I know it is still baseball season, and I know that the NBA Finals are upon us, but all this football talk lately has made me wonder, "Who are going to be the dominant teams in this upcoming season?"
Last season was one of the most interesting the NFL has ever seen. We saw upsets, disappointments, and surprises. With all the players changing teams, trade rumors, and players being released, next season has the chance to top last year.
So, here is how the NFL's top 10 teams stack up:
1. New England Patriots (16-0, Lost in Super Bowl)
After the greatest regular season in NFL history, the Pats were stunned in the Super Bowl. They were one win away from a perfect 19-0 record, but fell just short, as the Giants pulled off the upset.
Expect them to be almost as dominant as last year offensively, as they re-signed Randy Moss and they still have the best quarterback in the NFL in Tom Brady.
They did lose several players on defense, but Bill Belichick is a defensive mastermind and should be able to bring in some replacements. They drafted Jerod Mayo, who should see more playing time as the season progresses.
The Pats still have defensive stars such as Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork, Ty Warren, Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, and Mike Vrabel. Expect the Pats to be the best team in the NFL once again.
2. Dallas Cowboys (13-3, Lost in Divisional Round)
After a great start, the Cowboys seemed to get a little flat as the season progressed. Tony Romo started to look human, as he threw 10 of his 19 interceptions after the bye week (9 games). He still finished third in the NFL in passing yards and second in touchdowns.
T.O. finished with his most receiving yards since 2001. He also finished with 15 touchdowns, second only to Randy Moss. They cut ties with Julius Jones, but they drafted Felix Jones, the back-up to Darren McFadden.
With the offseason acquisition and reinstatement of Pacman Jones, the Cowboys look to bolster an already potent defense. The Cowboys could be one of the best teams in the league, as long as their egos don't get in the way.
3. Indianapolis Colts (13-3, Lost in Divisional Round)
The Colts' defense was probably the biggest surprise of last season. They were first in points per game and third in yards allowed. After going into last season losing several defensive stars, many wrote the Colts off right away because of a shaky defense. That was not that case at all.
Of course, the Colts will have their high-powered offense of Manning, Harrison, Wayne, and Addai returning. The biggest question mark is Harrison, who missed the final 10 games of the season and had to leave their lone playoff game early because a knee injury. Expect the Colts to be one of the best teams in the NFL yet again.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6, Lost in Wild Card Round)
Big Ben led the Steelers to the playoffs again, as he had the best season of his career. He finished with career highs in touchdowns, rating, games played, and rushing yards.
Willie Parker was on pace to set a new career high in rushing yards until a broken fibula cut his season short. If the Steelers are going to be dominant Parker, will have to find the end zone more often. He scored only two rushing touchdowns last year.
Santonio Holmes emerged as a deep threat last year as he became the unofficial No. 1 receiver on the team. As always, the Steelers had a great defense and should continue to shut down most offenses.
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5. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5, Lost in Divisional Divisional Round)
Talk about your "Thunder and Lightning." The Jags have the best running game in the NFL with Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor. Jones-Drew is one of the fastest players in the league, and Taylor still has the ability to run through the defenders.
David Garrard was very consistent, as he threw 18 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He set career highs in these categories and finally gave the Jags a quarterback that can stay healthy and win some games.
The Jags finished in the top 15 in the major defensive categories. Reggie Williams finally came into his own, as he set new career highs in all categories.
The Jags looked to add to their offense as they made a trade for wide receiver Troy Williamson. They did make a surprising move as they traded Pro Bowler Marcus Stroud. Look for them to be even more dominant than last year.
6. New York Giants (10-6, Won Super Bowl)
The Giants pulled off the biggest upset in NFL history as they defeated the Pats in the Super Bowl. Now, you are probably wondering why the Giants are not higher on the list?
Here's why. Eli Manning looked like Tom Brady in the last five weeks of the season as he threw 10 touchdowns and only two picks, but until he does this for an entire season, he is not reliable.
Brandon Jacobs finally became the starter and performed well, but he missed five games. The Giants found their "Lightning in a Bottle" when Ahmad Bradshaw came on at the end of the year to give them a great 1-2 punch, but will he be able to do it for a whole year?
Plaxico Burress was as good as ever, as he again led the team in yards and touchdowns. The biggest question mark for the Giants will be a secondary that was banged up all year. Michael Strahan has once again has left the Giants hanging, as he has yet to decide his future with the team.
7. San Diego Chargers (11-5, Lost in AFC Championship)
The Chargers got off to a terrible start at 1-4, but once they got hot, they never looked back, finishing 10-1. The reason they are this low is because of the serious injuries to their "Big Three."
Phillip Rivers suffered an ACL tear, L.T. had a bruised knee that forced him to take himself out of the game against the Colts and Pats, and Gates suffered a broken toe that obviously affected him throughout the playoffs.
The Chargers finally got a legitimate wide receiver when they acquired Chris Chambers. Eric Parker will be returning from an injury that kept him out all year. However, they did lose Michael Turner, who was an integral part of their offense.
The Chargers have had one of the best defenses in the league the past couple years and it seems like that will continue. They saw the emergence of Antonio Cromartie as a shut-down corner, and they expect Shawne Merriman and Luis Castillo to dominate as usual. If the Chargers can get over the injury bug, you will see them in the top three.
8. Cleveland Browns (10-6, Did Not Make Playoffs)
Okay, raise your hand if you saw Derek Anderson being one of the top QB's in the NFL last year. Put your hand down, you liar.
Anderson finished ninth in passing yards, fifth in touchdowns, 12th in yards per game, and first in fewest sacks among QB's with at least 500 pass attempts.
The Browns finally had a solid running back in Jamal Lewis, as he finished fifth in the league in rushing yards. Braylon Edwards established himself as a Top Five wide receiver, while Kellen Winslow became one of the best tight ends in the league. They also signed free agent Donte Stallworth to add some more speed to their receiving corps.
The biggest obstacle for the Browns will be a terrible defense. They finished 21st or lower in all the major defensive categories. They traded for Corey Williams and signed Shaun Rogers to bolster their defensive line. They also signed Terry Cousin to add some depth to a weak secondary. If their defense can step it up, they could be a playoff contender.
9. Seattle Seahawks (10-6, Lost in Divisional Round)
Matt Hasselbeck finally established himself as a top quarterback in the NFL. For years, many people saw the Seahawks as a "run-only" offense, but last season Hasselbeck was forced to throw more, as Shaun Alexander was hurt.
Hasselbeck finished eighth in the NFL in passing yards, tied for sixth in touchdowns, eighth in quarterback rating, and he lowered his interceptions from the previous season.
Maurice Morris was a solid back-up running back, and they signed Julius Jones to become their starter. They cut ties with fan favorite Shaun Alexander after two straight unproductive seasons.
Bobby Engram set career highs in all categories and became a legitimate threat. They hope to have Deion Branch be more consistent, as teams will focus more on Engram.
Their defense wasn't great, but it was solid. Lofa Tatupu, Marcus Trufant, Deon Grant, and Julian Peterson all had great years. They replaced kicker Josh Brown with more experienced Olindo Mare. This is somewhat of a downgrade, but it won't affect them too much. If the Seahawks' running game can become dominant again, they could become a contender.
10. Green Bay Packers (13-3, Lost in NFC Championship)
The Aaron Rodgers era has begun...for now. As it stands so far, Brett Favre is done and Rodgers is the starting quarterback. This is an obvious downgrade, as Rodgers is inexperienced.
The next biggest question mark is Ryan Grant. He was an animal from Week 8 until the NFC Championship, but can he do it for a whole season? Donald Driver was solid but only caught two touchdowns, while Greg Jennings was one of the biggest surprises of the season. He finished 29th in receiving, but more impressively was tied for 4th in the NFL in touchdowns. He also finished 3rd in yards per catch for receivers with 50+ receptions.
Charles Woodson contributed nicely, as he finished with his highest tackle total since 2004. Nick Barnett led the team in tackles and was a great compliment to A.J. Hawk. Aaron Kampman led the team in sacks, and you can expect him to have a similar year. Until Aaron Rodgers proves himself as a legitimate quarterback, don't expect the Packers to be a serious contender.
So that rounds out the Top 10, folks. With minicamps starting up, the NFL season is getting closer. There are still many rumors circling about, whether it be Jason Taylor getting traded, Chad Johnson staying with the Bengals, or Michael Strahan contemplating his future.
As I said before, we could be in for one hell of a ride in this upcoming season. Feel free to comment on my selections and leave your selections.
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3 months ago
"...the best quarterback in the NFL in Tom Brady." Are you kidding me? I think the Giants pass rush showed the world just how overrated Tom Brady really is. Once you get pressure on him, he's not all that accurate. You need to give credit to the Pats O-Line for making Brady look so good during the course of the regular season. Believe me, other teams were taking notes during the Superbowl. The Pats will NOT be the most dominant offense in the AFC this season.
from 3 months ago
u have to be kidding me,tom brady has been under pressure before and he has been the best clutch player in the nfl. the giants defensive line man-handled the pats offensive line. the pats still have the best offense and still have one of the best defenses in the nfl.
3 months ago
Tom Brady is not God lol. Also, i would appreciate final records being shown like 18-1!!!
from 3 months ago
im not saying he is God (this time) but he is still the best QB in the NFL. I dont know why so many people hate tom brady,all he does is go play the game and win. and im sorry,until eli does it for a full season he will not be considered one of the top QBs.
from 2 months ago
I'll take it a step further, Nick. When baby bro eli strings together 3 SB seasons in four years, then I will sit up and take notice.
from 2 months ago
lol thank you, I was being nice just to get them off my back.
3 months ago
the chargers are 7th?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you just lost a lot of credibility if you think that 4 teams who finished worse than they did, including the team they beat in the playoffs, are better than them
from 3 months ago
The author doesn't need me to defend him, I'm sure, but if you'd actually read the article, you would have read this: "If the Chargers can get over the injury bug, you will see them in the top three."
But that aside, if your reasoning is that teams are static and where they finished this year is where they will finish next year, then why do you even bother to follow the games? Just look up their records from last season and go golfing instead.
The one team I think might sneak into the top 10 this season is the Vikings. And I'll bet Andrew will be here before the day is over to agree.
Good read.
from 3 months ago
You bet I'll be here, Jim. There is no way that the Packers are better than Minnesota after the loss of Brett "Fah-vray". That alone should put them at 8-8.
Putting my obvious bias at least partially aside, Minnesota has the best running attack in the NFL. They have decent to good receivers, and a decent to good at times quarterback. While the performance of this team may hinge on the play of Tarvaris Jackson, they should still be able to run away with the division.
from 3 months ago
ya read the article,their big three all got serious injuries,if they overcome that then they will be in the top 3.
3 months ago
very interesting article. this is a very hard thing to do so early in the offseason but its cool to think about.
3 months ago
i think the Packers are rated too high. The loss of Favre will be detrimental. And although i hate Tom Brady with a passion, he is incredible, and arguablly the best in the league along with Peyton Manning. I also think you will see a surprise year from the Rams. They have a firepower offense, and they are re-building their defense.
from 3 months ago
ya but just b/c u hate tom brady doesnt mean the pats wont be the best team. i hate the giants and eli manning,but i still said they will be a very good team next yr. and the loss of favre will be huge but their defense is solid and they will work the offense around aaron rodgers until her builds his confidence then they will let him take control.
3 months ago
Philadelphia not even in the top 10? That is a joke
from 3 months ago
until they get a QB that can make it through a full season they arent going anywhere. who the hell does mcnabb have for WR? kevin curtis? reggie brown? these guys are nice #2 wideouts at best. and they have a decent defense,i wont say asante samuel is one of the best corners b/c he could be a product of the system in new england.
from 3 months ago
That defense is way more than decent. They will be at least Top 3 next year
from 3 months ago
I don't think Philly should be in the top 10, but they do have an above average defense. And to say that Samuel isn't one of the best corners is a joke.
from 3 months ago
i love asante samuel but who knows whether or not he can perform in a new defense. as a Pats fan there were many times i would see him go for an interception instead of jus knocking the ball down. he is a great playmaker but sometimes he is too worries about making the big play instead of just making "the play"
3 months ago
I agree with Ben on this one. No way the Packers should be that high. Aaron Rodgers showed some poise in the only game he played last year, but that was against a Dallas secondary that's not that good. My gut feeling is that Pittsburgh will surprise a lot of people, not the Jags as many people are saying. I think with the addition of Limas Sweed, Big Ben has that big target he's been searching for since Plaxico Burress left for the Giants.
from 3 months ago
well i was reading other power rankings and they all had the packers in the top 10,most had them around 7 or 8. they still have a good defense, they still have a good offense with greg jenning emerging as a legit wideout. as long as they stay conservative with him until he builds his confidence, they could be a decent team.
3 months ago
Almost spit up hearing the Vikings fan think that they are a Top 10 team...P-L-E-A-S-E! No QB play and your young running back this year will have a traditional sophmore slump and can he stay healthy. I agree with Andrew about the Eagles, again if Donovan can stay healthy. If would be nice if the organization got him some receivers as threats. Dallas. Great comments. Must loaded team in the NFC, can they play like one in the playoffs.
Question for the readers. Let's take a guess at the top five MOST IMPROVED teams (again it is only June) that we think will happen in 2008:
1. New Orleans Saints. They had a great off-season in terms of the draft and free-agency. Their QB is very underrated and if their defense can show some improvement they should bounce back nicely and contend for the NFC South title.
2. Philadelphia Eagles. Injuries killed them last year and they still showed heart. With their coach's issues behind him I predict them to make the playoffs as one of the Wild Cards in the NFC, and I also predict a trade later this summer to get Donovan some weapons.
3. Buffalo Bills. Another solid draft and they are getting back several key players that were out all season. They will be, as they were last year, competitive. I think they can contend with the Patriots and perhaps even split with them in the regular season. They need to have a ball control offenese which they might just have this year.
4. Da Bears. I know, "Who's going to be the QB?" I love the defense and I just think that they are also going to have a bounce back year.
5. Baltimore Ravens. The window is closing and they know it. Remember I am basing my Top 5 most improved on last year's records and what I think may happen this year. They play in a very touch division but I think that with a new coach good things may happen.
Let me know what you think....
from 3 months ago
I almost split my side when I heard that the Bears are number four on your list. I won't even pretend like you are serious.
You aren't, are you?
3 months ago
1.the reason i didnt put the vikings on the list is b/c of tavaris jackson. i think he will be a good QB,but right now he is just too inconsistent. maybe he will get it together this year and then they could be a surprise.
2.the bears suck. they have no QB and no RB. until they get one of each they will suck. their defense is great but look what happened in the super bowl, they met a defense that could match theirs and they got destroyed cuz they cant score.
from 3 months ago
Yeah, get Chet out of here, there is no reason to believe that Chicago is the fourth most improved team...they may be one of the teams that got the worst.
The general consensus around the league is that Minnesota is the most improved team...
And I understand your stance on Minnesota, Jackson has to prove anything before he gets any respect.
3 months ago
Nick-good insight and opinions-can't say that I agree with them all, but I thought it was good points that you brought up for each team you touched on. Well done!
from 3 months ago
i knew people wouldnt agree with everything but thats why i did it. i did it so the real fans would have the chance to defend their teams and listen to why people agree/disagree.
3 months ago
I like your list. As far as Eli goes.... you dont consider him a top QB... but let me ask you a question... would you rather have a QB who breaks records and excels during the regular season games... or would you rather have a QB who excels when it matters most in the Post season? I'll take the CHAMPIONSHIP QB over the Marino anyday. Records are temporary... Superbowls are Forever!
from 3 months ago
I agree with you 100%. I have always said I would never take Marino on my team. But my defense against Eli is that he has only done it once. For the longest time he was the most inconsistent QB in the NFL. If he comes out next year and continues his hot streak, I will consider him one of the best, until then he is still average. You make a great point though
3 months ago
I don't like your ratings, besides the Giants at #6, Chargers are better than the Irving Cowboys and JAX and PIT. To each his own.
from 3 months ago
-i told u y the chargers are as low as they r,they got hit with the injury bug and that is going to affect them,if u cared to read the whole thing u would saw this:"If the Chargers can get over the injury bug, you will see them in the top three." Until then,they are not better than the other teams
-Where do u think the giants rank? as i have said before,eli manning got hot at the right time. until he does it for a full season he will not be considered one of the elite QBs.
3 months ago
I don't like your ratings, besides the Giants at #6, Chargers are better than the Irving Cowboys and JAX and PIT. To each his own.
3 months ago
Got hot at the right time? So Bony Homo got cold at the wrong time and his team is ranked higher because their a bunch of probowlers with a old lady as a coach. They got 2 first round exits in the last 2 years and the Giants beat the NFL best teams they had to offer to hoist the Lombardi in the air and the reason is.., they got hot at the right time? WTF????? Whenever Eli started a season, we went to the playoffs. That sounds pretty reliable to me Junior. That's the last 3 years. They deserve to be higher than #6 buddy, at least better than PIT and JAX. It's cool, we'll just stomp on CIN for that one!
from 3 months ago
i guarentee that you werent suckin eli's balls after they started 0-2 and were 15 min away from bein 0-3. i bet u werent annointing tom coughlin coach of the yr when he was about 15 min away from being fired. thats my problem with giants fans, they popped up once the playoffs started. there werent too many ppl who were chantin eli's name the past few years
from 3 months ago
u wanna say hes consistent? the only thing he is consistent with is throwing picks. three years in a row he has throw ATLEAST 17 PICKS!!! Even last season he threw 20,and your sayin he is a good QB? So what if they got into the playoffs, in 2005 they lost in the first round, in 2006 they went 8-8,and last year he got hot at the right time. now he was unstoppable when he got hot but i'd like to see him to it for a whole season. Brady has throw 20 picks in the last 2 years combined, eli did that in one season,Brady has never thrown more than 14 in a season. Eli's fewest was 9 in 9 games. your jus a hater like the rest of the country.
3 months ago
Oh i just seen you like the NE PATS, my bad.
3 months ago
Oh i just seen you like the NE PATS, my bad.
3 months ago
The Pats will come out as the #1 seed in the AFC again not just because they've good, but because they have the easiest schedule in the entire NFL. Their 2008 opponents had a winning percentage below .400 last year.
from 3 months ago
u cant blame the pats for that. blame the league,they make the schedule.
from 3 months ago
Actually, there is no flexibility in scheduling any more so it's really just the luck of the draw. Every team plays six games in their division, and then one game against each team in one AFC and one NFC division, and then the other two teams in their conference that finished in the same place that they did last year. For the Pats that just happens to work out to an incredibly easy schedule. But that's OK because the easiest road is not usually the one that leads to the mountaintop.
3 months ago
how can you say the bears didn't improve? They cut captain arm tackle Adam Archuleta, have a healthy Mike Brown back in the secondary, and resigned pro bowler Lance Briggs. Meanwhile addressing most offensive needs in the draft. I know they don't have a quarterback, but hey they never have.
from 3 months ago
they dont have a running back either,hes goin to jail lol
from 3 months ago
defense wins championships but offense wins games
3 months ago
i think that Forte and Wolf could be a heck of a one-two punch
2 months ago
Good article. It's obvious you hail from the East and it shows. Steelers at #4 ? I woulda place the Chargers at this spot. I think it was r-building year for them (New coach, system and confusing plays - 'member Rivers hitting LT helmet? embarrassing!) and I woulda traded the New York Giants spot from there. They played great on the road last year but I don't think they dominated the regular season the way they dominated the Pats in the SuperBowl win.
from 2 months ago
Well like I said in the last sentence of the Chargers paragraph, they got hit with injuries to their big three and thats why they are that low. I also said that if they can get over their injuries they would be a top 3 team. Every pre-rank I have seen has the Giants out of the top 5. The reason I do is b/c Eli has yet to prove himself for a full season, the same goes for Ahmad Bradshaw. Until then, he is not a legit QB,
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