Post-Super Bowl NFL power rankings have the Saints in the middle of the pack

There were ups and downs throughout the season, but a strong finish placed the Saints in the top half of these post-Super Bowl NFL power rankings:

The New Orleans Saints find themselves at No. 15 in the NFL.com’s Eric Edholm final power rankings of 2023. This leaves the Saints sitting in the middle of the pack, which feels appropriate with the entire season. There were long stretches of feeling like the Saints were a below-average team, and at times their poor results proved those doubts valid. New Orleans ended the season strongly, though.

Here’s what Edholm wrote in ranking the Saints at No. 15:

The team’s annual salary-cap surgery must begin soon, given that the Saints open the offseason with the most work left to do. They’re projected to be more than $80 million over the cap as things stand now, and even with some obvious sources for savings, this major hurdle threatens to weaken the team at several key positions: on both lines of scrimmage, at cornerback and at wide receiver. New Orleans also must figure out the future of important but expensive specialists in Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill. With Derek Carr locked in this offseason at QB, there’s a worry that the Saints might not be able to do enough to surround him with the kind of talent he needs. This offense was out of sorts throughout 2023, prone to wild swings in effectiveness on a week-to-week basis, and there’s no clear path to adding major talent this offseason. Oh, and Dennis Allen is back for a third season with a lot to prove. How are you feeling about this team right now, Saints fans?

Numerically, No. 16 would be the definition of average in the NFL. The Saints played well enough to end the season right above that. In reality, that’s still an average team, and they barely make the “top half” of the league. They weren’t good enough to get into the playoffs New Orleans benefitted from a weak schedule down the stretch, but a win against the NFC South-champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 17 makes the placement understandable.

In order to improve on these results, New Orleans has to find a way to even out those ups and downs. Better first half performances are a must, and they have to show it against better teams. They’ll likely have a weak schedule again, and the Saints have to take advantage of it better than they did this past season.

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Titans way-too-early 2024 power rankings round-up

With the 2023 season in the books, a look at where experts are putting the Titans in their way-too-early 2024 NFL power rankings.

With the 2023 season now officially in the books after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, experts from different media outlets are releasing their way-too-early NFL power rankings, all of which have the Tennessee Titans near the bottom of the league.

We start with our friends over at USA TODAY’s For The Win, where Robert Zeglinski and Christian D’Andrea have the Titans at No. 31. Here’s what they had to say about it:

Brian Callahan will have to work the magic that made Jake Browning an above-average quarterback on Will Levis… or maybe Malik Willis? Either way, it’s a wholesale rebuild in Nashville, and expectations will be low for 2024.

For the record: Assuming Malik Willis actually sticks with this team into the start of the season, he will not sniff the starting job in 2024, barring an injury to Will Levis.

With so much uncertainty and a lot of work to do to improve their roster, it’s no surprise that everyone is down on the Titans ahead of the offseason.

However, Tennessee can turn this thing around sooner rather than later with the assets the team has this offseason.

Not only do the Titans appear to have a franchise quarterback in Will Levis, they also have a ton of cap space and a pair of top-40 picks in the 2024 NFL draft, including No. 7 overall.

Now, the rest of our round-up:

ESPN’s early 2024 power rankings don’t buy what the Saints are selling

ESPN’s early 2024 power rankings don’t buy what the Saints are selling. New Orleans starts out deep in the bottom half of the league:

ESPN’s early 2024 power rankings don’t buy what the New Orleans Saints are selling. To hear general manager Mickey Loomis tell it, the Saints are so close to the playoffs that fans should go ahead and reserve their tickets — but neutral observers taking stock of the entire league think the Saints are closer to being one of the NFL’s worst teams than a title contender.

New Orleans starts out deep in the bottom half of the league; ESPN ranked them at No. 22 out of the 32 teams, clocking in at No. 11 among the 16 NFC squads (and, remember, only 7 of those NFC teams make the playoffs). Here’s what ESPN’s NFL Nation reporter Katherine Terrell had to say about the Saints’ outlook, defining their offseason in three words as “Maintaining status quo.”

The Saints parted ways with longtime offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael with plans to hire Klint Kubiak and will have several new assistants on the offensive side. For now, the Saints don’t appear to have any major player changes on the horizon. GM Mickey Loomis still feels the window is open for this team to be successful, which could mean another year where they attempt to keep the roster together in hopes of making it to the playoffs, with a few exceptions.

There may be big changes on the coaching staff, but the Saints’ roster is largely set for 2024. Derek Carr will start quarterback. Alvin Kamara is returning at running back. Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed will continue to play large roles at wide receiver. At least three and probably four, if not all five, starters are returning along the offensive line. There are little to no changes coming for the defensive depth chart. Michael Thomas and Jameis Winston are likely on their way out. Unless Marshon Lattimore is traded, it’s realistic to expect 20 of their 22 starters to return next season.

This is the bed the Saints made for themselves; now they have to lay in it. Loomis restructured so many veteran contracts and botched so many draft picks to where they’re left with few alternatives. New Orleans is betting everything on more experience and a new offensive coaching staff yielding better results in 2024. It’s a big gamble, but if they’re right, they could be in the mix next January. That just isn’t a wager many people outside the team facility are taking them up on.

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NFL divisional round power rankings: Ravens, 49ers up top, with challengers everywhere

Divisional round power rankings! It’s time to rank the remaining eight teams ahead of divisional round weekend.

It is the best weekend in football. The eight best teams in the NFL duking it out for a chance to make it to their respective conference championship games. As the field gets thinner, so too does the margin for error for the remaining playoff teams. Here is how they stack up heading into divisional round weekend.

Eagles vs. Bucs wild card matchup: Who has the edge at each offensive position?

We’re looking at who has the edge at each position when the Philadelphia Eagles meet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFC Wild Card Game

The Eagles will face a familiar foe on the road when they travel to Tampa to face the 9-8 Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium without an injured A.J. Brown.

The most recent postseason meeting came just two years ago, in 2021, in Jalen Hurts’ first road playoff start; Tampa won 31-15.

With kickoff a little over eight hours away, we’re looking at who has the edge at each position on the offensive side of the football.

NFL Power Rankings: Where do playoff teams land entering Super Wild Card Weekend

With the regular season now complete, we’re looking at NFL Power Rankings for Super Wild Card Weekend and where the Baltimore Ravens land as the No. 1 seed

The 2023 NFL regular season is over for 18 teams who, because of injuries, lack of talent, or inconsistency, will now watch the most important tournament in all sports.

The 14 teams representing the AFC and NFC in the 2024 NFL postseason have been set, and both conferences have multiple teams capable of bringing home a Lombardi Trophy.

Baltimore suffered a loss to Pittsburgh in the season finale, but they’re still the top seed in the AFC, and when the entire roster is on the field, they are, without a doubt, the best team in the NFL.

San Francisco is the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while the 3rd-seeded Dallas Cowboys could offer the most significant resistance with the Eagles’ late-season collapse.

With the NFL’s Black Monday upon us and 12 other teams set for Super Wild Card Weekend, we’re unveiling our first postseason power rankings.

NFL Power Rankings: Where do playoff teams land entering Super Wild Card Weekend

With the regular season now complete, we’re looking at NFL Power Rankings for Super Wild Card Weekend and where the Philadelphia Eagles land

The 2023 NFL regular season is over for 18 teams who, because of injuries, lack of talent, or inconsistency, will now watch the most important tournament in all sports.

The 14 teams representing the AFC and NFC in the 2024 NFL postseason have been set, and both conferences have multiple teams capable of bringing home a Lombardi Trophy.

Baltimore suffered a loss to Pittsburgh in the season finale, but they’re still the top seed in the AFC, and when the entire roster is on the field, they are, without a doubt, the best team in the NFL.

San Francisco is the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while the 3rd-seeded Dallas Cowboys could offer the most significant resistance with the Eagles’ late-season collapse.

With the NFL’s Black Monday upon us and 12 other teams set for Super Wild Card Weekend, we’re unveiling our first postseason power rankings.

Titans power rankings round-up going into Week 18

A look at where experts have the Titans in their respective NFL power rankings going into Week 18.

The Tennessee Titans fell further into the abyss of being one of the worst teams in the NFL in Week 17 after dropping their 11th contest of the 2023 campaign in a 26-3 defeat at the hands of the Houston Texans.

We start our power rankings round-up on the mothership, where USA TODAY’s Nate Davis has the Titans falling four spots to No. 29. Here’s Davis’ thoughts on Tennessee:

29. Tennessee Titans (25): Borrowing from last week’s thought but … two years in, pretty crazy they won’t even leverage an opportunity to potentially showcase QB Malik Willis to other teams.

I have to agree with Davis here.

With Levis sidelined in Week 16, the Titans had a chance to play Willis and give him one last look ahead of the offseason, when they’ll have to decide whether or not to keep him.

Not that anyone would have expected him to, but playing well would have helped Willis’ non-existent trade stock or, at the very least, would have given the Titans a better idea about his ability to be Levis’ backup in 2024.

Instead, the Titans opted to roll with Ryan Tannehill, who will be gone in free agency this coming offseason. Perhaps the Titans will change course in Week 18 if Levis, who is dealing with a foot injury and shouldn’t play even if healthy enough to do so, doesn’t suit up.

Now, our round-up:

2024 NFL New Year’s power rankings: Another Baltimore blowout

For the final time in 2023 (and the first time in 2024) here are the Sunday Night power rankings as we head into the final week of the NFL regular season.

Happy New Year, ya filthy animals. Wait, wrong movie, my apologies (there aren’t many movies centered around New Year’s day).

Puns aside, we are on the last few strides of the NFL relay, and the respective playoff pictures in both conferences still have blank spaces that need colored in. For the final time in 2023 (and the first time in 2024) here are the Sunday Night power rankings as we head into the final week of the NFL regular season.

NFL Power Rankings Week 18: Ravens reign supreme after dismantling Dolphins 56-19

We’ve entered the final week of the regular season, and the Baltimore Ravens have firmly established themselves as the best team in the NFL after dismantling the Miami Dolphins, 56-19.

We’ve entered the final week of the regular season, and the Baltimore Ravens have firmly established themselves as the best team in the NFL after dismantling the Miami Dolphins, 56-19.

San Francisco is the No. 1 overall seed after a 28-10 win over Washington, coupled with the Eagles loss.

At the same time, Dallas is firmly entrenched as the No. 2 seed after a controversial win over Detroit on Saturday night.

Buffalo, Indianapolis, Houston, Jacksonville, and Pittsburgh all maintained their playoff hopes in the AFC.

In contrast, the Rams, Saints, Seahawks, Buccaneers, and Vikings maintained some hope for a Wild Card slot heading into the regular season finales.

With the Week 18 melodrama set to begin, here are the final NFL Power Rankings of the season and the first Power Rankings of 2024.