PFT Preseason Power Rankings: Rams #27

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PFT preseason power rankings No. 14: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Posted by Darin Gantt on July 19, 2017

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It’s reasonable for the Buccaneers to think they’re on the cusp of something.

In fact, if the new overtime rules were in place last season, they’d have been a playoff team (since their loss to the Raiders was a tie at the 10-minute mark, and that would have given them the edge over the Lions for the last wild card spot).

They behaved like a team making a push for the top of the division this offseason, giving quarterback Jameis Winston the kind of weapons any quarterback would love.

Now the pressure is on the former No. 1 overall pick to continue piling up big passing yards while cutting into the turnovers (18 interceptions), though that may not be in his nature.

If he can play more efficiently, and if they continue to progress in a few other areas, there’s reason to think they could push the Falcons for the top of the NFC South.

Biggest positive change: It’s not like their offense was bad last year.

But when you add wide receiver DeSean Jackson and tight end O.J. Howard to wide receiver Mike Evansand tight end Cameron Brate (who had eight touchdown receptions last year), it gives Winston a lot of options. Both Jackson and Howard have the kind of deep-ball ability that Winston’s strengths play to.

How he uses them will largely determine the fate of the season.

Biggest negative change: Running back Doug Martin still has three games of suspension to serve, but the Buccaneers seem confident he can return to his previous form. That would help, because last year’s form (2.9 yards per carry) was pretty bad. And they didn’t exactly bring in reinforcements, putting their faith in Charles Sims and Jacquizz Rodgers for the start of the season, along with fifth-rounder Jeremy McNichols.

Other than that, the only real loss of note was backup quarterback Mike Glennon, and they knew that one was coming, and covered themselves by bringing in veteran mentor Ryan Fitzpatrick to cover for Ryan Griffin.

Coaching thermometer: As long as Winston keeps the offense moving, it should be cool. Dirk Koetter’s fist qualification for the job was his comfort level with Winston. But he’s growing into the head coaching role, and kept a young team steady after a 1-3 start. Koetter seems to get it, and in a difficult division which continues to stockpile talent, his ability to orchestrate an offense should keep them competitive.

We’d like to crack a beer with . . . Second-year kicker Roberto Aguayo, primarily because the poor devil could probably use one.

They brought veteran Nick Folk in to compete with him, and Folk’s good enough to win the job on his own merits.

It’s not Aguayo’s fault that General Manager Jason Licht traded up to take him in the second round, creating the expectation that he should never miss. And when he did miss (fairly often, as he was 22-of-31) and his own fans were booing him during practices, it created a kind of self-perpetuating problem for a guy at a confidence position.

How they can prove us wrong: It’s possible that they are neither underrated nor overrated. They could be better defensively, but they have some playmakers there, and they do not appear to be outclassed in that regard by the Falcons and Panthers. If Winston becomes more efficient, they’d be truly dangerous, though there’s reason to wonder if his risk-taking style precludes him ever being careful.

 

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PFT preseason power rankings No. 13: Houston Texans
Posted by Charean Williams on July 19, 2017

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Bill O’Brien’s Texans have been nothing if not consistent: 9-7, 9-7, 9-7. The Texans made the playoffs the past two seasons, going 1-2 in the postseason. That despite starting eight different quarterbacks in three years.

The constant turnover at quarterback hasn’t stopped the Texans from competing in the AFC South, but it has prevented them from contending for more. That’s why the Texans drafted Deshaun Watson in the first round, though it remains to be seen whether Watson will help them this season.

The Texans ranked first in total defense last season despite not having J.J. Watt for most of the year. If Watt returns to form after two back surgeries last year, the Texans rank among the best pass-rushing teams in the league with Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus.

But the NFL is a quarterback league, so how Tom Savage and/or Watson perform will determine just how far the Texans go.

Biggest positive change: This time last year, the Texans were excited about the offseason signing of quarterback Brock Osweiler. A year later, it’s good riddance. The Texans cut their losses with Osweiler, essentially paying for the Browns to take him off their hands. Houston gave up a second-round pick in 2018 and swapped choices in 2017, getting a fourth-round pick and giving up a sixth-rounder.

Osweiler’s departure saved the Texans $16 million in cash and $10 million in salary-cap space. The Texans then traded with Cleveland on draft day, giving up the 25th overall pick as well as their first-rounder in 2018 to get Deshaun Watson. In their first 15 seasons, the Texans started 15 quarterbacks while desperately seeking a franchise signal caller. They hope Watson finally fills the help wanted ad.

Biggest negative change: The Texans lost two defensive backs in free agency. Houston, which ranked second in pass defense, saw safety Quintin Dempsleave for Chicago and cornerback A.J. Bouye bolt for rival Jacksonville. The Texans wanted Bouye back, offering him $12.5 million a season. He got $13.5 million per year from the Jaguars, signing a five-year, $67.5 million deal.

Now, the Texans have to replace both, though they are not void of candidates. Kevin Johnson, a first-round pick in 2015, could provide the answer as he returns from injury after missing most of last season.

Coaching thermometer: It’s only lukewarm for Bill O’Brien because the Texans have one of the most patient owners in the NFL in Bob McNair. The only two coaches he has fired were coming off 2-14 seasons. The Texans will win more than two games this season.

McNair has said he will talk to O’Brien about an extension after the season as O’Brien, who is 27-21, has a contract that runs through the 2018 season. Minnesota’s Mike Zimmer (26-22) and Washington’s Jay Gruden (21-26-1) were hired the same year as O’Brien, and both have received extensions.

We’d like to crack a beer with . . . J.J. Watt. The three-time defensive player of the year is living the good life. He is dating Houston Dash forward Kealia Ohai. He attends award shows, appears in commercials, hangs out with Arnold Schwarzenegger and makes charity appearances. How much fun would it be to tag along for a day?

How they can prove us wrong: The Texans are where they were last year and the year before and the year before that. . . Their defense, with J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus, and a strong running game, with Lamar Miller and D’Onta Foreman, will keep the Texans in the division race. But Houston’s fate ultimately rests with the play of its quarterback(s).

Tom Savage has more injuries than career starts, but he’ll get the first shot at the job. The Texans expect Savage to be more bus driver than gunslinger. With Savage in the final year of his contract, he appears to be keeping the job warm until Deshaun Watson is ready. That could be sooner than later if Savage and the offense play like last season when the Texans finished 29th in total offense, 29th in passing and 31st in red-zone efficiency.

The rest of the division has improved, but the Texans aren’t going to relinquish the throne without a fight. They have won two consecutive AFC South titles and four of the past six. Taking the next step — winning a divisional playoff game for the first time in franchise history — appears much more difficult.

 

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PFT preseason power rankings No. 12: Denver Broncos
Posted by Charean Williams on July 20, 2017

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The Broncos lost their quarterback after the 2015 Super Bowl season. They lost their coach after last season. Coach Gary Kubiak retired with health issues a year after Peyton Manning retired.

General Manager John Elway hired Vance Joseph as head coach, with Joe Woods taking over the defense from Wade Phillips and Mike McCoy returning as offensive coordinator. The offense, which finished 27th in total offense and had the fourth-most three-and-outs, will look different with more shotgun, more power schemes and more motion, among other changes. The quarterback could change, too, with Paxton Lynch competing with Trevor Siemian for the starting job.

Whether it’s Lynch or Siemian, an improved running game should help. The Broncos signed Jamaal Charles; C.J. Anderson returns from a torn meniscus; and Denver drafted De’Angelo Henderson. They also sought to fix their offensive line, with a new position coach and three key additions.

But the one thing that hasn’t changed in Denver is the defense, which allowed the fourth-fewest points last season in keeping the Broncos competitive. Von Miller, Shane Ray, Aqib Talib, Chris Harris, Darian Stewart and T.J. Ward, among others, are back. They have put an emphasis on improving their run defense after ranking 28th last season.

The defense will keep the Broncos in the hunt this season, but it all depends on the quarterback play.

Biggest positive change: The Broncos offensive line needed an overhaul after last season, and it got it. Vance Joseph hired Jeff Davidson as the position coach, and he expects to use more power blocking. The Broncos committed $24.15 million in guarantees to former Cowboys guard Ron Leary and former Raiders tackle Menelik Watson. They drafted Garett Bolles in the first round to play left tackle.

Biggest negative change: Under coordinator Wade Phillips, the Broncos ranked fourth in total defense and fourth in points allowed last season and first in total defense and fourth in yards allowed in 2015. Phillips left for the Rams, earning secondary coach Joe Woods a promotion.

Yes, the Broncos had their issues against the run, ranking 28th, and in first-drive points, allowing 55, but General Manager John Elway said the team’s No. 1 priority was to “stay great” on defense. It is Woods’ job to keep them there.

Coaching thermometer: Vance Joseph will get a honeymoon. It might not last long seeing that the Broncos won a Super Bowl so recently, but Joseph will get time. Joseph, who was the Dolphins defensive coordinator last season, is preaching toughness and the players bought in during the offseason.

We’d like to crack a beer with . . . Von Miller. He’s one of the NFL’s good guys aside from, you know, wanting to kill quarterbacks. He’s got personality and a smile to match, which is why he became a face of the league after earning Super Bowl 50 MVP honors.

How they can prove us wrong: The defense figures out how to stop the run again. To that end, they got bigger in free agency, adding Domata Peko (325 pounds) and Zach Kerr (334 pounds). Rushing the passer, with Von Miller and Shane Ray, and defending the pass, with Chris Harris, Aqib Talib, Darian Stewart and T.J. Ward, remain strengths.

The Broncos defense is going to keep them in games and keep them as contenders in the AFC West. How much improvement the offense shows will determine just how good the Broncos are.

The offensive line and running back positions appear improved on paper, and the Broncos still have dangerous receivers in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. Mike McCoy’s return as coordinator will help. The question remains at quarterback where Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch take their battle into training camp.

 

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PFT preseason power rankings No. 11: Miami Dolphins
Posted by Josh Alper on July 20, 2017

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Five weeks into the 2016 season, it looked like the change to Adam Gase at head coach wouldn’t do anything to change the franchise’s fortunes.

They were 1-4 and a competent kicking performance from the Browns in Week Three would have had the Dolphins looking up at the rest of the league with an 0-5 record. The offense was floundering, the defense wasn’t stout enough and there was little joy in South Florida.

The next 11 weeks went a lot better. Jay Ajayi, who was left at home in Week One in a coach’s decision, ran for 204 yards and the defense stifled the Steelers in a 30-15 win that touched off a 9-1 run that lifted the Dolphins into the postseason for the first time since 2008. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s knee injury helped ensure the Dolphins’ stay in the playoffs was a short one, but the final result of the year was unquestionably positive.

Tannehill is healthy again, the other key offensive pieces remain in place and there’s reason to believe the defense will be better, all of which adds up to optimism about the direction the Dolphins are headed.

Biggest positive change: The Dolphins were outscored by 17 points overall last season, which didn’t stop coordinator Vance Joseph from landing a head coaching job but made it little surprise that defense was a primary focus this offseason.

They used five of their seven picks on defenders and picked up linebacker Lawrence Timmons, defensive end William Hayes, safety Nate Allen and safety T.J. McDonald as veteran additions. They also get safety Reshad Jones back after last year’s season-ending rotator cuff injury, so there’s reason to hope the results will be better under new coordinator Matt Burke.

Biggest negative change: There’s no one transaction or development to point to as the Dolphins held onto Jones and wide receiver Kenny Stills while left tackle Branden Albert was traded to make room for Laremy Tunsil. That leaves us with the biggest potential negative change and it could be the turn of the calendar.

The Dolphins went 8-2 in one-score games last season and the wins that followed the Week Six win over the Steelers came against many of the weaker teams that the league had to offer in 2016. Teams like the Raiders, Falcons and Chiefs are on this year’s schedule after the Rams and 49ers appeared on last year’s slate, which may set the stage for a regression even if the execution isn’t markedly different.

Coaching thermometer: As cool as a seat can get in the Miami summer. Not only did Gase take the team from 6-10 to 10-6 and into the playoffs, he also saw several moves pay off in a major way. Benching Ajayi at the start of the season looked smart while he was running for 1,272 yards in the next 15 games and his strong show of faith in Tannehill was rewarded with the quarterback’s best season.

Even missteps like shuffling Cameron Wake to a situational role wound up with a positive as Gase was able to admit he was wrong and change directions. That flexibility is important and one of many signs that the Dolphins found the right guy in Gase.

We’d like to crack a beer with … Jarvis Landry. Landry made the boldest statement of the Dolphins offseason when he said they’ll beat the Patriots twice in 2017. We’d like to follow up on that and hear about his desire for a new contract after catching 288 passes in his first three seasons.

How they can prove us wrong: Landry is probably going to have to be right about the results of those games with the Patriots for this ranking to be ridiculously low come the end of the year.

It could look too high if Center Mike Pouncey’s ongoing hip issues lead to more missed time and more shuffling on an offensive line that hasn’t been good enough, Ajayi can’t find the heights of his three games of more than 200 rushing yards and the defensive changes don’t lead to better results with cornerback looming as a potential trouble spot again this year.

 

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PFT preseason power rankings No. 10: Tennessee Titans
Posted by Darin Gantt on July 21, 2017

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The Titans lost both their quarterback and their playoff chances on Christmas Eve when Marcus Mariota went down with a broken ankle.

The fact they were that close underscores how solidly they’re built, and how close they are to making their turnaround real.

After solidifying both lines (their offensive line doesn’t get the publicity of others, but is among the best in the league starting with tackles Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin), this offseason was spent adding skill position talent for Mariota.

While they might have surprised some by taking wide receiver Corey Davis fifth overall, they think he can be the kind of lead dog that group needs. Third-rounder Taywan Taylor also has some promise for a group that’s suddenly deep. Being able to pick up a solid veteran like Eric Decker late in the offseason was a gift, and should help Mariota balance things out offensively.

They’re not a particularly flashy team, such that a Mike Mularkey-coached team ever would be. But they’re nothing if not stable, and suddenly making people realize it.

Biggest positive change: The Titans were forced into too many shootouts last year, primarily because they were 30th in the league in pass defense.

So they made it a priority to add to the secondary, spending heavily on cornerback Logan Ryan and bringing safety Johnathan Cyprien in in free agency, and then using their second first-rounder on cornerback Adoree Jackson, who was one of the best athletes in this year’s draft.

They needed to make big changes there, and if they work out, it’s going to be harder to find weaknesses.

Biggest negative change: It’s hard to find one. Sure, they lost veteran tight end Anthony Fasano, but that’s not a deal-breaker.

If anything, they’ve lost the ability to surprise people, as they’re suddenly a trendy pick and getting more attention than they have in years.

Coaching thermometer: It ought to be absolutely frozen.

Mularkey might not inspire deep feelings among the fanbase, but his old-school methods have stabilized things there and are working.

Whether it works long-term remains to be seen, as his reputation with players is of a guy who can wear guys out (physically and mentally). But at the moment, it’s hard to argue with the job he’s done.

We’d like to crack a beer with . . . Mariota has everything you’d want in an NFL star quarterback except perhaps personality. It would be curious to know if there’s one lurking deep inside there.

Not every quarterback has to be Brett Favre (on or off the field), and perhaps his stoic demeanor is a thing to be applauded in an age where everything is hype.

How they can prove us wrong: If the grind of being a physical team wears on them more than their opponents, they could easily fade.

The AFC South, long a punchline, is deeper and more talented than it’s been, so it’s actually going to take some work to win the division this year. But if the secondary improves, if Davis fulfills his promise, and Mariota gets used to having more to work with, the Titans could become a threat for years to come.

 

[DCH]

Titans look like a hell of a breakout team in '17. I'm gonna enjoy watching them whenever they're on TV.

 

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PFT preseason power rankings No. 9: New York Giants
Posted by Josh Alper on July 21, 2017

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The Giants got back to the playoffs last season and their defensive turnaround was the biggest reason for their return.

They signed defensive end Olivier Vernon, defensive tackle Damon Harrison and cornerback Janoris Jenkins and saw those players team with defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and defensive player of the year candidate Landon Collins to form their steeliest defense in years.

All of those players are back after Pierre-Paul signed a new deal with the team this offseason and Collins may be poised for another move up the ladder of best safeties in the league, which provides a strong foundation for the Giants’ chances of making it two postseason appearances in a row.

Whether they get there or not will have a lot to do with the other side of the ball.

Biggest positive change: After years of being the best part of the team, the Giants offense slipped behind the defense last season. In order to remedy that, the team released Victor Cruz and signed Brandon Marshall after the veteran was dismissed by the Jets.

Marshall gives Eli Manning a big target across from Odell Beckham, something that’s been missing in recent years and something that should come in handy in the red zone. They also used a first-round pick on tight end Evan Engram, who has the potential to improve another weak spot although it has taken many tight ends more than one year to find their footing at the professional level.

Biggest negative change: The most notable departure from last year’s team was defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who left for the Colts and opens up a spot next to Damon Harrison on the Giants’ defensive line. They’ll need to find the right answer there, but the overall strength of the defense makes it easier to live with Hankins’ exit.

The most negative change, then, was the shift from the urgency the Giants showed in fixing the defense last year to the passive approach that the team took to their offensive line. Prices were high in free agency and the draft was short on sure things, but signing D.J. Flukerfeels like an unlikely way to turn one of last year’s biggest weaknesses into a strength.

Coaching thermometer: The Giants have generally been resistant to making coaching changes and, unless they are sticklers for fashion and hairstyle choices, there was little about Ben McAdoo’s first season in the top job suggests that will be changing.

He returned the team to the playoffs for the first time since they won the Super Bowl after the 2011 season and his history as an offensive coordinator gives reason to believe he’ll find a way to elicit better results from that unit.

We’d like to crack a beer with … Odell Beckham. Beckham’s been under a microscope for most of the last two seasons thanks to on-field productivity, emotional outbursts, absence from offseason work, upcoming contract extension, boat trips before playoff losses and other things of varying importance. Getting his view on all of that might take more than one beer, so we’ll go ahead and bring a whole case.

How they can prove us wrong: If the Giants rise higher, it will almost certainly be because their patience with the offensive line pays off with improvement across the board on that side of the ball.

On the other hand, lack of improvement from that group could stifle any hopes of a rebound in the run game and mitigate any advantages they may have gained by adding Marshall. That would leave the Giants putting the same pressure on their defense while navigating a schedule short on soft patches.

 

[DaveFan'51]

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PFT preseason power rankings No. 25: Washington Redskins
Posted by Josh Alper on July 13, 2017

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After the first 14 weeks of the 2016 season, the Redskins looked like a pretty good bet to make the playoffs for a second straight season as they were 7-5-1 with two home games and a road date with the hapless Bears to close out the schedule.

They beat the Bears, but losses to the Panthers in Week 15 and a Giants team with nothing to play for in Week 17 meant that there would be no playoff streak. The offense, which was strong all year, managed just 25 points in those losses and they’ll have to bounce back without offensive coordinator/new Rams coach Sean McVay and wide receivers Pierre Garçon and DeSean Jackson.

Those changes could make life more difficult for quarterback Kirk Cousins, who had another good season but remains without a long-term contract after getting a second straight franchise tag. That didn’t hurt him on the field last year and his focus should remain strong with the prospect of a big payday still on the horizon, but success will have to come with a different supporting cast this time around.

Biggest positive change: While the offense was a strength in Washington last year, the defense was less impressive. The Redskins changed defensive coordinators with Greg Manusky replacing Joe Barry and they were aggressive in the offseason by adding players to the unit. First-round defensive end Jonathan Allen, linebacker Zach Brown and safety D.J. Swearingerhighlight the new additions and will be counted on to spearhead improvement on the field this season.

Biggest negative change: In many circumstances, the departures of McVay, Garçon and Jackson would take the prize in this category but the winner has to be the departure of General Manager Scot McCloughan. The drama that was synonymous with the franchise quieted during McCloughan’s time in Washington, but it came back in full force with the awkwardly handled ouster of a guy who had done a lot to get the team back on track after the ugly end to the Mike Shanahan era.

Doug Williams moved to the top of the football operations department, but it feels like the shift moved power back to president Bruce Allen when all was said and done.

Coaching thermometer: There’s no fire, but that doesn’t mean it’s chilly. Jay Gruden is 21-26-1 through three years in Washington and changes to a front office often come with coaching changes, especially if they aren’t sold on their starting quarterback. A rocky start will likely be accompanied by an uptick on Gruden’s thermostat.

We’d like to crack a beer with … Josh Norman. The cornerback isn’t shy about sharing his opinion under any circumstances, so we imagine it would make for an entertaining visit to share some cold ones while talking Odell Beckham, Dez Bryant and anything else that comes to mind.

How they can prove us wrong: They won the division in 2015 and, as mentioned, weren’t far away from the playoffs last year so it doesn’t feel far-fetched that Washington could find themselves in the mix.

For starters, the new faces on defense will have take to Manusky’s vow to be more aggressive and Josh Doctson and Terrelle Pryor will have prove to be capable replacements for the departed wideouts if the Redskins are going to contend in a deep NFC East.

I think the Redskins off-Season Loses on Offense are going to Hurt them, and they'll be lucky to finish 3rd in their Division!

 

[DaveFan'51]

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PFT preseason power rankings No. 24: Los Angeles Chargers
Posted by Charean Williams on July 14, 2017

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The Chargers won nine games the past two seasons combined. Now, they start over with a new home and a new coach.

Anthony Lynn’s hiring as head coach was overshadowed this offseason by the team’s move to Los Angeles after 56 years in San Diego. They will spend the next two seasons playing in a 30,000-seat soccer stadium in Carson before moving into the new digs they’ll share with the Rams in Inglewood.

The Chargers will compete with the Rams and every other team in Los Angeles for attention and likely won’t get much of it until they win. The Chargers, though, do have a chance to exceed expectations with a talented roster that includes several rising stars, but they enter training camp with a number of questions, including how they handle the move to L.A.

Biggest positive change: Anthony Lynn’s run-first mentality. Yes, the Chargers were behind a lot last year, which partly explains why they threw 59.6 percent of the time. But no matter the record this year, expect Lynn to call running plays more than 40.4 percent of the time.

Lynn played running back in the NFL. He coached running backs nearly his entire coaching career. Lynn, who had the best rushing attack in the NFL last season in Buffalo, preaches “ground and pound.” Melvin Gordon, if he stays healthy, figures to be a big part of the offense.

Biggest negative change: Moving into a 30,000-seat soccer stadium isn’t likely to provide the Chargers with much of a home-field advantage. It’s the smallest stadium to host a full NFL season since the Packers played their home games at 25,000-seat City Stadium in 1956.

The Chargers, whose slogan is “Fight for L.A.,” will find everything new and different this season. Distractions likely abound, and how the Chargers handle those distractions likely dictates how the season goes.

Coaching thermometer: It doesn’t figure to get hot in L.A. for Anthony Lynn until at least 2019 when the Chargers move into their new stadium. Lynn will get time to figure it out. He had never even served as a coordinator until Week 3 last season in Buffalo and finished out the season as the interim head coach after Rex Ryan was fired before Week 17. Players, though, love playing for Lynn, and, as a former player, he will have their respect from the start.

We’d like to crack a beer with . . . Philip Rivers. Rivers arguably is the best trash talker in the NFL. He loves to get under opponents’ skins. He even plays better when opponents go back at him. Rivers, though, does his trash talking in the nicest of ways without uttering an expletive.

How they can prove us wrong: The Chargers have more talent than their five victories last season suggest. Joey Bosa and Melvin Gordon are rising stars, and the addition of first-round pick Mike Williams could give Philip Rivers a feature receiver. If Keenan Allen can stay healthy – a big if based on his injuries of the past two seasons –

and Antonio Gates has anything left, Rivers will have more options than he has had in a few years with tight end Hunter Henry having had a solid rookie season and receiver Tyrell Williams coming off a 1,000-yard receiving season. Rivers, 35, passed for more than 4,000 yards for the fourth consecutive season, but he will have to cut down on his 21 interceptions.

The defense, which is switching to the 4-3, should improve with Gus Bradley running that side of the ball. Bosa and Melvin Ingram, who had 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons, will get after the quarterback, and cornerbacks Casey Hayward and Jason Verrett, if he’s healthy, are playmakers on the backend. Anything better than 5-11 is a move in the right direction, though the Chargers don’t have many years left to take advantage of Rivers’ talent.

The Future does not look Bright for the Chargers. For at least the next couple years! They may get a little boost when they start Playing in "The Rams New Dig's"!

 

[DaveFan'51]

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PFT preseason power rankings No. 22: Arizona Cardinals
Posted by Curtis Crabtree on July 15, 2017

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The Arizona Cardinals continue to carry a roster stocked with talent at several key positions. Larry Fitzgerald continues to get the job done at a high level at 33 years old. David Johnson has become one of the league’s best running backs. The secondary is stocked with talented pieces and Carson Palmer is capable of playing at a Top 10 level for stretches at a time.

But inconsistency and an inability to get over the hump have plagued the Cardinals in recent years. With time running out for some of Arizona’s aging core, 2017 may represent the last best chance this group has of doing something significant. The Cardinals have to find adequate replacements for some key departures on the defensive side of the ball and hope that Palmer can have another one of his peak seasons.

However, the Seahawks remain the kings of the division until someone can knock them off the top of the mountain. The Cardinals may be the only team in the NFC West to challenge their standing this season. They may need many things to all go right to pull it off.

Biggest positive change: Going from Chandler Catanzaro to Phil Dawson at kicker seems like a minor move on its surface, but Catanzaro’s struggles last season were a constant issue. High profile missed kicks against the New England Patriots in Week 1 and the Seattle Seahawks in Week 7 likely cost Arizona two victories.

Flip those results and the Cardinals would have been 5-2 through seven weeks instead of 3-3-1. While a 42-year old Dawson isn’t quite as reliable as during the peak of his career, he’s still more consistent than Catanzaro and should give Bruce Arians more confidence in his kicking game.

Biggest negative change: Losing two key defensive starters in Calais Campbell and Tony Jefferson leaves Arizona with a massive production hole to fill. While Antoine Bethea and Budda Baker could provide enough to make up for the loss of Jefferson, Campbell’s departure could prove more difficult to withstand. Robert Nkemdiche will have to become a more reliable option in year two and show himself worthy of the first-round selection in 2016.

Coaching thermometer: Not hot, but not cold either. Bruce Arians is 64 years old and has dealt with multiple health issues in recent years. The Cardinals are aging in key places as well as Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald continue to prolong the twilight of their careers.

It took Arians until he was 60 years old to get a head coaching job and he doesn’t seem intent on giving this one up anytime soon. However, when the Palmer era at quarterback comes to end – potentially without the Cardinals finding a way to return to the Super Bowl – the time may come to push the reset button altogether in the desert.

We’d like to crack a beer with . . . Tyrann Mathieu. A problem child while at LSU, Mathieu has developed into the consummate professional with the Cardinals. While it may have helped to be on a roster with a mentor in the secondary such as Patrick Peterson, Mathieu hasn’t let his issues from college follow him to the pros.

He’s become a dynamic play-maker and a Pro Bowl caliber performer when he can stay healthy and in the lineup. Sitting down with Mathieu and reflecting on his journey would make for an enjoyable evening.

How they can prove us wrong: Carson Palmer manages to stay healthy and plays to peak form. David Johnson joins Le’Veon Bell as the best all-around running backs in the game.

Chandler Jones and Markus Golden maintain their status as top quarterback sack tandem in the league. Tyrann Mathieu, Patrick Peterson, Antoine Bethea, Budda Baker and Deone Buchanon combine to give Arizona one of the more dynamic secondaries around.

After this Season the only reason anyone will be talking about the Cards. is they will be talking about all the People that have retired!! IE. Arians - Fitzgerald - Carson Palmer etc. etc. etc.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...eason-power-rankings-no-8-kansas-city-chiefs/

PFT preseason power rankings No. 8: Kansas City Chiefs
Posted by Mike Florio on July 22, 2017

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While the Chiefs may not be knocking on the door of the Super Bowl, they’ve been loitering on the porch. For 2017, the question is whether they’re deliberately taking a few steps down toward the sidewalk in order to getting a running start that will knock it down.

In three of coach Andy Reid’s four seasons with the team, the Chiefs have made it to the postseason. But a bye in 2016, their first first-round bye since 2003, led to the same outcome as each of the other three times they skipped wild card weekend and hosted a game in the round of eight: The Chiefs lost.

They last made it to the AFC title game in 1993, and most perceive a gap between Kansas City and Oakland even though Kansas City, not Oakland, most recently won the AFC West. Contributing to the confusion regarding the Chiefs was the curious decision to invest two first-round pick in a work-in-progress quarterback when Alex Smith still has gas in the tank.

The move became an obvious admission that they believe Alex Smith is a guy who can keep them on the porch, but not much more than that.

Biggest positive change: In an offseason that didn’t feature much in the way of veteran player acquisition or departure, the effort by the franchise to get a franchise quarterback stands out — if they’re right about Patrick Mahomes.

For now, it’s a coin-flip proposition at best, especially with Mahomes making the difficult transition from the college spread to Reid’s version of the West Coast offense. Given that the league has three types of teams — teams with franchise quarterbacks, teams trying to find franchise quarterbacks, and teams who aren’t quite sure whether their quarterback is a franchise quarterback — the Chiefs have decided after four years with Alex Smith that he isn’t.

While the move may not bear much fruit in 2016, it sets the stage for filling the void that will emerge in the conference if Tom Brady is in the final year or two of his career.

Biggest negative change: The sudden, abrupt decision to dump receiver Jeremy Maclin surprised many and reinforced the idea that the Chiefs are focused more on developing for the future than pushing their chips to the middle of the table right now.

And while Reid knows Maclin well enough to know when to get out from under an eight-figure salary, the fact that the Chiefs didn’t try to get him to take less and stick around means that they simply wanted to clear him off the roster so that younger guys can get the reps. If the younger guys can’t get it done, however, that won’t help the Chiefs get to the divisional round again, and it definitely won’t help them get past it.

Coaching thermometer: By getting an extension on the same day G.M. John Dorsey got a pink slip, Reid has as much security as any coach in football. And with Brett Veach replacing Dorsey, many believe Reid will now have even more influence over the roster. So if the Chiefs are indeed taking a step or two back in an effort to eventually take a step up, chances are that Reid will be there every step of the way.

We’d like to crack a beer with . . . Eric Berry. He overcame cancer and has returned as good as ever, becoming the heart and soul of the team and finally getting a contract that reflects it. What does he really think about undermining Smith and eventually replacing him with Mahomes?

What does the think about the way Maclin’s exit was handled? Does he truly believe that the team is moving in the right direction, and that the team can put together a championship-caliber offense before the window closes on a quality defense?

How they can prove us wrong: If they decide to throw Mahomes into the fray as a rookie in the hopes of having the game slow down for him sooner than later, the Chiefs could quickly become not a top-10 team.

Likewise, the apparent plan to thrust 2016 rookie phenom Tyreek Hill (who averaged only 5.3 touches from scrimmage per game last year) into a bigger role will mean more opportunities to take more of the hits that are more likely to lead to an injury.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/07/22/pft-preseason-power-rankings-no-7-seattle-seahawks/

PFT preseason power rankings No. 7: Seattle Seahawks
Posted by Curtis Crabtree on July 22, 2017

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The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots are the only two teams in the NFL to have won at least one playoff game in each of the last five seasons. The Seahawks had few departures from last year’s roster that lost in the Divisional Round to the Atlanta Falcons. They’ve added an 11-man draft class and augmented the roster with a few free agent signings that addressed a few areas of concern over the offseason.

Seattle’s roster remains the most talented in the NFC West. However, an offseason dominated by trade discussions involving star cornerback Richard Sherman has left an uncertainty regarding the cohesion of the locker room after Sherman’s multiple tirades and criticism of coaches last season.

And for all the downplaying of the trade discussions Seattle wants to espouse now, NFL teams don’t look to trade All-Pro cornerbacks in their prime, with a reasonable contract and depth issues at the position for no reason at all. And the Seahawks practically hung a “For Sale” sign on Sherman in letting teams know publicly they were taking calls regarding Sherman’s availability.

Can the Seahawks still win the division and make a deep playoff run despite any potential lingering issues? Of course. They managed to win the division again last year in the midst of all the happenings with Sherman. But if the gremlins of last season carry over into 2017, there is potential for a crash landing.

Even if they do, the Seahawks may be talented enough to win the division again anyway.

Biggest positive change: With the selection of four defensive backs among their 11 draft picks in the NFL Draft, the Seahawks infused youth into their secondary depth. The additions of Shaquill Griffin, Tedric Thompson, Delano Hill and Mike Tyson give the Seahawks young depth that can contribute immediately on special teams and push starters Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor for playing time in the coming years.

Griffin could earn a starting role opposite Sherman as Deshawn Shead is likely to start the year on PUP and Jeremy Lane has been better served as a slot cornerback during his tenure in Seattle. The rest of the group provides potentially more stable options as backups should a player of Thomas’ caliber be lost for the season again as he was last December. The drop in ability from Thomas to back up Steven Terrell was substantial and significantly lessened Seattle’s defensive might.

Biggest negative change: While Steven Hauschka had some issues in Seattle last year, the Seahawks now seem destined to be relying upon a career resurgence from Blair Walsh. Walsh, who helped the Seahawks win a playoff game in Minnesota two years ago by missing a 27-yard field goal at the end of regulation for the Vikings, now joins the Seahawks in an effort to get his career back on track.

Walsh was released by the Vikings last year nine games into the season after missing eight (four field goals, four extra points) of his 35 kicks on the year. Hauschka had a problem with low kicks as five of his 10 missed kicks last season were blocked. Walsh has a big leg and earned a Pro Bowl trip as a rookie. However, what he can bring to the table now is uncertain.

Coaching thermometer: Pete Carroll has a job in Seattle as long as he wants it given the run of success the team has had during his tenure as head coach. The Seahawks have made two Super Bowl trips and brought home their first Lombardi Trophy in 2013, have won at least one playoff game in each of the last five seasons and have missed the postseason just once in Carroll’s seven seasons at the helm.

Carroll has given no indication he sees the end of his coaching road coming any time soon. He and general manager John Schneider are seemingly joined at the hip and Carroll’s contract was extended through 2019 last summer.

We’d like to crack a beer with . . . Jon Ryan. The Seahawks’ punter is one of the more engaging personalities on the team. He’s thrown a touchdown passin an NFC Championship game, broke his face in frigid conditions during a playoff game in Minnesota and fumbled without being touched on a fake punt.

He’s also caught a 109-yard touchdown pass as a receiver playing college football at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan. Ryan is now the longest-tenured member of the Seahawks and the only player on the team to predate Pete Carroll in Seattle. Honorable mention to Doug Baldwin.

How they can prove us wrong: In the positive, the Sherman issues don’t linger into the season. Wilson returns to 2015 form, now healthy, behind a significantly improved output from Seattle’s offensive line. Lacy gives the team the power back presence they’ve missed and Seattle’s defense remains along the league’s best.

In the negative, the Seahawks are slow out of the gate as Wilson struggles behind continued poor offensive line play. Fissures within the team resurface as blame gets tossed around. The running game isn’t consistent. Wilson is forced to throw 30-35 times a game. Age begins to catch up to key pieces of Seattle’s defense as they slide back from the top of the league. Blair Walsh’s inconsistencies follow him to Seattle.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/07/23/pft-preseason-power-rankings-no-6-dallas-cowboys/

PFT preseason power rankings No. 6: Dallas Cowboys
Posted by Charean Williams on July 23, 2017

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Dak Prescott has proclaimed the Cowboys are going to win the NFC East again. If so, they will accomplish some things they haven’t in a long time.

The Cowboys haven’t repeated as division champions since 1996, the year after the franchise’s last Super Bowl championship; they have not posted back-to-back winning seasons since 2008-09; and it’s been since 1995-96 that the Cowboys have had back-to-back seasons with double-digit wins.

However, because of their talent on offense, the Cowboys head into 2017 as Super Bowl contenders.

Prescott won offensive rookie of the year honors with 23 touchdowns and four interceptions; Ezekiel Elliott led the league in rushing as a rookie with 1,631 yards, earning him six MVP votes; Dez Bryant remains a big-play threat; and the Cowboys have three All-Pro offensive linemen.

It’s the lack of talent on defense that invites questions about how far the Cowboys will go this season. They lost six defensive players in free agency who combined for 64 starts last season, and the Cowboys spent seven draft picks on defensive players to replace them. The Cowboys are younger on defense than last season, but are they better?

Biggest positive change: The Cowboys lost 11 players in free agency and two more to retirement. They didn’t make any ballyhooed moves. But Tony Romo’s retirement assures two things: The Cowboys don’t have to worry about their all-time leading passer winning a Super Bowl elsewhere; and the quarterback controversy of last season is over.

Dak Prescott won the job after Romo injured his back in the preseason, but even after Romo read a concession speech upon his return, a quarterback controversy remained. Romo’s departure leaves no question: This is Prescott’s team. The Cowboys veterans turned the keys over to Prescott this offseason, empowering him as their leader.

Biggest negative change: The Cowboys offensive line has earned the right to call itself the NFL’s best. Three linemen made first-team All-Pro honors last season. However, while center Travis Frederick, left tackle Tyron Smith and right guard Zack Martin return, the Cowboys lost the other two starters with whom they ended last season. Left guard Ron Leary signed with Denver in free agency, and right tackle Doug Free retired.

The Cowboys moved left guard La’el Collins, who started the first three games last year before season-ending toe surgery, to right tackle and have often-injured Chaz Green and Jonathan Cooper, a former first-round pick of the Cardinals, competing at left guard. The Cowboys might need some time to adjust to the changes.

Coaching thermometer: Jason Garrett enters the third year of a five-year deal with job security after last season’s 13-3 finish and NFL coach of the year honors. Garrett, though, has only a 58-46 record with two playoff appearances and one playoff victory in six full seasons as head coach. If he doesn’t get the Cowboys to the championship game this season, the heat will be on for next season.

We’d like to crack a beer with . . . Jason Witten. Truly one of the NFL’s all-time good guys. He is all about team on the field, and all about helping others off it. In 2012, he won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Five years after Witten’s retirement, Hall of Fame selectors will discuss his career.

Witten has missed only one game in his career, sitting out a game against the Eagles his rookie season with a broken jaw, and he rarely misses practice. Who can forget his signature play from 2007 against the Eagles when Witten ran helmet-less down the field for a 53-yard gain?

How they can prove us wrong: Cowboys fans are painfully aware their team hasn’t made the NFC Championship Game since 1995, which was the last time they won the Super Bowl. They are 3-9 in the postseason since. As good as Tony Romo was, becoming the team’s all-time leading passer, he was 2-4 in the postseason.

The Cowboys’ past two playoff losses – in 2014 and 2016 – came against the Packers when they couldn’t get enough consistent pressure on Aaron Rodgers. Getting to the passer continues to be a trouble spot for the Cowboys.

Dallas has not had a player with double-digit sacks since defensive tackle Jason Hatcher had 11 in 2013, and it has not had a “war daddy” pass rusher since DeMarcus Ware. The Cowboys drafted Taco Charlton in the first round, but he isn’t that.

Rod Marinelli instead will rely on a rotation of pass rushers that includes Demarcus Lawrence, Charlton, Tyrone Crawford, Benson Mayowa and Charles Tapper, with hopes of wearing down offensive lines.

The Cowboys need more than 36 sacks and more than nine interceptions on defense, and they need Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott to continue to do what they did last season on offense.

The Cowboys will be hard pressed to win 13 games again, especially if Elliott misses any games because of an NFL suspension. But with a defense expected to feature four players who have yet to play a down in the NFL, the Cowboys actually could be better going into the 2017 postseason than they were in 2016 when they went four weeks between meaningful games.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/07/23/pft-preseason-power-rankings-no-5-oakland-raiders/

PFT preseason power rankings No. 5: Oakland Raiders
Posted by Josh Alper on July 23, 2017

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The biggest news of the Raiders offseason had little to do with the team they’ll be putting on the field in September.

That news was, of course, that they’ll be moving to Las Vegas after a long and fruitless attempt to find a stadium deal in Oakland. The fact that they’re on their way out hasn’t done much to damper excitement about what lies ahead for the team in 2017, however.

General Manager Reggie McKenzie’s rebuilding effort was a lengthy one, but it has resulted in a team positioned for a long run of success wherever they are playing their home games. Quarterback Derek Carr, wide receiver Amari Cooper, a talented offensive line and 2016 defensive player of the year Khalil Mack are the foundation of that promise and will be major drivers for the team again this year.

Adding running back Marshawn Lynch was an intriguing move as the prospect of putting Beast Mode behind that line is one that leads to visions of great offensive success. We’ll have to see what’s left in the tank after Lynch sat out last season, however, and the Raiders’ ultimate hopes rest heavily on a defense that remains a work in progress outside of Mack.

Biggest positive change: Carr ended last season on the sideline because of a fractured fibula, which created a painful game of “What if?” for the Raiders after a 27-14 playoff loss to the Texans with Connor Cook at quarterback. Had Carr avoided injury, the Raiders were well positioned to win the division and get a bye that would have allowed them to open the postseason on their home field.

While there’s no way to guarantee that he’ll remain that way, Carr is healthy now and his contract extension further cements him as the biggest reason to believe that the Raiders can fulfill the highest of expectations for the 2017 season.

Biggest negative change: The Raiders didn’t lose any major contributors this offseason and the biggest staff change involved bumping quarterbacks coach Todd Downing up to offensive coordinator. That move seems unlikely to lead to much of a difference for a unit with talent across the board.

As mentioned, the defense doesn’t have the same kind of talent and the Raiders added former Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano to Ken Norton’s defensive staff in hopes of maximizing what is on hand. Should the unit fail to improve and friction exist between them, it could put a cap on the team’s upside.

Coaching thermometer: Jack Del Rio took over a team that went 3-13 in 2014 and went 7-9 in his first year on the job before taking the Raiders to their first playoff appearance since 2002. That’s enough to avoid any concerns about a coaching change and the desire to keep building around a strong core of talent should keep it that way unless things go terribly wrong in the near future.

We’d like to crack a beer with … Gabe Jackson. Jackson also got a lucrative extension this offseason, which makes him part of that strong core and another example of how well Oakland’s rebuild has turned out. For these purposes, though, the right guard is the representative of a line that can sometimes get undervalued due to the other star power. We’ll give him the chance to shed some light on a big reason for the Raiders’ success.

How they can prove us wrong: Lynch having nothing in the tank would be a blow, but the biggest obstacle to the Raiders taking a spot at the top of the AFC would almost certainly be another year with a defense that forces the offense to be nearly flawless in order to win games.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ason-power-rankings-no-4-pittsburgh-steelers/

PFT preseason power rankings No. 4: Pittsburgh Steelers
Posted by Mike Florio on July 24, 2017

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The Steelers have six Super Bowl trophies. They’d likely have more but for the team that has won five in the last 16 years. And in a year that the Patriots hope to match the Steelers at six, the Steelers may be the primary impediment to New England.

But here’s the problem. In an offseason that saw the Patriots mash the gas pedal in an effort to get even better, what have the Steelers really done to close the gap?

So while the Steelers remain among the best teams in the NFL, the question is whether they’re good enough to get to No. 7 before the Patriots get to No. 6. And then to No. 7.

Biggest positive change: The return of receiver Martavis Bryant from suspension makes a great passing game even better, with one major caveat. Bryant still hasn’t been fully reinstated, and until he is there’s a chance he won’t be. And he wouldn’t be the first player closing in on reinstatement after a substance-abuse policy who then stubs his toe to otherwise trip over a blunt.

So the Steelers and Bryant have every reason to keep him on the straight and narrow as he closes in on returning to the field and further diversifying one of the best offenses in the NFL. Failure would mean that the passing game, while still potent, wouldn’t be nearly as good as it could be.

Biggest negative change: The passing of legendary Hall of Fame owner Dan Rooney in April marked not only the end of an era but also raised questions about whether the Steelers of the past 50 years could eventually revert to the bumbling also-rans of their first 40.

Though Dan Rooney didn’t seek credit or the spotlight, he was the common thread for a team that consistently contended after going through multiple decades of persistent failures. There’s no reason to think Art Rooney II will have a hand any less steady than his father’s, but the future of one of the few remaining franchises run by the family that founded it presents real questions with the man who provided perhaps one of the best foundations any NFL team has ever had now gone.

Coaching thermometer: It’s been seven years since the team’s last Super Bowl appearance, and the locals tend to gripe about Mike Tomlin whenever things aren’t going as well as expected. With high expectations for 2017, a rough start will commence the annual grumbling about Tomlin’s future.

Ownership has been immune to the ups and downs and highs and lows of a franchise that contends often enough to make it easy to patient, but with Art II now running the show it remains to be seen whether the trend of three coaches since 1969 will continue indefinitely.

We’d like to have a beer with . . . . Todd Haley.The former Chiefs coach has helped transform the Pittsburgh offense into a juggernaut. Though very good before Haley arrived, he has presided over an unlikely swinging of the pendulum that has given the team an offense that currently is much better than the defense.

It sounds blasphemous, but it’s true, and Haley’s ability to work well with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and to get a diverse group of personalities to perform well together and not whine about getting more opportunity should have earned him consideration for a second chance to coach a team by now.

How they could prove use wrong: If Le’Veon Bell boycotts training camp and the preseason and he’s either not ready to contribute from Week One or the Steelers catch a wild hair and rescind the franchise tender (not likely), the passing game will face more pressure — and the running game will hinge on guys like rookie James Conner or veteran Knile Davis.

And if the defense can’t effectively make the switch to playing more man-to-man coverage (a device aimed at slowing down the Patriots), the Steelers could plunge from Super Bowl contender to team scrambling to get to the postseason. Which they were a year ago, until a Christmas Day win over the Ravens kept them from spending January at home.

 

[OldSchool]

Titans look like a hell of a breakout team in '17. I'm gonna enjoy watching them whenever they're on TV.

Last yar it was Tampa and Jacksonville that were the break out teams for everybody and we saw how well that worked out.

 

[DCH]

Last yar it was Tampa and Jacksonville that were the break out teams for everybody and we saw how well that worked out.

Tampa went 9-7, made huge strides forward and barely missed the playoffs. I think they broke out pretty nicely. Tennessee also had a huge jump, going from 3-13 to 9-7 with great momentum going into 2017.

Jags got Bortled.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/07/24/pft-preseason-power-rankings-no-3-green-bay-packers/

PFT preseason power rankings No. 3: Green Bay Packers
Posted by Mike Florio on July 24, 2017

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Seven years ago, the Packers barely made it to the playoffs. And then they went on the road for three straight playoff games, made it to the Super Bowl, and won the whole damn thing. Since then, the Packers rarely have had to struggle to get to the postseason, but they’ve been unable to get back to the Super Bowl.

In 2011, a franchise-best 15-1 record evaporated into a one-and-done Lambeau loss to the Giants. In 2012, another division title and a wild-card win led to a shredding in San Francisco by a quarterback now deemed to be unfit to play. The next year resulted in another division title (despite an 8-7-1) record and another home loss, this time to the same team, and the same currently-unemployed quarterback.

The Packers went 12-4 in 2014, culminating in a defeat-snatched-from-victory’s-jaws NFC title game loss in Seattle. The next year, a wild-card berth resulted in an overtime loss in a division-round game for the ages in Arizona. Last year, the Packers caught fire after a 4-6 start and made it to the NFC title game again, running out of steam in Atlanta.

This year, they again sit near the top of the stack as the season approaches. And their CEO believes that, after two NFC title-game appearances in the last three years, this time they’ll punch through, making the short trip across the border and playing for their fifth Super Bowl trophy in the Vikings’ living room. They’ll definitely get at least close. Whether they can finish the job is another issue entirely.

Biggest positive change: Ted Thompson hasn’t signed many free agents over the years, but when tight end Jared Cook made a cash grab, Thompson said sayonara and signed Martellus Bennett. While Bennett may not make a spectacular postseason catch that takes out the Cowboys in Dallas, Bennett likely will be an upgrade, especially since Bennett has had the better overall career.

With Cook’s performance perhaps finally persuading Thompson of the value of having a competent pass-catching tight end (something they haven’t had since Jermichael Finley), Bennett becomes the guy who maybe can make the difference for an offense that is loaded at plenty of other positions, primarily the one responsible for throwing the football to guys like Bennett.

Biggest negative change: Pro Bowl guard T.J. Lang jumped to the Lions in free agency, months after the Packers dumped guard Josh Sitton and he landed with the Bears. While some would say interior linemen are fungible, it’s not easy to let quality guys like Lang and Sitton (and center JC Tretter) leave and hope that the next man up will help keep the quarterback from being the next man down.

Coaching thermometer: Who the hell knows? The standard for Mike McCarthy doesn’t seem to be the same as it is elsewhere, where a single owner can decide in any given year (or on any given day) that the coach isn’t getting the most out of the roster. In Green Bay, it’s different. Which could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on whether the individual owner would make good or bad decisions about keeping or changing coaches.

But here’s one thing that’s hard to dispute. A traditional owner likely would have pushed Thompson to push McCarthy to push defensive coordinator Dom Capers out the door. And many would say that the consistent failure of the defense to properly complement Rodgers and the offense justifies a new approach during however many years Rodgers has left.

We’d like to have a beer with . . . Mike Daniels.The underrated and outspoken interior defensive lineman would hopefully loosen up and share his insights on what’s going right and what’s going wrong with a Packers team that always gets close but can’t get over the top. Is Rodgers a good leader? Where could he do better?

When Rodgers said last year that the team lacked energy on the sideline and then said there needs to be a healthy fear of getting cut, did the players see that as a shot at McCarthy?

Who isn’t carrying his weight? Is Capers the problem?

It may take more than a few beers to get to the bottom of this one. But we’d sure love to try. Even if I’d be passed out before Daniels begins baring his soul.

How they could prove us wrong: If Bennett and Rodgers simply don’t mix (and their personalities are clearly different), that could create a layer of dysfunction that could make it hard to get through what has been an annual stretch of underachievement and adversity.

And if running back Ty Montgomery can’t take the week-in, week-out pounding now that he has made the full-time switch from receiver, they may regret letting Eddie Lacy walk — and not making a run at Adrian Peterson. Chances are, though, that they’ll still find a way to still be standing when the field is cut to eight or four. The question remains whether they can keep it together when the field gets cut to two.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/07/25/pft-preseason-power-rankings-no-2-atlanta-falcons/

PFT preseason power rankings No. 2: Atlanta Falcons
Posted by Darin Gantt on July 25, 2017

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The thing people will remember about the 2016 Falcons is that they blew a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl.

That’s reality, but also a shame, because there was so much positive about their season and what it portends for the future.

The Falcons have traditionally had skill-position talent, but they pushed it to another level last year, leading the league in scoring (33.8 points per game). Much of that hinged on improvements up front, as their addition of center Alex Mack was one of the hidden keys to the season. Quarterback Matt Ryan has always been good. With time to process, he was surgical, which helped him win an MVP.

They’re also young and talented on defense, and will get boosts this year. Remember, they played the latter portion of last season without their top cornerback (Desmond Trufant, who was lost to a pectoral injury midway through the year) and added another pass-rusher in first-rounder Takk McKinley in the first round.

Coupled with their new state-of-the-art stadium, there’s plenty to be excited about for the long-term trajectory of the team.

But that one thing will continue to linger in the background.

Biggest positive change: The Falcons should be deeper on defense, and they could use that.

Veteran defensive tackle Dontari Poe was a good piece of business on a one-year deal, giving them a solid interior rusher.

And if McKinley emerges to help Vic Beasley (who looked like a bust after his rookie year, then looked like a star last year, perhaps the fault is with making premature judgments), they could be even better on that side of the ball.

Biggest negative change: Losing offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is going to take a minute to work through.

They were playing at such a high level last year that even a slight disruption is a big deal, and taking their play-caller out is definitely not just a slight disruption. We’ll see if Steve Sarkisian can keep things going, because he was given the gift of personnel to work with.

Coaching thermometer: Cool for now, but the Super Bowl collapse will raise the heat on Dan Quinn if they can’t continue playing at a high level. The Falcons coach has been unfailingly upbeat this offseason when discussing the elephant in the room, but it will never truly go away. The challenge will be keeping it out of his guys’ minds when an individual game turns south, because wondering if they’re about to fold again.

We’d like to crack a beer with . . . It almost doesn’t matter, because the beers are cheap enough at their new stadium you can have more than one without taking out a home equity line.

Owner Arthur Blank has done some interesting things within the context of the league, and his cut-rate concessions (two-dollar hot dogs and five bucks for a beer) will make him more popular with fans — if not his business partners who are still gouging for snacks and beverages at their games.

Blank’s been willing to go against the grain, and that makes him one of the more interesting members of his club of 32.

How they can prove us wrong: It’s not foolproof, and a return to the playoffs is likely but far from a guarantee.

One of the first steps is making sure Devonta Freemanstays happy. The running back’s contract talks have had some rough spots, and the Falcons have kept the petty stuff at arm’s length. But if they can’t get a deal done before the season, there will be a lingering worry that an integral part of the offense is thinking about his post-Falcons years.

And while Quinn’s attitude is key to keeping the bad thoughts at bay, a run of bad luck (injuries or otherwise) could lead to flashbacks, and denying their existence doesn’t make them go away.