and loses again.

 

I don't put any stock in believing that the Seahawks will come out and repeat that dominant performance. For one, no team that has looked that dominant has ever come back and repeated it. Two, these rankings are mostly for the regular season and getting into the playoffs. "Rankings of powerfulness", do you agree that the Broncos are the strongest team in the AFC by a large gap at this point? I do. I think the Seahawks are looking at a 10-6, maybe 11-5 season this year. Obviously not a huge drop off, but I think the Packers will be better, and the Broncos can easily look at a 13-3 season as long as they stay healthy. In terms of them not letting it happen again, I just don't think that bad of a slosh happens again. We've seen it before, a team gets destroyed in the playoffs and comes back the following year to - at the very least - be highly competitive, even if not winning a game.

 

It's tough to repeat great seasons, I think that needs to be accounted for and considered with the Seahawks. So many things went their way, there were a few games that they were on the brink of losing where if the ball bounced a different way they could have easily lost. And it goes the other way for a lot of other teams I ranked higher than what most have them at.

 

If anything I would expect you to be having issues with the Packers at 1 in my rankings above the Broncos and the Seahawks. Or even the 49ers so far down.

[KempBolt 498]

 

I don't put any stock in believing that the Seahawks will come out and repeat that dominant performance. For one, no team that has looked that dominant has ever come back and repeated it. Two, these rankings are mostly for the regular season and getting into the playoffs. "Rankings of powerfulness", do you agree that the Broncos are the strongest team in the AFC by a large gap at this point? I do. I think the Seahawks are looking at a 10-6, maybe 11-5 season this year. Obviously not a huge drop off, but I think the Packers will be better, and the Broncos can easily look at a 13-3 season as long as they stay healthy. In terms of them not letting it happen again, I just don't think that bad of a slosh happens again. We've seen it before, a team gets destroyed in the playoffs and comes back the following year to - at the very least - be highly competitive, even if not winning a game.

 

It's tough to repeat great seasons, I think that needs to be accounted for and considered with the Seahawks. So many things went their way, there were a few games that they were on the brink of losing where if the ball bounced a different way they could have easily lost. And it goes the other way for a lot of other teams I ranked higher than what most have them at.

 

If anything I would expect you to be having issues with the Packers at 1 in my rankings above the Broncos and the Seahawks. Or even the 49ers so far down.

 

I disagree with the Packers at #1, Bears at #5, 49ers at #9, and Cardinals at #10.

 

That said, none of those rankings are as big of an issue for me as rating the Broncos above that Seahawks.

 

You seem to really be riding the "SB Hangover" narrative for Seattle. Yet you totally ignore it for Denver. And if you want to talk about regular season success, compare Seattle going 13-3 in the NFCW to Denver going 13-3 in the AFCW. Advantage Seahawks.

 

Furthermore, Denver being the strongest team in the AFC is irrelevant to whether or not they're better than Seattle. The NFC is clearly the better conference right now. I have no doubts that Denver will cruise through the regular season once again. While they're playing the Raiders twice, Seattle will have to face off against St. Louis. And while the Broncos are, in all likelihood, beating the Chiefs, the Seahawks will have to deal with the Cardinals. Not to mention that (for as much as I love my Bolts) the Chargers are going to be an easier game than the 49ers.

 

In regards to your argument that it's tough to repeat great seasons-- again, you're using that against the Seahawks and ignoring it as regards the Broncos. If you think they're due for regression, that's fine. But then apply it to both of them or neither or them. If anything, Denver's offense is what's in store for a statistical correction. Same goes for you assertion that Seattle had things go their way. So did Denver (any team that goes 13-3 is having some things bounce their way, regardless of how good they are). Consider that in week 15, the Chargers beat the Broncos @Denver by pounding them with Ryan Mathews 29 times. Then in the playoffs Mathews gets hurt after 5 (effective) carries and Denver wins by a touchdown. Hypothetically, Denver might not even have made it past the AFCDG if things hadn't gone their way with a Mathews injury.

 

Bottom line for me, the Seahawks finished the regular season with the same record despite being in the toughest division and conference in the NFL today. And when they got their chance to play Denver, they won by FIVE touchdowns. Is Denver getting good players back from injury? Yes, but so are the Seahawks. You may think that Denver added more to their club otherwise, but not nearly enough to close a gap that wide. And basically every argument that you can level against Seattle can be leveled just as fairly against Denver. You're just choosing not to do so.

Edited July 25, 2014 by KempBolt

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

To each their own. Ill put money on the Seahawks losing ground.

 

I don't put stock into last year as much as most of you do. Just like fantasy football, if you put too much towards last year, you fall behind. You're also going at this as to say I believe the Seahawks will be bad. I never said that or even insinuated that. They're going to make the playoffs, in a much less dominant fashion with the rise of a few other teams.

 

Are you basing your rankings off records you predict or what? I could go as far as posting records I think are about right for the top 10. The Seahawks will have 10 or 11 wins. No more than that. While I believe the Packers and Broncos, based on schedules, can easily achieve 13. Perhaps even the Patriots.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Rain Man

[KempBolt 498]

To each their own. Ill put money on the Seahawks losing ground.

 

I don't put stock into last year as much as most of you do. Just like fantasy football, if you put too much towards last year, you fall behind. You're also going at this as to say I believe the Seahawks will be bad. I never said that or even insinuated that. They're going to make the playoffs, in a much less dominant fashion with the rise of a few other teams.

 

Are you basing your rankings off records you predict or what? I could go as far as posting records I think are about right for the top 10. The Seahawks will have 10 or 11 wins. No more than that. While I believe the Packers and Broncos, based on schedules, can easily achieve 13. Perhaps even the Patriots.

 

 

I look at what the teams were/did last year in full context (e.g. considering Rodgers' injury or KC's schedule), then consider what they've added and lost from that team and move them up or down accordingly.

 

And W/L predictions shouldn't be the same thing as power rankings. They ignore a few key factors, like strength of schedule. The Colts could finish with as many or more wins than the Seahawks by virtue of playing the Jags, Titans, and Texans twice. But no one is going to make a compelling case for them being the better football team.

 

And you misunderstand my issue. I realize you're not predicting a bad season for Seattle. But you are predicting a decline for reasons that could just as easily apply to Denver, though you excuse the Broncos from them. That's my issue. But as you said, to each their own.

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

I feel that the Broncos will be a better team than the Seahawks. I feel like the Packers are going to be the best team in the league.

 

Not sure what more you want. I'm not out to make everyone happy with my rankings. I feel like I did an alright job of explaining why teams were where, in the top ten.

 

I have cardinals at 10 because when you look at 11-15, it's a log jam. I don't see much difference among any of those 6 teams outside of schedules and the coaching.

 

People talk of the Panthers like WR doesn't matter. It's not as big an issue as some make, but I promise that having a bunch of rookies at receiver is a big difference from Steve Smith and Brandon LaFell, ask Tom Brady.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Rain Man

[KempBolt 498]

I feel that the Broncos will be a better team than the Seahawks. I feel like the Packers are going to be the best team in the league.

Yeah I get that. We can't debate the how's and why's of it all?

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

Yeah I get that. We can't debate the how's and why's of it all?

It's kind of a dear end debate with the Seahawks. I just believe that the Broncos are going to be much better than the Seahawks this year lol

[Thanatos 2,847]

I feel that the Broncos will be a better team than the Seahawks. I feel like the Packers are going to be the best team in the league.

 

Not sure what more you want. I'm not out to make everyone happy with my rankings. I feel like I did an alright job of explaining why teams were where, in the top ten.

 

I have cardinals at 10 because when you look at 11-15, it's a log jam. I don't see much difference among any of those 6 teams outside of schedules and the coaching.

 

People talk of the Panthers like WR doesn't matter. It's not as big an issue as some make, but I promise that having a bunch of rookies at receiver is a big difference from Steve Smith and Brandon LaFell, ask Tom Brady.

"Bunch of rookies."

 

"One rookie currently listed on depth chart."

 

RainMan, pls.

 

LaFail? Really? Sir Drops a Lot and Deflects pass into Defenders Hands?

 

Good riddance.

 

Smith had all of 750 yards last year. That production can be replicated. We were 29th in the league in passing. Our WRs can't really get worse, lol.

[Glanvilles Grits 142]

I just said it's not as big an issue. I'm not a fan of the Panthers running game heading into the season with their offensive line losing some key pieces, and without a passing game I think there are a lot of question marks on their offense. They do have Cam Newton, which is always a huge plus, he's phenomenal. Just like last season, having no receiving threats is going to be a set back for the Panthers. The best case scenario is that Kelvin Benjamin turns into a stud as people think he could possibly be.

 

I don't know a lot about Byron Bell or Nate Chandler, so I could be completely wrong about all this. I do though see a lot of the same problems in Carolinas offensive line that Atlanta had last season. They've got guys moving every which way. As I said though, it's a huge plus that they have Newton behind that line.

 

That monster defense is going to need to replicate last season to get into the playoffs. They're right on the cusp. Again though, I'm not sure anyone in the South has the firepower to challenge the Saints for the title this year. (Damn I hate saying that.