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2019 NFL Power Rankings: Who heads into summer at No. 1?

By Ian Cummings

CLEVELAND, OH - DECEMBER 23: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns warms up prior to the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - DECEMBER 23: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns warms up prior to the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 03: Head Coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams reacts in the first half during Super Bowl LIII against the New England Patriots at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 03: Head Coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams reacts in the first half during Super Bowl LIII against the New England Patriots at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

No. 6 – Los Angeles Rams

As a byproduct of their 2018 Super Bowl appearance, the Los Angeles Rams are being penciled into the top three in NFL power rankings across the nation. These rankings don’t have the Rams quite that high, but they still give the Rams the respect they deserve.

The Rams’ No. 6 ranking isn’t a slight to Sean McVay’s squad, but moreso a testament to the depth and top-end competence of the NFL in 2019. It seems like there are more good NFL teams than usual this year. Luckily for the Rams, they’re first in their division by a good margin, but before they ascend to the podium, there’s a few questions that need to be answered.

First: Is the Rams’ secondary overhyped? Marcus Peters gave up a considerable amount of big plays last year, and Aqib Talib is 33 years old, and due for a regression at any moment. Stopping the pass is imperative in today’s NFL, and with their current defensive backfield, the Rams might not be consistent. John Johnson and Eric Weddle constitute a very good duo at safety, but consistency might elude this group.

That said, the secondary can be considered the team’s biggest question mark, and if that’s the case, then the Rams will truly be back in 2019. Their offense is still stacked with playmakers, and under the advisory of guru Sean McVay. Jared Goff could be an MVP candidate this coming season, and Aaron Donald is always the closest defensive player to nabbing that award. Throw in Pro Bowler Corey Littleton in the linebacking core, and the Rams have a defense with competence on all three levels, and an offense that should remain explosive in 2019, as long as some key pieces stay healthy.

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