| Rank (LW) | Team | Comment | 2010 Record |
| 1 (-) | Packers | The Super Bowl champions didn’t make many moves in the offseason, but this is a solid team that will still make noise in the postseason. | 10-6 |
| 2 (-) | Patriots | There’s no doubt that the Patriots will be Super Bowl contenders, especially with the addition of WR Chad Ochocinco. | 14-2 |
| 3 (-) | Steelers | The offense might be young, but still has QB Ben Roethlisberger under center. And with the defense returning every starter, there’s no reason to believe the Steelers won’t be in the playoffs once again. | 12-4 |
| 4 (-) | Eagles | The Eagles made too many shrewd moves in the offseason not to be ranked this high. This was a very good team before, but it is now a bona fide Super Bowl contender. Should they win, it’s going to be a frustrating year for those still holding a grudge against Michael Vick. | 10-6 |
| 5 (-) | Falcons | The Falcons weren’t going to sit idly by and hope that last year’s team was good enough – they drafted WR Julio Jones and signed DE Ray Edwards to take the next step. | 13-3 |
| 6 (-) | Jets | The defense will still be solid, but I’m not sold on Mark Sanchez and the offense just yet. | 11-5 |
| | 7 (-) | Saints | How much of an impact will the loss of Reggie Bush have on the Saints? Better yet, what kind of impact will rookie RB Mark Ingram have on this team? | 11-5 |
| 8 (-) | Ravens | The Ravens’ defense is aging, which means they won’t be contenders forever. Their window of opportunity is slowly closing, but they’re as primed as ever for a Super Bowl run. | 12-4 |
| 9 (-) | Colts | Is this the year that an injury finally catches up to QB Peyton Manning? It’s doubtful. We’ve all learned by now that the only sure things in life are death, taxes, and Peyton Manning. | 10-6 |
| 10 (-) | Chargers | The Chargers are always an early pick to make a deep playoff run, but continuously fall short. What is it going to take for them to finally get over the hump? | 9-7 |
| 11 (-) | Buccaneers | This is a young team on the rise, and QB Josh Freeman is at the forefront of the team’s rapid improvement. | 10-6 |
| 12 (-) | Giants | So Eli Manning thinks he is an elite quarterback. If the Giants miss the postseason again, it’s doubtful anyone will be backing him up. | 10-6 |
| 13 (-) | Chiefs | The Chiefs will be entering the 2011 season with the added pressure of proving that last season was anything but a fluke. | 10-6 |
| 14 (-) | Texans | Offense has never been a problem for the Texans. If the defense improves, and it can with the addition of a player like CB Johnathan Joseph, Houston might actually live up to its preseason hype for once. | 6-10 |
| 15 (-) | Cowboys | Former Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will likely have a positive effect on the Cowboys defense, but this team underachieves far too often to be ranked any higher. | 6-10 |
| 16 (-) | Rams | Like the Detroit Lions, the Rams will only go so far as their young quarterback, Sam Bradford. | 7-9 |
| 17 (-) | Cardinals | If QB Kevin Kolb isn’t the answer, it’s going to be a long season for the Cardinals. | 5-11 |
| 18 (-) | Lions | If QB Matthew Stafford can actually stay healthy, this team has a real chance to make some noise. That’s right, the Detroit Lions have a chance to be a good team. | 6-10 |
| 19 (-) | Raiders | Will giving former Browns LB Kamerion Wimbley a five-year, $48 million deal come back to bite the Raiders? | 8-8 |
| 20 (-) | Jaguars | Consistent QB play, from whomever that may be, will be the key to the Jaguars success in 2011. | 8-8 |
| 21 (-) | Bears | Call me crazy, but I see a disappointing 2011 season for the Chicago Bears. They lost some key players (like TE Greg Olsen and C Olin Kreutz) and the offensive line is still a concern. | 11-5 |
| 22 (-) | Dolphins | The Dolphins’ inability to land a better QB in the offseason is going to hurt them. | 7-9 |
| 23 (-) | Vikings | I like QB Donovan McNabb, but I don’t think he’ll be able to make much of an impact in Minnesota. | 6-10 |
| 24 (-) | Titans | All signs point to this being a down year for the Titans, but they’ll remain competitive. | 6-10 |
| 25 (-) | 49ers | Not many quarterbacks get as many chances as QB Alex Smith, but this is probably his best chance to succeed yet. | 6-10 |
| 26 (-) | Seahawks | WR Sidney Rice and TE Zach Miller were big additions, but who is sold on QB Tarvaris Jackson? | 7-9 |
| 27 (-) | Browns | A new head coach, a new offense, and a new defense. The revamped Browns are younger, faster, and, hopefully, on the right track but they’ll have to take their lumps first. | 5-11 |
| 28 (-) | Redskins | QB Donovan McNabb may be close to the end of his career, but he’s still a player you can be confident with going into the season. When John Beck and Rex Grossman are in a battle to be the starter, you’ve got issues. | 6-10 |
| 29 (-) | Broncos | Luckily, the Broncos kept Kyle Orton, but the Tim Tebow anticipation is too high in Denver for Orton to succeed. Both he and the Broncos need a fresh start. | 4-12 |
| 30 (-) | Bills | The trade of WR Lee Evans certainly won’t help the Bills, who continue to be mired in mediocrity. | 4-12 |
| 31 (-) | Panthers | So much is riding on QB Cam Newton – will he be able to come anywhere close to his lofty expectations? | 2-14 |
| 32 (-) | Bengals | It’s going to be a long season in Cincinnati. The Bengals are entering a new era, and that often brings a few years of ineptitude before contention. | 4-12 |
