Each week, we will bring you staff NFL Power Rankings. The overall rankings are a combination of polls submitted by Justin Rozzero, Marc Clair, Chad Campbell, Andrew Flanagan & Greg Phillips. Each team is assigned points based on rank and then compiled and ranked overall based on total points. Managing Editor Brad Woodling has the power to break ties.
- Seattle Seahawks (158 pts): They are loaded and stacked on both sides of the ball, so expectations are high in Seattle. Can Russell Wilson lead them to the promised land?
- San Francisco 49ers (150 pts): The Niners have an elite defense and fantastic QB, but who will he be throwing to and can they shake off a tough Super Bowl defeat?
- Denver Broncos (144 pts): Peyton Manning may have the best wide receiver corps in football. Add in young legs in the backfield, a strong defense and a weak division and Denver is an easy favorite for a playoff bye.
- Atlanta Falcons (142 pts): The Falcons finally broke through and won a playoff game last season. This year they look to finally bring home the Lombardi Trophy. Can Matt Ryan etch his name into the “Elite QB Club” along the way?
- New England Patriots (138 pts): For the first time since Tom Brady’s early seasons, the Patriots will be relying on running and defense. With a weak division and conference, they remain a legit championship contender.
- New Orleans Saints (136 pts): Sean Payton is back and the Saints are going to be locked in and on fire as they try to avenge the harsh penalties levied against them last season. The offense will be strong, but can the defense deliver as well?
- Green Bay Packers (135 pts): The offense is there and the defense continues to improve with experience, but depth is the concern here. The loss of Brian Bulaga leaves a gaping hole on the OL, which already struggled to keep Aaron Rodgers upright even before the young stud went down.
- Houston Texans (129 pts): Is the window already starting to close for Houston? If they can’t get to the Super Bowl this year, the team may be forced to look at some changes at QB and Head Coach
- Cincinnati Bengals (118 pts): For the first time in eight years, the Bengals are being looked at as favorites to win their division, and maybe even one of the favorites to advance to the Super Bowl.
- New York Giants (118 pts): The Giants always seem to fly under the radar, but you can never count out Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning. The team knows how to win and never gets too high or too low until late in the year.
- Baltimore Ravens (108 pts): The Super Bowl champions lost a lot of talent since they hoisted the trophy. Can Joe Flacco live up to the big money he received and carry this team on his shoulders back to the playoffs?
- Washington Redskins (108 pts): If Robert Griffin III is healthy, the sky is the limit for Washington. If he isn’t, this is a team that may struggle to stay alive in the playoff race thanks to competing in a very tough division.
- Chicago Bears (89 pts): With a new offensive minded coach in place, Bears fans are very optimistic for a strong season out of Jay Cutler, who is entering a contract year. The defense will be there, but the key for Chicago rests with the offensive line. If they can protect Cutler, this team has legit playoff potential.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (89 pts): The Steelers are similar to the Giants in that they are experienced, even -keeled, and often overlooked heading into the season. Big Ben holds the keys to Steeler success. If he can stay on the field, the Steelers have to be considered a true contender.
- Dallas Cowboys (86 pts): Tony Romo has a fat new deal and lots of pressure. Jason Garrett is on the hot seat and if Dallas can’t get back to the postseason, Jerry Jones is going to be tossing piles of money at Jon Gruden come January.
- Indianapolis Colts (85 pts): Can Andrew Luck sustain his incredible success from his rookie year? Was last season a fluke thanks to a flurry of late game comebacks? Has the defense improved enough to make the Colts a threat to the Kings of the AFC? Lots of questions in Indy for this season, but the long term future looks very bright.
- Minnesota Vikings (71 pts): Adrian Peterson is the best running back in football, but the Vikings and AP are being held back due to subpar QB play. They snuck into the playoff last year, but it is fairly evident that Christian Ponder is not the answer if this team has championship aspirations.
- Detroit Lions (69 pts): Detroit had a very disappointing 2012 as the team suffered from dumb penalties and sloppy play. Matt Stafford is legit, but if the team wants to get back to the playoffs, they need to get the little things right.
- Carolina Panthers (68 pts): As the teams around them continue to push their chips all in, the Panthers seem to be rebuilding at a slower pace. They have a franchise QB in place and with a new front office running the show, the Panthers are best served to build through the draft and set themselves up for long term success.
- St. Louis Rams (66 pts): The Rams are victims of bad timing and being stuck behind the two best teams in the league. They have a stout defense and a developing offense. Sam Bradford needs to make the leap this year or questions are going to start crop up about whether he truly can be a franchise player.
- Miami Dolphins (62 pts): Miami went out and spent a whole lot of money this past offseason, ensuring that they are the second best team in the division. But, it all comes down to Ryan Tannehill. If he takes a step forward, Miami will be looking at a postseason berth. If he can’t improve upon last year, Miami will be back at the drawing board.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (57 pts): Josh Freeman has to deliver in his contract year or he may be looking for a new employer in 2014. If the pass defense can even make it to the middle of the pack and the run defense remains elite, Tampa could make waves in the South.
- Philadelphia Eagles (55 pts): The weakest team in a very strong division, the Eagles are in rebuilding mode under new coach Chip Kelly. Kelly retained Michael Vick, but will he survive the season with Nick Foles and Matt Barkley staring over his shoulder?
- Kansas City Chiefs (53 pts): After being wrecked by injuries, bad coaching and poor luck in 2012, the Chiefs overhauled their franchise and look to be one of the most improved teams of 2013. Andy Reid will turn this ship around, the only question that remains is: how quickly can he do it?
- San Diego Chargers (49 pts): The Chargers have had a long run of being a strong, well run team that was always in contention for the playoffs. Things have quickly gone off the rails. Phil Rivers has declined steadily, coinciding with the loss of offensive weapons and a steady OL. The Chargers may pick up a couple of impressive wins, but lack the talent to put together any sort of sustained success in 2013.
- Cleveland Browns (41 pts): The Browns are trying, they really are. New GM Mike Lombardi made some interesting moves and also had some explaining to do over comments he made about Brandon Weeden during his time in the media. The endless rebuilding continues in the Dog Pound but fans hope this is the regime to finally turn the ship around.
- Arizona Cardinals (36 pts): For the first time since Kurt Warner retired, the Cardinals have an actual QB to chuck the ball to Larry Fitzgerald. The defense and special teams is strong, thanks mainly to Patrick Peterson, but the offense is too far behind and the division is too tough to think Arizona can contend.
- New York Jets (25 pts): The Jets are a team in flux with a lot of questions and drama surrounding it. The team needs to spend 2013 determining if Geno Smith is the QB of the future or if they will be spending a high draft pick on one in a loaded class next year. This also looks to be Rex Ryan’s final season at the helm unless the Jets shock the football world.
- Buffalo Bills (23 pts): It is quickly looking like another lost season in Buffalo as rookie EJ Manuel will be starting at QB week one. Injuries are already taking their toll and until they prove they can win consistently, it is hard to assume they won’t finish under .500 yet again.
- Tennessee Titans (22 pts): Like the Jets, Tennessee needs to take 2013 to determine if their franchise QB is already on the roster. If Jake Locker struggles to find health and consistency, the Titans may have to look elsewhere. The AFC is wide open, but the Titans don’t have the horses to compete.
- Jacksonville Jaguars (10 pts): Just when you think the Jags may turn things around, they take another step back. Chad Henne has outplayed Blaine Gabbert by any measure of quarterbacking, but Gabbert continues to get the nod, meaning Jacksonville will continue to dwell in the basement.
- Oakland Raiders (9 pts): Things are ugly in Oakland. They traded more picks chasing yet another franchise QB, but this time the QB may not even start a game. Terrelle Pryor will be fun to watch, but it is unlikely that Oakland can post a crooked number in the win column this season.
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Also, be sure to check out Scott & Justin’s weekly NFL predictions on the Place to Be Podcast. And you can join the official PTB Predictions Contest right here!
