Ranking the Best Offenses in the NFL Next Year
With baseball the only major sport left to watch this summer, many sports fans are starting to shift their focus to the NFL.
There haven't been many transactions during this offseason so far thanks to the lockout, and as a result, it's pretty easy to examine the best offenses.
Here are predictions for where each NFL team will rank in offense, as determined by yards per game. Teams are listed where they ended up in last season’s rankings.
32. Carolina Panthers, Last Year: 32, This Year: 27
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The Panthers were by far the worst team in the NFL last year.
Their offense finished last in points per game and yards per game. Jimmy Clausen was drafted to fill the void left by Jake Delhomme's departure, but Panther fans were left disappointed when Clausen never lived up to expectations.
Clausen finished the season 31st in the league in passing yards, threw just three touchdowns, and had a horrendous 58.4 passer rating.
New coach Ron Rivera has given fans some hope, and don’t forget about Cam Newton. Many analysts think Newton isn’t a traditional quarterback, but his athleticism and physical strength makes him a constant threat to defenses.
With a target like Steve Smith, Newton will get into the swing of things right away. Also, running back Jonathan Stewart will make defenses think twice before bringing more men in the box.
31. Arizona Cardinals, Last Year: 31, This Year: 30
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The Cardinals were a disappointment this year, and there isn’t a lot of upside for the team in terms of offense.
They don’t have a go-to running back, because Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells have both failed to live up to expectations.
Their quarterback situation is a mess. Max Hall may be a promising alternative, but he didn’t show signs of it last year with a 62.3 passer rating. In his brief playing time, Hall threw two touchdowns and two interceptions.
30. Chicago Bears, Last Year: 30, This Year: 26
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Jay Cutler is only 28, and still has the potential to become a great quarterback.
Running back Matt Forte had an off year last season, but he showed signs of why he was considered elite near the end of the year.
The Bears' wide receivers aren’t special, but Greg Olsen is one of the best tight ends in the game today.
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29. Cleveland Browns, Last Year: 29, This Year: 29
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Peyton Hills shocked the world last year with his production, but don’t expect that to happen this season. Teams will be more prepared when it comes to stopping the run because quarterback Colt McCoy still has trouble under pressure.
Making matters worse, McCoy doesn’t have too many options to throw to, except for maybe Mohamed Massaquoi.
28. Seattle Seahawks, Last Year: 28, This Year: 32.
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With quarterback Matt Hasselback possibly leaving the team, the Seahawks are in a bind. Charlie Whitehurst is not a good quarterback, and the running game is only decent.
Last year, other NFL teams averaged 313 first downs throughout the season. The Seahawks had 260.
27. Tennessee Titans, Last Year: 27, This Year: 28
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The Titans picked up quarterback Jake Locker in April's draft. Locker has huge potential, but trusting a rookie quarterback to start can lead to some problems.
Chris Johnson, believes Locker will be the starting quarterback, but there hasn't been any kind of formal announcement from Tennessee management.
If Kerry Collins starts at quarterback on opening day, it won’t be a good sign. Last year, the player with the most receptions on the team was Chris Johnson, with only 44. The Titans don’t have any dangerous receivers, which is why teams can crowd the line, making it impossible for Chris Johnson to gain yards.
26. Saint Louis Rams, Last Year: 26, This Year: 23
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Quarterback Sam Bradford showed signs last year of why he was the number one overall pick.
The Rams were one game away from making the playoffs, and adding wide receiver Greg Salas to the mix makes them an even bigger threat. Stephen Jackson is always consistent, and is still considered one of the best running backs in the game.
25. Buffalo Bills, Last Year: 25, This Year: 31
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The quarterback situation doesn’t look good in Buffalo. Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn't have what it takes to be an elite quarterback, and Buffalo's wide receivers drop a lot of passes.
C.J. Spiller can provide running yards, but he has a history of injuries, so don’t expect him to play the whole year.
24. San Francisco 49ers, Last Year: 24, This Year: 22
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Although quarterback Alex Smith is starting to show signs that he might turn out well after all,, the team has no running game.
Frank Gore is getting old, and so is Brian Westbrook. The team does have some good receivers, and Vernon Davis is one of the best tight ends in the game. This could be wide receiver Michael Crabtree's breakout year.
23. Minnesota Vikings, Last Year: 23, This Year: 24
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The Vikings have a great running game, with Adrian Peterson taking the heavy load and Toby Gerhart coming in for goal line situations.
Unfortunately, if Joe Webb is Minnesota's starting quarterback, there are going to be some problems. Percy Harvin will eventually be one of the best receivers in the league, but Joe Webb is a run-first quarterback, which has never translated to NFL success.
22. Baltimore Ravens, Last Year: 22, This Year: 25
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The Ravens have a pretty good offense, but running back Ray Rice can’t handle all the reps he’s getting.
Joe Flacco needs to step it up with the wide receivers he’s been blessed with. With a target like Anquan Boldin, Flacco should be doing more, but it looks like this won’t happen.
The Ravens will do what they always do—rely on defense.
21. Miami Dolphins, Last Year: 21, This Year: 20
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Quarterback Chad Henne isn’t looking as bad as he used to. It certainly helps when wide receiver Brandon Marshall is there, and running back Ronnie Brown forces defenses to put more men in the box.
20. Cincinnati Bengals, Last Year: 20, This Year: 18
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The addition of wide receiver A.J. Green adds to an already-stacked receiving corps. I think Carson Palmer will be back, and Cedric Benson is consistent and reliable.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Last Year: 19, This Year: 14
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The Buccaneers have a serious chance of making a playoff push next year. Josh Freeman is one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, and LeGarette Blount and Cadillac Williams are two running backs that shouldn’t be messed with.
Kellen Winslow is coming off one of his best seasons so far, and Arrelious Benn is an up and coming wide receiver.
18. Washington Redskins, Last Year: 18, This Year: 21
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The Redskins' situation is sort of a mess right now, and they haven't made any offensive improvements.
Mike Shanahan doesn’t know who the starting quarterback will be yet, even though it should be Donovan McNabb.
Santana Moss is the Redskins only go-to receiver, and while running back Ryan Torain is coming off a great year, don't expect him to repeat that performance.
17. Detroit Lions, Last Year: 17, This Year: 15
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It looks like Detroit might finally have an NFL team to root for this year.
The Lions made a lot of improvements over the last two years by picking up young talent in the draft. With a healthy Matt Stafford at quarterback and speedy Jahvid Best running the ball, this offense could be great.
Best only had 555 yards last season, but if he avoids injuries he could go for a lot more. Wide receiver Calvin Johnson has the best hands in the game.
16. Atlanta Falcons, Last Year: 16, This Year: 10
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The Falcons are going to be stacked next year.
Picking wide receiver Julio Jones in the draft was a great decision, despite giving up as many picks as they did to get him. Quarterback Matt Ryan is improving every year, and last year he threw for 29 touchdowns and just nine interceptions.
Drafting Jones also helps wide receiver Roddy White, because with another solid receiver on the field he won’t be double teamed as much.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars, Last Year: 15, This Year: 19
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Wide receiver Mike Thomas had a great year, coming up with 66 receptions and 820 yards. Look for that production to continue, but quarterback David Garrard is on the decline.
Running back Maurice Jones-Drew is great, but he can’t carry the load all by himself.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers, Last Year: 14, This Year: 17
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The Steelers are aging. Wide receiver Hines Ward is on the brink of retirement, and Mike Wallace is one of the only receivers Ben Roethlisberger can throw to. Rashard Mendenhall is a solid running back.
The Steelers' offense philosophy is get the lead and run the ball. If they have trouble getting into the lead next year, the weaknesses in their passing game will be exposed.
13. Denver Broncos, Last Year: 13, This Year: 16
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Quarterback Tim Tebow is overrated. Some games he shows brilliance, but in others he looks lost.
Tebow is a good running quarterback, but not a good passer. Last year he threw for five touchdowns and three interceptions, with only a 50 percent completion rate.
12. Kansas City Chiefs, Last Year: 12, This Year: 13
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The Chiefs picked up wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin, but Matt Cassel looked shaky in their 30-7 playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, throwing for just 70 yards and three interceptions.
Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones are a good one-two punch, but the Chiefs need receivers.
11. New York Jets, Last Year: 11, This Year: 12
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The Jets had some players who weren’t expected to perform turn out great years. LaDainian Tomlinson lead the team in rushing, and Mark Sanchez had a better year than many critics expected him to.
Unfortunately, some of the players the Jets were banking on to produce didn’t pan out. Running back Shonn Greene will have to do better than 766 yards this year. He should be in the area of 1,200 or more. Also, wide receiver Santonio Holmes will have more than 746 yards next year. On the other hand, the aging Tomlinson probably won't play as well as he did last year.
10. Oakland Raiders, Last Year: 10, This Year: 7
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The Oakland Raiders have great running backs, relying on a core of Michael Bush and Darren McFadden. McFadden has the tools to become great.
Quarterback Jason Campbell is underrated. Campbell has shifted around the league a lot, making it hard for him to adjust to offensive schemes, but staying in the same offense in Oakland for another year will be a huge help. This consistency could help make the Raiders a legitimate playoff threat.
9. Green Bay Packers, Last Year: 9, This Year: 1
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The Packers are the best overall team in football, and they showed it last year by winning the Super Bowl.
Passing isn’t the only weapon in the Packers' arsenal, as fans saw in the playoffs. Look for James Starks to have a breakout year. There are so many options for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, it’s silly. Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and Jordy Nelson have all proven themselves as playmakers.
8. New England Patriots, Last Year: 8, This Year: 8
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The Patriots are always going to in the playoff hunt, but this year things might change.
Quarterback Tom Brady had an incredible year, throwing 36 touchdowns and only four interceptions, but I don’t think he can top that. Brady has no receivers to throw to. Running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead are only average.
7. Dallas Cowboys, Last Year: 7, This Year: 11
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The Cowboys have a great team on paper, but that doesn’t always amount to wins. They have three running backs who could start for almost any team (Felix Jones, Marion Barber, and Tashard Choice), but they lack receivers. Miles Austin is quick, making him a deep threat, but he's afraid to go into the middle of the field.
6. New Orleans Saints, Last Year: 6, This Year: 2
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Drafting Mark Ingram was one of the best things the Saints could do this offseason. They needed a power runner to compliment Reggie Bush, and Ingram is the perfect fit. Drew Brees is always a solid quarterback, and Robert Meachem and Marques Colston will have breakout years at receiver.
5. New York Giants, Last Year: 5, This Year: 9
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The Giants have great receivers, with Hakeem Nicks leading the way with 1,052 receiving yards last year and Mario Manningham finishing with 944.
However, the Giants' running game is very inconsistent.
4. Indianapolis Colts, Last Year: 4, This Year: 4
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It seems like Peyton Manning will always be great, and another year won't change that. At 35 years old, Manning threw for 33 touchdowns.
Wide receivers Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon are very good, but the Colts need to improve their rushing attack, and Joseph Addai won’t cut it.
3. Houston Texans, Last Year: 3, This Year: 3
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Every year, it seems like the Houston Texans have the worst luck. They play a lot of close games, but always seem to come up short.
This year, the tide will turn, and the Texans will make the playoffs. Running back Arian Foster had a monster year last season, leading the league in rushing. If the Texans can add another wide receiver to compliment Andre Johnson, they can be a serious contender.
2. Philadelphia Eagles, Last Year: 2, This Year: 6
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Now that teams can game plan for Michael Vick, it might be a little harder for him to return to his MVP performances from last year.
Running back LeSean McCoy can be an above-average running back, but Andy Reid is a pass-first coach.
1. San Diego Chargers, Last Year: 1, This Year: 5
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The Chargers consistently have one of the best offenses in the NFL, year after year. Quarterback Philip Rivers had a good year despite not having elite receivers to throw to, and running back Ryan Matthews showed why there was a lot of hype surrounding his rookie season.
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