dogfish
06-25-2008, 01:09 AM
everybody had such a blast with the last set of power rankings that were posted here, i figured some more would be fun. . .
okay, i actually put these together for the articles forum, before i realized that it was coach's job. . . :tsk: they took awhile to write, so i may as well post 'em somewhere. . . besides, nobody really enjoys this place without some perceived disrespect to bitch about, right?
:laugh:
so here goes. . . .
1. New England Patriots – The Patsies weren’t able to finish the job last year, but 18-1 is still good enough for the top spot in these rankings. Playing a relatively easy schedule helps. Losing Asante Samuel doesn’t help, but they’ve gotten by with average cornerback play in the past. Adding younger legs at the inside linebacker position should improve the defense.
2. Dallas Cowboys – This year’s team looks stronger than the squad that won a tough division last year. A productive offseason filled most of their obvious holes, particularly in the secondary. The number two wide receiver position is a question mark, but this offense has excellent balance with a top tight end and multiple weapons in the backfield.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars – One of the nastiest, most physical clubs in the league. David Garrard should be even better in his second full year as a starter, and Jerry Porter provides a legitimate weapon on the outside that previous Jag’s teams have lacked. An already impressive defense added a top coordinator and two talented edge rushers.
4. San Diego Chargers – The Bolts really put it together down the stretch after struggling mightily to open the season. San Diego’s starters are as talented as any in the league, but health is a bit of a concern with several important players rehabbing injuries from last year. With the departure of players like Michael Turner and Drayton Florence, their depth isn’t as impressive as it was the past few years.
5. New York Giants – They may have over-achieved a bit last year, but I can’t rank the defending champs any lower. Manning seemed to mature during the playoffs, and their offensive line is very solid. Plaxico Burreess should be even deadlier with a good set of wheels under him. Look for Steve Smith to take over the other starting spot sometime this season. The depth at running back is excellent. Strahan will be missed on defense, but they still have enough pass rush to cover mistakes by a weak secondary.
6. Indianapolis Colts – They’re still a legitimate title contender, but won’t have an easy time of it in a rugged division. Without Marvin Harrison, their offense wasn’t the well-oiled machine to which we’ve become accustomed, and Harrison looks like his career may be winding down. The team still has more than enough offensive talent to be dangerous, and the return of Dominic Rhodes should help take some pressure off of Joseph Addai, but the free-wheeling offensive circus has come back to Earth a bit. Their success on defense hinges on whether some undersized players can stay healthy.
7. Seattle Seahawks – A veteran quarterback and quality coaching staff should be enough to overcome some questions on offense. The receiving corps is pedestrian, but they have some young talent that they feel good about. Their committee of backs won’t scare anyone, but should be effective in a system that doesn’t ask too much of them. The defense is talented and aggressive. It doesn’t hurt that they could skip the first month and still win their division.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers – Roethlisberger proved last year that he’s more than just a game manager. Hines Ward is getting old, but Santonio Holmes is an emerging talent, and Limas Sweed gives them the big, physical receiver that Roethlisberger wanted. Rashard Mendenhall should be a fantastic complement to Willie Parker, even behind a questionable offensive line. The D-line is aging but still effective, and the Steelers continue to crank out tough linebackers.
9. Cleveland Browns – The offensive line has become a real strength, and they should allow Derek Anderson to continue to flourish. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow have developed into the playmakers the team was hoping for when they spent high first round picks on them. Donte Stallworth should provide another deep threat. Cornerback still looks like a major weakness, but the defense will unquestionably be stronger up the middle with the addition of Shaun Rogers, Corey Williams and Beau Bell.
10. Minnesota Vikings – A productive offseason filled a lot of holes. The addition of Jared Allen and Madieu Williams should make the defense into an absolute monster. Their running game is as good as any in the league, and Bernard Berrian adds a nice deep threat to the offense. Quarterback is obviously a big question mark, but Tarvaris Jackson did show some flashes down the stretch last year, and Kelly Holcombe is a savvy vet. With this defense and ground game, the Vikes don’t necessarily need dynamic QB play to be dangerous.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – The Bucs are quietly putting together a very talented young O-line. Jeff Garcia has always been effective in the West Coast offense, and Earnest Graham is a hardnosed runner. Their wide receiver corps is pedestrian at best, but Antonio Bryant and Dexter Jackson give them more raw ability than last year’s group. The defense is always tough. The Bucs are hardly a sure thing, but strong line play and good coaching can go a long way.
12. Philadelphia Eagles – Brian Westbrook and a quality coaching staff give the Eagles a chance. McNabb should be closer to his normal self a year removed from the torn ACL, although the team’s stubborn refusal to upgrade their wide receiver corps will once again keep him from producing at the level he could with some legit weapons out wide. They overpaid for Asante Samuel, but he does improve the coverage they need behind Jim Johnson’s blitzes. Desaun Jackson might provide a spark in the return game.
13. New Orleans Saints – The Saints have a lot of question marks, but they showed some signs of 2006’s exciting team during the second half of last year. The offensive line took a step back in ’07, and they need to replace center Jeff Faine if they’re going to shine this season. Deuce McCallister’s health is also a concern, but they do have some depth at running back. Reggie Bush should be more effective if he has a healthy McCallister to do the hard work. The receiver corps has some depth and diversity, even though they lack a difference-maker beyond Marques Colston. We’ll see if a number of defensive additions can shore up a woeful unit.
14. Green Bay Packers – Aaron Rodgers will never be Brett Favre, but he doesn’t necessarily have to be. He has a nice group of receivers to work with, and Ryan Grant really brought life to a dormant running game at the end of ’07. A strong pair of tackles will give Rodgers a nice comfort zone to work with, and he should have the playbook down pat by now. The defense is just tough and nasty, although the health of the line is a concern at the moment.
15. Carolina Panthers – This team is very difficult to gauge. If Jake Delhomme is healthy, they have a legitimate chance to contend in the NFC South. If he’s not, they’re roadkill, but preliminary reports are encouraging. We all know what Steve Smith can do if they can get him the ball, and Jonathon Stewart and Jeff Otah are two excellent building blocks for the revamping of their power running game. Deangelo Williams makes a nice complement to Stewart. The really need a lot more from Julius Peppers after a pathetic ’07, and Kris Jenkins won’t be easy to replace. But the secondary is solid, and adding Dan Connor to Jon Beason gives them a very promising young group of linebackers.
16. Buffalo Bills – A badly dinged-up squad showed a lot of heart last year, and they had a nice offseason. Marcus Stroud and Paul Poszluzny should shore up the run defense, and Leodis McKelvin adds a lot of raw ability in the secondary. Trent Edwards looks to have solid potential, and James Hardy brings some desparately needed size at wide receiver. The Bills have one of the best special teams units in the league. The team needs Jason Peters’ holdout and Marshawn Lynch’s legal problems to get resolved before the season starts.
okay, i actually put these together for the articles forum, before i realized that it was coach's job. . . :tsk: they took awhile to write, so i may as well post 'em somewhere. . . besides, nobody really enjoys this place without some perceived disrespect to bitch about, right?
:laugh:
so here goes. . . .
1. New England Patriots – The Patsies weren’t able to finish the job last year, but 18-1 is still good enough for the top spot in these rankings. Playing a relatively easy schedule helps. Losing Asante Samuel doesn’t help, but they’ve gotten by with average cornerback play in the past. Adding younger legs at the inside linebacker position should improve the defense.
2. Dallas Cowboys – This year’s team looks stronger than the squad that won a tough division last year. A productive offseason filled most of their obvious holes, particularly in the secondary. The number two wide receiver position is a question mark, but this offense has excellent balance with a top tight end and multiple weapons in the backfield.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars – One of the nastiest, most physical clubs in the league. David Garrard should be even better in his second full year as a starter, and Jerry Porter provides a legitimate weapon on the outside that previous Jag’s teams have lacked. An already impressive defense added a top coordinator and two talented edge rushers.
4. San Diego Chargers – The Bolts really put it together down the stretch after struggling mightily to open the season. San Diego’s starters are as talented as any in the league, but health is a bit of a concern with several important players rehabbing injuries from last year. With the departure of players like Michael Turner and Drayton Florence, their depth isn’t as impressive as it was the past few years.
5. New York Giants – They may have over-achieved a bit last year, but I can’t rank the defending champs any lower. Manning seemed to mature during the playoffs, and their offensive line is very solid. Plaxico Burreess should be even deadlier with a good set of wheels under him. Look for Steve Smith to take over the other starting spot sometime this season. The depth at running back is excellent. Strahan will be missed on defense, but they still have enough pass rush to cover mistakes by a weak secondary.
6. Indianapolis Colts – They’re still a legitimate title contender, but won’t have an easy time of it in a rugged division. Without Marvin Harrison, their offense wasn’t the well-oiled machine to which we’ve become accustomed, and Harrison looks like his career may be winding down. The team still has more than enough offensive talent to be dangerous, and the return of Dominic Rhodes should help take some pressure off of Joseph Addai, but the free-wheeling offensive circus has come back to Earth a bit. Their success on defense hinges on whether some undersized players can stay healthy.
7. Seattle Seahawks – A veteran quarterback and quality coaching staff should be enough to overcome some questions on offense. The receiving corps is pedestrian, but they have some young talent that they feel good about. Their committee of backs won’t scare anyone, but should be effective in a system that doesn’t ask too much of them. The defense is talented and aggressive. It doesn’t hurt that they could skip the first month and still win their division.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers – Roethlisberger proved last year that he’s more than just a game manager. Hines Ward is getting old, but Santonio Holmes is an emerging talent, and Limas Sweed gives them the big, physical receiver that Roethlisberger wanted. Rashard Mendenhall should be a fantastic complement to Willie Parker, even behind a questionable offensive line. The D-line is aging but still effective, and the Steelers continue to crank out tough linebackers.
9. Cleveland Browns – The offensive line has become a real strength, and they should allow Derek Anderson to continue to flourish. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow have developed into the playmakers the team was hoping for when they spent high first round picks on them. Donte Stallworth should provide another deep threat. Cornerback still looks like a major weakness, but the defense will unquestionably be stronger up the middle with the addition of Shaun Rogers, Corey Williams and Beau Bell.
10. Minnesota Vikings – A productive offseason filled a lot of holes. The addition of Jared Allen and Madieu Williams should make the defense into an absolute monster. Their running game is as good as any in the league, and Bernard Berrian adds a nice deep threat to the offense. Quarterback is obviously a big question mark, but Tarvaris Jackson did show some flashes down the stretch last year, and Kelly Holcombe is a savvy vet. With this defense and ground game, the Vikes don’t necessarily need dynamic QB play to be dangerous.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – The Bucs are quietly putting together a very talented young O-line. Jeff Garcia has always been effective in the West Coast offense, and Earnest Graham is a hardnosed runner. Their wide receiver corps is pedestrian at best, but Antonio Bryant and Dexter Jackson give them more raw ability than last year’s group. The defense is always tough. The Bucs are hardly a sure thing, but strong line play and good coaching can go a long way.
12. Philadelphia Eagles – Brian Westbrook and a quality coaching staff give the Eagles a chance. McNabb should be closer to his normal self a year removed from the torn ACL, although the team’s stubborn refusal to upgrade their wide receiver corps will once again keep him from producing at the level he could with some legit weapons out wide. They overpaid for Asante Samuel, but he does improve the coverage they need behind Jim Johnson’s blitzes. Desaun Jackson might provide a spark in the return game.
13. New Orleans Saints – The Saints have a lot of question marks, but they showed some signs of 2006’s exciting team during the second half of last year. The offensive line took a step back in ’07, and they need to replace center Jeff Faine if they’re going to shine this season. Deuce McCallister’s health is also a concern, but they do have some depth at running back. Reggie Bush should be more effective if he has a healthy McCallister to do the hard work. The receiver corps has some depth and diversity, even though they lack a difference-maker beyond Marques Colston. We’ll see if a number of defensive additions can shore up a woeful unit.
14. Green Bay Packers – Aaron Rodgers will never be Brett Favre, but he doesn’t necessarily have to be. He has a nice group of receivers to work with, and Ryan Grant really brought life to a dormant running game at the end of ’07. A strong pair of tackles will give Rodgers a nice comfort zone to work with, and he should have the playbook down pat by now. The defense is just tough and nasty, although the health of the line is a concern at the moment.
15. Carolina Panthers – This team is very difficult to gauge. If Jake Delhomme is healthy, they have a legitimate chance to contend in the NFC South. If he’s not, they’re roadkill, but preliminary reports are encouraging. We all know what Steve Smith can do if they can get him the ball, and Jonathon Stewart and Jeff Otah are two excellent building blocks for the revamping of their power running game. Deangelo Williams makes a nice complement to Stewart. The really need a lot more from Julius Peppers after a pathetic ’07, and Kris Jenkins won’t be easy to replace. But the secondary is solid, and adding Dan Connor to Jon Beason gives them a very promising young group of linebackers.
16. Buffalo Bills – A badly dinged-up squad showed a lot of heart last year, and they had a nice offseason. Marcus Stroud and Paul Poszluzny should shore up the run defense, and Leodis McKelvin adds a lot of raw ability in the secondary. Trent Edwards looks to have solid potential, and James Hardy brings some desparately needed size at wide receiver. The Bills have one of the best special teams units in the league. The team needs Jason Peters’ holdout and Marshawn Lynch’s legal problems to get resolved before the season starts.