Ravens #7 In NFL Preseason Power Rankings
By Brett Foote
Jun 19, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh (left) and offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak (right) talk during minicamp at the Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
‘Tis the season for projections, and we’ve got a lot of them happening these days. Pro Football Talk recently ran a series which placed the Ravens #7 in NFL preseason power rankings. This places them ahead of all three division rivals, as the Bengals came in at #9 and the Steelers at #16. So far the top 5 haven’t been announced yet, but the Packers and Saints are currently ahead of the Ravens.
Rankings like this always stir up strong opinions, and this poll is no different (just read the comments on the post). It’s always interesting to see what teams are underrated (Lions at #21??) and overrated (Falcons at #14). Most people that have commented on the Ravens so far feel like they are overrated.
More from Ravens News
- Ravens’ Super Bowl odds stagnant amidst Lamar Jackson trade rumors
- 5 Georgia Bulldogs the Ravens might draft to follow Todd Monken
- Get ready, Baltimore, you’re going to love Todd Monken
- Ravens news: Bengals fall to Chiefs in AFC thriller, a new OC in the mix, and more
- Ravens news: Anthony Richardson buzz grows louder, an unsung hero, and more
I don’t necessarily agree. Though the Steelers are most likely underrated, I don’t think they have a better paper roster than the Ravens do. The Colts have too many questions on defense to be ranked ahead of the Ravens. It’s hard to predict what losing Mike Zimmer will do to the Bengals, and the Panthers suffered massive losses at both wide receiver and offensive line this offseason.
The Cardinals were strong last year but lost too many guys on defense as well. One could say that Bears and Eagles might be better, but the Bears defense is still undermanned, particularly at the tackle position. I’m afraid a full offseason of watching tape is going to hurt Nick Foles in his first full year at the helm. Fancy offensive playcalling trends tend to have life spans of one season or less.
Rankings like these are controversial because they are highly debatable, and everyone has their opinion (and bias). In the offseason, we all like to think that our teams are Super Bowl contenders. Power ranking teams while the season is in full swing is easy, on the other hand, because we have actual results to go by.
So what do you think about PFT’s rankings?