Camp power rankings: Patriots poised for No. 4

By Connor Byrne | Tuesday, July 31, 2007 | ( 71 )

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RealFootball365 brings you its first NFL power rankings of 2007, which will be updated once a week after the regular season begins in September.

These particular rankings are broken up into five categories. The first includes the teams ranked 32nd to 25th; the second focuses on teams ranked from 24th to 17th; the third concerns squads from 16 to 13; the fourth ranges from 12 to nine; and finally, eighth to first.

Teams are ranked from worst all the way down to first.

Already scouting the Brian Brohms, Darren McFaddens, Limas Sweeds and Sam Bakers of the college game:

32.) Oakland Raiders - Raider Nation may be a proud, confident group, but is the team they root for? New head coach Lane Kiffin, 32, brings a restructured roster and the No. 1 overall pick, quarterback JaMarcus Russell, to town. Will it be enough, though? Oakland, which went 2-14 last year, has a lot to prove, especially in its division (14 straight AFC West losses) before it can objectively be placed anywhere above 32nd.

31.) Cleveland Browns - Cleveland had a solid draft in April, adding two building blocks for the future in offensive tackle Joe Thomas and quarterback Brady Quinn; however, most of the roster is far below average, and Romeo Crennel is definitely coaching for his job at this point. For now, things are not looking up for the Browns.

30.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jeff Garcia played the role of Cinderella for the Eagles late last season, leading them to the playoffs after Donovan McNabb's injury, then he signed with the desperate Bucs, with whom his glass slipper will come off. Tampa's roster is simply far too weak for the 37-year-old to have another big season. Expect Garcia to revisit the 2004-05 part of his career, when he completed under 60 percent of his passes and threw 13 touchdowns against 15 interceptions for two teams.

29.) Atlanta Falcons - "As a quarterback, can Joey Harrington be any worse than Michael Vick?" has been a popular question lately. The answer, sorry to say, is absolutely. Just ask anyone who's watched Harrington consistently over his five-year career; it's a wonder how he's even in the league anymore. The team could save some face by starting Harrington's backup, D.J. Shockley, a classy individual and former Georgia Bulldog great, which will probably end up happening at some point. With his trial set to begin Nov. 26 for dogfighting charges, don't look for Vick to suit up at all for the Falcons this year. Though he's a poor passer and an even worse role model, No. 7 did things with his feet that no other QB has ever been able to. Combine his imminent loss with the hiring of Bobby Petrino (college coaches generally fail miserably in the pros), and it's a recipe for disaster in Atlanta.

28.) Tennessee Titans - Vince Young excited the fans of Tennessee and the entire football world last year, coming off the bench to lead the Titans to an 8-5 record and near-playoff berth after an 0-3 start. Instead of acquiring help for their young QB in the offseason and getting to the next level, though, the Titans were burdened by cornerback/kick returner Adam "Pacman" Jones' off-field problems and did virtually nothing to improve the team. Tennessee's front office wants to believe Young can do it alone, but he needs help. Gone is 1,200-yard rusher Travis Henry, and that will hurt both Young and the rest of the roster very much.

27.) Houston Texans - Whether the Texans succeed rests on the right arm of much-hyped 26-year-old quarterback Matt Schaub, the former Atlanta backup whom Houston acquired for two second-round picks during the offseason. If the 6-foot-5, 237-pound Schaub comes along nicely and actually gets some protection from the Texans' historically bad O-line, watch out for Houston, which has a pretty good group of young defenders (Mario Williams, Amobi Okoye, DeMeco Ryans, Dunta Robinson, etc.), a great receiver in Andre Johnson and a proven running back in free-agent pickup Ahman Green (six 1,000-yard seasons).

26.) Miami Dolphins - New head coach Cam Cameron has said all the right things since his January hiring, but he has to prove he's the real deal. He failed at his only other head coaching gig (18-37 at the University of Indiana between 1997-2001) and has his work cut out for him with the Dolphins, whose offensive talent isn't even close to the Chargers', whom Cameron was the O-coordinator for since '02.

25.) Minnesota Vikings - Minnesota definitely scored coups with its first two draft picks -- running back Adrian Peterson (first round) and wide receiver Sidney Rice (second round). Right now, though, there's not many nice things to say about the Vikings' coaching staff, receivers or quarterback, all of which are crucial to success. Second-year QB Tarvaris Jackson is going to have a hard time developing this season when his only true weapon in the passing game is Rice, who hasn't even played a down in the pros yet. Minnesota will have to be a ball-control team that wins with its two runners (Peterson and 1,200-yard man Chester Taylor) and its superb defensive front. Just hope Brad Childress doesn't screw it up, Viking fans.

M-E-D-I-O-C-R-E spells .500 or slightly worse:

24.) Green Bay Packers - After a very surprising 8-8 mark in 2006, the Packers, like the abovementioned Titans, regressed in the offseason. The front office was supposed to get 37-year-old signalcaller Brett Favre some help, but it didn't. Instead, the team waved goodbye to Favre's longtime backfield mate, RB Ahman Green, and didn't upgrade the rest of the offense. Again, it'll be the Favre-Donald Driver show. Unfortunately, Packer fans, the remainder of the roster (QB included) is simply average at best.

23.) Washington Redskins - The Skins went into last season with high expectations. The result? A 5-11 record that caused plenty of disappointment from the organization and its vast, loyal fan base. Washington, 10-6 two years ago, has to prove itself all over again. The playoffs, however, will be very difficult to attain with a green No. 1 quarterback in Jason Campbell. You never know -- maybe Hall of Fame head coach Joe Gibbs, whose retirement from coaching is right around the corner, could keep this club in the thick of the postseason hunt in 2007.

22.) Detroit Lions - Despite having the No. 2 pick in April's draft, which they used to select the incredibly gifted WR Calvin Johnson, the Lions might escape from being a laughingstock this year. They have an experienced passer in Jon Kitna, an improved backfield, a receiving corps that could be lethal and an improving defense. In a weak division, look for Detroit to possibly make some noise and at least get to seven victories for the first time since 2000, when it won nine.

21.) Kansas City Chiefs - The recent news of Priest Holmes' return is very interesting, but, in homage to Larry David, curb your enthusiasm, Chief fans. It's been nearly two full years (21 months) since the 10-year veteran has taken a hit, and the last one he absorbed was a devastating, spine-damaging blow from Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, whom the 33-year-old Holmes will be facing twice this season. Holmes aside, Kansas City does have a premier RB in Larry Johnson, though he's disgruntled; even with Johnson, the Chiefs, who went to the playoffs last year, are sliding. They've lost two Hall of Fame O-linemen over the last pair of offseasons -- guard Will Shields and tackle Willie Roaf -- and are probably going to rely on the injury-prone Brodie Croyle, a second-year QB who was a third-round pick in the '06 draft. The going could be rough for Kansas City.

20.) New York Giants - Some are calling this a make-or-break season for fourth-year quarterback Eli Manning, 26, but why not wait until he gets a better coaching staff to decide whether he was truly worthy of the No. 1 overall pick in 2004? As of now, Tom Coughlin and his assistants are the weakest link for the Giants, and they'll likely be gone after this season. Losing one of the best running backs in the league, Tiki Barber, is going to be a major issue for New York, too, which now turns to short-yardage man Brandon Jacobs and average veteran Reuben Droughns to carry the load.

19.) Arizona Cardinals - Arizona is a team to watch this season, folks. Though that seems to be said every year, there's finally reason to believe it's true. The Cards have a bright new head coach in Ken Whisenhunt, who was an offensive genius in Pittsburgh, a possible future Hall of Famer at running back, Edgerrin James, two outstanding receivers and, of course, sophomore QB Matt Leinart, who has the potential to be a special player in the pros.

18.) Pittsburgh Steelers - For the first time since 1991, the Steelers are facing life sans Bill Cowher. The Hall of Famer decided to step away after an 8-8 season, which opened the door for the young, defensive-minded Mike Tomlin (only the third Steeler head coach since 1969). Although Tomlin is both bright and well-liked, he's not taking over the elite Pittsburgh team that people have grown accustomed to. Some of the players are disgruntled (offensive guard Alan Faneca, of course), and others are aging on both sides of the ball. If the Steelers get to eight victories, it's a successful rookie campaign for the 35-year-old Tomlin.

17.) St. Louis Rams - The Rams have a great group of triplets in quarterback Marc Bulger, running back Steven Jackson and receiver Torry Holt, but there's not much else to be excited about with them. Like last year, St. Louis will probably win around eight games because of its offense; the defense, however, will continue to be at the bottom of the league.

Possible, though not likely, playoff teams:

16.) San Francisco 49ers - After a surprising 7-9 year, the 49ers, thanks to an active offseason, have become a trendy pick to enjoy a great year in the NFC. With Nate Clements, Tully Banta-Cain and Patrick Willis, among others, added to the defense, San Francisco should indeed be a threat. However, third-year QB Alex Smith needs to break out, and he might have difficulty doing so with a receiving corps that's still a bit iffy. At least he has superstar RB Frank Gore to fall back on.

15.) Buffalo Bills - With QB J.P. Losman on the verge of breaking out, an improved offensive line, a three-headed ground attack and a great receiver in Lee Evans, the Bills will definitely score and win their share of games this season. Whether they reach the playoffs will depend on the 'D', which appears to be very weak right now. Of course, the same was said about New Orleans' defense entering 2006.

14.) Baltimore Ravens - Because of its 13-3 record last year, many still take the Ravens seriously as a Super Bowl contender. The question is, Why? Steve McNair got worse as last season went on and is clearly a lower-echelon QB right now, the O-line is aging, and the team didn't upgrade its ground attack. Raven fans may not want to hear it, but the hesitant, one-dimensional Willis McGahee (he's neither a receiving threat nor a decent blocker) is not an upgrade over Jamal Lewis. Unless their defense is lights out, there's a good chance the Ravens won't get near the postseason.

13.) Carolina Panthers - 2006 was a brutal disappointment for Carolina, which was supposed to be a Super Bowl-caliber team but went 8-8 and missed the playoffs. The good news is that head coach John Fox always seems to follow a poor season with a very good one. In his five-year career with the Panthers, Fox has gone from 7-9 to 11-5 to 7-9 to 11-5 to 8-8. Judging from that, odds are the Cats will be a pretty good this year. Of course, they have to prove it first.

On the cusp of the elite:

12.) Dallas Cowboys - New head coach Wade Phillips is a far cry from the now-retired Bill Parcells. Though Phillips has a goofy personality, he's a winner. He's 48-39 career and has reached the playoffs three times. The Cowboys' players seem thrilled with Phillips, who's keeping them a lot looser than Parcells did. Whether Dallas truly succeeds, though, will rest with inconsistent Pro Bowl QB Tony Romo, who must prove he's the man in a contract year.

11.) Jacksonville Jaguars - Jacksonville began '06 with a 2-0 record, then finished the year 6-8 and was forced to watch the postseason on television. The Jaguars should rebound, however, as long as Byron Leftwich or David Garrard is competent under center. The team has a ground attack teams envy in Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor as well as a fierce, intimidating defense that's good in all areas. It appeared last season was the one the Jags would challenge the Colts in the AFC South, but it didn't happen. Perhaps that will arrive a year late and actually come to fruition in 2007.

10.) Cincinnati Bengals - The AFC North got a lot weaker during the offseason, and that opens the door for the Bengals. Though Cincy didn't improve during the off-months, it should be able to rack up double-digit victories in that division. Carson Palmer is simply too good a passer to not lead this team back to the playoffs. Expect him, in Year 4 of starting, to once again be a 30-touchdown guy.

9.) New York Jets - Consider the Jets lucky last season. They were able to win a lot of close games by virtue of a weak schedule, finish 10-6 and earn a playoff spot. This year, though, Gang Green should be the real deal. Unlike '06, the Jets have a legitimate RB, Thomas Jones, and a defense that ought to be very good. New York scored big with its top two draft picks in April -- first-round cornerback Darrelle Revis and second-round linebacker David Harris.

Eight true Super Bowl contenders:

8.) Denver Broncos - If you want to help a young quarterback succeed, get him a big-time running back. Denver did just that, signing three-time 1,200-yard rusher Travis Henry in free agency. No doubt, he's the best RB the Broncos have possessed in quite some time. As always, the defense will be solid, and young signal-caller Jay Cutler ought to have a field day with Henry and WR Javon Walker at his disposal.

7.) Chicago Bears - Though Chicago's defense will once again be one of the best units in football, the team's offense could be a disaster. The Bears traded away dependable running back Thomas Jones and will be relying on the semi-proven Cedric Benson, and Rex Grossman remains the QB. Ouch.

6.) Seattle Seahawks - Seattle represented the NFC in the Super Bowl two seasons ago, then fell to 9-7 last year and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. The Seahawks were able to do that without quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and running back Shaun Alexander at optimum health. That duo will be 100 percent in time for the season, which means the team should once again return to being elite.

5.) Philadelphia Eagles - The Eagles were able to have a successful season mostly without Donovan McNabb in 2006. Jeff Garcia stepped in for the injured McNabb and took Philly to the second round of the NFC playoffs. This year, though, everything is going to rest with McNabb. If he manages to get hurt again, whoever starts at QB -- A.J. Feeley, rookie Kevin Kolb or Kelly Holcomb - will not bring to the table what Garcia, who seemed to have some odd karma on his side, did. Simply put, the Eagles will go as far as McNabb takes them.

4.) San Diego Chargers - From 14-2 to major disappointment? It's a possibility for the Chargers, who brought in Norv Turner, an all-out disaster in his two previous coaching stints, to replace Marty Schottenheimer. The latter may have been a poor playoff coach, San Diego, but at least he knew how to get there. One has to think that Turner will cost the Bolts a couple of games this year with his bad decision-making. Regardless, the Chargers, it appears, have too much talent not to rise above that and at least win 10 games.

3.) New Orleans Saints - In a weak NFC, the Saints absolutely have to be considered the favorite. Their defense, formerly thought of as a weak link, came on last season to complement the team's great offense. The stop unit helped lead them to a 10-6 record and first-round playoff bye. With the further maturation of guys like Reggie Bush and Marques Colston on offense and Will Smith on defense, it's safe to say New Orleans' roster is simply frightening.

2.) Indianapolis Colts - Losing left tackle Tarik Glen to retirement is a major blow for Indianapolis. The perennial Pro Bowler has been with the Colts as long as Peyton Manning, and he was certainly the leader of Indy's offensive line. It will be interesting to see how well the line fares sans its top player. Manning, obviously, will continue to put up staggering numbers even without a great group of blockers, and so will the remainder of the offense. Don't expect a Super Bowl hangover from the defending champions, whose defense jelled when it mattered most (the playoffs) in '06-07.

1.) New England Patriots - Is there any doubt at this point? The Patriots have so much talent right now that it's hard to imagine them not raising the Lombardi Trophy in February. Envisioning Tom Brady throwing the ball to real receivers like Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Donte' Stallworth has to be incredibly thrilling for New England's fans but equally disappointing for enemy teams at the same time. Aside from Brady, the coaching staff, O-line, defense and No. 1 running back are still intact, which means the 2007-08 season will likely culminate in the Pats' fourth Super Bowl title since 2001.

Get weekly NFL power rankings during the season at RealFootball365.com

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Comments: 71 | Sign Up View all comments


	No.1 Raider Revenge	07:28 AM 07/31/2007

	I hate these rankings. Stand fast NATION these fools will eat crow. I know we are not favored to win the super bowl but I'll be...


	No.2 GavRaider	07:55 AM 07/31/2007

	A fan is usually not logical. But, to say that the Raiders will not improve this year is crazy. J Russell will probably not help,...


	No.3 Tracy H.	11:34 AM 07/31/2007

	Well...I guess that's it then...here I was looking forward to my Dolphins turning things around this year, possibly going 10-6,...