1. San Francisco 49ers: In just his third season, Colin Kaepernick is
as hungry as any player in the league. Unless someone exposes them
early, I’m convinced he’s leading a team of no weaknesses. San Fran’s
Superbowl hopes confide in Kap’s health, and whether or not he can
remain on the field even after a full 16-game season. 2. Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan finally got a playoff win under his belt. Now that Stephen Jackson and Usi Umenyiora sure up an already talented roster, there should be a lot more of those to come.
3. Denver Broncos: Preseason injuries to the defense are the only thing holding this team back. Manning’s offense should have no problem outscoring others, especially with new acquisition Wes Welker thrown in the mix. Manning’s been known to turn slot receivers into stars, not that Welker needs any help with that.
4. Green Bay Packers: The Green Machine still has something no other team has, and that’s the best player in football. Aaron Rodgers, now catching up to Bill Gates in another category ($$$), could very well lead the league in passing yards this season.
5. Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson was dynamite in year one. Year two should be much of the same. New addition Cliff Avril adds depth to the team’s blue collar defense, which can’t afford a day off if Seattle is to give the 49ers a run for their money in the NFC West.
6. Houston Texans: J.J. Watt is quietly becoming the best defensive player in the NFL. Houston is balanced and dangerous on both sides of the ball. If Watt’s teammates pick up on his contagious level of passion and intensity, watch out, because the Texans are for real.
7. Detroit Lions: Stafford has no shortage of pass-catchers. Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush ought to be fantasy football stat stuffers, and Detroit’s D-line might be the best in football. Whether or not they have discipline, like with most Lions teams, remains the most daunting question facing this team.
8. Chicago Bears: This Cutler-led attack could be the best Bears offense in a decade, and the defense still has Julius Peppers and Lance Briggs. Starting middle linebacker D.J. Williams, however, is no Brian Urlacher.
9. Washington Redskins: RG3 is as talented as they get. The fate of their season depends solely on his health. He has got to stay healthy and on that field. I repeat: HE HAS GOT TO STAY HEALTHY ON THAT FIELD!
10. New York Giants: You never know what you’re going to get with New York, but they always seem to surprise at just the right time. Eli has the necessary offensive weapons to make another playoff push this year. They’ve just got to get there first.
11. New England Patriots: Seeing New England out of the top ten is atypical, but it’s not because of Brady or Belichick, who are the among the few guys on the roster keeping them near a single digit ranking. I wouldn’t be surprised if they made a postseason push just because they are the Patriots, but their lack of weapons on offense is both alarming and tough to ignore.
12. Minnesota Vikings: Last season, Adrian Peterson had 33 runs of 20 yards or more. To put that in perspective, most TEAMS average around 12 per season. The comeback athlete of the year might be enough just by himself to get his guys in purple to the postseason.
13. Baltimore Ravens: The defending Superbowl champs fell out of my top ten because they not only lost the greatest on-the-field leader in football of all time in Ray Lewis, but also big-bodied pass catcher Anquan Boldin. Maybe Joe Flacco could have shared a little of that hard-earned cashflow.
14. Indianapolis Colts: ESPN analyst Mike Greenberg has the Colts in the Superbowl. While I love Andrew Luck as well as the overall youth on this reshaped Indianapolis team, I’m not ready to go that far. If Indy can win the games they ought to, and then pull off some timely upsets, they should be neck and neck with Houston in the AFC South and at least claim a wildcard spot.
15. Cincinnati Bengals: Marvin Lewis’s squad won seven of it’s final eight games last season. Momentum is certainly on their side. If you’re a fan of young, electric wide receivers, make sure to watch A.J. Greene. He’ll help serve the development of quarterback Andy Dalton.
16. New Orleans Saints: Sean Payton’s a master at his craft, and he’s
back. But I don’t know if Payton’s high-powered offense led by Drew
Brees will be enough to make up for the many holes of the team’s shaky
defense. But certainly, time will tell. 17. Philadelphia Eagles: Chip Kelly is as unorthodox as they come. No one knows what to expect from him, but I’m buying his ingenuity and inventiveness on offense. Michael Vick is the perfect QB for his system and I’m not sure why there was ever a battle for the position in the first place.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: Former Eagle coach Andy Reid has taken over, and KC is adjusting to a new culture, new head coach, and new starting quarterback. Alex Smith is getting a second chance. Alex, let’s see what you’ve got!
19. Dallas Cowboys: Dallas has talent, but the roster looks much too familiar. They seem to have the same players they’ve had for five seasons now, and Cowboy fans are still waiting on results. I’d say it’s do or die time for Tony Romo, but he just got himself one big fat check. It is, moreover, do or die time for “America’s team”.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Fans of the steel curtain better hope the preseason is no indication of things to come. The Steelers look awful throughout the preseason, and much of that has to do with bumps and bruises. An improved running game and a healthy Roethlisberger are vital keys to Pittsburgh’s success.
21. St. Louis Rams: Coach Fisher’s team is not studded with big name players, but consists of a bunch of blue collar workman-like guys trying to earn respect for their franchise. It’s been a few years since the Rams flirted with relevancy. Perhaps this could be the year.
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The clock is ticking on Josh Freeman. It’s about time he lives up to the hype that once preceded him. On the other side of the ball, Darrelle Revis returns to action in hopes of changing the culture of what was a soft-minded secondary.
23. Arizona Cardinals: The Cards have weapons at the skilled positions. But Carson Palmer is on the decline and injuries to the offensive line aren’t helping. Expect mediocrity out of ‘Zona.
24. Carolina Panthers: After starting so poorly, the Panthers finished last season on a four-game winning streak. Could those four meaningless wins be a sign of things to come? If so, Cam Newton must not sustain his skills and abilities, but improve them if he hopes to take his team to the next level.
25. Tennessee Titans: I’m not sold on Jake Locker as an NFL quarterback. But Chris Johnson is the team’s wildcard. Which Chris shows up will have a tremendous impact on the team’s success in one direction or another.
26. San Diego Chargers: On a franchise normally rooted in offensive principles, I see an improving defense and a slowly weakening offense. Phillip Rivers is still a top tier quarterback who can put up numbers, but the players around him (minus Antonio Gates) seem to be getting worse each season.
27. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill will be an average quarterback at best. Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline will serve as his formidable targets, but the offensive line is the key. The big bruisers up front have to protect their young gun under center.
28. Cleveland Browns: The Cleveland management did a good thing when it reached an agreement with Norv Turner. The offensive-savvy coach should be a good fit for Brandon Weeden’s style of play. But when it’s all said and done, the Browns are still the Browns.
29. Buffalo Bills: I’m convinced the Bills will never be good until they become the New York Bills. E.J. Manuel is being thrown in the wildfire from the get-go. I like his athleticism. Do I like him as a long-time quarterback in this league? Not a chance.
30. New York Jets: For the sake of those who don’t care about the media drama that constantly seems to be surrounding the Jets, let’s hope Mark Sanchez doesn’t see the field this year. While the butt fumble was entertaining, there’s no need for a round two (not that Geno will do much better).
31. Jacksonville Jaguars: Maurice Jones-Drew. Yup, that’s all they’ve got. Somebody should get Gabbert out of there and find the Jags a real quarterback. Shoot, they might as well sign Tebow and give him a shot just so people don’t forget about the organization.
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