Ok, so most websites are doing an NFL preview. But who else is gonna rank them from worst-to-first? Huh? A bunch? Well…that’s all i got.
Note: This list does not take schedule into consideration. Nor does it say who i think the playoff teams will be (though I may make mention of that in the column). It is simply, from 32-1 the order of how good those teams are.
32. Atlanta Falcons:
Things could get ugly in the A-T-L this year.
This could be a difficult year for the Falcons. But you look at their defense and it doesn’t look that bad. You’ve got Keith Brooking, Lawyer Milloy, John Abraham, and Jonathon Babineaux. Of course, Brooking is 32 and Milloy 34. The other side of the ball, however, is almost entirely unproven. WR Roddy White is coming off a breakout season last year, and would be a strong #2 on a good team. But Michael Jenkins and Brian Finneran have not done particularly well in supporting him. In addition, Alge Crumpler, who had been a big part of the offense, is now in Tennessee. At Running Back, Jerius Norwood never quite got into a rhythm, so they brought Michael Turner in from San Diego. Turner has been LT’s backup for years, but is unproven as a starter. The team also has a rookie quarterback in Matt Ryan. There are going to be some serious speedbumps, but this team does have a lot of potential on the offensive side of the ball. But is the otherside going to need a makeover by the time they’re ready?
31. Miami Dolphins
Last year was pretty bad for Miami. They got rid of their best player, Jason Taylor. And have a new quarterback in Chad Pennington (who I personally thought got a bad rap in New York). But they have a solid-but-unspectacular offensive line and a couple of pretty dope running backs in Ronnie Brown and a rejuvenated Ricky Williams. Williams’ presence should take some of the pressure off of Brown, the team’s lone playmaker. Behind stud-center Samson Satele, Vernon Carey, and Justin Smiley, the team should have a pretty solid running game. However the defensive side of the ball looks pretty bad, especially now with Zach Thomas and Taylor gone. Will Allen looks like the team’s best player on that side, and he’s turning 31 this year. But there are a couple of young players whose development will be the team’s real story this year. WR Ted Ginn has shown flashes of brilliance, especially on Special Teams, and will looked upon to become a playmaker on offense to give Pennington weapons. Channing Crowder is an emerging LB who can provide some stability on the front 7. There is a ton of more talented, but very young players, but they will need to show development. And let’s be frank: it’s going to be another long year in Miami.
30. Oakland Raiders
Let’s get this out of the way: this is a championship-contending defense. Led by what is now the best cornerback duo on the NFL (Nnamdi Asomugha – who may have replaced Champ Bailey as the best in the biz- and DeAngelo Hall) , the Radiers have one helluva defense. But it’s how great the defense is that makes the offense look even worse. If this team scored 25 points/game last year, they’d have gone 9-7. This year, despite losing Warren Sapp to retirement, they may actually be better. 22 points/game probably gets them into the playoffs. No one can throw on them. Period. Hall was probably a bit overrated in Atlanta, but
Nnamdi Asomugha is as good a corner as there is in the NFL
teaming with Asomugha will allow him to cover second WR’s, which he should have no problems with. Asomugha may be the most underrated corner int he league, but he’s probably the best. On top of their two shut-down corners, there is no team with a better tandem of Safeties in Gibril Wilson and Michael Huff. This secondary is lights-out. Oh but they also sport two of the best pass rushers in the biz in Kirk Morrison and Derrick Burgess. So why are they ranked so low?
First, they lost their most talented WR (Jerry Porter) this offseason, and the team couldn’t pass too well even with him. Their current top WR is the talented but troubled Javon Walker, and comes with all sorts of questionmarks. Their offensive line, led by OT Robert Gallery is talented but under-achieving. Their quarterback, Jamarcus Russell, looked terrible last season. And their vaunted defense is not without its’ own holes: you can run on them quite effectively. But they have a very solid duo at running back in Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden. Yet it’s going to be another long season in Oakland, until that offense can put it together.
29. Kansas City Chiefs
Not ahead of their division rivals by much is the Kansas City Chiefs. This is a team with 3 stud playmakers on offense – but no quarterback. They are also lacking depth on both sides of the ball. RB Larry Johnson killed Fantasy teams worldwide last year, but should be looking to bounce back if the line can block anyone and keep him healthy. Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzales are very good options in the pass game if QB Brodie Croyle can get them the ball. Defensively they’re gonna struggle. Derrick Johnson and Donnie Edwards give them a pair of effective linebackers, but the team lacks any defensive playmakers. But Croyle should make just enough plays against bad defenses to keep the team on the rise. But it all goes for naught if Johnson goes down again.
28. Detroit Lions
This is a team that, I feel, actually overachieved last season. Led by two solid WRs in Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson, the Lions have an offensive that is at times explosive. But read between the lines and you’ll see that Jon Kitna is going to struggle without Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz, behind an iffy O-Line and with only washout Rudi Johnson at RB. The defense lost Shaun Rogers and looks like it will struggle. Despite the presence of three very solid players in DT Cory Redding, LB Ernie Sims, and CB Leigh Bodden, they do not have any real parts around them. In an all-of-a-sudden competitive devision, the Lions look like the bottom-feeder this season.
27. St. Louis Rams
This team is hard to judge because two of its’ key players were hurt for the majority of last season in QB Marc Bulger and OT Orlando Pace. RB Steven Jackson and WR Torry Holt are still there and are among the league’s best at their respective positions. But past Pace, Jackson, Holt and Bulger, they lack a single above-average player on offense. DE Leonard Little has gotten up there in age but LB Will Witherspoon is still a very solid player on defense. Unfortunately behind those two, there’s not much else. This team needs all four of their offensive playmakers. Without them they are not competitive, and could quickly fall to the bottom of the league. But with Bulger’s injury history, his health is iffy at best. And even with all four, they are not particularly good anyway.
26. San Francisco 49ers
Like their cross-Bay rivals in Oakland, the Niners have a very solid defense, as you would expect under head coach Mike Nolan. Offensively, they have a number of talented-but-underachieving players. RB Frank Gore is definitely not the problem. The team’s workhorse back continues to overachieve every season. However
Frank Gore has been the Niners steady hand
the quarterback and Wide Receiver positions do not look as good. TE Vernon Davis should be a stud, and it is up to new Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz to find ways to keep him involved in the offense. The Wide Receivers are Bryant Johnson and Arnaz Battle; two solid, under-the-radar guys. Past-their-prime playmakers Isaac Bruce and DeShaun Foster (who really didn’t have a prime) have been brought in for depth. But the team’s real problem on offense is their line. Two years ago Jonas Jennings and Larry Allen almost got the Niners into the playoffs. Today Allen is retired and Jennings is way past his prime. However if they could find a Left Guard to team with stud Tackle Joe Staley, the team could be in business. Defensively, they are a solid, but unspectacular unit. Led by CB Nate Clements, one of the best in the league, and returning Defensive Rookie of the year Patrick Willis, this is a young excellent defense. The keys on this side of the ball are keeping LB Manny Lawson healthy (Lawson has shown very encouraging signs of developing into another playmaker if he can stay on the field) and the development of DT Kentwan Balmer. If Balmer can help stop the run, this team should be in business. Even with the O’Sullivan/Smith question hanging over the team.
25. Houston Texans
While the team has good seasons every other year (or so it seems), they really cannot stay consistent. The team’s two best offensive players, WR Andre Johnson and QB Matt Shaub, have injury concerns. A lot of this is because of the team’s traditionally bad line. They were historically bad when David Carr was here. Now they’re just among the worst in the league. But DE Mario Williams has turned out to be a stud. As has LB DeMarco Ryans. CB Dunta Robinson and DT Amobi Okoye are also very solid players. But the rest of the defense ranges from average to below average. Together they are a slightly-above-average unit. Offensively, they have a huge hole at RB as Ahman Green and Chris Brown are both well past their primes. They also lack a secondary receiver after Johnson, partially why Johnson keeps getting hurt. If Johnson and Shaub can stay healthy, they can be ok. But without them, they’re looking at another long season.
24. Cincinnati Bengals
Star power. That’s usually the reason the Bengals get more credit than deserved. QB Carson Palmer, and WR’s Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmandzadeh are among the best passing trio in the league. But the team has an average O-line and no running game to speak of. Willie Anderson was once among the best in the league, but all of his injuries have caught up to him. But this passing game should still make enough plays
Even a happy Ocho Cinco can't save the Bengals
to keep in most games. But defensively, they again have tons of holes. CBs Johnathon Joseph and Leon Hall are very effective. But their safeties and Linebackers are very poor. It all adds up to a team that cannot cover the middle of the field or stop the run, making them very susceptible to big plays. While the offense is explosive, they will not get very far until they fix their running game and their holes on defense.
23. Baltimore Ravens
This is a team that is simply inconsistent. Their offense is the main culprit. Their D is still good enough to win most games, if their O could put up any points. While CB Chris McAllister and LB Ray Lewis have slipped from the elite ranks, they are still very solid players. S Ed Reed and LB Terrell Suggs are now the best players on this defense. But their defense has never been the problem. The inconsistencies of the O-Line have doomed them in recent years (with 2006 as an exception to the rule). Since they have rather ineffective WRs and a huge questionmark at QB, the offense relies on short plays with RB Willis McGahee and TE Todd Heap. Both are very good players. Those players rely on a 5-man O-Line to be effective. And often they are not. They should be able to beat teams that can’t stop the run. But if they need a big play, they are going to have a hard time winning with rookie QB Joe Flacco.
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This is a team that succeeds behind its’ young great offensive line, and an older overachieving defense. QB Jeff Garcia makes just enough plays to get them by. But the Saints and Panthers should be better this year, so the Bucs will not win the division by default as they did last year. Like the Ravens in the AFC, the Bucs defense continues to just plug studs into its’ interior. CB Ronde Barber and LB Derrick Brooks have regressed from elite status, but young FS Tanard Jackson and LB Barrett Ruud have replaced them as the unit’s leaders. All in all, the defense should be fine. But despite the studs on the O-Line, the offense lacks playmakers. They rely way too much on 38-year-old WR Joey Galloway in the passing game. The development of TE Alex Smith and the ability to bounce back of WR Michael Clayton are huge needs for this team to compete with New Orleans and Carolina for the division crown. They also must find eventual replacements for Galloway, Garcia, Barber, and Brooks, as they are all getting into their late 30’s.
21. Denver Broncos
This team has three studs: QB Jay Cutler, WR Brandon Marshall, and CB Champ Bailey. Bailey is no longer the best in the league, but is still in the top 3. Cutler looks very similar to a young Brett Favre, but is on that level just yet. Marshall is a monster at WR. But behind that, nothing looks too solid. DJ Williams is very solid at LB, but his two partners are poor. They have a top notch D-Line and corners, but linebacker and
The Broncos aren't gonna be too good, but Cutler looks like a star
Saftey are a major concern. In other words: can anyone stop the run? Offensively, their O-Line, for the first time in ages, looks like a hole. Really only C Tom Nalen is an above average player. They did get a solid second receiver in Darrell Jackson, who should excel without the burden of being a number one. RBs Selvin Young and Michael Pittman would be most effective as backups. But Cutler should progress enough to keep this team competitive. But not quite enough to make a legit playoff run. The Chargers should dominate the AFC West and let everyone else beat each other up.
20. Arizona Cardinals
So you have the best WR tandem in the league, but no QB to throw it to them and an old inconsistent RB to take the load off of the passing game. Thus is the story of the Arizona Cardinals. They have a top-rate passing game, but little else. Okay that’s not completely fair. The front seven is solid, led by LB Karlos Dansby, among the best in the league. And at a position where there are three greats and a bunch of average, Adrian Wilson is in that top class of Strong Safety among the bigger names of Troy Polamalu and Bob Sanders. They do have holes at Free Safety and corner (where Andrel Rolle has disappointed so far), but their defense is pretty solid overall. But the Cardinals will only do as much as the O-line and running game allow them to do. No matter who ends up at QB, both Kurt Warner and Matt Leinart are solid. It’s the O-Line that still needs to be solved.
19. Chicago Bears
Chicago can join The Raiders, Niners, Bucs and Ravens as teams with playoff level defenses and no offense to speak of. In fact the Bears also boast what is probably the best special teams unit in the biz behind Devin Hester. But this team’s offense is truly horrible. Hester is the best player on offense, but is too skinny to be a RB and too short to be a regular WR. The Bears will try him at the latter anyway. C Olin Kreutz and T John Tait hold down an above average line, but the team has no playmakers at WR, RB, or QB. Their best offensive option is TE’s Desmond Clark and Greg Olson, and K Robbie Gould. At RB, they brought in Kevin Jones to compete with (the other) Adrian Peterson, as the Cedric Benson era is now a thing of the past. But it looks like rookie Matt Forte will get the start. He’s a talented but unproven rookie. At WR, they have a core of 3rd or 4th receivers. Hester, Marty Booker, Mark Bradley, Rashied Davis, and newcomer Brandon Lloyd hope to compete for looks. Behind Hester, the rest of the crowd is all journeymen and throw aways. In fact it looks like Booker and Davis will get the start. Most of it depends on Forte. If he can get the job done, this team will end up in the playoffs. But if he gets hurt and the receivers all fail, they could find themselves way back in the pack. QB Kyle Orton will not make mistakes, but he will not make big plays. They could either finish in the playoffs and upset the Packers and Vikings, or they could end up at the very bottom of the league. That’s how bad their offense could be. I’d say they’ll end up somewhere in the middle and be a borderline playoff team.
18. Carolina Panthers
These guys are lucky they don’t play in the NFC East. They would get slaughtered. All four of those teams are more consistent than the Panthers. But as usual, the Panthers go as far as their superstars take them. They have two superstars in WR Steve Smith and DE Julius Peppers, an emerging star in LB Jon Beason, and a bunch of role players. The solid combination of De Angelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart at RB will have to
Steve Smith is the Panthers' franchise
get to corner every time because the rest of their O-Line sucks. They did bring in WRs DJ Hackett and “ol’ reliable” Muhsin Muhammed to pair with Smith at receiver. That does nothing if the O-Line can’t keep QB Jake Delhomme upright. Delhomme remains the key to the season, and if he can stay healthy they will be able to compete with the big boys. But if Delhomme, Smith, or Peppers get hurt (sans Smith’s 2 game suspension to start the year) or miss considerable time, this team does not have the depth to keep up with the pack.
17. New York Jets
This team has been the talk of the preseason. But the acquisition of QB Bret Favre is not going to push them into the playoffs. They have major holes on the right side of the O-Line, at SS, but the real problem here is that there are a bunch of average players. Other than Favre, the team lacks any big-time players. An over-the-hill G Alan Faneca and inconsistent DT Kris Jenkins are the team’s next best players. They have two solid starting WR’s (Laveraneus Coles and Jerrico Cotchery) but neither is really a #1. But that’s not much of a problem as Favre has gone the past decade without a #1. The running back situation is similar. They have two average NFL Running backs in Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. But neither is a true playmaker. The team also lacks depth, but being average on both sides of the ball is not going to get you into the playoffs. They don’t have any weaknesses but don’t have any strengths either. The team needs strengths to develop an identity.
16. Cleveland Browns
This is the trendy pick going into this season. The offense is probably not going to be the problem. The defense will. This is a team built for the old-fashioned AFC North Teams. When you think of Baltimore and Pittsburgh, you think of the run. This defense is built to stop Jerome Bettis and Jamal Lewis. Unfortunately, neither of those players are going to be playing against them. Bettis is retired and Lewis is actually with the Browns. And furthermore, minus the Ravens who really have no offense, they are more likely to play high-scoring games with the Steelers and Bengals. The Steelers are built with a nice combination of speed and size, while the Bengals are all speed. And the Browns do not have any answers for the Santonio Holmes or Chand Johnson’s of the world. SS Sean Jones and CB Eric Wright are solid players, but the other half of the secondary is going to get exposed pretty quickly in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Offensively this team is pretty solid. They have playmakers at WR and TE in studs Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow II. OT Joe Thomas and OG Eric Steinbach make for one of the best sides of a line in football. Unfortunately the other side is quite average. But RB Jamal Lewis had a second wind to his career last season and seems to work well in pounding the rock to the left side. While this team does have playmakers, they do not have any substance behind them. And in the end, this is what is going to keep them out of the playoffs again.
15. Seattle Seahawks
If anyone in their division would ever get any good, the Seahawks would be in trouble. They have lived off of being in a horrible division for a couple of years now. To put them in perspective, I do not think that they
Though they aren't that good, the Seahawks are good enough to feast on their division
are better than the worst team in the NFC East. But they will feast up on the horrible teams in their division and get to the playoffs with a .500 record. The once dominant running game is pretty much gone. They now rely on the arm of QB Matt Hasselbeck and his band of receivers led by WR Deion Branch. Hasselbeck and Branch are good enough to lead an offense that has only Julius Jones as the top running threat. The inside of the O-Line has also gotten weaker, to lead to a lack of between the tackle rushing. Defensively they are solid. In Lofa Tatupu, Julian Peterson, and Leroy Hill, they may have the best trio of LB’s in the biz. They also have defensive playmakers at CB (Marcus Trufant) and DE (Patrick Kerney). But they will do nothing in the playoffs without a more established running game. Another hole is that after Kerney, the D-Line is pretty porous. Meaning, you can run on them pretty easily. In fact, they may find it hard to beat Steven Jackson and Frank Gore in their own division this year.
14. Minnesota Vikings
A trendy pick for the Super Bowl, I think the Vikings will at least challenge for the playoffs. They are led by a super RB in Adrian Peterson, and one-helluva defense. The Williams’ (Kevin and Pat) are as good of a combination at DT as there is in the league. DE Jared Allen is added as a pass rusher with an average set of LB’s behind him. However if this unit has a weakness its in the secondary. After CB Antoine Winfield, the secondary is suspect. SS Darren Sharper is only getting older and CB Cedric Griffin is questionable. They also lack an impact FS so smart teams will spread the field and beat them deep. Offensively the big problem is the passing game. QB Tavaris Jackson has shown promise but is still developing. It does not help that he has a very weak crop of receivers to throw to. But they do have a running game. They have two pro bowl-caliber RBs in Peterson and Chester Taylor. Peterson may be the best in the league in his second year as a pro. He may be good enough to get them to the playoffs, but they are going to need more pieces to be a true contender.
13. Philadelphia Eagles
This is a tough team to place because of the health of QB Donovan McNabb. If he can stay healthy for a full
If McNabb stays healthy, the Eagles have a shot
year, they could challenge the Giants and Cowboys who are the heavy favorites in both the division and the conference. But if he can’t they fall victim to being in the toughest division in football. This is the SEC of the NFL folks, and in many divisions the Eagles could have been a playoff team last year. But they had to play 6 games in their division against playoff teams, as all of the other 3 teams made it last year. They are a solid team that has the bad luck of playing in a division of all playoff teams. They still have stud RB Brian Westbrook and add CB Asante Samuel to an already deep secondary. They have a big questionmark at WR. Kevin Curtis is hurt and Reggie Brown has been a disappointment. If rooke DeShaun Jackson can tap into his immense talent, he could be the top receiver and this could be a playoff team. The LB’s must also step up as that has been a questionmark in the past.
For the Top 12, Tune in tomorrow!
10. “Sugar Hill”-AZ:
9. “Hip Hop Saved My Life”-Lupe Fiasco:
8. “Crossover”-EPMD:
7. “Bring The Pain”-Method Man:
6. “Why”-Jadakiss:
5. “It Ain’t Hard To Tell”-Nas:
4. “Bombs Over Baghdad”-OutKast:
3. “Dead Presidents”-Jay-Z:
2. “I Seen A Man Die”-Scarface:
1. “One Mic”-Nas:
