NFL Power Rankings: Giants at The Top
By Joe Tufaro
Yesterday we published the betting lines for the first 16 weeks of the season as set by Cantor Gaming. Today we have the NFL Power Rankings as set by The Sporting News. And so for the second day in a row we have expert opinion on teams that don’t have draft choices signed, haven’t had training camp, haven’t had any injuries, and have no idea what their own depth chart will look like at the beginning, middle, or end of the season….Here are some key and surprising rankings….
KEY RANKINGS:
1. New York Giants
Best addition: RB David Wilson, first-round pick
With Eli Manning and the front four, the Giants are still mighty Giants, and rookies Wilson and Rueben Randle will make up for key departures. The Giants will need to hang tough with a schedule even stronger than last season’s.
9. Philadelphia Eagles
Best addition: MLB DeMeco Ryans, trade acquisition
No one is talking about them as the Dream Team this year, and the perceived lower expectations may be just what Michael Vick and Andy Reid need for a big rebound.
10. Dallas Cowboys
Best addition: CB Morris Claiborne, first-round pick
It must have hurt to see the Giants wrestle the division away and then go on to win it all. The Cowboys have rebuilt their back seven pass defense, but they still go as Tony Romo does.
25. Washington Redskins
Best addition: QB Robert Griffin III, first-round pick
Griffin brings more than a dash of much-needed electricity to the offense, the entire team and the city. It will be fun watching him, even it if comes with significant growing pains.
SURPRISES?:
7. Denver Broncos
Best addition: QB Peyton Manning, free-agent pickup
This team already got to the divisional playoff round with a questionable passing game. If Peyton Manning is Peyton Manning, they can go a few miles higher.
12. New Orleans Saints
Best addition: G Ben Grubbs, free-agent pickup
Sean Payton is gone for the season and Gregg Williams is gone for good, which means Drew Brees will have more riding on his arm than usual. Now would be a good time to give Brees that big raise.
19. New York Jets
Best addition: S LaRon Landry, free-agent pickup
The Jets were a mediocre team last season, and despite the flashy Tebow pickup, there are still big questions about just how much substance they have on both sides of the ball.
What do you think of these rankings?