NFL Power Rankings 2012: Teams That Have Climbed During Preseason

With the 2012 NFL regular season almost upon us, the excitement over which teams are going to make the ascension into the playoffs and to the top of the power rankings has the football world buzzing.

As hard as it is to tell how a team will fare based on their preseason performance, it is a great gauge of how much depth each team has at key positions.

All of the following teams proved they have great roster depth and will need that as injuries spring up throughout the season.

These organizations have climbed the power rankings through the preseason, and will look to continue the upward trend in the regular season.

Philadelphia Eagles

While the Philadelphia Eagles have one of the best teams in the league, there were serious questions surrounding starting quarterback Michael Vick’s health and what would happen if he went out injured.

Those questions were emphatically answered by the superb play of rookie Nick Foles.

After Philadelphia’s worst fears about Vick's fragility were realized, and he was injured at the start of both Game 1 and Game 2 of the preseason, Foles stepped right in and didn’t miss a beat.

The Eagles have an extraordinary offense and a much improved defense, and the preseason has proved that they have addressed the needs that were so obvious in 2011.

For that, they deserve to go up in the rankings.

Chicago Bears

After a wild offseason that saw the acquisition of star wide receiver Brandon Marshall, the Chicago Bears are ready for the tough NFC North and all it has to offer with their current roster.

The Bears were destroyed in their Week 1 opener against the Denver Broncos, but bounced back with big games against the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants.

After some initial concern, Chicago has looked great so far.

With depth all over their roster—most notably the combination of Matt Forte and Michael Bush at running back—the preseason has proven that the Bears are the real deal.

As tough as Detroit and Green Bay are, Chicago has started their climb towards the top of the rankings

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans had some major questions that needed to be answered before they would be considered a serious contender again in 2012.

While health is important to all teams, no squad was dismantled quite like the Texans in 2011. If Matt Schaub, Arian Foster and Andre Johnson can stay healthy like they have trough the preseason, the team will make the playoffs.

Houston came into this preseason with concerns about the defensive turnover they had after the departure of Mario Williams and the trade of DeMeco Ryans, but solid play throughout the preseason has calmed the nerves of the shot-callers in the franchise.

There is little doubt that Houston will be contending for the top spot in the power rankings before too long.

NFL Power Rankings

Team	2011 Record
1. New York Giants	9-7
2. Green Bay Packers	15-1
3. San Francisco 49ers	13-3
4. Houston Texans	10-6
5. New England Patriots	13-3
6. Baltimore Ravens	12-4
7. Philadelphia Eagles	8-8
8. Atlanta Falcons	10-6
9. San Diego Chargers	8-8
10. Pittsburgh Steelers	12-4
11. Detroit Lions	10-6
12. Dallas Cowboys	8-8
13. Tennessee Titans	9-7
14. Cincinnati Bengals	9-7
15. New Orleans Saints	13-3
16. Chicago Bears	8-8
17. Kansas City Chiefs	7-9
18. New York Jets	8-8
19. Denver Broncos	8-8
20. Seattle Seahawks	7-9
21. Buffalo Bills	6-10
22. Arizona Cardinals	8-8
23. Washington Redskins	5-11
24. Carolina Panthers	6-10
25. Oakland Raiders	8-8
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers	4-12
27. Miami Dolphins	6-10
28. Jacksonville Jaguars	5-11
29. Cleveland Browns	4-12
30. Indianapolis Colts	2-14
31. St. Louis Rams	2-14
32. Minnesota Vikings	3-13

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