NFL Power Rankings: Which Teams Are Already in Andrew Luck Lottery?

The 2011 NFL season, whether people want to admit it or not, is one that comes with two ending prizes. 

One, of course, goes to the Super Bowl winner in February. Some of you might know that as the Vince Lombardi Trophy. I apologize for having to play "Captain Obvious" there for a second.

The second prize is one that many think can drastically increase the chance that lucky franchise has of attaining the first.

That prize is Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.

Many have compared Luck to Colts quarterback Peyton Manning coming out of college, with some, including our own Matt Miller, postulating that Luck is a better overall prospect at this point than Manning was at Tennessee. Manning was drafted No. 1 overall by the Colts in 1998 and—here comes Captain Obvious again—went on to become not only one of the very best quarterbacks of this generation, but of all time.  

Luck isn't even guaranteed to come out after this season, but most have assumed that this will be Luck's last season at Stanford. If that's the case, there will be several teams in the running for the No. 1 pick who could, and likely should, take Luck. 

Based on what we've seen early on, here's the list of teams who could finish with the worst record, thus attaining the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL draft:

Seattle Seahawks

I struggle to see the wisdom in the decision of both coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider to sign and start quarterback Tarvaris Jackson. His track record in Minnesota was pretty well laid out and it's unclear what they saw on film to think he could lead a team better than Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle. 

In the end, that decision will cost the Seahawks any chance at going back to the playoffs. The offense, even with Robert Gallery and Sidney Rice, will be among the worst in the league. It all starts at quarterback, and the Seahawks simply don't have one. They'll be right in the running for Luck by the end of the year. 

Kansas City Chiefs

I'm not sure there was a team that looked worse in Week 1 than the Chiefs. Getting blown out at home, 41-7, to a team that won just four games the year before is incomprehensible. This is an organization that won 10 games and the AFC West just a year ago.

Now, the Chiefs are looking at some pretty obvious holes on both sides of the ball. There's no pass rush, and the secondary was shredded by Ryan Fitzpatrick. On offense, I'm not sure Matt Cassel is the answer long-term.

That should keep the Chiefs in the low rungs of the league potentially, but they'll have the best chance of anyone on this list to turn things around.  

Cleveland Browns

I don't think I am in the minority when I say the Browns Week 1 loss to the Bengals was disappointing. This looked like a team that could potentially be on the rise, but they took a big step back Sunday.

They are a team that lacks the talent on offense to compete most weekends. But would they take Luck if they "earned" the opportunity next April?

Indianapolis Colts

Without Manning for a good chunk of this season, the Colts are in obvious trouble. Kerry Collins doesn't look like he should get through the year and the team simply doesn't have any alternatives. 

There is still talent in the receiving corps and on the defensive side of the ball, but the Colts are going to struggle to keep their head above water. Could you imagine this franchise going from Manning to Luck, with one terrible season sandwiched in the middle?

Denver Broncos

The last thing the Broncos need is another quarterback thrown on the carousel, but Denver suffered through a rough start to their 2011 season at home against the Raiders. Kyle Orton was booed in the home opener, and the fans were chanting for Tim Tebow. That kind of response can divide a locker room.

John Fox will likely suffer some bumps and bruises in his first season. But would he pull the trigger on the game's ultimate band-aid in Luck?

Full Week 2 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (1-0)	17. St. Louis Rams (0-1)
2. New England Patriots (1-0)	18. Washington Redskins (1-0)
3. Baltimore Ravens (1-0)	19. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0)
4. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)	20. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)
5. New York Jets (1-0)	21. New York Giants (0-1)
6. New Orleans Saints (0-1)	22. Oakland Raiders (1-0)
7. Chicago Bears (1-0)	23. Miami Dolphins (0-1)
8. San Diego Chargers (1-0)	24. Minnesota Vikings (0-1)
9. Houston Texans (1-0)	25. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1)	26. Carolina Panthers (0-1)
11. Atlanta Falcons (0-1)	27. Tennessee Titans (0-1)
12. Detroit Lions (1-0)	28. Denver Broncos (0-1)
13. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)	29. Seattle Seahawks (0-1)
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)	30. Indianapolis Colts (0-1)
15. Buffalo Bills (1-0)	31. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)
16. Arizona Cardinals (1-0)	32. Cleveland Browns (0-1)