Agentj's Week 1 NFL Power Rankings

Haven’t you seen ESPN??? The raiders and chiefs are way better than the broncos…lol. I’m pretty high on the packers as well.

The Vikings look incredibly vulnerable with Favre’s health. If he gets knocked out of the lineup the Vikings aren’t a top 10 team.

If Brees, Manning, Rodgers, Rivers, or Brady get hurt are there teams top 10?

I realize that a lot has been made of Brett’s ankle. I haven’t seen it affect his pre-season play. But the media has put it out there as an issue. But I will take the Vikings defense against the Packers defense. Many are impressed with the Packers offense. Me too. But they are really hurting at LB and DBs. If defense wins championships you have them rated to high.

Here’s my top 10.

1. Saints (I always think defending champ should be #1 headed into season until proven otherwise)
2. Packers
3. Chargers (As much as it pains me)
4. Vikings
5. Colts (I think this is the year they fall off a little bit)
6. Broncos (Why, because I love them)
7. Jets (I still am not buying their greatness yet. Offense leaves a lot to be desired)
8. Titans (They will be dangerous)
9. Ravens (Yikes the secondary)
10. Bengals (T.O. and Ocho get along, for now)

1. Saints
2. Packers
3. Colts
4. Jets
5. Vikings
6. Ravens
7. Bengals
8. Texans
9. Patriots
10. 49ers
12. Broncos (Tied with the Chargers as I think the Broncos are on the upward path)
12. Chargers (may have had a better record last year but I think they are on the decline)
13. Cowboys
14. Titans
15. Eagles

It will be interesting to see how the Texans do this year. Their offense is one of the best in the league and they should have a good running game this year too. If their D is good, then yeah I could see them doing some damage.

Teams I think you have ranked too high: 49ers (still have tons of QB questions), Eagles (waaay too young and again questionable at QB), Lions (they’re still the Lions).

Teams I think you have ranked too low: Cowboys (should be a top 5 team imo), Bengals (good team in virtually all positions, should be even better on D this year), Falcons (should have a much better D as well), Giants (they’re not as bad as everyone is saying), Steelers (still the Steelers, definatly better than teams like the Bears, Jags, Panthers, etc.), Raiders and Chiefs, sadly.

Instead of listing the teams in order from top to bottom, I have two lists: Most overrated, and most underrated.

Most Overrated Teams:

The Ravens: Yeah, they have found an offense, I won’t argue there. The problem is their defense, which was exposed last year. The Ravens D is suffering from a combination of age and mediocrity. Can the O score enough points to make up? I have my doubts.

The Jets. Yes, they have a good D. Yes, they have the RB that I wish we had drafted. Beyond that, does anyone really remember how much they stunk for most of last season? If Sanchez makes tremendous progress, they might be good. I have my doubts about Sanchez, though, and will be surprised if he can stay healthy.

The Cowboys. Talent wise, I just don’t see them as an elite team. I also see signs of dysfunction developing on both sides of the ball. I do expect them to challenge for the NFC East title, but I am not one of those who sees the NFC East as an elite division.

The Colts. Yes, Manning is still behind center, but for the first time last year he looked human at times. Age eventually catches up with everyone, and if PM declines, so will the Colts.

The Patriots. If ever a team was riding on reputation rather than talent, it would be the Pats. I will be surprised if they get past Miami this year.

Most underrated teams:

The Bengals. Combine a stout defense, strong running game, and a Carson Palmer who finally looks healthy and has someone to throw to and you have a winning combination. Remember, they swept their division last year, and imho look stronger this year.

The Texans. Overall, this is a very solid team at every facet. Their big weakness in the past was getting past the Colts, but I believe that this is the year when they finally put that demon to rest.

The Lions. No, I don’t expect to see them in the post season, but I do expect them to move up into the middle of the pack. Their defense is much improved, and I see signs of life on offense. I fully expect them to move past Chicago, and be competitive most weeks.

The Redskins. The Skins lost most of their games last year by 3 points or less, and that was with a horrible offense. Their defense is smothering, and Shanahan’s offense will make a huge difference. This could be the most improved team in the league, and I would not be surprised if they take the NFC East.

The Chiefs. KC has made progress in their rebuilding project, with an infusion of talent on both sides of the ball. If (as I expect) the Chargers stumble this year, it will come down to KC and Denver to decide the division winner.

I think your assessment of the Broncos is pretty accurate. It’s just tinted with enough orange to pass MHR muster, but realistic enough that you retain credibility. Good work!

I think you are overrating a weak offensive team in the Jets, and I think the Texans are to inconsistent to be true contenders. I’d also move the Giants up, Manning had a fantastic season last season, and showed he could lead the team himself with the running game a mess. With both backs returning, it comes down to line play, and while they might struggle early, they have some key players, as well as their coach, fighting for their jobs. Other then that, nice list.

is that having the Jets at the low end of the top ten is considered rating them ‘fairly’. There has been no greater case to be made for the east-coast (particularly NY) bias in sports reporting than this offseason. The Jets finally win a couple playoff games and now they’re Super Bowl contenders? Give me a break. Sure, they finished strong, but that doesn’t change the fact that they still didn’t have a winning record in the regular season and their top player missed the whole of camp and the preseason.

But take it from a Broncos fan in Raiders coutntry, Jason Campbell is not a good QB. He struggles to make it through his progressions and rarely finds the open receiver. There is a reason why the Redskins dumped him. It just doesn’t seem like the game has ever slowed down for him. He may be an upgrade over the Hut, but so would a jar of mayonnaise. I honestly can’t figure why the MSM thinks the Raiders, and even the Chiefs, are going to be so much improved this year.