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omac
09-06-2008, 12:50 AM
http://www.examiner.com/x-620-NFL-Examiner~y2008m9d3-AFC-Power-Rankings


AFC power rankings
September 3, 7:06 PM
Andrew Kossak - NFL Examiner


With the 2008 season about to kickoff, here's an early look at the AFC Power Rankings. Agree? Disagree? Send comments and vote in the poll. Jeff Bergren has the NFC Power Rankings covered. Click here to see his list and notes.

1. New England Patriots – Yes, they lost the Super Bowl. Yes, they are still the best team in the league.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Strong defense, good running game and a QB that doesn’t make mistakes.

3. Indianapolis Colts – Disappointing playoff exit and a desire to As Week 1 begins, who's the top team in the AFC?

4. San Diego Chargers – Now it’s really Norv Turner’s team and that won’t bode well in the long run.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers – Offensive unit might be among the best the Steel City has ever seen.

6. Cleveland Browns – With concussion behind him, Derek Anderson will live up to his new contract.

7. Buffalo Bills – As long as Marshawn Lynch can stay out of more trouble, the Bills will continue to improve.

8. Houston Texans – They are on the rise and might factor as a surprise in the playoff mix.

9. Denver Broncos – Will the pass rush and defense be more effective than last season?

10. Tennessee Titans – Not enough weapons and a tough division make a playoff repeat unlikely.

11. New York Jets – Excellent offseason additions, but chemistry takes more time than training camp.

12. Cincinnati Bengals – Not happy, then happy. Johnson, then Ocho Cinco. Too much nonsense.

13. Miami Dolphins – Bill Parcells won’t let the Fish be the bottom feeder of the entire conference again.

14. Oakland Raiders – JaMarcus Russell didn’t play enough last season to be a true factor this year.

15. Baltimore Ravens – Joe Flacco went from out of the running to the opening day starter by default.

16. Kansas City Chiefs – “You play to win the game,” but it won’t be easy for this group.

Well, at least our rankings here are a little better. :cheers:

Curious that this writer implies that now that SD is truly Norv's team, that will be a bad thing.

MOtorboat
09-06-2008, 12:51 AM
Curious that this writer implies that now that SD is truly Norv's team, that will be a bad thing.

Do you disagree?

omac
09-06-2008, 01:10 AM
Do you disagree?

I was one of those really doubting Norv's pedigree as a coach, and that they'd take a step backwards when they got rid of Marty. They started out rough, but rebounded nicely.

I can't tell if they're a better team with Marty or Norv, because they look the same to me, and though they did reach the AFCCG, they still lost to the same team they lost to the previous season.

Norv has shown he is at least competent, and at worst case did as good a job as Marty, at least for the latter part of the season.

SD is underestimating the value of potentialy losing Merriman if further injures himself; I think that, more than the coaching, will affect their season.

So the short answer (lol, sorry :D ) is I disagree. Marty was better at keeping the team as a unit, though; I don't remember them having as much infighting with Marty, than they did last season.

MOtorboat
09-06-2008, 01:12 AM
I was one of those really doubting Norv's pedigree as a coach, and that they'd take a step backwards when they got rid of Marty. They started out rough, but rebounded nicely.

I can't tell if they're a better team with Marty or Norv, because they look the same to me, and though they did reach the AFCCG, they still lost to the same team they lost to the previous season.

Norv has shown he is at least competent, and at worst case did as good a job as Marty, at least for the latter part of the season.

SD is underestimating the value of potentialy losing Merriman if further injures himself; I think that, more than the coaching, will affect their season.

So the short answer (lol, sorry :D ) is I disagree. Marty was better at keeping the team as a unit, though; I don't remember them having as much infighting with Marty, than they did last season.

So the one playoff win has negated your negative thoughts about Norv...I understand, but also keep in mind Schottenheimer's playoff record isn't much better.

They've lost Lorenzo Neal, LT is talking retirement and Phyllis is just still talking...

I'm not sure Norv can hold it together. Granted, I think they are a much better team than Denver because of shear talent at this point, but Norv will help the implosion. I think he's a horrible coach, and a horrible choice for the Chargers.

omac
09-06-2008, 01:24 AM
So the one playoff win has negated your negative thoughts about Norv...I understand, but also keep in mind Schottenheimer's playoff record isn't much better.

They've lost Lorenzo Neal, LT is talking retirement and Phyllis is just still talking...

I'm not sure Norv can hold it together. Granted, I think they are a much better team than Denver because of shear talent at this point, but Norv will help the implosion. I think he's a horrible coach, and a horrible choice for the Chargers.

Actually, I kind of discount that one playoff win; it was unfortunate that Marty had to face the Pats 1st, and good fortune for Norv to face the Pats 2nd in the playoffs (oops, 3rd). They both lost to the Pats, but I think Marty would've won 1 playoff game if he hadn't had to face the Pats first, just like Norv. Also, Marty put that team in a position to win, but the players just lost the game.

I'm not saying Norv is better than Marty, but I am saying he's at the very least competent.

I agree with almost everything you posted, though. Hearing LT talk about retiring soon makes me question whether his head is in the right place. I actually think his production will drop this season. Good point on Lorenzo Neal; teams sometimes don't appreciate good blockers until they're gone. I'm pretty sure Brady would've loved to have had Graham pass blocking for him against the Giants in the superbowl; he probably would've hit the turf much less. :cheers:

PatricktheDookie
09-06-2008, 04:35 AM
what thoughtful rankings...

Nomad
09-06-2008, 06:32 AM
The BRONCOS will just have to get on the field and prove this person's opinion wrong. Many anaylists have Denver losing because of their run D and McFadden is playing (which is unproven in the NFL). Rankings don't mean squat in the NFL, it's who wins and losses, so Denver needs to take care of business and sway opinions.

Dean
09-06-2008, 07:17 AM
To finish ninth in the AFC would mean that the Broncos finished the season with an 8 and 8 record. With the improvement in 1) Cuttler, 2) pass blocking,, 3) preseason short yardage improvement, and improved rushing stats over last preseason by about a yard per carry; they should translate into more than 1 win over last year.

In addition to that our schedule appears to be much weaker than last year. If we can get through the first half of the season in average shape the rest is downhill.

Defensively, we have been able to play the run much better than last year. All that I see hlding us back is our pass rush and it doesn't look to be weaker than last year. Our D-tackle play is improved. Our outside LBs appear to be better and we still have a very strong group of cornerbacks.

Call me homer but I still see us finishing with 10-6 and much better if a pass rush shows up.

NorthernLights
09-06-2008, 08:31 AM
Actually, I kind of discount that one playoff win; it was unfortunate that Marty had to face the Pats 1st, and good fortune for Norv to face the Pats 2nd in the playoffs. They both lost to the Pats, but I think Marty would've won 1 playoff game if he hadn't had to face the Pats first, just like Norv. Also, Marty put that team in a position to win, but the players just lost the game.

I'm not saying Norv is better than Marty, but I am saying he's at the very least competent.

I agree with almost everything you posted, though. Hearing LT talk about retiring soon makes me question whether his head is in the right place. I actually think his production will drop this season. Good point on Lorenzo Neal; teams sometimes don't appreciate good blockers until they're gone. I'm pretty sure Brady would've loved to have had Graham pass blocking for him against the Giants in the superbowl; he probably would've hit the turf much less. :cheers:


Just a point of clarification on this subject. LT said during the interview he intends to play out the current contract which runs through 2011 and isn't interested in signing a new contract for the only purpose of breaking records. At his current pace, he would need to play another 6 to 7 years to catch Emmitt and he doesn't seem to care about that pursuit.

LT is extemely motivated and I believe it is false hope for all non-Bolt fans that he isn't going to perform at a high level. Has he peaked and is on the downside of his career? Absolutely. He's 29 and plays a punishing position, but is still a terrific player and the center of the Bolts offense. I expect him to play well this year and that's all I can hope for at this point.

Good luck against the Raiders and we'll see you next week for a bunch of good natured, smacked filled banter. Later.

Retired_Member_001
09-06-2008, 09:13 AM
Just a point of clarification on this subject. LT said during the interview he intends to play out the current contract which runs through 2011 and isn't interested in signing a new contract for the only purpose of breaking records. At his current pace, he would need to play another 6 to 7 years to catch Emmitt and he doesn't seem to care about that pursuit.

LT is extemely motivated and I believe it is false hope for all non-Bolt fans that he isn't going to perform at a high level. Has he peaked and is on the downside of his career? Absolutely. He's 29 and plays a punishing position, but is still a terrific player and the center of the Bolts offense. I expect him to play well this year and that's all I can hope for at this point.

Good luck against the Raiders and we'll see you next week for a bunch of good natured, smacked filled banter. Later.

I believe we will see a decrease in LT's play no matter how motivated he is. It's a proven fact that running backs that have had the kind of service he has been through, decline suddenly. There's nothing you can do about it. Rivers incompetence will show when he doesn't have an elite running back.

silkamilkamonico
09-06-2008, 10:29 AM
LT will decline, and SD will be a better team because of it. They proved last year during the playoffs that they don't need LT to compete with the best teams in the NFL.

When LT retires, I don't think SD will miss a beat in continuing to be a very good team in the AFC.

Italianmobstr7
09-06-2008, 10:39 AM
LT will decline, and SD will be a better team because of it. They proved last year during the playoffs that they don't need LT to compete with the best teams in the NFL.

When LT retires, I don't think SD will miss a beat in continuing to be a very good team in the AFC.

Are you serious? No team can just replace the best RB in the league. He brings the Chargers a whole other dimension to their offense. Without LT, the Chargers are not the same team.

silkamilkamonico
09-06-2008, 10:48 AM
Are you serious? No team can just replace the best RB in the league. He brings the Chargers a whole other dimension to their offense. Without LT, the Chargers are not the same team.

I sure don't find it ironic that SD played at the highest level they have played, when their prized RB was injured and was sitting over on the sideline with his glass v-----.

Rivers did an excellent job in the playoffs against some damn good defenses. It's not like they were playing defenses the caliber of Denver's. Tennessee and Indy had damn good defenses last year.

silkamilkamonico
09-06-2008, 10:49 AM
On an extended note, how important is a franchise RB in winning the SuperBowl?

Marshall Faulk 1999 important.

omac
09-06-2008, 11:18 AM
I believe we will see a decrease in LT's play no matter how motivated he is. It's a proven fact that running backs that have had the kind of service he has been through, decline suddenly. There's nothing you can do about it. Rivers incompetence will show when he doesn't have an elite running back.

Yeah, Football Outsiders did a study on that, and the overworked backs got progressively worse, except if his name was Eric Dickerson.

The whole league, though, is moving towards a committee to keep their RB1s fresh the whole season, so that should extend the quality of LT's career.

omac
09-06-2008, 11:20 AM
Just a point of clarification on this subject. LT said during the interview he intends to play out the current contract which runs through 2011 and isn't interested in signing a new contract for the only purpose of breaking records. At his current pace, he would need to play another 6 to 7 years to catch Emmitt and he doesn't seem to care about that pursuit.

LT is extemely motivated and I believe it is false hope for all non-Bolt fans that he isn't going to perform at a high level. Has he peaked and is on the downside of his career? Absolutely. He's 29 and plays a punishing position, but is still a terrific player and the center of the Bolts offense. I expect him to play well this year and that's all I can hope for at this point.

Good luck against the Raiders and we'll see you next week for a bunch of good natured, smacked filled banter. Later.

I think I saw a different interview, or maybe I didn't see the whole thing. LT's explanation for possibly retiring sooner than expected was so that he could retire on top, on his own terms; he said he didn't want to reach the point where he no longer could do the things he could do now.

Skinny
09-06-2008, 11:23 AM
9. Denver Broncos – Will the pass rush and defense be more effective than last season?It's like we're stuck in time. Circa 2005.

I hope this is the season we can finally answer that question with a big fat yes.

omac
09-06-2008, 11:28 AM
Are you serious? No team can just replace the best RB in the league. He brings the Chargers a whole other dimension to their offense. Without LT, the Chargers are not the same team.

Yeah, I agree, and not just that. The Chargers offense is built around LT. The Chargers can plug Rivers or Volek at QB and have similar success, because teams have to overcommit to defend against the run, so that all the QB has to do is hit the open/single-covered guys. The Titans said it in their playoff loss that they were daring the Chargers to hit their receivers, and they did; it's sometimes a necessary evil when you're playing the best RB in the league.

Replace LT with Julius Jones and see how less effective the rest of their offense will be. With their running attack, Chargers, Titans, and Vikings don't need their QBs to play great; they just need them to play good enough.

omac
09-06-2008, 11:34 AM
It's like we're stuck in time. Circa 2005.

I hope this is the season we can finally answer that question with a big fat yes.

I either read it somewhere here (or maybe saw it on tv?) that the way the Giants generated pressure against the Redskins was through blitzing. Let's see if that can mask some of our weaknesses.

Skinny
09-06-2008, 11:52 AM
I either read it somewhere here (or maybe saw it on tv?) that the way the Giants generated pressure against the Redskins was through blitzing. Let's see if that can mask some of our weaknesses.We have the CBs to do it (blitz). Seeing as how our pass rush could be better, or atleast more consistent when we need it to be, i would rather we blitzed more depending on who we were facing.

J.Russell and B.Croyle with their limited time on the feild would be ideal for nice blitz packages. While QBs like P.Rivers and the other veterans who can pick blitzes up quickly, you should be a little more catious about you do that. They'll make you pay.

BroncoWave
09-06-2008, 12:35 PM
I sure don't find it ironic that SD played at the highest level they have played, when their prized RB was injured and was sitting over on the sideline with his glass v-----.

Michael Turner. Remind me where he's at again?

Lonestar
09-06-2008, 09:36 PM
Michael Turner. Remind me where he's at again?

atl

BroncoWave
09-06-2008, 09:38 PM
atl

Yeah, I know. I was just making the point that the catalyst to their running game when LT was out last year is no longer there.

silkamilkamonico
09-06-2008, 10:20 PM
Yeah, I know. I was just making the point that the catalyst to their running game when LT was out last year is no longer there.

Doesn't matter.

RB's are a dime a dozen in this league.

Just think, if Alridge didn't get healthy, Denver would have an entire RB corp of undrafted players.

I'll also reserve judgment on just how good Michael Turner supposedly is. Ain't that hard coming in and putting up big numbers after LT(who is a HoF back), and the first string offense beat up the defense all day. Let's just all remember that LT, and Turner, put up great stats in the same offense that Jesse Chatman averaged over 5.0 ypc in.

Yes, that Jesse Chatman.

broncobryce
09-07-2008, 03:02 AM
Doesn't matter.

RB's are a dime a dozen in this league.

Just think, if Alridge didn't get healthy, Denver would have an entire RB corp of undrafted players.

I'll also reserve judgment on just how good Michael Turner supposedly is. Ain't that hard coming in and putting up big numbers after LT(who is a HoF back), and the first string offense beat up the defense all day. Let's just all remember that LT, and Turner, put up great stats in the same offense that Jesse Chatman averaged over 5.0 ypc in.

Yes, that Jesse Chatman.

If you REALLY think the Charger would be anywhere near where they are without LT, you are seriously mistaken. Remember the AFC championship? Four field goals? Lt scores TD's. Without him, the Chargers are half the team.

silkamilkamonico
09-07-2008, 03:33 AM
If you REALLY think the Charger would be anywhere near where they are without LT, you are seriously mistaken. Remember the AFC championship? Four field goals? Lt scores TD's. Without him, the Chargers are half the team.

They sure weren't half the team without him last year, in the playoffs, when it matters most.

broncobryce
09-09-2008, 01:21 AM
That's what I just said, they couldn't score a touchdown in the AFC championship game without LT. Yeah, that was the playoffs.

broncobryce
09-09-2008, 01:22 AM
Doesn't matter.

RB's are a dime a dozen in this league.

Just think, if Alridge didn't get healthy, Denver would have an entire RB corp of undrafted players.

I'll also reserve judgment on just how good Michael Turner supposedly is. Ain't that hard coming in and putting up big numbers after LT(who is a HoF back), and the first string offense beat up the defense all day. Let's just all remember that LT, and Turner, put up great stats in the same offense that Jesse Chatman averaged over 5.0 ypc in.

Yes, that Jesse Chatman.

Still reserving judgement on Michael Turner? :rolleyes:

Timmy!
09-09-2008, 03:40 AM
I think we just moved up a couple spots. Hopefully not many. I'd rather have the media focus on the loss of Brady, the Colts and Jags sucking, Steelers playing well, etc. Shhhhhhhhhhh. ;)