2011 NFL Power Rankings: The "Unofficial" Official Post-Draft Rankings
I recently wrote a similar article in February consisting of my idea of what should be the power rankings for the upcoming NFL football season (if we have one). I went on and on about which teams need this and that, forcing the reader to come up with their own solutions.
However, now that the 2011 NFL draft is finished, a lot of these former voids have been filled.
As a writer, this is why I feel the need to produce another article about the approaching season, ranking the teams from 1-32 based on who I feel has the best overall team and chance to make the Super Bowl.
So, with this being said, here we go!
32. Carolina Panthers (2-14 Record in 2010)
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Good-bye, Jimmy Clausen. Hello, Cam Newton. The Carolina Panthers posted the NFL's most deficient record in the 2010, "rewarding" them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft.
The front office must believe that Heisman Trophy award winner Cam Newton is the future answer to its many, many problems.
Note that I say future.
Yes, I'm sure that Newton's athleticism alone will dig the Panthers out of the worst-passing-game-in-the-league hole, but what about everything else? New head coach Ron Rivera is probably hoping that Newton's portrayed arrogant personality off the field gives him wins on the field.
Another big question—who is Cam going to throw the ball to? The entire Panthers receiving squad (12 players had at least one reception) combined for 2,635 yards and nine touchdowns. Denver's Brandon Llyod and Atlanta's Roddy White put together a total of 2,837 yards and 21 touchdowns alone.
Carolina might be looking at back-to-back first overall draft picks.
31. Washington Redskins (6-10)
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The Washington Redskins have quite a few issues to work out.
Statistically, they were horrible (although, a 6-10 record isn't very good either). They ranked 30th in the running game and were near the bottom of the list against both spectrums on defense.
Quarterback John Beck, who has started a total of four games in his career, is calling himself the starter and is preparing to lead the team in the upcoming season, while Donovan McNabb considers playing Major League Baseball.
"Maybe I'll play for the (Washington) Nationals,” McNabb said during a charity appearance in Washington.
Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was accused of sexual assault in February, and Lord knows that his relationship with Mike Shanahan wasn't very strong to begin with. It's pretty certain that Mr. Haynesworth won't be a 'Skin once the lockout clears up.
Moving on.
The Redskins had 12 picks in the draft. You'd think that they would pick a stud quarterback in the first or second round, and then add on some players to help out that horrible defense.
Wrong!
Although Ryan Kerrigan and Jarvis Jenkins are solid picks to aid the defensive line, Washington waited until the fourth round to finally choose a halfback, and Roy Helu Jr. was the decision. Now, don't get me wrong, Helu is a fine tailback, but they definitely could have done better.
P.S. Are Mike Shanahan and Nebraska coach Bo Pelini good friends? The Redskins chose a Cornhusker with three consecutive picks in the fourth and fifth rounds. Just curious.
30. Seattle Seahawks (7-9)
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The Seahawks were an average team at best that did just enough to win an abysmal NFC West.The question still looms whether or not quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will be returning, and with the draft nearing, the smart thing to do would be to find a future replacement.
I'll tell you what they didn't do, and that's draft a quarterback.
Charlie Whitehurst and J.P. Losman are the only other QBs on the current roster, and neither one has a career rating over 76.
The 'Hawks were second to last on the ground, scuffling up just 89.0 yards per game. They did pick up guards James Carpenter and John Moffitt to assist Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett with their first two picks in the draft, but that's the only positive thing I can think of.
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29. Arizona Cardinals (5-11)
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Patrick Peterson is being considered one of the best athletes of the decade.
The Cardinals got 'em.
However, Arizona does not have a quarterback. It's pretty safe to say that Derek Anderson will no longer be a Cardinal when the lockout ends; he was benched for the rest of the season after an embarrassing blowout loss to conference rival San Francisco.
Richard Bartel, Max Hall and John Skelton, the other quarterbacks on Arizona's roster, have a combined 232 career passing attempts, while throwing just three touchdowns to their nine interceptions.
"Dear Kurt Warner,
Please come back. We need you.
Sincerely,
The entire Arizona Cardinals organization"
That's not a real quote, but I'm sure that if the Cardinals front office were to write Warner a letter, this would be pretty close to the real thing.
28. Tennessee Titans (6-10)
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With Vince Young being released in January, it was obvious that the Titans needed a new franchise quarterback.
Who would have thought that it was going to be Jake Locker?
This decision has a Tebow-like feel to it; a very high risk indeed. Locker completed just fewer than 54 percent of his passes during his four-year stay at Washington, and accuracy is a top priority for an NFL quarterback.
However, this kid supposedly runs at the speed of light, having been timed at less than 4.4 seconds during a 40-yard dash. That's unreal for a QB, and is undoubtedly a huge plus for the Titans offense.
I'm not sure how this will pan out for Tennessee, but you can't help but root for this guy.
27. Cincinnati Bengals (4-12)
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Mike Brown's organization is knee-deep in the jungle.
Franchise quarterback Carson Palmer has announced that he wants to be traded from the Bengals, and that if he does not get his wish, he will retire.
Think he's bluffing? Think again.
According to Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Palmer's house was recently sold, and Dennis Janson of KYPost.com thinks he "was an overly motivated seller."
Also, offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski was fired and replaced with John Gruden's brother, Jay Gruden, wide receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco will most likely be on different teams for the start of the 2011 season and running back Cedric Benson is a free agent.
Cincinnati chose Georgia's A.J. Green, the top receiver in the draft, with its first-round pick. This sparked some interest with who was going to throw the ball to Green. Andy Dalton, who had a career record of 42 wins and eight losses at Texas Christian University, was the Bengals' second pick in the draft, and looks to be Palmer's successor.
With Jermaine Gresham, Jordan Shipley, Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell still on the rise as young and talented athletes, Cincinnati's offense is quite intriguing.
"Who dey" may not be much of a factor this year, but this organization is definitely making strides in the right direction.
26. Buffalo Bills (4-12)
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Ryan Fitzpatrick passed for 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns for the Bills in 2010, and seems to have locked up the starting role for the upcoming season.
Buffalo decided not to select a quarterback in the 2011 draft, instead intent on helping the league's worst run defense. It picked two inside linebackers and two defensive tackles, including Alabama's Marcell Dareus, to plug up the middle.
Posting one winning record since 1999, the Bills are a given to be a blunder next season until proven otherwise.
25. Minnesota Vikings (6-10)
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It's hard to believe that this team was fighting for a chance to play in the Super Bowl in 2009, but the Minnesota Vikings are in trouble.
It looks like Brett Favre is finally turning in his cane; he says he will not return to the playing field, but is interested in becoming a coach or getting involved as a television analyst. The 41-year-old grandfather ended a 20-year playing career after a disappointing and injury-plagued 2010 season.
The Vikings named Florida State's quarterback Christian Ponder the 12th overall pick, shocking a good amount of NFL fans and analysts around the nation. Yes, Ponder is a pro-style QB and is the perfect prototype, but his durability is a big question mark; he missed six games from 2009-2010.
Kyle Rudolph, an explosive tight end out of Notre Dame, was Minnesota's second selection and will be an immediate factor in the passing game. However, the Vikings were in search of good receivers for Favre to throw to during the absence of Sidney Rice. I expected a few wide receivers to be taken, but out of its 10 picks Minnesota decided to pick just one with its very last selection in the seventh round.
On the bright side, Vikings fans don't have to deal with Brad Childress anymore.
24. Denver Broncos (4-12)
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The Broncos had arguably the worst defense in the NFL last year, allowing 29.4 points per contest. Somewhere along the lines it was decided that this was not okay, and Denver selected six defensive players out of its nine picks in the draft, including monster outside linebacker Von Miller from Texas A&M.
Tim Tebow provided a small spark during the Broncos' last couple games of the season, so the question lingers—will new head coach John Fox decide to stay with the first-round pick from a year ago or move in a different direction (aka Kyle Orton or Brady Quinn)?
23. Houston Texans (6-10)
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The Houston Texans got off to a hot start in their 2010 campaign, but fell off the map quickly, losing eight of 10 games to end the season. With Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and Arian Foster on the offensive prowl, even an average defense could carry Houston to 10 wins.
Too bad Houston's defense is far below average.
The Texans secondary was ripped apart last year, giving opposing quarterbacks a field day game in and game out. Houston ranked dead last against the pass, and is in dire need of some help.
And it still is.
Brandon Harris and Rashad Carmichael were chosen in the second and fourth rounds for the Texans. The cornerbacks stand at 5'9" and 5'10" respectively, and combined for five interceptions last year.
Matt Schaub better start loosening his arm right now, because he's going to have to throw the ball 40 times a game for Houston to stay competitive this year.
22. San Francisco 49ers (6-10)
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I think I understand head coach Jim Harbaugh's strategy for the 49ers:
1. Draft a defensive end with your first-round draft pick instead of Blaine Gabbert.
2. Draft Colin Kaepernick, an athletic quarterback that ran the pistol in college, an offense not touched in the NFL (Kaepernick is nowhere near ready to be a starter).
3. Draft Chris Culliver, a decent corner out of South Carolina, to aid a struggling pass defense and make it look like you know what you're doing.
4. Throw the season away, finish 1-15, receive the No. 1 overall pick for the 2012 draft and select your former college quarterback Andrew Luck, who has the potential to be a franchise legend in the NFL.
San Francisco is 46-82 since its last playoff appearance in 2002, disposing of five quarterbacks and four head coaches in that time. History shows that Harbaugh doesn't have much time as a coach here, so it probably won't go down like this. But you have to believe that this has crossed his mind more than once.
21. Cleveland Browns (5-11)
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Peyton Hillis will be on the cover of Madden NFL 12, and the Browns seem to have finally found their long-lost franchise quarterback in Colt McCoy.
Cleveland had problems against the rushing attack last year, and McCoy was in need of some more offensive weapons.
The Browns took care of that.
Phil Taylor, defensive tackle out of Baylor, and Jabaal Sheard, defensive end from Pittsburgh, will look to end Cleveland's woes versus opposing running backs, as they were chosen with the Browns' first and second picks in the draft.
Greg Little, wide receiver from the University of North Carolina, and Jordan Cameron, the tight end coming from the USC Trojans, will be new targets for McCoy to look forward to.
Former Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is the latest man to lead the Browns.
It may seem crazy, but Cleveland is on the rise.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8)
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Got Gabbert? The Jags do.
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected quarterback Blaine Gabbert with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, and Gabbert couldn't have found a better position.
It's most certain that he'll have to watch from the sidelines in his first season, as David Garrard performs what may be his last breath as a starter. This may be in the Jaguars' best interests, though, as history shows it's usually not a good idea to throw a rookie quarterback straight into action.
Jacksonville played small ball in the draft, picking athletes from Lehigh, Mount Union, Wyoming and Middle Tennessee State with its final four selections.
19. St. Louis Rams (7-9)
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The Rams barely missed the playoffs in 2010, allowing the Seahawks to beat them out for the top spot in the NFC West (quite the accomplishment...not!). On the bright side, quarterback Sam Bradford won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Bradford did his best, but it's hard to win games when you have no one to throw the ball to. Danny Amendola was the leading receiver for the Rams, and had a team-high three touchdown receptions.
St. Louis obviously needed to pursue some help for its Rookie of the Year, and it did.
It selected Wisconsin tight end Lance Kendricks and receivers Austin Pettis and Greg Salas from Boise State and Hawaii—all three combined for 29 touchdown receptions in 2010.
Look for the Rams to redeem themselves and make the playoffs in 2011.
18. Oakland Raiders (8-8)
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Al Davis had yet another subpar draft, not even getting his first chance until the 48th overall pick.
For a team that struggled heavily against the run, you would expect the Raiders to select a defensive lineman (everyone else was doing it) or an inside linebacker.
However, this is Al Davis, people.
Not one D-lineman or linebacker was chosen in any of Oakland's eight picks, and instead it went in the opposite direction. Center Stefen Wisniewski and tackle Joe Barksdale were used as the first and third selections; I guess Darren McFadden, who rushed for 1,157 yards and seven touchdowns in 2010, can never have too much help.
Also, when you think Oakland Raiders, who comes to mind as a starting quarterback?
Too hard to fathom? I know. This is because Oakland has gone through 14 different starting quarterbacks since 2002.
Hue Jackson will take the reins this year for his first crack at a head coaching position after Tom Cable led Oakland to its first .500 season in eight years and was fired by Al Davis in January.
Just win, baby.
17. Detriot Lions (6-10)
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I absolutely love what the Lions are doing right now. Let's take a step back...
2007: Drafted Calvin Johnson, one of the NFL's best receivers and just an overall complete athlete.
2008: They took a step back and went 0-16, but even great teams have an off day or two.
2009: Drafted quarterback Matthew Stafford, the No. 1 overall athlete coming out of the draft. This guy is a big-time player, but the key for the Lions is to keep him healthy. If he can complete a season, he has the potential to become a Pro Bowler.
The Lions also drafted Brandon Pettigrew with their second pick, a 6'6" tight end out of Oklahoma State with an extraordinary ability to catch and run with the football.
2010: Detroit exploded with happiness when Ndamukong Suh was taken with the second pick. This freak of nature defensive lineman monstered his way through 66 tackles and 10 sacks in his rookie year. Oh yeah, he won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award, too.
The Lions moved up four spots to snag Javhid Best, the running back in the draft that best fit their offense. Best ran a 4.22 40-yard dash while preparing for the NFL scouting combine.
2011: This isn't even fair. Somehow Nick Fairley slipped to the Lions' grasps in the draft. Think about this: Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley both on the defensive line. Together.
Who's going to block these guys?
Titus Young, a tremendous talent from Boise State, was taken with Detroit's second choice. All right, so now you have Calvin Johnson, Titus Young and Nate Burleson for a healthy Matthew Stafford to throw the ball to.
Think that's good enough? Think again.
Detroit picked up Mikel Leshoure, a solid running back from Illinois who ran for 1,697 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2010. He and Best could be one heck of a one-two punch in the backfield.
Seven of Detroit's 10 losses last season were by one score, proving that they are beginning to polish. They're also riding a four-game winning streak into 2011.
The Lions are no longer pussycats.
16. Miami Dolphins (7-9)
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When the Miami Dolphins are brought up, you think Wildcat offense, right?
Well in 2010, it wasn't so wild.
The Dolphins always seem to hang around until the very end of the season, when they fall apart. This year it was due to a lack of ground game from the Williams-Brown duo and the inability to find a solid starting quarterback. It's hard to tell what they're going to do right now because the lockout doesn't allow any official offseason moves to be made, but it was decided that the Wildcat needed a tune-up.
Daniel Thomas, tailback from the Kansas State Wildcats, was introduced to the team in the second round of the draft. Thomas ran for just less than 1,600 yards and found the end zone 19 times in 2010, something that the Dolphins desperately need for him to transfer to the NFL.
Mike Pouncey was selected with Miami's first pick and should be a helpful addition to a dying run game.
15. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)
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The Kansas City Chiefs were the Cinderella team in 2010, posting their first 10-win season since 2005. They topped Phillip Rivers' dominate-as-of-late Chargers and made the playoffs, but were buried by the Ravens in the first round.
With that being said, the Chiefs are in trouble.
Matt Cassel threw 27 touchdowns in '10, but averaged just 185 yards per game with an offense that ranked 30th in the league in passing.
Dwayne Bowe blew up for 1,162 yards receiving and 15 touchdown grabs, but he can't do it alone. This is why the Chiefs nabbed the 6'4" Jonathan Baldwin from the University of Pittsburgh with their first pick in the draft, hopefully solidifying a decent passing attack for the upcoming season.
Kansas City also sneaked Ricky Stanzi, quarterback from Iowa, into the Chiefs organization in the fifth round. He won't make an immediate impact, but it's a possibility we'll see this guy down the road.
Were the Chiefs a fluke in 2010? We'll soon find out.
14. Chicago Bears (11-5)
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Jay Cutler was sacked 52 times in 2010, which is completely unacceptable.
The Bears haven't made any huge changes yet, but they will have to if they expect to keep contending with the Packers. Chicago drafted the 6'7" Gabe Carimi, offensive tackle from Wisconsin, to help stop opposing defenses from putting Cutler on his butt.
The Bears also drafted Idaho's quarterback Nathan Enderle, just in case they are forced to question Jay Cutler's "toughness" once again.
13. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
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Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense will have to put up a few more points per game if they want to keep up with the Steelers in the AFC North.
The average age of the Ravens D is 29 years old. Ray Lewis' Old Spice squad was still very troublesome, but it seems to be getting easier for opposing teams to find success against Baltimore's defense.
Cornerback Jimmy Smith from Colorado was added to the team with the Ravens' first selection in the draft, with hopes of adding some athletic youth to defense.
Wideouts Torrey Smith and Tandon Doss will make good additions to Joe Flacco's offense; he needed some new toys, with a receiving core that was average at best.
12. San Diego Chargers (9-7)
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The Chargers will be returning with the smell of blood in their nostrils. Revenge is in the air.
After a slow start and a not-so-great finish to 2010, San Diego missed the playoffs and allowed the Kansas City Chiefs to control first place in the AFC West.
Philip Rivers led the league in passing yards, throwing for a career high 4,710, and was invited to the 2011 Pro Bowl, his fourth overall.
Vincent Jackson, San Diego's top receiver, did not make a catch until the Chargers' 13th game of this season after a suspension due to a contract dispute with the team. I believe a franchise tag will be used on Jackson for 2011. And even if he doesn't return, Vincent Brown out of San Diego State was drafted in the third round—a solid weapon for Rivers.
Chargers halfback Ryan Mathews struggled with an ankle injury for most of the second half of the season, and will return for a healthy sophomore year.
I can't buy into Matt Cassel and the Chiefs just yet, and the Raiders are still the Raiders. I have to believe the Chargers will be back to retain their dominance in the AFC West once again.
11. New York Jets (11-5)
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Okay, so this is a tricky one.
The Jets have some weird things going on, with multiple players on one-year contracts. With the lockout still in place, who knows which players will be returning. All I know is Mark Sanchez is still their quarterback, so they won't be going too far once again.
However, there is rumor that free-agent wide receiver Randy Moss would be a great fit for the Jets. I'm sure that Sanchez wouldn't mind him joining the team, either; New York had the league's 22nd-best pass offense.
Oh, and it's personal.
10. New York Giants (10-6)
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There was one thing that kept the Giants out of the playoffs in 2010.
Turnovers galore.
Thirty-eight of them to be exact, and 25 of those were interceptions thrown by Eli Manning. The Giants were ranked in the top 10 in offensive passing and rushing yards, and the top nine against the pass and rush on defense.
Manning threw for 4,000 yards, the Hakeem Nicks-Mario Manningham duo combined for 20 touchdown receptions and the Bradshaw-Jacobs speed/power running game worked to near perfection.
New York got a steal in the draft this year, picking up the defensive back from Nebraska, Prince Amukamara, who has the size, speed and awareness to start from day one and turn into one of the league's finer players at his position.
Tom Coughlin's New York Giants underachieved last season, but if they can eliminate ill-advised mistakes, they'll be a legitimate playoff contender once again in 2011.
9. Dallas Cowboys (6-10)
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Remember how the Cowboys were supposed to win the Super Bowl in their brand-new stadium?
Well, 6-10 doesn't get you there.
However, the Cowboys will have a healthy Tony Romo back after he broke his collarbone very early in the season, and new head coach Jason Garrett seems to have somewhat rejuvenated what was a suffering defense (29.0 points a game allowed with Wade Phillips, 25.5 points a game allowed with Garrett) and went 5-3 in that span.
Dallas drafted Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray in hopes to revive a very average ground attack. Murray gave college defensive coordinators headaches for four years as he ran for 3,685 yards and 50 touchdowns for the Sooners. He ran his 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds at the NFL combine, and is currently Oklahoma's
all-time leader in touchdowns, all-purpose yards and points.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6)
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Two words: Josh Freeman.
Freeman is becoming everything the Buccaneers could have hoped for when they drafted him in 2009. He passed for 3,451 yards, 25 touchdowns and threw just six interceptions, while compiling a 95.9 quarterback rating and carrying his team to a 10-6 record.
Too bad Tampa Bay is a part of the NFC South, or else Freeman's squad may have made the playoffs.
The Buccaneers needed some help stopping the run in 2010, so they selected two straight defensive ends to begin the draft, including Clemson's Da'Quan Bowers, who many had as a top-five pick before he partially tore his meniscus at the end of the season.
If Bowers can overcome his knee injury, you can bet he'll be an immediate impact and will a force for the Buccaneers D-line.
7. Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
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It's hard not to consider yourself a Super Bowl contender when Peyton Manning is your quarterback.
But I tried really hard.
Manning just turned 35 (45 in football years) and just underwent his second neck surgery. He threw 17 interceptions and had a 91.9 QB rating, his worst since 2002.
Manning threw for a career-high 4,700 yards, but this was mostly the result of a lack of support from his running backs; Joseph Addai and Mike Hart missed much of the season due to injuries, leaving Donald Brown and Dominic Rhodes with the bulk of the carries. The Colts averaged just 3.8 yards per carry in 2010, good for 29th in the league.
Indianapolis drafted offensive linemen Anthony Castonzo and Benjamin Ijalana to aid Peyton Manning and the running game for 2011.
The Colts had many difficult, season-altering injuries. Amidst diversity, they still won the AFC South and won 10 games. Even if Manning is starting to decline, Indianapolis is still the best team in its conference.
6. New Orleans Saints (11-5)
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Major repercussions after winning the Super Bowl? After the Saints flirted with perfection in 2010, they limped into the playoffs with an 11-5 record, losing their last two of three, and got embarrassed by the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card Round.
Most of this had to do with New Orleans' inability to move the ball on the ground, ranking 28th in the NFL, forcing Drew Brees to throw the ball nearly 42 times a game, which ultimately resulted in his overall statistics to look, well, un-Brees-ish.
With Reggie Bush injured for a large portion of the season, (and falling off the map, honestly) Chris Ivory was a bright spot and averaged 5.2 yards per carry. However, he can't do it all.
This is why the Saints chose the Heisman Trophy-winning running back Mark Ingram with their first pick in the 2011 draft. Ingram should be an every-down back that provides versatility, and he's a dangerous receiver in the screen game and as a check down, which is a perfect fit for Brees' offense.
5. Green Bay Packers
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Your defending Super Bowl champions are the Green Bay Packers.
Returning will be your Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Aaron Rodgers, who is coming off of a spectacular season—3,922 yards, 28 touchdowns and completed almost 66 percent of his passes. He also ran for 356 yards and four scores.
Nevertheless, no one is perfect.
The Packers averaged just 100.4 yards rushing per contest. So, what to do if you're the defending champs?
You fix it.
Green Bay drafted Derek Sherrod, offensive tackle from Mississippi State, and Hawaii tailback Alexander Green to make a direct contribution. It added four offensive players to the roster.
Like they need it.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
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This may come out a little biased, but I'm beginning to get sick of seeing these guys in the Super Bowl. But what else can I expect? The Steelers are just that good year in and year out.
Pittsburgh added to what was already the best run defense in the NFL by drafting defensive end Cameron Heyward with the 31st pick. Heyward is a powerful athlete that can easily shred blocks and uses his large hands to do so quickly.
The Steelers went with a corner in the third and fourth rounds; Texas' Curtis Brown and The Citadel's Cortez Allen are fine athletic specimens that will work into roles on their new team.
I expect Pittsburgh to win the AFC North, but I want them to go no farther than the AFC championship.
Heck, what's the use? We'll probably see the Steelers in the big game again.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)
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Michael Vick, the NFL Comeback Player of the Year, will be an Eagle once the lockout expires. Philadelphia placed a franchise tag on the shifty quarterback earlier in the year, sealing Kevin Kolb's fate as either a backup to Vick or a starter for another team.
DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick are the perfect football couple and I look forward to seeing these two hook up plenty of times in 2011, and with the addition of offensive guard Danny Watkins and tailback Dion Lewis, an already-explosive offense just got better.
The Eagles had an average defense in 2010 that did its job well enough to make the playoffs. After drafting corner Curtis Marsh and inside linebacker Casey Matthews, (little brother to Green Bay's Clay Matthews) the defense has nowhere to go but up.
2. New England Patriots (14-2)
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This is a given.
The Patriots return the league's Offensive Player of the Year in Tom Brady, a young yet athletic defense that progressed throughout the season and a head coach with five Super Bowl rings (two as the defensive coordinator for the Giants).
Brady led the league's highest-scoring offense (33.7 points per game) to a 14-win season and broke the NFL record of consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception with 335. He could not get into the AFC title game, however, faltering to Rex Ryan's Jets.
Now, it's personal with the Patriots.
New England had a head-scratching draft, which included drafting two running backs, a tight end and quarterback Ryan Mallett. Backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead are coming off of a stellar season, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are two very young and talented tight ends that had outstanding performances last year, and hello? Ryan Mallett?
I guess Brady could use a decent backup with a bad image and thug-like attitude. If anything, the Patriots needed some extra help in the secondary, or a threat downfield on offense.
Nonetheless, it's hard to see the Patriots not winning a ton of games this year, and I anticipate another Super Bowl appearance from Bill Belichick's squad.
1. Atlanta Falcons (13-3)
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And finally, the best for last.
Hotlanta won 13 games in 2010, its best season since 1998. Quarterback Matt Ryan had an excellent sophomore year, passing for 3,705 yards and 28 touchdowns.
After a 48-21 embarrassment at the hands of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in the divisional playoffs, the Falcons will be carrying that bad taste into the 2011 season.
The Falcons traded up for the sixth pick in the draft to pick up wide receiver Julio Jones from Alabama. Jones caught 78 balls for 1,133 yards and seven scores in 2010, and is an outstanding vertical threat. Combine this with Atlanta's No. 1 wideout in Roddy White, who handled his way to 115 receptions and 10 end-zone breaches last season, and future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez and you've got yourself one scary-looking pass attack.
But we're not done here.
Michael Turner, the bruising halfback in Atlanta's backfield, who rushed for 1,300-plus yards and 12 scores last year, will have a "little buddy" to hang out with.
The Falcons selected Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers, a 5'5" slot-back in the fifth round. Rodgers is a highly effective, dangerous athlete who is extremely competitive. Despite his size, he gets a lot of YAC (yards after contact) and never backs down. Rodgers will find a way to get on the field, and I wouldn't be surprised if he squeaks a few points on the scoreboard.
The downfall to Atlanta is its pass defense, which ranked 22nd in the NFL in 2010. It did little to help its cause in the draft, but I'm sure there will be a few offseason changes and pick-ups once the lockout is lifted (once again, if that happens).
Offense may sell the tickets, but in this case, it will be multitasking. I foresee a championship for the city of Atlanta in February of 2012.
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