NFL Power Rankings 2011: Sam Bradford Poised to Lead Rams to the Playoffs

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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.

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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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