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NFL Power Rankings: Colts fall, Steelers rise, Redskins stagnate

By Jacob Camenker

HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 01: The NFL shield logo is seen following a press conference held by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (not pictured) at the George R. Brown Convention Center on February 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 01: The NFL shield logo is seen following a press conference held by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (not pictured) at the George R. Brown Convention Center on February 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – FEBRUARY 03: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots pumps his fist running onto the field before Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – FEBRUARY 03: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots pumps his fist running onto the field before Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Super Bowl Contenders

These are the teams that should be considered the favorites to challenge for a Super Bowl. They’re not the only teams league-wide that could win one, but they are the favorites at the moment.

1. New England Patriots – Previously 2. The Patriots move back up to the No. 1 spot on this list after getting some reinforcements in the receiving corps. The return of Josh Gordon and Demaryius Thomas may not have an impact early in the season, as they return to game shape, but it will pay dividends down the stretch. Until then, the team can ride their strong run game and potentially top-tier defense to a playoff berth in what should be a fairly weak division.

2. Philadelphia Eagles – Previously 1. While the Eagles are moving out of the top spot in this update, they still have a very strong roster. The only reason they move down is because DeSean Jackson is dealing with a broken finger and that may briefly weaken their receiving corps. Cutting reserve center/guard Stefen Wisniewski didn’t help them either, but they still have a strong team overall including a formidable offensive line and front seven.

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3. Green Bay Packers – Previously 7. This may seem high for the Packers, but if Aaron Rodgers can stay healthy, this team should be much better than it’s been in the past. Aaron Jones is an ascending running back running behind a strong offensive line. And the Packers invested a lot of resources into upgrading their defense. They could be in for a bounce-back season, especially if some of their young receivers show growth this year.

4. Atlanta Falcons – Previously 5. I’ve mentioned this before, but the Falcons are a big-time Super Bowl sleeper. They have one of the league’s strongest offenses and Matt Ryan should have a good year given that the team is playing 13-of-16 games indoors. He’s much better when he doesn’t have to deal with the elements. The defense for Atlanta should also be improved as they are fully healthy and will have Deion Jones and Keanu Neal (the player who put a late hit on Jordan Reed in their preseason game against the Redskins) back to help them out.

5. Chicago Bears – Previously 4. Losing star defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will hurt the Bears, but Chuck Pagano should allow that unit to continue to be one of the better ones in the league. Offensively, the Bears have a strong offensive line and will hope Mitchell Trubisky and David Montgomery can lead the passing and running games respectively. That said, Trubisky’s development will be particularly key and if he looks good out of the gate, he could easily help the Bears to move up these rankings.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers – Previously 10. People are sleeping on the Steelers ahead of the 2019 NFL season. Though they lost Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, they still have a strong offense. More importantly, they have continuity on the offensive line, and that should help their unit to score points and succeed. They’ll need their youth to step up on defense but if Devin Bush can help to add speed to the linebacker corps, that could be the glue they need to be a solid overall unit. Steven Nelson’s presence as a No. 2 corner (something they lacked last year) also will help their cause.

7. New Orleans Saints – Previously 9. The Saints would’ve made the Super Bowl last season had the refs not missed a blatant pass interference call against the Rams in the NFC Championship. They are returning largely the same team to take another shot at a title, but the loss of star center Max Unger could hurt. If rookie Erik McCoy can’t quickly integrate himself into the offense, the Saints could have some problems. Still, they have one of the league’s best offenses and a solid defense, so they have to be considered Super Bowl contenders despite playing in the uber-tough NFC South.

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