NFL preseason Power Rankings: KC Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Benglas, Buffalo Bills

We are officially less than a week away from kickoff to a brand new NFL season. On Thursday night the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs will host the Detroit Lions from Arrowhead Stadium.

The preseason is in the rearview, cuts have been made and now fans and teams alike, await anxiously for football to be reintroduced back into our Sunday routine. Before Week 1, we give you our preseason Power Rankings heading into the first weekend of the season.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

Do we really dare drop the Chiefs from the top spot after they won the Super Bowl last year? No. Not at all. No one seems to be talking about KC in the lead up to this season. Is it because we have grown numb to the brilliance of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes? Or is it because we are looking for someone in the AFC to knock them off their throne? Either way, the Chiefs won’t mind flying under the radar. They were a team surrounded by doubt with the departure of Tyreek Hill, and look what they did last year. Can they go back to back for the first time since New England did it in 2004 and 2005?

2. Philadelphia Eagles

What will it be like for the Eagles having the bulls eye on their back the entire season? They might have gone undefeated for the first eight games of last year, but they came into the season well off the pole setters pace. Once they became the main attraction in the NFC they held their shoulders high, but it’s different when you have to do it for 18 weeks. Jalen Hurts, AJ Brown and the Eagles defense are looking to be the Kansas City of their conference, and if they want to begin an era of dominance, that era is going to have to start in Week 1.

3. Cincinnati Bengals

Ja’Maar Chase says he doesn’t want Joe Burrow to play Week 1. When you listen to the clip it becomes a little more evident and understandable why. The Bengals are going to be fine for the first few weeks of the season, even if their QB1 has to start the season on the sidelines. They want him healthy and full recovered from his calf strain by the time he is set for action. The Ravens and the Steelers should give them a bit more of a fight for the AFC North, but it’s Super Bowl or bust for a team still searching for their first Lombardi Trophy. Burrow is back on the practice field as of Wednesday, but how quickly will the Bengals want to put him under center?

4. San Francisco 49ers

The Niners are ALL IN with Brock Purdy. He tore his UCL in the NFC Championship in January and has made a miraculous comeback which was enough to convince San Francisco to move on from their third overall pick in the 2021 draft. Trey Lance is off to Dallas and the Niners have handed the keys over to Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy. The offensive weapons are still there, but the defense has lost it’s coordinator and a couple of big parts of last year’s top ranked unit. Purdy is no longer the wonderkid, Purdy is now the starting quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers and that is a lot of pressure for a second year QB who was taken with the last pick of the NFL draft in 2022.

5. Buffalo Bills

Is this finally the year? Buffalo haven’t been to the Super Bowl since the Jim Kelly days. And as prevalent as the legacy of the No. 12 in blue and red still lingers in in the Eastern Part of Lake Erie, they are desperate for a new hero. A hero that can take them back to the Super Bowl and brings Bills Mafia their first title ever. Josh Allen might be the best QB in the league if it wasn’t for the pesky guy in KC, and the Bills could be the best team in the AFC, but only if they best the Chiefs when it matters most late in the season.

6. Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson finally got the contract he was looking for, and I doubt I’m the only one who gets the sensation that maybe, just maybe he might be healthy for the end of the season. It’s been two years since Jackson played out the season even though they got tot he playoffs last year, they were never going to be contenders. This year is different. This year the city of Baltimore is expecting Jackson to take the Ravens to the top of the AFC.

7. New York Jets

Does one player really make that much of a difference? Absolutely. Especially when that player is a four time MVP and Super Bowl Champ. Not since Broadway Joe has there been this much excitement over a QB in the green and white part of NY. Aaron Rodgers wouldn’t have made the move to NYC if he wasn’t sure this team was ready to complete for a championship now. They have a young, talented defense anchored by a couple of veterans. Their offense automatically becomes one of the most feared in the league with Rodgers, Breece Hall and a couple of Aaron’s old buddies from seasons past. Robert Saleh’s defense will be ready to play every week and Rodgers will have his guys ready on the offensive side of the ball as he reunites with former OC Nathanial Hackett.

8. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins showed flashes of being perhaps the most incendiary offense in the league before Tua Tagovailoa suffered a couple of the scariest injuries we have seen in football in a long time. It’s not an easy thing to come back from a traumatic event like those he suffered last season, but he’s a tough kid who has battled injury before. Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle are set for break out seasons if Tua can stay healthy. The question comes on the other side of the ball. The Dolphins secondary was ripped apart over and over again last year. If they can’t sort that out it won’t matter how many points they put on the scoreboard.

9. Detroit Lions

It was the turn around of last season. The Lions went from 1-6 to start the season to just missing the playoffs after rattling off 8 wins in their last 10 games. There probably isn’t a team in the league that is more anxious to pick up where they left off than the Detroit Lions. After years of fighting for his job, it seems like Dan Campbell is in a position where he can focus solely on the Xs and Os and not worry how hot his seat is getting. With no Aaron Rodgers, the Lions are looking more and more like favorites in the NFC North.

10. Los Angeles Chargers

It’s time for Justin Herbert to show that he is ready to be a super star in this league. He was anointed as the next big thing at the QB position since getting drafted by LA in 2020, and while he’s put up some decent numbers he hasn’t been able to transcend to the level of a Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen just yet. You get the feeling if Herbert has a big year, the Chargers are going to have a big year.

11. Jacksonville Jaguars

There are few teams on the upslope like the Jacksonville Jaguars. After years of futility, the Jags draft picks have this franchise in a position to thrive. Their two first overall picks are now the leaders of their units on both offense and defense, and it’s looking like a one horse race in the AFC South.

12. New York Giants

Daniel Jones got his big deal. Saquon Barkley did not. Barkley, while upset with the decision, doesn’t seem like the guy to hang it up and let his past do the talking for future contract negotiations. That means the Giants might well see the best version of Barkley since coming to the NFL. Jones looked great in preseason, which is a very small sample size but enough to get the blood flowing in the Big Apple. Everyone in the NFC East will be chasing the Eagles, but the Giants will be in the shadows waiting to pounce on the reigning conference champions.

13. Minnesota Vikings

Dalvin Cook was a big part of the Vikings success last season. He missed some games due to injury, but when he was on the field he made a difference. This year the Vikes won’t have that difference maker, but they still have the best WR in the league in Justin Jefferson. And let’s not forget Kirk Cousins who, for my money, should get a lot more attention than a lot of the quarterbacks in this league. He is a dead accurate QB who can go out and win a game, not just manage it. The NFC North is there for the taking again, let’s see if Minnesota delivers and starts a new reign in the division.

14. Seattle Seahawks

Geno Smith did all he needed to do to lock down the QB1 job in Seattle after a fantastic follow up in the post Russell Wilson era. Now it’s time for all of the rest of the pieces of the puzzle to come together. Kenneth Walker III ended last year as one of the most explosive running backs in the game, and if he starts the season like he ended the season the Seahawks are going to be a problem for teams in the NFC West. If they can get things sorted out on the defensive side of the ball the Seahawks could be a sleeper team this year.

15. Denver Broncos

This is one of the teams to keep an eye on this season. The Broncos are coming off one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, and it was their big money QB Russell Wilson who was in the crosshairs of much of that criticism. This year, Sean Payton is on the sidelines and he will take some of the pressure off of the former Seahawk gunslinger. With the addition of a Super Bowl Winning coach come Super Bowl expectations. This is a team that has the weapons to make a run in the playoffs, but Payton is going to have to first make fans forget about last season.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers

Kenny Pickett surprised a lot of people in his rookie year in Pittsburgh. The Steelers weren’t supposed to be in the playoff race in the season following Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. They have one of the most underrated WR corps in the league, and Najee Harris is ready to be the next star running back in the Steel City. The turnaround wasn’t projected to happen this fast in Pittsburgh, but now that Steelers fans got a taste of what lies ahead, they want the main course now.

17. Las Vegas Raiders

Year two in Sin City for Josh McDaniels. He failed to make a good impression in Denver during his first stint as a head coach, and in Las Vegas the culture is win or go home in the eyes of the Davis family. This might be a make or break season, and his fate lies on the shoulders of Jimmy Garoppolo who will have to show he can win without a league leading defense backing him up.

18. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys and their fans always feel like they have a chance at the Super Bowl. It doesn’t matter what their roster looks like, or who they might have lost in the offseason. America’s Team is always looking for the return of their American Dream. Mike McCarthy survived last season after spending much of the year on the hot seat and with another year under his belt and Dak Prescott under center, it’s about time the Cowboys took a next step. Getting to the playoffs is an achievement, but not for Dallas fans. They want it all, and nothing short of lifting the Lombardi Trophy is going to satisfy them.

19. Cleveland Browns

The Browns took a chance on Deshaun Watson last season knowing that they may not see their big money QB until late in the season. This year, things are different. This year they have Watson from Week 1, and if you pair one of the best passing QBs from a few years ago with Nick Chubb that makes for a potent one two punch. They will have their work cut out for them in a tough AFC North, but Watson and Chubb will make the Browns competitive against the Ravens and the Bengals.

20. Green Bay Packers

It’s a new day in Green Bay. For the first time in almost two decades Aaron Rodgers is out in the Frozen Tundra and it’s time to take a look at the future. Passing the torch from QB to QB is never a smooth transition, but the Packers seem to have it down. Jordan Love was drafted in the first round of the 2020 Draft because the front office guys see him as the face of the future. They will put the future on the back burner as the Packers look to be relevant now. Love has had three years to learn under Aaron Rodgers, now it’s time to show that he is ready to go from student to teacher.

21. New England Patriots

They may be just whispers, but those whispers could turn into much more if the Patriots fall behind the pack in the AFC East to start the season. It seems unthinkable, but Bill Belichick might find himself on the hot seat if things don’t turn around in New England. Is he sold on Mac Jones? Are the Patriots sold on Mac Jones? Are the men and women in the front office still sold on Bill? There is a lot to discover about the Patriots, and they are going to have to prove themselves in the toughest division in the league.

22. New Orleans Saints

Having Derek Carr under center is a big plus for the Saints this season. The post Drew Brees era hit New Orleans hard, and just when it seemed there would be a ray of sun shining down on the Saints their starting RB, Alvin Kamara gets suspended for the first three games of the season. If Carr can carry his team for the first few games, he will get Kamara back with an arsenal of weapons of the offensive side of the ball.

23. Atlanta Falcons

The big story out of ATL coming into this season second year QB Desmond Ridder. There is still a lot up in the air with Ridder considering he played just one preseason game, going 7/9 for 80 yards and an INT. That’s not enough of a sample size to shoot them up the rankings, but they are in what was the weakest division in the NFL last season.

24. Los Angeles Rams

The Rams fell from grace last year in what was one of the worst ever follow up seasons for a Super Bowl winning team. Seeing Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp go down with season ending injuries didn’t help their title defense, but this franchise went all in on a Super Bowl in LA two seasons ago and they aren’t to far from a rebuilding phase. The clock is ticking for both Matthew Stafford and the Rams.

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Losing Tom Brady is not an easy void to fill. Just ask the New England Patriots. They have been trying to find his replacement for the last few years, and their QB situation is just as up in the air as it was when Brady packed his things and headed south. Baker Mayfield has been the one tasked to make Bucs fans forget about the Brady days and look towards the future. The Bucs are his third team in a season, and as much as Tampa Bay is looking for a steady ship for the coming years, so is Mayfield. Dave Canales is the man in charge of the offense, and Todd Bowles will be looking to fortify a defense that put the Bucs in positions to lose more than win last year.

26. Washington Commanders

Sam Howell went out and won the starting job in the nation’s capital. The second year quarterback claimed the QB1 role with his play in the preseason. There is still a bit of uncertainty at the running back positions, but Terry McLaruin is a sure handed WR that knows how to get open and help a young QB find some easy throws. Ron Rivera’s teams are always disciplined defensively, so that means there is going to be a lot on the shoulders of Sam Howell this year.

27. Tennessee Titans

How long is Derrick Henry going to have to carry the Titans? For at least one more year, you would have to assume. Sure Tennessee went out and got Deandre Hopkins in the offseason, but that most likely won’t make a huge impact to an already run centered team. Mike Vrable’s defense is always going to put up a fight, and as long as King Henry is in the backfield there will be a sense of belief in the Music City.

28. Chicago Bears

The meteoric rise of Justin Fields was one of the most entertaining things to watch unfold last season. The second year quarterback carried a team back to the eye of the casual fan with some electrifying runs, as he improved from the pocket during his sophomore season. The addition of D.J. Moore is only going to make the Bears passing game that more dangerous. Expect the Bears to win more than just three games this season. Expect them to compete in the wide open NFC North.

29. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers might be in line for another long, rough season. They are used to that by now. What they aren’t used to is having a reason to be excited to start the season. The Panthers started to turn things around towards the end of last year, but the addition of Bryce Young trumps any sort of half hopes and dreams that Panthers have after a few wins to end last season. The top pick in the draft will be starting in Week 1, and the hope in Carolina will be that the Offensive line can protect him for the duration of his first season in the NFL.

30. Arizona Cardinals

There are a whole lot more questions than comfort for the Cardinals coming into this season. Jonathan Gannon is taking over for Kliff Kingsbury on the sidelines and fans in the desert will be crossing their fingers to see their franchise quarterback under center sooner rather than later. Kyler Murray tore is ACL back in December and until then it will be up to Colt McCoy to lead the team, but unlike other years he will be the Cardinals starter from Week 1.

31. Houston Texans

C.J. Stroud was the second rookie QB to be named a started during the preseason, which is great news for Texans fans looking for a spark of excitement this season. With a rookie head coach in DeMeco Ryans and a Rookie quarterback in Stroud, those in Houston should come into this season with cautious optimism. It’s unrealistic to think that this team is ready to complete for the playoffs, but this will be a fantastic chance to set the foundation for years to come.

32. Indianapolis Colts

Turmoil at Lucas Oil Stadium is nothing new. It seems to have followed them since Andrew Luck retired just before Week 1 in 2019. There has been nothing to rally around in Indy since then. Anthony Richardson will try to bring the city together so they can rally around their team like in the days of Payton Manning or Andrew Luck. That isn’t going to be an easy task with Johathan Taylor on the PUP list, and a potential hold out still to come after his return.