Way Too Early Power Rankings for the 2019–2020 NFL Season
With the Super Bowl gone and the 2018–19 season long in the rear-view mirror, NFL Draft and free agency season is officially upon us. With the new season still very far away- almost 8 months away- it would be ridiculous to even try and make a list of who will be in the playoffs, or even in the Super Bowl. With that said, many analysts around the country make these “power rankings” right after the season ends. In this article, I will overview the power rankings going from 32 to 17 without explanation. Numbers 16 to 1 will get explanations on why I think they are in the top half of the league.
32. Arizona Cardinals
31. Oakland Raiders
30. Jacksonville Jaguars
29. New York Jets
28. Buffalo Bills
27. Detroit Lions
26. Cincinnati Bengals
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
24. Washington Redskins
23. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. San Francisco 49ers
21. Miami Dolphins
20. Denver Broncos
19. Green Bay Packers
18. New York Giants
17. Carolina Panthers
16. Cleveland Browns- For many years, Cleveland has been at the bottom of the league, with no real quarterback, or much of anything else. Winning one game in two seasons is part of the reason they were the worst in the league for many years. Last year, under rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield, they completely turned the franchise around, making it into playoff talks at the end of the year. Each year Baker Mayfield will get better, the Browns will too, leading to a promising future in Cleveland.
15. Atlanta Falcons- Two years ago this team made it to the Super Bowl, off of an MVP season from quarterback, Matt Ryan. Ryan had an off year, as did the entire team, due to injuries to key players on offense and defense. With the draft pick they will have, and the stars returning from injury, the Falcons will be able to go far in next year’s season.
14. Tennessee Titans- The Titans were down to the last game of the season last year before being beaten by the Indianapolis Colts. However, the Titans were without their starting quarterback that game, Marcus Mariota. With him coming back healthy and their young players continuing to develop, the Titans will be a threat to the rest of the AFC for years to come.
13. Philadelphia Eagles- The first playoff team from last year to be on the list, the Eagles were highly touted coming into last year off of a Super Bowl win. The outcome of those high expectations was disappointing, as they barely made the playoffs, with help from the Bears. They also made it to the divisional game last year, again thanks to the Bears. The Eagles are in the midst of a quarterback controversy, as Nick Foles has led the team to a Super Bowl win, while Carson Wentz has been injured. It will be interesting to see which quarterback they go with, and if he can produce more wins.
12. Minnesota Vikings- Minnesota was very close to making the playoffs last year, coming down to their last game of the year, which they would lose. The team took a step back after backup quarterback Case Keenum led them to the NFC Championship in 2017. They signed a new quarterback, Kirk Cousins, who was disappointing in his first season with the Vikings, until they changed offensive coordinator. With a new OC, the Vikings playoff hopes for next year are looking up.
11. Dallas Cowboys- Although the Cowboys made the playoffs, they failed to make a splash, losing early on. Last season they brought on a star wide receiver, Amari Cooper, and their defense improved, with rookie linebacker Leighton Vander Esch leading them. With one of the best running backs in the league in Ezekiel Elliot, the Cowboys are bound to be back in the playoff picture again next year.
10. Indianapolis Colts- Two seasons ago, this team was one of the worst, with their quarterback Andrew Luck injured, and their offensive line being one the worst in the league. This season, Andrew Luck had a phenomenal season, winning Comeback Player of the Year, and the Colts young offensive line, improved to top five in the league. With the defense also improving, expect to see a lot from the Colts in the coming years.
9. Baltimore Ravens- Trading away Joe Flacco, shows that the Ravens are going all in with young quarterback Lamar Jackson, who led the Ravens to the playoffs last year. With how young this Ravens team is, one can expect them to make quite an impact for years to come in the AFC North, and in the playoffs.
8. Houston Texans- The Texans made a big splash this season, with Deshaun Watson back from his ACL tear, and J.J. Watt continuing to be one of the best defensive linemen in the league. Deandre Hopkins has asserted himself as a top five receiver in the NFL, and the defensive backs are starting to come together. The Texans, still young, will be back in the playoffs again next year, with hopes of winning it all.
7. Seattle Seahawks- Everyone thought that the Seahawks would be among the worst teams, with most of their best defensive players leaving or retiring, and no real star on offense except quarterback Russell Wilson. Bobby Wagner helped lead the defense back to the glory days of the Legion of Boom, and the running game was solid, with their backs totaling 2,560 yards. With Russell Wilson entering the prime of his career, the Seahawks should be among the top teams next year.
6. Los Angeles Chargers- The Chargers fell victim to a major flaw in the playoff seeding last season, as they finished with the second-best record in the conference but were the wildcard due to the Chiefs having the best record. That said, they had an incredible year led by veteran quarterback Phillip Rivers, and a young running back and receiver duo of Melvin Gordon and Kennan Allen. With those two getting better each year and Phillip Rivers as the quarterback, the Chargers should have no problem getting back to where they were this year.
5. Chicago Bears- Moving into the top five, the Bears had one of the best turn around seasons in recent memory, going to the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Matt Nagy came in as the new head coach and revived the team, leading them to an NFC North title. The acquisition of Khalil Mack on defense led them to one of the best defenses in the league, with Matt Nagy making the offense creative and exciting to watch.
4. New England Patriots- The reigning Super Bowl Champions will not be the best team of next year, as Tom Brady starts regressing, and star tight end Rob Gronkowski, questions if he will continue to play football. Although they won’t be as good as years in the past, any team with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will always be among the top teams in the league.
3. Los Angeles Rams- The Rams lost in this year’s Super Bowl, but you one can’t knock them for that, as they played Tom Brady and the Patriots. As quarterback Jared Goff continues to progress, along with running back Todd Gurley, the Rams should be a favorite to win many games next season, as well as down the line for seasons to come.
2. New Orleans Saints- A team that arguably should have been in the Super Bowl had it not been for dodging officiating, the Saints will continue to be a dominant team next year. Led by veteran quarterback Drew Brees, the offense was potent this year, with many passing and rushing touchdowns. They also had one of the best defenses in the league, while being young, which could mean success in New Orleans next season.
- Kansas City Chiefs- The number one team in the NFL next season will be the Kansas City Chiefs, led by MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes. With one of the most explosive offenses of all time, the Chiefs should be in contention to win it all next year. The Chiefs defense can only get better, as it was rated as one of the worst in the league last year. With the young core of Mahomes, Hill, and Kelce, don’t be surprised if the Chiefs end up winning the Super Bowl next year.
