Anyone see Don Banks Power Rankings?

[The Falcon Jedi]

Power Rankings

[The Falcon Jedi]

Here is the Top 10

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Is parity still alive in the NFL? Well, only 10 of the league's 32 teams have failed to make the playoffs at least once in the past three seasons, so, yes.

But then consider that we had three division champions last season who won by gaudy four- (New Orleans) or five-game margins (San Diego and Indianapolis). So, parity, not so much.

Still, the league does feel more wide open these days, with nothing resembling a true dynasty in sight. At least not when you include the postseason (sorry, Colts). To wit: Can you tell me the only two NFL teams to win at least one playoff game in each of the past two seasons?

That would be the Cardinals and Ravens, and if you got that right, you can go ahead and pass go and collect your $200. Notice who's not on that list: No Colts, no Patriots, no Giants, no Eagles, no Chargers and no Steelers. The bottom line? Every year pretty much is a new year in today's NFL.

With the 65-game preseason schedule finally behind us, it's time to reset our power rankings board and watch the 2010 season unfold. The previous rankings refer to where each team stood as NFL training camps opened in late July. As always, send comments to siwriters@simail.com.

NFL Power Rankings, Pre-Regular Season

1 New Orleans Saints

Pre-camp: 2

New Orleans Saints

For a defending champion, there's not been a lot of noise coming out of New Orleans so far, and that strikes me as a very good sign in regards to the Saints' chances of repeating. No holdouts, no trade requests, no players bemoaning that they deserve a larger role or more of the spotlight (Pierre Thomas's contract issue being the lone exception). Saints head coach Sean Payton has a pretty good handle on his guys, and he knows how to keep their eyes on the prize. Now let's see how they deal with the weekly occurrence of being every opponent's biggest game of the year.

2 Baltimore Ravens

Pre-camp: 3

Baltimore Ravens

There's no other way to read the signing of veteran receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh this week but as another indication that Baltimore means business this year. The Ravens are loading up to take their best possible Super Bowl shot, and saw the ex-Bengals receiver as a particularly valuable resource in their quest to overtake Cincinnati in the AFC North. This is a Baltimore offense poised to hang some very crooked numbers on more than a few folks this season. On defense, the Ravens secondary just needs to hang in there and survive until it's healthier.

3 Indianapolis Colts

Pre-camp: 4

Indianapolis Colts

Funny, but I'm not detecting much buzz about the Colts getting back to the Super Bowl to take care of some unfinished business. Maybe it's because Indy faces a pretty tricky proposition this season. The last time a Super Bowl loser returned to the big game and won it the next season was 38 long years ago, when Miami beat Washington in Super Bowl VII after losing the year before. A Super Bowl loser hasn't even earned its way back to the NFL's showcase game since Buffalo made the last of its four consecutive losing Super trips after the 1993 season. So history is decidedly not in Indy's corner this year.

4 Green Bay Packers

Pre-camp: 5

Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers told me this offseason that he didn't think the 2009 Packers handled their near-perfect preseason well at all. They bought into the hype, thought they were bulletproof, and wound up getting a series of rude wake-up calls in the first half of the regular season. Now, after another strong preseason showing by the Packers offense, there's even more people on the Green Bay bandwagon and even more Super Bowl talk. But I sense Rodgers and Co. won't make the same mistake of overconfidence again, and because of it, I think they keep right on rolling into Week 1 (at Philadelphia) and beyond.

5 New York Jets

Pre-camp: 1

New York Jets

Darrelle Revis finally coming back to work is great news for the Jets defense, but can anyone be feeling all that confident about a Jets offense that looked just shy of punchless this preseason? So much of the grand design in New York this season rests on Mark Sanchez, and it's entirely possible he won't be up to the task of balancing without the training wheels. I remember Sanchez looking like a deer in the headlights when he faced Baltimore last preseason. New York can't afford that to happen again in Monday night's opener.

6 Minnesota Vikings

Pre-camp: 7

Minnesota Vikings

With the Favre-wooing portion of their season over, it's time for the Vikings to get back down to business in the division they've owned for the past two years. As long as No. 4 is upright, they've got a chance to chase another dose of glory in 2010. But to be dangerously thin at cornerback with their highly-anticipated return trip to New Orleans looming is a far from optimum development. Because I'm here to break the news: That Drew Brees guy can really throw the ball.

7 San Diego Chargers

Pre-camp: 6

San Diego Chargers

In their opening six games, the Chargers face only one team that made the playoffs last year, so they're going to really have to work at it to pull off another one of their patented slow starts. No Marcus McNeill and Vincent Jackson weakens San Diego, but maybe not as much as some are projecting. It's a deeper, stronger AFC West this year, but the chances are very good indeed that a sixth division title in seven years is on the way in San Diego.

8 Dallas Cowboys

Pre-camp: 8

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys will be one of the featured teams in the yearly debate about the significance of preseason results, because Tony Romo and the Dallas first-team offense looked completely out of sync in August. Maybe they'll flip the switch Sunday night against the Redskins and wipe away the summer doldrums. But if they don't, the sky will be falling in the Metroplex by mid-Monday morning.

9 Atlanta Falcons

Pre-camp: 9

Atlanta Falcons

I think the Falcons' 2010 season actually started last December, when they didn't lie down at 6-7, but fought to win their final three games and finish with a winning record in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. That built some momentum for this team and convinced everyone that 2008 wasn't the fluke, the first 13 games of 2009 were.

10 New England Patriots

Pre-camp: 10

New England Patriots

Don't bury the Patriots just yet, even if their secondary is scary young and they might have to score 34 some days to win. No one will be running away with it the AFC East this season, so if there are early problems, Bill Belichick and his staff will have some time to get a few flaws either fixed or camouflaged.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/09/08/week.1.1/index.html?eref=sihp#ixzz0z06j0zlp

Edited September 9, 2010 by The Falcon Jedi

[Peyton]

Power Rankings

That is pretty close to how I would put them. I'd probably switch the Pats and the Chargers.

[Durrty]

9 Atlanta Falcons

Pre-camp: 9

Atlanta Falcons

I think the Falcons' 2010 season actually started last December, when they didn't lie down at 6-7, but fought to win their final three games and finish with a winning record in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. That built some momentum for this team and convinced everyone that 2008 wasn't the fluke, the first 13 games of 2009 were.

I don't know whether I want to tell him thank you or **** you...

Agreed.

Edited September 9, 2010 by Durrty

[The Falcon Jedi]

I don't know whether I want to tell him thank you or **** you...

We are in his top-10. You know how Power Rankings go. THey dont mean much from week to week.

[Dem Birds]

Could care less about the placement, but I agree 100% with what he said about the team.

[The Falcon Jedi]

Don Banks is actually a fan of the team. He usually praises us, but doesnt over-do it. He actually began his career as a Bucs beat writer down here in Tampa. Since the Bucs have dropped off the map he has become a Falcon fan.

[Peyton]

With the Falcons finishing outside the top 12 last year and adding fewer new players than any team in the NFL, I don't see how anyone could expect them to be higher that that in the the rankings. I mean, the Falcons could win the Super Bowl, but there really isn't a logical reason to assume such a jump.

[Dem Birds]

With the Falcons finishing outside the top 12 last year and adding fewer new players than any team in the NFL, I don't see how anyone could expect them to be higher that that in the the rankings. I mean, the Falcons could win the Super Bowl, but there really isn't a logical reason to assume such a jump.

Uh, injury plagued season? Helllllllo?

[The Falcon Jedi]

With the Falcons finishing outside the top 12 last year and adding fewer new players than any team in the NFL, I don't see how anyone could expect them to be higher that that in the the rankings. I mean, the Falcons could win the Super Bowl, but there really isn't a logical reason to assume such a jump.

Yea but some writers have us going to the SB this season, either losing to the Colts or the Steelers(?). Some have the Cowboys or Packers, or Saints as the best NFC team. You know how it goes every season. The games are played on Sunday.

[Durrty]

Man, my bad!

I totally misread what he was trying to say...it's edited now.

[Peyton]

Uh, injury plagued season? Helllllllo?

The Falcons weren't that injury plagued when they got their butts kicked by the Pats or Cowboys last year. I mean, this board wants to think the entire season went downhill because Ryan got turftoe or Turner hurt his ankle, but I really just don't agree with that.

Besides that, we don't know how some of these guys are going to bounce back from their injuries.

Edited September 9, 2010 by Peyton

[The Falcon Jedi]

The Falcons weren't that injury plagued when they got their butts kicked by the Pats or Cowboys last year. I mean, this board wants to think the entire season went downhill because Ryan got turftoe or Turner hurt his ankle, but I really just don't agree with that.

Besides that, we don't know how some of these guys are going to bounce back from their injuries.

I agree with what you just said. Our season suffered to a brutal schedule, and a lack of Mularkey Offensive creativity, and a Defense that could not get off the field on 3rd Down.

[Dem Birds]

The Falcons weren't that injury plagued when they got their butts kicked by the Pats or Cowboys last year. I mean, this board wants to think the entire season went downhill because Ryan got turftoe or Turner hurt his ankle, but I really just don't agree with that.

Besides that, we don't know how some of these guys are going to bounce back from their injuries.

We didn't get beat that bad by New England. Cowboys on the other hand did shred us. I realize that Ryan's poor statistics were on him and not his toe, he was throwing picks before that. But at the same time, we were already down a slot receiver and a starting DT by the time week 3 came around.

[Firstiary]

With the Falcons finishing outside the top 12 last year and adding fewer new players than any team in the NFL, I don't see how anyone could expect them to be higher that that in the the rankings. I mean, the Falcons could win the Super Bowl, but there really isn't a logical reason to assume such a jump.

Injuries were already mentioned, but as for adding fewer players than most, that means our players are even more familiar with our systems and it means that our younger guys have more development under them. We have guys that should be coming into their prime years, but you don't often credit this team for projectable development. Year-3 Ryan should be better than Year-2 Ryan, for one example. Biermann, DeCoud, Grimes, Sidbury, Lofton, Nicholas, etc.

[Firstiary]

We didn't get beat that bad by New England. Cowboys on the other hand did shred us. I realize that Ryan's poor statistics were on him and not his toe, he was throwing picks before that. But at the same time, we were already down a slot receiver and a starting DT by the time week 3 came around.

I thought the Pats handled us well. It was a road game, though, and they got some home-cookin' from the refs.

[=abrahamburger=]

That built some momentum for this team and convinced everyone that 2008 wasn't the fluke, the first 13 games of 2009 were.

We were 4-1 in the first 5 out of those 13 games; then came the injuries. I guess ignorance for space constraints is his excuse.

[maxatlanta]

It's not how many guys you replace; It's who you replace. CB play killed us last season so we've traded out Houston and brought in Robinson. We lost a couple of games where a better K would have put us in position to win, so we've dumped Elam and have Bryant. Next you factor in that we didn't lose any of our best players(most of whom are still getting better each season). This all points to an improved team.

The reason we are so high in rankings is partly because we've improved our team. It's also because the squad we had last year had to overcome the most difficult schedule in the NFL & a rash of injuries to our top players.

We were a better team than our record indicated last season, now we've improved while our schedule has also swung in our favor. A bump in the rankings makes perfect sense.

[Dr. Billings]

It's not how many guys you replace; It's who you replace. CB play killed us last season so we've traded out Houston and brought in Robinson. We lost a couple of games where a better K would have put us in position to win, so we've dumped Elam and have Bryant. Next you factor in that we didn't lose any of our best players(most of whom are still getting better each season). This all points to an improved team.

The reason we are so high in rankings is partly because we've improved our team. It's also because the squad we had last year had to overcome the most difficult schedule in the NFL & a rash of injuries to our top players.

We were a better team than our record indicated last season, now we've improved while our schedule has also swung in our favor. A bump in the rankings makes perfect sense.

Great Post!

[pencilpusher. just because]

Here is the Top 10

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5 New York Jets

Pre-camp: 1

8 Dallas Cowboys

Pre-camp: 8

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys will be one of the featured teams in the yearly debate about the significance of preseason results, because Tony Romo and the Dallas first-team offense looked completely out of sync in August. Maybe they'll flip the switch Sunday night against the Redskins and wipe away the summer doldrums. But if they don't, the sky will be falling in the Metroplex by mid-Monday morning.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/09/08/week.1.1/index.html?eref=sihp#ixzz0z06j0zlp

Romo only threw 1 TD and had a 70 passer rating last preseason and ended up having his best season. So preseason isn't a concern. But I agree with the " sky will be falling" remark concerning the fans.

[aerosmith67]

We were 4-1 in the first 5 out of those 13 games; then came the injuries. I guess ignorance for space constraints is his excuse.

That accounts for 5 games but what about the other 8? Going 6-7 over the first 13 games fits exactly what Banks is saying, going 6-7 over the first 13 games after being 11-5 the previous year does look odd.

[aerosmith67]

Romo only threw 1 TD and had a 70 passer rating last preseason and ended up having his best season. So preseason isn't a concern. But I agree with the " sky will be falling" remark concerning the fans.

I don't think Romo is the problem this year, it's his line.