Pre-Training Camp Rankings
Disclaimer: These are NOT professional
opinions. Also, these rankings do not portray what teams would win over each
other at any given time as any team can win on any given day. These rankings
are merely to look at where each team stands as of right now.
Oh boy oh boy! Football season (or preseason rather) is just a month away and I'm already getting excited for it! Here is a look at where I think teams stand in hierarchy of the NFL and even a couple looks at what's going on with a few teams right now. Let me know what you think!
1. Green
Bay Packers
Coach
McCarthy wasn’t lying when he said they ended their season as the best team in
the NFC. To be honest, the Super Bowl should have been the Patriots vs Packers
but football is never conventional like we think it is and Seattle deserved the
tough comeback win they made. However, Green Bay as an NFC powerhouse, won’t go
away anytime soon. Not with Rodgers, Lacy, Cobb, Nelson, and Matthews at the
helm of an arguably No.1 offense in the League and an extremely underrated
defense that just saw Raji resigned as well. The only question will be if
Rodgers, Raji, and Matthews can stay healthy for a full season. It hasn’t happened
for all 3 players since 2011, the year they won the Super Bowl. Also, props to
GM Ted Thompson for quietly having one of the most successful offseasons of any
GM this year.
2. New
England Patriots
Whether you
think they cheated or not doesn’t matter. Tom Brady and Coach Bellichick are
one of the best Head Coach-Quarterback duo you will ever see in NFL history and
they just won the Super Bowl for a 4th time. With that being said, The New
England Patriots are never one to deal with drama and that’s all the media will
try to create this offseason and its only going to grow bigger when the season
gets closer as everyone will be focusing on Garappolo. I don’t know about anyone
else but methinks that J.G. gives them 3 wins in his 4 starts and Tom Brady
with a chip on his shoulder takes the reigns from there to another dominant
season with an outstanding offense and one of the better defenses in the
League. But…..what about that secondary?
3. Arizona
Cardinals
What?
HOW?!?!?! It’s only the Arizona Cardinals. What about Seattle? Yeah yeah yeah
we have all heard that before. But last year, I predicted the NFC Championship
to be the Packers vs Cardinals in Lambeau field. Did that happen? No but it
should have. The Cardinals were undefeated before watching their veteran QB
fall for the rest of the year and a stellar top 5 defense kept them at bay and on
their way to finish at an 11-5 season. Hell, with a horrible 3rd stringer, they
gave the Panthers hell for 30 minutes until superior QB play showed up in the
Carolina Panthers. Many teams such as the , Ravens, Seahawks, and Steelers have
proved you don’t need an amazing QB, just an above average QB who can run a
decent offense with a stellar defense. The Cardinals have just that and Bruce
Arians' ability to keep the mentality focus of “us against the world” only
fuels the fire the Cardinals have shown in the past two seasons. There ARE two
questions to be made. 1. Can Carson Palmer turn out another great season like
he was having this last one? 2. Can the Cardinals remain healthy or are they
doomed to injuries hindering them beyond a playoff appearance?
4. Seattle
Seahawks
Honestly, the
Seahawks will go into a Super Bowl hangover this season. They have attended two
Super Bowls in a row and while we have seen its possible to go to multiple
Super Bowls within so many years (A.K.A. the Buffalo Bills, New England
Patriots) that type of success is hard to maintain. With that being said, you
have to love that Jimmy Graham addition to the offense. Graham will make the
offense better not just from his red zone ability but the fact that defenses
won’t able to stack so many at the box anymore giving Lynch a handicap that he
has never needed in the first place. If anything, Seattle O might turn into a
pick your poison offense if Wilson and Graham can create a nice chemistry with
each other. Oh yeah, and there is that Legion of Boom. Lets not forget they exist. This Seattle team
will still be dominant but they may not hit that Super Bowl again this year.
They may not even be the best in their division this year either (see No. 3)
5. Indianapolis Colts
On
paper, the Colts have the best offensive roster in the NFL (yes even better
than the Packers). With a young quarterback in Andrew Luck, who is ready to
enter the prime of his career, and experienced veterans in Frank Gore and Andre
Johnson to guide the offense, the Colts offense have a chance to best the season
the Broncos’ offense had a few years ago. And let’s not forget their
under-rated defense that quietly performed like a top defense as the 2014
season dragged on and shut down a Peyton Manning led offense in the Divisional
Playoff Round. Look for them to make a legit run at the Super Bowl this year.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
If
you want to look at one of the more versatile AFC teams in the NFL, look no further
than the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have a well-respected quarterback in
Roethlisberger, the most dangerous running back in Le’Veon Bell, a solid
receiver group headed by Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant, and a budding young
defense. The only questions to ask about this team are how the defense is going
to utilize their new and young talent without Dick Lebeau and the leadership of
Polamalu. Pittsburgh can only hope that they move forward without too many
speed bumps. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, they have enough talent to have both a
top 10 defense and a top 10 offense. Whether that happens or not remains to be
seen.
7. Denver Broncos
Getting
Gary Kubiak as the head coach for Denver was probably the best move Denver made
all offseason. Contrary to popular belief, I think Kubiak’s system will be
perfect for Manning. Will he be running all over the field like Flacco and Matt
Schaub were? Well, no, but what will benefit Manning is Kubiak’s run first
philosophy. The Broncos have a top 10 defense and a solid running game that
will benefit from Kubiak’s system. So what does that all mean? In summary, the
Broncos are a great team that won’t need to rely on Manning’s arm the whole
season so when January comes, Manning will have a fresher arm to throw with if
he needs to carry the Broncos through the postseason. In addition, the Broncos
may turn to Brock Osweiler in blow out games as they will want to see if
Osweiler can be the QB of the future for them while also giving Manning some
rest as well. All in all, this Broncos team couldn’t benefit their star
quarterback anymore; a star quarterback who needs this Super Bowl to solidify
his Hall of Fame career to any critics left that he has.
8. Dallas Cowboys
There
aren’t too many complaints to be made about the Boys in Texas right now but
that doesn’t stop the critics from saying they wont see last year’s success
without DeMarco Murray. To those critics, I ask why? They have a defense that
improved by getting healthier and an offense that has all the pieces from last
year except Demarco Murray. Not much else has changed about these Boys. If you
haven’t been convinced and think Murray is the make or break for the Cowboys
offense and their season, look no farther than Joseph Randle. Yeah, they signed
McFadden and Dunbar is explosive but Randle has had a 6.7 yards per carry over
his career and Dunbar should be used in 3rd down situations. As for
McDadden, don’t be surprised when he either gets injured, or fails to reclaim
his former glory behind what is thought to be the best offensive line in the
NFL. You never know though, right?
9. Cincinnati Bengals
The
Bengals have one of the better rosters in the NFL. Their biggest problem is
Andy Dalton. Andy Dalton is a great quarterback only when the lights aren’t
shining down on him. He performs well when the pressure isn’t on and the entire
nation isn’t watching him. However, when the entire nation is watching him and
the pressure couldn’t be greater, his performance level tends to fall below
average, which is probably why the Bengals haven’t won a playoff game with
Dalton under center in the past 4 years they have reached the playoffs. If Andy
Dalton can just learn to light it up and not falter when it really matters the
most and the lights are shining bright, the Bengals are a Super Bowl caliber
team.
10. Baltimore Ravens
The
Ravens are the type of team where their ceiling is as low as going 8-8 and
missing the playoffs or as high as reaching the Super Bowl and taking it all.
The Baltimore Ravens as a team are loaded with talent and have gone to the
playoffs in 6 of 7 seasons that John Harbaugh has coached the Ravens. There are
two major aspects to look at for this Baltimore Ravens team. 1. How will Joe
Flacco and the rest of the offense perform this coming season? Flacco is under
his 4th offensive coordinator in as many seasons. He adapts well to
new coordinators every year and fortunately for Flacco, Offensive Coordinator Marc
Trestman isn’t changing the offense this year. The 2nd thing to look
at is the secondary for the Ravens defense. CJ Mosley is becoming a huge leader
for the Baltimore defense but its weakness last year was its secondary. The
Ravens went through a total of 8 CBs and Safety men due to season ending
injuries. If the secondary can stay healthy this season, the Baltimore Ravens
could return to their former glory of having a top 10 defense and once again be
known for winning with its defense and a balanced offensive attack.
11. Philadelphia Eagles
Chip
Kelly has had an interesting offseason with all of his trades, cuts, and
signings. One thing’s for sure with this Eagles team, its Chip Kelly’s way or
the highway. With Kelly now being the General Manager, he has full control of
what his team looks like and how each player will fit into his system. Whether
Kelly’s system actually works or not remains to be seen. When you look at Chip
Kelly’s impressive 20-12 record in his first two seasons (going 10-6 in both)
as an NFL coach, clearly something has been working. Now that Kelly has exactly
what he wants, we’ll see if he can push the Eagles to do better than 10-6.
Honestly though, can you expect more than 10-6 when your QB group is Sam
Bradford, Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley and Tim Tebow?
12. Kansas City Chiefs
The
Chiefs automatically made their receiving corps better (mind you, a receiving
corps that didn’t score a single touchdown last year) by signing Jeremy Maclin.
Also, they did a nice job to help their offense by drafting some offensive
lineman. The best way for the Chiefs to keep up their offensive success (even
if one dimensional) is to protect Alex Smith and Jamaal Charles. Speaking of
Alex Smith, maybe he should take a few more shots down field this year? He had
the least amount of passes thrown over 20 yards among QBs who started more than
6 games. As for the defense, Kansas City just needs to worry about keeping the
face of their defense, Justin Houston. Get him signed long term KC! He belongs
with you.
13. Detroit Lions
Normally,
I would put the Lions lower but their offensive fire power is too great to
ignore. Hopefully with the Lions newly drafted running back, Ameer Abdullah,
the running game can take some pressure off of Matthew Stafford. Seriously, some games aren’t always his fault. He may be
able to light up defenses but he can’t do it 24/7. On the flip side of the
coin, the Lions are going to severely miss Suh on defense specifically in the
trenches as we won’t see the Lions have as dominant a defensive line like they
used to. However, the Lions trading for Haloti Ngata does give back some of what
they lost and for much cheaper. Yet, still, its going to take some time for the
Lions D to adjust to life without Suh. Whether the Lions D can adjust without
Suh or not, should be known by Thanksgiving.
14. San Diego Chargers
Props
to the front office of San Diego for giving Rivers a running back he really needed.
Along with Melvin Gordon, this year’s Charger offense has the ability to make
some noise but only if all the gears can sync together instead of clanking like
they have been the past couple years. Also, if Rivers can start what he
finished last year with what looked like an MVP season, then this team
shouldn’t miss the playoffs this year. Key word: SHOULDN’T.
15. Houston Texans
Bill
O’ Brien had a successful first season as head coach for the Texans putting
them from a 2-14 to 9-7 record. However, the next step is to make the playoffs.
The first thing the Texans have to do is figure out who is going to win the QB
battle happening this offseason between Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallet. Both have
upside but we will probably be seeing Brian Hoyer start at the beginning of the
season but don’t be surprised if the Texans turn to Mallet later in the season.
As long as the offense for the Texans can run, J.J. Watt and the Texans defense
should be strong enough to carry them to a playoff season but that would mean
besting the teams listed above them here which they CAN do. Whether that
happens or not, remains unknown.
16. Carolina Panthers
The
teams of 16-19 are pretty much on or near the same level of each other and the
Panthers get the nod ahead of the other three simply because they made the
playoffs and won a playoff game. The Panthers defense got to a rough start last
season but looked to form in the final 5 games in the season. Truthfully, the
Panthers barely claim the NFC South and it was because of their defense
stepping up. If the defense can stay the same, the Panthers only need to worry
about Newton staying healthy and keeping the offense rolling. While Kelving
Benjamin did prove he can be a No. 1 receiver by the Panthers, he needs to make
a statement this year to not only to define his role in the offense, but also
to help lift the Panthers to another playoff year. If not, the Panthers might
find themselves around 8-8 or worse again this year.
17. Miami Dolphins
The
biggest note to take on the Dolphins is that their defense has now changed just
from the signing one play; Ndamukong Suh. Suh has been giving defensive
coordinators headaches for years and that only helps what should be a solid
defensive line for the Dolphins this year. As long as Ryan Tannehill can
improve upon what was his best statistical season last year, the Dolphins could
be a legit threat to the Patriots but that all depends on how Tannehill runs
the offense. Tannehill playing well
=playoff contenders. Tannehill playing average/bad = Another season where
Dolphins fans wonder why they were only one game away from making the playoffs.
18. Minnesota Vikings
I
would love to rank this team higher as they are one of my favorites to take a
playoff spot this year and even make the NFC North division a little tough for
Green Bay to win. The only problem is they didn’t show enough last year to meet
the lofty expectation of giving Green Bay a challenge. That was, of course,
till Adrian Peterson came back into the picture. Last year, Bridgewater looked
like a solid QB who is starting to build chemistry with his WR group. Add AP
back into the mix and you have an offense already better looking than last
year. When Head Coach Mike Zimmer guiding the Vikings defense is combined with
the Vikings offense, this team has potential to make the playoffs and even a
possible playoff run. Until the Vikings show us what they can do,
unfortunately, that’s all you can say this Viking’s team has for now;
potential.
19. Buffalo Bills
Give
me more Rex Ryan! This guy makes this Buffalo Bills team look more exciting
than they are. He makes them look like a 14-2 team when really they are around
an 8-8 or 9-7 team. Regardless, there isn’t a doubt that the Bills have one of
the most talented rosters in the NFL. So what makes them rank so low? First of
all, Rex Ryan needs to prove he can become a better in game coach when games
come down to the wire, which is where Ryan typically chokes. And second, just
because this team has a ton of talent, doesn’t mean it will synergize well. If
it does, this Bills team has the potential to fend of any team in the NFL. But
what about that QB battle that’s happening right now between EJ Manuel, Tyrod
Taylor, and Matt Cassel? (Hint hint: Cassel will be the starter).
20. New York Jets
The
Jets did a great job of making sure they surrounded QB Geno Smith with as much
talent as possible. By grabbing Brandon Marshall to line up next to Eric
Decker, the Jets offense should be more productive this year as long as
Geno-coaster can remain a little more steady. The difference maker for the Jets
this year will be to see how new head coach Todd Bowles does with this Jets
defense. After focusing the draft on defense and grabbing their signature duo
CBs back (Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis), Bowles has plenty of toys to
mess with and get creative this year to make the Jets D a top 5 defense. Don’t
believe me? Look at what Todd Bowles did last year with an inury riddled
Cardinals Defense, then come back and tell me if you still don’t believe me.
21. Atlanta Falcons
The
Falcons are the same team this year as they were last year. An explosive
offense that can’t win a game all on its own because of a defense that has too
many holes in it. The most influential acquisition that the Falcons made this
year was Seattle’s former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Quinn is a defensive
genius and if anyone can work with this Falcon’s defense, its him. For now
though, temper expectations as he doesn’t have all the pieces he needs yet to
try and recreate the monster he made during his time as defensive coordinator
in Seattle.
22. New York Giants
This
is a team that will fly WAY under the radar for a while till suddenly people
see they have more wins than losses 10 games into the season. The Giants have a
legitimate shot at the NFC East and here is why. Dallas is not a dominant team
because of a mediocre defense and Philadelphia is a talented team that has too
many questions on whether the Chip Kelly experiment will work or not. The
Giants spent a half of their draft on defense and the other half on improving
an offensive line for Eli Manning who just had his best statistical season yet.
The Giants offense will be much improved with Odell Beckham Jr. and a healthy
Victor Cruz leading the way. If anything, the Giants (for now) receive the
award for most under-rated team going into the 2015-2016 season.
23. New Orleans Saints
Atta
Boy Payton! Regardless of what people think of the Saints right now, head coach
Sean Payton is doing the right things to fix his team this offseason. Coming
off a very mediocre 7-9 season, Payton is going back to the formula that got
him to the Saints first Super Bowl; running the football and letting Drew Brees
work his magic when needed. By grabbing CJ Spiller and trading Jimmy Graham
away for Max Unger, the Saints boosted their run game, which makes life much
easier for Brees. Yes, Brees won’t have his No. 1 red zone target anymore, but
it’s Drew Brees we are talking about. He doesn’t need that when he makes his
surrounding talent better. Also, if Brandin Cooks can turn into a true No. 1
receiver for Brees, the Saints wont have a problem in over taking what is an
uninspirable NFC South division right now.
24. St. Louis Rams
The
Rams have arguably the strongest defensive line right now and their defense is
looking towards becoming a force to reckon with. If only you could say the same
about their offense. While Nick Foles could potentially be an upgrade for the
Rams, the Rams are a downgrade for Nick Foles. The Rams don’t have much talent
at the WR position which could cause Foles to struggle a little bit. The main
focus for the Rams will be for run the rock and run it hard. With a talented
backfield and the addition of Todd Gurley, the Rams are going to run the rock
as much as they can to give some breathing room for Foles. As long as Foles can
show this season that he can still be a franchise QB, the Rams are headed in
the right direction.
25. Chicago Bears
What
can you say about a team with Jay Cutler as their QB? Not much so moving on.
Just kidding, but Cutler still serves as the main problem for a talented Bears
offense. The Bears come and go as Cutler does. When he plays to his potential,
the Bears are a force to be reckoned with. When Cutler plays like his
grandmother, the Bears are an easy win for any team which is a shame as the
Bears have a competitive defense that can win games but needs the offense to do
some work as well. With the Bears acquiring John Fox as their new head coach
and Fox convincing Adam Gase to tag along as the offensive coordinator, there’s
no telling whether the Bears offense can succeed or not but if anyone can do
it, John Fox can. How? Just look to the season John Fox took the Panthers to
the Super Bowl when Jake Delhomme was the quarterback. Remember him?
26. San Francisco 49ers
Without Jim Harbaugh, I’m not sure the 49ers
can make any noise at all this season. There is always a chance with Kaepernick
at the helm of the 49ers offense but the talent drain from both sides of the
ball is just too much for a team to realistically overcome in one season. Too
many veterans retired or went to others teams and the tough 49er team we once
knew is now gone. Head coach Jim Tomsula is going to have a rough first year,
but 9ers fans need not to worry yet. The 49ers are not in a fallout stage; they
are simply in a rebuilding stage while trying to get their quarterback to
become the leader he needs to be for this team. If improvement is not seen by
the start of the 2017-2018 season, then 9ers fans can panic.
27. Washington Redskins
With
upgrades made to the offensive line and a great running game to back him up,
this is a make or break year for quarterback RG3 as he has no excuses this
year. More than likely, this Redskins team will come and go with RG3’s play.
When it comes to the other side of the ball the Redskins upgraded their defense
through firing their old defensive coordinator and hiring new DC Jim Haslett.
His schemes are perfect for the kind of players that the Skins have on defense
and should be a much better unit come this fall. Unfortunately, as mentioned
above, if RG3 can’t make this year happen, then 2 consequences will follow. 1.
RG3 will be looking for a job with another team and 2. The Redskins will be
looking for another franchise QB…again.
28. Oakland Raiders
The
Raiders are the best of the bottom feeders. While I don’t expect this team to
make the playoffs, the Raiders have the potential to go 8-8 this season. Only 3
things need to happen for the Raiders to improve as much as I believe they can.
1. Derek Carr must improve in Year 2 as a starting QB and make a guarantee to
the Raiders that he can be their franchise QB. 2. Derek Carr and Amari Cooper
must give a spark to a Raiders offense that has been dead since 2010. 3. The
Raiders must realize Khalil Mack is the key to defensive success and build
their defensive roster and schemes around him to make a better defense. The
Raiders are headed in the right direction; they just need to make sure they
don’t steer off course.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
The
Jaguars season will hinge on two things. 1. Blake Bortles must prove he can be
a starting QB in this league. In order for him to do that, Number 2 must
happen. 2. The offensive needs to not be terrible. I feel like Bortles could
have had a better rookie season had he not been scrambling for his life the
entire season. The kid needs blocking and if doesn’t get it he won’t perform.
Luckily, coach Gus Bradley is giving Bortles all the right tools to succeed and
creating a defense that should take some pressure off the Jaguars offense. Like
I said though, Blake Bortles must prove he can be a starting QB in this league.
If not, Jacksonville is back to where they were last year; square one.
30. Cleveland Browns
The
Browns looked good on top of the NFC North at one point with a 7-4 record till
they had a fallout and finished their season 7-9. Unfortunately for the Browns,
they didn’t get much better this offseason. The questions on this team lie on
the offense and not their defense. The Browns have a playoff ready defense but
also own an offense that can’t seem to find its footing. Josh McCown isn’t the
answer at quarterback for this team and more than likely neither is Johnny
Manziel. However, we’ll see if McCown can bring back the magic he did two years
ago with the Bears to liven up this Browns offense. If not, maybe the Browns
can hope Manziel matured enough over the offseason to make Johnny Football
magic happen again. That’s a lot of ifs and maybes though.
31. Tennessee Titans
Ken
Whisenhunt is a very good coach but is unfortunately coaching a rather bland
team. That is, until they drafted Marcus Mariota. While this team still isn’t
the most exciting team, the Titans can look forward to the future with a new QB
and upgraded roster across the board. If Mariota lives up to his pedigree,
there is plenty of hope for the future of this Titans team. Even if the Titans
only manage to grab a 6 or 7 win season, that is something Titans fans can
rejoice about and hope it only gets better from there. However, if the Titans
have a repeat performance of last year’s season, both Whisenhunt and Mariota
might find themselves on a tight leash. The Titans owners, front office, and fan
base are hungry for wins and they don’t want to wait anymore.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
So,
why are the Bucs last? Well they finished as the worst team last season and
while they drafted what could be their QB of the future, they didn’t fix what
was a dreadful offensive line last year. That spells problems for QB Jameis
Winston as he may not be able to succeed as much behind an offensive line that
will make him run for the hills. The bigger reason for the Bucs being last is
that their season will be decided on whether Winston can mature both on and off
the field as a leader for this team. If not, the Bucs may find themselves at
the bottom of this list again by the end of this coming season.
