Ranking the Divisions before Week 1

[Manster68]

Folks,

I took a look at the NFL.com's Power Rankings. I used that to determine divisional strength. This of course will fluctuate throughout the season. So I just added the numbers together for each team in each division, and here is what I came up with.

Psst: You'll see how panzy a division the Patriots play in.

NFC East: NYG - 7 Dal - 8 Was - 17 Phi - 19 TOTAL = 51
AFC West: Oak - 6 KC - 9 Den - 16 LAC - 21 TOTAL = 52
NFC South: Atl - 3 Tam - 13 NO - 18 Car - 23 TOTAL = 57
NFC North: GB - 4 Det - 12 Min - 20 Chi - 25 TOTAL = 61
NFC West: Sea - 2 Arz - 10 SF - 28 LAR - 29 TOTAL = 69
AFC East: NE - 1 Mia - 15 Buf - 26 NYJ - 32 TOTAL = 76
AFC North: Pit - 5 Bal - 22 Cin - 24 Cle - 30 TOTAL = 81
AFC South: Ten - 11 Hou - 14 Ind - 27 Jax - 31 TOTAL = 83

I know power rankings isn't the end all - be all of a teams strength, but it does give you a generalization of the strength of teams from the media's point of view. It can also provide decent conversation.

 

[DFWJC]

Good stuff, even if speculative going forward.

The Pats don't choose their division, btw.

 

[StylisticS]

It's not the Pats fault either. The Jets, Dolphins, and Bills have been inept for the better part of this entire young century so far.

 

[TWOK11]

New York at 7 is awfully generous. Their offense is remarkably one-dimensional and they did nothing of significance to change that. Adding Marshall and Engram doesn't address their inability to run the ball or protect Eli, and OBJ will continue to get the majority of the targets. And this is without discussing the obvious decline in Eli's velocity.