Mack's 2014 NFC Power Rankings

This is based on current (8/23/14) health and likely rosters and taking into account schedule and expecting all teams to have equal health throughout the season. Remember, this is just the NFC.

1) Seattle Seahawks. You have to beat the best to be the best. While I think they’ve lost a ton of depth, I think they’re still the team to beat. That doesn’t make them unbeatable, but you have to take the belt.

2) Green Bay Packers. Even with BJ Raji’s injury, the Pack looks stacked. Eddie Lacy is running like a beast and the Pack with a healthy Aaron Rodgers will likely set some sick records on offense this year. The only reason they won’t is if they jump out to leads too big early and slow down. That would mean their D stepped up, which it hasn’t in years past. However, their D is healthy and should be at least strong enough to support the best offense in football that’s not in Denver.

3) St. Louis Rams. A defense that’s ready to be a top 5 defense and a QB that finally has a cupboard stocked with capable weapons. Prior to going down last season, Sam Bradford was having his way with the Panther’s D and that offense wasn’t near the offense that this one will be. The only conditions on this team’s success will be health and execution as this will for the 3rd year in a row be the youngest team in the NFL.

4) New Orleans Saints. Below the Rams? Yeah. Even last year, the Rams completely stifled this high flying offense showing a preview of what was to come. Still, this team is a potent team and capable of bringing points from just about anywhere. Jimmy Graham needs to calm down a bit and the D needs to tighten up, but with the Panthers and the Falcons ready to step up, this division is going to be a downright feral fight.

5) Detroit Lions. An offense that’s ready to explode and a defense that’s finally ready to compete in that division, even with Green Bay. There will be great debate at the end of the season about whether the NFC North isn’t a better division top to bottom than the NFC West and it just might be.

6) Philadelphia Eagles. Chip Kelly’s got a team that plans to outgun opponents and it works. Their D won’t win them any games, but it won’t matter. Even in losing their best receiver, they’re still stocked and should win their division easily.
7) Carolina Panthers. Cam’s got weapons and he’s maturing. The defense is stout. The only question is will Atlanta’s ascendance cause the NFC south to create a war of attrition like in the AFC North?

8) Atlanta Falcons. Matt Ryan’s got his weapons back and it’s the offense that sets up the D in Atlanta. If those receivers stay upright. Atlanta will be a team to reckon with.

9) Arizona Cardinals. Bruce Arians is an amazing coach and the only reason the Cards are this far down is the rash of injuries to major players sustained thus far. The Cards will still be players in the division and could still surprise.

10) Chicago Bears. Very good O and bad D won’t help in this division. Detroit can now run the ball as can Green Bay. They’re going to lose some shootouts in the division.

11) San Francisco 49ers. Why the huge fall? Glenn Dorsey, NT out. Justin Smith, DE, aging and injury prone. Aldon Smith, out and unstable. Navarro Bowman, LB, out. Several of their DBs, gone. This 49er D just isn’t remotely the same D that went to 3 straight NFC Championship games and this crew will have a tough time against Marshawn Lynch, Zac Stacy and Andre Ellington a total of 6 times a year. The offense has weapons, but Colin Kaepernick is a limited QB that hasn’t ever shown the ability to win with his arm. In this division, one or two more injuries and this 49er team not only won’t win or compete for the division title, they’ll finish last.

12) New York Giants. Mediocre roster and QB that throws bad INTs. Not enough to compete in a weak division.

13) Dallas Cowboys. May change places with New York, but meh. Really bad D and Tony Romo who almost single-handedly pays the mortgage for the Tums supplier in Dallas.

14) Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Lovie Smith is a good influence and that D looks to improve, but the division is improving faster and that offense… it’s just not going to beat the defenses in the division…yet.

15) Washington. They may have more success than this position indicates because of the weak division, but as long as RGIII insists on taking hits and until that D gets consistent, this team will continue to flounder.

16) Vikings. Poor Adrian Peterson. Why do most GREAT RBs get stuck on bad teams? The lack of a QB and the dismantling of what was a decent DL should relegate the Vikes to a cellar finish.