NFL Power Rankings: Post-free agency status reports

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The biggest moves of free agency have passed through the NFL, changing the outlook for teams across the league. So it’s only fair that ESPN updated its NFL power rankings to recognize that, relying on ballots from its 80-plus ‘power panel’ of writers, editors, and television personalities. And the results demoted both of the teams that reached Super Bowl LIII: the victorious New England Patriots fell all the way to third place, and the Los Angeles Rams (who scored just three points in last year’s championship game) rank second-best. Both of those teams trail the New Orleans Saints.

Here are some thoughts from Mike Triplett, who covers the Saints for ESPN Nation: Three-words-or-less description: Replay last season. The Saints did just about everything right in 2018 — right up until the non-call that helped to keep them out of the Super Bowl and led to groundbreaking replay rule changes. It’s a lot to ask them to do it all again and secure the NFC’s No. 1 seed, especially with Drew Brees now 40 years old, but they still have one of the NFL’s most talented rosters.

The gulf between the Saints and their NFC South rivals is wide. The Atlanta Falcons are in the middle of the pack at 17, and the Carolina Panthers right there with them at 18. Either team coming short of a playoff run this year could signal the end of the road for Falcons head coach Dan Quinn or Panthers head coach Ron Rivera. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are even more overlooked at 29. New head coach Bruce Arians has his work cut out for him.

As for the Saints, this expectation is well-earned. They’ve made deep playoff pushes in two consecutive years, with one miracle play costing them in 2017 and a hideous officiating error striking them in 2018. Including the playoffs, this Saints team has won 26 of its last 36 games. They’re every inch a Super Bowl contender, and winning that title is their mission in 2019, maybe more so than any other team.

ESPN Power Rankings This link has comments on all the teams.

01 - Saints
02 - Rams
03 - Patriots
04 - Chiefs
05 - Chargers
06 - Bears
07 - Colts
08 - Eagles
09 - Browns
10 - Cowboys
11 - Texans
12 - Seahawks
13 - Ravens
14 - Packers
15 - Vikings
16 - Steelers
17 - Falcons
18 - Panthers
19 - Titans
20 - Jaguars
21 - Broncos
22 - 49ers
23 - Lions
24 - Bills
25 - Raiders
26 - Jets
27 - Redskins
28 - Bengals
29 - Buccaneers
30 - Giants
31 - Dolphins
32 - Cardinals