Peter King's MMQB TE - From bottom to top

[ISUFan22]

Peter King: Readers fail to address how quickly teams turn around in NFL

Interesting look back on the last decade and how teams went from nothing to playoffs (and more in many cases) in just one season...

It's only July 17, and, collectively, you seem to be in midseason vitriolic form already, oh readers of mine.

I figured it would be this way when I put the Rams 10th, the Lions 13th and the Vikes 31st in my pre-camp power poll. And before I get to your e-mails, I'd like to point something out about columns like mine. It would be fairly easy and extraordinarily uninteresting to take last year's standings, figure in the offseason moves each team has made, and put the teams in logical order based precisely on what appears to be the way the season will go. It'd be a cookie-cutter exercise.

This just in: The season never goes the way we think it will go in July. Never. Every year for the past 10 years -- which I'll illustrate here -- at least one team has come from nowhere to be a major playoff factor the following year. Let's look.

1997: The Giants and Tampa Bay, both 6-10 in 1996, rebound to go 10-5-1 and 10-6. Both make the playoffs.

1998: Arizona, 4-12 the previous year, makes the playoffs and wins a road game as a wild card.
1999: Each NFC division winner -- Washington, Tampa Bay, St. Louis -- comes back from a .500 or poorer season in '98. St. Louis goes from 4-12 to Super Bowl champ.

2000: The Giants and Baltimore, playoff-less and a combined 15-17 the previous year, reach the Super Bowl.

2001: Chicago, 5-11 in 2000, goes 13-3 and wins the NFC Central. New England goes from 5-11 to 11-5 and wins the AFC East, then the Super Bowl.

2002: Tennessee wins the new AFC South at 11-5 after winning seven games the previous year. The Browns make the playoffs. The Browns, people.

2003: Carolina in 2001 and 2002: 8-24. Carolina in 2003: NFC Champion.

2004: Pittsburgh and Atlanta, 11-21 in 2003, win divisions in 2004. The Steelers go 15-1.

2005: The Bucs and Bears improve by six wins and the Giants by five to win their divisions.

2006: Mangenius takes the Jets from 4-12 to 10-6 and the playoffs. The Saints, 3-13 in '05, become America's Team.

All right, now: Who had the Saints last year as the rising stars? Carolina in '03? The Rams in '99?
The funny thing about my rankings is that, overall, they're incredibly predictable. Who doesn't have Indy, New England and San Diego at the top of their playoff-probable list? They're 1-2-3 for me. Eight of my top nine teams (lone exception: Denver) made the playoffs last year.

Here is a list of his rankings for '07...

Peter King: NFL power rankings

[EggMcClone]

This just in: The season never goes the way we think it will go in July. Never.

In addition Peter King is (admittedly) horrible at predictions.

[rahtotheames]

Took a really quick glance at the title and then read the thread...
I read the whole thing thinking the author was STEPHEN King. I was like "What the ****, since when does the creepy guy watch football?"

[joepublic]

A little low for Pittsburgh (probably a solid #6) and way to high (obviously) for Dallas, but otherwise I won't quibble with his rankings.

[clones_jer]

As much as I like the Saints, they had one of the easiest schedules in the NFL last year - not the case this year, and they won't surprise people anymore. I think they drop to about 10.

NO WAY the Lions are that much better unless Barry himself materializes behind the line. Even then they gotta be 18 at BEST.

Bears slip too ... though no one notices cause the rest of their division blows. Same record minus a win. Bow out early in playoffs.

[cycloneworld]

Too High
Denver #6 - Should be around 12-14 IMO.
St. Louis #10 - Should be around 18.
Pittsburg #12 - I doubt they make the playoffs with a young new coach and new system in place.
Detroit #13 - Nope, not buying it. Remember the Matt Millen factor.

Too Low
Seattle #9 - Probably should be about 6-7.
Tennesee #15 - I think they make the playoffs this year.
Cincinnati #17 - Their offense is too powerful for this low ranking
Jacksonville #18 - Great running game and defense. Should be around 12-14.
San Fran #22 - They would be my biggest mover this year. Nolan is slowly but surely turning that program around.

[ISUFan22]

His ranking of SF at #22 confused me also. As noted today, he makes some good points about them at receiver though. And, who knows what Arizona and St. Louis will look like.

If they're down, could easily be a playoff contender. If St. Louis and Arizona can play well - that could be one of the tougher divisions this year.

[Clones85']

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

Too High
Denver #6 - Should be around 12-14 IMO.
St. Louis #10 - Should be around 18.
Pittsburg #12 - I doubt they make the playoffs with a young new coach and new system in place.
Detroit #13 - Nope, not buying it. Remember the Matt Millen factor.

Too Low
Seattle #9 - Probably should be about 6-7.
Tennesee #15 - I think they make the playoffs this year.
Cincinnati #17 - Their offense is too powerful for this low ranking
Jacksonville #18 - Great running game and defense. Should be around 12-14.
San Fran #22 - They would be my biggest mover this year. Nolan is slowly but surely turning that program around.

As good as VY is I don't see the Titans making the playoffs. He can't win all the games by himself and he has nobody else on offense. He has the worst set of WR's in the league. Plus their D took a big hit when Pac Man got suspended for the season. They will be lucky to win 7 games IMO

[hursts]

Ranking Detroit ahead of Dallas is just plain insane!

[Wesley]

Atlanta Falcons 2-14 without Vick.

[cycloneworld]

Originally Posted by Wesley

Atlanta Falcons 2-14 without Vick.

Atlanta Falcons 5-11 with Vick.

[ISUFan22]

I'll bet Bobby Petrino is thinking..."Would they take me back at Louisville?".

[jdoggivjc]

You kidding me? Everyone and their mom keeps saying that Vick was the source of the problems with Atlanta's offense and that the Falcons should bench Vick in the interest of improving their passing game. Well, here's their chance. They have Harrington and D.J. Shockley, both of whom arguably throw more accurate passes than Vick. I mean, after all, the argument is Schaub would have been able to step right into that offense and lead that offense to places Vick wasn't able to, why not Harrington or Shockley?

Ok, I didn't necessarily believe that ranting tirade either. I think with the QB situation they are currently in they're lucky to go 6-10 in my optimistic view point. Personally, I think this is the time when the Falcons should try to cut a deal to bring Seneca Wallace to Atlanta. THAT would be fun to watch. And Wallace and #15 would look HOT on their jerseys.

Otherwise, it's looking like it's gonna be ANOTHER long year for my beloved Falcons

[cycloneworld]

Originally Posted by jdoggivjc

You kidding me? Everyone and their mom keeps saying that Vick was the source of the problems with Atlanta's offense and that the Falcons should bench Vick in the interest of improving their passing game. Well, here's their chance. They have Harrington and D.J. Shockley, both of whom arguably throw more accurate passes than Vick. I mean, after all, the argument is Schaub would have been able to step right into that offense and lead that offense to places Vick wasn't able to, why not Harrington or Shockley?

I think if the Falcons knew of the dog fighting stuff before they traded Schaub...they never would have pulled the trigger on it. Harrington? I'll pass. Shockley? He hasn't thrown an NFL pass. It's going to be a rough year for Petrino and the birds.

[ISUFan22]

That Schaub trade continues to look like a worse move by Atlanta.

Putting all your eggs in the Vick basket so to speak - not the best of ideas. Harrington had a better year last year for the Fins, but he didn't exactly light the world on fire.