http://mmqb.si.com/2015/06/03/yahoo-nfl-internet-broadcast-mailbag/3/
ON FOOTBALL RANKINGS. This is one of the few lists I have seen that has, for the most part, disregarded the importance of quarterbacking in the modern era of football. Last year’s records are almost eerily related to the team’s quarterbacking ability. Andrew Luck, lacking any defensive support, took the Colts to the AFC championship. Big Ben, overcoming a defeated offensive line and an aged defense, was able to produce one of the best records in the AFC in 2014.
However, Kansas City (ranked fourth in your power rankings), having one of the best defenses in the NFL and a more than capable receiving corps and running back, was overwhelmed by the teams with elite quarterbacks. This was demonstrated in the Chiefs’ barely above-average record in 2014. My point is, regardless of the glaring weaknesses a team might have, those weaknesses are overcome by excellent quarterbacking.
—Paddy Cotter, Roanoke, Va.
Peter King's response: Paddy, that could well be. But I think the Colts needed to do more on defense than they did this off-season. We’ll see if Luck overcomes that.
I will sum up the reaction to my picks: You didn’t like me picking Kansas City four, Minnesota six and Indianapolis 11. Well, you didn’t like any of my picks, unless I picked your team first.
I get the anger about the Colts, who are the dominant team in the AFC South, with a great quarterback for the long term. My question about the Colts concerns their ability to play any defense when it counts. In their past five playoff games, in 2013 and 2014, Indianapolis allowed an average of 31 points per game. Three times the Colts allowed 43 points or more. They improved on defense this year by getting a 34-year-old pass-rusher back from a major injury.
I like Robert Mathis—who doesn’t?—but there’s an incredible amount of pressure on him and the unproven Bjoern Werner to give the Colts a pass-rush … and on Trent Cole, 32, the rusher the Eagles gave up on. I don’t trust a run defense that got steamrolled twice last year against New England to be much better. But I like the GM and coach, and I don’t think the team is a finished product on June 3. I do think, though, that Ryan Grigson should have gone against his board and bypassed Phillip Dorsett for a run-stopper in round one of the draft.
As for the Vikes, ranking them sixth is a gamble, to be sure. A huge leap of faith. I did it because I think the Bears and Lions will take steps back, and I think Adrian Peterson will play for the Vikings and be motivated to play very, very well for a lot of reasons. Mike Zimmer will find a way to get a more dangerous pass-rush and to throw a scare into the Packers for the division.
Bottom line: The easy thing to do in one of these exercises is to take the standings of last season and simply cut-and-paste them. I tried to take some educated guesses—such as the Chiefs passing Denver, and the Vikings being the second-best team in the NFC North, and the Eagles passing Dallas. We’ll see if I’m right.
THE RAVENS ARE SO GREAT. I love how in your prediction about the Ravens, you go on and on about how you trust this, and trust that, and at the end of your paragraph you even throw in “This is a battle-tested team that had two 14-point playoff leads in Foxboro last January. I just think the Ravens will find a way.” So why didn’t they “find a way” to maintain not one but two 14-point playoff leads in Foxboro last January?
—Dave
Peter King: Good point. They should have been able to stop New England. But I do think with most of their key guys except Haloti Ngata back, they’re less wounded than the rest of the top teams in the AFC.
CAROLINA AT 20? Enjoy your columns Peter and wanted to send my condolences on becoming a little senile. Carolina at number 20? You’re kidding right? One of the top defenses in the entire league, and once again, the supposed experts have little respect for the two-time defending NFC South champions. They lost some close games due to a boring offense the last few years, but that’s about to change in Charlotte.
A healthy Cam Newton, better depth at WR, upgrades on special teams, and hopefully Jonathan Stewart staying healthy, and I’m afraid you’ll rue the day you ranked them so low. When healthy, Stewart’s a top running back. Plus the offensive line is not as big a problem as so many are predicting. But hey, go right ahead, give little respect to the Panthers once again like others.
—David Floyd, Cornelius, N.C.
Peter King: Again, all you say is valid. The point about Stewart, though, is a pretty iffy one. The guy’s missed 20 games the last three years with injuries, and he’s a year older. I like Newton. I just think the division’s better, and they’ll all knock off each other pretty consistently this year.
