NFL POWER RANKINGS | NFL Football | July 27, 2010

By Don Banks
July 27, 2010

When you do your first set of NFL power rankings as training camps open, the tendency is to make it an exercise in looking backward, at the season that wrapped up almost six months ago. After all, what else do we have to judge by other than the most recent games and results?

But of course that's all wrong. At this time of year we should be looking forward, and trying to figure out where the NFL landscape has changed without any games -- other than the hiring, firing and personnel acquisition kind -- having been played.

So here's an early attempt to divine the relative strengths and weaknesses of teams as they report to camp, and keep in mind these aren't predictions of what will be in 2010 as much as they're a snapshot of where I perceive teams are right now in late July. As always, your results may vary. Of that I'm sure. (2009 records in parentheses.)

NFL Pre-Training Camp Power Rankings

1

New York Jets (2009 record: 9-7)

Normally I'm not the type to buy the hype, but with the Jets so clearly going all-in when it comes to their 2010 season, why not play along and add to the self-created pressure on which Rex Ryan and his players seem to thrive? Let's see if they thrive on it this year. That'll be the tricky part. Handling all the Super Bowl expectations that come with a roster built to win -- and win big -- now. Of this much we are certain: After the offseason personnel spree they went on, the Jets mercifully can't trot out that tired no respect/underdog spiel they rode so far last season.

2

New Orleans Saints (13-3)

If I had to, I could probably come up with some very cogent reasons why the Saints will never duplicate their success of 2009 as defending Super Bowl champions. For starters, few teams repeat these days. But there was nothing all that fluky about the Saints winning last season, so I don't see them suffering anything resembling the classic post-Super swoon. As camp convenes, I believe there's not a more confident squad in the league than Sean Payton's club, and I think New Orleans is going to ride that wave for quite a while longer.

3

Baltimore Ravens (9-7)

I liked almost everything about the Ravens offseason, from Anquan Boldin signing in March to Marc Bulger signing in June as a potentially shrewd insurance policy on the health of Joe Flacco. But what really has caught my ear is the sense of urgency that prevails on Baltimore's roster. It's a hungry team, with an intriguing blend of youth and experience in almost all of the right spots. Bigger things are in store this year for the Ravens than just the AFC's sixth seed in the playoffs and another January road trip.

4

Indianapolis Colts (14-2)

I can hear the Colts fans now: How can the Jets and Ravens, two teams Indy beat soundly in the AFC playoffs in January, start this season ranked ahead of the defending AFC champs? It's a fair point, and yes, I did see both of those games, thanks for asking. All I can say is that was then and this is now. The Colts' Super Bowl window isn't closed, so let's not overreact. And I'm not making the same mistake I made last preseason, believing that Indy would finally miss the playoffs. But I don't see where the Colts really improved this offseason, and the status quo can sometimes be the enemy in the NFL.

5

Green Bay Packers (11-5)

I like the Packers and I like them a lot, even though I strangely don't hear a ton of optimism coming from the Cheesehead fans I live amongst these days in Madison. True, there's not enough pass rush on hand and the age and health of Green Bay's cornerbacks is worrisome. But if the Pack can protect Aaron Rodgers, this team is going to score enough to overcome a lot of its issues. As the Saints proved last season, a high-scoring offense and opportunistic defense can earn you a parade.

6

San Diego Chargers (13-3)

Can't see the Broncos, Raiders or Chiefs making the Chargers sweat out the division title and that means San Diego will be back knocking on the door again in January. For all its talent, this is a team that needs to grow some guts in the playoffs, because the Bolts can't be wasting 11-game winning streaks against a lesser opponent like last year's 9-7 Jets. I'm looking for big things from rookie running back Ryan Mathews in San Diego, and it says here he'll produce from day one.

7

Minnesota Vikings (12-4)

Brad Childress's team has improved by two wins in each of the past three seasons, but that's an impressive trend that's about to end. The Vikings with Brett Favre back under center will again be capable of beating anyone. But I detect the balance of power in the NFC North shifting east toward Green Bay.

8

Dallas Cowboys (11-5)

If you're a Cowboys fan, you'd better hope Wade Phillips's guys don't get all caught up in the chatter about Dallas trying to become the first team to play a Super Bowl on its home field. Don't go there until its time to hoist the NFC title trophy. They'll be plenty of time to beat that topic to death after that. The Cowboys only concern should be building on last year's success, and popping in a tape of that playoff meltdown at Minnesota should be all the motivation they need.

9

Atlanta Falcons (9-7)

I wasn't surprised the Falcons look a step back last season after their big 2008, but I'm equally convinced the pieces are back in place for a rebound playoff run this year. Atlanta plays New Orleans very tough, and with a sense of health restored this year, the Falcons have the kind of talented roster that could cause a lot of problems for the defending champs in the NFC South.

10

New England Patriots (10-6)

The days of the vaunted Patriots being able to win six or seven games a year just by throwing their Flying Elvis-festooned helmets on the field are over. Perhaps they've never really been the same since the Giants peeled back the green curtain on them in the Super Bowl a few years back. But swagger or no swagger, the cupboard isn't exactly bare in New England. They've still got some playmakers, but the reality is they just don't do all the same little things that consistently added up to victory after victory.

11

Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)

Some of the same folks who for years said Andy Reid had to cut ties with Donovan McNabb are now saying the Eagles are headed for trouble with Kevin Kolb at quarterback. I don't see the sky falling in Philly just yet. Give the kid a chance to show us what he's learned the past three years. Aaron Rodgers, Matt Cassel, Tony Romo and Matt Moore performed pretty well after doing the watching and waiting thing.

12

Tennessee Titans (8-8)

I'm higher on the Titans than a lot of NFL power-ranking types, namely because I think their offense has a chance to be pretty potent if Vince Young can continue to develop his rapport with some of the team's young pass catchers. This isn't the defense Jeff Fisher has been known for throughout his career, but the best coaches find different ways to win in different years.

13

Arizona Cardinals (10-6)

I never seem to give the Cardinals their due, and putting the only NFC team to win a playoff game in each of the past two years at No. 13 is probably more of the same. But we all know this has a chance to be a different year in Arizona, with Kurt Warner retired and giving way to Matt Leinart at quarterback. But I'm not expecting Leinart to flounder this season, and even though I'll likely pick San Francisco to win the NFC West, Ken Whisenhunt's Cardinals have surprised us before.

14

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)

It's pretty obvious the Steelers start their year with some glaring question marks, and none will be more consequential than how they fare in the regular season's first four games without the suspended Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh had an identity problem last year, and Mike Tomlin is promising a return to Steelers football, meaning a physical running game and bruising defense. Sounds easier said than done, especially if Troy Polamalu can't stay healthier than he was in 2009.

15

San Francisco 49ers (8-8)

I'm not alone in expecting much more from the 49ers this season than last year's maddeningly inconsistent break-even record. San Francisco wasted a lot of good defense in 2009 and it can't happen again. But I think Alex Smith and the rest of the 49ers still-young offensive playmakers are ready to deliver if head coach Mike Singletary and offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye stay aggressive and don't pull the reins on the passing game.

16

Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)

The schedule gets a lot tougher the year after you were a surprise division winner, and there won't be any sneaking up on anyone this time around for Marvin Lewis's Bengals. Cincy seems ripe to take a small step back into 7-9, 8-8 territory, but so much depends on whether Carson Palmer and Co. can make anyone fear the Bengals passing game again?

17

Miami Dolphins (7-9)

I see where my colleague and fellow power-ranker, Peter King, had the Dolphins all the way up to sixth in his mid-May top-to-bottom assessment of the league, ahead of both the Jets and Patriots. That's too rich for me, but the Fish did have a quality offseason and should be better on both sides of the ball thanks to the addition of Karlos Dansby on defense and Brandon Marshall on offense. But we should know lots about the Dolphins early on, thanks to a schedule that includes at Minnesota and home against the Jets and Patriots in Weeks 2-4.

18

Houston Texans (9-7)

It would be a mistake to see the Texans as having arrived based on them winning their final four games last year to finally finish north of .500 for the first time in franchise history. There's a pretty slim difference between 9-7 and 7-9 in the NFL, and we still need to see Houston win a few big games when the pressure is on to believe that Gary Kubiak's team is moving into top-half-of-the-league territory to stay.

19

New York Giants (8-8)

Big year in the Big Apple for the G-Men. The new stadium might provide some juice, but if the same old Giants defense that surrendered 45, 41 and 44 points in its last three losses of 2009 shows up again, it'll be a Tom Coughlin death watch all season.

20

Carolina Panthers (8-8)

The Panthers always seem to surprise us with more wins than expected every other year and that means it's an up-arrow season in Charlotte if the trend holds. But Carolina behaved like a team in serious transition this offseason and that doesn't usually bode big things and playoff runs.

21

Denver Broncos (8-8)

Tebow-mania has sucked up all the oxygen in the Mile High City and made the Broncos a little difficult to read, but the story that will determine the outcome of the season is the state of Denver's defense. It was the shocker of the year for the first six weeks of 2009, and then it virtually disappeared. I don't like the chances of us seeing a significant rebound under newly elevated D-coordinator Don Martindale.

22

Washington Redskins (4-12)

When you get considerably more competent at both head coach and quarterback, you've got a chance to make a sizable jump in the standings. That's what Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb mean in the short term. But better still won't be enough to spell playoffs in the NFC East.

23

Jacksonville Jaguars (7-9)

Six games against the likes of the Colts, Titans and Texans is tough enough. Throw in having to tackle the NFC East and trips to Dallas and New York this season, and the math gets very challenging for Jack Del Rio's off-the-radar club.

24

Seattle Seahawks (5-11)

I'm convinced Pete Carroll will be better than his first two NFL head coaching incarnations, and I'm high on many of the Seahawks personnel moves this offseason (especially in the draft). So why is it I still have them in the mid-20s, which is the same as nowheres-ville in the NFL? Because getting Seattle back to respectability appears to be at least a two-year undertaking.

25

Oakland Raiders (5-11)

Tom Cable remains and JaMarcus Russell is gone, and that's a good step toward relevancy for the Raiders. If Jason Campbell can thrive under offensive coordinator Hue Jackson and rookie middle linebacker Rolando McClain adds instant impact, seeing Oakland finish .500 is no fantasy.

26

Chicago Bears (7-9)

So many things have to come together for the Bears to legitimately push the Packers and Vikings in the NFC North, and a fast start is almost mandatory given the pressures that rest on almost everyone in Chicago's organization this year. But at Dallas, home against Green Bay and at the Giants in Weeks 2-4 adds a degree of difficulty to the season's first month.

27

Detroit Lions (2-14)

There are quality building blocks coming together on defense -- safety Louis Delmas, linebacker DeAndre Levy, and now defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh -- and that's the kind of strength up the middle that can fuel a resurgence in Detroit. But the Lions' work won't be done overnight.

28

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-13)

The Bucs had a very solid top of their draft and I'm expecting Josh Freeman to flash a few more times than he did in the final two months of last season. That should equate to modest progress in Tampa Bay, where youth continues to be the predominant theme in every direction you look.

29

Kansas City Chiefs (4-12)

When I visit Chiefs camp late next week, I'm guessing Kansas City's second-year general manager Scott Pioli will tell me that season one of his rebuilding project was more challenging than he ever dreamed. But rookies Eric Berry and Dexter McCluster at least add some sizzle and real promise on each side of the ball.

30

Cleveland Browns (5-11)

I want to believe the Browns at least have a plan for the future with Mike Holmgren installed as football czar, but then I come back to that Jake Delhomme signing and my doubts about this team's direction remain largely unchanged.

31

Buffalo Bills (6-10)

Right here and now I'm willing to go on record and guarantee that Chan Gailey's feat of having never missed the NFL playoffs as a head coach will end in 2010. Then again, it has been 11 years since Gailey got the opportunity to put that streak on the line.

32

St. Louis Rams (1-15)

There's nothing in the NFL like the fresh hope of drafting a franchise quarterback, but as the Rams' Sam Bradford era begins, patience and pass protection should be the top two goals in St. Louis.

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