ESPN Preseason Power Rankings
by awd777 on Jul 27, 2009 10:10 PM EDT
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PrintESPN, also known as "The Great Satan of Sports Media," has recently posted the Preseason NFL Power Rankings on their website. The early favorites this year are as follows...
1. Steelers
2. Patriots
3. Giants
4. Eagles
5. Colts
Now, what is the point of this post, you ask? Am I excited about the fact that the Eagles are rated very highly in the eyes of the experts over in Bristol, Connecticut? No. Am I mad at the fact that the Giants are rated higher than the Eagles? No. So, what's the deal? What's the point?
Take a look at the highest rated teams that ESPN pointed out in previous Preseason Power Rankings...
AFC Favorite - Patriots
NFC Favorite - Cowboys
Superbowl Winner - Steelers
AFC Favorite - Patriots
NFC Favorite - Bears
Superbowl Winner - Giants
AFC Favorite - Steelers
NFC Favorite - Seahawks
Superbowl Winner - Colts
AFC Favorite - Patriots
NFC Favorite - Eagles
Superbowl Winner - Steelers
AFC Favorite - Patriots
NFC Favorite - Eagles
Superbowl Winner - Patriots
AFC Favorite - Raiders
NFC Favorite - Bucs
Superbowl Winner - Patriots
NFC Favorite - Rams
Superbowl Winner - Bucs
Of the seven previous attempts at Preseason Power Rankings, ESPN has been right once. All other predictions do not even have either favorite winning the Superbowl.
The Eagles are not ranked as an NFC favorite... and in my opinion... GOOD! The opinions of the world's largest sports conglomerate obviously hold no authority until the season is actually played out. Anything could happen (injury, circus plays, trades) during the season and on any given Sunday. I think the Eagles have the tools to go deep into the playoffs, but only time will tell. Just be glad that ESPN doesn't consider us their favorites to win the whole thing!
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Eagles fan bias aside, I find it extremely hard to understand how they could rank the Giants above us. The last 2 times the teams met we spanked them on their own turf. I just don’t see what the Giants have done since then to warrant them being ranked above us.
If anything, I would argue that, since the last time the 2 teams met, we have gotten better and they have gotten worse.
I am honestly tired of the hard-on the professional sports media seems to have for the NY Football Giants. With due credit for the D (read Spagnolo) of the SB 42 season, the fact remains that the Giants, while talented, are quite overrated.
I normally try to take a very cordial approach to posting on internet forums such as BGN, but the fact remains that manning got lucky in SB 42, period. I just got done watching the Eagles @ Giants playoff game from last year, and I have to point out that Eli just really sucked, especially when they needed him the most.
Look, the Giants games still concern me, as I have stated they are a good football team. But if your job involves writing as a professional NFL analyst for a major sports site, I just can not fathom how in hell you can rank the Giants above the Eagles.
by captain nodar on Jul 27, 2009 11:13 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
maybe because the Giants
improved on defense?
Yes, Plax loss hurts. And so does the Dawkins loss for your team
But both teams don’t go anywhere without their defense. Dawkins loss could hurt the Eagles more than losing Plax hurts the Giants. Remember, you don’t know how your going to play sans Dawkins.
The Eagles essentially lost 2 DC’s on defense this season, with JJ hopefully on his way to recovery and Dawkins out to mountainous pastures. The Giants lost Spagnuolo, but gained Osi and a slew of other Defensive players.
So its really not hard at all to place the Giants above the Eagles. I really don’t understand how the Eagles can be placed above the Giants on a preseason poll.
Yes the Eagles beat them twice, but this is a preseason poll. The Giants win a SB, and the next season in a preseason poll the Cowgirls are still ahead of them.
Its doesn’t matter at all anyway.
by FreeBradshaw on Jul 28, 2009 7:55 AM EDT up reply actions
Dawkins loss could hurt the Eagles more than losing Plax hurts the Giants.
…i’m not so sure of that. dawkins was a heck of a player and a terrific team leader, but you can’t ignore the fact that he is slowing down with age. i would have loved to see him stick around because i think he has another year left in him, but you never know.
the giants had a fantastic collapse last year once plax was out of the equation. i mean, they lost 4 out of their last 5 games. if we struggle on d this year, i think it would be mostly due to the loss of a coach, rather than a player… which is something you guys will have to deal with too.
It's not just Plax by the way...
Derrick Ward accounted for 24.7% of their yards from scrimmage last year.
giants
giants have the best D in the league possibly .. a better running game .. and with out plax .. well have to see on the passing game .. but they are still a top 3 team .. and they did win the division last year
by jack is better than asante on Jul 28, 2009 4:26 AM EDT reply actions
No way you guys have the best D
the Steelers lost nothing on there’s and even added a few good players… so no way anyone passes them really…
I think the eagles D will be better next year(compared to ’08) because were getting a younger FS either way who can now cover and we dont have to protect them like we did with dawk last year(sadly)… We also have on of the best if not the best CB group in the league(if Brown shows up and actually plays). We may have a pretty good LB core, Bradley is a rising star, Gocong is pretty good and could get alot better(he is great in run support no matter what you say… look at the jacobs hit last year) and whoever plays at WLB is going to be good because Jordan took over and played pretty well and Gaither started till that point and has the drive to be the best… Also our D-line is alway pretty good… If anything we got better in my opinion.
hahah
gocong sucks .. stop saying hes good .. and the giants have a better d .. if you go position by postion
by jack is better than asante on Jul 28, 2009 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions
FUCK YOU JACKASS
once again GOCONG is extreemly well at run support. which is his primary job.. He will do better with more expirience.. Since your so critical of all these players why werent/arent you in the NFL out playing them you fucking piece of shit?
Ah yes, the whole you can’t be critical of a professional athlete unless you have happen to one yourself.
Cute.
eh
its a valid arguement, there the ones who made it to the NFL. there the ones who put in all the work…
You cant say they aren’t good unless there not starting.
When someone voices an opinion about whether or not a professional athlete is good, it’s in the realm of other starting caliber professional athletes.
Being a team’s starter doesn’t make you ‘good’. Better than the general public, sure, but that’s not how you’re being judged.
If a surgeon kills 50% of his patients, he’s not a good surgeon because a random person would have let had a lot more patients die.
And what’s a valid argument? That JIBTA can’t voice any opinion because he’s not a professional athlete? That’s completely absurd. I guess just about no one on here is allowed to say anything.
Additionally, sure everyone makes mistakes, but get your there/their/they’re’s in order.
And finally, your cursing is really unnecessary. Real classy. Makes your arguments so much better, and makes you seem so much older.
(and don’t whine that other people do it. I’m well aware. Just letting you know)
I’m fine with the Giants being ranked ahead of us. They got Osi back, picked up that dude from the Cowboys, brought in a couple of new linebackers and just generally kept their defense going. They lost their DC so who knows whats thats going to do.
When you look at the offense, nobody really knows what the loss of Plax is going to do to Eli. Yeah, I’ve got no faith in Eli and I love seeing the Eagles put the “Manning Face” onto him but now that they’ve had a whole off season to install an offense without Plax, who knows. Maybe he did actually grow into a guy who wants to play football. Plus, despite the loss of Derrick Ward, they still have one of the best lines in the league and a steamroller of a fullback.
I’m certainly not saying the Giants are better than the Eagles. We all saw how last season went down. But when you think about how subtle their offseason was compared to our’s, it makes sense. That defense will keep them in games. Now we get to see if Eli goes back to crapping the bed.
by TransplantedFan on Jul 28, 2009 9:52 AM EDT reply actions
Now we get to see if Eli goes back to crapping the bed.
if?… more like when.
eli WILL fail and I WILL laugh at his sorry ass and the g-men when they sign him to a ridiculous multi-year extension.. if eli was a top notch qb he would spend his time in the weight room rather than whatever he does currently to “get in football shape”
by RIP26_litodoin'work on Jul 28, 2009 10:18 AM EDT reply actions
yup
almost commented on it but figured someone would rip me anyways.. how do they work exactly?
by RIP26_litodoin'work on Jul 28, 2009 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions
type or copy&paste whatever you want to quote
then highlight (click to one side, hold down shift and move to the other end) your mouse cursor over it, then click the " button.
We should leave an open thread somewhere on this site where people can practice.
Then preview your post b4 posting it, just to make sure
by sports00fan00 on Jul 28, 2009 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions
It’s
easy
onceyou
getthe
hangof
it!
Astra Inclinant, Non Necessitant
by EagleGreeninMD on Jul 28, 2009 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions
much appreciated
We should leave an open thread somewhere on this site where people can practice.
by RIP26_litodoin'work on Jul 28, 2009 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions
ok
lol lte me try this
like this
by jack is better than asante on Jul 28, 2009 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions
haha
i dont get it but fuck it ..
by jack is better than asante on Jul 28, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions
It's funny...
how John Clayton ranks the Giants third and then questions their receiving ability in his comment. Giants have the better D-line. That’s it. Eagles are better than the Giants in every other category.
Taking Route 36 will bring you to Touchdown,PHI
our o-line still isnt a SURE thing
as much as I hate to say it… whereas theirs is proven
other than that, we are definitely better in all other positions
by RIP26_litodoin'work on Jul 28, 2009 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions
Here is my run down of the two teams
QB- goes to eagles
RB- If west is healthy goes to eagles
FB- Tie.. to be honest.
WR- Eagles, Curtis is proven(if healthy), Djax is a rising star, Maclin just makes our depth better
TE- Giants… because aside from the Playoff’s Celek is relitively unknown.. After this year though it’ll be the eagles
OL- Tie… NYG have a good one, we have a good one… We’ll see after this season.
DL- Giants.. they have too much good depth and osi is coming back
LB- Eagles.. In my honest unbiased opinion I think this goes to the eagles were too young, and have so much potential
CB- Eagles.. no real arguement here, its like the NYG DL vs PHI DL
SS- Eagles.. Mikel is probowl quality without the title.
FS- Giants.. Demps and Jones dont have alot of expirience here.
ST- Eagles.. great returners
I did my best to be unbiased i swear.
biased on th O-Line, so I gues you didn't try hard enough
end of the season could tell a lot, but proven Giants O-Line vs. basically 3 new starters on the eagles o-Line.
Shaun Andrews is coming back from losing his mind + back injury. That’s a big question. Stacy Andrews is coming off being a crappy lineman on the Bengals, so that’s a question. Peters has the potential to stay and All-Pro…he could also coast now that he’s got the dough that he wanted.
Peters is really not much of a question, the other guys are.
And just cuz you have many of individual positions ranked better, means exactly dick (I think I told you this before, but I can’t help myself.) It simply doesn’t matter.
by FreeBradshaw on Jul 28, 2009 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions
hahah wild eagle is a jack ass
i got this
qb – eagles
RB – giants
WR- Eagles slightly
TE- Tie boss and celek .. both arnt great starters
OL- Tie .. peters andrew and andrews have potential to form the best ol in league .. but its unproven .. giants is also very good .. imma say tie for now .. could go either way
DL- Giants by far .. i love bunkley .. but thats about all the eagles have better
LB- GIants .. pierce is getting old but still can play .. bradley is emerging but not there yet .. and gocong is not very good .. not even sure who theother starter is now .. but neither is better than boley
Corners- close again but the eagles by depth win this .. because hanson is a better third corner
Saftey – Tie .. not sure whos gonna start oppisite mikell .. but phillips is a budding star and superior talent
freebradshaw .. u agree? this is more realistic
by jack is better than asante on Jul 28, 2009 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions
RB is questionable. Jacobs is more a of mythical hero than he is an amazing running back. They also lost their proven depth in Ward. Both top guys have injury problems. I go Westbrook
WR- Giants need Hixon to break out. Brown, Jackson, and Curtis have the past production on their side with a 800, 900, and 1000 yard season under their belt as an Eagles respectively.
OL- I don’t like using potential too much in preseason analysis. Giants are superior until proven otherwise.
I think Bradley is already better than Pierce.
Corners are close? Webster is good, but whoever wins the other job isn’t close to who ever you consider the 2nd corner. I think the Eagles are better at every corner spot 1-5.
Mikell’s all-pro season has him equal to a guy with potential? Granted you can go with the Dawkins loss creates question mark thing, which is there, but the progression of talent is no lock either.
pierce
pierce and boley and sintim > the bradley and two average lbs
by jack is better than asante on Jul 28, 2009 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Boley has his question marks after being benched last season, and Sintim is a rookie, who played 3-4, who was thought by many to have stiff hips and underwhelming athleticism, at least as it pertains to coverage.
Gocong was a beast at getting to the QB in college too, and you think he’s terrible at OLB. So slotting Sintim in as better than him, is if not else, questionable.
That also makes two new starters to the unit for the Giants.
(Now I’ll clarify that I don’t think Sintim is a terrible player, I was pointing out the negatives to make an argument. He was a 2nd round prospect for a reason.)
Agreed on everything
except the O-Line, its not a tie until teh Eagles essentially 3 new starters prove they can work together.
LB’s the Giants are not as good, so no. Sintim could change that, but he’s a rook so who knows.
RB Id say depth overall the Giants probably are better, Id take Bradshaw over the Eagles backups simply cuz Booker blows and McCoy hasn’t done anything yet.
Westbrook is as much an injury risk as Jacobs, probably moreso with his surgery in the offseason.
…Chris Gocong is a good linebacker. Just cuz he aint flashy means dick. He’s solid and I’ll take those LB’s over the flashy ones looking for a payday anyday.
by FreeBradshaw on Jul 29, 2009 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions
wow, you called me a jackass and changed 2 things...
I looked at the safty positions seperately..
Your geriatric piece of shit ass is going to die one day and when you look back at your life I hope this stands out..
FUCK YOU… YOU HARDLY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE EAGLES AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A FAN… ALL YOU DO IS ARGUE AND CALL NAMES LIKE A PUSSY WHEN SOMEONE SAYS SOMETHING… IF ANYONE SAYS BRADLEY IS BETTER THAT THE BUC’S RUUD YOU WOULD ARGUE THAT. IF I SAID ASANTE WAS BETTER THAN THE BRONCO’S BAILEY YOU WOULD ARGUE THAT… YOUR NOT A REAL EAGLES FAN..
yea i am
im realistic .. just beacuse someones an eagle doesnt mean they are better .. i love donovan .. but hes not peyton manning ..
by jack is better than asante on Jul 28, 2009 6:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Im not saying that
but you also have to look at the players playing style and see how it fits into a system..
For example Bradley is a big MLB, he is the definition of an old school MLB, and he does well in a system designed for him to do the things that he is very good at.
Gocong(although you somehow hate him) is an average at best LB anywhere else but in a system where he primarily plays as a run support/pass rushing LB he is pretty good. No doubt he is very good against the run, i think he gets less credit than he deserves.
Gaither is just an athletic, strong, smart LB, Idk what happened to him last year, all I know is that he provides solid depth behind all 3 starters without there being a big drop off.
Jordan took gaithers job last season. Gaither was supposed to be a Defensive leader but Jordan took that from him. Idk much about him but he sure does make plays and plays sideline to sideline..
Both Gaither and Jordan fit into this system well.
See you can say Pierce is better than Bradley and base it off stats all you want, but you also have to look at what is asked of them. Gocong could have the breakout year this year, so could Bradley and so could gaither and jordan… You have to factor in youth and athleticism when you compare entire LB groups.
you can say Pierce is better than Bradley and base it off stats all you want
Just for the record, Bradley had better stats.
Bradley had more tackles and more passes defended. Bradley also got an interception.
Gocong could have the breakout year this year, so could Bradley and so could gaither and jordan…
I guess Sintim can’t though? It’s fair to think a young player will improve his game to a degree, but claiming everyone can break out is a pretty weak argument.
yea
ill give u bradley .. hes emerging .. and pierce is on the downside .. hes sitll good .. but not as good .. but no way im giving you gocong .. who is by far the weak link in our D and needs to become an end .. where he can rush the passer .. which is his best asset
by jack is better than asante on Jul 29, 2009 1:22 AM EDT up reply actions
I actually agree with you
but we pretty much use Gocong as a 3rd end and I think if he could ever get good at covering then he could be a good LB.
But I 100% agree with the statement that gocong needs to just play end. I honestly have been saying that since before last year. Move him to LDE opposite of cole and thats a hell of a DL. I think gocong would be a great end, and he would be good enough to draw some pressure of cole.
But has anyone else noticed how Bradley takes care of jacobs? I honestly think JJ told bradley to just cover jacobs and he did a good job. I mean sure Jacobs had some runs here and there but Bradley consistantly met him at the line, expecially during those last two meetings when we had confidence in Bradley…
No im just saying that if
all three LB’s are just about to hit there prime thats pretty dangerous… You also got to look at some of the other points that I made
for the record I know bradley had better stats.
well I'm just saying I TRIED to remain as
unbiased as possible.. People can rank things differently.. Everyone will have there own opinion but nobody will be right until the season is over and someone looks at the whole picture…
Canty sucked
and I guess now that he got his money he’s just going to coast too right?
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
Here's what they said about the Eagles last year, food for thought.
13 (13) Eagles 8-8-0 This is the wild-card factor. With a healthy Donovan McNabb and and an improved defense, the Eagles could get back to winning NFC East titles. Keep your eyes on speedy rookie DeSean Jackson. (MM)
Not too far off from 9-6-1 and they were right on about DeSean.
Giants Logic
Is stupid but here it is:
They improved by adding 3 guys on defense. and they got OSI back… HOWEVER, even though the Eagles got 3 upgrades on the O-line, they wont play as well….
They over rate the hell out of their back 7.
They think Hixon is going to have a 1300 yd 10+ TD season and Boss will have a breakout season too.
They think their 3 running backs are the best in the NFL.
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
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