NFL Power Rankings: Where Every Team Stands Heading into Final Preseason Game

The 2013 NFL season is just around the corner, with just one final exhibition game to endure before the action kicks off for real.

With less than two weeks before the Ravens and Broncos start things off, it is a perfect time to power rank every team in the league.

Let’s take a look at how the 32 squads stack up against one another going into Week 4 of the preseason.

32. New York Jets

Add a new chapter to Gang Green’s list of follies, as Rex Ryan’s decision to send Mark Sanchez in behind a third-string O-line to get injured after Geno Smith’s miserable performance was one for the books.

The Jets have so many issues that there is no chance they can be competitive in 2013. When Ryan is finally fired at the end of the season, it will be a merciful ending for the boisterous head coach.

31. Buffalo Bills

There’s a good chance that Jeff Tuel will be starting in Week 1 for the Bills, which says enough about this squad’s chances.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

Speaking of terrible quarterbacks (notice a theme at the bottom of the power rankings), Blaine Gabbert is still stuck under center in Jacksonville.

Unless he takes a drastic, unexpected step forward in his third year, the Jags are once again going to be in the league’s basement.

29. Oakland Raiders

Matt Flynn had a real, wide-open chance to finally win a starting spot during training camp, but he can’t seem to handle the pressure and looks destined to be a career backup.

Terrelle Pryor will get the first-team nod in Week 4 of the preseason and is looking likely to be the Week 1 starter for the Silver and Black. The former Ohio State signal-caller is chock-full of upside, but his inexperience and questionable mechanics will be the Raiders’ downfall.

28. Tennessee Titans

The Titans offense could explode this year, but it’s going to take a lot of inexperienced and inconsistent players to step up.

If Jake Locker, Kenny Britt and Chris Johnson are at their best, this team could make a playoff run. If they are battling injury and poor play, the Titans will once again be a bottom feeder.

27. San Diego Chargers

The Chargers offensive line is going to make or break this team in 2013, as Philip Rivers is too immobile to do any damage when he’s on the run and being harried by the rush.

26. Arizona Cardinals

Speaking of poor O-lines, the Cardinals took a major blow when they lost rookie guard Jonathan Cooper to a broken leg.

Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald have a chance of hooking up for big gains, but not if the 33-year-old signal-caller is being destroyed by defenders every time he drops back.

25. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are poised for a meteoric rise up the big board this season, especially after an offseason in which they completely re-tooled and rebuilt from the ground up.

Top pick Eric Fisher shored up the offensive line, Alex Smith upgraded the quarterback position and Andy Reid is a great coach that should have this young team overachieving.

24. Philadelphia Eagles

Michael Vick won the highly publicized quarterback battle between Nick Foles, Matt Barkley and himself and earned the right to start the first game of the season.

The beleaguered signal-caller is a candidate for comeback player of the year, especially if he can use his unique speed and arm strength to his advantage within Chip Kelly’s uptempo offense.

23. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers finished the 2012 campaign on a high note, winning five of their last six games to save coach Ron Rivera’s job and build hope for this year.

It’ll be interesting to see if Rivera can reward the players’ and ownership’s faith in him with the team’s first playoff appearance in the Cam Newton era.

22. Cleveland Browns

The Browns are a dark-horse team that could sneak up from nowhere and turn out to be quite good this year.

A new-look defense will be what determines if Cleveland is successful, as Brandon Weeden, Josh Gordon and Trent Richardson are all poised for breakout seasons.

21. Miami Dolphins

The ‘Phins spent a ton of money in the offseason, but almost all of their investments will be worthless if Ryan Tannehill cannot prove his worth as a franchise-caliber quarterback.

It’s a make-or-break sophomore year for the signal-caller and all eyes will be on him whenever the Miami offense takes the field.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers

After missing the playoffs last season for just the third time since 2003, the Steelers have a number of problems to sort out.

Unfortunately, they only seem to have more issues now that rookie running back Le’Veon Bell is dealing with a Lisfranc injury and may not be back for quite some time.

It’ll be interesting to see if Big Ben Roethlisberger and head coach Mike Tomlin can find a way to dig the Steelers out of this hole.

19. Detroit Lions

The Lions offense is going to be high-powered in 2013, but the mediocre Detroit defense may keep this team from the playoffs yet again.

Although the defensive line—led by star tackle Ndamukong Suh—is stout, the linebacking corps and secondary are full of question marks.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs featured one of the worst secondary units in the league last year, so they went out and traded for the league’s best cornerback (when healthy) in Darrelle Revis and signed Dashon Goldson. They also drafted Johnthan Banks and feature second-year safety Mark Barron in a possible breakout season.

17. St. Louis Rams 

St. Louis looks to be on the cusp of earning a playoff spot with a much-improved defense and new-look offense that will lean on quarterback Sam Bradford in what could be a career year.

If the offensive line can protect and clear paths for the numerous running backs on the team’s roster, there is no reason to doubt the Rams in 2013.

16. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts were one of the luckiest teams in league history last year and are going to have to earn their wins in 2013—as they aren’t going to surprise anyone anymore.

Andrew Luck is a special quarterback, but the defense has a ton of holes. It wouldn’t be that shocking to see Indy suffer a slip and miss the playoffs.

15. New Orleans Saints

Now that Sean Payton is back on the sidelines and calling the shots, it’s not a stretch to say that the Saints are going to be competitive on both sides of the football.

This historically bad defense made a few offseason upgrades and looks to be even more potent on offense than ever before. Expect to see playoff football return to New Orleans in early 2014.

14. New York Giants

The G-Men’s defensive line has to step up and deliver if this team is going to be successful.

An elite pass rush is what led Big Blue to two Super Bowls in five years, but it became less a part of their identity last season.

Not coincidentally, the Giants blew their opportunity to steal a wide-open NFC East and missed the postseason.

13. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys made the decision to pay Tony Romo and build around their sometimes-controversial quarterback, which may or may not pay dividends.

If his hard offseason work pays off and Dez Bryant continues his ascent to the league’s top receiver, there is no telling how high the ceiling is in Big D.

12. Chicago Bears

Chicago fans should rejoice that Jay Cutler is in a contract season.

The talented gunslinger will be trying his hardest to slap together a great year and lead the Bears back to the playoffs in order to secure a big contract.

If he fails, then the team can forge ahead without him in the future.

11. Washington Redskins

As long as Robert Griffin III is healthy and on the field, there is no telling how great this Washington organization can be.

The ‘Skins underrated defense may not get much hype, but it is an efficient unit that can put heat on the opposing quarterback and generate turnovers.

As long as the defenders are getting the ball back in RGIII’s hands a few times a game, Washington will put up enough points to win almost every game.

10. Minnesota Vikings

Christian Ponder is another highly scrutinized quarterback that will need to step up and help Adrian Peterson out.

With Percy Harvin out of the picture, it’s a taller task than ever. Fortunately AP is going to be drawing most defenders into the box and Ponder just needs to use his arms—and legs—to make a few plays per game.

9. Houston Texans

The Texans improved in a few areas over the spring and summer, but the roster is made up of largely the same players as years past.

That unfortunately indicates that Houston is in line for a great regular-season performance and a playoff meltdown in the early rounds.

8. Denver Broncos

Losing Von Miller for six games is a huge blow to Denver’s defense, a unit that will need to find alternate ways to get pressure in the backfield and disrupt plays.

With Elvis Dumervil in Baltimore, it’s going to be extremely tough for defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio to scheme up plans to get after the quarterback.

However, the offense in the Mile High is only better now that Montee Ball is set to shoulder the load and Wes Welker is causing havoc out of the slot.

It should balance out, as Denver projects a respectable team that will score a ton of points in 2013.

7. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens gutted their Super Bowl-winning roster and are hoping that Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and a handful of veterans can rally their new teammates to another miraculous postseason run.

While Baltimore is almost a lock to emerge from the AFC North and make the playoffs, it’s hard to imagine the team catching fire again without Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and the numerous veterans that made the championship possible.

6. New England Patriots

The Pats lost almost every single receiver worth mentioning from 2012, but that won’t stop Tom Brady from carving up defenders with precision passes to disciplined but unheralded receivers.

As long as the defense remains opportunistic and doesn’t allow too many touchdowns in the red zone, the Pats will be just fine and look to be in line for another 10-plus win season.

5. Green Bay Packers

The injury bug has been plaguing the Packers for years now and this offseason has been no different.

Regardless, Aaron Rodgers will once again prove why he’s an MVP candidate and put the team on his back on the way to a postseason appearance.

4. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons were extremely close to a Super Bowl appearance last year, but they also were fortunate to even make the NFC Championship Game after the Seahawks botched the final minutes of their divisional round showdown.

3. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals defense is one of the most fearsome units in the league and combined with their high-powered offense, this team could easily capture the AFC crown and home-field advantage through the playoffs.

As long as Andy “The Red Rifle” Dalton is connecting with A.J. Green, Giovani Bernard proves he’s the real deal and the defensive line destroys plays before they get started, Cincy is going to have no problems being successful.

2. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks were arguably the best team in the league down the stretch last year but fell just short against Atlanta come the playoffs.

Second-year quarterback Russell Wilson won’t soon forget that heartbreaking defeat and should be motivated to take his offense to new heights. Couple that with one of the top defenses in the game and you have a complete team that will undoubtedly compete for the top seed in the NFC.

1. San Francisco 49ers

2013 may just be the Niners’ year.

After a tough NFC Championship loss in 2011 and a Super Bowl defeat in 2012, it’s time for this squad to break through and win a championship.

Coach Jim Harbaugh, signal-caller Colin Kaepernick and the tough San Fran defense definitely have what it takes to get it done, they just need to remain disciplined for another long season.