May 2010 NFL Power Poll

The 2010 NFL Draft is over and teams are settling down, getting into mini-camps, and beginning to prepare for the 2010 season. Although it may seem like a slow part of the season it’s ending up to be that time where a lot of important decision are made, decisions that will affect how a team performs in the coming season. 

Keeping in mind all of changes that have taken place so far this offseason, let’s take a look at how each team is ranked heading into the month of June. 

1.  Indianapolis Colts-It’s hard not to count the Colts as the number one team in the NFL despite the fact they lost the Super Bowl. They have had a quiet offseason and a decent draft so they should be ready to defend their AFC title, and so far look like they are the favorite to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

2.  New Orleans Saints-Not a whole lot has changed in New Orleans, and there are many experts that think that this team will repeat as NFC champs once again in 2010. They got back an important piece of their defensive puzzle by resigning Darren Sharper but every team they play in 2010 will be gunning for them and we will all wonder just how well they will do. They may take a bit of a tumble, but for now they remain the best team in the NFC.

3.  New York Jets-This team has done a lot during the offseason to get better and looks like a team that is poised to make a strong push towards the playoffs. A lot of what the Jets are able to do in 2010 will depend on how well (or how poorly) the other teams in their division do, and it looks like everyone is improving. This is definitely a team to watch next season.

4.  Minnesota Vikings-A lot of this depends on what Brett Favre decides to do, but if he comes back it’s possible that the Vikings could be strong contenders for the NFC title next season. Even if Favre doesn’t come back, this team has enough talent to get far enough and could end up getting to the Super Bowl next season.

5.  Baltimore Ravens-You will hear this here first, the Ravens are going to be very good next year. They have made some good moves this offseason, especially in the draft, and it looks like they are poised to make a run at the Super Bowl next season.  Watch out for this team which will have balance on both sides of the ball for the first time in a long time and finally get something for all their recent investments.

6.  Green Bay Packers-With some moves made to solidify some holes that were exposed last season, the Packers appear poised to make a much stronger run at the playoffs in 2010. As long as quarterback Aaron Rodgers can stay healthy and stay productive, this team will do a lot of damage next season.

7.  Dallas Cowboys-It won’t be surprising if the Cowboys ended up ranked higher as they are poised to have a big season but right now, with some uncertainty on the offensive line it’s hard to predict where this team will end up. They do have a ton of talent and will win some games, but their fundamentals are a little weak right now and will need to be much stronger heading into next season. 

8.  San Diego Chargers-The Chargers let go of one of the best players (in LaDainian Tomlinson) and now they must make due with a rookie running back. Their defense should get better next season, and will have to play much better now that the AFC teams, teams that were once weak, are getting stronger now. 

9.  New England Patriots-The Patriots are always close to the top of any poll, but things are changing in New England. Problems on defense may continue to plague them next season but head coach Bill Belichick is known for his ability to plug in players where they are needed and make things work so perhaps the Patriots will climb back up the ladder in 2010.

10.  Atlanta Falcons-The Falcons took a bit of a fall last season compared to 2008, but that was thanks in part to the rise of the Saints and injuries suffered by both quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner. They have done some work this offseason to help get things fixed and ready for the 2010 season and they should be able to contend for the playoffs once again next season.

11.  Tennessee Titans-After starting out a horrid 0-6 in 2009, the Titans picked things up a bit and ended the season by almost making the playoffs. What’s in store for them in 2010? Another run at the playoffs is a strong possibility and with some of the improvements that they made on this team during the offseason. It’s more than a possibility. It’s likely.

12.  Miami Dolphins-The Dolphins have had a quiet but decent offseason so far and they should be able to make a run for the playoffs in 2010. As long as quarterback Chad Henne keeps coming along well and they can get their defense put together again, they should be a strong contender in the AFC.

13.  Houston Texans-Believe it or not, the Houston Texans are poised to have a great season this year, and for the first time in their history they could almost easily end up making the playoffs. Health has been their biggest issue (in holding them back), so as long as their key players can stay healthy (guys like Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson) this team could crack the playoff barrier and finally rise from the realm of mediocrity.

14.  New York Giants-The Giants are a difficult team to figure out heading deeper into this offseason. After a remarkable performance on defense in 2008, their defense all but fell apart in 2009 even after adding some significant talent to the roster. Now they go into next season with little change hoping to get back to where they were in 2008. Will it happen? 

15.  Chicago Bears-The Bears have made a lot changes to the team and the coaching staff this season and hope to get much further in 2010 than they did in 2009. They should be able to do that as long as their key players can stay healthy, their wide receivers grow, and everyone learns Mike Martz’s new offensive system. If these three things happen the Bears will make the playoffs next season.

16.  San Francisco 49ers-You can be that this team is going to be better and with the changes that have come in Arizona (the loss of Kurt Warner); it’s not out of the question to say that this team may be primed to make a run at the division title in 2010. Head coach Mike Singletary definitely has them going in the right direction and this team, with its offseason improvements, should be better in 2010.

17.  Cincinnati Bengals-The Bengals are going to take a bit of a tumble in 2010 thanks in part to the rise of the Ravens and some changes on offense. They may be able to make the playoffs if they can get things together on offense and get their top defenders back healthy and ready to play. This is always a tough team to predict (in terms of how well they will do), but for right now they will most likely start in the middle of the pack.

18.  Philadelphia Eagles-It’s a new era in Philly as Donovan McNabb is out and Kevin Kolb is in. It can be assured that things are going to start out kind of rocky for the Eagles as everyone, including the quarterback, gets used to the offense and there are bound to be mistakes. However, if their defense can keep them in games then they might have enough to win games and contend. They will be one of the more interesting teams to watch in 2010.

19.  Denver Broncos-The Broncos did a lot work this offseason to try to make their team better both by drafting players and getting rid of some guys that may not have fit well in their system. For example, they ended up trading away both wide receiver Brandon Marshall and tight end Tony Scheffler, two guys that caused them a lot of headaches last year because of the problems that they brought to the team. With the picks that they got from the trades they were able to bring in some guys that could help them out in the long term. Needless to say it will be interesting to see what Denver does in 2010.

20.  Detroit Lions-Believe it or not, the Detroit Lions are going to be a much better team in 2010 thanks to the drafts that they have had the past two seasons, as well as some of the free agent acquisitions that they have had. Get ready to see the Lions win at least five games this season and quite possibly surprise a few teams this season. It should be an interesting year for the Lions.

21.  Pittsburgh Steelers-The loss of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for four games (or six) is going to hurt this club no matter what anyone thinks. And if they lose each game that Roethlisberger misses then it’s likely that they will miss the playoffs. Hopefully Roethlisberger will be able to keep his nose clean and not get in trouble again so that the Steelers can get back to their winning ways and make the playoffs. Let’s see how he does in 2010.

22.  Arizona Cardinals-Now that Kurt Warner is gone the Cardinals have rely on Matt Leinart to lead their offense, and if you go off of the way he has played in the past, things might be a bit of a struggle in Arizona. They will definitely drop down a little bit this season and perhaps even miss the playoffs. If they do, they may look for a new quarterback in 2011 in hopes to get back to respectability.

23.  Jacksonville Jaguars-The Jaguars could end up making the playoffs next season if everything falls into place for them, but it’s likely that they will be on the outside looking in once again in 2010. They are still lacking in several areas especially on offense, but with some solid play from some of their younger guys this team could climb back into the playoff race and help save head coach Jack Del Rio’s job, as well as the Jaguars staying in Jacksonville for the long term.

24.  Seattle Seahawks-Despite the fact that Seattle has had a pretty decent offseason so far, this team has had way too many changes to consider themselves strong playoff contenders in 2010. Their offensive line is going to need some work and their running and passing games still don’t have a lot of true talent to help them win a lot of games. Add having a first year head coach at the helm and this spells “rebuilding year” for the franchise.

25.  Carolina Panthers-With problems at the quarterback heading into the 2010 season along with some projected issues on defense, the Panthers may have to wait another season before they can get back into the playoff race. If they take a tumble this season then head coach Jon Fox may end up leaving, meaning that it will be a new head coach and a new system in Carolina. At least their running game should remain solid and may help carry them through a few games next season.

26.  Buffalo Bills-Buffalo goes into the 2010 with a new head coach and a lot of confusion at the quarterback position, and as a result this team may not be quite ready for a run at the playoffs. New head coach Chan Gailey will have his work cut out for him but in a year or so, he should be able to get this team headed in the right direction and be able to contend for the playoffs. Buffalo, talent-wise, is not that bad off and perhaps with the right scheme and a few more players, this team could turn things around and be a contender.

27.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers-The Bucs did a little bit of work this offseason to improve, but it hasn’t been enough to ensure them a much better season in 2010. Their defense is going to improve with the addition of Gerald McCoy, but the offense under the leadership of second year quarterback Josh Freeman isn’t going to be as good as the team will hope and they will struggle at times next season. Unless they improve upon the 2009 season, head coach Raheem Morris could be in a bit of trouble at the end of 2010.

28.  Washington Redskins-Things are going to be pretty interesting in Washington this next season with all of the additions that they have had so far this offseason. The biggest question is whether or not newly acquired quarterback Donavan McNabb will be able to help them get up off the mat and play much better than they have in the past.  Another issue comes on defense where defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth isn’t happy and may get traded away. If he goes or sits out, what options do the Redskins have to replace him?

29.  Oakland Raiders-It looks as if the Raiders have finally got something going at the quarterback position with JaMarcus Russell out and Jason Campbell in. Now the question is: can they put it all together and start winning games? Defensively, they have a good base but have executed poorly there in the past so hopes are high that the defensive unit will be able to do much better in 2010. It could be the start of something bigger and better in Oakland.

30.  Kansas City Chiefs-The Chiefs have a lot young players on their roster and now just need to put everything together to be successful. This team is a good year away from making a bigger splash in the AFC and when that happens they could end up being one of the better teams in the division. The talent is there, the system is getting learned, and it could just be one more season of mediocrity left before we see them start to be playoff regulars.

31.  Cleveland Browns-The Browns actually played pretty well at times last season but there has been so much change this team is bound to take a step back (or stay in neutral) this coming season. This is a team that has some work to do and will eventually get much better under the guidance of president Mike Holmgren. Give these guys another year and they should be able to become a serious contender in their division.

32.  St. Louis Rams-The Rams did a lot of different stuff this offseason to help make their team better and they are hoping that they will see a significant improvement in 2010. Bringing in quarterback Sam Bradford should help them in the long run but in the short term, this team is going to be in a similar situation as they were in 2009. While they may get a couple more wins in 2010, don’t look for too much out of them until 2011.