NFL power rankings: 32-team post-preseason breakdown ahead of Week 1
By Peter Panacy
At the time of this article being written, the Los Angeles Rams are very close to inking powerhouse defensive tackle Aaron Donald to a new contract after he had been holding out for the second camp and preseason in a row.
Good for L.A. The team spent a considerable amount of capital and effort signing so many other players to extensions. Why not Donald?
Donald is the Rams’ best player. A close second is running back Todd Gurley, who boasted MVP-like numbers in 2017. And it sure seems as if head coach Sean McVay’s efforts on offense have turned L.A. into the team to beat this season.
It’s a super team in the making, for sure. Especially after adding cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. Perennial 1,000-yard wide receiver Brandin Cooks is in the fray, adding a speed threat to quarterback Jared Goff’s arsenal.
And, yeah. Donald and Gurley are pretty good too.
But we’ve seen this storyline before. Remember the Redskins back in 2000? Or how about the Eagles back in 2011? Both of those squads stockpiled talent galore but ended up finishing a disappointing 8-8 those years.
This isn’t to say the Rams will suffer the same fate. It’s just to point out how it’s impossible to gauge a team’s overall success based off projections.
Yet we’re still trying to do that with NFL power rankings, aren’t we? Hey, these are fun, at least.