Sports Illustrated NFL Power Rankings

[SammyBlueCat]

NFL Preseason Power Rankings: Defending Champs Are Not No. 1

 

[SammyBlueCat]

#21

 

[signbabybrady]

#21

Seems a bit high since we haven't earned it yet but I'll take it and I'd like to think we'll be in the teens by years end.

 

[jmt57]

Week One opponent is ranked one spot higher than the Pats by the SI author.

Surprised to see the Dolphins so low, or to see the Patriots ranked higher than Atlanta.


For the click-phobic, here's the bottom half of his rankings:

17. Pittsburgh Steelers
18. Arizona Cardinals
19. Chicago Bears
20. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders enter the 2025 season hoping to erase those moments of bumbling incompetence from a year ago. While Pete Carroll’s Seahawks teams were always weird, they were not the specific kind of weird that was the 2024 Raiders. No identity. Frazzled decision making. The one bright spot is that most teams didn’t double their rookie tight end. While my personal jury is out on Ashton Jeanty over taking one of the anchor tackles in the first round and one of the big-time backs in the second, I have faith that Chip Kelly can make it look right.

21. New England Patriots
A pivotal season starts with Mike Vrabel instilling more confidence in the Patriots than at any point during the waning Belichick era or the short-lived Jerod Mayo era. Vrabel’s ultimate challenge will be keeping it that way. After taking the gap year à la Sean Payton and building a groundswell for his return, the pressure is on him to rack up at least seven or eight wins with an ascending star quarterback in Drake Maye.

22. Atlanta Falcons
23. Indianapolis Colts
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. Dallas Cowboys
26. New York Jets
27. New York Giants
28. Miami Dolphins
29. Carolina Panthers
30. New Orleans Saints
31. Tennessee Titans
32. Cleveland Browns

 

[maust]

NFL Preseason Power Rankings: Defending Champs Are Not No. 1

Sammy you're the one still reading SI? I knew somebody was but I would never have guessed it was our quick kitty. Old habit dying hard?
Damn shame what's become of SI, it used to be 'must read' stuff now it's not fit to line your litter box

 

[Pape]

Until we actually play in a meaningful game, I'd swap miami and NE in those rankings...

Baltimore at 1? call me skeptical...

Minnesota at 12? High ranking for a team with JJ McCarthy under center... he might be good, he might not... but 12 is a stretch...

 

[Rob0729]

Week One opponent is ranked one spot higher than the Pats by the SI author.

Surprised to see the Dolphins so low, or to see the Patriots ranked higher than Atlanta.


For the click-phobic, here's the bottom half of his rankings:

17. Pittsburgh Steelers
18. Arizona Cardinals
19. Chicago Bears
20. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders enter the 2025 season hoping to erase those moments of bumbling incompetence from a year ago. While Pete Carroll’s Seahawks teams were always weird, they were not the specific kind of weird that was the 2024 Raiders. No identity. Frazzled decision making. The one bright spot is that most teams didn’t double their rookie tight end. While my personal jury is out on Ashton Jeanty over taking one of the anchor tackles in the first round and one of the big-time backs in the second, I have faith that Chip Kelly can make it look right.

21. New England Patriots
A pivotal season starts with Mike Vrabel instilling more confidence in the Patriots than at any point during the waning Belichick era or the short-lived Jerod Mayo era. Vrabel’s ultimate challenge will be keeping it that way. After taking the gap year à la Sean Payton and building a groundswell for his return, the pressure is on him to rack up at least seven or eight wins with an ascending star quarterback in Drake Maye.

22. Atlanta Falcons
23. Indianapolis Colts
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. Dallas Cowboys
26. New York Jets
27. New York Giants
28. Miami Dolphins
29. Carolina Panthers
30. New Orleans Saints
31. Tennessee Titans
32. Cleveland Browns

IDK, the Dolphins look like they could implode this year. Their defense and o-line look to be a mess. They could have a worse o-line than the Patriots (maybe even the Patriots last year). Tyreek Hill could be slowing down and could be a huge locker room cancer. Tua was able to stay healthy last year, but do you think he won't get a concussion this year? I wouldn't be surprised if they finished last in the AFC East and I think the Jets are going to be a crap show with absolutely no passing offense.

And I don't think it is that much of a surprise to see the Pats over Atlanta. I mean I don't think many people are sold on Michael Penix. He wasn't very good last year. Sure Robinson is one of the best backs in the league, London is a better receiver than the Pats have, and Darnell Mooney had a very good year last year (really not thanks to Penix), but I don't think their roster is particularly impressive outside of them.

 

[maust]

Tua was able to stay healthy last year, but do you think he won't get a concussion this year?

My Dude you're thinking of the year before, '23 was Tua's only full season. He wasn't healthy last year, he missed 4 games due to concussion and two for a hip injury. The same hip he injured in college. Tua is an injury waiting to happen, never more than one play from IR

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Fwiw 3/4 of the first things first crew (including pats hater and long nose champion nick wright) have ne in the playoffs in their predictions.

Colin cowherd had us in the playoffs .

Nfl live/first take hasn’t released official predictions that ive found but ive seen plenty of guys throwing us in the playoff hunt.

not saying they are always on the money or anything but thats Lots of hype surrounding this team. those are most of the commonly streamed analysts/shows ive seen on the tube.

 

[jdlboot14]

Wow, we play 9 of the bottom 13 teams.
That is a strength of schedule that we absolutely have to take advantage of.
And it should be enough to have a legit shot at a wildcard spot - even if we lose in the 1st round.

 

[TheRainMaker]

The NFL is becoming a joke. Remember the days when teams actually had to get better to rise up the rankings? Yeah those days are over. The Bills at #2 is really laughable and continue to get worse. They were lucky as hell to escape Baltimore last year. San Francisco, LA Chargers and Denver at 6, 7 and 8? Yikes!

 

[denverpatsfan]

Eagles are going to repeat this season. They should be #1. Deepest team in the league. They fixed their only weakness which was the secondary. They might go 20-0.

 

[Ross12]

#21

ESPN did their rankings the other day and had the Pats at #16.

2025 NFL projections, power rankings, Super Bowl predictions

Let's project the NFL's best -- and worst -- offenses and defenses. Plus, how do all 32 teams rank overall, and who will make the Super Bowl?

www.espn.com

16. New England Patriots


AFC sleeper alert! The Patriots are much better in nearly all areas compared with last season. After finishing with the fewest sacks in the NFL last season (28), the defense improved by signing DT Milton Williams, edge Harold Landry III, LB Robert Spillane and CB Carlton Davis III.


Second-year QB Drake Maye will have wide receiver Stefon Diggs and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson as options. And Mike Vrabel replaced Jerod Mayo as head coach.

 

[mgteich]

ESPN did their rankings the other day and had the Pats at #16.

2025 NFL projections, power rankings, Super Bowl predictions

Let's project the NFL's best -- and worst -- offenses and defenses. Plus, how do all 32 teams rank overall, and who will make the Super Bowl?

www.espn.com

16. New England Patriots


AFC sleeper alert! The Patriots are much better in nearly all areas compared with last season. After finishing with the fewest sacks in the NFL last season (28), the defense improved by signing DT Milton Williams, edge Harold Landry III, LB Robert Spillane and CB Carlton Davis III.


Second-year QB Drake Maye will have wide receiver Stefon Diggs and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson as options. And Mike Vrabel replaced Jerod Mayo as head coach.

We are an average team expected to win 8.5 games. The sources gave us a power rating of average. Much is related to the very weak schedule. But it is what it is. As of now, we are expected to be right there in the middle.

 

[Ross12]

We are an average team expected to win 8.5 games. The sources gave us a power rating of average. Much is related to the very weak schedule. But it is what it is. As of now, we are expected to be right there in the middle.

I’ll take that, because that’s far better than last year, and 14 teams go to the postseason. So they could be in the hunt until late in the year which makes for good football.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

6 or less wins I’m not happy

7 wins I’m neutral

8 wins I’m happy.

9 wins I’m excited.

10 or more I’ll be floored

 

[Kdo5]

Ranking seems fair but we could quickly go sideways with injuries.

 

[TomPatriot]

6 or less wins I’m not happy

7 wins I’m neutral

8 wins I’m happy.

9 wins I’m excited.

10 or more I’ll be floored

This is an accurate picture of where I be at.

Also, if they improve as the season progresses, regardless of record, I’d be pretty happy. That especially applies to Maye. Big year for the kid.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Nice jump from sucking hind tit. Now they have to show it on the field.

 

[BobDigital]

Biggest issues....

#6 49ers? Okay... how about they prove they can stay healthy first.... And perhaps most damning of all for them... They went 6-11 with their starting QB staying pretty much healthy the whole year minus 2-3 games. That is a bad sign suggesting Purdy overachieved when he was new and unleashed on the league with an amazing cast to back him up. Maybe he isn't that good? And their D which finished 29th in PPG surrendered... They had only 1 non-defensive TD score by opponents. Yeah they had to deal with the 6th most turnovers... but that and injuries can't explain such a massive collapse. I'd rank them #11 till proven otherwise... They don't deserve a ton 10.

#20 Raiders? With that D? Nah... They can't be that high.... If they had a Burrow and Chase combo to carry them maybe,,, But they don't. Bowers isn't that impactful and their #2 isn't Higgins. And their is mid. Also the more i read about that offensive line the more i dislike them being this high. They improved overall i think, but I'd rank them #25 at most.