The full PFT Preseason Power Rankings

AP

It’s over.  Done.  Finished.  Kaput.

The team-by-team power rankings wrapped up just in time for the craziest offseason in NFL history to end.

For those of you who have asked for the full list (and specifically for those who have threatened bodily injury if we don’t compile it), here it is.  Bottom to top, with links to the team-by-team previews.

Lodge your complaints in the comments below.  Or in the comments to the individual write-ups.

No. 32:  The Browns.

No. 31:  The Colts.

No. 30:  The Jaguars.

No. 29:  The Vikings.

No. 28:  The Rams.

No. 27:  The Dolphins.

No. 26:  The Buccaneers.

No. 25:  The Cardinals.

No. 24:  The Redskins.

No. 23:  The Raiders.

No. 22:  The Seahawks.

No. 21:  The Chiefs.

No. 20  The Titans.

No. 19:  The Bills.

No. 18:  The Jets.

No. 17:  The Panthers.

No. 16:  The Chargers.

No. 15:  The Bengals.

No. 14:  The Cowboys.

No. 13:  The Lions.

No. 12:  The Falcons.

No. 11:  The Bears.

No. 10:  The Broncos.

No. 9:  The Saints.

No. 8:  The Eagles.

No. 7:  The Texans.

No. 6:  The Steelers.

No. 5:  The Ravens.

No. 4:  The 49ers.

No. 3:  The Giants.

No. 2:  The Patriots.

No. 1:  The Packers.

65 responses to “The full PFT Preseason Power Rankings

  1. No way! Wasn’t strength of a team measured based on Offense, defense & to some extent special team? How come the team with 0 post season win + own the WORST D + got battered @ home by a 9/7 team considered #1? That is fallacious.

  2. The Packers will be one and done in the playoffs again. I don’t know how they could be #1. The 9ers would get my vote. Florio once again proves he’s got no clue? 🙂 j/k J/K I love this site.

  3. Wait, the Browns are LAST? Now THERE’S a surprise! ; ) Browns are the Colorado Rockies of football.

    The Colts… how the mighty have fallen.

    Cowboys – mid pack – they’re the box of chocolates of the NFL. NEVER know what you’re gonna get.

    Disagree – Bronco’s higher than Lions???
    I like Peyton… but I think not.

  4. I would like to see this updated at mid-season and then again at the end of the year. Might be very interesting…..

  5. I guess you could make a case for Green Bay or the Giants being #1, but I would always go with the reigning champs, especially since they haven’t lost anyone of note.

  6. Sounds about right. But I’d put the Bears a couple spots higher and the Giants a couple spots lower….. this coming from a Packer fsn

  7. Who made this list? Greenbay #1… Why? Because they won 15 games an then got SMOKED by the Giants, when a team lose that bad in the playoffs at home something is wrong, could it be that Greenbay was not as good as the 15/1 record suggest,…. By the way they lost to the Chiefs an that was a RED FLAG right there… ” NEWS FLASH ” Greenbay.. Playing fast catch anit gone work no more. The Giants have EXPOSED the Greenbay offense by bumping the WR’s at the line an making Rodgers get up off the turf.

  8. I don’t understand why the Patriots, who didn’t beat a team with a winning record last year and lucked into the SuperBowl, is ranked #2. They let their pass rush walk and are relying on rookies to rush the QB. But, OK.

  9. Niners will win the Super Bowl this year! We have added some amazing weapons including a very motivated Randy Moss – this is his last chance for the elusive title. Alex is in the same system for a second year and we now har a full offseason. The main reason why though is Harbaugh and our incredible coaching staff – they will make sure our boys are prepared, especially when we shock the world week 1 and light up the packers at home!

    Niners Forever

  10. i don’t agree that the browns are a .500 team this year. but i do believe that there’s no chance they’ll have the worst record in the league this year. just b/c we have rookies playing a lot at key positions on offense doesn’t mean they’re going to suck. They’ll make their mistakes sure, but over the course of the year this team is going to make plays on offense. Browns defense was pretty solid last year. They wont be a an 8-8 team.. but certainly not a 2 win team either.

  11. The arguments about who beat who last year mean nothing. No matter who you cheer for, you know damn well, that if you had to put everything you owned on a team to win the super bowl, there is no way 95% of us wouldn’t bet the Packers… coming from a Vikes fan.

    I think the list is great, other than there is no way Cleveland is the worst team in the NFL. I would also move the Patriots back a few notches, but I understand why they are where they are.

  12. I don’t understand why the Patriots, who didn’t beat a team with a winning record last year and lucked into the SuperBowl, is ranked #2.
    —————–
    ya know why we did’nt beat a team with a winning record? cause we beat them. And the pats lucked into the superbowl? the giants did too buddy, two fumbles on kickoffs? come on mayne.

    Pats should be one on this list. We went to the superbowl and had the best offseason of any team in the NFL.

  13. The only things that really count are the actual game results.

    Can’t wait for the season to begin.

    If you don’t like your teams present ranking, that will change shortly. But it could go either way. LOL

  14. Niners fans are so cute. The packers play in a tougher division, had a better record, and improved on both sides of the ball.

    If you draft the niners defense, draft a backup for week 1. The packers will win by three tds.

    The niners get 6 easy wins a year. Their defense is bloated by playing vs tarvaris Jackson, kevin kolb, and Sam Bradford twice a year.

    What a joke.

  15. All the people complaining- its titled PRESEASON ranking. Meaning that its where the teams stand right now. Its not called last season ranking. Plus its someones opionion.

  16. Chargers, Cowboys, Saints and Ravens should not be so high.

    Rivers threw too many picks, and now he doesn’t even have VJax.

    Romo is inconsistent and can’t win important games and now he’s without Laurent Robinson.

    Saints are have many starters suspended.

    Ravens have too many holes in the oline plus the Ray Rice holdout and Ed Reed hold out.

  17. patriots87 says:
    Jul 25, 2012 9:19 AM
    I don’t understand why the Patriots, who didn’t beat a team with a winning record last year and lucked into the SuperBowl, is ranked #2.
    —————–
    ya know why we did’nt beat a team with a winning record? cause we beat them. And the pats lucked into the superbowl? the giants did too buddy, two fumbles on kickoffs? come on mayne.

    Pats should be one on this list. We went to the superbowl and had the best offseason of any team in the NFL.

    ————————————————

    What is it with fans cheering about whether their team had the best offseason in the league? First of all, it’s an entirely subjective statement to make. Could you not argue that the Bucs had a great offseason as well? What makes the Pats’ offseason better?

    The bigger reason why such a statement is idiotic is when was the last time a team had a “winning” offseason that really paid off for them in the regular season? Didn’t work for the Eagles last year. Hasn’t worked for the Redskins for any year they ever “won” the offseason. And even though your Patriots had a great offseason prior to the 2007 season, it obviously didn’t pay off for you in the Super Bowl.

    I still contend the media’s lovefest with the Patriots is largely based on what they accomplished 10 years ago. They’re still competitive and will continue to be so, but picking them to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl every year is really absurd now.

  18. patriots87 says:
    Jul 25, 2012 9:19 AM
    I don’t understand why the Patriots, who didn’t beat a team with a winning record last year and lucked into the SuperBowl, is ranked #2.
    —————–
    ya know why we did’nt beat a team with a winning record? cause we beat them. And the pats lucked into the superbowl? the giants did too buddy, two fumbles on kickoffs? come on mayne.

    Pats should be one on this list. We went to the superbowl and had the best offseason of any team in the NFL.
    ———————————————–
    the ravens had a winning record – and the pats beat them – there you go. the two fumbles in the giants game were on punts (not kickoffs), but who cares where they occurred, they were fumbles, and thats part of football. as for best offseason, i didn’t know the pats got that award. what was their record in the offseason? did i miss the parade?

  19. Also, the Browns should do at least .500 ball now that the Steelers and Ravens D is getting older. They will have a better record than the Colts or Jags for sure. And im a Colts fan.

  20. eagles83 says:
    Jul 25, 2012 8:56 AM
    I don’t understand why the Patriots, who didn’t beat a team with a winning record last year and lucked into the SuperBowl, is ranked #2. They let their pass rush walk and are relying on rookies to rush the QB. But, OK.
    ————————–
    Wow good point, I didn’t realize a lot of the “good” teams they played ended up 8-8. Then again they did beat the Ravens in the AFC Championship game so that has got to count for something.

  21. thetruth1313 says: All the people complaining- its titled PRESEASON ranking. Meaning that its where the teams stand right now. Its not called last season ranking. Plus its someones opionion.

    —————————————-

    I’ve had to remind people of that a dozen times already.

    Amazing. “The Giants have a better team in 2012 because they beat the Patriots in 2011”

    Huh?

    These are different teams, different schedules – the Patriots were INCREDIBLY flawed coming out of a near non-existent off-season where free agency FOLLOWED the draft.

    They and many other teams were ill-prepared and ill-equipped. Its amazing they did as well as they did.

    I have no problem with GB being ranked #1. Yet oOne might assert that they didn’t do much with their great offense and their bad defense hasn’t changed much.

    The Patriots improved a great offense and improved their defense – though that’s all on paper and we can ask the Eagles what that means.

  22. @patriots87

    Two fumbles on Kick Offs from a rookie returner vs Lee Evans dropped game winning TD and a missed chip shot that would have sent it to over time? Plus their first game was against the Tebow led Broncos who also lucked into the playoffs and a Wild Card win. Pats D still blows, putting way too much on the rookies.

  23. thetokyosandblaster says:
    Jul 25, 2012 9:36 AM
    Niners fans are so cute. The packers play in a tougher division, had a better record, and improved on both sides of the ball.

    If you draft the niners defense, draft a backup for week 1. The packers will win by three tds.

    The niners get 6 easy wins a year. Their defense is bloated by playing vs tarvaris Jackson, kevin kolb, and Sam Bradford twice a year.

    What a joke.
    ___________________________________

    Yes the NFC West is by no means the top division in football but if it is as bad as you say then tell me why the Cardinals, Seahawks, and Rams have all been to the Superbowl in the past 15 years, with the 49ers dominating last year and having the NFC Championship game at Candlestick last year instead of Lambeau. People can rag on how bad the NFC West is but if you win your division then you play the best teams and all four of the teams in the NFC West have stuck it to winners of other divisions, in the playoffs, to punch their ticket to the next round or Superbowl. There is no such thing as an easy victory in the NFL.

  24. The only team on here that won’t disappoint are the Browns. Oh that’s right they can’t, but hey up is the only direction. Go Browns!

  25. This season cant start soon enough!! Im done talking…… Its time for games to be played & loud mouths on this website to get their feelings hurt!!

  26. I think Packers haters need to remember there was a tragic death in their organization just a few days before their playoff game. That definitely affected them.

  27. i touched allot of nerves out there. good to know the patriots success still is resulting in blinded hateration.

    patriots lost only The Law Firm. and added new blood on defense, carpenter, fanene, scott, hightower, jones to a defense that was improving each and every week. and added brandon lloyd, gaffney, addai on offense josh mcdaniels returns….

    of course we have no idea how this will turn out. but in my mind there isnt much else BB could have done this off season to setup for a great ’12 season.

  28. In general it looks good. Instead of being ranked 1-32, it makes more sense to lump them into groups like elite, good, teams that could surprise and teams with no chance or in decline. Now it comes down to who is peaking in December, who’s healthy and who has a stroke of luck down the stretch.

  29. I was expecting the Seahawks to land somewhere between 15-20. So I think this placement a little low. I agree we need help at WR but the rest of the team is in pretty good shape. I don’t think we will take the division away from the 49ers but we will be competitive. We finished last year pretty strong. The Chiefs, Titans, Bills have shown no reason to be rated above them. They all three have looked bad all last year, I don’t think they have done much to improve that.

  30. The Packers head coach made a rookie mistake.. He gave the team 13 days off… BEFORE the OC lost his son. WR Greg Jennings had NOT played a game since christmas so the loss of Philbin’s son was NOT the reason Greenbay lost. THE GIANTS WAS THE REASON. To put Greenbay at #1 was WRONG an that 15/1 record is gone so they wont start this season with that momentum they have to play football an fast catch wont work this season

  31. Since earning the 32 spot, the Browns drafted and signed WR Josh Gordon.

    I wonder if the Browns would still be 32 had the supplemental draft been held before these rankings.

    Maybe. I don’t they’ll be going to the playoffs this year, but I also don’t think they’ll be 32 for very long.

  32. to address the contention that the Packers won’t be carrying any “momentum” from last season based on their loss to the Giants, might I make the fairly obvious point that every single playoff team except the Giants lost their final game of the season? Except for the Giants, who does have any momentum to carry over from 7 months ago? And can you carry momentum for 7 months?

  33. Chitown hes exposed himself as a jealous hater. Guess what dude? GB will win the division again. Your Bears will have done well just to squeak in to the playoffs as a wildcard …

  34. @bearmeat
    Defensive coordinators all over the league saw that Giants game in Greenbay… The Packers have NOT changed anything about that team. So it stands to reason they will come out an try to play fast catch again… Not happening … Greenbay will be made to play football this season an they will LOSE because they have NO running game to speak of an they will be bringing back the worst defense in the NFL. By the way the OC is gone an the affects of him leaving will show. Thats right!!! I KNOW MY ENEMY

  35. Oh shock. A good NFL team lost to another good NFL team in the playoffs! Therefore the team that lost will onbviously never be competitive again!

    The decensive minded draft that addressed the losing teams weaknesses will surely have no effect. The strengths of the losing team will be exposed as weaknesses this coming year… and that losing team won’t even make the playoffs… obviously.

    OR

    You are a jealous, spiteful tool, whose reality is so far out of whack, it would be funny… if it weren’t so sad.

  36. Killface4prez. Teams can ride momentium for 7 months easily. When the giants last won the sb they went 12-4 and started 12-1. The packers won then went 15-1. The cards lost in the sb but road that momentium to a divisional round exit to the saints. It is possible

  37. It is difficult to argue that there are 3 teams worse than the vikings.

    The Colts and Jaguars have better quarterbacks than the vikings and better defenses.

    The Browns should have a good draft next year.

  38. I know they have young guys but the Bengals do not get respect. That is a crazy division they play in and they have competed in this division for a few years now.

  39. I think the Jets are going to surprise everyone and win the Super Bowl, beating the Dolphins and the Patriots particularly badly. And I say that as a Dolphins fan!

    (Cough.)

    No, wait, a Patriots fan. Yeah, that’s it. Patriots.

  40. yea the pack’s D was bad last year, but then again when your offense is on the field so little and teams are playing catch up would you really expect a great team against yardage? It was kind of like the saints in 09 bad D against yardage, middle of the pack in ppg, and top in turnovers. Additionally is one game a better indicator of a team or 16? They will be fine this year.

  41. Division by division rankings:
    NFC North
    1) Bears (Cutler has targets this year)
    2) Packers (Lack of depth in secondary)
    3) Lions (Megatron wont be enough)
    4) Vikings (Ponder needs to develop more)

    NFC South
    1) Carolina (Cammmmmm)
    2) Falcons (only if Julio has a breakout year)
    3) Bucs (I like Gregs no BS scheme)
    4) Saints (Not this year)

    NFC East
    1) Giants (Bennett is a monster)
    2) Cowboys (So long as Romo doesn’t screw up)
    3) Redskins (RGIII needs to develop)
    4) Eagles (Demetrus Bell can’t block Okrapo, JPP, Tuck and Ware twice each per year)

    NFC West
    1) 49ers (no brainer)
    2) Seattle (Pete Carroll is great)
    3) Cardinals (Kolb sucks)
    4) Rams (will be great in a couple years)

    AFC North
    1) Cincinnati (solid team)
    2) Browns (new ownership and Trent Richardson)
    3) Steelers (lack of secondary depth and too many holes and aging players on both sides of the ball.
    4) Ravens (too many holes in O line)

    AFC South
    1) Texans (great team even when unhealthy)
    2) Titans (Jack Locker and Chris Johnson are too fast for aging Colts ends)
    3) Colts (Luck+Fleener)
    4) Jags (awful)

    AFC East
    1) Pats (obvious)
    2) Bills (should finish within 2 wins of Pats)
    3) Dolphins (great run defense in a pass heavy division)
    4) Jets (Disaster)

    AFC West
    1) Broncos (great D, running offence and now Manning)
    2) Chiefs (Hillis should compliment Charles nicely and make Cassels job easier)
    3) Raiders (Palmer should do great with a full offseason)
    4) Chargers (Fire Norv Turner and hire a real coach)

  42. Top 20 is all out of whack. Putting the Eagles, Texans and 49ers ahead of the Saints is crazy. Saints first team offense still looked sharp the other night regardless of who’s the public coach. And how many Super Bowls do the Giants have to take from the Patsies to get ranked ahead.

  43. I may be wrong ont he AFC west…

    I didn’t factor in Melvin Ingram, Peyton’s injury (thought for sure he’d be bombing deep balls).

    AFC West is unpredictable.

  44. Division by division rankings (updated):

    NFC South
    1) Carolina (Cam should win this. People don’t realize how good their healthy linebacking core is)
    2) Falcons (Matt Ryan should have had better numbers considering he had a solid running game, and three excellent targets. If he gets better, the division is his.)
    3) Bucs (I like Gregs no BS scheme, but they need to rebuild more)
    4) Saints (Not this year, but they’ll be deadly in a couple years)

    NFC West (Fav team: Ari, Least fav: n/a)
    1) 49ers (no brainer)
    2) Seattle (Pete Carroll is great, Russell Wilson is also great, along with Doug Baldwin, Winslow, and Rice)
    3) Cardinals (Kolb sucks, but their top-notch defense will put them above the rams this year)
    4) Rams (will be great in a couple years)

    AFC North (Fav team: BAL, Least fav: CLE)
    1) Cincinnati (solid team)
    2) Browns (new ownership and Trent Richardson)
    3) Steelers (lack of secondary depth and too many holes and aging players on both sides of the ball. Injury’s are an issue all around. Need more depth)
    4) Ravens (too many holes in O line. I like the Ravens a lot)

    AFC South (Fav team: Colts, least fav: Texans)
    1) Texans (great team even when unhealthy)
    2) Titans (Jack Locker and Chris Johnson are too fast for aging Colts ends. Look for lots of boots and rolling out of the pocket from Locker against Indy)
    3) Jags (I stand completely corrected. Blaine Gabbert looks great, and so does Jennings and Blackmon.)
    4) Colts (Luck looks amazing, so does Fleener and Allen, but I can’t see them going past 6 wins in this division this year)

    AFC East (Fav team: MIA, Least fav: NE)
    1) Pats (obvious)
    2) Bills (should finish within 2 wins of Pats)
    3) Dolphins (great run defense in a pass heavy division… Too bad)
    4) Jets (Disaster)

    AFC West (Fav team: Den, Least fav: Chargers [only because of Norv. I like Rivers])
    1) Broncos (great D, running offence and now Manning)**Only if Manning can stay healthy. Only.
    2) Chiefs (Hillis should compliment Charles nicely and make Cassels job easier)
    3) Raiders (Palmer should do great with a full offseason)*If McFadden stays healthy, they’ll do better than 3rd in the division, but I predict injury.
    4) Chargers (Fire Norv Turner and hire a real coach)

    This way you guys will know I’m pretty unbiased. If Manning goes down, I can’t see Denver beating out a HEALTHY Chiefs team.

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