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NFL Week 1 Power Rankings
- Updated: September 7, 2016
1. Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are my preseason pick to have the best overall record in the regular season. I’m not sure I trust them in the postseason, but as the regular season kicks off they’re in the best shape of any team in the league from top to bottom.
2. New England Patriots
Yeah, I know Tom Brady is going to miss the first 4 games, but who cares. I still think they’re going to have the best record in the AFC and I think while Brady is out, Jimmy G will do is good job. The Patriots’ defense will be good and once Brady gets back, their offense will be elite. This team was a 2-point conversion away from potentially being back in the Super Bowl last year and that was with a decimated O-line. If they have better health this season, there shouldn’t be anything stopping them.
3. Seattle Seahawks
It’s really a testament to the rest of your roster when you’re considered to have the worst O-line in football and still be a Super Bowl contender. They’re just so good everywhere else and Tom Cable is such a good offensive line coach that you just have to believe they’ll figure it out.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are loaded, but with Green out for the first few weeks and Bell suspended the first 3 games, we won’t likely see the Steelers clicking on all cylinders until close to the middle of the season. And yet they’re still considered to be 1 of the top 5 teams in the league. The Steelers are my Super Bowl sleeper this season.
5. Carolina Panthers
Norman is gone and honestly I don’t think it’s going to matter much. The true strength of the Panthers’ defense is their front 7, which remains elite and they have 1 of the game’s premier players in Cam Newton leading the offense with Benjamin back at receiver. I’m expecting another very good year from Carolina.
6. Green Bay Packers
With Jordy Nelson back in the lineup and Clay Matthews back primarily on the edge where he’s most effective and hopefully Aaron Rodgers returning to elite form, all equals out to the Packers regaining their top spot in the NFC North and being in the Super Bowl hunt come January. But is the defense good enough to go all the way?
7. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are loaded once again and will be in the championship hunt, but the big question is do they have the discipline to actually win big? Another question is whether or not Andy Dalton’s breakout year was legit or just a fluke?
8. Kansas City Chiefs
With Jamaal Charles’ health a question mark and the Chiefs still lacking an explosive passing game, it’s still hard to see them making a real push for the Super Bowl, but they’re as good as any of the non-elite teams in the NFL and should definitely be in the postseason with that defense they have.
9. Washington Redskins
The defense is much improved, especially with the addition of Josh Norman. Their offense is loaded with plenty of weapons for Cousins to toss it around too as well led by Jordan Reed who I think can become a flat out star this season. I think the Redskins are going to cruise to another NFC East crown.
10. Houston Texans
The Texans will have 1 of the elite defenses in the NFL this year, led by JJ Watt. Clowney is potentially ready to breakout into stardom. The only question mark about this team is how well Brock Osweiler can play.
11. Minnesota Vikings
The loss of Bridgewater was tough but a legitimate argument can be made they just acquired a better QB in Sam Bradford. The only question is how fast can he learn the offense and can he stay healthy? The Vikings are loaded on defense, talented on the O-line and have a Hall of Fame RB. But can the passing game improve from last year?
12. Buffalo Bills
The Bills were close last year, but the defense disappointed and they had some injury troubles. If they have better luck with injuries and the defense improves this could be a playoff team.
13. Oakland Raiders
The Chiefs are most people’s pick to win the West but I think the Raiders are the most talented team in that division. When you factor in the growth of all their young players they already had plus the addition of a lot of talented free agents, I believe the Raiders are ready to take that playoffs first step.
14. Jacksonville Jagaurs
A team that a lot of people are sleeping on is the Jacksonville Jaguars. I have some concerns about their young unproven defense but the offense is going to so explosive that they’ll be tough to be if the defense can just be average.
15. New York Giants
The Giants should have 1 of the most explosive offenses in the league and a much improved defense, they’ll be in the playoff picture this season.
16. Denver Broncos
I expect the Broncos defense to still be elite but there’s only so much faith I can put into a team with Trevor Simien starting at QB.
17. Baltimore Ravens
No team in the NFL was more decimated by injury in 2015 than the Ravens. They’ll be improved in 2016 just off the fact that no team can be that unlucky two years in a row.
18. New York Jets
The Jets found a way to patch things up with Fitzpatrick, but I’m expecting some drop off from him this year as well as the Jets defense.
19. Dallas Cowboys
With so many suspensions and Romo’s injury, it’s just hard to know what to make of the Cowboys. Until Dak shows me something in the regular season this is as high as I can justify ranking the Cowboys right now.
- Los Angeles Rams
The Rams should be very dangerous on defense and we know Todd Gurley is all world already but I just don’t expect much at all from their passing game this season.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs are the best of the rest in the NFC South and should be better with Winston entering his 2nd year.
- New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees and the offense are going to put up points, but the Saints still can’t field a real NFL defense which should make for another disappointing season overall.
- Tennessee Titans
The Titans showed in the pre-season that they could potentially be 1 of the best running teams in the NFL and we expect Mariota to improve, but will the defense improve is their biggest question mark.
- Indianapolis Colts
A lot of people are expecting the Colts to bounce back, but not me. The Colts O-Line is still questionable, the run game is non existent, and the defense just isn’t good enough. Luck can only do so much.
- Miami Dolphins
The defense is decent and Arian Foster could be the answer to replace Lamar Miller but at the end of the day it just comes down to Tanehill just isn’t good enough to get this team to another level.
- Chicago Bears
The Bears should be better on offense if all their receivers can stay healthy this season, but I don’t expect a lot of production from the run game and though the defense should be improved, it still isn’t good enough.
- Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have Julio and Devonta Freeman, but I still don’t trust the remainder of their skill options and I definitely don’t trust Matt Ryan. Meanwhile I expect the Falcons to be 1 of the worse defenses in the NFL.
- Detroit Lions
The Lions front 7 on defense is highly questionable and so is thier offensive line. Megatron has retired and we’ll see whether or not they can overcome it.
- San Diego Chargers
The Chargers weren’t good defensively last year and won’t be this year either. On offense Rivers is good but the offensive line still has issues and we don’t know if Melvin Gordon is foreal or not yet.
- Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles traded Bradford and will start the Wentz era week 1, ahead of schedule. Which also means they’ll most likely struggle as the FCS QB will most likely be shaky as he gets used to the speed of the NFL game.
- Cleveland Browns
The Browns are a glorified expansion team at the moment, but their is hope due to the reinstatement of Josh Gordon.
- San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have the worst QB situation in the NFL, the worst receiving group in the NFL, and a not so great defense. It’s going to be a struggle in Chip Kelly’s first season, especially in that division.
