The 2022 NFL season is nearly here. On Thursday night, the league will drop a potential Super Bowl preview on the world when the Buffalo Bills travel to face the Los Angeles Rams.
That leaves one last chance for snap reactions based on the faintest whiffs of actual football. Since February, the league has sprinkled hints of how the upcoming season will play out in roster moves and preseason games. Week 1 will bring a deluge, proving which teams have made the moves to set a postseason foundation and whose offseason priorities were in the wrong place.
But that’s still days away, and we’ve got foolhardy predictions to make.
After weeks of practices and a handful of games that didn’t count, We go back to the power rankings. Here’s where every team stands as opening night looms. I can’t wait to see how wrong we are.
32
Houston Texans
Pre-preseason rank: 32
There’s a lot of prove-it in this Houston team, which offers little star power but does have a nice blend of young prospects and useful veterans. If Davis Mills had looked a little better this preseason I could have squeezed the Texans past the Bears. But the tie goes to the quarterback, and Justin Fields is more exciting in a similarly hopeless situation.
31
Chicago Bears
Pre-preseason rank: 31
This roster wouldn’t look entirely out of place in the XFL and both the offensive and defensive lines are troubling. But Justin Fields looked great against JV defenses this preseason and should spark a modicum of hope in between getting sacked and having passes dropped this year.
30
Atlanta Falcons
Pre-preseason rank: 27
It’s gonna be a long year, but the Falcons — between Desmond Ridder, Kyle Pitts and Drake London — will be fun to watch. That’s about as much as you can hope for at the start of a rebuild.
29
Seattle Seahawks
Pre-preseason rank: 28
The quarterback competition between Geno Smith and Drew Lock had a few moments of brilliance but was mostly what you’d expect. Unless this defense punches way above its weight class, 2022 will be Seattle’s worst season since 2009.
28
Washington Commanders
Pre-preseason rank: 23
Maybe a solid receiving corps will boost Carson Wentz back to his Philly best. But he won’t have a dynamic running game to count on, thanks to Brian Robinson’s ongoing recovery from multiple gunshot wounds and Ron Rivera’s general lack of love for Antonio Gibson this preseason. The defense will be counted on to rebound in a big way after disappointing last fall.
27
Detroit Lions
Pre-preseason rank: 26
The pieces are in place for a resurgence and this team will be better than it was in 2021. If Jared Goff can level his game back up to his early Rams numbers, Detroit can make a run to playoff contention. If not, the Lions will bide their time and ruin other team’s postseason hopes instead.
26
New York Giants
Pre-preseason rank: 30
Daniel Jones has looked competent this summer. Maybe it’s just a normal result of a functional environment and preseason defenses. Or maybe a new coaching staff and revamped offensive line/wideout corps is exactly what he needs to reclaim the potential he lost after a solid, but uneven, rookie campaign in 2019.
25
New York Jets
Pre-preseason rank: 22
Zach Wilson was 2021’s worst quarterback and he missed the majority of the preseason with an injury. He’ll have to drop into gear immediately to spur meaningful improvement for a Jets team that made all the right roster moves to improve around him.
24
Jacksonville Jaguars
Pre-preseason rank: 25
Every win in 2022 is a middle finger to Urban Meyer’s 2021. I hope they go 17-0.
23
Carolina Panthers
Pre-preseason rank: 29
Is this giving Baker Mayfield too much credit? Maybe! But Carolina has a solid young defense and could be a competent passing game — and some injury luck — away from a surprise playoff run.
22
New England Patriots
Pre-preseason rank: 19
The offseason was the deafening thud of liquid nitrogen being poured down a wasp’s nest. Now Mac Jones has to sustain his NFL momentum behind the guidance of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. Cool. Cool cool cool.
21
Cleveland Browns
Pre-preseason rank: 24
Jacoby Brissett has 11 games to keep things from bursting into flames. Then we see what 28 games off — and two years of offseason turmoil stemming from more than 20 accusations of sexual misconduct — has done to Deshaun Watson’s quarterbacking.
20
Minnesota Vikings
Pre-preseason rank: 21
Minnesota has a new head coach and a massive opportunity to strike at a depleted NFC. If Kevin O’Connell can get Kirk Cousins’ solid stats to count in crunch time, the Vikings have a stew going. If not, a talented-but-unproven defense could be less than the sum of its parts en route to another .500-ish season.
19
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pre-preseason rank: 20
Mitchell Trubisky is starting quarterback. All he has to be is competent to allow a receiving corps loaded with playmakers and a star studded defense to carry this team to a third-straight playoff appearance.
He … might not be competent.
18
Arizona Cardinals
Pre-preseason rank: 17
There’s a lot riding on Kyler Murray now that he’s signed a contract that makes him the third-highest salaried player in the NFL. Can he shine without DeAndre Hopkins in the lineup for the first six games of the season due to a PED suspension? Or will this season fall apart before Kliff Kingsbury can engineer his annual winter collapse?
17
New Orleans Saints
Pre-preseason rank: 18
Jameis Winston settled into a less-is-more mindset last season and went 5-2 as a starter before tearing his ACL. Now he’ll have a healthy Michael Thomas and rookie Chris Olave, who could help him return to his gunslinging ways. The Saints hope he’ll land somewhere in between, emerging as a high efficiency passer capable of throwing for 400+ yards a few times per year.
16
Dallas Cowboys
Pre-preseason rank: 13
Dallas’ predilection toward star power has built a recognizable team with limited depth. Losing Tyron Smith could mean trouble for Dak Prescott, who’ll also have to contend with a thin wideout corps — especially if Michael Gallup is slow to return from the torn ACL that ended his 2021.
15
Indianapolis Colts
Pre-preseason rank: 15
Has Matt Ryan’s controlled descent from “MVP” to “roughly average” been a function of his age, or merely the effect of being an Atlanta Falcon for an extended period of time? Either way, a potent defense and the game’s best running back should give him plenty of cover.
14
Tennessee Titans
Pre-preseason rank: 14
Tennessee’s defense was a reason to believe in 2022. How will that group hold up now that Harold Landry will miss the entire season? If they can’t match last year’s standard, the line between success and failure will depend on Derrick Henry’s return and how Ryan Tannehill looks with a massively overhauled receiving corps.
13
Miami Dolphins
Pre-preseason rank: 16
Miami has surrounded Tua Tagovailoa with the receivers and blocking capable of unlocking his deep game. After ranking 30th among 33 qualified quarterbacks in pass depth in 2021 (7.0 yards), he needs it. Even if he struggles, the Dolphins have the personnel to break a five-year playoff drought.
12
Baltimore Ravens
Pre-preseason rank: 9
There are a lot of expectations on Lamar Jackson’s bounceback season — perhaps none greater than Jackson’s himself, since he’s playing for a new megadeal contract extension this fall. The depleted receiving corps around him will make it difficult, but an always-capable defense is there to help grind out games.
11
Las Vegas Raiders
Pre-preseason rank: 11
Derek Carr gets the chance to prove he’s more than just a “remember some guys” quarterback 20 years from now. His big three of Davante Adams, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow is the best receiving corps he’s ever had. The blocking in front of him is questionable, however, and the league’s 21st-ranked passing defense will have to hold up against the aerial giants of the AFC West.
10
San Francisco 49ers
Pre-preseason rank: 12
The 49ers are insulated from bad quarterback play; you don’t get to two NFC title games in three years with Jimmy Garoppolo at the helm otherwise. Trey Lance adds a new dimension to this offense with his athleticism. He’ll have to prove he can identify open windows downfield and make fourth quarter throws to bump San Francisco’s expectations beyond “playoff team.”
9
Philadelphia Eagles
Pre-preseason rank: 10
The Eagles had arguably 2022’s most productive offseason to build off a faster-than-expected reload in 2021. Jalen Hurts now needs to be a big enough star to keep the rest of the planets in his orbit thriving.
8
Denver Broncos
Pre-preseason rank: 8
The combination of Russell Wilson and a talented young secondary suggests Denver’s six-year playoff drought is over. Can a wideout group led by Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler finally let Russ cook for a full season?
7
Green Bay Packers
Pre-preseason rank: 7
They’ve got the reigning MVP and a head coach who’s never won fewer than 13 games in the regular season. Sure, Aaron Rodgers’ receiving corps is mostly extras from a Disney channel movie about football players who also sing, but Green Bay’s defense is trending in the right direction and should provide all the cover a questionable offense needs to win games.
6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pre-preseason rank: 6
Tom Brady’s age 45 season will come behind an offensive line replacing three starters up front. Fortunately, his receiving corps remains stacked and Tampa’s top 10 defense remains mostly intact. Logic suggests a cliff is approaching, but Brady’s career is anything but logical at this point.
5
Kansas City Chiefs
Pre-preseason rank: 3
Patrick Mahomes just played the least efficient season of his career. He now goes into 2022 without his top wideout. Kansas City went with quantity over quality to replace Tyreek Hill, which could pay dividends by stretching defenses and providing stable WR2/3/4 options. If a rebuilt secondary can hold up, the Chiefs will retain their annual spot in the conference title game.
4
Cincinnati Bengals
Pre-preseason rank: 4
Will Joe Burrow be rusty after missing a big chunk of the preseason thanks to a burst appendix? Probably not, but since a big part of these power rankings is overreacting to August the Bengals still got leapfrogged by the Chargers. Improvements along the offensive line and secondary leave room for an encore performance as Cincinnati works to defend its AFC title.
3
Los Angeles Chargers
Pre-preseason rank: 5
Justin Herbert’s star grew in 2021, but the defense behind him ultimately couldn’t keep pace. GM Tom Telesco worked overtime to fix that, trading for Khalil Mack, signing J.C. Jackson, Austin Johnson and Sebastian Joseph-Day and drafting JT Woods. The stage is set for Herbert to cement his place in the upper tier, even if he’s got to do it in the toughest division in football.
2
Los Angeles Rams
Pre-preseason rank: 2
The Rams have a target on their backs and a quarterback whose elbow created issues late last regular season and remains iffy, even with the recent green light to sling it. Of course, Matthew Stafford recovered in time last season to lead LA to a Super Bowl, so maybe worrying about him is stupid.
1
Buffalo Bills
Pre-preseason rank: 1
Buffalo has few weaknesses and an MVP-favorite quarterback. Concerns remain about a secondary that’s blending unproven guys, older veterans and a superstar coming off knee surgery (Tre’Davious White), but the Bills have months to work that out before their postseason run begins. Expectations haven’t been this high in Western New York since the Jim Kelly days.
