Week One is finally upon us. We can put the preseason away for good. In Week 1, every team can picture themselves holding up the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season and only 28 or so of them are kidding themselves. Here’s the opening week’s NFL Power Rankings.
1. Carolina Panthers – (0-0) The Panthers open up the season with a Super Bowl 50 rematch Thursday night. I have a feeling this one will go a little differently. I’ve broken my usual rule in the opening NFL power rankings, based on the famous philosopher Richard Morgan Flair, who repeatedly stated to all who could hear, “To be the man, you gotta beat the man.” But the Denver Broncos, sans Peyton Manning, are no longer “the man.” So the Panthers are up here until someone proves they can take them down.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers – (0-0) The Steelers have worked on getting their defense younger and their offense under contract. They’ll be without Le’Veon Bell for three weeks, but DeAngelo Williams was fine stepping in last year. It’s too bad the Steelers can’t keep their skill position players on the field and off drug suspensions. It would be interesting to see what this team looked like with a full roster.
3. Green Bay Packers – (0-0) The Packers come into this NFL season healthy at wide receiver and running back Eddie Lacy has spent the offseason trimming down to become more explosive. As long as Aaron Rodgers is upright the Packers have a chance to make it to the final boss fight.
4. Seattle Seahawks – (0-0) This appears to be a top-heavy NFC year for maybe the first time in the last five. Seattle opens the season without Marshawn Lynch for the first time in nearly a decade, but Russell Wilson is primed to secure his spot among any and all elite quarterback conversations.
5. Cincinnati Bengals – (0-0) A broken thumb may have cost the Bengals a Super Bowl shot last season. It was a freak injury to quarterback Andy Dalton and nothing the team can prepare against. There’s also that playoff meltdown against the Steelers they need to put far int he rearview mirror. A solid win over the playoff-hungry Jets would do a lot for that.
6. Arizona Cardinals – (0-0) The Cardinals have become a trendy Super Bowl pick for a lot of NFL media members. I’ve picked them to not even make the playoffs. Hell, I don’t even think they’ll beat the Patriots this week.
7. New England Patriots – (0-0) Speaking of the Patriots, the Jimmy Garoppolo era officially begins this weekend as Tom Brady finally gets at least a small piece of the justice coming to him. One thing Brady won’t have to worry about is losing his job to JG. I think the Pats win this week, then it’s 0-3 until Tommy Boy returns.
8. Kansas City Chiefs – (0-0) The Chiefs finished up the regular season winning nine consecutive games and even managed a playoff victory in there. No one really seems to be picking the Chiefs to do much this year. I’ve not even seen a lot of AFC West title predictions which seems completely insane to me. Kansas City is a good team and no one seems to care.
9. Denver Broncos – (0-0) I’ve got a feeling this is the highest the Broncos will be all season. Trevor Siemian gets the nod at quarterback, replacing Peyton Manning. That will last all of a month before Denver hands the keys to Paxton Lynch. You’ve been lucky and good a long time, Denver. Time to reap the whirlwind.
10. Minnesota Vikings – (0-0) The Vikings are keeping their Week One starter a secret. Are they going with Shaun Hill who has actually been with the team two years and knows the offense or Sam Bradford, who just got dropped off in an Uber hatchback Prius yesterday? Hmmm, Mike Zimmer. It’s a mystery.
11. Washington Redskins – (0-0) After the Redskins get completely thrashed by the Pittsburgh Steelers Monday night a lot of pundits will say things like, “You can’t judge the Redskins by this one game.” But, trust me, you can. You totally can.
