You Disrespecting Me?

ESPN has graced this first day of training camp with their NFL Power Rankings. It's stupid. I won't argue with the top 5. The Patriots, Colts, Chargers, Cowboys, and Jags are all strong and should be at the top. After that, its starts getting murky.

So you have to give the Giants some love because, well, they won the Super Bowl. I do think though that they have lost some important pieces of their team and today's trading of Shockey, despite his absence last year, doesn't help them this year.

The Steelers are a tough team to get a read on. They have been up and down since during and after their Super Bowl win. I think they're a really good team, and they added some offensive pop through the draft.

Sure, the Packers are a good team. They also have a QB that is a MAJOR question mark. To me, that sounds similar to the Chicago Bears and the Vikings. We've seen how having a shitty QB turns out in the NFL. And I'll get to the Vikings shortly.

The Seahawks suck. There, I said it. They perennially underachieve and had one good run in the past five years. They have had the luxury of playing in a WEAK division and I see no reason why they should be in the top third of the league.

Ohh the Brownies. Don't get me wrong, I like them. I rooted for them last year. I wanted to see them in the playoffs. Connie has expressed his interest in linking Philly and Cleveland sports, and I support him. BUT, they had one good year. I'm not ready to put them above the Eagles. If the rationale for putting the Eagles as low as they did was McNabb, you have to use that same rationale for Derek Anderson. He had an amazing year in 2007. I also saw him single handedly blow a game to the Bengals that the Brownies desperately needed late in the season.

The Vikings: you've got to be kidding me. I know they almost made the post season and they have an amazing RB and Defense. They also have Tavaris Jackson at QB. Tavaris Jackson! Whaaaaat?! Whoever the hell Kevin Seifert is (who put them at #11) can explain to me what kind of development Jackson has had. I don't care who the Vikings added in the offseason, Childress better put someone at QB who knows what they're doing if they expect to win games.

The Saints on the other hand are pretty damned good. I think they, like the Eagles, belong a few spots up. They beefed up the Defense in adding Jonathan Vilma and drafting Sedrick Ellis, and today added Jeremy Shockey. They had a horrible first half last year, but put it together in time to spark some playoff hopes. I see them as a viable threat to win the NFC.

Which brings us to the Eagles. Did I expect them to be in the top 5? No. Did I even want to see them ranked too highly? Not exactly. Did I expect them to be barely ranked in the top half of the league? Absolutely not. Ok, they were 8-8 last year. That places them right in the middle of the pack. I get that, but they have a healthy McNabb, fully recovered from an ACL injury. They've added a playmaking, maybe the playmaking CB in the league to help facilitate turnovers. What we hope to be a game breaking return man on special teams and possible deep threat at WR has been added. Outside of the top 5, I will take the Eagles over every team not named the Steelers. And that is debatable, TBD as the season develops.

As for the teams right below the Eagles: the Titans and Bucs, they're mediocre. Which is why I think being placed near them is an insult. The Titans Offense is a joke and the Gruden is busy playing musical QBs and relying on a lemon of a Cadillac to win games. Regardless, ESPN wins. They put out some stupid list detailing who they think are the best teams in the middle of July, and here I am arguing it. Just like they planned...