Power Rankings & Predictions

Power Rankings
Updated August 28th, 2007

32. Kansas City Chiefs
It sounds odd to say this now-a-days, but the Chiefs are a team with a crappy head coach, a crappy offensive line, and a crappy QB situation. Despite what Herman Edwards has said, the Trent Green situation was indeed a distraction, but is now taken care of. Now that it's been decided that Brodie Croyle will lead the Chiefs, will he be able to handle the pressure and play at a high level? I think not. Will Edwards run RB Larry Johnson into the record books yet again, advancing him past 500 carries in one season? It doesn't look like it anymore, since a Johnson holdout seems imminent. The defense hasn't really improved much at all this offseason, and overall, the team has regressed. We may very well see this team holding the #1 overall pick next April.

31. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons' problems start at QB, where, even though Michael Vick has never been that great, there is a ridiculous hole. Will the team have to rely on Joey Harrington to lead the way this season? If so, you can expect the team to regress, all in thanks to Vick's dirty habits of animal cruelty. Get your head out of your ass, Michael. And keep your ass out of training camp so you don't hurt your team any more than you already have. I don't really like what this team is doing on offense. The receiving core (save for TE Alge Crumpler) is terrible and the offensive line is still trying to fit into Bobby Petrino's power-running philosophy. As for the defense, the Falcons did indeed make a fantastic addition of DE Jamaal Anderson in the draft, who will dramatically help the team in terms of run defense, and should develop into a fine pass-rusher. In the end, I'm not a fan of Bobby Petrino as a NFL head coach and I think this will be another failed college-turned-pro experiment.

30. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins' prayers have been answered with the acquisition of Trent Green. John Beck figures to be the team's future, but I personally feel he's extremely overrated and won't do anything this season. Miami is also thin at RB, where Ronnie Brown hasn't exactly stood out and Lorenzo Booker is merely a third-down back at best. The coaching staff would like to think they have a solid receving core, but Ted Ginn and Chris Chambers (though he used to) won't strike fear into the NFL, and Marty Booker was their best option last season. The offensive line is also extremely weak. The defense is still very good, but very old. Joey Porter was a great signing, but outside of that, the defense is no different than it was last year.

29. Cleveland Browns
The Browns look good on paper, but they did last year as well. Despite the addition of OT Joe Thomas, the Browns' offensive line still has a lot of work to do, especially on the interior. QB Brady Quinn was a fantastic addition, but he likely won't have much of an impact in his rookie season. Even though they added RB Jamal Lewis, the Browns really didn't add any playmakers to the team. The Secondary looks good on paper, but it will have to stay healthy. The front-seven will be a problem, as the defensive line is suspect at best and the LB core is just average.

28. Oakland Raiders
The Raiders' defense isn't all it's hyped up to be, and although they had time to mature this offseason, the offense didn't get any better and still needs a lot of work. There's an extremely lame QB competition and a depleted WR core. JaMarcus Russell will probably start by mid-season due to Al Davis' lack of patience, and the group that once seemed promising is now lead by an aging Jerry Porter and... Mike Williams. The offensive line is still in shambles, with no clear-cut starting LT. The two groups that actually have a chance to succeed are the RB and TE cores, where RBs LaMont Jordan, Dominic Rhodes, and Michael Bush and TEs Zach Miller and Courtney Anderson look very good on paper.

27. Minnesota Vikings
If it weren't for the Vikings' QB situation, they'd be much higher, but neither Tarvaris Jackson nor Brooks Bollinger can be a legitimate starter in this league and the RB duo of Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson simply cannot carry this offense alone. The Vikings are once again going into the season without a real pass-rushing threat, though LB Chad Greenway is coming back from injury and should have a good season.

26. New York Giants
How could a 2006 playoff team be so bad? Lots of reasons. Tom Caughlin stinks as a head coach, Eli Manning has yet to prove anything as a quarterback, there is no clear-cut answer at both running back and left tackle, Mathais Kiwanuka is moving to OLB, and there's no real presence at neither the Nose nor Under-tackle position.

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I'm definitely a fan of the Jeff Garcia addition at QB, and I'm not afraid to acknowledge the talent that this team really has, but from what we've seen in recent years, John Gruden just can't seem to coach-up this team. I feel that the Bucs have the potential to have a breakout year this season, but with questions surrounding both the offensive line and the overall age of the defense, it will be difficult for this team to advance. DE Gaines Adams should be a nice addition, but LB Cato June will only hurt this team.

24. Detroit Lions
The Lions are another team that just looks spectacular on paper but has yet to translate it to the field. WR Calvin Johnson could absolutely have an immediate impact on the offense as well as OG Edwin Mulitalo and RB Tatum Bell, and the team added some nice players to help the defense, like DEs Dewayne White and Ikaika Alama-Francis. The future also looks bright with QB Drew Stanton waiting in the wings, and if the team has yet to improve by midseason, we could realistically see him filling in for Jon Kitna.

23. Washington Redskins
The Redskins are coming into this season as a team that could really surprise people and compete for the playoffs, or once again disappoint and pick in the top-10 next April. S LaRon Landry will have an immediate impact playing next to S Sean Taylor, and, despite its age, the LB core has improved. There are indeed two areas that will need help this season, though, as the defensive line is terrible and the offensive line lost a big player in Derrick Dockery. QB Jason Campbell looks very promising. He finished off last season pretty well and looks to ride that momentum into this season. With all the weapons he has, he better produce, or the Redskins will be looking to draft a QB in next year's QB-friendly draft.

22. Houston Texans
The Texans made a mistake taking such a gamble on QB Matt Schaub, so until he can prove to be a quality starter, the Texans are still bottom-dwellers. The defense looks improved. DE Mario Williams should have a breakout year and DT Amobi Okoye will certainly help. RB Ahman Green was added, as well as OT Jordan Black, so the offense is certainly improved a little, but not by much.

21. Buffalo Bills
The Bills made a bunch of questionable moves this offseason. Despite signing OG Derrick Dockery, the run game has a long ways to go before becoming a threat. RB Marshawn Lynch looks to have a big rookie year. QB J.P. Losman improved consiberably as the year progressed last season and should only get better. The defense took a huge hit in the offseason as well, as both LB Takeo Spikes and CB Nate Clements, though inevitabley, both departed, while the only real addition was LB Paul Posluszny. In the end, this team would be higher if not for the coaching staff.

20. Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are going to be a very exciting team to watch this year. They still have their great receiving threats in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, and QB Matt Leinart is entering his second year as the starter. The Cardinals drafted OT Levi Brown in an attempt to solidify their offensive line, so we'll have to see how quickly he can adapt. The offense could be spectacular. But what will the Cardinals do on defense? The defense is awful, but new head coach Ken Whisenhunt will be implementing a lot of 3-4 and that could really hurt some offenses, even though the team isn't quite ready for the switch, personell-wise. If the defense can unexpecte dly improve this season, the Cardinals should make a strong playoff run.

19. San Francisco 49ers
I'm getting pretty sick and tired of this whole 49er love-fest going on around the NFL. Since when did this team become good? QB Alex Smith never really showed signs of greatness. Maybe solidness, but not greatness. And it was obviously helped by the presence of Norv Turner, who has since departed. The offensive line is good, but not great. The receiving core is pretty terrible. RB Frank Gore is one of the best running backs in the NFL, but the last time I checked, the defense was dead-last in points allowed, the defensive line was ancient, and the secondary was just not very good. The LB core has talent, but until the defensive line improves, it won't be able to perform. The only reason this team is this high is their potential. The 49ers have a lot of talent, but until Mike Nolan can prove his mastery and Alex Smith proves he's worthy of the starting job, this team will be as average as one can get.

18. Tennessee Titans
The Titans will be riding on QB Vince Young's back once again this season, but now that the NFL is ready for him, it'll be tough for the Madden cover boy to have the same success as he had last season. RB Chris Brown is back to help a struggling RB core, but the receiving core is still weak and the defense had a lot of trouble last season in terms of points allowed. If this team wants to make the playoffs, Vince Young needs to improve as a pocket passer and the defense will have to do a better job.

17. Carolina Panthers
After a disappointing season, the Panthers look to come back in a big way. Can QB Jake Delhomme settle himself in as the starting quarterback, or will the young David Carr steal the job from udner his feet? I happen to think the latter is a very likely situation late in the year if the Panthers are struggling, and in the end, Carr will be a better option for the starting position. The additions of LB Jon Beason and C Ryan Kalil should significantly improve this team immediately.

16. Green Bay Packers
Simply put: The Packers will go as far as QB Brett Favre takes them. Rookie RB Brandon Jackson will have a lot of pressure on him to carry the load this season, becasue he'll likely be the starter for the bulk of the season. WRs Donald Driver and Greg Jennings look to have another impressive year as a duo, but once again, that is if Favre can get them the ball. The defense looks like it could be great, with LBs Nick Barnett and AJ Hawk playing behind DE Aaron Kampman and DT Justin Harrell.

15. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars have bringing about a youth movement on defense and that can only help. One extremely underrated draft move that the Jaguars made was bringing in DE/OLB Brian Smith out of Missouri. Smith looks to be a situational pass-rusher that could single-handedly win a lot of 3rd downs for the Jaguars defense, thus getting the ball back to the offense. Watch out for this guy. The defense as a whole is still fantastic, lead by DTs John Henderson and Marcus Stroud. How will the offense bode? WR Matt Jones looks to have a breakout 3rd year, like most young receivers do. Will QB Byron Leftwich survive the whole season completely healthy? Will he even make the team?

14. Seattle Seahawks
The 'Hawks seem to have taken a big hit after losing OG Steve Hutchinson, but will they bounce back? Injuries really derailed this team last season, and that rarely happens twice in-a-row. RB Shaun Alexander should have a solid season and that will allow QB Matt Hasselbeck to bounce back and have another great season. The draft class should have a big impact. CB Josh Wilson and DT Brandon Mebane both have the chance to be impact players this season.

13. New York Jets
After a very successful year under Eric Mangini last season, the Jets look to build on their momentum for 2007. Leading the Jets' offseason moves was RB Thomas Jones, acquired from the Bears. Jones looks to be the feature back in New York, though he'll be splitting some touches with Leon Washington. Kenyon Coleman hopes to fill in a huge whole at DE, where Kimo von Oelhoffen was terrible last season. CB Darrelle Revis was added to bolster a bad secondary and David Harris adds fantastic depth and a likely starter at ILB. OG Pete Kendall might be on the chopping block after letting his distate with his contract be known, so they'll need a replacement.

12. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys do have one thing to look forward to: Wade Phillips' defense. Now that Bill Parcells is out of the picture, the Cowboys' defense will be a much more agressive, more physical defense. Attack mode will be on all game. You can definitely expect huge numbers from DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer, two huge pass-rushers coming off the edge from that scary 3-4 defense. However, I'm still not digging the offense. I like the RB and WR situations, and the offensive line is okay, but can offensive coordinator Jason Garrett pull it off? Will QB Tony Romo rebound from a tough five-game stretch at the end of last season and play well? I think not.

11. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles' season depends on the health of QB Donovan McNabb. If he can stay healthy throughout the year, they should be one of the better teams in the NFC. If not, they have noone behind him who can carry the team like he can. Kevin Kolb isn't an option for this season and AJ Feeley is just another guy.

10. New Orleans Saints
The Saints jumped onto the scene last year with one of the league's most potent offenses. The offense only improved this offseason after adding WR Robert Meachem and TE Eric Johnson. The Defense is also vastly improved after adding CB Jason David and LB Brian Simmons. And with a whole offseason for Reggie Bush to adjust (he was a real late bloomer last year), this team will be as good as ever.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers
If there's one team I'm gonna follow more than any other this year, it's the Steelers. I'm a huge fan of head coach Mike Tomlin and I believe he'll be the next man in the short, but prosperous line of Steelers head coaches. The Steelers really had an excellent draft, with LB Lawrence Timmons ready to have an impact rookie season. QB Ben Roethlisberger looks to have a comeback and RB Willie Parker should be as good as ever. There's really not much to say about this extremely well-rounded team, and I expect them back in the playoff hunt.

8. Cincinnati Bengals
Can the Bengals rebound from a disappointing season? QB Carson Palmer is finally 100% for a full offseason and the secondary should be improved with the addition of CB Leon Hall, as the pair of Johnathan Joseph and he should be one of the better duos in the league. Unfortunately for the Bengals, their LB core has pretty much been wiped off the face of the Earth, as Brian Simmons left in free agency and they'll be depending on a young Ahmad Brooks to start at MLB. They also lost one of the better OGs in the NFL this offseason when Eric Steinbach left for Cleveland. In the end, the Bengals are still a very talented team, especially on offense, but many of the fundamental pieces are missing (OG, DT, OLB) and it doesn't seem like they've built for the 2008 season.

7. Chicago Bears
The Bears will take a huge hit this season if Lance Briggs doesn't play. That, plus the fact the defensive line might be suffering a couple of losses (Tank Johnson, Alex Brown), could lead to a rough year for the defense. Regardless, they're still one of the best teams in the NFC and have the best special teams in the league, and if Rex Grossman can turn it around, they could still be an elite team.

6. Indianapolis Colts
The defending champions lost some key parts of their team this offseason. In free agency, the Colts lost CBs Nick Harper and Jason David, WR Brandon Stokely, RB Dominic Rhodes, and LB Cato June. To injuries, the Colts lost DT Anthony McFarland. To retirement, they lost OT Tarik Glenn. All of these players, with the exception of Stokely, were starters last season. Obviously they feel they can live without Rhodes and Stokely, as RB Joseph Addai seems more than competent and they drafted WR Anthony Gonzalez in the first round of the draft, but the defense still looks extremely week, even worse than last year.

5. Baltimore Ravens
The success of this team will be in the hands of newly-acquired RB Willis McGahee. Whether or not he was worth what the Ravens gave for him is still up in the air, but if he works out well, the Ravens could be the best team in the league. They already have the best defense in the NFL, so there are no questions to be answered there.

4. St. Louis Rams
The Rams had a great offseason and that should only add to the talent they already have on this team. DL Adam Carriker will provide great versatility and depth along the whole defensive line, and RB Brian Leonard will provide a great Yin to RB Steven Jackson's Yang and could be a quality insurance policy. They also added WR Drew Bennett, DE James Hall, and TE Randy McMichael, and with the already-explosive offense lead by Jackson, QB Marc Bulger, and WR Torry Holt, the Rams have one of the most talented teams in the NFL.

3. San Diego Chargers
On paper this is still probably the best team in the NFL, but I really hate the coaching move made in the offseason and I really think it will hurt the franchise. Otherwise, the team only improved in the offseason, so Norv Turner won't doom them quite yet. I'll give them another year, but two or three seasons from now, they'll be out of the playoffs.

2. New England Patriots
Second only to the Broncos, the Patriots had a fantastic offseason. They completely revamped the receiving core, adding Randy Moss, Dante Stallworth, and Wes Welker. RB Laurence Maroneuy's health is a concern. On defense they added LB Adailus Thomas and S Brandon Meriweather, adding strength to two positions that were really hurting last season. In the end they still have the Brady-Belichick combination, and that makes them one of the elite teams regardless.

1. Denver Broncos
It's really tough to find an argument against the Broncos. CB Champ Bailey already shuts down an entire portion of the field, but with the addition of Dre' Bly, the Broncos' secondary will be virtually impenetrable. Although they lost Al Wilson, D.J. Williams will likely be moving to MLB. The Broncos added two pass-rushers in the draft in DEs Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder, and if they can perform well, the defense will be among the best in the league. On offense the Broncos made a big upgrade with RB Travis Henry and added two fantastic players in TE Daniel Graham and WR Brandon Stokely. With so many weapons for QB Jay Cutler, it's hard to see him struggling.

Playoff Predictions
*Note - The teams below are listed by seedings.

AFC Playoffs
1. New England Patriots
2. Indianapolis Colts
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Denver Broncos
5. San Diego Chargers
6. Cincinnati Bengals
Just Miss: Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars

NFC Playoffs
1. St. Louis Rams
2. Chicago Bears
3. Philadelphia Eagles
4. New Orleans Saints
5. Dallas Cowboys
6. Seattle Seahawks
Just Miss: Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl XLII
Denver Broncos vs St. Louis Rams
Denver Broncos Win