By Korbett Koselak
Houston Texans (0-0)
Last Week: n/a
Before then rookie quarterback and MVP candidate Deshaun Watson went down with an injury in week 8 last season, the 3-4 Texans were right in the thick of things in the AFC South. They had scored at least 33 points five times in six Deshaun Watson starts. They finished the year by losing eight of nine and making Texans fans long for the return of Astros baseball. With a HEALTHY JJ Watt, Whitney Mercilus, Jadeveon Clowney, and Watson, the Texans should be in the thick of things in the league’s most winnable division.
Next Game: @ New England Patriots
Green Bay Packers (0-0)
Last Week: n/a
As long as Aaron Rodgers is under center in America’s Dairyland, you can expect to turn on your TV in mid-January and see playoff football from negative-30 degree Lambeau Field. Even with the noted lack of supporting cast in recent years, number-12 has kept the Pack relevant. Despite losing the fifth leading receiver in the history of the franchise in Jordy Nelson this past offseason, you shouldn’t expect the explosiveness of this offense to take any steps back. They added aging veteran tight-ends Mercedes Lewis and Jimmy Graham. That duo combined with Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, a slew of average running backs, and a HEALTHY A-Rod should be favorites to return to the playoffs in a stacked NFC.
Next Game: v. Chicago Bears
Jacksonville Jaguars (0-0)
Last Week: n/a
The Jaguars were eight minutes away from going to the Super Bowl last year and creating the Bortles/Foles matchup that nobody ever wanted to see. Of course Tom Brady did what Tom Brady does and saved the football universe from that tragedy. Jacksonville does return what is probably the best defense in the league. With Yannick Ngakoue and Calais Campbell leading the ‘sacksonville’ front seven and Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye locking down wide receivers across the league, this defense should get better, if that’s even possible. Leonard Fournette is the rare bell-cow back you don’t see anymore and this should lead them to another playoff appearance, but the presence of Bortles at the top of the quarterback depth chart and the possibility of last year being a flash in a pan prevents them from being any higher.
Next Game: @ New York Giants
Atlanta Falcons (0-0)
Last Week: n/a
Two-years removed from the biggest choke-job in NFL history, the Falcons are looking to get back to the Super Bowl. They lost 15-10 to Nick Foles and the Super Bowl Champion Eagles in the divisional round last year after beating the upstart Rams at the Coliseum in the Wildcard round. The status quo hasn’t changed much over the past few years. Dan Quinn is still a defensive minded head coach without much talent on defense, but Matt Ryan and Julio Jones will finish as one of the most prolific combinations in the league and likely lead the Falcons back to the playoffs. They have an early chance to climb these rankings as they visit the Eagles in a playoff rematch on Thursday night.
Next Game: @ Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers (0-0)
Last Week: n/a
Even with running back Le’Veon Bell’s lack of presence in the team’s training camp, preseason, and now practices, this Steelers offense has no shortage of weaponry. Unless a polar shift that I’m not aware of occurred this past offseason Antonio Brown is still the single best wide receiver in the NFL. Juju Smith-Schuster is a more than capable second receiver. The defense, coming off an abysmal performance in the 2017 AFC Divisional Round, should be better and with the level of mediocrity displayed by the pair of Ohio teams and the “still-think-Joe-Flacco-is-a-viable-option” Ravens, if the Steelers don’t win the AFC North, something went seriously wrong.
Next Game: @ Cleveland Browns
New Orleans Saints (0-0)
Last Week: n/a
Being on the butt-end of what may be the greatest moment in NFL history is never fun, but it was reality for the Saints last year. In a matter of 10 seconds New Orleans went from Philadelphia-bound to going home. From completing what was one of the best fourth-quarter comebacks in playoff history to waiting on the field while Case Keenum led the deafening US Bank Stadium crowd in a SKOL chant. Well, they have turned the calendar and it’s September again. In the Big Easy that means a bunch of Drew Brees’ passing touchdowns to guys who wouldn’t make the other 31 NFL rosters, however things have changed a little bit over the last couple years. The Saints actually have a few known commodities coming into 2018. While running back Mark Ingram is serving a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, second-year back Alvin Kamara is ready to turn rookie-sensation into full-blown superstar. A defense that includes a top-10 pass rusher in Cameron Jordan and some young secondary talent in Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Williams should be better than their names indicate. This should be another season with playoff football in NOLA.
Next Game: v. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Minnesota Vikings (0-0)
Last Week: n/a
The Minnesota Vikings followed up one of the most spectacular moments in NFL history in the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs, with one of the biggest eggs ever laid in the Championship round. After blowing a two-possession fourth quarter lead, the Vikings needed a miracle. They got one, Minneapolis style. However, they parlayed that into getting spanked 38-7 in the NFC Championship game and giving the, at the time, second largest contract in NFL history to… *drumroll please*… *keep drumming*… *cue anti-climatic ending*… KIRK COUSINS. Not that there were many better options at their disposal, but when 12 of the last 15 Super Bowls have been won by a Brady, Manning, Roethlisberger, Brees, or Rodgers, there leaves a bit to be desired. Obviously their defense was top-two in just about everything last year, but there was one combined punt in Super Bowl LII. Defense doesn’t win you championships anymore. Don’t get too excited Vikings’ fans.
Next Game: v. San Francisco 49ers
Philadelphia Eagles (0-0)
Last Week: n/a
It’s not too often that a team is ranked three in a set of power rankings and its’ fan base is throwing rocks at the writer, however it is Philadelphia. While the defending Super Bowl Champion Eagles did reign supreme in 2017, Nick Foles is still their starting quarterback as we begin 2018 and I refuse to put a team quarterbacked by Nick Foles any higher than three. The Eagles did it all last season as they won Super Bowl LII even after they lost their surefire-MVP quarterback to injury in the last few weeks of the season. They won as home-underdogs in both the Divisional Round and Championship Round of the NFC playoffs last season before winning the Super Bowl as underdogs in Minneapolis. They also return almost everybody from the league’s fourth-ranked total defense last year. They have the first chance to make a statement this season against the Falcons in the NFL opener Thursday night, but the injury to Alshon Jeffery and the absence of Carson Wentz makes being ranked three, the current ceiling for the reigning Champions.
Next Game: v. Atlanta Falcons
Los Angeles Rams (0-0)
Last Week: n/a
Whenever you take a defense that was roughly average the year before and add 12 pro-bowl appearances to it, you are bound to lead the league in something. The idea behind adding cornerbacks Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was to make that something WINS. With All-World tackle Aaron Donald already clogging-up every possible running lane, these additions should slot in quite nicely. We haven’t even mentioned the offense. The Rams’ offense led the league in points last year despite finishing just tenth in yards. They return MVP candidate running back Todd Gurley, a now third year quarterback Jared Goff, and add deep threat Brandin Cooks to the offense while losing minimal production. They are clearly set up for a run deep into January and just two years removed from the Jeff Fisher regime have epitomized Trusting the Process.
Next Game: @ Oakland Raiders
New England Patriots (0-0)
Last Week: n/a
Tom Brady is now 5-3 in Super Bowls in his career. He’s 1-3 against NFC East teams, 4-0 against everybody else. Coming off a year in which Bill Belichick contemplated retirement, his heir-apparent Jimmy Garoppolo was traded away to fulfill his requests, and his legacy was smudged by losing a Super Bowl shootout to Napoleon Dyna… I mean Nick Foles, Tom Brady should be more motivated than ever to continue establishing himself as, “The best to ever do it.” Also, when forming a list of Power Rankings, Tom Brady is always a safe bet to put at 1.
Next Game: v. Houston Texans
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Carolina Panthers (0-0)
Los Angeles Chargers (0-0)
Chicago Bears (0-0)
Kansas City Chiefs (0-0)
San Francisco 49ers (0-0)