NFL Power Rankings 2011: Where Does Each Team Stand Following the Draft?
By on May 8, 2011
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With the 2011 NFL Draft receding rapidly into the past, where does each team stand now?
Setting up power rankings during the season is relatively easy because you go by teams' records and judge that relative to the other teams. You put the teams into various categories and then figure it out from there.
It is not an exact science and there is endless room for debate, but in the end everybody has fun.
With the post-draft power rankings, you have to judge where the team was at the end of the season, judge how good their draft was and make a guess as to how much they have improved or regressed based on roster changes to date.
Since there has been no free-agency period and no trades, you can not factor in what you think a team might do because there are just too many variables.
So here is a look at where each team stands in May, starting with the bottom.
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The New England Patriots Still Are A Super Bowl Favorite
As things stand right now, a Green Bay Packers-New England Patriots Super Bowl is not out of the question.
The Patriots rank No. 2 in my power rankings while the Green Bay Packers take the top spot.
Both teams did well in 2010 and both had great drafts. The Packers added Derek Sherrod to the offensive line, filling a need with a top prospect in the first round despite drafting last.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
The Packers followed that up by drafting a running back and wide receiver to add more depth to the two areas they were relatively thin in.
The Patriots added Nate Solder to the offensive line to protect Tom Brady and then added a bunch of defensive backs to make an already great defense better.
The Patriots went 14-2 in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, so imagine what they might do in 2011?
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The Buccaneers Are One Of The Most Improved Teams
Ranking the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons next to each other did not happen by accident.
The Buccaneers almost made the playoffs last year while the Falcons fell just short of the Super Bowl.
The Buccaneers drafted Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers, meaning they "win" this round of the draft compared to what the Falcons did.
The Falcons made a very risky trade, basically mortgaging the farm to get Julio Jones. Granted the Falcons had a very complete team in 2010, but that does not mean it did not need more work.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
Free agency and trades could change things further, but the Falcons still are elite and now the Buccaneers look to have one of the most fearsome defenses in the league.
Between these two teams and the Saints, you have three teams in one division ranked in the Top 10.
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The NFC South Will Be A Very Competitive Division
The New Orleans Saints were upset by the Seattle Seahawks in the Wildcard game last season. The way the Saints drafted, they want to make sure it never happens again.
The Saints drafted a new pass rusher, Cameron Jordan; a new running back, Mark Ingram; and a new linebacker, Martez Wilson.
Wilson's job will be to stop runners like Marshawn Lynch from exploding through and getting a touchdown in key situations.
The Saints are re-armed and ready to fight. The NFC South is going to be a fun division to watch if there ever are any games again.
Just ahead of the Saints at No. 5 are the Indianapolis Colts. As long as Peyton Manning is the quarterback, the Colts are in contention.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
The Colts drafted two big offensive lineman, an attempt to make sure Manning is not spending as much time on the run as he did in 2010.
The Colts also got Drake Nevis, who projects to be a great addition to the Colts defensive line as well as running back Delone Carter to add another dimension to the offense.
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The Philadelphia Eagles Have A Good Year Ahead
Looking at how the power rankings shake down, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles play in similar divisions.
The Steelers constantly battle things out with the Ravens while the Browns and Bengals occasionally pop up to make noise.
The Eagles are battling things out with the Giants while the Cowboys and Redskins try and get in on the action every year. The Cowboys have been more successful than the Redskins lately, but the Redskins front office is not that great.
The Eagles have Michael Vick now, who is as good as he has ever been, and the Eagles added Danny Watkins to the line.
The defense got a lot of talent added in the draft, and Andy Reid should have plenty of options to choose from once the season gets underway.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
The Steelers were not able to get Mike Pouncey but they did get Cameron Heyward in the first round and Marcus Gilbert in the second round. The Steelers draft well and this year looks like it will continue their reputation as a team who gets the draft right.
Plus, the Steelers still have Ben Roethlisberger and a crop of young wide receivers who will step in and take the reins from guys like Hines Ward.
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The Ravens Edge Out The Jets In Offseason Power Rankings
The New York Jets are the kind of team who defy expectations. Ever since Rex Ryan took over as the head coach, this is a team who keeps winning even when you swear they should have lost.
So until that changes, the Jets remain at the edge of the Top 10 in the power rankings. Mark Sanchez was uneven in 2010 but had a pretty good playoff run. The defense did what it had to do and the loss to the Steelers was an "honest" loss.
The Jets are a big Wildcard because they could go 12-4 or just flat out flop and go 4-12. The Jets are due for a letdown, but I am not willing to predict that will happen just yet.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
Ahead of the Jets are the Baltimore Ravens, and the Ravens continue to be a well-run organization. If the Steelers ever hit a downturn, the Ravens are the team who will take advantage of the situation the way things look in the AFC North.
So the Ravens and the Steelers should be prepared to meet in the playoffs again in the 2011 season because it just seems inevitable at this point.
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The Jacksonville Jaguars Are Ready To Win Now
The Jacksonville Jaguars are ranked No. 12 in my offseason power rankings, and one of the main reasons for that is Blaine Gabbert.
The Jaguars need better play out of the quarterback position and the team has signalled they are ready to move on from David Garrard at the first sign of trouble. This will mean Gabbert does not have to start in Week One, but anything is possible.
The Jaguars still have Maurice Jones-Drew, which puts them ahead of any other team in the division when it comes to running backs. The Jaguars will be playoff contenders and the Colts will have to be ready for them.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
Then there is the Chicago Bears. I am ranking the Bears at No. 11 against my better judgment. The truth is the Bears still have a great team on paper. Since this is the offseason, this is all we have to go by.
Be prepared to see the Bears drop like a rock in the power rankings and the standing once the season starts. Jay Cutler will face a vicious, angry crowd AT HOME when he throws his first interception. When the second pick comes, they may storm the field.
When Rajon Rondo gets back on the court with a dislocated elbow and Cutler can not be bothered to find a knee brace and give it one more go, the Bears fans will find little forgiveness in their hearts.
I am not saying this is right, I am just calling it as I see it.
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Rams, Lions Have Young Quarterbacks And Playoff Aspirations
Sam Bradford had a good rookie year, but the Rams fell short of the playoffs. With the bonanza of players the Rams got in this year's draft, the team has a much better chance of making the playoffs.
The Rams took Robert Quinn in the first round, and if he plays as well as advertised, the Rams defense becomes three times as good overnight.
With Greg Salas and Austin Pettis, Bradford now has more weapons to unleash and will be able to go downfield more often as the season progresses.
At No. 14, the Lions are in an almost identical position as the Rams. They have a young quarterback and a defense that is becoming downright nasty.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
Matthew Stafford needs to have an injury-free season, but the defensive line that now consists of Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley is frightening. If Fairley is the same player he was last season at Auburn, the Lions defensive line will be the most feared line in football.
The Lions are poised to make their biggest move in the NFC North in more than a decade, and the Lions fans have something to look forward to for the first time since Barry Sanders was running the ball in the 1990's.
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The Chiefs Hopes Hinge On Offense
The New York Giants underperformed in 2010 and missed the playoffs. The road to the playoffs will not be any easier in 2011 with Michael Vick dominating and the Cowboys looking like they can rise from the dead.
The Giants had a great draft with Prince Amukamara sliding to their spot and then grabbing Tyler Sash in the sixth round. Sash is a much better player than the teams rated him and this should be a steal for the Giants.
Eli Manning has a new receiver in Jerrel Jernigan and the defense got a lot of fresh blood to get younger and faster.
The Giants and Eagles will be battling it out for the division crown the way things stand now.
Ahead of the Giants are the Kansas City Chiefs, but they could make a big drop if Head Coach Todd Haley destroys the offense. One of the big reasons the Chiefs were successful last year was the coaching from Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weiss.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
Weiss is gone now and the Chiefs need to keep the forward momentum. There are doubts about Haley's ability from the Kansas City media, but it still is the offseason and we are ranking teams accordingly.
Ricky Stanzi is an immediate upgrade for the backup quarterback position, anyone who watched the Chiefs last year will agree on that, and there are a lot of good young talent ready to play on the defense.
All we need is a 2011 season, and things will be great.
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Tony Romo Pulling The Players Together
The Dallas Cowboys are ranked much higher in my post-draft rankings than they were the last time I ranked them during the season.
The Cowboys were ranked toward the bottom most of the season, and I took a lot of heat for putting them low weeks before anyone else did. I saw the Cowboys come out of the gate flat and I read the writing on the wall and ranked them accordingly. It turned out I was right and people stopped calling me an idiot.
So far this offseason, things look more promising. Romo, who looked better last season before his injury, seems to finally be embracing his leadership role and has been organizing workouts during the lockout.
The Cowboys looked re-energized under Jason Garrett last season, and the Cowboys should be contenders again in 2011.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
Just behind the Cowboys, at No. 18, are the Houston Texans. Wade Phillips is back to what he does best, running a defense. The Texans have the offense to compete, and now they should have the defense.
The Texans drafted well and there should be improvement up and down the line, resulting in a more effective pass rush and better run stoppage.
Both teams have to prove some things on the field before they can be ranked higher, but both teams look poised to have a good 2011 season.
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The Broncos Should See Immediate Dividends From Front Office Overhaul
Coming in at No. 20 in my power rankings are the Denver Broncos. With the second overall pick in the draft, you might think they would be ranked lower, but that is flawed thinking.
The Broncos were the victim of an arrogant coach who thought he knew everything and now has found out you need to have an end game when you blow things up. Josh McDaniels had big plans but no roadmap if the team got hit by injuries or was not as good as he thought they were.
With John Fox and John Elway, the Broncos already seem much more organized and focused. They had an excellent draft and the AFC West is ripe for the taking. The Broncos still may be one year away from the playoffs, but they have a chance to contend if the Chargers and Chiefs are inconsistent this year.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
At No. 19 you have the aforementioned Chargers. While their draft was pretty good, they should have easily won the division last year and it is difficult to rank them higher until this year's team hits the field and shows the special teams unit is not an abysmal failure again.
The Chargers offense and defense both have the talent to be in the Top 5 of all the major categories again in 2011, but if they keep losing games they should have won like they did in 2010, none of those numbers will matter.
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The Raiders Still Have A Long Way To Go
The Oakland Raiders begin the year with Hue Jackson calling the shots on the field and Jason Campbell as the starting quarterback. Other than that, the Raiders have too many questions for me to rank them higher at this point.
The Broncos have two quarterbacks and a plan while the Chargers were undone by special teams last year. The Chiefs may have had an easy schedule but they have a solid base.
As a result, I just do not think the Raiders are any closer to contending than they were last year.
I could be wrong, though, we'll have to wait for a the season to begin to see.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
Just ahead of the Raiders are the Tennessee Titans, who drafted Jake Locker and appear fully ready to move on without Vince Young. The Titans also have Chris Johnson and what could be an improved offensive line.
There still are questions about how well Mike Munchak will handle everything, but in the grand scheme of things I still have the Titans finishing outside the playoffs, so it does not really matter.
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Browns, 49ers Show Great Promise In 2011
The tricky thing about predicting the 2011 season for teams like the Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers is the uncertainty of the labor situation.
Under normal years, these teams would have a lot of time to install the new offenses and schemes under new coaches. But this year, the preseason could end up being extremely short and put teams like the Browns and 49ers in a bad position.
The 49ers have a new head coach, a new quarterback, and now no way to develop any of it. Without the critical weeks to go through minicamps, valuable time is lost.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
Like the 49ers, the Browns are installing a whole new offense, and in the case of some of the players, this will be their first experience with a real pro offense as the former coaching staff had no offensive philosophy worth speaking of.
The Browns play in the AFC North, which means two games a piece with the Steelers and the Ravens.
Good luck with that.
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The Bengals And Vikings Are Teams In Transition
The Cincinnati Bengals made some huge changes this offseason with more to come. The Minnesota Vikings are undergoing a similar transformation.
The Bengals could have been ranked higher after drafting Andy Dalton, but Marvin Lewis still is the head coach and Mike Brown still is the owner.
The wildcard in all of this is Jay Gruden. His offense could be very explosive if everyone stays out of his way. The problem will be making sure the defense can keep pace with it.
In Minnesota, the Vikings are ready to start Christian Ponder but are keeping their options open for a veteran to come in and take the snaps in Week One.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
The Vikings defense should be okay but questions on the offense are what could sink the Vikings in 2011.
Free agency could rocket the Vikings up the power rankings very quickly.
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The Seahawks And Bills Stay In The Lower End Of The Rankings
The Seattle Seahawks defied the odds and made the playoffs in 2010, but do not think that means they are an improving team.
The Seahawks did not do themselves any favors by squeaking into the playoffs. They lowered their draft position and set their rebuild back by a year. The quarterback situation still is unsettled and the Rams still are the better team, even if they were not the first Sunday in January.
The Seahawks did address a ton of needs with their draft, but with the Rams getting better and the 49ers potentially having a much better offense under Jim Harbaugh in 2011, the Seahawks get the short end of the stick here.
Moving on to Buffalo, the Bills also did not get the quarterback they wanted and will go through the 2011 season with Ryan Fitzpatrick. You never know, Fitzpatrick could have a Pro Bowl year and show everybody he is "the guy."
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
The Bills still have to show they can be much more consistent in all areas of the game before they can move up in the rankings.
Especially in a division that includes the Patriots and Jets, the Bills have to prove something before I can jump on their Power Ranking Bandwagon.
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The Panthers And The Redskins Will Have To Wait Their Turn
The Washington Redskins are ranked 29th in my power rankings because they still have no quarterback and Donovan McNabb is on the roster.
The Redskins are completely rebuilding and Mike Shanahan does not seem particularly adept at doing it so far. His clumsy attempts to re-energize the offense and tinker with the defense last year were not successful and the record shows.
While the Redskins drafted well, they still have no quarterback despite McNabb's name on the roster sheet.
MUST READ: Madden 2012 Player Rankings, Projecting Rookie Numbers
As for the Carolina Panthers, I do not believe Newton will be successful in the Panthers organization. The team is going to throw him on the field before he is ready and it is going to be a disaster.
Newton may be the answer in another year or so, but not this year and not with this organization
The Panthers will have another bad year and the team will be in the Top 5 of the 2012 NFL Draft.
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