Best teams in the NFL
#14 San Francisco 49ers
Despite Alex Smith’s breakout year and the Niners making it all the way to the 2012 NFC championship game, many people are still not sold on the Niners and their ability to sustain that success. We are also not sold, but with an easy division, a great defense and the addition of Randy Moss, the Niners should at least be legitimate contenders.
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15:
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys had a good draft and should put together a solid season this year with Romo at QB. They might not win it all, but they should have a winning season that lands them in the playoffs.
14:
San Francisco 49ers
Despite Alex Smith’s breakout year and the Niners making it all the way to the 2012 NFC championship game, many people are still not sold on the Niners and their ability to sustain that success. We are also not sold, but with an easy division, a great defense and the addition of Randy Moss, the Niners should at least be legitimate contenders.
13:
Detroit Lions
There’re a lot of questions surrounding the Lions defense. However, they have very strong offensive weapons at all cylinders, and so if the defense can shore up a bit, and if Strafford remains healthy at QB, the Lions should put together another winning season.
12:
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have become the quintessential “regular season team” of the NFL, and we don’t expect that to change. With a strong passing game and running game, they should once again put together a good regular season and then, due to a lack of defense, flop in January once the playoffs begin.
11:
San Diego Chargers
Unable to muster up that late-season magic that we’re used to seeing from San Diego, the Chargers missed the 2012 playoffs for the first time in 5 years. However, we expect Phillip Rivers to recover from his disappointing season with a very strong 2013 campaign.
10:
New Orleans Saints
With QB mastermind Drew Brees at the helm, the Saints should still have the fast-paced areal assault offense that they’ve thrived on for the past few years. However, with the suspension of the head coach, defensive coordinator, and some key defensive players, it’s hard to imagine these absences won’t hurt the team. Also, the attention surrounding the “bounty gate” scandal will linger all season, and so it might be difficult for the Saints to overcome that distraction.
9:
Denver Broncos
With a very weak division in the AFC West, the Broncos were able to win the division in 2012 despite having a meager 8-8 record and despite Tim Tebow, whose throwing skills are sub-par at best, playing the quarterback position. Thus, with one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Peyton Manning taking over the rock in Denver, the Broncos should have a very successful season that carries them into the playoffs.
8:
Chicago Bears
Before the devastating injuries to QB Jay Cutler and RB Matt Forte wrecked the Bears' 2012 season, da Bears looked like one of the top teams in the league. Chicago’s veteran defense should be tough and reliable as always, and the offense got more firepower this off-season with the acquisition of wide receiver diva Brandon Marshall. If Cutler and Forte can remain healthy, da Bears should have a well-balanced team that can flourish deep into the playoffs.
7:
Philadelphia Eagles
Although the Philadelphia “Dream Team” went through some brutal growing pains last year, during which they surprised the whole world with some astonishingly bad performances, we expect that having a full off-season together will add chemistry between all those superstars. The speedy and high-flying offense should be much more consistent, and if the defense can also tighten up, they should be an elite team for the season.
6:
Houston Texans
With a healthy Matt Schaub throwing the ball, the Texans are easily one of the most balanced teams in the league. Their young defense routinely stifles its opponents, Arian Foster is one of the most talented and dependable runningbacks in the game, and Schaub has a great big target to throw to in Andre Johnson. When you add that the Texans play in a very poor AFC South division that got even weaker with the official departure of Peyton Manning, the Texans should steamroll their way to the playoffs.
5:
Balitmore Ravens
Even with Terrell Suggs missing most of the season with a leg injury, the Ray Lewis defense of the Ravens should still be one of the toughest in the league. Runningback Ray Rice can also be trusted to usually play at a high level, and so the passing game is the only remaining question. Although he has been inconsistent in the past, Flacco seemed to grow and mature during the previous season, and so if he can develop into a steady QB the Ravens might be strong enough to win it all.
4:
Green Bay Packers
With the incredible arsenal of weapons Green Bay can flaunt on the offensive side of the ball, and with Aaron Rodgers still in his prime, the Packers should break the scoreboard to dominate many regular season games. However, the horrendous defense that caused their downfall last season may bring them down again. Until the defense can prove that they can get stops, the Packers will most likely struggle in the close games and even in the playoffs.
3:
New England Patriots
A reliable pattern over the past decade is that teams who suffer from a Super Bowl loss hangover generally struggle to even make the playoffs the following year. However, nothing’s more reliable than head coach Bill Belichick and QB stud Tom Brady, and since these guys are still together, the Pats should have yet another very successful season. They might not win the superbowl, but they should dominate the regular season, win their division and make another playoff run.
2:
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have all of the necessary parts to make a run at another title. Although the defenders are aging, their veteran defense is still very tight and dependable. They also have a solid running game and a great passing game that got even better with the addition of some promising young linemen who were drafted to protect Rothlisberger. If all of these parts can come together, the Steelers should be a superior team this season.
1:
New York Giants
We not only have to put the G-men at number one because they are wearing the championship belt, but also because they are one of the most balanced teams in the NFL. Their defense is incredibly formidable, their special teams is reliable, and Eli Manning is becoming one of the best clutch QBs in the game. They also have many solid young weapons to catch the ball, and with two or three talented running backs to rotate between – including Jacobs and Bradshaw – the Giants are strong at all positions. The only problem of the Giants is consistency. If they can avoid the head-scratching losses and learn to play well consistently, they could dominate the entire league for a while.
