NFL Power Rankings: Pre-Training Camp

This organization just won't cut itself a break. It's going to be another long season for those who reside near the Black Hole.

The only thing keeping this 0-16 team from being dead-last...the new uni's.

It seems like Cleveland just didn't enjoy having a winning season a couple of years back. This team is falling fast.

What's the saying about how if you have two quarterbacks that you really have no quarterback? Does that multiply if 30 guys on your 53 man roster play QB?

I think that Oakland's Black Hole is growing and pulling in the 49ers. This team is trying to become relevant again.

New coaching staff, new system, and oh yeah...no Jay Cutler. This has to be one of the worst offseasons ever for a team with a new head coach. How do you trade away your best player?

This is a very young team, but they are on the rise. They may be able to make some noise in a very weak NFC West, but they're still a few years away from contending.

When you don't improve year after year, you look around and find yourself at the bottom of your division. That's where you can find the Jags this season.

They missed the playoffs with a future Hall Of Fame QB, now they will have to endure their rookie signal-caller's growing pains.

The injury bug really crushed this team last year. Carson Palmer says that he's 100 percent and ready for action. The good news for the Bengals is they won't be as bad as Cleveland. The bad news, they play Pittsburgh and Baltimore twice a year.

Green Bay is looking to bounce back for a 6-10 season. Aaron Rogers got mixed reviews in his first campaign. The Cheeseheads loaded up on defense in the draft, and with A.J. Hawk anchored in the middle they should be a formidable group.

Seattle is another squad trying bounce back from a sub-par year. Matt Hasselbeck is back and they added T.J. Whosurmomma in the offseason. The biggest loss to this team is Mike Holmgren. Jim Mora has some awfully big shoes to fill.

The biggest story-line for "North America's Team" has to be the addition of Terrell Owens. This gives them immediate production at the receiver position. It also has to make Trent Edwards just a little bit nervous. T.O. hasn't had the best relationships with his QBs. Stay tuned to see how this one plays out.

The Chiefs had a rough year that caught no one by surprise. They were young, and well, not very good. They added QB Matt Cassel, so that's an immediate upgrade. They also lost All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez to Atlanta, so that hurts their receiving corps. They play in a weak division, so maybe they surprise a few people this year.

Houston will finish the year ranked much much higher than this, but for a preseason poll this is a good spot. They have a huge amount of young talented players. Too many to list in this little paragraph. The biggest challenge for Houston will be beating Indianapolis and Tennessee and trying to reach their first ever playoffs.

As always, the 'Skins spent big in free agency. Their biggest prize was landing Albert Haynesworth to anchor their defensive line. They have lots of good players and just never seem to put it all together. They also play in arguably the toughest division in the NFL, the NFC East.

The Saints just flat out underachieved last year. Drew Brees had an historic year throwing the ball and their division was a winnable one. I like New Orleans to bounce back this year and push Carolina and Atlanta.

Carolina was a solid team last year who got bounced from the playoffs by red-hot Arizona. Jake Delhomme is another year older and we'll have to wait and see how much arm he has left. The positive for Carolina is their division is wide-open once again.

That picture says it all. Baltimore will go as far as Joe Flacco can take them. He must get more consistent as a passer though. Baltimore's defense is getting up there in years, but with Ed Reed playing center-field he more than makes up for it.

Get "All-Day" and his Viking teammates a QB and this team becomes a real threat to win the NFC. This defense was one of the best in the league last year and their running game isn't too shabby either. If Sage Rosenfels is the answer under center, this team will go deep into January.

Miami turned the league on its head last year with its "Wildcat" offense. The Dolphins will be hard-pressed to catch everyone by surprise again, but don't expect them to fall off the map. The quick turn in Miami is nothing short of amazing, and they will be in it come playoff time.

Jay Cutler is the story here. His arrival in the "Second City" drastically changes the balance of power in the NFC North. This gives Chicago the edge over Minnesota to win the division and it gives Da' Bears real hope for this season.

This is the show-up or shut-up year for Tony Romo and his Cowboys. A new stadium, a new attitude in Dallas, and new young faces. "Big D" has the talent to make a super run, but can they get it all to fit under Jerry Jones' circus tent? If things start slow, look for Wade Phillips' seat to get really hot, really fast.

This team has to be the biggest crap-shoot in the whole league. San Diego is easily the most talented team up and down the roster, but they are also the most inconsistent. You just never know which team is going to show up. The return of Shawn Merriman should get this team back on the winning track.

The Cardinals got hot at the right time of the season last year. They rode that wave all the way to the Super Bowl. Larry Fitzgerald put up numbers the NFL had never seen before. The Cardinal play in a terrible division, so look for them come playoff time.

Tennessee looked unstoppable at times last year. Kerry Collins coming back party and that defense took the AFC South by storm. Will the lost Albert Haynesworth to free agency hurt the defense? Can Kerry Collins do it again? What do they do with Vince Young? Stayed tuned to find out.

Atlanta No. 6? You gotta be crazy! Nope. This team is for real, period. The Falcons had probably the most balanced offense in the league last year, to which they added All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez. This team will go as far as Matt Ryan will lead them, and that's into the playoffs.

New York was a really, really, good team last year. Oh, and that was without their best defender, Osi Umenyiora. They will need to make up for the loss of Plaxico Burress though. If they can take care of that, look out NFC.

The Colts aren't as good as they have been in the past, but they're still really good. New head coach, new coaching staff, and no Marvin Harrison. Will the new coaches have an affect on the Colts? Can Peyton get these guys into another Super Bowl before the window closes?

Philadelphia's season will again hinge on whether or not they can stay healthy. Brian Westbrook has a new injury apparently and will they run the ball enough to be affective anyway? This team has a huge passing game with McNabb at the helm. This is another team that could win the NFC.

Not sure if you guys have heard or not, but Tom Brady is back. That means that the Patriots have to be ranked up here. The offense that scored the most points in NFL history is whole again. Look for Brady's bunch to challenge for another Lombardi Trophy.

Well, to be the man, you gotta beat the man. The man is the Pittsburgh Steelers. They brought home their sixth championship last year. The scary part for the NFL? Everyone from that team is back. Pittsburgh will be a dominant force again this year.