Niner Noise
FanSided

NFL power rankings: Post-preseason 32-team breakdown before Week 1

By Peter Panacy

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 24: Andrew Luck #12 of the Indianapolis Colts watches from the sidelines during the fourth quarter of the preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 24, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 24: Andrew Luck #12 of the Indianapolis Colts watches from the sidelines during the fourth quarter of the preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 24, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – AUGUST 23: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of the preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Raymond James Stadium on August 23, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Will Vragovic/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – AUGUST 23: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of the preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Raymond James Stadium on August 23, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Will Vragovic/Getty Images) /

48. . . Previous: . Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 27. team

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense has actually looked halfway decent this preseason. Sure, it helped getting big-name defenders like Ndamukong Suh and Shaquil Barrett during the offseason, and they’ve made the difference.

But another key addition was bringing in former New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles, who thrived as a defensive coordinator under then-Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians.

Arians and Bowles had a great working relationship in Arizona, and it appears as if Bowles is better suited to developing a defense than he is at being a head coach. Considering Tampa Bay’s defensive woes from a year ago, this is a major bonus and a reason to boost the Bucs a bit in our NFL power rankings.

Still, the major 2019 focus will be on quarterback Jameis Winston. He’s the player on the hot seat here. And if Arians can’t get the most out of the former No. 1 overall draft pick, Winston will find himself elsewhere in 2020.