TRAINING CAMPS GETTING UNDERWAY
Let’s take a look at the 2018 NFL Power Rankings
heading into the start of many training camps around the league.
It’s hard to believe that training camp will officially get
underway this week after months of anticipation, meaning it’s time for the 2018
NFL Power Rankings to come back into play with plenty to discuss from now until
Week 1. Throughout the offseason, one of the biggest debates has been whether
the Eagles deserve to be on top over teams like the New England
Patriots or Minnesota
Vikings, but it’s honestly tough to pick against them at this
point.
What the Eagles were able to accomplish last season on their
way to winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history despite numerous
injuries was truly amazing, as this shows just how great of a head coach Doug
Pederson truly is. Even when looking at all of the questions surrounding the
defending champions this offseason whether it was the status of Carson Wentz or
the chances of Brandon Graham being ready to go for Week 1, Pederson has done
an unbelievable job at keeping the Eagles focused on what’s in store for 2018.
For the first time ever, Philadelphia will be forced to deal
with a new kind of pressure as a team playing with targets on their back after
hoisting the Lombardi Trophy last February, although it’s safe to assume they
don’t mind since it was clearly all worth it. Only time will tell when it comes
to seeing if the Eagles have what it takes to live up to the hype, but before
getting into more details over where they deserve to be on this list, let’s
take a look at the other 31 teams as well in the latest NFL Power Rankings
heading into camp.
32. INDIANAPOLIS
COLTS
No matter what questions may sound the Indianapolis
Colts throughout the 2018 season, nothing will top whether
Andrew Luck can manage to stay healthy after missing all of last year due to a
shoulder injury. Originally, Luck was only expected to miss the beginning of
the year, but as bad as it sounds, there seemed to be times in which the Colts
didn’t even know what was going on with their quarterback’s shoulder.
Seeing Luck throw this offseason was a huge relief for
Indianapolis since one can only imagine what they would have to do at
quarterback if the shoulder continued to be an issue, but now comes the tough
part for the former No. 1 pick by proving there’s no reason for concern. Until
Luck actually steps first on the football field, and shows he is capable of
taking a hit, there’s always going to be a little concern from the Colts and
their fans.
If Luck can impress over the next couple of weeks, this will
make Indianapolis feel much better about heading into their first game of the
season against the Cincinnati
Bengals. The AFC South turned out to be quite the competitive
division in 2017, and if Luck can help the Colts get back on track, it could
make things even more interesting.
31. NEW YORK JETS
Finally, the New York Jets decided
to take advantage of having a solid pick in the first round to address their
need at quarterback, as all eyes will be on Sam Darnold in training camp to see
if the rookie has what it takes to win the starting job. Then again, when considering
the Jets have nothing to lose during the 2018 season, starting Darnold right
away could end up working wonders down the road from an experience perspective.
In fact, New York kind of considers themselves lucky for
landing the former USC star since the argument can be made they assumed he
would be off the board before the No. 3 pick. So if Darnold shines enough
throughout training camp since all he has to do is beat out Josh McCown and
Teddy Bridgewater, there’s every reason to believe he could end up starting as
a rookie.
Whether this means the Jets would actually have what it
takes to be a surprise contender in the AFC, well that’s a different story
since beyond Darnold; this team is still a work in progress. But at least if
Darnold does in fact start as a rookie, the early experience will benefit him
even more in the long run.
30. MIAMI DOLPHINS
Disaster doesn’t even begin to describe what kind of year
2017 was like for the Miami
Dolphins after the team was hoping to pick up where they
left off the year before as a playoff contender in the AFC, only to end up
being one of the league’s biggest disappointments. Losing Ryan Tannehill early
on for the season was obviously a crushing blow, but the Dolphins convincing
Jay Cutler to come out of retirement was one of the worst decisions the
organization could have made.
After making the easy decision not to give Cutler another
chance, Miami is willing to give Tannehill another chance to prove himself
worthy at quarterback, which of course is always easier said than done. Plus,
Tannehill and the Dolphins will be adjusting to Jarvis Landry no longer being
in the picture after the wideout was traded to the Cleveland
Browns this offseason for a fresh start after some
frustration towards the organization.
New players like Danny Amendola will still make Tannehill’s
job a little easier, but also let’s not forget the defense lost another key
player in Ndamukong Suh after releasing the defender in the offseason to save
some salary cap space. In other words, it will be interesting to see how Miami
adjusts to all these key changes, as they could be in for a rude awakening in
2018.
29. CLEVELAND
BROWNS
Speaking of the Browns, all the team has to do in 2018 is
win two games, and it will already be considered an improvement from the last
two seasons, in which they have gone with a horrendous 1-31 record. Keeping Hue
Jackson around for a third season may have seemed like a questionable move, but
with his history of quarterback development, it’s easy to understand
Cleveland’s interest in seeing what he can get out of Baker Mayfield.
Just like the situation with the Jets, the Browns were another
team expected to finally find a potential franchise quarterback in this year’s
draft, and they even had an extra advantage over the rest of the league with
two picks in the top four. Some fans were surprised to see Cleveland go with
the former Oklahoma star at No. 1 since many believed Darnold would be end up
being the first quarterback selected, but if his time with the Sooners is any
indication, the Browns may finally have found their future quarterback.
At the moment, Jackson seems convinced on going with Tyrod
Taylor as the starter for 2018, but this would only continue to hold Cleveland
back. If they really want to make Mayfield the quarterback of the future, why
not just let him start right away to gain that early rookie experience?
28. TAMPA BAY
BUCCANEERS
The argument can be made that if Jameis Winston weren’t
going to miss the first three games of the 2018 season as a result of a
suspension, the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers would be a few spots higher on this list. For
now, the Buccaneers will enter the new season at a major disadvantage while
playing those first three games without Winston, which unfortunately all happen
to be against playoff teams from last season.
Ryan Fitzpatrick certainly has plenty of talent to work with
on offense since Tampa Bay appears to be stacked on paper with receivers like
Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson, but nothing is guaranteed for the veteran
quarterback. As if the Buccaneers weren’t already facing enough pressure after
winning just five games all of last year despite high expectations, Winston’s
suspension takes everything to a whole new level.
Tampa Bay knows that another season like 2017 could result
in numerous changes once the offseason rolls around, especially when it comes
to the coaching staff. Training camp is always important for each team in the
NFL, but these next few weeks will be even more important to see how
Fitzpatrick looks with the starters to see if there will be hope come September.
27. CINCINNATI
BENGALS
Another team facing plenty of pressure to get back on the
winning track after failing to miss the playoffs in each of the last two
seasons will be Marvin Lewis and the Bengals, who for some reason continue to
reward their head coach with extensions he doesn’t deserve. As if watching the
team fail to make the playoffs in each of the last two seasons wasn’t already
frustrating enough, Cincinnati fans are well aware that Lewis and his 0-7
career playoff record are an embarrassment as well.
Even more frustrating, the Bengals were loaded with enough
talent on both sides of the football to at least make a run for a Wild Card
spot, which obviously didn’t happen. Now, the question becomes whether
Cincinnati has what it takes to return to their winning ways to become a
contender in the AFC once again, and if that’s going to happen, it will be up
to Andy Dalton to lead the way on offense.
The Bengals quarterback has taken some heat over the years
for his inconsistent play, but at least having players like A.J. Green and Joe
Mixon to work with will hopefully help Dalton out in 2018. If not, Cincinnati
may be looking at a third year in a row consisting of watching the playoffs
from home.
26. CHICAGO BEARS
All eyes will be on Mitch Trubisky during training camp for
the Chicago Bears since
whether this team has what it takes to become a surprise contender in the NFC
will come down to how the North Carolina product performs under center. Last
year, the Bears pulled off one of the biggest surprises from the draft after
trading up a spot to land Trubisky at No. 2, mainly due to the fact they had
spent all of that money on Mike Glennon in free agency.
Numbers wise, Trubisky’s rookie season wasn’t all that great
on paper, but also keep in mind that Chicago didn’t exactly provide him with
the best offense to work with since all he really had was Jordan Howard. This
time around, however, the Bears have brought in new weapons on offense such as
Allen Robinson and Trey Burton, meaning there will be no excuses for Trubisky
if the struggles continue under center.
Plus, when looking at some of the impressive performances
displayed by the defenses during the 2017 season, it’s no wonder Chicago is
being built up as a potential sleeper team. But until they prove themselves
worthy, the Bears will begin the new season near the bottom of these rankings.
25. NEW YORK
GIANTS
It’s crazy to think how the New York
Giants were hyped up to be a serious Super Bowl contender
around this time last year, only to head into 2018 as a team looking to bounce
back from a 3-13 season. Between Ben McAdoo turning out to be an awful head
coach to Odell Beckham Jr. missing most of the year due to a fractured ankle,
there were a lot of factors that played into last year’s disappointing season
by the Giants.
Luckily, McAdoo is no longer part of the picture, and
Beckham seems healthy enough to return to his normal ways of being one of the
league’s most dangerous receivers, which New York would obviously love to see.
Not to mention, the Giants have high expectations for rookie Saquon Barkley at
running back after seeing the kind of impact he made throughout his career at
Penn State since he can be used in multiple ways.
Eli Manning can’t even remember the last time he had a
reliable running back like Barkley, and if the rookie follows the footsteps of
Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette from their first seasons in the NFL, the
Giants will be in great shape on offense. A veteran like Manning getting up there
in age can use all the extra help he can get under center, and Barkley’s
presence will certainly help take away some of that unnecessary pressure he
normally deals with under center.
24. BUFFALO BILLS
As the Buffalo Bills continue
to wait and see how the situation with LeSean McCoy plays out, at least the
team should feel confident over where their defense stands heading into 2018
after last year’s surprise success. Without question, the Bills’ defense was
the main reason behind the team earning a Wild Card in the AFC last season, and
while the unit will be the major strength once again this year, how far this
team goes in 2018 will come down to the offense, especially at quarterback.
Moving from Taylor was the best decision Buffalo could have
made when looking at the quarterback’s inconsistency from the last three years,
and while AJ McCarron seems to be the short-term answer, keep in mind he’s not
all that experienced. Even with the selection of Josh Allen in the first round,
the Bills know there are no guarantees to either of these quarterbacks
succeeding in 2018, meaning the offense will be facing some extra pressure.
One can only imagine what would have gone down on Wild Card
Weekend last January if Buffalo had an offense to rely on since the defense
held the Jacksonville
Jaguars to scoring just 10 points. Then again, at least the
Bills finally put an end to that overdue playoff drought after all of those
seasons coming up short.
23. ARIZONA
CARDINALS
As if finding a replacement for Bruce Arians wasn’t already
a difficult challenge for the Arizona
Cardinals, the team also had to put together a game plan at
quarterback since Carson Palmer decided to call it a career as well. Drafting
Josh Rosen in the first during April’s draft seemed necessary to put the
Cardinals in better shape to find a potential new quarterback to build the
franchise around, but whether paying Sam Bradford all that money for one season
will be worth it is a different story.
When looking at Bradford’s history of struggling to remain
healthy, it’s tough for Arizona not to be slightly worried about what could be
in store for 2018, but at least no matter who ends up playing quarterback,
their job will be easier with teammates like David Johnson and Larry
Fitzgerald. While Johnson looks to bounce back after only appearing in one game
last year due to an injury, Fitzgerald knows his time to try winning a Super
Bowl is closing in.
Missing out on the playoffs over the last two seasons has
been beyond frustrating for the Cardinals, but if key players can remain
healthy, this team may have a shot to be a sleeper in the NFC. Playing in the
NFC West won’t be easy, but Arizona better be ready for the challenge.
22. WASHINGTON
REDSKINS
Instead of waiting around to see what would happen in free
agency with Kirk Cousins, the Washington
Redskins wasted no time figuring out their quarterback for
2018 after agreeing to a deal with the Kansas City
Chiefs to acquire Alex Smith. At the time, the trade came
as quite the surprise since it didn’t seem like the Chiefs were ready to move
on from Smith so fast after drafting Patrick Mahomes II in 2017, but at least
his veteran experience will benefit some of the younger players.
Along with his new group of young receivers, Smith hopes to
benefit from the selection of Derrius Guice in the backfield after Washington decided
to take advantage of the former LSU star falling to the second round, even if
there were some concerns. If Guice can stay focused on football, this could
turn out to be a huge steal for the Redskins, and give them a much better
chance in what is expected to be a competitive NFC East.
Plus, if Smith ends up playing with an extra chip on his
shoulder to prove Kansas City made a huge mistake, this could work out even
better for Washington. There are plenty of questions heading into training
camp, but Jay Gruden has to like the potential surrounding this team.
21. DETROIT LIONS
Throughout his career, Matthew Stafford has always been the
kind of quarterback that makes the players around him better, and now that he
has a decent backfield to work with, the Detroit Lions quarterback
should have a much easier time running the offense. As great of a quarterback
Stafford has been working with receivers like Golden Tate, the former No. 1
pick always seemed to be at a disadvantage with the lack of support he had in
the backfield.
Not only did the Lions bring in a key veteran in free agency
with LeGarrette Blount, but the selection of Kerryon Johnson in the second
round of this year’s draft could result in a surprise impact from the rookie.
Also, the Lions hope to see Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick contribute enough
to give the team plenty to work with at running back.
Falling short of the playoffs last season was frustrating
for Detroit to deal with since they were in position to earn a Wild Card spot
late in the season, only to end up falling short. Playing in the NFC North
isn’t going to be easy during the 2018 season, and every game is going to be
extremely important when it comes to the division standings.
20. BALTIMORE
RAVENS
Defense has always been a major strength of the Baltimore
Ravens over the years, as it’s played a key role in helping
them be one of the top contenders in the AFC, although it has been
disappointing to seem them miss out on the playoffs in each of the last three
seasons. Unfortunately, the Ravens’ offense has been the main area holding them
back over the last two seasons since Joe Flacco and company have struggled to
play consistent enough to win key games, but hopefully things will change for
the better in 2018.
With two new rookie tight ends to work with in Hayden Hurst
and Mark Andrews along with the surprise signing of Michael Crabtree when he
became available, Flacco should benefit from his new weapons right away in the
passing game.
Talent wise, Baltimore seems to have the potential to
compete with some of the best in the AFC, and let’s not forget this was a team
that was on the verge of making the playoffs last year before their epic Week
17 collapse. One can only imagine what would have gone down in the
playoffs if the Ravens had earned one of those Wild Card spots, but all they
can do now is focus on 2018.
19. HOUSTON TEXANS
Speaking of what could have been, there’s a good chance
Deshaun Watson would have ended up winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2017
if he didn’t suffer a torn ACL in the middle of his amazing campaign. For
years, the Houston
Texans were arguably a franchise quarterback away from
being a true contender in the AFC since their defense was already in great
shape, and it looks like Watson is the answer they’ve patiently been waiting
for.
Assuming all continues to go well for Watson during his
recovery process, the Texans look like a team on a mission for the 2018 season
to get back on the winning track to hopefully compete for one of the playoff
spots. Recovering from a torn ACL is never to deal with, but Watson has been
doing everything in his power this offseason to put him in the best position
possible to succeed during his sophomore campaign.
The kind of numbers Watson (21 total touchdowns in seven
games) put up in such limited action was insane to see, and Houston is excited
to see what he could in a full season under center. If that does happen, the
Texans will have a legitimate spot to compete for the AFC South title.
18. OAKLAND
RAIDERS
Expectations were high for the Oakland
Raiders heading into last season, as many believed they
were going to be the team with the best chance of taking down the New England
Patriots, which clearly didn’t happen when seeing how they won just six games.
While there were numerous reasons behind why the Raiders struggled the way they
did, the important factor is 2018 will be a fresh start, and if all goes well,
they should return to their contending ways from two years ago.
During that season, Derek Carr was playing at a MVP level,
and when looking at Jon Gruden’s history of working with quarterbacks, Oakland
has plenty of reasons to be excited. The Raiders quarterback was already in
great shape having a reliable receiver to work with in Amari Cooper, but the
team hopes the addition of Jordy Nelson helps the receiving corps reach new
heights.
Take all of this into consideration with having Marshawn
Lynch in the backfield; maybe Oakland will live up to the hype this time around
as a top contender in the AFC. Bringing back an old head coach can seem risky,
and when looking at the money Gruden is going to be making, the Raiders better
hope this experiment works.
17. SEATTLE
SEAHAWKS
For the first time in the Russell Wilson era, the Seattle
Seahawks failed to earn a trip to the playoffs, after the
team fell just short after finishing with a 9-7 record. From the defense no
longer being as dangerous to Wilson learning the hard way how there’s only so
much he can do on his own without the proper support from his teammates on
offense, 2017 turned out to be a year to forget for the Seahawks.
Even more concerning, Seattle appears to be one of those
teams heading into 2018 with a ton of questions in need of answering when
looking at some of their key departures, ranging from Jimmy Graham to Richard
Sherman. Once again, Wilson will most likely be dealing with a ton of extra
pressure that he clearly doesn’t need, and it’s going to be even more
frustrating if the offensive line doesn’t provide him with the proper
protection.
Isn’t it amazing how quickly things can change in a span of
year? Heading into last season, the Seahawks always seemed to be a lock to earn
one of the spots in the playoffs, and it will be interesting to see if they
have what it takes to recover after last year.
16. SAN FRANCISCO
49ERS
As bad as the San Francisco
49ers looked in the first half of last season, the
struggling was well worth it in the long run since it eventually led to the
trade with the Patriots to land Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback. It took a
little bit longer than it should have to finally get him under center, but once
Garoppolo finally took over the starting job for the 49ers, the team ended the
2017 season on a hot note by winning each of their final five games.
To top it off, Garoppolo’s stellar play to finish last year
led him to a massive contract in the offseason, and now that he’s going to be
in San Francisco for the long run, it’s time for him to show he’s worth every
penny of that hefty deal. Now, the expectations for the 49ers are higher than
ever, as many believe this team has what it takes to emerge as a playoff
contender in the NFC.
In fact, San Francisco seems like the team with the best
chance of taking down the Los Angeles
Rams for the NFC West title since Seattle and Arizona have
a ton of questions at the moment. Garoppolo has spent years waiting for a
full-time role as a starting quarterback, and now it’s time for him to shine
for the 49ers in 2018.
15. Dallas Cowboys
One year after finishing with the best record in the NFC
while being led by two amazing rookies on offense in Dak Prescott and Ezekiel
Elliott, the Cowboys took a step back in 2017 by failing to earn a spot in
the playoffs with a 9-7 record. Between Prescott going through a bit of a
sophomore slump to Elliott dealing with all of the drama surrounding his
suspension, there were plenty of reasons behind the struggles of the Cowboys
last season.
At least with a fresh start, Dallas seems to have the talent
on both sides of the football to learn from last year’s mistakes, although it
will be weird to see the offense without Dez Bryant and Jason Witten. While the
Cowboys made the tough decision to release Bryant since his production had been
on the decline, it’s going to be more difficult replacing Witten after the
veteran tight end decided to call it a career, leaving a huge void on offense.
Dallas was considered an early Super Bowl favorite around
this time last year, and it’s not going to be easy to return to that level, but
it’s certainly possible. With a fresh start, the Cowboys are the last team any
football fan should sleep on.
14. DENVER BRONCOS
Over the last two years, the argument can be made that
the Denver
Broncos would have been able to make the playoffs with a
reliable quarterback under center after Trevor Siemian and Brock Osweiler both
turned out to be complete busts. What made this situation even more frustrating
to deal with is the Broncos have two receivers in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel
Sanders that tend to make life easier for most quarterbacks, which is why Case
Keenum is thrilled to be on board.
Seeing Keenum is the odd man out with the Minnesota
Vikings at quarterback may have been a tough pill to
swallow at the time, but at least a fresh start with Denver will put him in a
good position to make another deep run in the playoffs. Watching Keenum lead
the Vikings to the NFC Championship last year after Bradford went down was
truly amazing to witness, and the Broncos should feel confident enough that he
can do the same with them.
Denver’s defense has been doing most of the work over the
last two seasons, and it was unfortunate to see the offense fail to come
through on their end. Thanks to Keenum, this should no longer be the case.
13. KANSAS CITY
CHIEFS
As mentioned before when discussing the Redskins, the Chiefs
made a bold move this offseason when they decided to move on from Smith at
quarterback to get the Mahomes era underway earlier than expected. Moving on
from an experienced veteran like Smith may sound risky for Kansas City, but
also keep in mind they never would have done it if their confidence weren’t
high on Mahomes.
The good news for the youngster is the Chiefs have done a
fantastic job at providing him with a great offense to succeed since most
quarterbacks would love to be in the position Mahomes finds himself in with
players like Kareem Hunt and Travis Kelce to work with. Not to mention, Tyreek
Hill continues to be one of the league’s most dangerous players with his
blazing speed.
Mahomes may struggle a bit while adjusting to his new role
as the starter, but as long as Kansas City remains a playoff contender in the
AFC, that’s all that really matters the most. The last thing the Chiefs want to
see happen is the team take a step back by moving on from Smith too soon, so
here’s to hoping Mahomes will be ready for a strong training camp.
12. TENNESSEE
TITANS
When looking at all of the teams that failed to live up to
the hype of making the leap to playoff contenders, the Tennessee
Titans came through by earning a Wild Card spot in the AFC
last season. And if that wasn’t exciting enough, the Titans even pulled off one
of the biggest surprises during Wild Card Weekend by upsetting the Chiefs on
the road before losing to the Patriots the following round.
Witnessing that loss take place was obviously painful for
Tennessee since they were clearly overmatched from a competitive standpoint,
but the good news is this can be used as a learning experience for Marcus
Mariota and company. Believe it or not, the Titans were considered one of the
biggest winners of the offseason when looking at the major additions they made
on both sides of the football to give them a better chance of competing in the
AFC.
Of course, the one factor that needs to come into play is
Mariota playing better than he did last season since a quarterback at his level
throwing more interceptions than touchdowns is completely unacceptable. On
another note, it will be fun to see how Derrick Henry plays now that he’s the
new No. 1 running back now that DeMarco Murray is no longer part of the
picture.
11. CAROLINA
PANTHERS
Watching the Carolina
Panthers win just six games one year after representing the
NFC in the Super Bowl, but at least the team was able to bounce back last
season by earning one of the Wild Card spots in the conference. Losing to the
New Orleans Saints early on was frustrating to deal with, but at least all
signs point to the Panthers continuing to be one of the teams to beat in the
NFC with their eyes set on hopefully winning the division title this time around?
Ron Rivera realizes just how fortunate he is to have the
talent he gets to work with on both sides of the football, and while Luke
Kuechly continues to make a case for being one of the top defenders in the
league, Cam Newton takes care of business on the offensive side of the
football.
Football fans can say whatever they want about Newton since
his immaturity seems to come into play from time to time, but at the end of the
day, he is one heck of a football player. With plenty of great weapons to
work with, don’t be surprised if the former MVP takes advantage of Christian
McCaffrey having a larger role during his sophomore season in 2018.
10. LOS ANGELES
CHARGERS
Most teams that end a regular season by winning six of their
final seven games would seem capable of earning a playoff spots, but the Los Angeles
Chargers learned the hard way what can happen when it takes
until Week 5 to win their first game. Without question, the poor start at the
beginning of the season came back to haunt the Chargers in December when they
were battling for a playoff spot, as the team was even in position to win the
AFC West at one point.
At least when it comes to the 2018 season, Los Angeles is
already drawing praise as one of the top teams to keep an eye on in the AFC,
especially if their defense plays like they did during the final two months of
last year.
Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram continue to look like players
that only get better with experience, as these two defenders will be key in
helping the Chargers become the threat they hope to be in the AFC. As for
the offense, Philip Rivers continues to be one of the most competitive
quarterbacks in the league, and the veteran knows he won’t receive many more
opportunities to make another Super Bowl run, so it’s even more important for
Los Angeles to come through in 2018.
9. NEW ORLEANS
SAINTS
After losing their first two games of the 2017 season,
the Saints appeared to be heading towards another year of finishing below
.500 while missing out on the playoffs. Instead, the Saints would go on to win
their next eight games, and become a serious threat, all while going on to win
the NFC South title.
Normally, New Orleans is a team known for their high-powered
offense led by Drew Brees, and even though the future Hall of Famer continues
to play at a high level, it was the defense that ended up being a huge
difference maker. Even the Saints knew just how bad their defense was in
previous years, and seeing them take advantage of a strong draft class in 2017
to help put together one of the top units gives high expectations for next
season.
Players like Marshon Lattimore will play a key roles in New
Orleans continuing to be one of the top teams to beat in the conference, and
the team would love nothing more than a shot at redemption when seeing how
their playoff run ended last January. Competing in the division will be a
challenge once again, but the Saints are built well enough to make another
playoff push.
8. GREEN BAY
PACKERS
While teams like the Saints ended up being surprise
contenders in 2017, the Green Bay
Packers were one of the biggest surprises when it came to
failing to make the playoffs, although they were at a slight disadvantage over
the whole Aaron Rodgers situation. Unfortunately for the Packers, the team
learned the hard way that Brett Hundley doesn’t have what it takes to be a
reliable quarterback in the NFL while Rodgers was recovering from a broken
collarbone.
Green Bay couldn’t have done a better job at putting Hundley
in the perfect position to succeed under center, and seeing the team miss out
on the playoffs last year will most likely result in Rodgers being motivated
more than ever. From a competitive standpoint, Rodgers ranks near the top of
the league, and as tough as it was for him to lose one of his favorite targets
in Nelson, the good news is he received a solid replacement in a way with
Graham.
Since the Vikings are considered one of the early Super Bowl
favorites, the Packers will have quite the work cut out for them when it comes
to competing for the division title. But knowing Rodgers, the quarterback seems
ready to do whatever it takes to be a headache for the defending NFC North
champions.
7. JACKSONVILLE
JAGUARS
The Jacksonville
Jaguars had to be kicking themselves last January when they
failed to reach the Super Bowl after blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth
quarter to the Patriots in the AFC Championship. On a positive note, at least
the Jaguars are expected to be a serious contender in the AFC for a second year
in a row, which is a relief when looking at what they went through to get in
this position.
At the beginning of each new season, Jacksonville always
seemed like a team ready to make the serious leap to becoming a contender, only
to end up coming short each time. However, thanks to a successful offseason
before 2017 in which they loaded up on the defensive side of the football, the
Jaguars finally became the contender that football fans had been waiting to
see.
Jacksonville’s defense emerged as one of the top units
during the 2017 season, and if they pick up right where they left off, that
will be the case once again this year. Then again, if the Jaguars really want
to continue being a top contender in the AFC, Blake Bortles is going to need
all of the extra help he can get on offense.
6. ATLANTA FALCONS
Only time will tell when it comes to whether Julio Jones
will receive a new contract from the Atlanta
Falcons, but for the sake of the team, let’s hope the wideout
shows up for training camp instead of holding out. Otherwise, it’s going to
hurt the chances of the Falcons earning a trip to the playoffs for a third year
in a row, which nobody wants to see happen.
After being on the wrong side of NFL history by allowing New
England to overcome a 28-3 deficit in the Super Bowl, all Atlanta wanted last
year was another chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Defeating the Rams in the
opening round of the playoffs was impressive, but unfortunately the team came
up just short the following weekend against the Eagles.
One can only imagine what would have happened if Jones
caught that touchdown pass in the end zone towards the end of the game, but the
good news for Atlanta is the talent is there to make another playoff run in
2018. But before jumping that far ahead, the Falcons need to focus on getting
this whole Jones situation taken care of to make sure they avoid any risk of
the wideout being unhappy.
5. PITTSBURGH
STEELERS
The Pittsburgh
Steelers have nobody to blame other than themselves for
losing in the Divisional Round against the Jaguars last January since they
seemed to have their eyes set for the following weekend with a potential
matchup against the Patriots. Maybe if the Steelers are in position to make
another run at the Super Bowl if they return to the playoffs, they will take
what happened into consideration to avoid another disastrous situation.
Luckily, Pittsburgh is loaded with the necessary talent to make
another run happen, especially when seeing how Ben Roethlisberger has one of
the top offenses for a quarterback to work with. Any quarterback would love the
opportunity to have Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown as two of their top targets,
showing just how lucky Big Ben is to be part of Pittsburgh’s offense.
With that being said, the one main concern the Steelers will
have to deal with moving forward is Bell being unhappy at running back since
he’s going to be playing under the franchise tag for a second year in a row.
And when seeing how the Rams recently rewarded Todd Gurley with a hefty
extension, it puts the Steelers in an even tougher spot when it comes to Bell’s
contract situation.
4. LOS ANGELES
RAMS
That’s right; the Rams pulled off another surprise this
offseason when it comes to extending players after rewarding Gurley with a
record-setting deal that will give him the most guaranteed money for a running
back. Expectations were already high for Los Angeles heading into their second
season under Sean McVay, but when seeing how players like Gurley and Brandin
Cooks are going to be around for the long run, this team is built to be a
serious Super Bowl contender for years to come.
Of course, the one topic that is still on the minds of Rams
fans is whether Aaron Donald is going to finally receive the new hefty deal
he’s been fighting for dating back to last summer, in which he ended up holding
out all of training camp and preseason. Reports have recently indicated that
Donald believes he will receive a new contract soon, but until it becomes
official, the concern is going to be there.
For a team that was coming off a four-win season in 2016,
it’s unbelievable to see how quickly things turned around for the best with the
Rams. After emerging as a surprise contender last year, now it’s time for Los
Angeles to face a new level of pressure when it comes to being a top team to
beat in the NFC.
3. MINNESOTA
VIKINGS
One of the teams that could be standing in the way of the
Rams in the NFC are the Vikings, as this team found a way to improve in the
offseason by winning the Cousins sweepstakes to upgrade at the quarterback
position. As great of a job as Keenum did last season, when seeing how
Minnesota had to choose between the two quarterbacks, Cousins is going to be
the obvious pick each time, and it’s not even close.
Heading into the offseason, the Vikings were already viewed
as one of the early favorites to make a run at the Super Bowl, and bringing
Cousins into the mix will take those expectations to a whole new level. Over
the last couple of years, Cousins has been battling for a hefty contract, and
now that Minnesota was willing to open up the checkbook, it’s time for him to
prove himself worthy of the deal.
Losing in the NFC Championship the way they did was embarrassing
for the Vikings, and it was crushing to see them miss out on being the first
team in NFL history to play in their own stadium for the Super Bowl made the
situation even worse to accept. Whether Cousins has what it takes to give
Minnesota another decent shot, it’s only a matter of time before finding out.
2. NEW ENGLAND
PATRIOTS
Is it really surprising to see the Patriots sitting at No. 2
on this list since as long as Tom Brady is part of the picture, they’re always
going to be a heavy favorite to win it all heading into a new season? The fact
that Brady is coming off a MVP season for a player his age is unheard of in the
NFL, and after New England came up short against Philadelphia in the Super
Bowl, one can only imagine his level of motivation for 2018.
What’s even more terrifying to think about is Brady has
already hinted that he would love to play for a few more years if his body is
willing to let it happen, which is great for the Patriots, but bad for the rest
of the league. Not even the absence of Julian Edelman for the first four games
of the regular season is going to stop Brady since the future Hall of Famer has
a habit of making the players around him better.
Chances are that if all goes according to plan, the Patriots
will cruise to winning another division title along with locking up one of the
top two seeds in the AFC for the playoffs. Missing out on that sixth Super Bowl
ring left a bad taste in Brady’s mouth, and knowing his competitive nature,
he’s going to do everything in his power to put New England in another position
to try earning that ring.
1. PHILADELPHIA
EAGLES
For the first time ever, the Eagles get to enter a new
season with a target on their backs as defending Super Bowl champions, and
despite all of the uncertainty surrounding this team in a few areas, there’s no
reason for concern. When seeing how Pederson was able to keep this team focused
last season during their epic Super Bowl run, no obstacle is going to stand in
the way of Philadelphia trying to achieve their ultimate goal of winning
another title.
Pederson made it clear last February about how winning is
the new norm for this team since now that Philadelphia knows how amazing it
feels to earn a Super Bowl title, the goal is to make sure the feeling happens
once again this upcoming season. After decades of disappointment and coming up
short in the postseason, it was amazing to see the Eagles finally come through
with their first Super Bowl win in franchise history.
No matter who ends up playing quarterback once Week 1 rolls
around against Atlanta, Philadelphia will feel confident either way with Wentz
or Foles since both players have proven they can handle the responsibilities.
Defending the title is never easy, but after last year’s run in which they won
all three postseason games as underdogs, no challenge seems difficult for the
Eagles.
