NFC has top two teams in our power rankings,
1. Seattle Seahawks Add Pro Bowl TE Jimmy Graham and a promising rookie class to a team that reached consecutive Super Bowls, and the Seahawks still seem to have a reasonable chance to stake a claim as this decade’s NFL dynasty. Trending down? The absence of holdout SS Kam Chancellor, an enforcer on the field and in the locker room, is foreboding. Seattle is searching for the right offensive line combination after losing C Max Unger and G James Carpenter in the offseason. 2. Green Bay Packers The defending NFC North champs seem to be benefiting from coach Mike McCarthy’s new holistic approach to the roster since he surrendered play-calling duties after last season. The defense got a talent boost in the draft, and it appears LB Clay Matthews will be back on the edge quite a bit. Trending down? The loss of WR Jordy Nelson to a season-ending knee injury is a huge blow, even for a team that has QB Aaron Rodgers, arguably the league’s best player. 3. New England Patriots While the rest of the AFC East made major talent upgrades in the offseason, the Patriots couldn’t afford to keep 2014 mainstays such as CBs Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner and RB Shane Vereen. Trending up? QB Tom Brady is officially back, and the last time his team was in the NFL’s cross hairs, for Spygate, New England wound up going 16-0. It’s not like the Patriots needed to close ranks, but now they have excess motivation. 4. Baltimore Ravens A potentially dominant defense should be even tougher with the cornerbacks healthy again. An offense that set franchise records for points and yards in 2014 returns nearly intact. Trending down? Former offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak left, and the receiving corps is raw aside from WR Steve Smith Sr., who’s entering his final season. A knee injury will prevent first-round WR Breshad Perriman from contributing for some time. 5. Indianapolis Colts This could be a special year for QB Andrew Luck, who saw last season’s top-ranked passing attack add WR Andre Johnson, WR Phillip Dorsett, a first-rounder, and RB Frank Gore, an excellent receiver and, perhaps more important, pass protector. Trending down? Indianapolis remains suspect in the trenches, and the season-ending ankle injury to DL Arthur Jones weakens the defense. Luck might have to win a lot of shootouts while running for his life … though that could mean an MVP award. 6. Denver Broncos QB Peyton Manning generates the headlines. But this defense, back under the keen eye of coordinator Wade Phillips, might carry this team courtesy of a strong secondary and threeheaded pass rush of DeMarcus Ware, Von Miller and rookie Shane Ray. Trending down? Will Manning effectively adapt to new coach Gary Kubiak’s offense, especially operating behind a suspect offensive line? August offered plenty of examples to remain pessimistic. 7. Philadelphia Eagles: This defense looks more talented than the previous versions under coach Chip Kelly that were so frequently exploited. However, depth at pass rusher and in the secondary looms as a problem. Trending up? Coming off consecutive anterior cruciate ligament tears, new QB Sam Bradford took a few hits in preseason and bounced right up. More important, he appeared capable of executing Kelly’s offense at a higher level than predecessors Michael Vick and Nick Foles. 8. Miami Dolphins It’s scary to think what kind of pressure DEs Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon will be able to generate with free agent jewel Ndamukong Suh sucking up blockers between them. Trending up? The Dolphins are paying fourth-year QB Ryan Tannehill like a superstar, and he seems poised to deliver like one. He had his best season in 2014 under coordinator Bill Lazor, and this year’s receiving corps should be more potent if the blockers give them time to get open. 9. Pittsburgh Steelers A defense that used to be this team’s foundation is suddenly a mystery with longtime coordinator Dick LeBeau, S Troy Polamalu, CB Ike Taylor and DE Brett Keisel gone. New defensive boss Keith Butler is hoping youthful talent can compensate for inexperience. Trending down? A net loss in the suspension equation. The Steelers were happy all-pro RB Le’Veon Bell’s ban was reduced from three games to two. But then WR Martavis Bryant was popped for four while a federal judge ensured Pittsburgh would face Tom Brady in Week 1. 10. Minnesota Vikings Remember, this team finished 7-9 in 2014 behind a rookie quarterback (Teddy Bridgewater) and without its best player (Adrian Peterson) while adapting to a new coach (Mike Zimmer). The return of motivated Peterson could be worth several victories alone, and imagine how much Bridgewater will benefit from his presence. Trending up? The defense rocketed up the charts in Year 1 under Zimmer and is loaded with under-the-radar talent. Don’t be surprised if it’s a top-five group in 2015. 11. Arizona Cardinals Optimism is running high for a team that made the playoffs last season despite so much turbulence under center. QB Carson Palmer, who was 6-0 in 2014, is back healthy but knows he’s running out of time to take this team to the next level. Trending down? The offensive line appeared slow to jell in the preseason, and that could be bad news for immobile Palmer and a team that has struggled for years to establish the run. 12. San Diego Chargers Extending QB Philip Rivers’ contract was this team’s most important piece of business outside of deciding where it will play next season. Trending down? Will Rivers have enough help on offense given TE Antonio Gates’ fourgame suspension and rookie RB Melvin Gordon’s preseason struggles? Will anyone emerge on defense that demands an opponent to game-plan for them — especially from a pass- rush perspective? Too many concerns for a team that could be undermined by its potential lame-duck status. 13. St. Louis Rams This defense oozes talent but shouldn’t have to shoulder the burden of carrying an offense that has been nearly non-existent for the last decade. At least, that was the plan. Trending down? QB Nick Foles provides stability, but he might have to do heavy lifting early on with RB Tre Mason banged up and first-round RB Todd Gurley not ready to play. Foles has shown he can be great in bursts, but can he hold the Rams together until the cavalry arrives? 14. Dallas Cowboys Despite the free agent defection of RB DeMarco Murray, the offense should remain potent behind QB Tony Romo, WR Dez Bryant and an excellent cast of blockers — though finding one truly reliable back from the current committee might help. Trending down? Will Dallas survive a schedule frontloaded with talented offensive opponents without injured CB Orlando Scandrick and DE Greg Hardy and MLB Rolando McClain, who are both suspended for the first month? 15. Buffalo Bills This defense might be one to remember under new coach Rex Ryan, who as a head coach has never had an array of pass rushers the likes of Mario Williams, Marcell Dareus and Jerry Hughes, each of whom could notch a dozen sacks. Trending down? Ryan is rolling the dice on newly anointed starting QB Tyrod Taylor (and his zero NFL starts), who will face three AFC heavyweights out of the chute: the Colts, Patriots and Dolphins. Veteran Matt Cassel is back as a fallback. Might he be the best option given Ryan’s desire to rely on the D and run game? 16. Cincinnati Bengals DT Geno Atkins, TE Tyler Eifert and WR A.J. Green are out of the training room and promise to be key cogs for a team that again looks capable of doubledigit wins. Trending down? Cincinnati didn’t appear to draft anyone who will help immediately — unless LB P.J. Dawson contributes while still-injured Vontaze Burfict can’t — and the biggest free agent arrivals were DE Michael Johnson and LB A.J. Hawk. It doesn’t feel like enough to notch the team’s first playoff win since 1990.
17. Kansas City Chiefs WR Jeremy Maclin diversifies an offensive attack that infamously didn’t get one touchdown from a wideout in 2014. Trending down? So many unanswered questions: Can S Eric Berry reclaim his pre-cancer form? Will NT Dontari Poe be reliable once he returns from back surgery? Will anyone emerge as a capable No. 2 receiver who can draw heat off Maclin? Will disappointing LT Eric Fisher ever reward the faith that led the Chiefs to draft him first overall in 2013? 18. New Orleans Saints After missing the postseason in two of the last three seasons, Sean Payton seems to be altering this team’s identity, parting with star TE Jimmy Graham while pouring fresh resources into the offensive line, defense and run game. That’s probably a wise course considering QB Drew Brees’ age (36). Trending down? This team took a beating in August with injuries to CBs Keenan Lewis and Brandon Browner, RB C.J. Spiller and others. Could it lead to another killer September? 19. Detroit Lions The offseason was fairly grim given the departure of defensive centerpiece Ndamukong Suh on the heels of the defense’s outstanding performance in 2014. Trending up? Maybe the addition of DT Haloti Ngata and the return of MLB Stephen Tulloch can partially offset the loss of Suh. More important, WR Calvin Johnson is back to 100%, and rookie RB Ameer Abdullah seems capable of adding a jolt to an offense that must be far more productive. 20. Carolina Panthers Can the first back-to-back NFC South titlists make it three in a row behind a ferocious defense and QB Cam Newton, who enters 2015 with a healthy body and bank account? Maybe, especially if RB Jonathan Stewart is finally healthy enough to assume a workhorse role in his eighth season. Trending down? The loss of No. 1 WR Kelvin Benjamin to a training camp ACL tear was a devastating blow to Newton, who must thrive with a makeshift receiving corps behind a highly questionable offensive line. 21. Houston Texans If you didn’t know how much talent this team had aside from DE J.J. Watt, then “Hard Knocks” provided an education. If coach Bill O’Brien can cull the best from longtime QB pupil Brian Hoyer, Houston could make a playoff drive. Trending up? OLB Jadeveon Clowney should be back for the opener after knee surgery ruined his rookie season, and RB Arian Foster (groin surgery) might be only a few weeks behind him. 22. New York Jets Boasting among the best lines and secondaries in the NFL, this again could be an elite defensive team under new coach Todd Bowles. Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker give the Jets their best wideout duo in years. Trending down? Bowles and new GM Mike Maccagnan were off to a good start, but they couldn’t change a culture overnight. The sucker punch to QB Geno Smith’s jaw and DL Sheldon Richardson’s suspension revealed this club still has plenty of growing up to do. 23. New York Giants QB Eli Manning might be poised for a career year in his second season in coordinator Ben McAdoo’s system. A full campaign from WR Odell Beckham Jr., the return of WR Victor Cruz and the arrival of RB Shane Vereen could help mask a revamped line. Trending down? A defense that probably would be shaky if it were completely healthy still doesn’t know what to expect from franchise DE Jason PierrePaul. 24. Atlanta Falcons It was time for a change after previous coach Mike Smith took them as far as he could. After two years with Seattle, Dan Quinn (Smith’s replacement) should eventually make a dramatic impact on a defense that has struggled badly. Trending down? The offensive line and rushing game remain unknown quantities. The Falcons should be well-equipped to chuck it with QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones, but will that dovetail with a defense that might get exposed without offensive ball control? 25. Oakland Raiders New coach Jack Del Rio has ties to Northern California, Southern California, Texas — so he should be comfortable wherever this team ends up playing in 2016. His 69-73 record with the Jacksonville Jaguars also looks pretty impressive with the benefit of hindsight. Trending up? Rookie WR Amari Cooper looked like the real deal in the preseason. He, QB Derek Carr and LB Khalil Mack could give this team a foundation that finally helps restore the Raiders to relevance. 26. Jacksonville Jaguars Another solid draft from GM Dave Caldwell, who also managed to lure free agents just entering their primes, has helped this once woebegone franchise continue improving its nucleus. Trending down? The marquee signing, TE Julius Thomas, who was expected to give secondyear QB Blake Bortles a muchneeded safety valve, might be a month from playing after having hand surgery. 27. San Francisco 49ers Whether you’re scanning the roster or the sideline, this team is virtually unrecognizable from the outfit that reached three consecutive NFC title games from 2011 to 2013. But new coach Jim Tomsula seems to have the ideal persona to lead the Niners through their metamorphosis. Trending up: After more than 18 months between snaps in a game after suffering a gruesome knee injury in the 2013 NFC Championship Game, ILB NaVorro Bowman looks ready to give this team a needed shot in the arm. 28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers There’s quite a bit of excitement, with No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston expected to finally stabilize the quarterback position, something he could do fairly soon given the massive targets at his disposal. Trending up? RB Doug Martin looked rejuvenated in the preseason and might be primed for a huge campaign as he enters a contract year. If he even approaches his rookie production from 2012 (nearly 2,000 total yards), Winston’s adjustment should be easier. 29. Washington Redskins You might not like the route to the decision, but give the Redskins credit for making the call to cast their lot with QB Kirk Cousins rather than Robert Griffin III, whom the team had invested so much in. Trending up? Cousins should be able to better leverage a deep group of offensive skill players — and he’ll have to if Washington is to overcome a defense that has finished in the bottom half of the league in points allowed for six years running. 30. Tennessee Titans A defense that possesses some underappreciated talent should make a quantum leap under new assistant head coach Dick LeBeau, architect of the Steelers’ famed units of the last decade. Expect big things from DL Jurrell Casey and OLBs Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan. Trending up? Despite predraft skepticism that their strengths might mix like oil and water, the preseason suggests coach Ken Whisenhunt has done a nice job tailoring his offense to rookie QB Marcus Mariota. 31. Cleveland Browns A bend-but-don’t-break defense looks far less pliable with firstround NT Danny Shelton joining a team that allowed the most rushing yards in 2014. The offensive line could be the AFC’s best. Trending down? None of the offensive skill players will scare opposing defenses ... unless second-year QB Johnny Manziel improves to the point where he can 1) play and 2) terrorize defenders rather than his own coaches. 32. Chicago Bears New coach John Fox revitalized his previous teams, the Panthers and Broncos, leading them to the Super Bowl. And he has brought two successful coordinators, Adam Gase (offense) and Vic Fangio (defense), with him to the Windy City. Trending down? The learning curve could be steep for the defense, which has essentially never used a 3-4 base scheme. Gase’s offense might be in trouble given the injuries to WRs Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White and an unsettled line.