2013 Preseason
Football is almost here!!! In just a few weeks the regular season will be starting, but preseason can be exciting too! No the games don't count and star players don't get much playing time. But, it is an important step in settling roster competitions and testing how evolving and revamps offenses and defenses are really coming together. You can learn a lot watching the preseason, about individuals (especially all those drafted rookies), rosters, coaches, and the team as a whole. So it will be interesting to see how these preseason rankings will change in my Week 1 Power Rankings in a few weeks. But that's getting too far ahead, let's focus on the present: Hike!
Nipping at #10's heels: The Redskins, Giants, & Steelers
Last Week: --
Top Ranking: 10th (Preseason)
9. Baltimore Ravens
Last Week: 7th
Top Ranking: 5th (Pre-Free Agency)
Last Week: 9th
Top Ranking: 8th (Preseason)
7. Houston Texans
Last Week: 8th
Top Ranking: 7th (Preseason)
Last Week: 6th
Top Ranking: 6th (Pre-Draft, Preseason)
5. Atlanta Falcons
Last Week: 5th
Top Ranking: 3rd (Pre-Free Agency)
The defense had some turnaround this off-season - they wisely drafted two cornerbacks - but the overall the team is essentially the same team is was last year. Which was a pretty dang good team. But. While they stayed the same, their NFC competition got better. The Falcons will have to really to fight to maintain a spot in the Top 5.
Last Week: 2nd
Top Ranking: 1st (Pre-Free Agency)
Yes, it has been a crazy off-season for the Pats. The top five receivers last season were Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Lloyd, and Danny Woodhead. They're all gone. All of em. Traded, injured, released, and arrested. Luckily Gronkowski will be back eventually, Danny Amendola so far seems to be a serviceable replacement for Welker in the slot, and rookies Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce, (undrafted) Kembrell Thomkins, and Zac Sudfeld have all really stepped up in practices this off-season to such an extent that, while guaranteed a rocky start, this could be a truly explosive offense akin to the 2007 Patriots. Plus, the defense is in tact from last year and will continue to grow, especially with the additions of veteran Adrian Wilson and rookie Jamie Collins. And then you have Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. The Pats will still have double digit wins and take the division. They're only valued at 4th because of all the uncertainty.
3. Denver Broncos
Last Week: 3rd
Top Ranking: 3rd (Pre-Draft, Preseason)
Denver's defense will likely only match, not exceed, its work from last year - which still puts them in a pretty good place - but expect the offense to be even more explosive. It's almost scary to think about how good they could be this season. If Peyton Manning is ever going to win another Superbowl ring, this is his year to do it.
Last Week: 4th
Top Ranking: 2nd (Preseason)
Last time I said fans shouldn't overreact to the signing of receiver Percy Harvin; with Harvin injured and likely to miss a decent chunk of this season, I didn't know how right I was going to be. Bruce Irving's 4-week suspension for using performance enhancing drugs won't help either. But Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch give 'Hawks fans a reason to hope for some big shiny rings come February.
Last Week: 1st
Top Ranking: 1st (Pre-Draft, Preseason)
The biggest concern for the 49ers are serious injuries to WR Michael Crabtree and CB Chris Culliver, but they have a great QB, a nearly impenetrable O-line, a powerful running game, and should be easy Superbowl contenders as long as they start strong early on.
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