We finally made it.
Starting Thursday night at Soldier Field and continuing through Monday, 32 teams begin their quest. The ultimate goal? Be the last team standing in South Florida on the first Sunday in February -- LIV champions. Another goal? Slay all dragons to finish atop the NFL.com Power Rankings. Granted, NFL teams are likely less aware of that second objective, but let's not get bogged down here. Real football is coming!
That's right. No more combine, no more mock drafts, no OTAs, no training camps, no preseason games, no more stunning retirements (probably). No more Player X Is In The Best Shape Of His Life! The time for talk is over. Our pre-Week 1 rankings will look similar to our , with one notable exception -- that team in Indianapolis no longer has real estate in the top five. How the Colts regroup following Andrew Luck's departure is just one of countless fascinating storylines to track in 2019.
Are you excited? I'm excited. Let's get to it.
NOTE: The previous rankings referenced in the lineup below are from the
Previous rank:**
A dependable center is like a good Wi-Fi connection: You don't realize how valuable it is until it's gone. 罢丑别听聽face that situation with the news that center聽聽might miss the entire season after being聽. The Pats have been busy since Andrews' diagnosis, acquiring center聽聽from the聽听(听), offensive lineman聽聽from the聽聽and offensive tackle聽聽from the聽. As New England fortifies its depth, we wait to see how former first-round pick聽Isaiah Wynn聽takes as the team's third starting left tackle in as many years. This is a unit in transition, tasked with supporting a run-heavy offense and a 42-year-old QB. Bill Belichick's ace in the hole?聽.
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It's been a quiet summer for the defending NFC champions, helped in part by Sean McVay's now-annual tradition of punting on the preseason for his regulars. I imagine this lower profile is something the聽聽are fine with. Third-year wideout聽聽is one of those regulars who has yet to see live action -- more than understandable in his case, as he works his way back from reconstructive knee surgery. 罢丑别听' offense was never quite the same after the slot receiver went down last November, so put him on the short list -- a list that includes teammate聽聽-- of players we'll look forward to seeing come Week 1. The Athletic's Jay Glazer聽聽that "all [Kupp's] test scores, coming out of his breaks, agility, quickness, every test timed better than it was before he tore his ACL." That seems promising.
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OK, take me off the list of bozos who watched聽聽struggle down the stretch last season and saw it as a harbinger of doom for the future Hall of Famer. All I needed was one series in the preseason -- the 40-year-old's聽only聽series of the preseason -- to be convinced that the聽聽remain in enviable shape at quarterback. Brees carved up the聽聽on an eight-play, 72-yard touchdown drive, connecting twice with wide receiver聽, including an聽聽into a non-existent window. There are maybe four people on Earth who can make that throw -- live with that reality, Dude Perfect bros. Brees' days of throwing for 5,000 yards may be over -- that's not what Sean Payton is asking for in 2019 -- but New Orleans can put its Big Three (聽) up against anybody and like their chances in an "NFL Blitz"-like showdown.
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罢丑别听聽are a living, breathing catastrophe for opposing defensive coordinators. In聽,听听补苍诲听, K.C. has its own dominant Big Three. But the聽聽don't stop there. This preseason, we've seen the scary game-changing speed of second-round rookie聽, and in the third game of the August slate, it was聽' turn. Against the聽, Mahomes hit Williams in stride on a wheel route, and the running back did the rest with聽. Over the weekend, the聽*, the veteran running back who first rose to prominence with Andy Reid in Philadelphia. McCoy isn't the guy who ran circles around defenses with the聽*聽anymore, but would it really surprise you if Shady were to crank back the clock a bit in this offense?
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聽fans have every reason to be optimistic as the 2019 season opens. What's an obvious weakness of this team? It's not a stretch to imagine a healthy聽聽regaining his pre-injury 2017 magic and leading a top-10 offense.听聽was a camp MVP for Philly; it's scary to think what he can add to the mix if he's in peak form. The defense -- the pass rush particularly -- is less formidable than it was last season with the departures of聽聽and Chris Long, but the unit is almost certain to have better injury luck than a year ago (it couldn't be worse), and underrated defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has kept his group on a very steady level for three years and counting. While the聽聽get all the offseason shine, the Iggles lurk in the shadows, hungrier than a Broad Street bro waiting for a Wing Bowl that won't come.
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You ever see those clips on YouTube of marathon runners or bicyclists coasting to the finish line for a win and failing to notice the competitor charging past them as they prematurely celebrate? That's what it felt like watching聽**听补产辞耻迟听聽in the preseason finale against the聽. As surreal -- as聽absurd聽-- as this kicking competition has been in Chicago, it wouldn't have surprised me at that moment if Matt Nagy met Pineiro at the 20-yard line with a pink slip and bindle stick. To Eddy's credit, he converted all three of his field goal attempts after that horrendous miss, and Nagy announced that he'd won the聽Week 1 job against the Packers聽on Thursday night. That's right: After all that, Pineiro has聽earned one day of job security. Have fun out there, kid!
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Looking for a breakout candidate on the聽? How about second-year wide receiver聽Michael Gallup, who continued to flash this summer in practice and preseason action. Against the聽聽in Week 3 of the preseason, Gallup showed good awareness when聽聽was pressured and forced to scramble on a third-and-goal. Gallup peeled away from his defender, worked his way into Prescott's line of sight and made聽.听's foot issue has allowed Gallup to get a ton of work with Prescott, and on a team with a premier running back like聽聽and a legit No. 1 wideout in Cooper, Gallup will get his opportunities to be a difference-maker. Unsolicited advice: If Gallup is on your waiver wire in fantasy, you would do yourself well to scoop him up. In return for this advice, send a portion of your championship winnings to me via Venmo.
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罢丑别听聽are about to prove you can lose two superstars and actually get聽better聽on offense. That's a credit to the organization's ability to constantly restock talent at the skill positions around聽.听聽already delivered his breakout season in place of聽Le'Veon Bell聽last year, and聽, at age 22, is聽聽replacement for聽. Now keep an eye out for second-year receiver聽James Washington, lighter and quicker than during his rookie campaign and making plays all summer.听聽against the聽聽was his second big play of the preseason, and Pittsburgh's incredible track record of developing wide receivers makes you think Washington will carry it over to games that count.
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Consider the events of this weekend another reminder of why the聽聽have been the NFC's most successful team this decade: They are run by smart people who know how to play the game, and they feast on those who don't. Enter the vulnerable聽, who were desperate to unload star edge rusher聽聽and found a partner in a聽聽team that gave up modest assets聽聽who plugs their most glaring deficiency. Usually it makes sense to wait it out before declaring who got the better end of a trade. Not in this case --聽, and Seattle is a legit NFC West contender because of it. Now we find out if Clowney can make the transition from聽聽to All-Pro in Pete Carroll's defense. Don't rule it out.
Previous rank:**
First, the good news: Andrew Luck's retirement bumps the聽聽into the top 10 of the Power Rankings. Congrats, guys! Now the bad news: In the third preseason game, a.k.a. The One That Most Resembles Actual Football, the聽' run defense was not up to the task in allowing 185 ground yards to the聽. This is the part where I'll remind聽聽fans not to panic: Gus Bradley's defense was without a host of key starters, including聽,听,听,听聽and the injured聽Derwin James. Still,听Rashaad Penny听补苍诲听聽(not exactly this millennium's answer to Bo Jackson and Marcus Allen) both chewed up Los Angeles on touchdown drives. Unrelated but also troubling: 罢丑别听' home field, formerly the StubHub Center, was renamed Dignity Health Sports Park this offseason. If The Black Hole is at the top of the Intimidating Stadium Name Power Rankings, you can guess what's last.
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I posed this question to my聽听肠辞濒濒别补驳耻别蝉听: What, besides a second-year plateau or regression by quarterback聽, can hold the 2019聽聽back? The general consensus was the untested new core of Baltimore's front seven, a pillar of strength in this organization for so long. Free agency did a number on the聽聽this spring -- longtime sackmaster聽聽joined Arizona, while star linebacker聽聽scored a huge contract and bounced to the聽. Another impact linebacker,听Za'Darius Smith, signed a deal with the聽. That's a lot of talent to lose, but luckily for the聽, they have one of the best defensive coordinators in football in Don Martindale. Some teams you just expect to figure it out. 罢丑别听聽qualify -- especially when it comes to defense.
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A quick recap of聽' debut season with the聽, generally remembered as a bust: 16 starts (fourth straight season without missing game), 70.1 percent completion rate (career best), 4,298 yards (second-most of his career), 30 TDs (career best), 10 INTs (fewest in his four years as a starter), 99.7 passer rating (second-best). Yes, counting numbers don't tell the whole story of a quarterback, but that's not bad! (Yeah, yeah: Cousins' 5-25 career record against winning teams聽is聽bad, but let's set that aside for the time being.) In聽听补苍诲听, Cousins has two Pro Bowl-caliber wide receivers. In聽, he has a talented young running back who looks primed for a breakout season. In Gary Kubiak and Kevin Stefanski, Cousins has an impressive brain trust behind the scenes. If the聽聽get improved offensive line play, they have the potential to field a top-five offense this season. Top three if you're feeling frisky. No. 1 if you're fearless. Skollllllllll.
Previous rank:**
OK, so did the聽聽get better in 2019 after this past weekend? That's what these聽**聽come down to, since we already know the draft assets sent to the聽聽(which include聽two聽first-round picks) will likely weaken the聽聽in the long term. Clowney's absence will be felt on defense, but the additions of wide receiver聽聽and especially left tackle聽聽addressed two major areas of need. With Andrew Luck no longer in the AFC South picture, I imagine Bill O'Brien woke up Monday morning feeling confident his team will repeat as division champs. But let's not sugarcoat the situation: If the聽聽falter this season -- if they again go one-and-done in the playoffs, if they stumble out of the postseason picture entirely -- O'Brien is the very obvious fall guy in Houston. BoB will be feeling that pressure from Week 1 on.
Previous rank:**
Had the well-intentioned groundskeepers of Winnipeg聽, we would have gotten a least one look at聽聽operating in a very stripped-down version of Matt LaFleur's offense in the preseason, but now Rodgers' debut will have to wait until the regular-season opener聽against the Bears聽on Thursday night. The fact that Rodgers was supposed to play in Winnipeg -- and kudos to Rodgers on聽, by the way -- is a positive sign that the back stiffness that kept him out of a previous preseason cameo is not a concern as we approach Week 1. Keep an eye on聽聽as a breakout player this season -- the聽聽are due to develop another playmaker on the outside, and MVS checks the boxes entering Year 2.
Previous rank:**
The biggest concern for the聽聽right now: What happens when you take a talent-deficient, unproven offensive line and task it with protecting a swashbuckling young quarterback who hangs in the pocket, keeps his eyes up and always looks for the big play? Yep, there's potential for disaster, and Cleveland's biggest assignment this season is to make sure聽Baker Mayfield聽isn't watching games on the sideline in a sling come December.听聽tells you GM John Dorsey is keenly aware of this situation. On the flip side, there are no concerns about the聽聽tasked with attacking the聽opposing聽offensive line this season. Cleveland's defensive line terrorized聽聽in the Week 3 preseason dress rehearsal, piling up five sacks in a shutout first half.听听补苍诲听聽could rival聽听补苍诲听聽for most sacks by a duo in 2019.
Previous rank:**
There's a very good chance the聽' offense is significantly better in 2019. Former MVP聽聽and All-Pro wide receiver聽聽are givens. But let's focus on two players with monster upside: wide receiver聽Calvin Ridley聽and running back聽. Ridley quietly enjoyed an excellent rookie season with 821 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns. If he takes the next step, the former first-round pick could give Atlanta a more explosive version of Roddy White to pair with Jones. Freeman's 2018 season was ruined by numerous injuries, and his absence was felt in both the running and passing games for Atlanta. Freeman's return should restore balance to this offense, his job made easier by what should be an improved O-line. 罢丑别听聽might never match the heights of their glorious 2016 attack, but they have the potential to lead the NFC in everything in 2019. That'll play.
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聽sure looks like the real deal, doesn't he? The seventh overall pick of this year's draft was a terror against the聽聽in Week 3 of the preseason, finishing with four tackles (two for loss) and two QB hits in a performance that bordered on dominant at times. That's quite impressive for a rookie, even one as highly touted as Allen. 罢丑别听听颈尘辫辞谤迟别诲听聽to bring a steadying presence to their offense, but there's only so much the veteran quarterback will be able to do with what, on paper, looks like a lackluster supporting cast. The key to Jacksonville regaining relevance in the AFC is directly tied to whether or not the Jags' D can return to 2017 form or something close to it. Allen gives defensive coordinator Todd Wash another major chess piece.
Previous rank:**
Not every team is terrified of its place kicker -- it just seems that way. 罢丑别听聽could have been in that position after veteran mainstay聽聽developed a left-leg injury that聽. Luckily, the fabulously named聽聽stepped up in August and inherits the job from Gano. Slye hit a 59-yarder against the聽, his third conversion from 50-plus yards this preseason. Playing in the ultra-competitive NFC South, having a dependable kicker could be the difference between 11-5 and 8-8. That makes Slye one of the most important players on this聽聽team. Yeah, I said it. Respect the kicker! Meanwhile,听聽is on track to start Week 1 after injuring his foot in Week 3 of the preseason. Related note: That was the final preseason game聽聽will ever play. Hope you saved your ticket stub.
Previous rank:**
I wrote in this space聽聽that I'd drop the聽聽15 spots if Andrew Luck's injury cost him extended time.听. Out of respect for grieving Indy fans, I halted the Power Rankings free fall at 14 spots. After Luck's shocking retirement, head coach Frank Reich offered up his best Dick Vermeil impression, promising that his聽聽would rally around new starter聽. The organization backed up the coach's show of faith in Brissett with聽聽that should provide their new starter a long leash. 罢丑别听听补濒蝉辞听聽to become their new backup. It's almost like Indy is trying to pay its way back to QB tranquility. If only it were that easy.
Previous rank:**
Something occurred to me while watching the this preseason: Tennessee's move to insure itself against this offseason was to, well, acquire a second . isn't a carbon copy of the ' fifth-year starter, but let's just say Tennessee wouldn't be hit with any building-code violations by constructing Chateau Mariota and Hotel Tanny side by side. The floor and ceiling in each structure is just about the same. This isn't to say that the are doomed. After all, they've always been competitive with Mariota -- they even won a playoff game in Arrowhead a couple years back. But if the goal is getting to the -- and I assume that is indeed the goal in Nashville -- do the have the quarterback room to make a realistic push?
Previous rank:**
If the聽聽experiment is going to work in Denver, the quarterback will need聽. There was real question about what the 32-year-old wide receiver would bring to the table this summer after having surgery last December to repair a torn Achilles tendon. The severity of the injury and Sanders' age (along with the news -- revealed in August -- that he also underwent ankle surgery this offseason) have combined to justifiably raised doubts as to whether he'll ever be the聽聽receiver he was in his younger years. But the reports out of聽聽camp were glowing, and Sanders flashed familiar playmaking ability in his lone preseason performance (SEE:聽). His presence brings depth and stability to a receiving corps that desperately needs both. Sanders was in the middle of another productive campaign before his injury; despite missing the final month of 2018, he led the team in catches (71), yards (868) and receiving touchdowns (4).
Previous rank:**
It will be interesting to see how the聽聽deploy running back聽聽in the season's early weeks.听Le'Veon Bell聽is obviously the backfield centerpiece in New York, but he also hasn't played a down of real football in 20 months. Bell is sure to be a touch monster in time, but don't be surprised if Montgomery's role is significant in September. He's looked very comfortable in Adam Gase's offense this summer, and like Bell, he offers versatility with his ability as a runner and receiver. One issue that will be an obstacle for both Bell and Montgomery: 罢丑别听' starting offensive line -- which includes offseason additions聽听补苍诲听聽-- will enter the regular season having not played a single snap together as a group. This could be trouble against an imposing聽聽front seven聽in Week 1.
Previous rank:**
Tim Graham of The Athletic wrote聽听辞苍听Josh Allen's incredible arm strength and how聽聽receivers manage to survive practice with their digits intact. For some perspective, NFL scouting service OurLads has Allen throwing the fastest ball since they started tracking the data each year at the NFL聽聽in 2008 --聽! Of course, it takes more than a howitzer to succeed in the NFL. Allen must master the art of touch. But in general, it feels like his fascinating skill set flies under the radar a bit. The quarterback who can throw the ball harder and further than anyone also聽led his team in rushing last year. 罢丑别听聽are such a fun wild card to track this season, and Allen is the biggest reason why.
Previous rank:**
Niners fans nearly tipped over their Chardonnay with the deep exhale that followed San Francisco's third preseason game.听聽successfully put his miserable performance聽聽behind him, looking sharp and moving well on his surgically repaired knee聽against the Chiefs. Unfortunately, not everyone was invited to the Happy Knee Party. Running back聽, signed last year to be a Swiss Army Knife-style attack piece in Kyle Shanahan's offense, is headed back to injured reserve after聽. McKinnon's Niners tenure has been one extended bummer, but the team has a sneaky聽Making The Leap聽candidate in third-year man聽. Don't be surprised to see Breida finish in the top 10 in all-purpose yardage this season.
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As the official聽聽(hold for applause), I've spent the last four weeks fascinated by聽聽and his place on this聽聽team. But if you hoped to learn more about the relationship between Carr and head coach Jon Gruden through premium cable, the show has created more questions than answers. Carr certainly seems like a nice guy -- potentially a聽really聽nice guy -- but is that what Gruden is looking for in his quarterback? Oh, who am I kidding? Carr could be a terrible guy and Gruden would be fine with it if the quarterback could recapture his 2016 magic. And that's where the intrigue comes in: Carr has both his health and some playmakers to work with in 2019, including that聽聽guy. Carr and Gruden might not be a personality match, but that won't matter if Carr slings it this year.
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罢丑别听聽narrowly avoided disaster in their third preseason game, when starting inside linebacker聽聽and starting center聽Frank Ragnow聽got rolled up on and suffered lower-leg injuries against the聽. Isn't preseason great, guys? Both Davis and Ragnow were diagnosed with ankle sprains, injuries聽. Phew. Meanwhile, I don't want to sound hyperbolic here, but I'm calling聽Week 1 against the Cardinals聽a MUST-WIN. I know that sounds crazy, but check out the聽' six-week stretch after their road opener in Arizona: vs.听, at聽, vs.听, bye week, at聽, vs.听. That's a gauntlet, and it would behoove Detroit to enter that stretch at 1-0.
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' preseason line: 29-for-34 passing for 416 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Good on Danny Dimes, who caught a lot of unnecessary and unfair criticism after the聽聽"reached" to take the former Duke star with the sixth overall pick. And here's the thing: Jones still could very well end up being a reach by聽聽general manager Dave Gettleman, but the Twitter know-it-alls (聽) were insufferable during the spring and summer. With four strong preseason performances, Jones shut his critics up ... for the time being, anyway. Now we'll see how long聽聽can hold off the kid. My prediction for Jones' first start and the official passing of the torch at the Meadowlands: Week 7 against the聽.
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I'm struggling to see a plan for the聽聽with this聽聽situation. Reports indicate the star left tackle is effectively聽. If he doesn't want to play for you anymore, why not move him to a team willing to hand over precious draft capital to acquire an elite blind-side protector, like the聽聽just did for聽? Team president Bruce Allen said last week that聽聽for the 'Skins this season, but this still has the feel of an all-defeating standoff. Meanwhile, veteran聽聽is slated to start the season at left tackle. Penn has the pedigree, but the 36-year-old has been in decline for some time now. It's fair to say the聽聽have boxed themselves into a corner on this one. It's not too late to get out!
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Two players to be very excited about in Tampa this season: wide receiver聽聽and tight end聽. Godwin followed his breakout 2018 season (842 yards, seven touchdowns) with a well-reviewed training camp and productive preseason with聽. Could he catch 80-plus balls and become a 1,200-yard receiver under Bruce Arians? Don't bet against it. Howard, meanwhile, was enjoying an extremely promising sophomore season before foot and ankle injuries shut him down in November. Expect him to pick up right where he left off. The Bucs aren't a perfect team, but they are going to score points. If Todd Bowles can coach up that D, Tampa Bay could surprise some people.
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If it wasn't for bad luck, the聽聽would have no luck at all. It's been a summer of dispiriting injuries for Cincinnati, who learned Friday that rookie running back聽聽re-tore his ACL in the preseason finale against the聽. It's the same ACL he tore early in his final season at Oklahoma, an injury that played a big role in him falling to the聽聽in the sixth round of this year's draft. Cincinnati has a bell-cow back in聽聽and a change-of-pace option in聽, but Anderson was a promising piece who flashed in his preseason debut against the聽. What a shame. He joins a聽聽injury list that includes聽聽(out indefinitely, ankle), and first-round pick聽聽(likely to miss season, shoulder). Hang in there,听听蹿补苍蝉.
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We're almost here now. Kliff Kingsbury and聽聽are about to make their NFL debuts running an offense that will look nothing like the vanilla schemes the team put on display during the preseason. There's plenty of reason for optimism, but not everyone is buying.听聽said former NFL coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan. "Look, this guy (Kingsbury) -- everyone talks about this great offense and all that. Yeah, if it's聽聽and you want points yardage, that's great. How about wins?" Ryan might be a loudmouth, but he always knew how to coach ball on defense. You wonder if other like-minded coaches in the NFL are studying Kingsbury's college scheme with a confident grin. Let the games begin.
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罢丑别听聽got a lot worse over the weekend -- but that was part of the plan. The idea here is that a complete teardown in the short-term allows this once-proud franchise to return to prominence in the 2020s. The Fins put their youth movement into overdrive --聽聽standout left tackle聽, leading receiver聽聽and former starting linebacker聽.听, Miami will enter Week 1 with 30 players on the roster who are 25 years old or younger, including 13 rookies. Will the young players remaining on the roster form a core? And can the聽' front office be trusted with an embarrassment of draft riches? Starting quarterback聽聽is like the substitute teacher in charge of a class that knows he's not around for long.
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