Preseason power poll
By Marla RidenourNFL preseason power rankings
1. San Diego: With playoff-cursed coach Marty Schottenheimer gone, L.T. will really make Clevelanders wonder "What if?"
2. Indianapolis: Joining Manning and Co., rookie slot receiver Anthony Gonzalez was the real Luckeye.
3. New England: Tom Brady-Randy Moss chemistry needs time; best pickup may be ex-Raven LB Adalius Thomas.
4. New Orleans: Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister on verge of Super Bowl if defense improves.
5. Dallas: Even without Parcells, young ’Boys looked primed for the future if Tony Romo rocks.
6. Philadelphia: Clock ticking on Eagles' run; key is whether Donovan McNabb has recovered from torn ACL.
7. Baltimore: Top-ranked defense could carry Ravens to AFC championship, but Steve McNair must hold up.
8. Carolina: Ex-Browns offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson looks to prove his worth in same role with Panthers.
9. Chicago: Super Bowl runner-up's lineup is talented but unspectacular except for Devin Hester, Brian Urlacher.
10. Pittsburgh: Ben Roethlisberger should bounce back from miserable sophomore season; Santonio Holmes will become his go-to guy.
11. Denver: Jay Cutler is the real deal, but Browncos experiment on defense set them back.
12. Cincinnati: Carson Palmer needs to put up 30 points a game since grumbling has already begun (i.e. Levi Jones).
13. Seattle: Defensive upgrades will help, but Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander must stay healthy.
14. St. Louis: Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson lead talented offense, but defense ranked 31st in league against the run in '06.
15. Buffalo: J.P. Losman coming into his own, but rookie LB Paul Posluszny can't make up for loss of 3 key defenders.
16. N.Y. Jets: Impact rookie defenders Darrell Revis and David Harris can't cover for weak running game.
17. Tennessee: Doesn't have all the pieces yet, but Vince Young should make more magic.
18. Jacksonville: Second-ranked defense and rushing tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew gives Jags hope.
19. Miami: New QB Trent Green needs Ted Ginn Jr. to be more than the next Hester.
20. N.Y. Giants: Can ex-Browns coach Chris Palmer turn Eli Manning into an elite QB?
21. Green Bay: Easy to root for Brett Favre in his race for the record books, but run game is suspect.
22. Minnesota: If 2nd-year QB Tarvaris Jackson isn't ready, Kelly Holcomb will be handing off to Adrian Peterson.
23. Arizona: Matt Leinart completed 57 percent in '06 and has upgraded o-line; 29th-ranked defense the issue.
24. San Francisco: Coach Mike Nolan improving Niners' depth, but Alex Smith has few reliable targets.
25. Washington: Team could be another year away from respectability even with Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs.
26. Tampa Bay: We all know the gamble Jon Gruden is taking by banking on Jeff Garcia.
27. Houston: New QB Matt Schaub, who has two career starts,19YO rookie DT Amobi Okoye and LB DeMeco Ryans make Texans worth watching.
28. Cleveland: Eric Steinbach, Joe Thomas and Jamal Lewis make the offense dramatically better no matter who's behind center.
29. Oakland: No. 3-ranked defense must hold the fort while 32 YO coach Lane Kiffin fights turf war with owner Al Davis.
30. Detroit: Second overall pick Calvin Johnson can't do it all as o-line, defense under the gun.
31. Atlanta: Michael Vick saga has new coach Bobby Petrino wishing he brought Brian Brohm with him.
32. Kansas City: Quarterbacks Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle look more shaky than the Browns' corps.


