Off-Season Power Rankings

[FerrariFan87]

I know, I know... power rankings, especially this early on, are absurd, but it's still fun to see what the "experts" think of each team so far this off-season.

[url="http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings?year=2010&week=0"]ESPN's Offseason Power Rankings[/url]

[Ed_Reed20]

I think the Cowboys and Chargers have appeared in the top 10 of pre-season power rankings more times than they've won play-off games the past 14 years.

[AwakenTheDemon]

I'm not exactly sold on the Cowboys, not nearly enough to put them at 5 in the offseason. Dez Bryant alone isn't all the need to get to the Super Bowl.

[DrMoonTooth]

Power rankings are so overrated. Every one here knows the Ravens will be #1 when all the blood has been shed and the battle has been won.

[DrMoonTooth]

...and as a side note, I can't believe they put the Lions at #31...I think their offseason and draft merits more love. They're definitely on the rise.

[ScreamForMe]

This is written on the same website who thinks we will be drafting 31st next year . . . that would be SB runner-up . . . AKA second place. Take these with a grain of salt. I don't think the Vikings have NEARLY the year they did last year and I also think Sanchez is going to have a Sophomore Slump like no other. They'll be beckoning for his GQ picture, that's for sure. I like the Packers as high as they are. With the O-Line shored up Aaron Rodgers will be able to pick teams apart. And you see the comment for the Chargers (ROOKIE Mathews will HAVE to produce immediately). Personally I feel that if you're aware enough to write that, you should be aware enough to drop the team a few spots. I would put BMore in the top 4 preseason rankings. I think we're going to have a great year and contend for the Super Bowl, regardless . . . but until we figure out what's going down with the secondary, I'm not ready to say "Ravens 2010/11 Champs".

[raylewisjr]

Cant get to the website at work right now due to it being blocked at work. However, I think #7 is pretty fair. If I am not mistaken for a couple weeks this past season we were #1 on alot of different websites power rankings. I think they are pretty useless though. A good time waster...gives me something to read for 5 minutes.

Kind of curious, where did the steelers make it on that current list? They better not be in the top 10!

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='raylewisjr' date='03 May 2010 - 12:18 AM' timestamp='1272860284' post='403624']
Cant get to the website at work right now due to it being blocked at work. However, I think #7 is pretty fair. If I am not mistaken for a couple weeks this past season we were #1 on alot of different websites power rankings. I think they are pretty useless though. A good time waster...gives me something to read for 5 minutes.

Kind of curious, where did the steelers make it on that current list? They better not be in the top 10!
[/quote]

The Steelers are 19th in the rankings.

While this could be a bad year for them, they STILL have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball. I won't dismiss them completely unless they're 0-4.

[flynismo]

[quote name='ScreamForMe' date='02 May 2010 - 11:13 PM' timestamp='1272859988' post='403623']
This is written on the same website who thinks we will be drafting 31st next year . . . that would be SB runner-up . . . AKA second place. Take these with a grain of salt. I don't think the Vikings have NEARLY the year they did last year and I also think Sanchez is going to have a Sophomore Slump like no other. They'll be beckoning for his GQ picture, that's for sure. I like the Packers as high as they are. With the O-Line shored up Aaron Rodgers will be able to pick teams apart. And you see the comment for the Chargers (ROOKIE Mathews will HAVE to produce immediately). Personally I feel that if you're aware enough to write that, you should be aware enough to drop the team a few spots. I would put BMore in the top 4 preseason rankings. I think we're going to have a great year and contend for the Super Bowl, regardless . . . but until we figure out what's going down with the secondary, I'm not ready to say "Ravens 2010/11 Champs".
[/quote]


Your line of thinking in discrediting this website confuses me..
You say that "this is from the same website that has us going to the SB" and because of that, we shouldn't take them seriously, but then you go on to say that we should be ranked in the top four and are SB contenders.

If you ask me, this team is a serious contender with or without a couple question marks in the secondary.

[flynismo]

[quote name='ScreamForMe' date='02 May 2010 - 11:13 PM' timestamp='1272859988' post='403623']
This is written on the same website who thinks we will be drafting 31st next year . . . that would be SB runner-up . . . AKA second place. Take these with a grain of salt. I don't think the Vikings have NEARLY the year they did last year and I also think Sanchez is going to have a Sophomore Slump like no other. They'll be beckoning for his GQ picture, that's for sure. I like the Packers as high as they are. With the O-Line shored up Aaron Rodgers will be able to pick teams apart. And you see the comment for the Chargers (ROOKIE Mathews will HAVE to produce immediately). Personally I feel that if you're aware enough to write that, you should be aware enough to drop the team a few spots. I would put BMore in the top 4 preseason rankings. I think we're going to have a great year and contend for the Super Bowl, regardless . . . but until we figure out what's going down with the secondary, I'm not ready to say "Ravens 2010/11 Champs".
[/quote]

Also wanted to add a random observation....

Saying that Sanchez is going to have a sophomore slump implies that he performed well as a rookie. He sucked horribly last year; was worse than Boller ever was, and Boller was a bum.

That is all.

[flynismo]

Us being only seventh is laughable. Third is the absolute lowest I find acceptable.

But this is why power rankings are such a joke. Some guy sitting at his computer in his tightie whities and spaghetti-O's on his wife beater learns how to string a few words together, and this is what he comes up with?

[Romo Ravens]

I kind of love our position and I kind of hate it. Why, oh why, are the Cowboys that high on this list? It's an absolute spit in the face to teams who actually get far in the playoffs on a consistent basis. I won't say that they're horrible, but they're not great.

Minnesota is also extremely high because this is dependant on Favre coming back, which I think he will. If Jackson is starting, then you can move them down in the mid-teens.

San Diego? All I have to say is wow. We should be above them. We were better than them without our new additions, so we should be the second AFC team on that list. But hey, the bias must go on. ESPN is a legit site, so I don't know why everyone is reffering to it as some Bleacher Report clone, but they messed up on this one.

I love the top two. Indy should still be special. But when it's all said and done, the Baltimore Football Ravens will take New Orleans' spot come Febraury.

[MagicianCamille]

I don't see the big deal with these rankings. Did you honestly expect a 9-7 team to be in the top 5? I thought top 7 was being generous. Yeah we made some great off-season moves but that doesn't mean anything until we show we can make it work on the field. For now just relax and be appreciative of the fact we're higher than the Jets even though they made it further than we did last year, and I would have no qualms if ESPN ranked us lower.

I think the Cowboys are fine where they are, they have a great team and a pretty good off-season, no reason they should be any lower. I don't believe the Patriots are going to stay out of the top five very long, Tom Brady is a winner and he's got a lot to prove this year. Cardinals without Kurt Warner or Anquan Boldin shouldn't even be in the top 20.

[JonM229]

[quote name='ScreamForMe' date='03 May 2010 - 12:13 AM' timestamp='1272859988' post='403623']
This is written on the same website who thinks we will be drafting 31st next year . . . that would be SB runner-up . . . AKA second place.
[/quote]

Actually, it was Don Banks of SI.com that had us drafting 31st.

I never cared much for power rankings, regardless of when. I used to get mad when I thought the Ravens were too low, and then I would get my hopes too high when they would be put near the top of the list. Plus, Dr. Z was always the best. Unfortunately, he had a stroke a year or so ago and has been working hard just to be able to speak again, let alone write for Sports Illustrated.

[itscbm5042]

[quote name='AwakenTheDemon' date='02 May 2010 - 10:39 PM' timestamp='1272854374' post='403585']
I'm not exactly sold on the Cowboys, not nearly enough to put them at 5 in the offseason. Dez Bryant alone isn't all the need to get to the Super Bowl.
[/quote]

I buy into the Cowboys, but I don't understand the hype for the Chargers? If Matthews isn't AP out the gate their team falls apart because Sproles isn't an every down back. They have a ton of questions with their run game and teams won't be fooled by Vincent Jackson like they were last year.

[Jamal]

The lack of a LT will come back to bite the Cowboys. I think they win their division, but wont make it to the superbowl, if facing a good pass rushing team.

[Boondock]

Remember, the Ravens were ranked # 1 after three games last year and finished 9-7. Power rankings are meaningless during the season let alone before training camp opens.

[FlaccoFlicker]

Will the Chargers still be as good?They lost a fair amount of decent players

[Boondock]

[quote name='FlaccoFlicker' date='03 May 2010 - 09:31 AM' timestamp='1272893488' post='403709']
Will the Chargers still be as good?They lost a fair amount of decent players
[/quote]

No way. The only thing they got going for them is Rivers and the Division they are in.

[FlaccoFlicker]

I am happy we rank higher then the Jets and the Patriots tho,

[Boondock]

[quote name='FlaccoFlicker' date='03 May 2010 - 09:53 AM' timestamp='1272894835' post='403718']
I am happy we rank higher then the Jets and the Patriots tho,
[/quote]

The Ravens deserve to be. The Jets D and running game carried them to the Conference championship game. Sanchez did not light the world on fire last year. Teams won't let the Jet's sneak up on them this year. As for the Patriots... you saw the beatdown the Ravens gave them. Nuff said!

[RavensAllTheWay]

[quote name='FerrariFan87' date='02 May 2010 - 10:29 PM' timestamp='1272853788' post='403578']
I know, I know... power rankings, especially this early on, are absurd, but it's still fun to see what the "experts" think of each team so far this off-season.

[url="http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings?year=2010&week=0"]ESPN's Offseason Power Rankings[/url]
[/quote]
Great idea!! Let's base this years power rankings off of last years results. Because whatever happened in 09 is bound to stay the same in 10....well not really.

I think these "experts" know that something or a lot of things will be different next year, but they're too afraid to voice their opinions on which teams will shock everyone with success and which will fall off the map.

[RavensAllTheWay]

I think I can do better:

1. Colts
2. Ravens
3. Chargers
4. Falcons
5. Dolphins
6. Giants
7. Jets
8. Bears
9. Packers
10. Saints
11. Patriots
12. 49ers
13. Vikings
14. Cowboys
15. Steelers
16. Texans
17. Titans
18. Eagles
19. Seahawks
20. Broncos
21. Cardinals
22. Browns
23. Bengals
24. Bucs
25. Raiders
26. Redskins
27. Panthers
28. Jaguars
29. Lions
30. Bills
31. Rams
32. Chiefs

The NFC is where I think we'll see the most surpirses. The Falcons are being taken way too lightly because they have a team with chemistry on both sides of the ball. In 08, they had a good O and inconsistent D. In 09, when Ryan and Turner were injured, the D picked them up and nearly took them back to the playoffs. If their O can get healthy again and their D continues on the same track, they'll be very dangerous.

I think people are underestimating the Bears big offseason moves. Because unlike the Jets activity, the Bears' signings actually make sense. Peppers brings leadership and intensity to a D that hasn't had any since 06. Chestor Taylor fits in perfectly to the Martz system and their young WR corps is underrated. The Packers are really good, but the Vikings not so much even with Brett. I doubt he'll throw 33 TDs and 7 INTs this year. They have a weak secondary, an inconsistent run game and a QB in Favre, who which you just never know.

The Giants because with the way the NFC East is going given the McNabb trade and the fact the the skins just aren't good, it seems like a two horse race between them and Dallas. However, we all remember the last time the boys were under this much hype and had expectations this high. It was 08, and they cracked under the pressure. I see a very similar situation this year. The Giants have filled some holes. I don't think they need to rebuild, they just need to bounce back.

The AFC is pretty set in stone. We have a general idea of what will happen in this conference, but the NFC is where I think we'll see the surprises.

[ScreamForMe]

[quote name='flynismo' date='03 May 2010 - 02:29 PM' timestamp='1272864543' post='403640']
Your line of thinking in discrediting this website confuses me..
You say that "this is from the same website that has us going to the SB" and because of that, we shouldn't take them seriously, but then you go on to say that we should be ranked in the top four and are SB contenders.

If you ask me, this team is a serious contender with or without a couple question marks in the secondary.
[/quote]

How is it confusing? Stated fact #1: ESPN's mock draft has us picking #31 in 2011 . . . meaning they feel we are going to lose the Super Bowl. Stated fact #2: This guy, on the same site, has us #7 . . . intrinsically I know that two different people are saying two different things . . . so they really aren't connected . . . I just think it's funny that ALL websites contradict themselves like this . . . which is why the follow-up says, "take these with a grain of salt".

Furthermore . . . my attempt to point out the irrelevance of power rankings has no bearing on the fact the I, a fan (not a writer or blogger for ESPN) think we should be ranked higher . . . it simply states, "Hey, these rankings are absurd".

[ScreamForMe]

[quote name='flynismo' date='03 May 2010 - 02:33 PM' timestamp='1272864834' post='403643']
Also wanted to add a random observation....

Saying that Sanchez is going to have a sophomore slump implies that he performed well as a rookie. He sucked horribly last year; was worse than Boller ever was, and Boller was a bum.

That is all.
[/quote]

Pretty sure Boller never got us to the AFC Championship . . . I know the Jets made it further than Flacco got us last year. I'm not much of a stat guy . . . I'm more of a "the QB is the general and regardless of his stats it's his performance that counts". Yeah, the Jets are run first . . . but Sanchez did what he had to do when he had to do it. That being said, I don't think he (and consequently, that team) has nearly the year he did, last year. I would call his rookie campaign a success . . . I'm looking forward to straight-up "epic fail" this year.

[ScreamForMe]

[quote name='JonM229' date='03 May 2010 - 09:29 PM' timestamp='1272889750' post='403686']
Actually, it was Don Banks of SI.com that had us drafting 31st.

I never cared much for power rankings, regardless of when. I used to get mad when I thought the Ravens were too low, and then I would get my hopes too high when they would be put near the top of the list. Plus, Dr. Z was always the best. Unfortunately, he had a stroke a year or so ago and has been working hard just to be able to speak again, let alone write for Sports Illustrated.
[/quote]

Touche. I thought McShay had us at 31st, too . . . but that was FOX. McShay has us at 27th . . . again, though, it doesn't change the fact that these writers, just like all of us on the forums, are giving opinions . . . and we have the right to disagree . . . just like we all do with each other.

[flynismo]

[quote name='ScreamForMe' date='03 May 2010 - 05:56 PM' timestamp='1272927399' post='404052']
Pretty sure Boller never got us to the AFC Championship . . . I know the Jets made it further than Flacco got us last year. I'm not much of a stat guy . . . I'm more of a "the QB is the general and regardless of his stats it's his performance that counts". Yeah, the Jets are run first . . . but Sanchez did what he had to do when he had to do it. That being said, I don't think he (and consequently, that team) has nearly the year he did, last year. I would call his rookie campaign a success . . . I'm looking forward to straight-up "epic fail" this year.
[/quote]


Boller never took us to the AFCCG, but Sanchez didn't take the Jests either; they took him there.
I'm expecting Sanchez to fall on his face again this year too. Can't wait to see it.

[flynismo]

[quote name='ScreamForMe' date='03 May 2010 - 05:53 PM' timestamp='1272927217' post='404049']
How is it confusing? Stated fact #1: ESPN's mock draft has us picking #31 in 2011 . . . meaning they feel we are going to lose the Super Bowl. Stated fact #2: This guy, on the same site, has us #7 . . . intrinsically I know that two different people are saying two different things . . . so they really aren't connected . . . I just think it's funny that ALL websites contradict themselves like this . . . which is why the follow-up says, "take these with a grain of salt".

Furthermore . . . my attempt to point out the irrelevance of power rankings has no bearing on the fact the I, a fan (not a writer or blogger for ESPN) think we should be ranked higher . . . it simply states, "Hey, these rankings are absurd".
[/quote]


I see, I must have misread what you said. Basically I thought that you were the one who contradicted himself, not the website.

[Ed_Reed20]

I don't really like Sanchez but let's give the guy credit for playing big in the post-season.

[RavensAllTheWay]

Power rankings are for the regular season I think. For example, I see us finishing with the second best record in the nfl this year behind the Colts. I see the Colts as number 1, but only for the regular season. Once the postseason starts, out the door with the records, stats and rankings, it's win or go home.