VACowboy
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Peter King's Post-draft NFL Power Ranking
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The30YardSlant
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Jacksonville #3?
FLCowboyFan
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We are the #1 NFC team and they always assume the AFC is the stronger teams so this is favorable to us. Of course it is just his opinion and it is probably not the order of finish next year 
CrazyCowboy
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good spot to be in
adamknite
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stasheroo;2071322 said:
I wouldn't have ranked them that high, but they do have a solid team that plays well together. A QB that doesn't make many mistakes and a very good RB tandem, and their defense wasn't half bad last year, losing Stroud will hurt them however.
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THE HO-HUM SECTION
1. New England. No team fixes the startlingly bad things as well as New England. And what sticks with me from last season is how porous the offensive line was against the Giants in the Super Bowl, and how poorly Richard Seymour played in the postseason. Tom Brady was pressured significantly -- an ungodly 23 times in the championship game -- while Seymour had zero sacks and zero quarterback pressures in the three playoff games. The line, which allowed 1.3 sacks per game in the regular season, and Seymour are better than that.
Some might read into New England's draft approach as arrogant. Quarterback in the third round, dealing another third-round pick for a 2009 second-rounder, no offensive linemen. I view it as a confident team doing what's best for the long haul. The Patriots' response to almost getting Brady killed in the Super Bowl -- basically, doing nothing on the offensive line in free-agency or the draft -- tells me Dante Scarnecchia, New England's offensive line guru since the Hannah years, will figure out a way to seal the cracks.
2. Indianapolis. Because we don't know what's going to happen in the Marvin Harrison case in Philadelphia -- and even if he makes a clean break of the shooting allegations before July, we don't know if he's going to be healthy enough to be a force again -- we'll leave him out of the fate of the Colts for now.
Jake Scott migrating to Tennessee is a loss, as was the defection of second tight end Ben Utecht to Cincinnati. But a guard's a guard and a backup tight end is replaceable. The Colts did re-sign guard Ryan Lilja and starting tight end Dallas Clark. Underrated rotational defensive end Josh Thomas also re-signed, so there wasn't a lot of Colts pillaging this offseason.
Dwight Freeney should come back healthy from his Lisfranc injury; his presence in the postseason would have made a big difference in the loss to San Diego. The bottom line with my top two teams is this: Bill Belichick and Tony Dungy are still there. Scott Pioli and Bill Polian are still there. Brady and Peyton Manning are still there. They went 31-5 last year. The opposition might be chipping away, but these are still the two best teams in football.
NOW IT GETS A LITTLE INTERESTING
3. Jacksonville. "Why'd they let Marcus Stroud go?'' Jags fan Jonathan Papelbon asked me a couple of weeks ago. Long story. Ankle surgery, four-game suspension last year, age (29), unwillingness to pay him big money anymore. Now the underappreciated Rob Meier's going to have to plug the gap there. I think he can, and I think Jack Del Rio will scheme around the loss of Stroud.
What I like about the Jags is that they've addressed their pass-rush need with the daring trade-up for Derrick Harvey -- who will have to be good right away -- and they have a quarterback of the future who's not a worry. David Garrard was pure guts in beating Pittsburgh on the road in the playoffs, and he was pretty good in a playoff loss at New England, with confident scoring drives of 80 and 95 yards. Jacksonville people are more sure than I am that Raider import Jerry Porter will be a reliable receiving weapon for them. I'll have to see it to believe it because I've seen just too much inconsistency from him.
The Jags had a good defense last year, allowing 19 points a game. If Harvey's a DeMarcus Ware-type presence as a rookie, which scouts think he can be, they could morph into a premier defense and be serious Super Bowl challengers in an impossible conference.
4. Dallas. The Cowboys still need a receiver; the thought of Patrick Crayton playing crunch-time minutes in a playoff game has to be a nightmare to any Cowboy fan. But there's not much else they need to win the NFC.
I'm assuming Pacman Jones will be reinstated, though I have no inside information; and if he does play, he'll be a huge threat on the other side of Terence Newman. If he doesn't, rookie Mike Jenkins' development will have to progress faster than Wade Phillips would like. Otherwise, the Cowboys haven't changed much. Explosive offense with a power running game, pressure defense with what could be a much better secondary. That's how you win in the NFL.
5. San Diego. I kept thinking: Why not put the Chargers over the Colts? They beat Indy at Indy in the playoffs and were the better team. The Colts aren't that much better on offense (only five touchdowns better, in fact, last year), and San Diego's free-agent losses (Michael Turner, Drayton Florence) were offset by the drafting of Antoine Cason and Jacob Hester. I think the key is this: I've got to see Philip Rivers perform at a high level consistently to think this is a Super Bowl winner, particularly in a conference as tough as the top-heavy AFC.
6. New York Giants. This is a team that caught fire at the right time and rode the wave to a title. Was it the best team in football in 2007? For the last two games of the year, yes. For the rest of the season, not even close. But the last two games of the season are the biggest.
Funny how a season progresses. In Weeks 9-14, the Giants went 3-3, losing three times by double digits and winning by six, five and three points. Then, ka-boom.
Moving forward, the Giants will be fortunate if Michael Strahan plays. I think he'll retire because he always said he was playing for a ring, and now he's got it, and a cushy FOX job awaits. But the Giants will still be able to kill the passer if he does because Mathias Kiwanuka will be back healthy.
Eli Manning had a charmed postseason, but he's got to be more accurate than 56.1 percent for the Giants to be better than 14th in scoring offense, which they were a year ago. The encouraging thing about Manning is that the day after the Super Bowl, he was already talking about the things he needed to do to get better. Smart, because he knows he has to be more consistent to be a top quarterback. This should be a maturing offensive team and a threatening team on D.
7. Minnesota. I can hear you all out there saying, 'Too soon.' Well, here's my question: What year in recent NFL history hasn't a Green Bay (2007), New Orleans (2006), Chicago (2005) or Pittsburgh (2004) jumped from Nowheresville to Super Bowl contention?
The Vikings do have a totally unproven passing game, but they still outscored Philly, Washington and Denver last year with the best running game in the league for about half the season. Minnesota had the biggest (by far) edge in average rushing margin per team last year, rushing for 5.3 yards a tote while surrendering 3.1 yards per carry. And though I don't love the Jared Allen signing for the long haul (too dangerous), I love it for 2008. Allen's quickness on the turf of the Metrodome ... scary. Maybe 20-sack scary.
8. Green Bay. This pick is predicated on two assumptions: That Aaron Rodgers is almost as good for 16 weeks as he was for one half in Dallas last November and that Ryan Grant's last eight weeks of 2007 are no mirage. If Rodgers can play and Grant can stay upright for 16 weeks, this is an 11-win team, or better.
I don't worry about the loss of defensive tackle mainstay Corey Williams to Cleveland because of the depth Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy have built. And I don't worry about the loss of Brett Favre sending Green Bay into a tailspin. Late last year Rodgers told me, "I'd be worried about playing now and the team accepting me if I hadn't seen it on the faces of these players. I think they trust me to be able to win football games for us.'' I do, too.
9. Cleveland. How can a draftless team improve? Because this team had its draft in free-agency. A couple of things worry me, as they should every Browns fan. Will Shaun Rogers be a player for half the season and an unproductive blob the other half? I don't know. And will Kellen Winslow hold out or do something Chad Johnson-ish to ruin the great karma of the NFL's new national TV darlings?
This team has five primetime games for the first time since Paul Brown prowled the sidelines and Jim Brown was a runner, not a protester. "I think our guys will like it,'' said GM Phil Savage. "I think they'll take to the challenge.''
Nice words and maybe even true ones. But Cleveland's opponents -- like Dallas on opening day -- will think they're going to have to play really well to beat the Browns. In other words, Cleveland's not going to catch anyone by surprise. The pressure's on. I think leader types like Willie McGinest and Jamal Lewis, who have been there before, will help keep heads on straight.
10. Carolina. Surprise. Take your leap-of-faith pill and follow me. Jake Delhomme threw 35 balls with some velocity the other day at mini-camp, his first good throws in a team drill since he wrecked his elbow last year. Jonathan Stewart and his surgically repaired turf toe should be ready to pound defenses by Labor Day. Julius Peppers can't be as bad this year as he was last year. (This team had 23 sacks last year. Peppers should contend for two-thirds that number himself every year.)
So I'm counting on the offensive line, fortified by the deal for rookie tackle Jeff Otah, to be better, and I'm counting on Peppers to put significantly more pressure on the quarterback. There is no way a John Fox team should give up 30 points five times, as it did last year, and I expect a more competent offense to possess the ball more this year. It has to for Fox's team to grind out some wins, and it will with the brawny Stewart in the backfield.
ROUND UP THE USUAL SUSPECTS
11. Philadelphia. The story's the same as ever in Reid-land: Donovan McNabb has to stay upright for 16 games for this team to have a chance to play deep into January. He's missed two, four and seven starts in the last three years. That's partly why the Eagles have fallen considerably short of their second Super Bowl appearance in the McNabb era.
Two assists for him this year. Lorenzo Booker's a better alter-ego to Brian Westbrook than Correll Buckhalter has been. And DeSean Jackson, even at 170 pounds soaking wet, should be a bit more of a stretch-the-defense third or fourth receiver than McNabb has had. If Jackson does nothing else, at least he'll spice up the blah return game (8.1 yards per punt return and 21.7 on kickoffs is no way to win ballgames). Oh, and it would be nice if McNabb's tackles could block the Giants.
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18. Washington. I can't think of a team in the NFL with more questions. With a big need at pass-rusher, the Commanders stayed out of the free-agent market totally and went receiver-tight end-receiver on their first three draft picks. I don't know if Jason Campbell is the long-term answer at quarterback; certainly the Commanders don't know either. Can Jim Zorn head-coach? Who knows? The one thing I do know is I like Dan Snyder getting off the Steinbrenner-esque spend-spend-spend merry-go-round and becoming a guy who just might be learning how to build a team. Might, I said.
1. New England. No team fixes the startlingly bad things as well as New England. And what sticks with me from last season is how porous the offensive line was against the Giants in the Super Bowl, and how poorly Richard Seymour played in the postseason. Tom Brady was pressured significantly -- an ungodly 23 times in the championship game -- while Seymour had zero sacks and zero quarterback pressures in the three playoff games. The line, which allowed 1.3 sacks per game in the regular season, and Seymour are better than that.
Some might read into New England's draft approach as arrogant. Quarterback in the third round, dealing another third-round pick for a 2009 second-rounder, no offensive linemen. I view it as a confident team doing what's best for the long haul. The Patriots' response to almost getting Brady killed in the Super Bowl -- basically, doing nothing on the offensive line in free-agency or the draft -- tells me Dante Scarnecchia, New England's offensive line guru since the Hannah years, will figure out a way to seal the cracks.
2. Indianapolis. Because we don't know what's going to happen in the Marvin Harrison case in Philadelphia -- and even if he makes a clean break of the shooting allegations before July, we don't know if he's going to be healthy enough to be a force again -- we'll leave him out of the fate of the Colts for now.
Jake Scott migrating to Tennessee is a loss, as was the defection of second tight end Ben Utecht to Cincinnati. But a guard's a guard and a backup tight end is replaceable. The Colts did re-sign guard Ryan Lilja and starting tight end Dallas Clark. Underrated rotational defensive end Josh Thomas also re-signed, so there wasn't a lot of Colts pillaging this offseason.
Dwight Freeney should come back healthy from his Lisfranc injury; his presence in the postseason would have made a big difference in the loss to San Diego. The bottom line with my top two teams is this: Bill Belichick and Tony Dungy are still there. Scott Pioli and Bill Polian are still there. Brady and Peyton Manning are still there. They went 31-5 last year. The opposition might be chipping away, but these are still the two best teams in football.
NOW IT GETS A LITTLE INTERESTING
3. Jacksonville. "Why'd they let Marcus Stroud go?'' Jags fan Jonathan Papelbon asked me a couple of weeks ago. Long story. Ankle surgery, four-game suspension last year, age (29), unwillingness to pay him big money anymore. Now the underappreciated Rob Meier's going to have to plug the gap there. I think he can, and I think Jack Del Rio will scheme around the loss of Stroud.
What I like about the Jags is that they've addressed their pass-rush need with the daring trade-up for Derrick Harvey -- who will have to be good right away -- and they have a quarterback of the future who's not a worry. David Garrard was pure guts in beating Pittsburgh on the road in the playoffs, and he was pretty good in a playoff loss at New England, with confident scoring drives of 80 and 95 yards. Jacksonville people are more sure than I am that Raider import Jerry Porter will be a reliable receiving weapon for them. I'll have to see it to believe it because I've seen just too much inconsistency from him.
The Jags had a good defense last year, allowing 19 points a game. If Harvey's a DeMarcus Ware-type presence as a rookie, which scouts think he can be, they could morph into a premier defense and be serious Super Bowl challengers in an impossible conference.
4. Dallas. The Cowboys still need a receiver; the thought of Patrick Crayton playing crunch-time minutes in a playoff game has to be a nightmare to any Cowboy fan. But there's not much else they need to win the NFC.
I'm assuming Pacman Jones will be reinstated, though I have no inside information; and if he does play, he'll be a huge threat on the other side of Terence Newman. If he doesn't, rookie Mike Jenkins' development will have to progress faster than Wade Phillips would like. Otherwise, the Cowboys haven't changed much. Explosive offense with a power running game, pressure defense with what could be a much better secondary. That's how you win in the NFL.
5. San Diego. I kept thinking: Why not put the Chargers over the Colts? They beat Indy at Indy in the playoffs and were the better team. The Colts aren't that much better on offense (only five touchdowns better, in fact, last year), and San Diego's free-agent losses (Michael Turner, Drayton Florence) were offset by the drafting of Antoine Cason and Jacob Hester. I think the key is this: I've got to see Philip Rivers perform at a high level consistently to think this is a Super Bowl winner, particularly in a conference as tough as the top-heavy AFC.
6. New York Giants. This is a team that caught fire at the right time and rode the wave to a title. Was it the best team in football in 2007? For the last two games of the year, yes. For the rest of the season, not even close. But the last two games of the season are the biggest.
Funny how a season progresses. In Weeks 9-14, the Giants went 3-3, losing three times by double digits and winning by six, five and three points. Then, ka-boom.
Moving forward, the Giants will be fortunate if Michael Strahan plays. I think he'll retire because he always said he was playing for a ring, and now he's got it, and a cushy FOX job awaits. But the Giants will still be able to kill the passer if he does because Mathias Kiwanuka will be back healthy.
Eli Manning had a charmed postseason, but he's got to be more accurate than 56.1 percent for the Giants to be better than 14th in scoring offense, which they were a year ago. The encouraging thing about Manning is that the day after the Super Bowl, he was already talking about the things he needed to do to get better. Smart, because he knows he has to be more consistent to be a top quarterback. This should be a maturing offensive team and a threatening team on D.
7. Minnesota. I can hear you all out there saying, 'Too soon.' Well, here's my question: What year in recent NFL history hasn't a Green Bay (2007), New Orleans (2006), Chicago (2005) or Pittsburgh (2004) jumped from Nowheresville to Super Bowl contention?
The Vikings do have a totally unproven passing game, but they still outscored Philly, Washington and Denver last year with the best running game in the league for about half the season. Minnesota had the biggest (by far) edge in average rushing margin per team last year, rushing for 5.3 yards a tote while surrendering 3.1 yards per carry. And though I don't love the Jared Allen signing for the long haul (too dangerous), I love it for 2008. Allen's quickness on the turf of the Metrodome ... scary. Maybe 20-sack scary.
8. Green Bay. This pick is predicated on two assumptions: That Aaron Rodgers is almost as good for 16 weeks as he was for one half in Dallas last November and that Ryan Grant's last eight weeks of 2007 are no mirage. If Rodgers can play and Grant can stay upright for 16 weeks, this is an 11-win team, or better.
I don't worry about the loss of defensive tackle mainstay Corey Williams to Cleveland because of the depth Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy have built. And I don't worry about the loss of Brett Favre sending Green Bay into a tailspin. Late last year Rodgers told me, "I'd be worried about playing now and the team accepting me if I hadn't seen it on the faces of these players. I think they trust me to be able to win football games for us.'' I do, too.
9. Cleveland. How can a draftless team improve? Because this team had its draft in free-agency. A couple of things worry me, as they should every Browns fan. Will Shaun Rogers be a player for half the season and an unproductive blob the other half? I don't know. And will Kellen Winslow hold out or do something Chad Johnson-ish to ruin the great karma of the NFL's new national TV darlings?
This team has five primetime games for the first time since Paul Brown prowled the sidelines and Jim Brown was a runner, not a protester. "I think our guys will like it,'' said GM Phil Savage. "I think they'll take to the challenge.''
Nice words and maybe even true ones. But Cleveland's opponents -- like Dallas on opening day -- will think they're going to have to play really well to beat the Browns. In other words, Cleveland's not going to catch anyone by surprise. The pressure's on. I think leader types like Willie McGinest and Jamal Lewis, who have been there before, will help keep heads on straight.
10. Carolina. Surprise. Take your leap-of-faith pill and follow me. Jake Delhomme threw 35 balls with some velocity the other day at mini-camp, his first good throws in a team drill since he wrecked his elbow last year. Jonathan Stewart and his surgically repaired turf toe should be ready to pound defenses by Labor Day. Julius Peppers can't be as bad this year as he was last year. (This team had 23 sacks last year. Peppers should contend for two-thirds that number himself every year.)
So I'm counting on the offensive line, fortified by the deal for rookie tackle Jeff Otah, to be better, and I'm counting on Peppers to put significantly more pressure on the quarterback. There is no way a John Fox team should give up 30 points five times, as it did last year, and I expect a more competent offense to possess the ball more this year. It has to for Fox's team to grind out some wins, and it will with the brawny Stewart in the backfield.
ROUND UP THE USUAL SUSPECTS
11. Philadelphia. The story's the same as ever in Reid-land: Donovan McNabb has to stay upright for 16 games for this team to have a chance to play deep into January. He's missed two, four and seven starts in the last three years. That's partly why the Eagles have fallen considerably short of their second Super Bowl appearance in the McNabb era.
Two assists for him this year. Lorenzo Booker's a better alter-ego to Brian Westbrook than Correll Buckhalter has been. And DeSean Jackson, even at 170 pounds soaking wet, should be a bit more of a stretch-the-defense third or fourth receiver than McNabb has had. If Jackson does nothing else, at least he'll spice up the blah return game (8.1 yards per punt return and 21.7 on kickoffs is no way to win ballgames). Oh, and it would be nice if McNabb's tackles could block the Giants.
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18. Washington. I can't think of a team in the NFL with more questions. With a big need at pass-rusher, the Commanders stayed out of the free-agent market totally and went receiver-tight end-receiver on their first three draft picks. I don't know if Jason Campbell is the long-term answer at quarterback; certainly the Commanders don't know either. Can Jim Zorn head-coach? Who knows? The one thing I do know is I like Dan Snyder getting off the Steinbrenner-esque spend-spend-spend merry-go-round and becoming a guy who just might be learning how to build a team. Might, I said.
TNCowboy
Double Trouble
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Every pundit keeps pretending there is this overwhelming AFC dominance.
An NFC team won the Super Bowl, and if I remember correctly, the NFC won more interconference games last year.
The Jags? They reached a mile to fill a need. That's the sort of move that almost never works out in the long run.
An NFC team won the Super Bowl, and if I remember correctly, the NFC won more interconference games last year.
The Jags? They reached a mile to fill a need. That's the sort of move that almost never works out in the long run.
InmanRoshi
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stasheroo;2071322 said:
Won a playoff game ... that makes them better than us at the moment.
A better question would be why Dallas is ranked over San Diego and the defending Super Bowl champs.
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Quote of the Week V
"Jerry Jones? JERRY JONES ON THE PHONE! JERRY JONES ON THE PHONE! JERRY JONES ON THE PHONE! AHHHOOOOOWOWWW!''
--Dallas Cowboys second-round draft choice Martellus Bennett, a tight end from Texas A&M, just before hearing the Dallas owner tell him he was a Cowboy. Hearing Jones' voice drove Bennett and his family into a frenzy.
Thanks to Rich Dalrymple, the Cowboys PR man, for forwarding the MP3 recording of the event, which is one of the most joyous things I've ever heard in my life. It sounded like the reaction one would get if Jones had said, "You just won $1 billion in the lottery.'' Really, it was even more joyful than that.
"Jerry Jones? JERRY JONES ON THE PHONE! JERRY JONES ON THE PHONE! JERRY JONES ON THE PHONE! AHHHOOOOOWOWWW!''
--Dallas Cowboys second-round draft choice Martellus Bennett, a tight end from Texas A&M, just before hearing the Dallas owner tell him he was a Cowboy. Hearing Jones' voice drove Bennett and his family into a frenzy.
Thanks to Rich Dalrymple, the Cowboys PR man, for forwarding the MP3 recording of the event, which is one of the most joyous things I've ever heard in my life. It sounded like the reaction one would get if Jones had said, "You just won $1 billion in the lottery.'' Really, it was even more joyful than that.
sonnyboy
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Very very good list. King obviously took his time and put a lot of thought into it. I put Dallas #3 because Romo is a cut above Gerard and Rivers. But I am bias.
Overall I see him dead on with the top 6. I see little chance that both this years SB teams dont come out of that group.
Not crazy about Minn 7 GB 8. They both have a lot of good things going on, but QB play will drop them to the middle of the pack. I'd put Clev 7 and Pit 8. I agree with King on Carolina. I think they make a come back this year as the NFC's 3rd best team.
Overall I see him dead on with the top 6. I see little chance that both this years SB teams dont come out of that group.
Not crazy about Minn 7 GB 8. They both have a lot of good things going on, but QB play will drop them to the middle of the pack. I'd put Clev 7 and Pit 8. I agree with King on Carolina. I think they make a come back this year as the NFC's 3rd best team.
Stash
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InmanRoshi;2071356 said:
I don't necessarily take winning a playoff game to be the end-all to the argument.
Dallas clearly was a better team than Jacksonville was during the season.
And they managed to beat the Giants not once, but twice.
The Cowboys cooled off at the worst possible time, and still almost defeated the ventual Super Bowl champs.
Were the Giants the most talented team in the league?
I don't think so.
But they were a good team that got hot when it really mattered, the opposite of what the Cowboys did.
Seems to me that Jacksonville is getting too much credit for several 'maybes' like Jerry Porter and Harvey.
