[aeneas1]

NFL Preseason Power Rankings: Patriots, Rams, Saints lead way
Published: Aug. 20, 2019 at 10:37 a.m.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... s-lead-way

2. Rams coach Sean McVay left around 20 starters back home when the team traveled to Hawaii for its preseason game last week against the Cowboys. When the NFL finally moves away from four preseason games (I believe this will happen), you can thank McVay for playing his part. The coach's preseason crusade did not preclude us from getting a closer look at rookie running back Darrell Henderson, who had six receptions and 54 yards of total offense against Dallas. We are less than three weeks away from Week 1, and one of the league's burning questions is how McVay will split backfield usage between Henderson, Malcolm Brown and Todd Gurley.

blue text = made playoffs last year, off = 2018 offensive points scored ranking, def = 2018 offensive points allowed ranking.

[max]

Crap. I hate being ranked so high this time of year, but its worse for the Pats, so there's that.

[snackdaddy]

Notice what the top 5 teams have in common? They were all top 6 in scoring. Some were not that good on defense. Defense is nice, but if you want to win you need to score.

[aeneas1]

Notice what the top 5 teams have in common? They were all top 6 in scoring. Some were not that good on defense. Defense is nice, but if you want to win you need to score.

actually this is the first power ranking that i've seen in quite a while that actually makes some sense to me - for example the browns are middle of the pack instead of near the top 10, the packers aren't a default top 5 or 10 team because of rodgers, the bolts and vikes are outside of the top 10, etc... but i do think they have the bears and cowboys ranked way too high, and i think the chiefs and their juggernaut of an offense have to be top 3 until proven otherwise.

[max]

The Colts are over ranked.

[TomSlick]

I'd like to see, and I think we will, an improvement in our defensive ranking.

[Hacksaw]

I'd like to see, and I think we will, an improvement in our defensive ranking.

It's very possible the Rams are a top 5 offense again and the ST's are top 3 (if not #1). If the D significantly improves against the run (which is probable) and with their defensive backfield improvements and better health (knock on wood ), we could see a top 10 D. Or at least a vastly improved ranking..
If that were to occur, this team will be a force to be reckoned with.

[aeneas1]

It's very possible the Rams are a top 5 offense again and the ST's are top 3 (if not #1). If the D significantly improves against the run (which is probable) and with their defensive backfield improvements and better health (knock on wood ), we could see a top 10 D. Or at least a vastly improved ranking..
If that were to occur, this team will be a force to be reckoned with.

dead last in yards per carry allowed was bad, as bad as it gets, but i'm more concerned about their pass defense which correlates much better to points allowed - last season the rams defense ranked:

20th - completion %
27th - td%
24th - yards per pass attempt
18th - qb rating

[Hacksaw]

dead last in yards per carry allowed was bad, as bad as it gets, but i'm more concerned about their pass defense which correlates much better to points allowed - last season the rams defense ranked:

20th - completion %
27th - td%
24th - yards per pass attempt
18th - qb rating

There is a lot of room for improvement here. Peters healthy, Talib healthy, Weddle & Mathews bring in leadership, Lazy Suh-zan no longer taking plays off, depth in D backfield, Fowler stepping up, Brockers back in position, another year to gel. Yeah I can see an improvement.

Like Lennon McCartney scribed so long ago, , , ,
"It's getting better all the time, , , Can't get no worse".