2016 power ranks. (Way too early edition)

[rideaducati]

Panthers #1 is a joke. They had by far the easiest schedule this year and next season will have to play the NFC

What does that say for the the teams who lost to them twice?

It says they caught us on bad days.

We had the Panthers here in Seattle and let them off the hook. It won't happen again next season and I fully expect the Hawks to have home field advantage again throughout the NFC Playoffs with Russell 2.0, Rawls and Graham back in the mix.

I doubt Graham makes it back next season. That injury means at least a year out of service.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

I doubt Graham makes it back next season. That injury means at least a year out of service.

MAYBE mid-season ducati, but yeah, I'm not optimistic for anything before that and even then it could be the full year before he returns to near 100%......if he ever does.

 

[Seahawkfan80]

I think the Panthers will be significantly worse. Pete Carroll admitted the Super Bowl hangover was a real thing. He isn't one to make excuses, so for him to say that, I believe him. I just can't see how the Panthers, led by Cam Newton, can have the right mindset to try to come back from what should have been a once-in-a-lifetime season. We've also seen first-hand that a high turnover margin is not sustainable year to year. The Panthers were incredibly lucky with turnovers this year. That is most likely going to regress to the mean.

And as has been stated before, their schedule next year will be much tougher than 2015. Tampa Bay should be improved, and you know the Falcons can beat them. Carolina has three west coast road trips (SEA, LA, OAK) plus a game in Denver. The Rams have the pass rush to destroy them like the Broncos did. Oakland is no joke anymore either. Combine that with some tough home games against Arizona, Minnesota, and Kansas City, and I think they are looking at 10-6 at best.

I thought this was not applicable due to the rules. Please advise?

I think that east coast teams only have to go to the west coast 2 times a year.....MAX..from what I read on .NET.

 

[Seafan]

In my mind, Seattle is #1. Four straight #1 DVOA seasons and it seemed like they hit their stride at the end of 2015. But I understand why they are #3, no good team underachieved more than Seattle last year.

Agreed. The 2015 Hawks were maddeningly inconsistent. Bevell/Wilson never did find their way. Waiting until the 2nd half of the season or playoff games to get it right is not a recipe for championships. I hope things change.

 

[HawKnPeppa]

We had the Panthers here in Seattle and let them off the hook.

 

[Bigpumpkin]

We had the Panthers here in Seattle and let them off the hook.

Priceless, Peppa!! IMO...if we do not get the shaft from the NFL schedulers like last year.....ie, two road games out of the shoot, then we have a good chance of starting out 7-1. Since we play "lights out" in December, the Hawks should win our Division and hopefully get HFA through the Playoffs.

 

[AROS]

Better than NFL Network's current ranking which has us at #8 behind the Cardinals, Steelers, and a few other head scratchers.

About as worthless a rank as a power ranking in February would be.

 

[HawKnPeppa]

I doubt Graham makes it back next season. That injury means at least a year out of service.

MAYBE mid-season ducati, but yeah, I'm not optimistic for anything before that and even then it could be the full year before he returns to near 100%......if he ever does.

At least a full year before he can play effectively. Consensus between players who have been through it is that you never return to 100% after a patellar tear.

 

[Popeyejones]

In my mind, Seattle is #1. Four straight #1 DVOA seasons and it seemed like they hit their stride at the end of 2015. But I understand why they are #3, no good team underachieved more than Seattle last year.

Did they really underachieve?

Sherman has most likely already peaked. So that is a decline from the Hawk's best D ever.

Thomas has most likely already peaked. That is another decline.

Chancellor has most likely already peaked. That's a 3rd decline.

Wagner MAY have already peaked but could've just been a down year.

Mebane already peaked.

Avril has already peaked.

"peaked" != "decline"

Sherman is 27, ET is 26, Chancellor is 27, Bobby Wagner is 25, Avril is 29, and Mebane is 31.

Generally for these positions think of 27-29 as about peoples' primes. Maybe these guys have all maxed out their potential (and maybe not), but that's a plateau, not a decline. The only one who might slow down a bit in the next two years or so is Mebane (age 32 and 33 seasons), and he's also the only who likely won't be on the Seahawks come August.

 

[rideaducati]

I think the Panthers will be significantly worse. Pete Carroll admitted the Super Bowl hangover was a real thing. He isn't one to make excuses, so for him to say that, I believe him. I just can't see how the Panthers, led by Cam Newton, can have the right mindset to try to come back from what should have been a once-in-a-lifetime season. We've also seen first-hand that a high turnover margin is not sustainable year to year. The Panthers were incredibly lucky with turnovers this year. That is most likely going to regress to the mean.

And as has been stated before, their schedule next year will be much tougher than 2015. Tampa Bay should be improved, and you know the Falcons can beat them. Carolina has three west coast road trips (SEA, LA, OAK) plus a game in Denver. The Rams have the pass rush to destroy them like the Broncos did. Oakland is no joke anymore either. Combine that with some tough home games against Arizona, Minnesota, and Kansas City, and I think they are looking at 10-6 at best.

I thought this was not applicable due to the rules. Please advise?

I think that east coast teams only have to go to the west coast 2 times a year.....MAX..from what I read on .NET.

Well, Los Angeles didn't have a team when that rule was enacted. Now that three of the four NFC West teams are actually located on the West coast, the NFL will have a hard time placating to the East coast teams travel schedules... With that being said, I could see the NFL changing the scheduling so that the East divisions don't have to play BOTH Western divisions in the same season...but that would help the Western teams too, so that probably won't happen. Damn Least coast bias...