I’ve spent a few months analyzing the teams. I’ve analyzed the numbers and read a ton of articles. Now I’ve seen all of them play a few practice games, and it’s time to start figuring out how this whole thing will play out.
My initial power rankings appear below. I’ve got the Patriots and the Rams at the top, and then not a lot of difference between 11 other teams that are right behind them.
On this, the win-loss records aren’t how I expect they’ll finish (I don’t envision a record-setting number of ties). Instead, they’re a gut feel of how I think the teams would finish if they all played typical schedules. The list is intended to provide a general feel of how good the teams are (rather than what the final standings will be).
| PRESEASON POWER RANKINGS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | Pct. |
| New England | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 |
| LA Rams | 11 | 4 | 1 | .719 |
| Philadelphia | 10 | 5 | 1 | .656 |
| Atlanta | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 |
| Green Bay | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 |
| Minnesota | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 |
| Pittsburgh | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 |
| Jacksonville | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 |
| Carolina | 9 | 6 | 1 | .594 |
| Houston | 9 | 6 | 1 | .594 |
| New Orleans | 9 | 6 | 1 | .594 |
| Baltimore | 9 | 6 | 1 | .594 |
| LA Chargers | 9 | 6 | 1 | .594 |
| Kansas City | 8 | 7 | 1 | .531 |
| Cincinnati | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 |
| San Francisco | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 |
| Dallas | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 |
| NY Giants | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 |
| Tennessee | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 |
| Seattle | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 |
| Washington | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 |
| Detroit | 6 | 9 | 1 | .406 |
| Chicago | 6 | 9 | 1 | .406 |
| Denver | 6 | 9 | 1 | .406 |
| NY Jets | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 |
| Arizona | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 |
| Tampa Bay | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 |
| Indianapolis | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 |
| Oakland | 5 | 10 | 1 | .344 |
| Cleveland | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 |
| Miami | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 |
| Buffalo | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 |
As usual with this kind of thing, let me know which team you think is most out of place.
—Ian Allan