NFL Power Rankings
Early Rankings for 2014
NOTE: Previous ranking is noted in the first parenthesis,
which in this case was from after the regular season.
1. (2) Seattle Seahawks – The Super Bowl champs have a legit
chance of going back-to-back. They are young, deep, and well coached. They may
lose some players due to cap reasons, but they’ll remain very much the same
overall. And with Percy Harvin healthy the whole season, I think the offense
can be even more consistent.
2. (1) Denver Broncos – They didn’t show up on Sunday, but
we all know this was an elite team all year, led by Peyton Manning. Nothing
should change next year. Yes, they may lose Decker and Moreno, but with the
Thomas’s, Welker, Ball, and Manning, they’ll be just fine even without adding
anyone. The improved health of the defense (especially Von Miller) should help
improve that side of the ball.
3. (3) San Francisco 49ers – Based on playoff results, San
Francisco may have been the second best team in the NFL. As long as they
re-sign Boldin, and Crabtree/Davis can stay healthy, they’ll be one of the best
again next year. Oh, and rumors are that Justin Smith will play another year,
which helps a lot.
4. (6) New England Patriots – Yes, this is the fourth team
from the conference championships. And yes, I expect them to get back there
again, just like the teams above. Tom Brady led an offense with backups and
rookies all season. With development (Thompkins/Dobson), better health (Gronk,
Amendola if back), and new pieces, the offense should improve. As long as Talib
is re-signed and Wilfork returns, the defense may improve as well.
5. (4) Carolina Panthers – They surprised us a little in
2013, but they won’t sneak up on anyone in 2014. Management seems committed to
finding playmakers for Cam Newton in the offseason, and that’s the only thing
that held them back from a playoff win this year. Greg Hardy is a must re-sign
player for them.
6. (7) New Orleans Saints – With Drew Brees and Sean Payton
ready to roll again, they will almost certainly be a playoff team. The key will
be semi-rebuilding the offensive line, along with eliminating bad contracts (Will Smith).
7. (12) Green Bay Packers – They have controlled the NFC
North for a while, and I think it may have something to do with Aaron Rodgers.
Eddie Lacy is now another player to lean on. But can they get better on
defense? Can Mathews lead them to a breakout year on that side of the ball? Will Raji be re-signed?
8. (11) Arizona Cardinals – Apparently Bruce Arians can
coach, based upon the end of last year. They ended the season on a tear, and I
expect them to play similarly in 2014. Great defense and a steady
offense can win a lot of games. Just ask Seattle and San Francisco. I’m
intrigued to see what happens with free agent Karlos Dansby.
9. (9) Indianapolis Colts – They have an emerging/elite
quarterback and they know how to win. They actually beat the top three teams on
this list in 2013, which is actually crazy to think about. Can the defense take
a step forward though? Most Colts fans around here are convinced they’ll land a
big time free agent on defense, which would obviously be huge for them.
10. (13) San Diego Chargers – Coach McCoy got them clicking
the last portion of the year. And they seem to have a lot of exciting talent. I
also like the balance on both sides of the ball and they have a nice veteran QB
to lean on.
11. (5) Cincinnati Bengals – Cincy slid since the end of the
last season due to the fact I still don’t trust Andy Dalton. The good news though is
that he has improved each season. He needs to again. On the flip side, they
have a terrific defense that should still be good, despite some question marks
caused by free agency (i.e. Michael Johnson).
12. (10) Philadelphia Eagles – Chip’s offense in year 2 can be
scary, especially with the way Foles ended the year. The sky is the limit with
them. Cooper and Maclin are free agents, so Foles will need weapons in some
way, shape, or form.
13. (15) Chicago Bears – They have a lot of question marks
and unknowns based on free agency, specifically surrounding their defense. But
they claim they are committed to rebuilding it this offseason. If so, they can
be a playoff team. If not, we’ll see them remain good on offense, but unable to
get stops.
14. (20) St. Louis Rams – Sleeper alert! With multiple first
round picks and the youngest team in football, Jeff Fisher has a potential
playoff team if Sam Bradford is healthy and can perform. They won a lot down
the stretch though even without him. They are in the toughest division in
football, so it will be tough however.
15. (26) Atlanta Falcons – Mark my words, Atlanta will be
the team that sees their win total increase the most of any team in the NFL.
They still may miss the playoffs due to a loaded conference, but with Julio
back they’ll be a threat once again. With a high draft spot, they’ll add a nice
player or two on defense.
16. (22) Detroit Lions – They have a ton of talent, but have
lacked discipline to put it all together. Caldwell might help push all the
right buttons, and they have a nice drafting position that should help. They
need to get a #2 receiver in my opinion.
17. (8) Kansas City Chiefs – They were the darlings of the NFL for
much of this year, but they ended in a bad way choking a 28 point lead against
the Colts in the playoffs. The good news is that the core of their team
returns, which is particularly important on defense, which is their stronger
unit. I would love to see them invest in some new WR’s though on offense.
18. (14) Pittsburgh Steelers – Pittsburgh ended the year
well after a horrific start. In fact, they nearly snuck into the playoffs.
There is a lot of uncertainty though about their roster for next year, so they
won’t be ranked higher until I see how that plays out.
19. (17) Dallas Cowboys – Once again, Dallas squandered
their chance at the playoffs despite a talented roster. They have few free
agents though, so they have a chance to improve. Romo finally needs to carry
them into the playoffs, win a game, and get that monkey off his back.
20. (16) Baltimore Ravens – Baltimore failed to make the
playoffs after winning the Super Bowl the year prior. Ouch! Now they need to
add/re-sign playmakers on offense (Pitta in particular), along with rebuilding the line. Can it all
happen in once offseason?
21. (19) Miami Dolphins – A late collapse kept this team
from the playoffs as well, but their future seems decently bright. They still
need to find an offensive identity, but the offseason can help with that.
Maturity will breed growth, and growth will lead to wins.
22. (21) New York Giants – It was a disaster year for the
Giants, but they should be able to bounce back. They actually have many of
their key players already locked in, but they have a massive list of role
players up for grabs. If they handle the offseason well, the Giants will battle
for the division in the east, like they have in years prior.
23. (29) Cleveland Browns – They had a strong defense and
some key players on offense, but lacked a QB to lead them. As long as they find
an adequate guy in the draft, free agency, or through the return of Hoyer, they
can improve dramatically.
24. (25) Buffalo Bills – If Manuel can stay healthy this
year, I think they have some great pieces that can lead to wins. They won’t win
the division, but they could finish second behind New England if things go
well. Robert Woods could have a breakout season in my opinion. And they must
re-sign Jairus Byrd.
25. (18) New York Jets – Rex Ryan did a fantastic job last
year with a rookie QB and no weapons to use. He relied on a great defense for
sure, and that will be the case again. The key to them becoming a playoff team
is addressing the offense and developing Geno Smith into a more consistent
player.
26. (28) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – I have a lot of faith in
Lovie Smith and he has a chance to make this ranking look ridiculous. I believe
he can transform the defense into something great, but can he find a QB to lead
them on offense?
27. (31) Washington Redskins – This is another ranking that
could look silly in twelve months. RG3 can really play, and I think new coaching
can only help. They were a playoff team in 2012, so it’s not crazy to think it
could happen again if things go right. Orakpo is the player they must re-sign.
28. (32) Houston Texans – Having the first pick in the draft
helps, but new coach Bill O'Brien should too. Houston also still has a lot of the same players
that made up a dangerous playoff team from a couple years ago. The problem is
quarterback, which will probably be filled by a rookie. Rookie QB's rarely lead to huge turnarounds in the first year.
29. (23) Tennessee Titans – There seems to be talent in
Tennessee and now a great coach in Whisenhunt, but there are also a lot of cancerous players.
That needs to be dealt with immediately. A fairly easy division helps though.
30. (24) Minnesota Vikings – This team needs to rely once
again on Peterson, as it did two years ago en route to the playoffs. This means he must get healthy. They
should also get Patterson more involved, as he is as dynamic as they come.
31. (27) Jacksonville Jaguars – I gave Jacksonville the nod
over Oakland because they are in a much easier division. There is also
uncertainty surrounding Blackmon and it seems like their kingpin MJD will be
gone. That’s a lot of holes to fill, and I haven’t even mentioned their woeful
QB situation.
32. (30) Oakland Raiders – A lot of weaknesses and a lot of vacancies. They may do a mini-overhaul which means they’ll
struggle for much of next season. And I’m completely confused as to what
direction they’ll go in the draft.
By: The Sports Guys
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