NFL Power Ratings
Jerry DiPaola Ranks The Pros
By Jerry DiPaola

Miami: NFL's top rusher, top sacker and an underrated coach. Add LB Seau. Out of playoffs to Super Bowl? Could happen.

Tampa Bay: SB XXXVII champs a year older but still talented and well coached. Distractions could derail repeat.

Tennessee: QB McNair and RB George will Titans to win. Few changes for AFC runner-up except for adding more depth.

Green Bay: Automatic title contender with QB Favre. Defense has added speed and youth. Injury to DT Brown hurts.

Philadelphia: Big loss in DE Douglas but Eagles are solid and deep; winning last year without star QB McNabb proved it.

Atlanta: Healthy QB Vick to WR Price should be a top-flight NFL tandem. Defense isn't bad despite showing versus Steelers.

San Francisco: '49ers good but not great last year. New coach Erickson is a step down from former coach Mariucci.

Oakland: Super Bowl loss exposed aging Raiders. Rice, Gannon, Brown, Woodson and Romanowski average age is 38.2.

Pittsburgh: First rate offense but defense counting on rookie S Polamalu and better CB play. Schedule is brutal.

Buffalo: Bills prez Donohoe has built a team that can score and play defense thanks to QB Bledsoe and new LB Spikes.

NY Giants: Special teams cost big last season. Welcome newcomers K Hollis, P Feagles, KR Mitchell and long snapper Kuehl.

St. Louis: Rams still have QB Warner and RB Faulk, but defense looks too average. Long fall in a short time.

New England: Pat's were 31st against run; new LB Colvin and S Harrison may help. Top pick T Warren is key addition too.

Seattle: QB Hasselbeck good as any in NFL late last season. Top rate coordinator Ray Rhodes takes over defensive reins.

Baltimore: Stayed in playoff hunt with team gutted by salary cap. Coach Billick and LB Lewis deserve plenty of respect.

NY Jets: Rising star in QB Pennington, but Jets lost WR Coles, G Thomas, K Hall and KR Morton in off-season.

Denver: Can QB Plummer make that much difference? $40 million over seven years says ownership believes he can.

New Orleans: Picked up un-spectacular but solid LT Gandy from Steelers. Decent team again felled by December swoon.

Indianapolis: None better than QB Manning / WR Harrison when hot. Coach Dungy must work defensive magic once again.

Kansas City: RB Holmes' injury and pay squabble could hold team back. Chiefs still lack a pass rush.

San Diego: Offensive punch with QB Brees, RB Tomlinson and WR Boston but young secondary and no more Seau.

Cincinnati: Bengals will be better, but compared to what. Last made playoffs two years before Cowher became head coach.

Carolina: Optimistic with new QB Delhomme and RB Davis. Defense already strong: DE Peppers (12 sacks as rookie).

Washington: Can QB Ramsey get ball to new WR Coles often enough? Loss of Marvin Lewis negates almost all additions.

Cleveland: Totally revamped defense with new players and coaches. QB play may present problems on offense too.

Chicago: Kordell watch is on in Pittsburgh. Old news: Should Stewart adapt to Bears' offense or vice versa.

Minnesota: Vikings improved sorry defense in off-season but still must reduce turnovers (41 last season).

Jacksonville: Final days for QB Brunell. New coach Del Rio added DE Douglas to franchise clearly in transition.

Dallas: New coach Parcells versus owner Jerry Jones. Clash of egos will decide how season plays out.

Detroit: Potential stars in QB Harrington, WR Rogers and T's Backus and McDougle. New coach Mariucci knows what to do.

Houston: Still much to do but defense played very well last year. QB Carr in survival mode until Texans build offense.

Arizona: Gone are QB Plummer and WR Boston. New QB Blake has few playmakers. RB Smith will help sell tickets.