Do you hear that? The NFL season is right at our doorstep once again. Put on your favorite jersey, claim your spot on the couch and stock up on snacks because it’s time to see who will rise, and fall, on their way to Super Bowl XLIX in Arizona for the 2014-15 NFL season.
Listed below are pre-preseason rankings of your favorite teams, finishing with the top 10 teams in the league. Yes since the preseason is only a day old, time will tell, teams will move and soon we will see who can become contenders, or pretenders. And who doesn’t love early power rankings?
Before the reigning-champion Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers kick off the regular season on Sept. 4, check up on how the league looks after an eventful offseason. In case you missed it, click here for rankings 32-21 and 20-11.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers
The top dogs of the AFC North for years, the Steelers will be in a tight race with the Bengals all season long for the division crown. Their schedule doesn’t look too bad, considering they could win their division and go through the AFC South with little ease (but perhaps falter with home games against the Colts, Ravens and Saints) later down the road when one slip up could doom them. Ben Roethlisberger can go as far as his team can take him, and they’re my pick to win the AFC North once again.
9. Chicago Bears
We can harp on Jay Cutler all we want, but the Bears are built to win. Brandon Marshall, Matt Forte and Ka’Deem Carey is scary (look up his highlights on YouTube. He gave us Duck fans fits during his time at Arizona). On the defensive side, they managed to pry away Jared Allen from the Vikings to go with Will Sutton, Kyle Fuller and betting on Charles Tillman to stay healthy. With all that, you’ve got a nasty Bears team that no one will want to play.
8. Philadelphia Eagles
Chip Kelly’s high-flying Eagles were the NFL darlings last year; imagine what good they can do in only their second season? I try to convince myself that Nick Foles got lucky, going an insane 27 touchdowns to 2 interceptions but Kelly’s offense is built for him. Run wild in a wide-open, fast-paced offense and the Eagles are sitting pretty. Adding LeSean McCoy to boot and the NFC East crown is heavily favored to side with Philly.
7. Indianapolis Colts
All I’m going to have to say about the Colts is Andrew Luck. We know he can get this team to score a lot of points, fairly easily. Reggie Wayne is coming back healthy and their schedule is looking like a breeze. They end the season with Jacksonville, Washington, at Cleveland, Houston, at Dallas and at Tennessee. We could be looking at a six-game winning streak heading into the playoffs.
6. Green Bay Packers
Injuries hurt the Packers last season, and then Colin Kaepernick came in and shredded them once again. The Packers are always going to be favorites to reach the Super Bowl, and if they can stay healthy, there are plenty of reasons to think that. Their schedule is not going to be easy: they start the road off in Seattle and then face the likes of New England, Chicago (twice), New Orleans and Philadelphia. Claiming the North from Chicago or even a wild-card berth will be a job well done. From there, cheeseheads are more likely hoping to not see San Francisco once again.
5. New Orleans Saints
Life is easy in the Big Easy. Drew Brees is easily a Top-5 or even Top-3 quarterback in the league and will have another monster season. He has Jimmy Graham staying around and Sean Payton always has something up his sleeve. Expect nothing but W’s when the Saints come rolling in, they will slice through their division and into the playoffs.
4. Denver Broncos
Trying to reclaim some glory after a horrendous display in the Super Bowl, Peyton Manning’s Broncos will start the year off in trouble: Indianapolis, Kansas City, at Seattle, an early bye and then Arizona with San Francisco and New England later on. That Week 4 bye comes mighty early, with no rest till the playoffs, we can only hope that Manning’s body holds up to the wear-and-tear but he should be okay. Denver is still the team to beat in the AFC West.
3. New England Patriots
I don’t need to go into much detail, because everyone knows the Patriots are a top team yet again. Their first 11-games can turn out to be cake-walks, and getting Rob Gronkowski healthy for an entire season is bringing a twinkle to Tom Brady’s eyes. New England was a play or two away from reaching the Super Bowl; don’t we all expect they will be in the same position to do it again this year?
2. San Francisco 49ers
I’m getting nervous that my 49ers’ championship window is closing. Fans are getting antsy after being so close to winning it all two years ago and 15 yards away from a repeating Super Bowl apperance last season. Now it just might just be a win-it-all or bust attitude, and Jim Harbaugh’s era might be over if they bust. Colin Kaepernick again has the controls to be an elite quarterback and will have Michael Crabtree healthy, Vernon Davis, Anquan Boldin and Frank Gore all battle-tested. That stiffing defense will probably take a hit with Aldon Smith and NaVorro Bowman out for some time but the offense should be enough to carry them. The 49ers will rely on Kap to produce more than ever before, he has the weapons around him and the experience, so the 49ers are my pick to win Super Bowl XLIX.
1. Seattle Seahawks
As much as it pains me to give the Seahawks the top spot, being the reigning-champions give them the right to be here. The Seahawks are terrifying on both ends of the field, but going for a Super Bowl repeat is very difficult. Russell Wilson will continue to amaze, as well the “Legion of Doom” headlined by Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor. No one wants to go to Seattle, no one wants to play Seattle but everyone will give their best effort to beat the champs. The Seahawks are the best team in the NFL, and they deserve to be at the top spot.
