It’s that time of season, the first power rankings. We’ve got a big enough sample size to start judging teams. So let me first explain how I judge teams. I developed a formula with four categories in which teams can score from 1-5, offense, defense, eye test, intangibles. What are the last two? The eye test is basically how watchable you are you could be 2-2 but by pure luck and a total eye sore, cough cough, Ravens. Intangibles are what a team should be in my mind. For example, the Chargers got 3s in all categories except intangibles because they simply can’t close a game out. Even if a team gets a great score they may not rank exactly in that position. The scores are mainly to provide a point to start the Ranking process at, it’s all purely opinion feel free to @ me. Enjoy
Eric Jensen @Eric18utah
Team Scores in bold
1. Kansas 18.5
2. Green Bay 17.5
3. LA Rams 17.5
4. Buffalo 16.5
5. Atlanta 15
Well let’s just say I didn’t expect this. Two of these top five teams were in my bottom five in my pre-season power rankings, Rams and Bills. The Bills defense is legit, and the run game is good enough to keep the offense competitive. The Rams are fun to watch, I love Jared Goff and this entire offense the defense isn’t there yet but by week 8, when the next power rankings come out I wouldn’t be surprised if they have the number one spot. Speaking of the one spot the Chiefs look like the best team in football, we shouldn’t be shocked, but everyone was so focused on New England we forgot about the 2 seed of the AFC last year. Helps that the offense is the most explosive it has been under Andy Ried.
6. Detroitn17.5
7. Denver 15.5
8. New England 12.5
9. Washington 16.5
10. Houston 15
Though Matthew Stafford has slowed down a lot over the past two weeks the defense is winning Detroit games that’s why they take the 6 spot. Denver now has a slightly better offense and the best defense in football, again. Unlike New England, some would put the patriots out of the top ten, those people ignore the fact Tom Brady has had three of the best games of his career back to back to back. Oh, and as my friend at PSF Ian Cusick points out he hasn’t thrown a pick yet. Washington looked like a tire fire in the pre-season and now Kirk Cousins looks like he is going to have another strong year. Houston has the offense, and boy do I love Deshaun Watson, and the defense to be considered a legit threat.
11. Philadelphia 15
12. Seattle 14.5
13. Minnesota 15
14. Tampa Bay 13.5
15. Tennessee 13
If Seattle had a decent O line they would be quite a bit higher, Russell Wilson is playing his best football in years and though the defense has taken a slight step back they’re still a top 15 team. Philadelphia came the closest of any team other than the Redskins to beating the Chiefs and have played insanely well through the first quarter. They have a formula in place, run the ball, defense, keep Carson Wentz as a game manager who can take a shot now and then when needed. Minnesota lost Dalvin Cook and that hurts them big time but that is in the future, this is now. Tampa hasn’t given us enough of a sample size, but the offense looks explosive as predicted. Tennessee is to inconsistent, one week they beat Seattle next get blown out by the Texans, they need to get more consistent from week to week or Houston will run away with this division.
16. Carolina 12.5
17. Pittsburgh 11.5
18. Oakland 11
19. Dallas 11
20. New Orleans 11.5
I like to call this the too close to call tier. You could re organize these five teams from 16-20 in any order and you could make a case. Carolina is at the top because of admitted recency bias and the fact the defense looks legit. Oakland, Pittsburgh and Dallas are still somewhat finding their groove which is shocking to me, they could very well all be top ten teams by the end of week 8. New Orleans defense is good, not elite, but they don’t need to be. The Saints are back on track again.
21. Arizona 10.5
22. LA Chargers 10
23. Forty Niners 10
24. Cincinnati 10
25. New York Jets 9
The Niners are not nearly as bad as there record suggests, they could easily be 2-2 or even 3-1 if everything breaks right in Seattle, which it almost did. Cincinnati’s last two weeks save them from being banished from the bottom tier of the NFL. Speaking of look at the Jets not a playoff team but there going to beat bad to middling teams, I could even see 8-8.
26. Baltimore 6.5
27. Chicago 7.5
28. Jacksonville 8
29. Cleveland 9
30. New York Giants 6
31. Miami Dolphins 5
32. Indianapolis 4.5
Baltimore is still an enigma in my mind I really have no clue where to put them, so they are the best of the worst. Chicago’s defense and run game put them at 27, thank god we get to see Trubisky next week. Jacksonville’s defense is good, but the offense is so bad at football in general it drags them down. Cleveland, is, disappointing. Odell’s return saves the Giants from a bottom 2 fate. Jay Cutler is washed up and the Dolphins offense is the worst in the league. Indy takes the worst team mantle, I really am enjoying Jacoby Brissett and TY Hilton still looks good and Donte Moncrief had flashes Sunday night, but no defense plus no Andrew luck pins the Colts at the bottom. See you week 8!
