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The NFL is made up of teams that are elite and teams that are down right awful. Some pathetic teams have attempted to get better, but it's tough to become a contender over night.

Through the course of the season, a few teams that were pitiful in 2010 will rise up and shock people in the 2011 season.

There are only a few teams that will have a drastic turn around this season, and they are the Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings and the Tennessee Titans.

One thing these teams have in common is that they all have a new quarterback. The Cardinals traded for Kevin Kolb, the Vikings traded for Donovan McNabb and the Titans signed Matt Hasselbeck.

They aren't elite quarterbacks, but they'll help these teams go from five and six wins to playoff contenders.

Don't expect either of these teams to be picking in the top 10 or 15 of the 2012 NFL Draft. The Titans have the toughest road because of their division, but Hasselbeck makes them a threat.

It won't be easy for the Titans to beat the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans twice in one season, but splitting the season series will definitely help.

Kolb is expected to save the Cardinals season, and because he plays in the weak NFC West, winning a the division title won't be all that difficult. After all, a 7-9 team won it a year ago.

With Larry Fitzgerald out wide, Kolb won't have a hard time moving the ball down the field. The Cardinals are serious threats to win their division and host a playoff game. 

McNabb now must play in the toughest division in the NFL, the NFC North. His arrival strengthens the Vikings as well as the division.

Luckily for McNabb, he joins a team with some serious offensive weapons, which will help him take this team far in 2011.

Not every team can go from bad to great in one season, but these three team are all capable of a tremendous turn around in 2011.   

-Eric Bowman

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The NFL is a quarterback league, and there sure are some great ones on display every Sunday during the fall. 

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are the elite quarterbacks, but who else ranks in the top 5 in the NFL? 

Because quarterbacks are so heavily relied upon, if you want to win the Super Bowl, you need one that can not only throw well, but must also think sharp. The top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL excel in at both of these.  

1. Tom Brady - The best of the best, Brady will once again be unstoppable this season. With a motivated Chad Ochocinco out wide, Brady has a true deep threat he can rely on all season long. Expect another MVP caliber season from the New England Patriots starting quarterback. 

2. Peyton Manning - The Indianapolis Colts would be nothing without Manning. In 2010, a lot of his weapons were injured and he had a tough time being protected. He still managed to throw for a career best 4,700 yards and 33 touchdowns. With a healthy squad, expect another superb season from Manning, which will result in more wins for the Colts. 

3. Aaron Rodgers - The reigning Super Bowl MVP is quickly turning heads and making his case for best QB in the NFL. Another stellar season from Rodgers and the Packers, and he will separate himself from the rest of the pack. 

4. Matt Ryan - The Atlanta Falcons knew they drafted a good quarterback in Ryan, but they had no idea he would be so great so fast. Ryan has won 33 games in his first three season, which ties Dan Marino for best in the NFL. With even more weapons to use in 2011, expect Ryan to have his best season yet. 

5. Drew Brees - The New Orleans Saints had no idea Brees would be this great when they picked him up from San Diego. He has exceeded their expectations and won them a Super Bowl. Brees is a born leader, and his skills were on full display during the lockout. We'll see if his offseason team workouts will pay off. 

-Eric Bowman

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Lee Evans found himself traded to the Baltimore Ravens just hours after having his availability confirmed by the Buffalo Bills.

The Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, and Arizona Cardinals were all interested parties as well, but the Ravens came away with Evans in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Evans should help the Ravens to improve upon a vertical passing game that already features Anquan Boldin and Joe Flacco.

The 30-year-old Evans has been a solid receiver for most of his career in Buffalo, where he had less than stellar QB play. Evans’ production has also dipped over the past two seasons and it just makes sense for him to leave at this stage of his career.

The Bills needed to get some youth and clear room for guys like Stevie Johnson to get more time on the field.

The Ravens are going to greatly benefit from this trade. Rookie WR Torrey Smith, a second-round draft pick this year, is struggling in the preseason to grasp the Ravens offense. The team lost Derrick Mason in free agency and desperately needed to acquire a veteran receiver to fill the hole Mason left.

Evans should be able to have a very solid season this year in Baltimore. Anquan Boldin is the clear No. 1 option for the Ravens, which will leave Evans facing less coverage and responsibility than he did with the Bills.

The Ravens front office should be commended for getting such a steal with a fourth round pick. The team addressed their biggest need perfectly. They should be considered a team that could win their division, conference and possibly the Super Bowl now. 

2011 NFL Power Rankings 

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The Seattle Seahawks went out and got some much needed additions to their passing game this offseason.

They also managed to downgrade their entire offense by letting veteran Matt Hasselbeck walk away and bringing in Tavaris Jackson to play QB for the team.

The Seahawks took a chance on WR Sidney Rice, rewarding his big 2009 campaign and ignoring last years outing. Rice caught 83 passes for 1,312 yards and 8 TDs in ’09 but only played in six games last season. It will be interesting to see if he can bounce back to Pro Bowl form with the Seahawks this year.

Seattle also made a splash by stealing Pro Bowl tight end Zach Miller away from the Oakland Raiders. Miller, a vastly underrated tight end, was widely expected to re-sign until he accepted a 5-year, $34 million deal from the ‘Hawks.

Both of these moves show that the Seahawks are serious about their passing game this year. This is why it does not make sense that they will be going to war with Tavaris Jackson under center.

With a willingness to pay for weapons at the TE and WR position, it was stupid to let Matt Hasselbeck get away from the team that won the NFC West last season and shocked the world by defeating the Saints in the playoffs. They could have easily made it back this year but instead will find themselves in the conference basement.

Jackson is an awful QB and a career backup. He has had plenty of chances to play and has never impressed. Even in the Seahawks first preseason game Jackson played poorly.

He had just 13 yards in two series with the first-team offense. He also took two sacks and put the team in long yardage situations. 

The Seahawks are going to lose early and often with Tavaris Jackson playing QB, so keep an eye out for the organization giving the nod to Charlie Whitehurst sooner than later.

2011 NFL Power Rankings 

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The last thing you want to do is forget about them. They loom in the distance, and that is the last place you want them to be. I am referring to the New England Patriots, and they are about to remind you of who they are.

The preseason has been filled with talk about mainly one team, the Philadelphia Eagles. They have solidified a star-studded defense with a couple more stars. They also welcome back a solid contingent of flashy offensive weapons.

The Dream Team is everyone’s favorite team to win the Super Bowl. They knocked off the Green Bay Packers as general consensus contenders to win it all.

The discussion continues. How can the Eagles possibly lose? What do the Packers need to repeat? Well, I have a third question that will be answered in short order. What about the New England Patriots?

On Thursday, we were reminded how deep this team can be. They picked apart the Jacksonville Jaguars without any of their stars stepping foot on the field.

The Patriots moved the ball without the arm of Tom Brady, but with Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett. Chad Ochocinco, Wes Welker and Albert Haynesworth sat, but the Patriots way of attack won out in the end.

The Patriots may not be as heavily lauded as the Eagles are, but they should be. They have a talented team that is as deep as they come. They also have something that the Eagles will never have this season, a chip on their shoulders.

Bill Belichick’s boys are not merely playing to win. They are playing to win back the favor of the fans. This team has always come into the season as favorites, but they play a rare turn as dark horses in 2011. For teams hoping to skirt disaster, that is a dangerous place to put them.

They will savor the fact that the Eagles are out in front. The will be happy to sit back and quietly win ball games, as they always seem to do.

—Gabe Zaldivar

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Super Bowls are not won in the preseason. It takes a full season of 16 games to harness the type of chemistry that it takes to win it all. Now, that sentiment goes out with the garbage for the Philadelphia Eagles. There is no reason that they cannot win it all.

On Thursday, the Eagles took on the Baltimore Ravens in the first preseason game of the year. For one drive, we saw what Michael Vick could do without the compliment of his star receivers.

Without Jeremy Maclin or DeSean Jackson, Vick picked apart the Ravens on a quick drive that ended in six. The Ravens were left stunned.

The defense was just as stout. They had two picks on the day, and hardly gave the Ravens a sniff at the red zone. Of course, this is merely a preseason game, but I loved the way the Eagles swarmed to the ball on every play. There was a hunger that you want from any Super Bowl contender.

With all that being said, the main reason this team wins is talent. Every year, there is a team that falls short because they are missing a deep threat at receiver, or a heads-up linebacker in the middle. Whatever the case, there is always a player missing that could have brought the team glory.

The Eagles do not have the luxury of such excuses. They are deep on both sides of the ball, stars filling their roster. The bad news, if there is any, is that this brings with it an immense amount of pressure. Every man in an Eagles jersey must know; it is Super Bowl or bust.

The Philadelphia Eagles are indeed a Dream Team. With that comes the certainty that they will win the Super Bowl, because anything less is an utter failure.

—Gabe Zaldivar

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The NFL West is on the rise. They may not be the conference to strike fear into hearts of most NFL fans, but there is a lot to like about the conference this year, and the St. Louis Rams will be the cream of this crop.

Slowly, and quietly, the St. Louis Rams have filled their roster with players that answer their needs in less than flashy manner. Granted, there is nothing sexy about what they have done, but it won’t take much to get to the top of this heap.

This a rare team in the West that does not have huge questions to answer before the season starts. The 49ers and Seahawks have looming quarterback questions. There is no certainty that Alex Smith can turn it around in 2011, or that Tarvaris Jackson can resurrect his career in Seattle.

The Arizona Cardinals will have to answer more than the quarterback position. They will have questions on defense, especially after losing their best player in the secondary, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

The Rams have an improving defense that adds a versatile safety in Quintin Mickell. Mickell can flash to the ball or play the pass with the best of them.

The real bright spot is offense. Donnie Avery is healthy, and Mike Sims-Walker is a welcomed talent. Future star, Sam Bradford, actually has some receivers to target this year. That is a scary thought considering the freshman campaign he had.

The St. Louis Rams are not lauded a Super Bowl contenders, but they have what it takes to make a stance as playoff favorites. The Packers showed that is all you need to get hot at the right time. The Rams are positioned to surprise some people this year.

The Rams mix a solid defense that will swarm the ball mixed with a pass-first offense that will air it out. If nothing else, this will be an exciting team to watch.

—Gabe Zaldivar

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The Philadelphia Eagles were not about to leave Michael Vick out for more than one drive. That is all he needed to separate himself as the favorite for this season’s MVP.

The Eagles took on the Baltimore Ravens Thursday in the first preseason game. There is normally not a lot to get excited about at these types of affairs. The stars are relegated to the bench, and the scrubs get the chance to shine.

For a brief drive, Michael Vick showed he is ready to pick up from where he left off last year. He was precise and elusive. Everything you love about the player was on the field for a lone drive that begins his MVP campaign.

Before the game started, I was already prepared to gift-wrap the award for Vick. The offensive line was bolstered in the off-season. More than that, they have a new attacking mantra that will have that o-line moving forward all year.

At some point in October, Vick will get a fresh new player in Steve Smith who should be healthy at that time. Before that happens, he will make due with what he has, and there is plenty.

The drive started with Vick going long to Jason Avant for a pickup for 20 yards, the Eagles were rolling. After going short and a couple of incomplete passes, Vick was ready to bomb one again.

He found Riley Cooper for 42 yards. A short Brent Celek pass later, and they were in the end zone. It may be early in the preseason, but Vick had just picked apart the Ravens defense like they were a high school squad.

The scary part is that he never needed to rely on his legs. He drove the Eagles to a touchdown with only one part of his game. He was 4-for-6 for 74 yards. Now expect to see a great many of the same level of drives all year long.

—Gabe Zaldivar

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The top 10 teams in the NFL will all get a chance to prove their worth in the first few weeks of the 2011 NFL season.  

There are only three teams in danger of falling from the top 10 after Weeks 1 and 2. They are the San Diego Chargers, New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens. 

The Chargers host the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, and then they travel to New England to face the Patriots in Week 2. San Diego had one of the top defenses in the league last year, and they will be put to the test against high-powered offenses in the first two weeks.

Phillip Rivers continues to improve as the years go one, and even though he doesn't want to start 0-2, the chances of that happening are very strong. Norv Turner's job is on the line this season, and with a poor start he won't make Chargers' fans very happy.

The Jets host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, which won't be an easy victory like some expect. They do play the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2, and they shouldn't have any trouble, but you never know. They could be overlooking the Jaguars and be in for a big surprise.

Rex Ryan versus his brother Rob will be fun to watch on opening weekend. The Sunday night game will come down to which offense can produce in the clutch moments. If the Jets falter, they won't be in the top 10 anymore.

The Ravens host their arch rival in Week 1, and they can't afford to start the season at 0-1. Losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers will drop them in the rankings only because they are near the bottom of the top 10. They'll be looking for revenge against the Steelers, but they won't get it in Week 1.   

These three teams will falter in the first few weeks and find themselves out of the top 10. They will definitely be back though because they are all too talented to struggle for too long in the 2011 NFL season.

-Eric Bowman

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Those teams just outside of the top 10 in the NFL Power Rankings definitely have what it takes to make the climb. The question is, which teams are capable of becoming a top 10 team? 

It's very difficult to surpass the elite teams in the NFL, but since so many teams have intense schedules, the possibility of a top 10 shake up is very likely. 

The five teams on the outside looking in that can ascent into the top 10 are the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboy, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings. 

All of these teams have good quarterbacks that can take them far this season. The key will be finding a way to win the games nobody thinks they can. 

It will definitely help if these teams win their division. The Bears and Vikings will have a difficult time getting past the Green Bay Packers, but since they have tough defenses and star offensive players, beating the Packers is a possibility. Adrian Peterson will carry the Vikings far, and the Cutler's new weapons will prove well in 2011. 

The Texans have to beat the Indianapolis Colts if they want to be taken seriously in the NFL. The hire of Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator puts them in the right direction, and their offseason acquisitions will help. 

The Cowboys will have to deal with the mega hype of the Philadelphia Eagles, but a win at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia will make folks believe in the Cowboys this year. Their season rests on the arm of Tony Romo, and 2011 will be one of his best seasons yet.

The Chiefs are defending AFC champions, but the San Diego Chargers are the favorites this year. The ground and pound of the Chiefs will be in full force again this year, and don't be surprised if they lead the NFL in rushing again. 

These five teams aren't in the top 10, but they have the talent to climb up the rankings.   

-Eric Bowman

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Aaron Rodgers vs. Jay Cutler is going to be a great battle for many years to come. 

The Chicago Bears won the NFC North in 2010, but it was the Wild Card Green Bay Packers that had the last laugh by winning the Super Bowl. 

Will Chicago be able to repeat as division champs? Or are the Packers too tough to beat? 

The NFC North is the toughest division in the NFL this year, especially after the Minnesota Vikings picked up Donovan McNabb. 

The Packers are the heavy favorites not just in the division but in the NFL. They are expected to win the NFC North, but it's not going to be easy. Luckily for Green Bay, they return a few starters who missed a good portion of last season. 

The Bears and the Packers will split their regular season series again this year, which means the games against the Vikings and Detroit Lions are very crucial. Don't sleep on either of those teams this year.

If Matthew Stafford can stay healthy, the Lions will make some noise in the division. They are a young talented team that you cannot over look. And since the Vikings have the best running back in the NFL in Adrian Peterson, they're going to be a threat in the division.

However, when you have one of the top five quarterbacks in the league, you're going to be tough to beat week in and week out. Aaron Rodgers' confidence is sky high, and the Super Bowl MVP will have one of his best season ever. 

The Bears defense will once again carry them for a good part of the season because they still haven't given Cutler many weapons. He will benefit some from the addition of Roy Williams, but the former Cowboy isn't going to save this offense. 

In the end, the Packers are the team to beat, and they will reclaim the top spot in the division. The NFC North is the division you want to thoroughly watch this season because every game is going to be good. 

-Eric Bowman

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The AFC West will have a lot of drama this season. 

There is the Tim Tebow dilemma with the Denver Broncos, whether or not the Oakland Raiders can sweep the division again, Norv Turner's job security with the San Diego Chargers, and if the Kansas City Chiefs have what it takes to repeat as division champs. 

The Chiefs and the Chargers are the clear favorites in the the AFC West, which means their two match ups this season are the games to watch in the division. 

The Chargers will host the Chiefs on on September 25th, and then they travel to Kansas City on October 31st for Monday Night Football on ESPN.

In 2010, the Chiefs had the best run game in the league. The will heavily rely on running backs Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones to carry them to victory. Matt Cassel is certainly no Phillip Rivers, but he is hoping new wideout Johnathan Baldwin delivers.

Rivers and the rest of the Chargers want revenge for a poor showing in 2010. They were the heavy favorites a year ago, and they were embarrassed in a few games by their rivals.

Running backs Mike Tolbert and Ryan Matthews must stay healthy so San Diego can have a balanced attack. Rivers is going to air it out to Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd, but they still need a run game.

A sophomore slump from Matthews will be a huge set back for the Chargers. Darren Sproles left for the New Orleans Saints, and his production will be missed. However, the Chargers are still an all around team that will succeed as long as Rivers delivers in the clutch.  

In the end, I give the nod to the Chargers because their defense is better, and they are motivated to get payback on their rivals.     

-Eric Bowman

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In sports, we talk a lot about players that need to “step up” their game. More often than not, we’re talking about quarterbacks.

In honor of that, below are five NFL quarterbacks that really need to step it up in 2011.

Let's start in Denver, home of the most annoying quarterback battle in recent history. Kyle Orton has won the job, but he's not the guy everyone wants to see under center for the Broncos. That would be Tim Tebow, who, like it or not, doesn't deserve to be under center.

That's exactly why the pressure is on Orton. If he isn't good enough to start over Tebow (or Brady Quinn for that matter), he's not good enough to start over anyone.

In Chicago, you get the sense that 2011 is a true 'make or break' year for Jay Cutler. He's always been decent, but he's never been great. Worse yet, he now has the reputation of being soft after what happened in the NFC Championship Game. The only way he can redeem himself is by having the great season we've all been waiting for.

The same goes for Joe Flacco in Baltimore. The Ravens have everything they need to win a Super Bowl, but they need Flacco to take them there. He's good enough to do it, but people aren't going to get off his back until he does.

Meanwhile in Arizona, the hope is that Kevin Kolb can merely make the Cardinals relevant again. Because he has all the tools to be an elite NFL quarterback, that’s definitely within the realm of possibility. However, Kolb could also end up being a huge bust, in which case the Cardinals will be wasting both their time and much of their money.

Lastly, there is Matt Ryan. There’s no arguing that he is one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL and that the Falcons are lucky to have him. And last season, he led them to an NFC-best 13-3 record. All Ryan has to do now is win at least one playoff game. The unfortunate part is that his history in the postseason has revealed this to be no small task.

-Zachary D. Rymer

Michael Vick
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As I’ve already discussed in a previous NFL Power Rankings post, the AFC is teeming with players that have the goods to make a run at winning the league's Offensive Player of the Year award.

But hey, the NFC has five really good candidates of its own.

Let's start with an obligatory wide receiver candidate. The last receiver to win the award was Jerry Rice in 1993, but I think Larry Fitzgerald could do it. He's coming off a season in which he caught 90 passes for over 1,100 yards, which is pretty impressive when you consider he had Curly, Larry, and Moe throwing to him all season. Kevin Kolb is overrated in my book, but he will no doubt at least be able to locate Fitzgerald on a consistent basis.

As far as running backs go, the obvious choice is Adrian Peterson. He finished two yards shy of rushing for 1,300 yards in 2010, and he should see more running lanes open up now that Donovan McNabb is in to provide some production at the quarterback position. If Peterson flirts with 2,000, he'll be a strong candidate for Offensive Player of the Year.

Beyond these two, there are three quarterbacks that have a legit shot at the award. The first is the Aaron Rodgers, who is a virtual lock to throw for over 4,000 yards with 30-plus touchdown passes this season. The next is Michael Vick, who was brilliant in 2010 before breaking down at the end of the season. If he stays healthy, he's going to put up video game numbers.

But the quarterback with the best shot, I think, is Drew Brees. The Saints went out and got him a pair of running backs in rookie Mark Ingram and pass-catching extraordinaire Darren Sproles, and they should help Brees return to his brilliant form of 2008 and 2009. He won the Offensive Player of the Year in the latter year, and there's no reason to think he can't do so again.

-Zachary D. Rymer

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan
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The Atlanta Falcons finished with an NFC-best 13-3 record last season, but the Green Bay Packers made it pretty clear that the Falcons were guilty of overachieving when they destroyed them in the second round of the playoffs.

Oh well. We're coming up on a new season, and the good news for the Falcons is that they are going to be a better team than they were in 2010. As such, they start the season at No. 4 on my Power Rankings.

If Atlanta's 13-3 record in 2010 tells us anything, it's that they didn't have many weaknesses to address in the offseason. But credit where credit's due, the Falcons went out and made some improvements anyway.

In the draft, the Falcons made a huge splash when they traded up to draft Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones with the No. 6 overall pick. It was a bold play, but it's hard to argue with it when you consider what Matt Ryan could do with Jones on one side and Roddy White on the other.

In free agency, the Falcons went out and signed defensive end Ray Edwards. Offseason knee surgery is going to hinder his progress for the time being, but Edwards is a very effective pass rusher when he's healthy. Atlanta's defense was solid in 2010, but Edwards will provide a boost for a pass rush that needed one.

If I have one concern about the Falcons on either side of the ball, it's Michael Turner's workload. He carried the ball a league-high 334 times in 2010, not far off from the 376 times he carried the ball in 2008. Mike Smith clearly likes to put the ball in his hands, but he better be careful now that Turner is pushing 30.

Still, a petty complaint. That's because, all things considered, there's just not much to complain about when it comes to the Falcons.

-Zachary D. Rymer