PFT’s 2014 Preseason Power Rankings Countdown

Posted by PlexusGroupe on July 19, 2014, 5:36 PM EDT
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Here are PFT’s 2014 preseason power rankings. Click on the team name for an in-depth preview entering training camp:

1. Seattle Seahawks. (NFC rank: 1.)

2. San Francisco 49ers. (NFC rank: 2.)

3. Denver Broncos. (AFC rank: 1.)

4. New England Patriots. (AFC rank: 2.)

5. Green Bay Packers. (NFC rank: 3.)

6. New Orleans Saints. (NFC rank: 4.)

7. Baltimore Ravens. (AFC rank: 3.)

8. Indianapolis Colts. (AFC rank: 4.)

9. Cincinnati Bengals. (AFC rank: 5.)

10. Carolina Panthers. (NFC rank: 5.)

11. Arizona Cardinals. (NFC rank: 6.)

12. Chicago Bears. (NFC rank: 7.)

13. Philadelphia Eagles. (NFC rank: 8.)

14. Atlanta Falcons. (NFC rank: 9.)

15. Pittsburgh Steelers. (AFC rank: 6.)

16. San Diego Chargers. (AFC rank: 7.)

17. Kansas City Chiefs. (AFC rank: 8.)

18. New York Giants. (NFC rank: 10.)

19. New York Jets. (AFC rank: 9.)

20. St. Louis Rams. (NFC rank: 11.)

21. Detroit Lions. (NFC rank: 12.)

22. Cleveland Browns. (AFC rank: 10.)

23. Washington Redskins. (NFC rank: 13.)

24. Dallas Cowboys. (NFC rank: 14.)

25. Houston Texans. (AFC rank: 11.)

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (NFC rank: 15.)

27. Minnesota Vikings. (NFC rank: 16.)

28. Buffalo Bills. (AFC rank: 12.)

29. Jacksonville Jaguars. (AFC rank: 13.)

30. Tennessee Titans. (AFC rank: 14.)

31. Miami Dolphins. (AFC rank: 15.)

32. Oakland Raiders. (AFC rank: 16.)

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36 responses to “PFT’s 2014 Preseason Power Rankings Countdown”

  1. World Champion Washington Redskins Anthem
    Hail to the Redskins!
    Hail Victory!
    Braves on the Warpath!
    Fight for old D.C.!
    Run or pass and score — we want a lot more!
    Beat ’em, Swamp ’em,
    Touchdown! — Let the points soar!
    Fight on, fight on ‘Til you have won
    Sons of Wash-ing-ton. Rah!, Rah!, Rah!
    Hail to the Redskins!
    Hail Victory!
    Braves on the Warpath!
    Fight for old D.C.!

  7. I saw one ranking that puts the Ravens at #18 and the Rams are one of the top 14. LOL These wide variations mean that nobody really knows which team will do well and which won’t.

  12. the arizona cardinals should be 7 and that’s coming from a 49ers fan. the NFC is far and away better than the AFC, in fact the 2nd AFC team which will be the Patriots shouldn’t be any higher than 5, and that’s a stretch.

  14. The NFC West is the power of the league right now. The Rams are rated much too low. it will be a dog fight for the division and ultimately the winner coming out of the West, whether the Wild Card or the Division winner will go all the way to the Super Bowl once more and win. I predict the Rams will be the wild Card with the SeaHawks falling off because of Super bowl hangover. I am not a 49ers fan, but….. As for Arizona, they have a history of up and down, up and down. If they follow that trend, it will be a down year for the Big Red.

  15. Looking at these rankings, it should be noted that the difference between #5 and #25 is typically only about 3 wins by the end of the season.

    The difference between #10 and #20 pretty negligible.

    Last, and certainly not least, these ranking are based primarily by looking in the rear view mirror, not forward based on changes in the roster over the off-season.

    So, as an entertainment exercise, rankings have some value, but as a meaningful or predictive exercise- take ’em will a grain of salt.

  16. An example of the above:

    #27 Vikings played #12 Bears twice last year.

    Vikings lost 31-30 on a last second TD in Chicago.

    Vikings won 23-20 in Minnesota.

  19. In point of fact, the Vikings split records with all three of it’s division rivals in 2013 (1 tie, 1 loss with GB, 1 win and 1 loss with Bears and Lions). And in the final 8 games of the season… the Vikings record was 4W – 3L – 1T whereas the Packers were 3W – 4L – 1T, the Bears were 3W – 5L and the Lions were 2W – 6L.

    I will admit that the cheeseheads were correct about one thing… the Vikings needed a coach that actually KNEW how to coach. NOBODY would have had a good season with the three-ring circus Frasier put the Vikings through at QB last year… not even Denver.

  20. I’m salty y’all got the Bengals at 9. Despite the playoff loss, they did beat 4 of the 8 teams above them last year, top 10 offense and top 3 defense, and a qb who I think will thrive in the new offense.
    …but that’s none of my business….

  21. Power Rankings are meaningless, but I can still make fun of the logic behind this crap.

    Titans ranked 30th & Jets at 19? When Locker was healthy last year, they went 3-1 & DEMOLISHED the Jets. Locker is healthy again, with a real coach, & they gave the Jets our most overppaid/least productive player & you still got them 11 spots higher?

    Even with the starting QB hurt & no real head coach they finished 6-10. Putting them at 30 is moronic.

  23. yea im a baltimore fan and most of yall are living in last season but i think 7 is a bit of a reach not by that much but i think we are top ten. but hey well take the compliments

  24. No AFC team belongs in the Top-5, much less the Top-10.

    Arizona, Santa Clara and Seattle would all easily destroy the Patriots and Broncos, in the preseason, regular season OR postseason. And it wouldn’t be close, as we all saw just a few months ago.

    Denver…. pfffffft. I can’t wait to watch that powder-puff ladies softball team get absolutely destroyed by the NFC West this season. Going to be hilarious. Although, with Peyton Manning’s tendency to do awesome in the regular season and SUCK out loud in the postseason, it’s likely he might just pull out one win in their march of death through the NFCW. I’ll be amazed, however, if Denver gets through the NFCW with half of its team healthy. By the playoffs, they’ll have too many injuries to even contend.

  26. Powder Puff? You obvisouly hate Denver, but Powder Puff? 7 AFC Campionships. 2 Rings, Won the last three divisions, legendary John Elway……. Guess here that Denver has owned you are your team for so long, you hate yourself!

  27. Peyton Manning isn’t going to be able to finesse the NFCW..simple as that. They benefitted from the easiest schedule last year.

  28. I can’t believe they have the niners #2. Kap is overrated and didn’t deserve the contact he got. Denver made some huge moves this off season.

  29. Patriots suck. Ol’Belichek gate can’t win them anymore titles and they’re long in the tooth. They should be ranked 10th and that’s being generous. PFT is like all Steeler fans and lives in the past.

  31. #1 Seahawks
    #2 49ers
    #3 Packers
    #4 Patriots
    #5 Saints

    The Seahawks are far and away the most complete and ready team to take the NFL dominantly. The 49ers look second-best on paper, but the situation between Harbaugh and GM Baalke is volatile and could blow up the whole thing. Look for the Packers to take over the two place if the 49ers implode.

  32. Chargers beat the Bengals in the playoffs and are rated 7 slots lower than CIN. So winning is not the primary evaluation of power?

  34. I usually don’t comment on a certain team’s position in a preseason power ranking, but the Giants are ranked waaaaay too high.

    #18?? Why?

    This team was horrible at running hte ball last year, and now has lost one of their best OLineman (Snee)

    This team is awful at throwing the ball, as exemplified by Eli’s 27 picks.

    This team can’t stop the run (I don’t have their ranking from last year, but anyone who saw them play…)

    This team can’t stop the pass (I don’t have their ranking from last year, but anyone who saw them play…)

    So they can’t run the ball, can’t throw the ball, and can’t stop the run or stop the pass.

    Why are they #18, in front of teams like the Lions, who does at least one thing (passing) really, really, really well.

  35. Wow the makers of this list are going to feel like idiots when Cowboys win their division and make it all the way to the NFC Championship… the rest to be continued;)

  36. How do they have the Bears at 12? They have done nothing to improve their awful D and Cutler will still be Cutler. I see them 3rd in the NFC North

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