NFL Power Rankings Week 1: 5 Bottom Feeders Due for a Boost in Rankings

Thank goodness the NFL doesn't use a rankings system akin to the one used in college football. That would be a complete mess.

But power rankings? Those are okay. They don't mean anything, but they allow fans of the NFL to have all the same arguments that college football fans get to have every time new rankings are released.

Because, you know, why should they have all the fun?

The idea is the same. If a team loses and/or performs poorly, it moves down. If a team wins and/or performs well, it gets to move up.

You probably know the drill. In fact, you're probably going to look at my rankings, notice your favorite team is too low and then give me guff for it in the comments section.

But fear not. There are five teams in particular that I think are going to be on their way up after this weekend, and one of them just might be your favorite team.

Behold.

San Francisco 49ers (No. 29)

I decided to stash the 49ers at No. 29 in my final preseason rankings because they are just plain awful. Not quite the most awful team in the league, but awful all the same.

The good news is that the Niners get to open up at home against the Seattle Seahawks, a team that is very nearly as awful as they are. I'm not so sure the 49ers have any advantages over the Seahawks, but the fact that they're the home team gives them the natural edge.

So, in other words, the Niners should be able to start 1-0. A win over the Seahawks obviously won't elevate them to the Top 10, but it should be good enough to move the 49ers up a few spots.

Miami Dolphins (No. 24)

The Dolphins are the only team on this short little list that I think has no shot whatsoever of actually winning in Week 1. That's because they're playing the New England Patriots, which is more or less an automatic loss.

The bright side of losing to the Patriots is that I'm just not so sure I'm going to be able to hold it against the Dolphins. They're going to be 0-1, but their 0-1 is going to be worth a little more. Because of that, I have a feeling they're going to move up from No. 24.

They'll basically be the king of the 0-1 teams, which is nice.

Cleveland Browns (No. 26)

I actually think the Browns have a chance to surprise people this season. But because I need to see it before I can believe it, I decided to put them at No. 26.

I'll admit, it's probably lower than the Browns deserve. But because they're opening the season against the Cincinnati Bengals, I figure it's no big deal. The Browns may not be the best team in the league, but they're certainly capable of beating a team like the lowly Bengals.

When they do, the Browns might just be able to crack the Top 20 depending on how well they play and which teams around them lose.

Oakland Raiders (No. 20)

Some people have the Raiders lower than I do. Others have them higher. I decided to go for the happy medium.

As a Raider fan, it killed me to do it. But just like the Browns, I need to actually see it from the Raiders before I believe it.

Luckily, I'll be seeing it very soon. The Raiders are going to open up against the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium. Last time they were there, the Raiders ran all over the Broncos and scored a franchise-record 59 points.

I'm not so sure another 59-point outburst is in the cards, but I do think the Raiders will run all over the Broncos again. When they do, they'll get a boost in the rankings, possibly as high as the Top 15. 

Arizona Cardinals (No. 18)

The Cardinals are my pick to win the NFC West this year. That said, they are far from being one of the elite teams in the league.

But in Week 1, the Cardinals are probably going to look like they are. They get to host the Carolina Panthers, who I think are (still) the worst team in the NFL.

The betting line has the Cardinals favored by seven points. I think that's actually a little conservative. It's not going to be close, and the Cardinals will shoot up the rankings as a result.

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