From Worst To First (1 Viewer)

[BustedKnuckles]

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Curt_...ng_All_32_Teams

The preseason's all wrapped up. The cuts have been made. Now nothing left to do but play some football. FINALLY!

This time of year everyone always wants to know what everyone else thinks of their team. Well, since my "27 camps in 29 days" tour (turned out to be 25 camps due to weather and horrible service by the airline industry) allowed me to see the majority of teams, first hand, I thought that I'd give you my opinion on how the entire league stacks up.

It's just my opinion, and that's it.

So here we go with my ranking of teams from No. 1 (the best) to No. 32 (the worst). As you read this, keep in mind that last year, I predicted a Miami/Carolina Super Bowl. We'll see if I can do any better this time around.

1. San Diego Chargers

Reason to believe: Hands down, the best talent in the NFL.

Reason to worry: New head coach and new coordinators working together for the first time.

2. New England Patriots

Reason to believe: Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, enough said.

Reason to worry: Randy Moss, enough said.

3. Chicago Bears

Reason to believe: Weapons on offense may finally equal those on defense.

Reason to worry: Offensive line beginning to age.

4. Baltimore Ravens

Reason to believe: Willis McGahee looks like he's got something to prove.

Reason to worry: Steve McNair starting to show his age and physical pounding he's taken.

5. New Orleans Saints

Reason to believe: Drew Brees has been near perfect in camp.

Reason to worry: Still unsure how they're getting it done at linebacker, but they are...for now.

6. Seattle Seahawks

Reason to believe: Healthy Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander, a much improved defense.

Reason to worry: Left guard Rob SIms and center Chris Spencer new starters from day one.

7. Indianapolis Colts

Reason to believe: Two words: Peyton Manning.

Reason to worry: Lost far too many players from Super Bowl team.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

Reason to believe: Roethlisberger out to show it wasn't all Cowher and Whisenhunt.

Reason to worry: Was Big Ben's success all Cowher and Whisenhunt?

9. Philadelphia Eagles

Reason to believe: Donovan McNabb is back.

Reason to worry: Fair or not, Andy Reid's family troubles will continue to be a topic in Philly.

10. Denver Broncos

Reason to believe: Jay Cutler in year two with Mike Shanahan.

Reason to worry: Outside of Elvis Dumervil, defensive line is a huge question mark.

11. Dallas Cowboys

Reason to believe: The way Tony Romo played in his first five starts in '06.

Reason to worry: The way Tony Romo played in his final five starts in '06.

12. Green Bay Packers

Reason to believe: Defense has the potential to be dominant.

Reason to worry: Offensive scheme built on RB and TE and right now team has neither.

13. Cincinnati Bengals

Reason to believe: Offensive starters are as solid a group as there is in NFL.

Reason to worry: Three 8-8 finishes in four years under Marvin Lewis.

14. Carolina Panthers

Reason to believe: Running game should be better under new coordinator Jeff Davidson.

Reason to worry: Dan Morgan is difference maker on defense, but can he ever stay healthy?

15. Tennessee Titans

Reason to believe: Vince Young makes everybody around him better.

Reason to worry: Haven't replaced Pacman Jones at corner, nor as a returner.

16. San Francisco 49ers

Reason to believe: Rookies Patrick Willis and Joe Staley are the real deals.

Reason to worry: Realistically, one more draft class and free agent year away.

17. St. Louis Rams

Reason to believe: As long as this coaching staff has Steven Jackson, they have a chance.

Reason to worry: Secondary will miss best player, Fakhir Brown, for 4-game suspension.

18. New York Jets

Reason to believe: Eric Mangini worked magic in 2006.

Reason to worry: It's not 2006 anymore.

19. Jacksonville Jaguars

Reason to believe: Defense too good not to believe.

Reason to worry: Cutting your starting QB a week before the season starts is not good.

20. Washington Redskins

Reason to believe: Defensive talent is back to 2004-2005 level.

Reason to worry: QB Jason Campbell missed a lot of preseason work with an injured knee.

21. Arizona Cardinals

Reason to believe: Team will be more disciplined under Ken Whisenhunt.

Reason to worry: Essentially the same defensive group that was ranked 30th last year.

22. Detroit Lions

Reason to believe: Passing game should be electric.

Reason to worry: Running game could be shockingly bad.

23. New York Giants

Reason to believe: May be deepest receiver group in team history.

Reason to worry: Anything other than a fast start and the wolves will be out in NYC.

24. Miami Dolphins

Reason to believe: Offensive-minded head coach Cam Cameron just what team needed.

Reason to worry: Could have also used some younger players on defense.

25. Cleveland Browns

Reason to believe: Talent has really been upgraded.

Reason to worry: Weeks 1-5: Pittsburgh, Cincy, at Oakland, Baltimore and at New England.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Reason to believe: Jon Gruden is desperate, and desperate coaches can be dangerous.

Reason to worry: Jeff Garcia hasn't played 16 games since 2002.

27. Buffalo Bills

Reason to believe: Should be able to run the ball and keep games close.

Reason to worry: Must have offense keep games close, because defense will struggle.

28. Oakland Raiders

Reason to believe: Daunte Culpepper beginning to look like his old self.

Reason to worry: Lamont Jordan's inconsistent and Dominic Rhodes is out first four games.

29. Minnesota Vikings

Reason to believe: Offense should be better by the end of season.

Reason to worry: First-year starter Tarvaris Jackson will struggle. How does he handle it?

30. Atlanta Falcons

Reason to believe: Bobby Petrino seems to have done a good job of keeping team focused.

Reason to worry: It was going to be a long year with Michael Vick's talent. Without him...

31. Houston Texans

Reason to believe: Change at quarterback brings in fresh air.

Reason to worry: Don't you just feel like they'll always be the "Arizona of the AFC"?

32. Kansas City Chiefs

Reason to believe: Wait, wait...I'm still thinking.

Reason to worry: Damon Huard was a backup for 11 years for a reason.

NFC division winners: Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Seattle.

NFC wild cards: Dallas and Green Bay.

AFC division winners: Baltimore, Indianapolis, New England, San Diego.

AFC wild cards: Denver and Pittsburgh.

Super Bowl matchup: Chicago Bears vs San Diego Chargers.

Since Super Bowl XLII is on FOX in February, I'll be there in person to see if my predictions are right. They probably won't be.

 

[Pittsburgh United]

13. Cincinnati BengalsReason to worry: Three 8-8 finishes in four years under Marvin Lewis.

I think you have them ranked way too high.

 

[Monty Burns]

My Packers at #12.....I'm an eternal optimist, but not that much of one.....

 

[duaneok66]

7. Indianapolis Colts

Reason to believe: Two words: Peyton Manning.

Reason to worry: Lost far too many players from Super Bowl team.

-------------------------------

the only player they lost of any significance was Tarik Glenn . . .

 

[SSOG]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

 

[dickey moe]

I agree with the assessment of the Dallas Cowboys, although they may just squeak by Philly and win the Division.

 

[BustedKnuckles]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

they are ranked first

 

[jurb26]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

Honestly, I really don't understand how so many people can think that SD is the "most talented" team in the NFL. I just don't see it at all.

 

[BustedKnuckles]

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFL+Z...rankingspre.htm

Final preseason power rankings

Sept. 4, 2007

1. New England Patriots

Offseason additions of Moss, Stallworth, Thomas should get the Patriots reacquainted with the Lombardi Trophy, despite the unavailability of Seymour and Harrison early in the season.

2. San Diego Chargers

Norv Turner was 58-82-1 in previous head-coaching gigs in Washington and Oakland, but cupboard left quite full here.

3. Indianapolis Colts

Defending champs suffered several defections on an already suspect defense, but Mr. Consistency at quarterback helps.

4. Chicago Bears

Led the league in forcing 44 turnovers last season, but no QB is more polarizing in his play than Rex Grossman.

5. Philadelphia Eagles

A healthy Donovan McNabb means everything. Can’t forget he was on MVP-type pace prior to knee injury last season.

6. Baltimore Ravens

Romped through the division and won 13 games last year, but brutal six-game stretch to end ’07 will be a challenge.

7. Denver Broncos

Revamped D-line looks promising, but most of the pressure will fall on the shoulders of promising QB Jay Cutler.

8. New Orleans Saints

Drew Brees showing no signs of a drop-off in Year Two by the bayou. Could run for governor without a problem.

9. Dallas Cowboys

Defensive sage Wade Phillips has lightened the mood in Dallas and could turn a good “D” into a great one.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers

New head coach Mike Tomlin promises he’s going to let Big Ben loose this season.

11. Carolina Panthers

If history proves anything, it’s that the Panthers should bounce back with an 11-win season.

12. Cincinnati Bengals

Marvin Lewis hasn’t been able to establish the same defensive prowess in Cincinnati that he did in Baltimore.

13. Seattle Seahawks

Flying well under the radar despite winning 41 games the last four years. Will we see the Shaun Alexander of old?

14. Jacksonville Jaguars

Underrated Jaguars quietly finished 10th in total offense and second in defense in 2006.

15. New York Jets

Jets were pretty quiet in free agency but could be a playoff sleeper if they can take care of business vs. Miami, Buffalo.

16. St. Louis Rams

Steven Jackson said he could get 2,500 all-purpose yards this year. We believe him, but the “D” still can’t stop anyone.

17. San Francisco 49ers

Exceeded expectations with seven wins in ’06, and the bar has been raised with the plethora of offseason spending.

18. Washington Redskins

After big free-agent spending exposed a lack of depth in ’06, the Skins toned it down this offseason.

19. Green Bay Packers

Surprised some people in ’06 with eight wins in a rebuilding year. The Pack has the young talent to make a playoff push.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jon Gruden never met a quarterback he didn’t like and has pinned his hopes on 37-year-old Jeff Garcia.

21. Kansas City Chiefs

Strange days in Kansas City, where the Chiefs should be solid on defense but figure to struggle passing the ball.

22. Arizona Cardinals

Plenty of skill-position talent and excitement with the new coaching staff, but it always comes back to the O-line.

23. Detroit Lions

Double Roy Williams? How about Calvin Johnson? Team’s defensive issues could keep a 12-win offense below .500.

24. Miami Dolphins

The defense looks like its typical solid self, but whether Trent Green and a shaky O-line can hold up is another matter.

25. New York Giants

Teammates rallied to Eli’s side when Tiki attacked, but don’t expect the New York media to lay off if things don’t improve.

26. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings have at least two starting-caliber running backs, but the question is: Do they have a starting quarterback?

27. Buffalo Bills

Marshawn Lynch is drawing favorable comparisons to Marshall Faulk, but there are plenty of holes elsewhere.

28. Houston Texans

New QB Matt Schaub: two career starts, one 300-yard game and a fat contract worth $48 million. The future starts now.

29. Tennessee Titans

The “Vince Vibe” was on full display in ’06, but will he have the surrounding cast to have a successful encore?

30. Oakland Raiders

The defense is ready to win now, but the offense would be happy to take baby steps under Lane Kiffin.

31. Atlanta Falcons

Bobby Petrino knew the jump to the NFL would be tough. Hard to imagine he knew it would be this tough.

32. Cleveland Browns

Ranked last by four of nine voters, and the highest mark they earned was 27th. Romeo Crennel is definitely on the hot seat.

 

[Skinsfansince72]

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Curt_...ng_All_32_Teams

The preseason's all wrapped up. The cuts have been made. Now nothing left to do but play some football. FINALLY!

This time of year everyone always wants to know what everyone else thinks of their team. Well, since my "27 camps in 29 days" tour (turned out to be 25 camps due to weather and horrible service by the airline industry) allowed me to see the majority of teams, first hand, I thought that I'd give you my opinion on how the entire league stacks up.

It's just my opinion, and that's it.

So here we go with my ranking of teams from No. 1 (the best) to No. 32 (the worst). As you read this, keep in mind that last year, I predicted a Miami/Carolina Super Bowl. We'll see if I can do any better this time around.

1. San Diego Chargers

Reason to believe: Hands down, the best talent in the NFL.

Reason to worry: New head coach and new coordinators working together for the first time.

2. New England Patriots

Reason to believe: Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, enough said.

Reason to worry: Randy Moss, enough said.

3. Chicago Bears

Reason to believe: Weapons on offense may finally equal those on defense.

Reason to worry: Offensive line beginning to age.

4. Baltimore Ravens

Reason to believe: Willis McGahee looks like he's got something to prove.

Reason to worry: Steve McNair starting to show his age and physical pounding he's taken.

5. New Orleans Saints

Reason to believe: Drew Brees has been near perfect in camp.

Reason to worry: Still unsure how they're getting it done at linebacker, but they are...for now.

6. Seattle Seahawks

Reason to believe: Healthy Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander, a much improved defense.

Reason to worry: Left guard Rob SIms and center Chris Spencer new starters from day one.

7. Indianapolis Colts

Reason to believe: Two words: Peyton Manning.

Reason to worry: Lost far too many players from Super Bowl team.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

Reason to believe: Roethlisberger out to show it wasn't all Cowher and Whisenhunt.

Reason to worry: Was Big Ben's success all Cowher and Whisenhunt?

9. Philadelphia Eagles

Reason to believe: Donovan McNabb is back.

Reason to worry: Fair or not, Andy Reid's family troubles will continue to be a topic in Philly.

10. Denver Broncos

Reason to believe: Jay Cutler in year two with Mike Shanahan.

Reason to worry: Outside of Elvis Dumervil, defensive line is a huge question mark.

11. Dallas Cowboys

Reason to believe: The way Tony Romo played in his first five starts in '06.

Reason to worry: The way Tony Romo played in his final five starts in '06.

12. Green Bay Packers

Reason to believe: Defense has the potential to be dominant.

Reason to worry: Offensive scheme built on RB and TE and right now team has neither.

13. Cincinnati Bengals

Reason to believe: Offensive starters are as solid a group as there is in NFL.

Reason to worry: Three 8-8 finishes in four years under Marvin Lewis.

14. Carolina Panthers

Reason to believe: Running game should be better under new coordinator Jeff Davidson.

Reason to worry: Dan Morgan is difference maker on defense, but can he ever stay healthy?

15. Tennessee Titans

Reason to believe: Vince Young makes everybody around him better.

Reason to worry: Haven't replaced Pacman Jones at corner, nor as a returner.

16. San Francisco 49ers

Reason to believe: Rookies Patrick Willis and Joe Staley are the real deals.

Reason to worry: Realistically, one more draft class and free agent year away.

17. St. Louis Rams

Reason to believe: As long as this coaching staff has Steven Jackson, they have a chance.

Reason to worry: Secondary will miss best player, Fakhir Brown, for 4-game suspension.

18. New York Jets

Reason to believe: Eric Mangini worked magic in 2006.

Reason to worry: It's not 2006 anymore.

19. Jacksonville Jaguars

Reason to believe: Defense too good not to believe.

Reason to worry: Cutting your starting QB a week before the season starts is not good.

20. Washington Redskins

Reason to believe: Defensive talent is back to 2004-2005 level.

Reason to worry: QB Jason Campbell missed a lot of preseason work with an injured knee.

21. Arizona Cardinals

Reason to believe: Team will be more disciplined under Ken Whisenhunt.

Reason to worry: Essentially the same defensive group that was ranked 30th last year.

22. Detroit Lions

Reason to believe: Passing game should be electric.

Reason to worry: Running game could be shockingly bad.

23. New York Giants

Reason to believe: May be deepest receiver group in team history.

Reason to worry: Anything other than a fast start and the wolves will be out in NYC.

24. Miami Dolphins

Reason to believe: Offensive-minded head coach Cam Cameron just what team needed.

Reason to worry: Could have also used some younger players on defense.

25. Cleveland Browns

Reason to believe: Talent has really been upgraded.

Reason to worry: Weeks 1-5: Pittsburgh, Cincy, at Oakland, Baltimore and at New England.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Reason to believe: Jon Gruden is desperate, and desperate coaches can be dangerous.

Reason to worry: Jeff Garcia hasn't played 16 games since 2002.

27. Buffalo Bills

Reason to believe: Should be able to run the ball and keep games close.

Reason to worry: Must have offense keep games close, because defense will struggle.

28. Oakland Raiders

Reason to believe: Daunte Culpepper beginning to look like his old self.

Reason to worry: Lamont Jordan's inconsistent and Dominic Rhodes is out first four games.

29. Minnesota Vikings

Reason to believe: Offense should be better by the end of season.

Reason to worry: First-year starter Tarvaris Jackson will struggle. How does he handle it?

30. Atlanta Falcons

Reason to believe: Bobby Petrino seems to have done a good job of keeping team focused.

Reason to worry: It was going to be a long year with Michael Vick's talent. Without him...

31. Houston Texans

Reason to believe: Change at quarterback brings in fresh air.

Reason to worry: Don't you just feel like they'll always be the "Arizona of the AFC"?

32. Kansas City Chiefs

Reason to believe: Wait, wait...I'm still thinking.

Reason to worry: Damon Huard was a backup for 11 years for a reason.

NFC division winners: Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Seattle.

NFC wild cards: Dallas and Green Bay.

AFC division winners: Baltimore, Indianapolis, New England, San Diego.

AFC wild cards: Denver and Pittsburgh.

Super Bowl matchup: Chicago Bears vs San Diego Chargers.

Since Super Bowl XLII is on FOX in February, I'll be there in person to see if my predictions are right. They probably won't be.

Like your list but I'd prefer it to be accurate. Campbell missed very little playing/practice time. So little that it's not really a factor. Had you said Portis and mentioned the fact that they had no running game all preseason, I'd be giving you the thumbs up. Skins will be improved and will go as far as the D and Portis can take them.

 

[-primetime-]

Bears #3 > Colts #7

????????????????

did you watch Grossman this preseason?.....he is AWFUL

they should not be considered 4 spots higher than the Colts

 

[mad sweeney]

3. Chicago Bears

Reason to believe: Weapons on offense may finally equal those on defense.

Reason to worry: Offensive line beginning to age.

That's an insult to the D. All the Bear's O did was lose Thomas Jones. A rookie TE doesn't make this O anywhere near the D yet. If I'm a Chicago fan (which thankfully I'm not) I'd be more offended by this than the LT commercial.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

32. Kansas City ChiefsReason to believe: Wait, wait...I'm still thinking.Reason to worry: Damon Huard was a backup for 11 years for a reason.

This is by far the worst prediction. The Chiefs are not THAT bad.

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

sorry, but some of these teams belong nowhere near where they are.

the following teams have trainwreck written all over them:

Packers @ 12

Titans @ 15

Giants @ 23

teams that should be ranked significantly higher:

Jaguars @ 19

Texans @ 31

otherwise, the rankings are within +/- 5 of most peoples lists.

 

[MSULions]

My Packers at #12.....I'm an eternal optimist, but not that much of one.....

that jumped out at me two...how a team without an NFL running back on the roster can be above 20 is beyond me. They are the Notre Dame of the NFL....always too highly ranked before a game is played.

 

[guitarmonkiy]

27. Buffalo Bills

Reason to believe: Should be able to run the ball and keep games close.

Reason to worry: Must have offense keep games close, because defense will struggle.

Don't the Bills have one of the toughest schedules against the run? 4 of their first 5 games are: Denver, @Pitt, @NE, and Dallas. Should be a rough start to the season. They also play Baltimore, NE again, Miami twice, and Jacksonville. I wouldn't be too excited about their run game.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

Honestly, I really don't understand how so many people can think that SD is the "most talented" team in the NFL. I just don't see it at all.

coming from you this doesnt surprise me

 

[SSOG]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

they are ranked first

And the title of the article is "Worst to First", which indicates that it is a list of teams ranging from the worst all the way up to the best, in that order.

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

Honestly, I really don't understand how so many people can think that SD is the "most talented" team in the NFL. I just don't see it at all.

Play a quick game. Name a team that you think is more talented, then compare the two teams position-by-position and see who gets more "wins".As for those people down on Green Bay... remember that they were 8-8 last year. This is hardly a trainwreck of a team, here, especially since they play in the Junior Varsity Conference.

 

[jurb26]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

they are ranked first

And the title of the article is "Worst to First", which indicates that it is a list of teams ranging from the worst all the way up to the best, in that order.

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

Honestly, I really don't understand how so many people can think that SD is the "most talented" team in the NFL. I just don't see it at all.

Play a quick game. Name a team that you think is more talented, then compare the two teams position-by-position and see who gets more "wins".

I have and I just don't see any way possible they are more "talented" than NE. You know, the team they lost to in the playoffs and who also upgraded like crazy this off-season.QB, Brady >>> Rivers, Big gap here. Brady is a top 3 QB, Rivers better than average until he proves more.RB, LT >> Maroney, Pretty big advantage for SD. LT is the best in the game. Maroney isn't too bad though.Oline, SD > NE, Give a slight edge to SD. Both are top 5 in the NFL, but SD is probably the best.WR, NE >>> SD, No contest. NE has 3 WRs better than SDs best.TE, >> NE, Gates is the best in the game. NE has TEs who are very skilled but not flashy however.Dline, push, Both in the top 5 in the NFL.LBs, push, These are the 2 best units in the NFL IMO.DBs, NE >>> SD, Not even close. NE has 2 standouts and Pro Bowlers in Samuel and Harrison as well as depth now. SD has.....SD has huge weaknesses at WR and DB. NE may be out matched in a few areas by SD, but the gap isn't near enough to cover up so weaknesses. NE is simply strong everywhere you look.

 

[J R]

menafee's playoff picks are almost exactly last year's playoff field. unless i'm mistaken, he's got all 8 division winners repeating. why not just have some intern make a link to last year's standings instead?

 

[Torque666]

My Packers at #12.....I'm an eternal optimist, but not that much of one.....

Thier D is gonna be nuts and offense will be better then the dilfer offense that won the super bowl for balt, so really no clue what could happen

 

[RBM]

No way all 8 division winners are the same as last year.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

they are ranked first

And the title of the article is "Worst to First", which indicates that it is a list of teams ranging from the worst all the way up to the best, in that order.

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

Honestly, I really don't understand how so many people can think that SD is the "most talented" team in the NFL. I just don't see it at all.

Play a quick game. Name a team that you think is more talented, then compare the two teams position-by-position and see who gets more "wins".

I have and I just don't see any way possible they are more "talented" than NE. You know, the team they lost to in the playoffs and who also upgraded like crazy this off-season.QB, Brady >>> Rivers, Big gap here. Brady is a top 3 QB, Rivers better than average until he proves more.RB, LT >> Maroney, Pretty big advantage for SD. LT is the best in the game. Maroney isn't too bad though.Oline, SD > NE, Give a slight edge to SD. Both are top 5 in the NFL, but SD is probably the best.WR, NE >>> SD, No contest. NE has 3 WRs better than SDs best.TE, >> NE, Gates is the best in the game. NE has TEs who are very skilled but not flashy however.Dline, push, Both in the top 5 in the NFL.LBs, push, These are the 2 best units in the NFL IMO.DBs, NE >>> SD, Not even close. NE has 2 standouts and Pro Bowlers in Samuel and Harrison as well as depth now. SD has.....SD has huge weaknesses at WR and DB. NE may be out matched in a few areas by SD, but the gap isn't near enough to cover up so weaknesses. NE is simply strong everywhere you look.

what no Kicker,Punter, Returner and Long snapper break down?

 

[SSOG]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

they are ranked first

And the title of the article is "Worst to First", which indicates that it is a list of teams ranging from the worst all the way up to the best, in that order.

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

Honestly, I really don't understand how so many people can think that SD is the "most talented" team in the NFL. I just don't see it at all.

Play a quick game. Name a team that you think is more talented, then compare the two teams position-by-position and see who gets more "wins".

I have and I just don't see any way possible they are more "talented" than NE. You know, the team they lost to in the playoffs and who also upgraded like crazy this off-season.QB, Brady >>> Rivers, Big gap here. Brady is a top 3 QB, Rivers better than average until he proves more.RB, LT >> Maroney, Pretty big advantage for SD. LT is the best in the game. Maroney isn't too bad though.Oline, SD > NE, Give a slight edge to SD. Both are top 5 in the NFL, but SD is probably the best.WR, NE >>> SD, No contest. NE has 3 WRs better than SDs best.TE, >> NE, Gates is the best in the game. NE has TEs who are very skilled but not flashy however.Dline, push, Both in the top 5 in the NFL.LBs, push, These are the 2 best units in the NFL IMO.DBs, NE >>> SD, Not even close. NE has 2 standouts and Pro Bowlers in Samuel and Harrison as well as depth now. SD has.....SD has huge weaknesses at WR and DB. NE may be out matched in a few areas by SD, but the gap isn't near enough to cover up so weaknesses. NE is simply strong everywhere you look.

You think the gap between Brady and Rivers is that much larger than the gap between Tomlinson and Maroney? You think the gap between a banged up (and rumored to be cut) Randy Moss, overlooked Dante Stallworth, and more-heart-than-talent Wes Welker is greater than the gap between Antonio Gates and Ben Watson? Personally, I'd call the net of those four positions a wash. After that, San Diego has a better OLine, equal Dline, better LBs (I really, really, really don't understand how you can call this a push), and worse DBs. Harrison might have once been a standout and a pro bowler, but now he's old, seriously injured, and suspended to boot (and oh yeah, Seymour's on the PUP). San Diego's offense is going to be significantly better than New England's this year, and I would bet you that their defense will be better, as well.

 

[J R]

WR, NE >>> SD, No contest. NE has 3 WRs better than SDs best.

I bet some people disagree with this. Parker and Jackson is a pretty solid duo imo.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

they are ranked first

And the title of the article is "Worst to First", which indicates that it is a list of teams ranging from the worst all the way up to the best, in that order.

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

Honestly, I really don't understand how so many people can think that SD is the "most talented" team in the NFL. I just don't see it at all.

Play a quick game. Name a team that you think is more talented, then compare the two teams position-by-position and see who gets more "wins".

I have and I just don't see any way possible they are more "talented" than NE. You know, the team they lost to in the playoffs and who also upgraded like crazy this off-season.QB, Brady >>> Rivers, Big gap here. Brady is a top 3 QB, Rivers better than average until he proves more.RB, LT >> Maroney, Pretty big advantage for SD. LT is the best in the game. Maroney isn't too bad though.Oline, SD > NE, Give a slight edge to SD. Both are top 5 in the NFL, but SD is probably the best.WR, NE >>> SD, No contest. NE has 3 WRs better than SDs best.TE, >> NE, Gates is the best in the game. NE has TEs who are very skilled but not flashy however.Dline, push, Both in the top 5 in the NFL.LBs, push, These are the 2 best units in the NFL IMO.DBs, NE >>> SD, Not even close. NE has 2 standouts and Pro Bowlers in Samuel and Harrison as well as depth now. SD has.....SD has huge weaknesses at WR and DB. NE may be out matched in a few areas by SD, but the gap isn't near enough to cover up so weaknesses. NE is simply strong everywhere you look.

You think the gap between Brady and Rivers is that much larger than the gap between Tomlinson and Maroney? You think the gap between a banged up (and rumored to be cut) Randy Moss, overlooked Dante Stallworth, and more-heart-than-talent Wes Welker is greater than the gap between Antonio Gates and Ben Watson? Personally, I'd call the net of those four positions a wash. After that, San Diego has a better OLine, equal Dline, better LBs (I really, really, really don't understand how you can call this a push), and worse DBs. Harrison might have once been a standout and a pro bowler, but now he's old, seriously injured, and suspended to boot (and oh yeah, Seymour's on the PUP). San Diego's offense is going to be significantly better than New England's this year, and I would bet you that their defense will be better, as well.

welker got cut by SD, a long time ago

 

[Dodge]

I don't see how the Giants are going to worse than the Bucs, Chiefs, and the Lions. I'm a Giants fan and I'm not dillusional about my team. I think we're middle of the pack right around 14 at the very very best, and 20 at the worse.

 

[jurb26]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

they are ranked first

And the title of the article is "Worst to First", which indicates that it is a list of teams ranging from the worst all the way up to the best, in that order.

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

Honestly, I really don't understand how so many people can think that SD is the "most talented" team in the NFL. I just don't see it at all.

Play a quick game. Name a team that you think is more talented, then compare the two teams position-by-position and see who gets more "wins".

I have and I just don't see any way possible they are more "talented" than NE. You know, the team they lost to in the playoffs and who also upgraded like crazy this off-season.QB, Brady >>> Rivers, Big gap here. Brady is a top 3 QB, Rivers better than average until he proves more.RB, LT >> Maroney, Pretty big advantage for SD. LT is the best in the game. Maroney isn't too bad though.Oline, SD > NE, Give a slight edge to SD. Both are top 5 in the NFL, but SD is probably the best.WR, NE >>> SD, No contest. NE has 3 WRs better than SDs best.TE, >> NE, Gates is the best in the game. NE has TEs who are very skilled but not flashy however.Dline, push, Both in the top 5 in the NFL.LBs, push, These are the 2 best units in the NFL IMO.DBs, NE >>> SD, Not even close. NE has 2 standouts and Pro Bowlers in Samuel and Harrison as well as depth now. SD has.....SD has huge weaknesses at WR and DB. NE may be out matched in a few areas by SD, but the gap isn't near enough to cover up so weaknesses. NE is simply strong everywhere you look.

You think the gap between Brady and Rivers is that much larger than the gap between Tomlinson and Maroney? You think the gap between a banged up (and rumored to be cut) Randy Moss, overlooked Dante Stallworth, and more-heart-than-talent Wes Welker is greater than the gap between Antonio Gates and Ben Watson? Personally, I'd call the net of those four positions a wash. After that, San Diego has a better OLine, equal Dline, better LBs (I really, really, really don't understand how you can call this a push), and worse DBs. Harrison might have once been a standout and a pro bowler, but now he's old, seriously injured, and suspended to boot (and oh yeah, Seymour's on the PUP). San Diego's offense is going to be significantly better than New England's this year, and I would bet you that their defense will be better, as well.

I think the gap between Brady/Rivers and LT/Maroney is about the same. ONly QB is a FAR more important position, wouldn't you agree? At you taking that bait about Moss being cut. I think we all know that is a BB special to throw people off. I don't see how you can look at the WR groups and match them up with the TEs and say it's a push. Even if Moss never plays, NE has far better WRs. If he does, then it's not even close. I gave SD the advantage at Oline, it is not large however. NE is still in the top 5. Dlines are = if not better for NE. I thought I was being a bit kind ranking them a push to be honest. As for Seymour, poor NE has to put up with such drop offs like Jarvis Green who only plays sparingly but well every time, amassing 8 sacks last year. LBs: Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Adalius Thomas, Rosevelt Colvin vs. Matt Wilhelm, Stephen Cooper, Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips. I think when I break it down I actually like NE's even more. You don't get the flashy ESPN player of Marriman. You just get 4 fluid guys who a who can play any one of 6 positions in the front 7 on the field and execute any scheme you could possibly come up with. Not too mention Colvin and Thomas are explosive as hell. As for Harrison, every source I have ever heard still sights him as a difference maker when healthy. Staying healthy is a big concern however. Again, he is not a flashy player. Just smart and always in the right position. Not too mention a leader on the field. NE went out and drafted much needed depth at the position this year, so I would not expect the same drop off in secondary play this year w/o him. I think its a far stretch to say that SD will a better O and D than NE this year.

 

[Jason Wood]

The middle of the league is too jumbled for me to say...but I feel pretty confident that New England will have the AFC's best record and either Chicago or Dallas will have the NFC's.

 

[phthalatemagic]

WR, NE >>> SD, No contest. NE has 3 WRs better than SDs best.

I bet some people disagree with this. Parker and Jackson is a pretty solid duo imo.

I think Parker is out for a few weeks minimum.

 

[SSOG]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

they are ranked first

And the title of the article is "Worst to First", which indicates that it is a list of teams ranging from the worst all the way up to the best, in that order.

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

Honestly, I really don't understand how so many people can think that SD is the "most talented" team in the NFL. I just don't see it at all.

Play a quick game. Name a team that you think is more talented, then compare the two teams position-by-position and see who gets more "wins".

I have and I just don't see any way possible they are more "talented" than NE. You know, the team they lost to in the playoffs and who also upgraded like crazy this off-season.QB, Brady >>> Rivers, Big gap here. Brady is a top 3 QB, Rivers better than average until he proves more.RB, LT >> Maroney, Pretty big advantage for SD. LT is the best in the game. Maroney isn't too bad though.Oline, SD > NE, Give a slight edge to SD. Both are top 5 in the NFL, but SD is probably the best.WR, NE >>> SD, No contest. NE has 3 WRs better than SDs best.TE, >> NE, Gates is the best in the game. NE has TEs who are very skilled but not flashy however.Dline, push, Both in the top 5 in the NFL.LBs, push, These are the 2 best units in the NFL IMO.DBs, NE >>> SD, Not even close. NE has 2 standouts and Pro Bowlers in Samuel and Harrison as well as depth now. SD has.....SD has huge weaknesses at WR and DB. NE may be out matched in a few areas by SD, but the gap isn't near enough to cover up so weaknesses. NE is simply strong everywhere you look.

You think the gap between Brady and Rivers is that much larger than the gap between Tomlinson and Maroney? You think the gap between a banged up (and rumored to be cut) Randy Moss, overlooked Dante Stallworth, and more-heart-than-talent Wes Welker is greater than the gap between Antonio Gates and Ben Watson? Personally, I'd call the net of those four positions a wash. After that, San Diego has a better OLine, equal Dline, better LBs (I really, really, really don't understand how you can call this a push), and worse DBs. Harrison might have once been a standout and a pro bowler, but now he's old, seriously injured, and suspended to boot (and oh yeah, Seymour's on the PUP). San Diego's offense is going to be significantly better than New England's this year, and I would bet you that their defense will be better, as well.

I think the gap between Brady/Rivers and LT/Maroney is about the same. ONly QB is a FAR more important position, wouldn't you agree? At you taking that bait about Moss being cut. I think we all know that is a BB special to throw people off. I don't see how you can look at the WR groups and match them up with the TEs and say it's a push. Even if Moss never plays, NE has far better WRs. If he does, then it's not even close. I gave SD the advantage at Oline, it is not large however. NE is still in the top 5. Dlines are = if not better for NE. I thought I was being a bit kind ranking them a push to be honest. As for Seymour, poor NE has to put up with such drop offs like Jarvis Green who only plays sparingly but well every time, amassing 8 sacks last year. LBs: Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Adalius Thomas, Rosevelt Colvin vs. Matt Wilhelm, Stephen Cooper, Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips. I think when I break it down I actually like NE's even more. You don't get the flashy ESPN player of Marriman. You just get 4 fluid guys who a who can play any one of 6 positions in the front 7 on the field and execute any scheme you could possibly come up with. Not too mention Colvin and Thomas are explosive as hell. As for Harrison, every source I have ever heard still sights him as a difference maker when healthy. Staying healthy is a big concern however. Again, he is not a flashy player. Just smart and always in the right position. Not too mention a leader on the field. NE went out and drafted much needed depth at the position this year, so I would not expect the same drop off in secondary play this year w/o him. I think its a far stretch to say that SD will a better O and D than NE this year.

It's a stretch to say that an offense that has finished 1st, 5th, and 3rd in scoring over the last three seasons, which has retained 100% of their key personnel and isn't plugging in a single new starter from outside of the system, and which has seen nothing but improvements (yes, Vincent Jackson over Keenan McCardell is an improvement) is going to outscore an offense which has finished 4th, 10th, and 7th over the last three seasons whose entire starting lineup is in turmoil?As for the defense... Vrabel hasn't been able to play 6 positions in about 2 years. Part of the reason why New England was so desparate for Bruschi to rush back from his stroke was because Vrabel was playing out of position and stinking up the joint. He's a one trick pony at this point, and I question how long he'll even keep that one trick up. Bruschi's play is slowly declining, and Colvin's play is likewise slowly declining. Meanwhile, if Colvin and and Thomas are "explosive as Hell", then Merriman and Phillips must be five times as explosive as hell. Wilhelm and Cooper are middling LBs, but at this stage, so are Vrabel and Colvin, and Thomas might be one of the best OLBs in the league, but Shawne Merriman is one of the best defensive players in the entire NFL at any position.

 

[Despyzer]

SSOG might just be my favorite poster today. Keep up the good work.

 

[jurb26]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

they are ranked first

And the title of the article is "Worst to First", which indicates that it is a list of teams ranging from the worst all the way up to the best, in that order.

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

Honestly, I really don't understand how so many people can think that SD is the "most talented" team in the NFL. I just don't see it at all.

Play a quick game. Name a team that you think is more talented, then compare the two teams position-by-position and see who gets more "wins".

I have and I just don't see any way possible they are more "talented" than NE. You know, the team they lost to in the playoffs and who also upgraded like crazy this off-season.QB, Brady >>> Rivers, Big gap here. Brady is a top 3 QB, Rivers better than average until he proves more.

RB, LT >> Maroney, Pretty big advantage for SD. LT is the best in the game. Maroney isn't too bad though.

Oline, SD > NE, Give a slight edge to SD. Both are top 5 in the NFL, but SD is probably the best.

WR, NE >>> SD, No contest. NE has 3 WRs better than SDs best.

TE, >> NE, Gates is the best in the game. NE has TEs who are very skilled but not flashy however.

Dline, push, Both in the top 5 in the NFL.

LBs, push, These are the 2 best units in the NFL IMO.

DBs, NE >>> SD, Not even close. NE has 2 standouts and Pro Bowlers in Samuel and Harrison as well as depth now. SD has.....

SD has huge weaknesses at WR and DB. NE may be out matched in a few areas by SD, but the gap isn't near enough to cover up so weaknesses. NE is simply strong everywhere you look.

You think the gap between Brady and Rivers is that much larger than the gap between Tomlinson and Maroney? You think the gap between a banged up (and rumored to be cut) Randy Moss, overlooked Dante Stallworth, and more-heart-than-talent Wes Welker is greater than the gap between Antonio Gates and Ben Watson? Personally, I'd call the net of those four positions a wash. After that, San Diego has a better OLine, equal Dline, better LBs (I really, really, really don't understand how you can call this a push), and worse DBs. Harrison might have once been a standout and a pro bowler, but now he's old, seriously injured, and suspended to boot (and oh yeah, Seymour's on the PUP). San Diego's offense is going to be significantly better than New England's this year, and I would bet you that their defense will be better, as well.

I think the gap between Brady/Rivers and LT/Maroney is about the same. ONly QB is a FAR more important position, wouldn't you agree? At you taking that bait about Moss being cut. I think we all know that is a BB special to throw people off. I don't see how you can look at the WR groups and match them up with the TEs and say it's a push. Even if Moss never plays, NE has far better WRs. If he does, then it's not even close. I gave SD the advantage at Oline, it is not large however. NE is still in the top 5. Dlines are = if not better for NE. I thought I was being a bit kind ranking them a push to be honest. As for Seymour, poor NE has to put up with such drop offs like Jarvis Green who only plays sparingly but well every time, amassing 8 sacks last year. LBs: Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Adalius Thomas, Rosevelt Colvin vs. Matt Wilhelm, Stephen Cooper, Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips. I think when I break it down I actually like NE's even more. You don't get the flashy ESPN player of Marriman. You just get 4 fluid guys who a who can play any one of 6 positions in the front 7 on the field and execute any scheme you could possibly come up with. Not too mention Colvin and Thomas are explosive as hell. As for Harrison, every source I have ever heard still sights him as a difference maker when healthy. Staying healthy is a big concern however. Again, he is not a flashy player. Just smart and always in the right position. Not too mention a leader on the field. NE went out and drafted much needed depth at the position this year, so I would not expect the same drop off in secondary play this year w/o him. I think its a far stretch to say that SD will a better O and D than NE this year.

It's a stretch to say that an offense that has finished 1st, 5th, and 3rd in scoring over the last three seasons, which has retained 100% of their key personnel and isn't plugging in a single new starter from outside of the system, and which has seen nothing but improvements (yes, Vincent Jackson over Keenan McCardell is an improvement) is going to outscore an offense which has finished 4th, 10th, and 7th over the last three seasons whose entire starting lineup is in turmoil?As for the defense... Vrabel hasn't been able to play 6 positions in about 2 years. Part of the reason why New England was so desparate for Bruschi to rush back from his stroke was because Vrabel was playing out of position and stinking up the joint. He's a one trick pony at this point, and I question how long he'll even keep that one trick up. Bruschi's play is slowly declining, and Colvin's play is likewise slowly declining. Meanwhile, if Colvin and and Thomas are "explosive as Hell", then Merriman and Phillips must be five times as explosive as hell. Wilhelm and Cooper are middling LBs, but at this stage, so are Vrabel and Colvin, and Thomas might be one of the best OLBs in the league, but Shawne Merriman is one of the best defensive players in the entire NFL at any position.

Read much? I said I think it's a stretch to say that SD will have a better O and D than NE. You know, the NE D that was better than SD in both total yards and scoring D last year, despite the injuries and lack of depth they now have. They also return upgraded over last year to boot. So they loose Harrison for 4 games this year. He missed 6 last year and NE was still better than SD statistically last year. They now have Marriweather for much needed depth in the secondary and added Thomas, the far and away best FA player available. Again this is simply in addition to a D that was already better than SD. There is no doubt that Marriman is the best player of the group of LBs, but I don't think the gap between him and Thomas is as great as you think or maybe even the mass media does. As a Steeler fan, I can tell you 1st hand, Thomas is an absolute monster. There was no question about who the top FA pickup was this year and it was well deserved. You still have not mentioned the huge advantage NE has in the secondary BTW. Or also the fact that SD has lost Edwards, their leading tackler the last FIVE years. NE has an elite player at every level of their D. Wilfork, Seymour (when healthy), Thomas and Samuel. SD has 2, Williams and Merriman. There is no doubt that NE has the most talented offense to work with in 2007 than it has had in recent memory. Can they gel and become one of the NFL's elite, I guess we will have to wait and see. There are a lot of new weapons that need to build chemistry and that in the end will determine how well they play. Seeing that NE was able to finish as the #7 scoring offense in the NFL last year despite one of the most horrid WR corps in the NFL and they have done every thing physically possible to remedy that problem this off season. I fail to see how SD is such a sure fire better bet to outscore them. We are not talking about chemistry right now however, we are talking about talent. We all know that the sum of the parts does not always = the expected result. You asked to break down SD on a position by position basis vs other teams. I have done that and based on talent alone, I think NE is better and I don't really think its all that close. There is a reason so many people are pinning NE the heavy early season favorite to win the SB. It's not just because of BB and Brady either.

 

[1huskerfan]

My Packers at #12.....I'm an eternal optimist, but not that much of one.....

Thier D is gonna be nuts and offense will be better then the dilfer offense that won the super bowl for balt, so really no clue what could happen

Yeah but Favre will have more ints than Dilfer had and the defense isn't half as good as the Ravens that year.

 

[Enraged Nerfball]

First impressions:

Bears, Seahawks,Packers, Panthers and Titans ranked too high

Texans, Raiders and Bucs rated too low

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

they are ranked first

And the title of the article is "Worst to First", which indicates that it is a list of teams ranging from the worst all the way up to the best, in that order.

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

Honestly, I really don't understand how so many people can think that SD is the "most talented" team in the NFL. I just don't see it at all.

Play a quick game. Name a team that you think is more talented, then compare the two teams position-by-position and see who gets more "wins".

I have and I just don't see any way possible they are more "talented" than NE. You know, the team they lost to in the playoffs and who also upgraded like crazy this off-season.QB, Brady >>> Rivers, Big gap here. Brady is a top 3 QB, Rivers better than average until he proves more.RB, LT >> Maroney, Pretty big advantage for SD. LT is the best in the game. Maroney isn't too bad though.Oline, SD > NE, Give a slight edge to SD. Both are top 5 in the NFL, but SD is probably the best.WR, NE >>> SD, No contest. NE has 3 WRs better than SDs best.TE, >> NE, Gates is the best in the game. NE has TEs who are very skilled but not flashy however.Dline, push, Both in the top 5 in the NFL.LBs, push, These are the 2 best units in the NFL IMO.DBs, NE >>> SD, Not even close. NE has 2 standouts and Pro Bowlers in Samuel and Harrison as well as depth now. SD has.....SD has huge weaknesses at WR and DB. NE may be out matched in a few areas by SD, but the gap isn't near enough to cover up so weaknesses. NE is simply strong everywhere you look.

You think the gap between Brady and Rivers is that much larger than the gap between Tomlinson and Maroney? You think the gap between a banged up (and rumored to be cut) Randy Moss, overlooked Dante Stallworth, and more-heart-than-talent Wes Welker is greater than the gap between Antonio Gates and Ben Watson? Personally, I'd call the net of those four positions a wash. After that, San Diego has a better OLine, equal Dline, better LBs (I really, really, really don't understand how you can call this a push), and worse DBs. Harrison might have once been a standout and a pro bowler, but now he's old, seriously injured, and suspended to boot (and oh yeah, Seymour's on the PUP). San Diego's offense is going to be significantly better than New England's this year, and I would bet you that their defense will be better, as well.

I think the gap between Brady/Rivers and LT/Maroney is about the same. ONly QB is a FAR more important position, wouldn't you agree? At you taking that bait about Moss being cut. I think we all know that is a BB special to throw people off. I don't see how you can look at the WR groups and match them up with the TEs and say it's a push. Even if Moss never plays, NE has far better WRs. If he does, then it's not even close. I gave SD the advantage at Oline, it is not large however. NE is still in the top 5. Dlines are = if not better for NE. I thought I was being a bit kind ranking them a push to be honest. As for Seymour, poor NE has to put up with such drop offs like Jarvis Green who only plays sparingly but well every time, amassing 8 sacks last year. LBs: Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Adalius Thomas, Rosevelt Colvin vs. Matt Wilhelm, Stephen Cooper, Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips. I think when I break it down I actually like NE's even more. You don't get the flashy ESPN player of Marriman. You just get 4 fluid guys who a who can play any one of 6 positions in the front 7 on the field and execute any scheme you could possibly come up with. Not too mention Colvin and Thomas are explosive as hell. As for Harrison, every source I have ever heard still sights him as a difference maker when healthy. Staying healthy is a big concern however. Again, he is not a flashy player. Just smart and always in the right position. Not too mention a leader on the field. NE went out and drafted much needed depth at the position this year, so I would not expect the same drop off in secondary play this year w/o him. I think its a far stretch to say that SD will a better O and D than NE this year.

It's a stretch to say that an offense that has finished 1st, 5th, and 3rd in scoring over the last three seasons, which has retained 100% of their key personnel and isn't plugging in a single new starter from outside of the system, and which has seen nothing but improvements (yes, Vincent Jackson over Keenan McCardell is an improvement) is going to outscore an offense which has finished 4th, 10th, and 7th over the last three seasons whose entire starting lineup is in turmoil?As for the defense... Vrabel hasn't been able to play 6 positions in about 2 years. Part of the reason why New England was so desparate for Bruschi to rush back from his stroke was because Vrabel was playing out of position and stinking up the joint. He's a one trick pony at this point, and I question how long he'll even keep that one trick up. Bruschi's play is slowly declining, and Colvin's play is likewise slowly declining. Meanwhile, if Colvin and and Thomas are "explosive as Hell", then Merriman and Phillips must be five times as explosive as hell. Wilhelm and Cooper are middling LBs, but at this stage, so are Vrabel and Colvin, and Thomas might be one of the best OLBs in the league, but Shawne Merriman is one of the best defensive players in the entire NFL at any position.

Patriots This Decade >>>>>>>>>>>>> Chargers This DecadeBB>>>>>>>>>>>>NTLT and Merriman are little girls playing a man's game. "To be the man, you've got to beat the man."- Ric Flair(and no the Colts aren't the man, they are a one trick wonder via a Richard Seymour injury who are now Booger-less, and they are done)

 

[Saeniph]

My Packers at #12.....I'm an eternal optimist, but not that much of one.....

that jumped out at me two...how a team without an NFL running back on the roster can be above 20 is beyond me. They are the Notre Dame Michigan of the NFL....always too highly ranked before a game is played.

Fixed. And I'm a Mich alum.

 

[hoyaparanoia]

SSOG might just be my favorite poster today. Keep up the good work.

IMO SSOG is a solid contributor to the board. His posts are typically thought out and well presented. Whether they be wrong or right, he's a guy I'll pay attention to what he has to say at least.

 

[SSOG]

NE has an elite player at every level of their D. Wilfork, Seymour (when healthy), Thomas and Samuel. SD has 2, Williams and Merriman.

Luis Castillo is every bit as good as Wilfork, so if that's our definition of "elite", he qualifies as well. Also, Olshansky and Phillips are close.

Seeing that NE was able to finish as the #7 scoring offense in the NFL last year despite one of the most horrid WR corps in the NFL and they have done every thing physically possible to remedy that problem this off season. I fail to see how SD is such a sure fire better bet to outscore them.

SD outscored New England by 107 points last year. New England didn't even outscore the #26 Minnesota Vikings by that much. It might look like New England's offense was close to San Diego's last season because the ranks were close, but New England was close to San Diego in the same way that Brian Westbrook, the #7 fantasy football player according to ADP, is close to LaDanian Tomlinson in fantasy value. That is a hell of a lot of ground to make up.I didn't bother responding to the rest of your post because, at this point, we're just going to be going back and forth and neither is going to change the other's mind. I propose that we just agree to disagree for the time being and let the season play out to see who was right.

 

[jurb26]

NE has an elite player at every level of their D. Wilfork, Seymour (when healthy), Thomas and Samuel. SD has 2, Williams and Merriman.

Luis Castillo is every bit as good as Wilfork, so if that's our definition of "elite", he qualifies as well. Also, Olshansky and Phillips are close.

Seeing that NE was able to finish as the #7 scoring offense in the NFL last year despite one of the most horrid WR corps in the NFL and they have done every thing physically possible to remedy that problem this off season. I fail to see how SD is such a sure fire better bet to outscore them.

SD outscored New England by 107 points last year. New England didn't even outscore the #26 Minnesota Vikings by that much. It might look like New England's offense was close to San Diego's last season because the ranks were close, but New England was close to San Diego in the same way that Brian Westbrook, the #7 fantasy football player according to ADP, is close to LaDanian Tomlinson in fantasy value. That is a hell of a lot of ground to make up.I didn't bother responding to the rest of your post because, at this point, we're just going to be going back and forth and neither is going to change the other's mind. I propose that we just agree to disagree for the time being and let the season play out to see who was right.

I hope you're joking on the 1st point. As for the second, the very same principle can be used regarding NE's D vs. SDs. NE's D was 4 points better per game than SD. That might not sound like much, but if you use that same gap (like you are doing for offense) then SD was more on par with the #25 team, GB. Funny how statistics work.Irregardless, talent is a bit of a subjective measure. I'm sure we will never agree on this.

 

[David Yudkin]

NE has an elite player at every level of their D. Wilfork, Seymour (when healthy), Thomas and Samuel. SD has 2, Williams and Merriman.

Luis Castillo is every bit as good as Wilfork, so if that's our definition of "elite", he qualifies as well. Also, Olshansky and Phillips are close.

Seeing that NE was able to finish as the #7 scoring offense in the NFL last year despite one of the most horrid WR corps in the NFL and they have done every thing physically possible to remedy that problem this off season. I fail to see how SD is such a sure fire better bet to outscore them.

SD outscored New England by 107 points last year. New England didn't even outscore the #26 Minnesota Vikings by that much. It might look like New England's offense was close to San Diego's last season because the ranks were close, but New England was close to San Diego in the same way that Brian Westbrook, the #7 fantasy football player according to ADP, is close to LaDanian Tomlinson in fantasy value. That is a hell of a lot of ground to make up.I didn't bother responding to the rest of your post because, at this point, we're just going to be going back and forth and neither is going to change the other's mind. I propose that we just agree to disagree for the time being and let the season play out to see who was right.

IMO, SD was the best regular season team in the league last year. However, the Pats made a lot of upgrades and IMO improved a great deal. The Chargers return pretty similar but with almost an entirely new coaching staff. Even with better talent, NE beat SD last year. And NE got better while I don't think SD did much to improve. So IMO NE closed the talent gap a great deal but already had a big coaching advantage.I don't think the two teams are that far apart, but I guess my question to those pimping the Chargers is how many games do people seem them winning this season? Teams that win 14 games normally do worse the following year won/loss wise.

 

[TitusIII]

Bears #3 > Colts #7????????????????did you watch Grossman this preseason?.....he is AWFULthey should not be considered 4 spots higher than the Colts

The fumbles were terrible, but they were probably a fluke occurace. He looked good throwing the ball.

 

[Gold Plated Nails]

NE has an elite player at every level of their D. Wilfork, Seymour (when healthy), Thomas and Samuel. SD has 2, Williams and Merriman.

Luis Castillo is every bit as good as Wilfork, so if that's our definition of "elite", he qualifies as well. Also, Olshansky and Phillips are close.

Seeing that NE was able to finish as the #7 scoring offense in the NFL last year despite one of the most horrid WR corps in the NFL and they have done every thing physically possible to remedy that problem this off season. I fail to see how SD is such a sure fire better bet to outscore them.

SD outscored New England by 107 points last year. New England didn't even outscore the #26 Minnesota Vikings by that much. It might look like New England's offense was close to San Diego's last season because the ranks were close, but New England was close to San Diego in the same way that Brian Westbrook, the #7 fantasy football player according to ADP, is close to LaDanian Tomlinson in fantasy value. That is a hell of a lot of ground to make up.I didn't bother responding to the rest of your post because, at this point, we're just going to be going back and forth and neither is going to change the other's mind. I propose that we just agree to disagree for the time being and let the season play out to see who was right.

IMO, SD was the best regular season team in the league last year. However, the Pats made a lot of upgrades and IMO improved a great deal. The Chargers return pretty similar but with almost an entirely new coaching staff. Even with better talent, NE beat SD last year. And NE got better while I don't think SD did much to improve. So IMO NE closed the talent gap a great deal but already had a big coaching advantage.I don't think the two teams are that far apart, but I guess my question to those pimping the Chargers is how many games do people seem them winning this season? Teams that win 14 games normally do worse the following year won/loss wise.

The thing about the Chargers returning everyone, they are returning everyone on one of the youngest teams in the league and have their core probowlers moving into their prime. I mean their QB was a first year starter last year, and played like a seasoned vet. Guys like Philips, Meriman, Castillo in the front 7 are just hitting their strides. There is upside galore on this team, and those who don't follow them that close may not see that. If anything, the Chargers should be BETTER then their 14-2 team this year as the starters continue to gell together.I expect 11 wins due to their more difficult schedule, although I wont be surprised if they are close to going undefeated as they were last season. Either way I see the Bolts winning at NE by at least a TD, like they did a couple years ago, and as they were doing in the playoff game until they did their best 23 stooges routine. They are just top to bottom better with more upside.

 

[Jayrod]

32. Kansas City ChiefsReason to believe: Wait, wait...I'm still thinking.Reason to worry: Damon Huard was a backup for 11 years for a reason.

This is by far the worst prediction. The Chiefs are not THAT bad.

Damon Huard started 7 or 8 games for the Chiefs last year, AND THEY MADE THE PLAYOFFS!!!!! (IN THE AFC!!!!)Their defense is good, they still get 8 games at Arrowhead and they still have Larry Johnson. No way on earth do they get the first pick in next year's draft.

 

[SSOG]

IMO, SD was the best regular season team in the league last year. However, the Pats made a lot of upgrades and IMO improved a great deal. The Chargers return pretty similar but with almost an entirely new coaching staff. Even with better talent, NE beat SD last year. And NE got better while I don't think SD did much to improve. So IMO NE closed the talent gap a great deal but already had a big coaching advantage.I don't think the two teams are that far apart, but I guess my question to those pimping the Chargers is how many games do people seem them winning this season? Teams that win 14 games normally do worse the following year won/loss wise.

Oh, if the Chargers were playing the Patriots, I'd rather pick the Patriots to win, but that's more an indictment of coaching staffs than talent. Put Belichick on the Chargers and Turner on the Pats and I'd be picking the Chargers to win the SB, no questions asked.

 

[sharplogos]

Does anyone REALLY believe that the Chargers are the worst team in the league? I mean, I know Turner's a pretty horrible head coach, but he couldn't be THAT bad, could he?

Honestly, I really don't understand how so many people can think that SD is the "most talented" team in the NFL. I just don't see it at all.

How can you not. I might admit they are suspect in two areas this year: Head Coaching and Defensive Secondary. But they are so solid everywhere else it is hard not to consider them as one of the more talented teams in the NFL. I am coughing up liver-bile as I type this being a Raider fan. I just think they have done an unbelievable job of assembling a football team. They have the best chance of any team in the NFL to win it all, if they don't (after last seasons loss in the playoffs to NE) they are going to be hardpressed to ever do it. That is probably the teams biggest downfall, or pressure point, is they pretty much have to win it all or they will be looked at as failures. Of course I am hoping they fall flat on their face, but realistically wouldn't bet on that.

 

[Jayrod]

How can you not. I might admit they are suspect in two three areas this year: Head Coaching and Defensive Secondary and wide receiver. But they are so solid everywhere else it is hard not to consider them as one of the more talented teams in the NFL. I am coughing up liver-bile as I type this being a Raider fan. I just think they have done an unbelievable job of assembling a football team. They have the best chance of any team in the NFL to win it all, if they don't (after last seasons loss in the playoffs to NE) they are going to be hardpressed to ever do it.

That is probably the teams biggest downfall, or pressure point, is they pretty much have to win it all or they will be looked at as failures. Of course I am hoping they fall flat on their face, but realistically wouldn't bet on that.

fixed

 

[sharplogos]

How can you not. I might admit they are suspect in two three areas this year: Head Coaching and Defensive Secondary and wide receiver. But they are so solid everywhere else it is hard not to consider them as one of the more talented teams in the NFL. I am coughing up liver-bile as I type this being a Raider fan. I just think they have done an unbelievable job of assembling a football team. They have the best chance of any team in the NFL to win it all, if they don't (after last seasons loss in the playoffs to NE) they are going to be hardpressed to ever do it.

That is probably the teams biggest downfall, or pressure point, is they pretty much have to win it all or they will be looked at as failures. Of course I am hoping they fall flat on their face, but realistically wouldn't bet on that.

fixed

I thought about mentioning the WR position, but I am one of those guys that thinks the WR position is the least important positions in Real Football Terms. A strong Running Game that draws the defenses attention, a competent QB and a very strong OLine not to mention a very talented TE who can draw the opposing secondary's attention can make average WR's great.

 

[jurb26]

How can you not. I might admit they are suspect in two three areas this year: Head Coaching and Defensive Secondary and wide receiver. But they are so solid everywhere else it is hard not to consider them as one of the more talented teams in the NFL. I am coughing up liver-bile as I type this being a Raider fan. I just think they have done an unbelievable job of assembling a football team. They have the best chance of any team in the NFL to win it all, if they don't (after last seasons loss in the playoffs to NE) they are going to be hardpressed to ever do it.

That is probably the teams biggest downfall, or pressure point, is they pretty much have to win it all or they will be looked at as failures. Of course I am hoping they fall flat on their face, but realistically wouldn't bet on that.

fixed

I thought about mentioning the WR position, but I am one of those guys that thinks the WR position is the least important positions in Real Football Terms. A strong Running Game that draws the defenses attention, a competent QB and a very strong OLine not to mention a very talented TE who can draw the opposing secondary's attention can make average WR's great.

Compensation of players based on salaries would lead us to believe otherwise. Not too mention SD has had all of the above you mentioned the past 2 years and that still hasn't made their "average" WRs great.

 

[ack34]

I don't see how the Giants are going to worse than the Bucs, Chiefs, and the Lions. I'm a Giants fan and I'm not dillusional about my team. I think we're middle of the pack right around 14 at the very very best, and 20 at the worse.

Shhh...They play better when no one is looking.