It's time for the bottom-feeders of the NFL. But despite where these teams are ranked, it's possible any of them could defy the odds and compete for a playoff spot.
OK, maybe not the Lions.
Here are the rest of the power rankings:
1-8
9-16
17-24
To continue...
25 San Fransisco 49ers - They finished the 2008 season winning five-of-seven games. But teams often, in any sport, go on a winning streak when presented with an energetic new head coach midseason. Mike Singletary isn't going to be able to shock his team into playing over their heads anymore, he's going to have to actually coach by gameplanning. If the defense can continue to play as well as they did down the stretch last year then they have a chance to be competitive. But the offensive line is still the worst component of the team, which means RB Frank Gore still won't have lanes to run through, and QB Shaun Hill won't have time to get the ball downfield to his shiny new weapon, WR Michael Crabtree. Even if he does, he may not have the arm anyway.
26 Denver Broncos - The addition of RB Knowshon Moreno should give the offense more balance, but the loss of QB Jay Cutler is significant. Don't expect this offense to rank as high as second in total yards again. On defense, the Broncos return most of the players on the 29th ranked team in yards allowed. The offense was so outrageously good in 2008, they could counteract that bad defense. But that won't be the case in 2009, which means more losses for a team that limped to a .500 record in 2008.
27 Oakland Raiders - Yes, owner Al Davis appears to have lost his mind. But the running game is still potent, and the defense has the tools to be a solid unit if they can tighten up against the run. QB JaMarcus Russell is still a problem and may be destined for bust status. Of course, that's what happens when you draft a player for his arm alone and not at all for what's north of the shoulder pads. Head coach Tom Cable has fire though and won't let the team quit on him like they did with Lane Kiffin. Although, it may not matter in the long run.
28 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - The Bucs are down Super Bowl winning head coach Jon Gruden, but perhaps more importantly, they're down famed defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. New head coach Raheem Morris seems to have the fire, but at 32 and with no defensive coordinator experience, he may be too raw for this team. The defense was good but not great last year and are now without a future Hall of Famer at linebacker, Derrick Brooks. The offense, now down Gruden and QB Jeff Garcia, appears destined for bottom-feeder status in 2009. It all adds up to a very long season for Bucs fans.
29 Detroit Lions - The Lions will win at least one game in 2009, which is obviously an improvement. With strong-armed rookie Matt Stafford under center, Calvin Johnson (who may be the best wide receiver in the game, sorry Larry Fitzgerald) will actually have someone capable of getting him the ball on a consistent basis. If the Lions can find a way to get RB Kevin Smith running productively for more than 300 carries, they should have a fairly potent offense. The only problem is a defense, which ranked dead last in 2008 in both yards allowed and points allowed.
30 Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs have a long road ahead of them, but unlike the past, it may be the right road their heading down. The offense is still in disarray without a good line to block for all their talented skill position players (Dwayne Bowe, Matt Cassel, Larry Johnson). The real problem though lies on defense. In the transition to a 3-4, the team still doesn't have the right talent in place to run the system, which is probably why GM Scott Pioli reached on DE Tyson Jackson in the draft. The Chiefs, for once, seem to have a plan, but they're probably a couple years away from following through on it.
31 Cleveland Browns - The Browns replaced one Bill Belichick disciple with another to likely the same results. With two young quarterbacks on the roster, this team seems to be disinterested in both, offering both up for trade in the offseason. The same is true of their talented but inconsistent young WR Braylon Edwards. TE Kellen Winslow Jr. is already gone. Still, it probably doesn't matter as it's difficult to do worse than 31st in total yards as they finished last year. The defense wasn't much better, finishing 26th in yards allowed, though they did manage to keep teams out of the endzone thanks to a high turnover rate, finishing 16th in points allowed. Still, no offense and a below average defense means cherish the Cavaliers playoff run while it lasts Cleveland.
32 St. Louis Rams - Going with OL Jason Smith in the draft was a good start, but the former tight end still has a ways to go, and the Rams need immediate help if they're to protect QB Marc Bulger for once. Of course, without WR Torry Holt, he may not have anyone to throw to anyway. (except Donnie Avery, are you reading this fantasy players?) The defense has some young talent, but none of those players have yet to develop into anything more than solid players. Having a tried and true defensive system to play in under new coach Steve Spagnuolo may help though. If the team improves on their 2008 yards allowed ranking of 28, then they should rise from the gutter. It would also help if RB Steven Jackson could stay healthy.
Reach Jeff Richards at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
