Who is the 2nd best NFL team right now?

[PatsFan24]

I'm not sure if you can put GB at number one as far as "teams" go. We have yet to see what happens when Rodgers has a game without a 120+ passer rating.

Rodgers is part of the team.

I don't follow your logic.

 

[ausbacker]

The way I see it is like this. The Packers are the best team in the NFL despite their flaws. The point is, Rodgers overcomes those flaws much like Brady did in 2007. The other teams in the chase, you can throw a blanket over them. There's no need to rank them downward as they are 2A through 2F.

1. Packers
2. Saints - Patriots - Steelers - Ravens - Texans - 49ers

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The Ravens have beaten the 49ers, Steelers 2x, and Texans. To me that earns them the #2 spot.

We haven't beaten a team yet as good as any of those teams (those were the Texans w/ SHaub). The Steelers have beaten us and some mediocre to terrible teams. The Saints have no defense.

 

[Nikolai]

1. Packers (same holes as the Pats with a more polished offense)
2. Patriots
2. Steelers
2. Saints
2. Ravens


Texans with Yates at QB aren't a top team after this week. The 49ers will be exposed going into the last parts of the season. Like the 2010 Pats, they're catching some lightning in a bottle during a rebuilding year.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

1. Packers - for obvious reasons
2. Ravens - beat the steelers twice; incredible defense that has given up only 90 points
3. Saints - offense is just incredible; defense is as bad as NE
4. Steelers - lost to the ravens twice; barely beat the chiefs; but ahead of NE since they beat them earlier this year
5. patriots
6. san francisco

 

[fair catch fryar]

Tough one, but right now I'd have to go with the Packers.

 

[ausbacker]

The Ravens have beaten the 49ers, Steelers 2x, and Texans. To me that earns them the #2 spot.

We haven't beaten a team yet as good as any of those teams (those were the Texans w/ SHaub). The Steelers have beaten us and some mediocre to terrible teams. The Saints have no defense.

The Ravens have also lost to Seattle, Jacksonville and Tennessee. They're no better or no worse than the chasing pack.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The Ravens have also lost to Seattle, Jacksonville and Tennessee. They're no better or no worse than the chasing pack.

To me quality of victory > quality of losses

It's good to win the games you should win, but being able to beat multiple elite teams is more impressive IMO.

 

[ausbacker]

To me quality of victory > quality of losses

It's good to win the games you should win, but being able to beat multiple elite teams is more impressive IMO.

I'm not necessarily that way inclined. In all of their losses the formula has been the same and in all of their wins the formula has been the same.

The Ravens defense is susceptible away from home. They get on the road, they're good but not as intimidating as playing at home. They'll go as far as Cam Cameron and Joe Flacco allow them too on offense.

 

[Deus Irae]

1.) Packers
2.) Saints
3.) Ravens
4.) Steelers
5.) Patriots

The good news is that #2-#4 have significant issues, just as the Patriots do, and those issues can be exploited.

 

[RodThePat]

I'm not sure if you can put GB at number one as far as "teams" go. We have yet to see what happens when Rodgers has a game without a 120+ passer rating.

Aaron Rodgers has put up a 110+ passer rating in 18 of his last 21 games. He is a bigger, stronger-armed, right handed Steve Young. You pretty much have to count on him keeping up that level of performance from here on out, and that should certainly be taken into consideration when talking about the best team in the NFL, because odds are, Rodgers will perform at that kind of level more often than not.

 

[patsfan-1982]

right now it's the 49ers

 

[Sydney]

Rodgers is part of the team.

I don't follow your logic.

One man =/= a team. The pack have many of the same problems the pats do, except that Rodgers has been playing out of his mind.

Aaron Rodgers has put up a 110+ passer rating in 18 of his last 21 games. He is a bigger, stronger-armed, right handed Steve Young. You pretty much have to count on him keeping up that level of performance from here on out, and that should certainly be taken into consideration when talking about the best team in the NFL, because odds are, Rodgers will perform at that kind of level more often than not.

I'd tend to agree. However, he has played very few top passing defenses which he will almost certainly encounter in the playoffs. And I hate to use that argument because I know you can only play against what the schedule gives you.

The Packers are the undefeated defending champs so I don't have a problem puting them first, but let's not pretend they're a "complete" team.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Gotta go with the Steelers.

 

[jcdavey]

i want to say steelers

they may look like crap at times, especially on the road, but they eek out those games usually, unlike the ravens

the ravens are a big enigma

49ers may be the most consistent of the who's in 2nd bunch though

it's really a tough call, because of the steelers lineage and division i have to go with them currently

dallas though , when romo is on his game, they look like they're really making a push

i mean there's a team who , in 2 of their losses, blew some big leads (2 td lead vs jets, 3+ td lead vs lions)

that should be a 9-2 team right now, but at the same time, they did lose to the 49ers, got blown out by the eagles , and also were only able to beat miami by 1 on thanksgiving, in dallas

but then again, miami just beat the bills to death recently, so miami obviously isn't as bad as their record



it's like there's the packers, then there's everyone else (steelers, pats, 49ers, ravens, bengals), and then there's the dregs (chargers, chefs, bills)

 

[Salva135]

1.) Packers
2.) Saints
3.) Ravens
4.) Steelers
5.) Patriots

The good news is that #2-#4 have significant issues, just as the Patriots do, and those issues can be exploited.

More or less, but thankfully the Packers and Saints an only send one representative to the final game. Pretty obvious these 5 teams are the best in the league, you can rotate 4 after the Pack but the Saints put on a show last night. Let's get a bye, win a damn playoff game, and go from there. If we're concerned about the Pack or Saints this season it means we are in Indy.

 

[ExpatPack]

1. Packers
2. Saints
3. Ravens
4. Patriots
5. Steelers
6. Cowpokes. (Hate to say it but they could actually make some noise come playoff time)

Missing: 49ers. Consistent defense but they lack the firepower to go far.

 

[jcdavey]

the only true weakness rodgers has is his concussion history

 

[MrNathanDrake]

I will NEVER understand threads like this.


Who cares who the 2nd best team is right now? What matters is WHO IS THE BEST TEAM IN THE PLAYOFFS, and WHO IS THE BEST TEAM IN THE SUPERBOWL?


In 2007, the Patriots were the best team of all time.... except for the night when it mattered most.

The Giants were "just decent" the entire year, but went on a tear in the playoffs and they were the best when it mattered most. At this time in 2007, no one would have had the Giants ranked in the Top 5 teams. Yet they won the SuperBowl that year.


The Steelers also won 1 of their recent SuperBowls going into the Playoffs as a Wild Card team.

We were IMO a much better team than the Jets last year, but lost in the playoffs.


Overall.... Rankings are bull****, and just a way for media to fill their quotas and get people to read their websites/newspapers/Tv Shows.

All that matters is who gets hot in January.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

"Back in the day" (defined as 2002--2005), I always felt that the Patriots deserved the respect of being considered Number One until it was proven (not just "stated" by fans and/or mediots, but "proven") otherwise. So, at 11--0 and the reigning SB champs, there's no doubt in my mind that the Packers have to be considered the best team in the league. They are not without their flaws and issues, but, somehow, after winning the Super Bowl, they've now stepped between the white lines 11 more times and come out on top 11 times and that's more than enough for me.

Otherwise, I agree with those who say that there is no clear Number Two. I think that the 49'ers, Patriots, Ravens, Saints and Steelers can all make a legitimate claim at that distinction.

Echoing the opinion of others, I think that the 49'ers claim is the most tenuous, simply because I still don't believe in Alex Smith.

But, throwing logic and consistency to the wind, I think that the only NFC team that could stop the Packers from punching their ticket to Indy is not among my "second best."

The Saints have never won an outdoor playoff game and I doubt they're going to start on "The Frozen Tundra" in late January; echoing what I said above, I don't think Smith will win a huge road playoff game.

However, thanks to the implosion of the Eagles and to the coup de grâce inflicted by the Patriots last Sunday, the Giants, if they can pull their act together and go 2--0 against Dallas in the next five weeks (even if they lose this Sunday to the Packers), will get at least one home Playoff game. They have "been there and done that" and should handle SF and I could see them giving the Packers a run for their money in the NFCCG. Don't rule them out unless Coughlin and Eli lose the lockerroom, which I don't think is going to happen.

Otherwise, it's the Steelers or Pats vs. the reigning champions in the SB.