Because of this, I will be posting my own power rankings every so often detailing where I think all teams are in relation to one another. Below you will find my own somewhat biased opinion (I'm a steeler fan by trade, but hopefully I won't let that cloud my judgment too much...) along with comments that will hopefully give you some sort of idea as to what I was thinking. Please feel free to comment.
1. Steelers - The current champions. They will be at the top of the list at least until they lose a game. No Polamalu makes the defense somewhat less formidable.
2. Giants - I don't understand how Eli Manning got the contract he did. Eli gets praise for his name - Manning - and for having a Super Bowl ring. The latter coming only after avoiding a sack (which he did while bouncing around and spinning like a toddler trying to get a sticker off his back), blindly throwing up a prayer DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD and having David Tyree - victim of final cut downs this year - make a one in a million catch while getting things done to him by Rodney Harrison that would land you in jail in any civilized country. I'm not bitter because there is no team that I dislike more than the Patriots, I just don't understand why Eli gets so much praise for being a mediocre QB on a team with arguably the best running game in the league and a top 5 defense, with the running game and defense being the reasons why the Giants are easy to slide in at #2
3. Eagles - This team is horrifying in my opinion. The defense is amazing and hard to pick against. However, the Eagles have the uncanny ability to put points on the board for BOTH teams while on offense, which is tough to do. That being said, they do a good enough job scoring more for for the right team because Andy Reid will eat the whole post game spread himself if they don't.
4. Ravens - Does anyone else think that Ray Lewis is a walking contradiction since all he talks about in interviews is how awesome God is and how God is all powerful and does everything for him and yet he is a trash talking, vain, violent, possible criminal? Regardless, the Ravens D is still one of the best in the game and Joe "my unibrow is like extra eyeblack" Flacco is making giant leaps as a second year QB.
5. Vikings - Most high school QBs would be better than either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels, so how do you fault them for going after Favre? At the same time though, I could take a snap and hand it off to Adrian Peterson. As long as Favre remembers that the best running back in the league lines up behind him and that he shouldn't throw the ball unless absolutely necessary, all should be well in Vikingland.
6. Patriots - Dreamboat Tom Brady (what? there's not a law that requires me to mention that Tom Brady is a grade A hottie??? I guess I'm used to people like "Jaws" swooning over Brady's swashbuckling good looks and talk about how he saves the kittens of his illegitimate children out of trees on the weekends - while shirtless and showing off his six pack abs... I'm done now) is back and leading a team with a young and leaderless defense. That Buffalo game must have been scary to watch as a Patriots fan. I think that the Patriots offense will only get better and the defense will be better, but still have some lapses without guys like Bruschi and Seymour around anymore.
7. Titans - Chris Johnson is the boomtown. I can honestly say that I was nervous every time there was even a chance that he could touch the ball against the Steelers on Thursday. I think he could rival Peterson this year with yards but as long as d-d-d-d-doughboy fresh Lendale White is around, he won't get the TD's and accolades he should.
8. Saints - I think Drew Brees just threw another TD and before you finish this paragraph, he will throw at least three more. I know, I know, they played a DIII team in the Lions, but you have to admit Brees is good and maybe we'll see a new TD king this year.
9. Colts - *YAWN* Same old here. They still have Manning, Wayne, and Clark. As long as Manning has people surrounding him with enough intelligence to remember some hand signals and audible vocabulary (they don't even have to be that good) the Colts will be heading to the playoffs on coach Manning's back.
10. Packers - It's sad that Aaron Rodgers will probably have to win a Super Bowl to make the land of clogged arteries and 6XL Favre jerseys forget about ol' number 4. He's arguably the second best QB in the NFC (behind Brees) and doesn't make nearly as many terrible "what was he thinking" throws as Favre did/will.
11. Chargers - Do you honestly think that there is some switch that flips in an RBs body that all the sudden makes them washed up the minute they turn 30? Me too. Even though I didn't see the game, I know that Sproles and not Tomlinson scored the winning TD. I don't think that bodes well for the Chargers as they lose alot of their identity when they don't run the offense through him.
12. Cowboys - Do you hear that? The soothing, gentle sound of pigskin striking steel? How ridiculous is this whole situation? And explain to me again how Jerry Jones wasn't REQUIRED to move that board - with the NFL paying for it? What about this situation, that no one is talking about; getting late in the game and the offense wants to stop the clock, but they are out of timeouts and it's 4th down so they can't spike it. What's to stop the QB from taking the snap and winging the ball at the scoreboard?!? According to the "ground rules" if the ball strikes the scoreboard, the clock is reset and the down is replayed. Explain to me why you wouldn't do this to stop the clock.
13. Jets - Sexy Rexy and his trash talking self have themselves a surprisingly frisky team. Leon Washington is dangerous, Mark Sanchez looks pretty good running the show, and of course a Rex Ryan defense is going to be good. That's all I got for now.
14. Falcons - Sort of a boring team to watch. Not a flashy offense and the defense does their job, but they do it well enough to be a playoff contender.
15. 49ers - I guess I would find ways to win too if I knew my coach would flash me if he thought I wasn't playing well.
16. Bills - I don't know how long the no-huddle offense can last. How is Dick Jauron an NFL coach? On the plus side, they ran the ball well even with Marshawn Lynch suspended.
17. Bears - The injury to Urlaucher does not help a defense that will probably be put up against a short field quite a few times this year with Jay "throw it hard, throw it deep, damn the consequences" Cutler as their QB.
18. Redskins - I think Jason Campbell will be better than most people think with the coaches opening up the passing game for him, it's just too bad that he's still a mediocre QB surrounded by mediocre personnel.
19. Seahawks - What a difference having your starting QB and top 3 receivers makes!
20. Texans - How many "football experts" thought the Texans were a "sleeper" playoff team - all of them. How many will admit that they are morons and that they should stop drinking the Texan kool-aid - none of them.
21. Cardinals - Yeah they made the Super Bowl, they have the best receiving corps in football, they have a QB that ages like a fine wine and they play in the second worst division in football, but this year I think we might be seeing the same old Cardinals (sorry Will).
22. Panthers - Wow this entry got long... Jake Delhomme is handing out INT's like candy. It's really hard to win football games with your QB turning the ball over more often than he completes a pass.
23. Dolphins - Just read an article claiming Ricky Williams gets along great with the Big Tuna. Either he made a complete 180 or that's just about all you can say positive about a team who's offense seems only able to move the ball from the wildcat formation. Speaking of the wildcat, I think that it will slowly go away this year once teams realize that as long as they contain the runner, they're golden! It's a run first offense that throws people off because the RB might throw. If I'm a defensive coordinator, it would be automatic to run man coverage with the ends (if defense is 4-3) or OLBs (if 3-4 defense) containing the outside. If everyone keeps gap control, the wildcat won't work.
24. Bucs - This team is not going to win a game if they get down early, but they seem like they are built to hold a league with a good running game and a pretty good defense. This also assumes the offense can get on the board...
25. Chiefs - That whole giving Matt Cassel alot of money thing seems to be working well!
26. Jaguars - Played the Colts tough, too bad no one in Jacksonville will get to see (due to what looks like inevitable home blackouts) a good defense and awful offensive team that will lose alot of close home games since the offense can't score points - or maybe it's better that the fans won't have to get their hearts ripped out during home games by an anemic offense.
27. Broncos - Well, week one of Kyle Orton needed a fluky, last second, tipped ball for a touchdown to beat a bad - but might be improving - Bengals team.
28. Bengals - Not a good team. Just know that Brandon Stokley will never be confused for Usain Bolt and that you ARE allowed to chase the ball carrier even if he gets by you. On the plus side, I think that they could get better with Carson Palmer getting back into the flow of the game.
29. Raiders - As long as Al Davis is allowed to run the show, they will NEVER be a good team. At least USC is nearby.
30. Browns - Good thing ManGENIUS thought to withhold who was going to start at QB! I'm sure Minnesota's D spent soooo much extra time in the film room preparing for two not very good QBs.
31. Rams - (Looking for a silver lining) At least they won a game more recently than the Lions!
32. Lions - Same reasoning as the Steelers, until they win a game they will be at the bottom of the rankings.
Where's Carnegie Tech?
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