Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press It's not uncommon for the Super Bowl champion to come off a down year. The Philadelphia Eagles went from 7-9 and out of the playoffs to 13-3 and Super Bowl winners in one year. For a more extreme example, the St. Louis Rams finished dead last in the NFC West at 4-12 before becoming the Greatest Show on Turf in 1999 and winning the Super Bowl over the Tennessee Titans. While the teams at the top of the power rankings may be considered the Super Bowl favorites, it wouldn't be shocking to see a team in the bottom half lift the Lombardi Trophy. NFL Power Rankings 1. Philadelphia Eagles Video Play Button Videos you might like 2. New England Patriots 3. Pittsburgh Steelers 4. Minnesota Vikings 5. Jacksonville Jaguars 6. Los Angeles Rams 7. New Orleans Saints 8. Atlanta Falcons 9. Green Bay Packers 10. Carolina Panthers 11. Los Angeles Chargers 12. Kansas City Chiefs 13. New York Giants 14. Chicago Bears 15. Houston Texans 16. San Francisco 49ers 17. Tennessee Titans 18. Baltimore Ravens 19. Detroit Lions 20. Seattle Seahawks 21. Dallas Cowboys 22. Denver Broncos 23. Arizona Cardinals 24. Cincinnati Bengals 25. Indianapolis Colts 26. New York Jets 27. Cleveland Browns 28. Washington Redskins 29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30. Oakland Raiders 31. Miami Dolphins 32. Buffalo Bills The 2017 Conference Winners Expect the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to contend once again, even with quarterback Carson Wentz returning from a torn ACL that prematurely ended his 2017 season. Wentz could be a bit rusty once back on the field, but he was a big reason why Philly went 13-3 en route to a championship. For the season, the former North Dakota State star threw 33 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions in 13 games. Remarkably, he finished second in touchdowns behind only Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks (34). The New England Patriots haven't missed the playoffs since 2008, when quarterback Matt Cassel led the team to an 11-5 record. They missed the postseason thanks to an usually top-heavy year in the AFC. Don't expect that to happen again with future Hall of Famer Tom Brady calling signals. The team returns a bevy of talent on offense, led by Brady, tight end Rob Gronkowski and wideouts Chris Hogan and Julian Edelman. The latter player will miss four games because of suspension, but the Pats are a dominant offensive force who are hard to bet against, especially with seven-time Super Bowl winner and head coach Bill Belichick calling the shots. The NFC South Triforce The good news for the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers is that they have formidable rosters on paper entering the 2018 campaign. The bad news is that those three teams may beat up each other in a tough NFC South. That was the case last year, although it didn't prevent any of the three teams from making the playoffs. The Saints swept the Panthers, while the New Orleans-Atlanta and Atlanta-Carolina series ended in splits. Still, all three teams ended with 11-5 or 10-6 records. The emergence of rookie running back Alvin Kamara in addition to a formidable defense led by defensive end Cameron Jordan and a dynamite secondary featuring cornerback Marshon Lattimore made the difference for New Orleans last year. If not for the Minneapolis Miracle, the Saints would have at least gone to the NFC Championship. The Carolina Panthers return two of the best players in the league in quarterback Cam Newton and linebacker Luke Kuechly. The former is a dynamic rushing force who can keep his team in any game thanks to his mobility, while the latter has been a tackling machine and stalwart on the Panthers defense since 2012. As for the Falcons, they are hard to count out when they still have wideout Julio Jones in the mix. The elite receiver has averaged 103 catches, 1,579 yards and six touchdowns over the past four seasons, per Pro Football Reference. There's no reason to believe the 29-year-old will slow down this season. The Offensive Superpowers The Los Angeles Rams turned from a 4-12 laughingstock into an 11-5 offensive firepower over the course of one season thanks to head coach Sean McVay and a bevy of talent on offense, led by running back Todd Gurley. The Green Bay Packers struggled last year largely because quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone that forced him to miss more than half the season. But with him back on the field this year, the Pack should be a dominant offensive team once again. Both the Rams and Packers should be Super Bowl contenders. L.A. may be one of the most well-rounded teams in the league thanks to a tough offense, a stacked defense that added cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and a special teams unit led by one of the best kickers in the league in Greg Zuerlein. Up north, Green Bay returns wideout Davante Adams, who has 22 touchdowns over the past two seasons despite missing a little action because of injury. The Packers also have a tough three-headed attack at running back with Jamaal Williams, Ty Montgomery and Aaron Jones. Jimmy Graham is the team's new tight end, and if he gets close to his form in New Orleans, then Green Bay could have the best offense in football.<doc-sep>Mark Zaleski/Associated Press The Philadelphia Eagles will start the year as champions, but their Thursday Night Football matchup with the Atlanta Falcons officially wipes the slate clean. It's a new season, which means fresh power rankings. It's back to square one, which means we shouldn't expect the upcoming season to continue where the last campaign left off. Week 1 rankings will reflect personnel changes. Some teams improved their 2018 outlook over the past six months, and others took a step backward. Obviously, the hierarchy will change throughout the year, with some clubs falling below or rising above expectations. 2018 Preseason Standings AFC East 1. New England Patriots (3-1) Video Play Button Videos you might like 2. Buffalo Bills (2-2) 3. Miami Dolphins (1-3) 4. New York Jets (1-3) AFC North 1. Baltimore Ravens (5-0) 2. Cincinnati Bengals (3-1) 3. Cleveland Browns (3-1) 4. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) AFC South 1. Houston Texans (3-1) 2. Indianapolis Colts (3-1) 3. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1) 4. Tennessee Titans (0-4) AFC West 1. Oakland Raiders (3-1) 2. Denver Broncos (2-2) 3. Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) 4. Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) NFC East 1. New York Giants (2-2) 2. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) 3. Washington Redskins (1-3) 4. Dallas Cowboys (0-4) NFC North 1. Minnesota Vikings (3-1) 2. Chicago Bears (2-2) 3. Green Bay Packers (2-2) 4. Detroit Lions (1-3) NFC South 1. New Orleans Saints (3-1) 2. Carolina Panthers (3-1) 3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2) 4. Atlanta Falcons (0-4) NFC West 1. Arizona Cardinals (3-1) 2. Los Angeles Rams (2-2) 3. San Francisco 49ers (1-3) 4. Seattle Seahawks (0-4) Week 1 Power Rankings 1. New Orleans Saints 2. Los Angeles Rams 3. Atlanta Falcons 4. Minnesota Vikings 5. Pittsburgh Steelers 6. Philadelphia Eagles 7. Green Bay Packers 8. New England Patriots 9. Los Angeles Chargers 10. Carolina Panthers 11. Jacksonville Jaguars 12. Houston Texans 13. Baltimore Ravens 14. San Francisco 49ers 15. New York Giants 16. Cincinnati Bengals 17. Detroit Lions 18. Oakland Raiders 19. Kansas City Chiefs 20. Dallas Cowboys 21. Denver Broncos 22. Chicago Bears 23. Miami Dolphins 24. Tennessee Titans 25. Seattle Seahawks 26. Arizona Cardinals 27. Washington Redskins 28. Indianapolis Colts 29. New York Jets 30. Cleveland Browns 31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32. Buffalo Bills Los Angeles Rams Extend Aaron Donald, Rise to No. 2 Christian Petersen/Getty Images According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Los Angeles Rams have signed defensive tackle Aaron Donald to a six-year, $135 million extension. The deal to keep the Defensive Player of the Year should complete a much-improved defense to match last year's No. 1 offense. The Rams acquired defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and his presence on the interior could help keep constant double- or triple-teams away from Donald. The front office also added two All-Pro cornerbacks in Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib via trades with the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos, respectively. Los Angeles goes into the season with quarterback Jared Goff on the rise after he threw 28 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions last year. Running back Todd Gurley comes off his best campaign as the Offensive Player of the Year. Wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who's logged three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, joins the offense to potentially form an explosive trifecta. The Rams fell short in the NFC Wild Card Round last year, but they are primed for a deeper run in 2018. Minnesota Vikings Start the Year at No. 4 Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins looked sharp during the preseason, completing 24-of-40 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown. The 30-year-old signal-caller enjoyed immediate chemistry with wideout Stefon Diggs in the first exhibition contest. The pair connected for three completions, 35 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings advanced to the NFC Championship Game with quarterback Case Keenum under center last term. Now, they have a proven Pro Bowl quarterback taking over with the No. 1 defense from last season on the other side of the ball. Minnesota may face some challenges against stronger defenses with a questionable offensive line. They are going to start the year with new starters at left guard and right tackle. Mike Remmers has also moved to right guard. Nonetheless, if Keenum found a way to win 13 regular-season games and a playoff contest with an average-to-subpar offensive line without Pro Bowlers, the standard has been set for Cousins. Keep an Eye on the Baltimore Ravens at No. 13 Joe Robbins/Getty Images The Baltimore Ravens start the 2018 season at No. 13 in the power rankings, but we could see them rise quickly. It's a critical year for quarterback Joe Flacco, who's going to take the field with a revamped wide receiver unit that's features Michael Crabtree, John Brown and Willie Snead. The front office also added two rookie tight ends with receiving skills in Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews. The former underwent foot surgery and could miss a few weeks before seeing action, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo: Baltimore's decision to select signal-caller Lamar Jackson in the first round of April's draft puts some pressure on Flacco to elevate the offense with the new additions. If he fails to deliver, the coaching staff could look toward the future at quarterback. On the other hand, the 33-year-old may flourish, which would place this squad in playoff contention. The Ravens defense has ranked within the top 10 in yards or points allowed in three of the past four seasons. An improved scoring unit would make this one of the most complete teams in the league.<doc-sep>It’s finally here. The wait for meaningful NFL football is over. The Super Bowl champion Eagles will kick off the 2018 season against the Falcons in a few short days, and the annual overreaction fest that is Week 1 will begin. To celebrate, Robert Mays is capping off The Ringer’s NFL preview coverage with his annual 32-team preseason power rankings.<doc-sep>
Stacy Revere/Getty Images According to the Associated Press (h/t USA Today), the NFC finished with a 41-23 record against AFC teams during the 2017 NFL season. The NFC hadn't been that dominant since 1970, which was the first year following the NFL-AFL merger. In last year's standings, a 9-7 record left two teams (the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks) out in the cold, while that mark was good enough for two others (the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans) to make the AFC postseason. The landscape can change over time, and it wasn't that long ago when most of the powerhouse teams were in the AFC. On paper, however, the NFC looks dominant yet again. Here's a look at a set of power rankings in addition to quick thoughts on the top seven NFC teams. NFL Power Rankings Video Play Button Videos you might like 1. Philadelphia Eagles 2. New England Patriots 3. Pittsburgh Steelers 4. Minnesota Vikings 5. Jacksonville Jaguars 6. Los Angeles Rams 7. New Orleans Saints 8. Atlanta Falcons 9. Green Bay Packers 10. Carolina Panthers 11. Los Angeles Chargers 12. Kansas City Chiefs 13. New York Giants 14. Chicago Bears 15. Houston Texans 16. San Francisco 49ers 17. Tennessee Titans 18. Baltimore Ravens 19. Detroit Lions 20. Seattle Seahawks 21. Dallas Cowboys 22. Denver Broncos 23. Arizona Cardinals 24. Cincinnati Bengals 25. Indianapolis Colts 26. New York Jets 27. Cleveland Browns 28. Washington Redskins 29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30. Oakland Raiders 31. Miami Dolphins 32. Buffalo Bills Quick Thoughts on NFC Representatives in Top 10 1. Philadelphia Eagles While it's concerning that the team's starting quarterback (Carson Wentz) and No. 1 wide receiver (Alshon Jeffery) won't be on the field for the beginning of the season, the Eagles have plenty of talent on offense. Specifically, keep an eye out for running back Corey Clement and tight end Dallas Goedert performing well in complementary roles this year. That duo should help ward off a Super Bowl hangover, and Philadelphia will only get stronger when Wentz and Jeffery return. 4. Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings may have ended their 2017 season with a thud following a 38-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, but both sides of the ball look deadly on paper this year. On defense, the team returns what is arguably the most well-rounded unit in the NFC, with strong defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs. As long as the team doesn't skip a beat with the quarterback change from Case Keenum to Kirk Cousins on offense, scoring shouldn't be a problem. Keep an eye out for running back Dalvin Cook and wideout Stefon Diggs having breakout years. 6. Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams were the highest-scoring team in the NFL last year and added defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib on the other side of the ball. Kicker Greg Zuerlein has a monster leg and nearly won a game by himself last year when he knocked home seven field goals in a 35-30 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Head coach Sean McVay is a brilliant offensive mastermind, and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips helped transform the Rams defense in one year. L.A.'s Super Bowl window is wide open. 7. New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints were one Minneapolis Miracle away from going to the NFC Championship Game. While running back Mark Ingram is suspended for the first four games, the team returns plenty of talent, most notably a three-headed offensive monster (quarterback Drew Brees, running back Alvin Kamara and wide receiver Michael Thomas) in addition to a stout secondary. Defensive end Cameron Jordan is also one of the best in the league at his position. 8. Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons were two yards away from taking a 16-15 lead with one minute remaining in the NFC divisional game, but a fourth-down pass fell incomplete. Although Atlanta had an up-and-down season last year, specifically on offense, the team looked strong in the second half and will look to continue that momentum into this year. Of course, it helps to have one of the best offensive players in the game (Julio Jones) still in the mix. 9. Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers were in the playoff race in Week 15 even though superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers missed half the season after suffering a broken collarbone. With Rodgers back at 100 percent, the Packers can go deep into the playoffs.