#22: Power Rankings Season Finale, Chiefs are #1, Jags jump, Jets and Giants needs, and Rams drop

You know. That is how not how the NFL machine works. But this podcast, which we thank everyone who is watched and listened along all season, is reaching its conclusion fittingly. Connie, after Super Bowl fifty seven, the old Zeuser, that's me. After I got off the plane, um, Roger Goodell personally shot me a text and said, son, I'm gonna need five thousand words on one through thirty two. Roger Adell as your dad in some ways he is. He's not my dad, and he's my daddy on some level. So

I cranked it out. It's up on the website. You can check it out at NFL dot com, slash Power Rankings and now, Connie, we will talk about the final reveal. And obviously the Chiefs were triumphant in the Super Bowl fifty seven over your Philadelphia Eagles in a all time classic. I would put it in the top ten all time super Bowls. Not the Before we go through the top ten, I just want to top eight. I want to check

in with you, Connie. Where are you at emotionally? I mean, things were going pretty well obviously for the Eagles, and then they weren't. Level of disappointment one at a ten and you can go up to his high seventy seven. Well, I wish I could give you a level, but I'm completely dead inside, so it's not really there's no reading on it at this point. Yeah, listen, I the fact that I'm here right now just a husk. My body is here physically, but I don't know where the rest

of me is. It's not with us, No, it's you know, the the Eagles. They took a piece of me with that game, and I left it at State Farm Stadium. Can I ask you, in terms of most difficult Eagles losses, is it the toughest one? This was very disappointing because of the game flow and the way that the Eagles looked coming out of the game, and the entire first

half they looked so great. And it was interesting because I sat in a section that was both Chiefs and Eagles fans, and everyone was pretty nice in the section, but it was a lot of disappointed Chiefs fans, a ton of Eagles fans just chirping and celebrating, and then

the tide shifted and it was just so upsetting. Yeah, and I was going to say we were both in the stadium in different areas, but I thought it was probably a sixty five thirty five breakdown in terms of Eagles fans over Chiefs fans and the place there were moments in a Super Bowl game. It's gotten to the point in the Super Bowls that we've been to where really is an active, loud crowd on both ends when

scores happened. But this game really did. Like the first the Pachenko touchdown in the third quarter, it actually got quiet and it was like, these are Eagles sas you could sense the tension of realizing that Mahomes was starting to Mahomes and things were slipping away. I'm sorry, but that needs to be done. I did text you guys you and Dan or you are Dan, Dan and Dan

and then inside correct, I am telling the truth. I'm being completely tru I texted you guys in the middle of that game and I was like, no matter what happens, this isn't also Super Bowl. This game was so good and the Chiefs, they looked incredible in that second half. Patrick Mahomes, I thought that he was hurt at one point. I didn't think that he was going to be able to finish the game. And that was something that I

didn't want to see. I wanted both of these teams to be full strength, and they were and minus the consitions, and I know, I was like, I'm being the bigger person. I want these teams to be like at full strength. Yea was a terrible um. Let's now check the first eight teams in the final power rankings that are up again at NFL dot com. Yes, the Chiefs and Kyle Brandon has mentioned it last month and it is still

in the back of my mind. My last power rankings ever, whenever that is, whenever Daddy deems it to be over in this job, or if I say I literally can't be yelled at on the internet any longer. I will put the winner of the Super Bowl number two in the power rankings. That that's how you go out, that's how you bring that's how you get that cloud. But not today. The Kansas City Chiefs are number one, and I we had where they were at the start of

the regular season of the power rankings. So I, like many others, were sucked in by the a f C West and the idea that it was going to be this big division with teams just beating each other up and Tyreek Hill out the door. So but guess what the Chiefs figured out there at one The Eagles another team Connie is as as disappointing as it was back in early September. You weren't sure really what to make of them. I wasn't alone. I had them four team

to start the season. They ended number two, the Bengals. I was highing them all year. They finished at number three, Niners, number four, Bills five, Cowboys six up. They finished at seven, and the Chargers eight ending the post Super Bowl power rankings. Let's get into little Chiefs now. I mean, I I think Connie um mahomes, what he was able to do in the game and the reason they won. I think was the greatest strength of the Eagles in a lot of ways was that pass rush that had seventy eight

sacks and zero sacks in the Super Bowl. And once you took away that, it was like removing the kryptonite from that side of the ball, right And we knew that that was going to be the way for the Eagles to get a win, to beat Patrick Mahomes and this offense because Patrick Mahomes was dealing with that ankle, and then you saw that it was still very much an issue when he was hit again and it was reaggravated.

But the pass rush on both sides, they just could not get their footing on the field, and you saw there was one I can't believe there was one play in particular where both Josh Sweat and Hassan Reddick felt like just slipped off on both ends and it happened

almost in concert. It was almost synchronized. And even Frank Clark after the game said that the conditions were terrible, like both teams had to play on it, which it just it doesn't really make a ton of sense to me, but I think that that was played a huge factor

in this game. And when you have the connection that Mahomes has with Travis Kelsey, it just you're going to be able to win, and you're going with Andy Reid scheming things up and being so creative and having all of the misdirection that they have to kind of confuse this Eagles defense. It was an unbelievable comeback for the Chiefs. Yeah, and down ten points at halftime. You know, they get the defensive score off the Hurts fumble in the first half, they kind of in the end kept them in the game.

And then what do they have to do to win by three points? They needed to score every time they had the ball in the second half, three touchdowns and the go ahead field goal. They take the Super Bowl and men and Mahomes. It's hard to believe, but he recently turned and he's not going anywhere. And as long as Mahomes is around a guy that is absolutely already in the competition as the best quarterback ever. Andy Reid now bumping into that conversation we talked about the greatest

coaches ever, Chiefs aren't going anywhere. And I think it was a learning lesson for bozos like me and others who kept overlooking what was going on here that Mahomes. Even as recently as the last time we did this show, Connie and I had the Chiefs at number four, and I was all pumped up on Joe Burrow and the Bengals. This is their time and it was just like, that's why Kelsey screaming into the mic after the game, like, you guys thought our time had passed, We're in our prime. Still,

this is their moment and they proved it. That was the huge thing in the off season. Has the a f C passed the Chiefs. Every team loaded up, they figured out pass rushes, they have playmakers, and it seemed like that division was going to be just such a massive problem for everyone. And at the end of the day, it was still the Chiefs that came out on top. All right, as we look at elsewhere on the top A what jumps out to you there, comell? I mean,

obviously the Jags. The Jags up twenty two points was just I mean, when we we lost time. Now, by the way for power Moves presented by Energizer, they're a perfect team to talk about. The Jacks. Yes, and listen, you you talked about at the beginning of the year, so I feel like you had a big part in their come up. Well, like, congratulations to you. It's a good way to look at it. I will when we get to the lower tier, I'm gonna throw out my early prediction for who will be the Jaguars in the

back quadrant of the power rankings. But yeah, they're a team that's set up obviously very well. I mean, your boy Doug Peterson, who has that Super Bowl trophy with the Eagles, has not obviously he's not my homes but he has a young quarterback who's not going anywhere, and they are still in that window where they could load up in terms of free agent spending because Lawrence is

on an affordable contract. This is the window, and I think you're gonna see the Jaguars basically be presented come August as a heavy favorite in the out and getting some Super Bowl buzz depending on how their offseason goes well. They went on a five game win streak to finish out the season, and Doug Peterson, he just had this team. When you go from where they were before with Urban Meyer, and then you bring in an actual head coach that is a people person that cares about his staff, that

cares about his players, Doug Peterson. I'm just such a big fan of him from having worked with him in Philadelphia. This guy came in and is the perfect head coach to work with Trevor Lawrence help him develop. We saw him take those steps this year. We saw where his potential can be and where he can go. Its future is so bright. Of course, they have some defensive holes that they need to fix, but they are in such

good shape going forward. And to just throw a little bit of rain on the parade, okay, as it were, I did write about Trayvon Walker. You know, he he didn't make the difference that they were hoping in year one. I know he was kind of touted as a highly

talented but raw player. But then when Aidan Hutchinson has a big is the number two pick, and then Sauce Gardner goes first team All Pro at cornerback at the fourth pick to the Lions and Jets, respectively, you start to think to yourself, as a fan of the team, man, what do we got one of those dudes? So yeah,

there is that little element of it. You need Walker to kind of live up to his draft stock, to beef up that pass rush, which which is very necessary and will be expected quite frankly, Walker, Let's check out Tier two Lions. They are up sixteen spots from week one to number nine, the Vikings up ten spots to ten, the Ravens at eleven, Packers twelve. I don't know. This is where it's Sometimes the timing of the power rankings

gets a little tricky. So how much was the rank the Packers when the quarterback Hall of Fame quarterback is literally in a retreat. Yeah, like isolation and solitary confinement. What so I just stuck him in twelve? And then will you know, let God sorted out for the darkness. God's um. I guess that's sure. Hell, I don't know. Steelers thirteen with a lot of promise. I felt that was a little too high obviously as they made the list,

but they did finish the season well. The Giants at fourteen, up fourteen spots week one, the Dolphins at fifteen, and I got the Jets who opened the season for me at twenty six. I have them up ten spots at sixteen. And yes, you're like, oh, but Dan, like, they didn't get that quarterback yet. Yeah, so I can't really project that, but I can say they will get Elijah Bara Tucker back,

They'll get Briefe hallback. This team is one decent quarterback away from being a contender in the a f C and they swept the Rookie honors Offensive Defensive Rookie of the Year. I mean, this team has great building blocks that feel like Joe Douglass did such a good job with these draft classes. So they just need to All they need to do is get a quarterback right. The only thing they didn't do right Zach Wilson at the number two. They'll pick and they're trying to address that.

But I do I am not just because I am a Jets fan, but I do think they will come out of this when the dust clears, whether it is Aaron Rodgers my preferred guy that they get, or Derek Carr or Jimmy Garoppolo or well let's leave it there, I think they'll have one of those three guys, and no matter who it is, that will be a big upgrade of what they had last year. And when you factor in the team getting healthier and any other editions

on the way, that's gonna make the Jets. I think absolutely team that should make the plays and if they don't people are getting fired ers. That's your number one to brace the cast. Brace the cast. What about the Giants? Since we're in talking New York teams, I have them at fourteen after they want a playoff game. I was a little bit and we talked about it in the power Workings County. The run to the playoffs included beating

the Vikings twice, who are kind of posers. Let's face it, you know they weren't a true elite team even though the records said they were, and then they got absolutely destroyed by your Eagles in the playoffs. So it's you know, some of that you it makes you think, is this team on the eyes or did they really take advantage of a soft schedule? But they got business to take care of first? With Daniel Jones and s Kwon Ball free agents, well, I think that they definitely performed above

what people expected. This was supposed to be kind of a rebuilding year with Brian day Ball coming in. They it was basically a year where they just wanted to answer some big questions that they had with I almost called him Sae Kwon Jones with Daniel Jones and Seaguon Barkley, but I think they got their answers. I mean, se

Kuan had an incredible year, so good for him. I don't know what they're going to do, what their answer is there, but I think that they got so much out of Daniel Jones and that's a credit to Brian day Ball. And you know, I'm not I don't know. I think that they need to work on their offensive line. They have a lot of work coming up in the draft. But I think that they were a surprise this year. For me. I didn't think that they would be as good as they were. Maybe it's schedule, maybe it's luck,

maybe it's all of it. Yeah, and we got it. We should touch on the Lions before we our Lions. Yeah, before we move on, because our Lions are hard knocks team. They they have our attention, they have the opponent's respect, they had a winning season. There's a lot there's going to be actual expectations this season. Had Jamal Williams was on the Around the NFL podcast at Media Row and he was a delight. I must say. I talked to him as well super Bowl Live. Oh my gosh, what

a personality he has. And I actually talked to Jared Golf and Aidan Hutchinson at Honors and we talked about Jamal Williams and they were both like, yeah, that's how that dude is all of the time, Like it never turns off. He came out of that conversation thinking, how does this guy kind of do like day to day life.

I mean, it must be really entertaining to be his friend, like he legitimately he said, like, I don't do anything but like watch anime and play video games and answer the door for door dash And I said, and I was like, yeah, like do you what about like do you have a house. He's like, no, I'm not I don't have a house. Like everything, it's just seems to be in this this window. But then he had seventeen touchdowns, so he's doing something right. He's got I mean, he

hasn't figured out I'm pretty sure. And then have the lines figured out the quarterback situation. That's my big question I wrote about in power Ranking. Scoff will be back most likely. The offense is very good with him and Ben Johnson, though See is also back, but they also have two first round picks, including a sixth overall selection. I wonder that's tough. I wonder if they do take a quarterback. Welcome back to power rankings. Okay, so we

have a quad three. Let's check this out. At seventeen, the Patriots up one spot from so you were. You pretty much nailed dot at the really post Brady, they're just kind of the middle of the road team are waiting to see which way they'll go. Yeah, it didn't go much at seventeen, only moved up one spot. But you have an eighteen the Seahawks. Then at nineteen the Panthers, who they have a lot of a lot of new things going on there that they have to figure out.

The Rams at twenty down eighteen spots. Huge disappointment this year. Let's get to them next. I want to talk about that for sure. Twenty one the Browns. Same kind of thing with the Patriots, only up one spot from where you initially. Yeah, the Titans at two down five spots after John Robinson had a lot of along the way I am to the Bucks at twenty three down nineteen spots, another big disappointment. And then the Raiders as well, they're

in that category to same bucket, down thirteen spots. That was that was bad job by me and many other people. Who thought the Raiders with Davante Adams were going to make a big leap and instead it was kind of the same old Raiders with Josh McDaniels. But yeah, let's talk the Rams, because I wouldn't say that's misleading because our fine producer Drew doesn't mislead anyone with his info.

They did have that huge fall year to year eighteen spots, but they're also up seven spots since the final week of the regular season, and that is because hell it's over. Like that was a nightmare quote unquote title defense, one of the worst ever. In fact, they had the worst most amount of losses for any defending Super Bowl champion ever. But you get to hit the reset button and Matthew Stafford's already said he's back, Cooper Cup is going to

come back healthy. You're going to have on Aaron Donald unless he retires, but I don't think he is. He'll be back healthy, and I think almost most importantly, Sean McVeigh is coming back. So where I have him now is obviously a hedge because I have them in the middle of the pack. And but at the same time, when it's surprised me if they were back in the top ten come next September October. No, it wouldn't know.

And I think after the Super Bowl last year, the expectations are always high for whoever wins, but it was just such a drop off from what we're used to with this team. And when von Miller didn't come back, you thought, Okay, maybe the pass rush could be a problem this year, but they'll figure it out. And it just seemed to be doomed from the very beginning from that Week one game and the Bills just crushed them.

And I remember m J d was on our show that day and he does the radio for the RAMS broadcast, and he was talking so much before the show and then he came down so I mean, he was wearing his Super Bowl ring, he had the whole thing, and then afterwards it was extremely deflating for him and of course all Rams fans all over the place. The whole season was but it felt like it was over halfway through the season, Like I felt like their year ended

almost in October. It felt like yeah, and they once again did try to move number one picks to get a pass rusher during the season, and that trade actually didn't happen. And it's like Okay, that's not the worst thing. Can we just I know, I know. The whole part of the less need Sean McVeigh thing has been just keep on putting on the credit card, if you will.

But at some point you're gonna have to start developing players via the draft and getting some premium picks back in that building or it's going to be a hard crash. Maybe they could start doing it this year. Quad for the last quad the season. Okay, we got the Commanders. They didn't take a ton of commands. Sierra up five spots to say it's a twenty six, and they did, but they failed at twenty six. They have some quarterback questions of their own that they need to answer this offseason.

The Falcons at seven, up four spots. Once again, they had so many of those like close games where they just couldn't get it done. Broncos at eight. Everyone thought the Broncos would be good Wholf Sean Payton. Maybe Sean Payton can do something with Russell Wilson. He is he and Wilson will probably be their quarterback this year, but if he stinks again, he is playing somewhere else, almost

certainly in Peyton will pick his guy. So this obviously is a huge and the Broncos had started the season at eight and they end the season at Cardinals at nine down spots, and then you have the Texans down three at thirties, so they stayed pretty consistent along with the Bears up one spot thirty one, and then the Colts are the final team in the rankings did last at thirty two. Actualation. Shane Stike in the new head

coach of the Cults, the former offensive coordinator. He goes from putting up thirty five points in almost four hundred twenty yards in the Super Bowl to taking over a team that really had devolved into a laughing stock of the UH this past season. But there are some pieces there. Now I'm going to share though, the team that I think can make the jump. Do I think they'd make the jump the way the Jags did into the like top ten? I'm not there, but my pick is the

Atlanta Falcons. As you pointed out, there were seven and ten, and I know that's back to back losing seasons for Arthur Smith since he took over. But I believe that Smith has this team with limited talent, had them competitive. They won more games than anyone expected each of the past two years. Tyler arld Geer is a running back they could get behind Kyle Pitts obviously in Drake London are a great one to punch. They just need a quarterback.

And I'm working under the assumption that, like the Jets, they will come out of this with a veteran quarterback. I know there's some chatter that we believe in Desmond Ritter. Now, I think Arthur Smith knows how the NFL works. You get three years, no matter how bad the program is when you take over, you're getting by that third year, if you haven't made the playoffs, you're in a lot of trouble. He's not going to go down with Desen Ritter. That's my my thinking. They're gonna get a guy in.

Here's I'll thrown out there. And I feel good about this because I threw it out there in Good Morning Football in Shrager. You know, shrag bombs all plugged in. He nodded his head and said, Wow, Okay, Ryan Tannehill, Arthur Smith reunion, all those big years in Tennessee. He moves. I know the Tennessee Titans are looking potentially move forward without Tannehill put him in Atlanta in that week NFC South. I'm feeling good about the Falcons win a nine or

ten games. I don't mind that. I'd actually like to see that, you know what. I also want to go through the league and look at the teams that have questionable quarterback situations and rank those teams. All right, let's start, all right, but there are so many, and we just passed out behind the glass. You could say, I mean, you have the Falcons, you have the Panthers, you have

the Saints, you have the Jets. I mean it's almost like this time of or half the league sometimes feels like quick, we're gonna do teams that don't have an answer at quarterback in the top eight. Guess what. Every team has an answer at quarterback in Tier two. Lions got to figure that potential. The raven potentially the Ravens. Ravens h No, Lions have a guy. Jared Daniel Jones is probably still the guy. The Giants to us healthy.

The Jets obviously that's one. The Patriots maybe they got. Maybe, the Panthers obviously need one, the Titans they might need one, The Bucks need one, the Raiders need one. And your point is spot on Connie because then you go to the fourth year the commander's name. The Saints need one, the Falcons need one, The Broncos might need one. The Cardinals need one for at least half the season most likely. The Texans Bears no Bears are okay, but they could

trade field. Colts need one. So the teams without quarterback stabilities, that's the league, that's what it's about. And um, the Lanta Falcons, they can go into it with Desmond Ritter, but I think they gonna be a much better team if they get somebody that can has some sex, you know, real track record of success. Yeah, we have the thoughts. Just what a year it's been. You know, I've on it now. I am. I have never been involved this, involved in power rankings before. And I feel like I

took the ride. I took the ride with you, and it was a roller coaster for sure. That's what it is. You know, you can't get too high like the team's you know, you can't get too high and too low. You got to kind of keep a nice, steady take. My my dad, Keith was with you before the I have a daddy, it okay that works on Park Avenue and a dad. He's like, Colleen, you do Power Rankings with Danny great, But you did do a great job college.

There was a lot of fun than this road. Thank you to Drew and everybody behind the glass for taking us through this wild adventure, the road through each season it is over. We'll catch you as Towy three season approaches. Until then, you know what you gotta do. Heed the call. I'm gonna go take a seven month napp. NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in partnership with

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