FanPost

Part 2: POWER RANKING TOP CONTENDERS

I didn't want to update my Power Rankings from 5 or 6 weeks ago until week 8 of the regular season. However, too much has happened since then. Various signings, key injuries....even a murder drama has taken place, which has really mixed up my perspective on some teams. Again, I'll say these rankings barely have any meaning. They are just a fun thing to do though and I love football.

Here are my rankings at this point in time:

1. DENVER BRONCOS- At this stage of offseasons, for a Superbowl contending team, being quiet in the media is the best thing possible. There has been no major injuries to report and Broncos seem to be rolling along with their four time MVP QB.

2. SAN FRANCISCO- Losing Crabtree hurts. But this is/was not a team with a pass-first philosophy on offense. Their O-line allows them to do so much, particularly in the run game. Their RBs will get the job done. And led by Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman, their front 7 is the best I've seen.

3. GREEN BAY PACKERS- I still feel the same about this team. A-Rodge is there, who is the king of QB's. Thus, they can beat anyone. Eddie Lacy and Jonathon Franklin figure to improve this rush attack- imagine a more threatening rushing offense with Rodgers at the helm!

4. ATLANTA FALCONS- They've done nothing wrong since I last the last rankings. They are a stacked team and it's Superbowl or Bust for them.

5. BALTIMORE RAVENS- With the best management in football, a terrific coach and a boasting franchise QB at the helm who is coming off the best playoff-run by a QB in recent memory, putting Ravens as a non-top 5 team would be silly. They boast a very good LBing corps: with players such as Dumervil, Suggs and Upshaw, as well as Arthur Brown progressing well with his surgery and the addition of Jacksonville's all time leading tackler- Daryl Smith, and this figures to be the strength of their tough defense.

6. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- People are saying this is a team positioned to do great things, but being in a division with San Francisco and being a team that struggles away from home, I cannot agree. It is a stacked team, but in a loaded NFC, I don't think they make it past the divisional round.

7. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Colts in recent weeks signed Ahmad Bradshaw, a very good back to go along with their franchise (elite-potential) QB. Mix that with the upgraded oline, and that's how to install a balanced offense. If the defense and offensive starts gelling and if they make playoffs, this dynamic team can do so much. I may be a Colt homer, as not many people would have them 7, but there is a lot going for Indy with their talented offense and the tough culture being instilled by a good management group. Andrew Luck is a major reason for this rank.

8. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- ....yikes. In just over a month, they have dropped 2 places on my rankings. Some of the best ways to have a media circus start in today's NFL is to sign Tim Tebow and to have a player get involved in a murder scenario (I don't want to get into the details, I'm sure you've read it all). And it just wasn't an average player- I thought only one of their elite TE's would be missing indefinitely (last time I wrote about them)...now it seems to be the both of them are gone. However, the Patriots have shown the NFL how to change an offense around for the better. They went from a run-first team with Corey Dillon, to a one of the most dynamic teams ever in 2007 with Moss, to a team that knew how to run probably the most 2TE set ever. I think they will now go back to run-first. As great as Brady is, his receiving corps are restricted and I think their unheralded RBs, led by Stevan Ridley, and their very good Oline, are more than capable of pounding the rock consistently. I'm predicting a road, divisional round loss this year for the Patriots.

9. HOUSTON TEXANS- Read my last description on them. I stand by it, you must have a top 10 calibur QB to win these days. Schaub is yet to show me he is that.

10. CINCINNATI BENGALS- This team reminds me so much of Houston- talent everywhere but the QB hasn't proven he can be elite. If Dalton doesn't emerge as (at least) a very good QB, then they will be restricted and they wont make it past the first round of the playoffs (again).

NOTABLE OMISSIONS- Steelers, Bears, Giants, Rams

CANDIDATES FOR MOST IMPROVED (not quite there yet though)- Detroit Lions, Kansas City, Eagles

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.