2026 NFL Week 1 Power Rankings!

0:00Welcome to He the Call in NFL Podcast. I'm Dan Hanzas. Join by the beautiful Mark Cessler as always. Well we're on a run. That's three. We're flying Cessie. We're back. Also back in his official HTC merch Connor or he didn't that call. What's up buddy? Oh hello. And then Justin Graver on the ones and twos. What up Gravy? Hi. What's up? Are we cool after the you know the Stillman conversation the other day? Yeah it's it's funny because I have even come around a little bit more into thinking the Titans are stupid but I will not relant on my position that's still men sucks so.

1:04Okay. You got him banned right? Yeah I'll take credit. We have a big a zucer medium in it on our Wednesday show Connor and I haven't had a chance to dive into the discourse of where the audience comes down on it but ultimately it was a battle of free speech that I was seeking to achieve victory on while Justin was looking to achieve a victory of public relations for his favorite football team. Brave of you and predictable of Justin. Do you think because because we brought up the subject initially that before stillman was tossed from the from the facility. Do you think this show had anything to do with it? Was there a a creeping a bubbling over of you know it went to the point where something needed to be done based on the interactions here. It's a fair question. It's a fair question. I lean toward yes. Sure. I do too. I think we are part of the law like on a series. We're part of a large group of media who were talking about this that I think the Titans are like we don't need this guy taking us national with dumb stories like this. Get him out of here.

2:17So. All right. See you're doing it again. I will. We already talked about it. You and the other Justin the Justin Justin Justin show can fire away it will by the way if you're going to keep on burying this this individual. Have a show. Yeah. We should. Right. We take it from Uncle Dan like you know Mark and I with Connor we built a really successful show from the way back in the early 2010s. That's it baby. That's how you make it sizzle baby. That's how you get him. So you just. Definitely. It's a life lesson. It's a journalism lesson coming from. Did you call yourself Uncle Dan? That's not that. That's the thing about youth culture what they don't understand is like oh man you're an uncle. You're on because like. Yeah. I love being an uncle. So. Right. In our being old. It's fine. There are like when I feel like there's a set of women right is smack dab in their 30s that don't have kids.

3:18And like I'm an aunt and we're celebrating that left and right. But if you're an uncle like you're what are you do you don't even know how to turn on the television set apparently you can be like a 25 year old uncle. Like just a mentally incompetent if you're an uncle of the eyes of the youth. Wow. I like to make Uncle the new Zaddi. That's kind of my whole thing. Alright, by the way, program note. We had that whole thing where we we asked our audience to help us read. How do I want to say this? To reimagine what the mailbag could be on he'd the call and then our listeners. So he did an incredible job sending in all matters of email very thoughtful emails hundreds and hundreds of emails which shows this program's growth and now entering its third year. And then unfortunately because you had fallen ill we had to postpone the revenge of the mailbag. So I want to make an announcement exclusive on Patreon this Friday free for anyone who wants it.

4:24It's the revenge of the revenge of the mailbag. Stupid. It's important. It's important that the listeners don't think that we simply doped them. I had a medical and incident. That's absolutely it was a completely understandable and and to pull back the curtain to open the kimono. Initially gravy because Connor was also on his half vacation. So it was just just in a nine we're going to move forward with the mailbag and then I just started going through the mailbag and I was like, I can't do this. I can't do this alone. So and we also we were worried about the all these questions that are about the beginning of the NFL season growing style. So we're going to do it. Go to patreon.com slash he'd the call it's going to go up at some point on Friday and mark and I will answer as many as we can get to before we grow board. Or otherwise over the exercise. So about 26 minutes or so. But yes, that will be in the free tier. Anybody can get it. And if you're there and you see all the other good shit we have cooking over it. The Patreon. Sign up. There's different tiers of support for the heroes. All right.

5:34Big up today, con man. It is the post summer power rankings for he the call. Are you are you remain entrenched over at sports illustrated as their power rankings guy entering 2026. Yes, and that was advice that I took from you. You and I had to talk about this a long time ago when you were at NFL media handling the power rankings and I was at SI. And you had said Connor, you got a grab hold of tent pole things like that. And not let go. And every time I complain about it on Monday at like 930 p.m. My editor always says, well, didn't Dan Hans is tell you that you got a grab hold of these tent poles like this. Uncle, your political dance as grab hold of this tent pole. You do it. Oh, Dan Hans is shout out. Thank you, Paul Rudd. Yes, Dan is on to is I'm counting this in lifetime. Eighth nickname itself appointed nickname at this point. We've crossed into I like Uncle Dan though. I do too. It fits. It has the right vibe. It has the right energy. It's not a complaint. It's just one more plug. Go to he the call podcast.com and you can get the old Zuser nickname t shirt as well, which we might have to add Uncle Dan to it. Anyway, it's great.

6:51It's great to have the bonafides of a Connor or SI power anchor. The old Zuser did it for four years over at NFL media. And as we begin the exercise, a new. Should we get into it? Let's go. Dan, before we get going, we've been getting repeated phone calls from the same number this morning. I don't recognize the number, but the caller ID display says official league desk power rankings compliance. Power rankings come. Oh, Cripp. Here we go. All right. I guess we don't have a choice. I think I think we know who this is. Hello. Yes. Hello. This is Ken Farbick, senior compliance adjudicator Department of League Media Taxonomy Division for overseeing the central power rankings regulatory desk. I am patched in from sub basement. Be hello.

7:52Good. Farbick, how can we help you, sir? I am holding in my hands document 44 B subsection nine, the certificate of provisional authorization for seasonal team hierarchy tabulation and dissemination informally known down in the annex as your official power rankings licenses. They license. We need a license now. Correct. And you are legally clear to distribute power rankings for the upcoming NFL season. Your digital certificate signed in fact, similarly by an assistant deputy who died during the Obama administration has been cute for transmission. However, there's always a however with this guy. Pursuant to article 18 paragraph four, clause C of the league broadcasters code of ethics and restraints. Amendment following the 2011 lockout to prevent weaponized and competence. This power ranking certification is strictly conditional. If this conditional mandate is breached, your RSS feed will be reclassified under unregulated maritime trade dispatches and your monetization will be routed into a trust for retired stadium maintenance personnel and East Rutherford.

9:07What is the condition, Mr. Farbick? What is going on here? Here is the condition. I am reading verbatim. Mind you from the addendum. Any digital broadcast entity featuring an individual by the legal or professional name of Connor or shall be immediately stripped of official power rankings, editorial privileges unless said individual here and after referred to as the agitator or the defending agent physically verbally and spiritually appears on the designated Monday broadcast immediately following. We can slate. Well, you should wait a second. You should know that we were planning to have Connor on the Monday night show this year, but I don't like the idea of you telling us who we can and cannot have on the show. This feels like a huge overstep of power. Is there a supervisor that I can speak with? Correct. Dane by my account, Mr. Orr had 14 separate violations of our a I.I.D. that's advanced integrity protocol last season making him a threat level orange individual as such, Mr. Orr is required to follow an increased accountability conduct policy or face classification as a suppressive person.

10:19And that's he shit. Connor, you have anything to say this guy? He said maritime a few minutes ago, like I'm trying to sort sift through all these legal terms here. It's very dense. Yeah. Yeah. I've been used before. So it kind of feels like that. Yeah. And I'm really upset that that you even having those flashbacks can as much as I despise the bureaucratic dungeon you crawl out of every autumn. I must say I don't hate the idea of increased accountability. I care nothing for your program, Doug. I care about what happens in 36 months, three years. Then I cash out by 20 acres outside of Tara hot and never watch another stamp of football. It's long as I draw breath. Until then, the by-law stand. Any who looks like all the paperwork is in proper order here. I see a certificate for hand Zeus or engraving best of luck, gentlemen. Whoa. Wait, you're missing Mark Cessler. His name is on the show. Oh. Cessler, Cessler. Keep digging.

11:23Okay, looks like he had been mistakenly moved to our subfolder labeled deceased slash missing. Cessler, too. Happy ranking, gentlemen. I'll be in touch. Unreal. That is a good one. Is anybody else dealing with this? I mean, you. I'm so oversight. I am non-plussed by the way that how that call ended. Yeah, I mean, you could see how maybe the confusion work came in, but like at the same time, it just seemed like the bureaucracy over there is. It's disgusting quite frankly. My sophomore year of high school, I got into it with our business math teacher and we just butted heads and we didn't see eye to eye. And there was a couple like I would say aggressions and then counter aggressions on my part, all of which I found to be in good fun. But the result of that was me having to sign a behavioral contract with the principal.

12:26And I rejected that notion then and I seriously reject the notion now that I'm under some sort of constant surveillance, like a flock camera for just having my own ideas. And as sports illustrators designated power rankings expert, I would challenge Ken Farbox credentials. Like, you know, who is he to tell me who I can't allocate power to? Right. 180, we're far above this guy. I'm with you. It's funny because we're on his radar. He's very much on heath's radar. But enough. Let's not think about it. We are, I guess board certified. So that's good. And without further ado, why don't we dive in? Let's so as you know, or you don't know if you're new to the show, we put together our power rankings every single week during the season. It will be something that we will unveil Monday nights every Monday night. We'll do our Monday night football recap and then go through where we sit in the league via the power rankings. And as I mentioned on that call with Farbuk, we are thrilled to have Connor with us this year.

13:36So the whole crew all four of us who vote on this will be together each Monday night. And it should be known also that Justin is in charge of tabulating this. We all, we submit our individual 32 and then Justin does the math and gets it to a ranking of 32 that represents the entire brand. Anything else there, Justin that I missed? No, sometimes it's tied. Sometimes we tie the rankings that we do are averaged out to a ranking. So you'll also see that like a team's average might be 16.8, but they're ranked 14 and order. Yeah. And then we break ties based on the previous weeks ranking. We're giving the math assignments to someone with a heavy and dangerous amount of HTC flowing through the blood. I get it HTC indeed. HTC not anymore. Maybe. No, I mean, you literally can't. It's like Simmons talked about having his nephew bet for him in Massachusetts or something and now he's under federal investigation.

14:38Like any any any time for those that might be tracking because God knows the state of Texas local government is probably tracking everything that its citizens are doing and saying. Understand that any references to THC or marijuana use by our producer Justin Graver are ingest and part of the entertainment of this program not an indictment of any possible law breaking by said individual Graver comma Justin. Okay. We're in the clear there. Now all the red tape is cleared anymore legal shit to get done here. Let's unveil other than the stillman V Graver libel suit coming up. We'll get to that later too. All right. Without further ado, here we go. Here is tier one. This is where you want to be in the power rankings and number one are the defending Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks. Not across the board. We have Dan and Mark have met one. That's an old trope of the old Zuser. I like to always keep the defendant champion one to start the season Connor and Justin have met two and then it's flipped the other direction for the number two Rams.

15:55I you know before we get into the rest of the list like and we had Aaron shots on. From FT and all maniac this week and you know he mentioned as well like there's this there's a league right now. With 32 teams but really where everyone stands right now is that the Seahawks and Rams are clearly the two best teams and then there's a different conversation now whether it remains that way Connor remains to be seen. But I don't think you'll find any power ranking certified power rankings exercise that does not have these teams one two in some order. Yeah and I think it's hard right because. Are we prisoners of the moment with the Rams like we can debate the minutiae here are we prisoners of the moment and are we allowing the addition of a 35 year old. That hasn't played in three seasons to outweigh what the Seahawks have done and continue to do and I think that there's maybe a fun conversation to be had there but I think any mix of these two is fine and appropriate and you know that's that's where every.

16:57But I think that's that's where everybody's going in the in the biz right now. I feel like I feel like even hard knocks aside like the Rams hoopla and I buy it that's why their number two for me like we're kind of ignoring the Seahawks as a super bowl champion that there's some changes but I. I come away with increased trust about the Seahawks organization of our not ignoring the Seahawks and anybody else that's doing it should not be taking seriously well I just think the Rams have somehow I would say from a like Q rating standpoint overtaken Seattle from a talking head standpoint and I that you can understand that though right given their I can understand it yeah it's still it doesn't mean that it doesn't I'm not going to let you know that that doesn't um rank all my feathers to some degree. Would Miles Garrett being a member of the Rams have anything well first of all no can I hold on let me let me I'm sure it doesn't I'm sure it doesn't at all ESPN Cole and headline Miles Garrett in quotes changing the culture of Rams even from the sideline hasn't practiced yet in weeks and he's got a

18:05knife that that the subject of that fluff piece happens to be arguably the greatest browns players in St. Jim Brown there is some I saw this one radio Cleveland guys like just a warning me like it's going to be a very annoying season on the rest of the top five the Denver Broncos last year made the final four they came in at number three on our exercise we're all in the same area on that number four and I imagine this is very very close and in fact looks like it was a tie the Houston Texans I had a bit number five Connor Mark had a bit number three Justin at four and then number five on the list for the group the Buffalo Bills and we're all again parking in the similar garage here that's the top five I think just real quick on the Texans and not to belabor it I haven't forgotten not that you guys have but the stride of it all that we're talking about this is the top of the top and until I see CJ stride look like a better version of his former self I'm going to just to keep him out a little bit but if all things were equal and he was more like a

19:12bonix quarterback not even a Matthew Stafford or Josh Allen they would probably be number three for me but a slight dip for that reason in that reason alone one surprise here boys the first one that's a little despised to me number six knocking on the door the top five is the Detroit Lions which I like this pushing back on the narrative that they have perhaps seen their Super Bowl window begin to close mark you have a higher than any of us at number four tell us why I think you know as we talked with Aaron shots to was just like this team two years in a row was better than you thought that was the mantra of the right up on on Detroit and I don't see any reason why why that can't be true I think there's some secondary issues but they've fixed up their offensive line they have by many metrics the easiest schedule in all of football and if you can get through a season without your defense being shattered by injury which has been two years running you know Jared golf continues to be the guys the only league quarterback in the league that's

20:14throw for four k yards four years in a row I mean I don't see a lot to not like here I think they're a complete team and I'm also thinking that maybe a team like the bears takes a little bit of a step back maybe the Packers as well so the division might be a little bit more winnable than it would have been a year ago you have to factor in the Patriots schedule bounce to I mean the Lions have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL this year and I think that that plus just like dancing I need to see CJ Stroud I need to see the Drew Petsing offense I think I know what it's going to look like but once I see that thing humming I mean this is a top five team for me I don't think there's any doubt about it. All right we have our first big big dip in terms of public or consensus it's the Baltimore Ravens they come at number seven and they're at number seven because Mark has them at eight Conor as it's six Justin as him at seven I haven't the 13 and I just I know Ravens fans are going to be fired up about that

21:1613 is my twilight zone where I stick a team where I don't know exactly what to make of them yet and I just think it's kind of a lot of water is being carried on the idea that Jesse Menter is just going to be this guy that reinvigorates behind the scenes and helps Lamar Jackson find the fountain of youth a little bit and John Harbaugh was I guess ostensibly part of the problem in Baltimore I can't get there yet the other the bigger thing is statistically pop the hood whatever you want it is possible that Lamar Jackson's peak has already behind him and if he's not going to be the same dual threat quarterback he's still great passer and he deserves so much credit for that if he's just going to be a slightly lesser version of what he used to be is the Ravens defense actually going to get that much better and it was very bad last year to take this team if the offense comes down a little bit and the defense comes up is that enough to make them a true Super Bowl contender they're not to me that's why they're

22:17going to be the top 10 and I'll just back that up with just a reminder defensively where that where this team was last year they finished 29th and pressure rate 31st and Sacrate 31st and get off time they were a bad defense will mentor be the magic elixir maybe but I'm going to have to see that as well. I think one of the issues is and I'm as guilty of this is anyone I criticize owners for it all the time but in the media world we seem to fall into the same traps where there's a bucket of success like Mike McDonald and then you're putting Jesse mentor in that same archetype and you're saying okay copy and paste defensive guru from this tree going over and doing something else Mike McDonald part of the reason he was so great when you see it on the box incredible interpersonal skills humility all that kind of stuff we don't know if Jesse Miner is that yet and I think that has a lot to do there's a lot of complicated dynamics in the Ravens building Lamar being one of a few situations and hurdles that he's going to have to jump over and so can you do that I don't know but I do know he's a damn good defensive coordinator and what they were 18th I think in terms of

23:25play allowed this year I don't think there's any question there are top 10 defense I think damn your question like I don't think Harbaugh was the problem but it just feels like I think this is a team that could benefit maybe like the bills to from from the switch if Minter can do it I did label this my thoughts on the on the on this team in general I called it season eight of the American office right I mean like we're doing this again okay like let's see my team slogan for somebody somebody did that it wasn't a team slogan this year did you just plagiarize one of the guys on the show not intentionally that would have been ill advised move but we also when we did our summer power rankings and we named all the tears one of the tears was Steve Carell in season one of the office so there's a lot of tie in all right a lot of office stuff we'll remove it in a post don't worry no and one more thing about Lamar 5.2 yards per attempt five rushing attempts a game only 24 first down runs only two rushing

24:27touchdowns last year I maybe that guy comes back maybe but also part of the reason the Harbaugh Lamar relationship fell apart was because there was whispers about Lamar and like where he's at like how all in is he there that's why they're in the twilight zone for me coming in at number eight the last team in the in the quadrant first quadrant and I'm glad they're here because it feels like it would be a little bit of a try hard move to drop mad Aquadrant one is the defending aFC champion patriots I had him at six just and had him at eight in his individual rankings both Sessie and Connor had him out of the top well Sessie at him a 10 Connor had him a 12 Connor we've talked about the Patriots a fair bit this summer but if you just want to summarize why a team that everyone thinks is going to or should take the next step because they were quote ahead of schedule last year might not be at the end of the year the commanders would be a reason why we don't have to necessarily go that route but the other thing too is I think it's just my

25:30way of thinking about the other teams like I had of them I just happened to have the Eagles for right now I don't know where they're going to be at the end of the season the chargers the jaguars and the Bengals and I just think that those teams are better than New England top to bottom right now now you can argue that New England has gotten better than they were last year even though they made the Super Bowl but we have to factor in the schedule who you playing what are the other teams in your division what's all this going to look like and so I don't know I just you know I feel like the Patriots are still a playoff team but they're not going to have the bounce that they got from their schedule last year I mean it's a little ironic that Dan the only reason they're sitting here is because of your your vote I mean and we we pounded this table a hundred times last season but the study suggests that they had the fourth easiest schedule for any team since 1977 right well I think and

26:30shek and I had a good conversation about this last week all that is true and it felt like they were a great soldiers of fortune last year and they were but the idea that Drake may could be significantly better in your game when he almost won MVP last year and now he has a true number one wide receiver an AJ Brown and maybe will Campbell is better at left tackle and maybe the lives of our Tucker stays up there's there's a lot of reasons to think this team can actually build and I think there's too much of the other stuff that's crowded the narrative around them but so I bought I gave him a little pop and Patriots fan should be a fucking notice all right let's take a break and when we get back tier two like a lot of people added creatine to my daily routine for the strength and cognitive benefits but as the market blew up I started wondering what was actually in the tub on my counter most brands focus on flashy flavors but momentous went back to the drawing board to launch signature spec creatine absolutely markets built on a

27:32standard of quality manufactured in a pharmaceutical facility with reverse osmosis water purification and checked by an expanded six stage testing process across four independent agencies that process results in ten times fewer impurities up to five times tighter heavy metal limits and thorough screening for pfa's and micro plastics I rely on it every single morning before my workouts because it gives me total peace of mind plus the ultra fine powder actually dissolves instantly without any gross grit at the bottom of the glass. Yep if you're using creatine daily to support lean muscle and recovery make sure you're getting the best if you want to try momentous signature spec creatine head to live momentous dot com and use the code HTC for up to thirty five percent off your entire first order that's live momentous dot com promo code HTC for up to thirty five percent off live momentous dot com promo code HTC. All right we are back let's dive right into quadrant number two still nice place to be to start the season

28:35sazi gotta like it you got room to go up you got room to go down. All right well said well said all right let's get listen I'm the guy that didn't apparently do power you know power rankings in written form. No you well no you know what we think about far back I know I know where the character anyway here we are the far start starting tier two it is the Philadelphia Eagles looks like eight seven eleven for Connor 12 for Justin let's get gravy in here gravy twelve is the people of Philadelphia might be coming after you with a pitch fork if they win in week one your thoughts bring it on I think I think I'm going to get it on the other side of the game I just kind of want to see it with Sean man you know we've heard a lot about him being a genius and all that but Jalen hurts like the struggles that he's had throughout training camp maybe it's a good thing he's testing his windows and finding out what he can get away with or maybe he's

29:35actually going to throw a lot of interceptions this year let's see it let's see the offense without a J Brown would take one Berkeley twenty nine and a half years old with the offensive line coaching fair enough I think it's interesting the number ten team and I'm kind of proud of our show because we didn't fall into either trap with the Chicago Bears right we didn't get overly sucked in sassy by the bears hype but we also didn't over react to it either and go crazy I have middle eleven you have eleven Connor 13 twilight zone was certainly fair Justin at nine also fair it's kind of like yes the bears can be good are the bears great let's pump the brakes and see how this plays out and like eleven like the eleventh team you're a playoff team and I think that's what they are but there are indicators of regression I mean their defense has major issues they had a flock of turnovers and key moments a year ago that can change the offense I think will continue to grow but you're a one-sided

30:35operation which is going to cost you at some point and when you're in the top five in records in one score games I know it's not always a carryover but it's an easy indicator of like okay there were some coin flip instances here and more than coin flip instances where the bears won some of these games in miraculous fashion and you just have to you know you don't take them from a 13 win team to a six win team but you're just like okay maybe ten wins which is I think the perfect place for them. Up next we have the Cincinnati Bengals interesting I think this is a good spot for a team that has potential but also we've been banking on potential this team for a few years now the only person all the way in seems to be Connor or when we get to our season predictions early next week right before kickoff the number seven placement that Connor has for the Raven bangles points to them as the division champion. I you know for me it's a toss up between Cincinnati and Baltimore I think I had them six and seven in my power rankings to reflect that I think both these teams are going to be pretty good the addition of Dexter Lawrence

31:39and the fact that he doesn't feel bogged down or underappreciated means you're going to have one of the three best interior defensive linemen in the NFL working for you which is something the Bengals have never had with this defense before and again new offense so are you buying high on potential this is what I think is fun about the exercise at this time of year which things new things that we can't see or touch yet are we buying high on I'm buying high on Joe Burrow running more of a Ramsey under center style offense so I put them they're my number 13 team because I I'm just not sure where this will go they do have and so they have seen North benefits in general but they have the 30s the schedule if you truck for the people that I trust and I'd say on top of that like how about don't start the season one and four for once let's get out to a quicker start and establish ourselves because that's happened like they just seems like that's happened over and over then burrow stubs a toe and has a deep you know issue with the foot and he's gone and it's like I'm tired of that song and dance like

32:42stay healthy let's see what happens I'm sick of watching the same movie so I don't want oh my god burrow is incredible but 41 38 final since then how he goes down or and burrow is being carted to the locker room let's just yeah let's flip it let's go three and one and burrows playing lights out and the defense is better this year and people are excited like the wesslings are all f**king pumped up right let's let's get like Nick wessling over his keys maybe get him to call into the show and say things that he'll regret in December when they're eight nine you know what I mean like let's see what happens all right number 12 on the other side of this we have some believers in the chargers as an AFC contender but not Mark Sessler on an island Cessi don't like being on an island but he's on the chargers aren't actually that good island far back speak to it I mean I think also 17 I think the AFC is just so top heavy 12 in our ranking 17 and Cessi's ranking just to be clear

33:44I I it does look like an outlier I just think that like this is the kind of team where I feel like the wheels could fall off at some point I mean we saw what happened when their offensive line was compromised a year ago they were hapless so are we like they've already they've already had injuries along the line this this training camp I don't know that's so pretty back against that you said they were hapless when they said five that I mean they they bombed out the playoffs but that's different like the if there was here's my pushback on that Cessi you said they look there a team that the wheels could fall off I don't know if I see the the charges as an actual AFC threat to go all the way mm-hmm but they would be because of their leadership and their quarterback and the skill players they have in both sides and the fact that the bulk of the offensive line is healthy to me they're one of the safest teams to project as 9 10 11 winner I don't see them in the game because I don't think that's how this team and how Jim Harboh teams are built well really quick I I I have a strong belief in the Broncos and I don't think we're getting a

34:46six-wing chiefs team again so the divisions rough and I don't I the charges have lost my trust maybe it's more of an emotional than a logical response I think not to pile on but I think we saw what happened when the wheels fell off and they still they made the playoffs right and so I think that 14 kind of almost not has to be your floor there but it's like they are one of the best 14 teams even without too offensive tackles which I think is they were 11 and 4 with an opportunity to win the AFC West down the stretch and then they lost their last three games so I think it's with the chargers everything you're saying Mark is I agree with but I feel like that's a January conversation rather than a September through December one but you're going to look really smart if they I get though let's go let's put ourselves in an island let's be comfortable on an island comfortable in this island all right here we got the Jaguars they are our twilight zone team which surprises me a little bit at number 13 only because they won hell 13 games last year and won the AFC

35:53South but I don't know I mean I have them 14 Cecilism 9 Connard 8 just in its 16 I don't know I wish I could even and this is bad job by me because I I want to be able to point to you know three different things why I don't have them higher on this ranking it's a little bit vibes based and I apologize Justin bail me out I got a couple of things yeah so obviously Travis he excuse me Travis HN leaves in the off season signs with the Saints this is a guy who created a lot of explosive plays in fact the only running back on their roster who created explosive plays last year he had six receiving touchdowns on 36 catches which is like an unsustainable rate Trevor Lawrence ran for insane number of touchdowns on red zone scrambles it's sort of an unsustainable fluky thing and they lose Devon Lloyd in the off season who was a generator of many of their turnovers they also have a little bit of bears syndrome on defense where they are turnover margin just doesn't feel sustainable so I

36:54still think the Jags are a good team I believe in Liam Cohen calling the plays on offense I just think we're going to see a little bit of regression on defense especially in the turnover department and I'm not sure you'll have the same number of breakaway touchdowns that they had last year can you just can you in post do an AI simulation and have all those words coming out of my mouth with my hand thank you are we though uh... and Anthony Kempanoly is interesting their defense of coordinator because he was with green Bay and that was the year that they had the insane amount of turnovers with Xavier McKinney had like an interception every game for a while and everyone said can you sustain that and I you know turnovers are again luck adjusted but is there something to be said Justin about the fact that he replicated a turnover heavy unit in green Bay with the turnover heavy unit in Jacksonville yes I do think there is some skill in creating turnovers and it's not like the bears fumble luck where you know fumble should be fifty fifty and the bears recovered what eighty percent of them or something yes seventy five I do think Kempanoly is like a future head coach

37:58a great a couple interviews last year so yeah maybe they're turnover regression won't be as extreme as I am making it out to me but I do think losing Devon Lloyd is a big deal like he was the captain of their defense into your and maybe this for me is my flip world of the charges maybe I have them a little high I think that there I cannot think of a thirteen win team that escaped our psyches more quickly than last year's Jaguars like it almost feels like it didn't really happen and then you lose to the bills and the playoffs and you're gone but I trust the coach a lot on I think Trevor Lawrence is going to continue to grow under them that thing about the Jaguars that is maybe a little fly in the ointment like they kind of didn't do anything this off season like to your point you lose Devon Lloyd but they didn't go in but you're right sitting here was a thirteen win team and I didn't see you like you did some weird stuff in the draft and you're I get you're all like you're all went to like you know Ivy League schools and you're wonderful and you're smart but like you didn't add a lot of bodies in the off season so that'd be my one concern but I believe in defense of Duval like and I'm wearing

39:01my wesslamania shirt from a couple years back when he went down to tie the west was right that there is a bermuda triangle in terms of coverage and respect that teams just get overlooked and I raised my hand up and I say the Jaguars like I didn't bat an eye when Connor or went down to Houston to do the cover story on the Texans as the team to get excited about in the AFC South nay the entire NFL and yet if you're a Jaguars fan you like what like we beat those we are ahead of those guys last year when the standings give us some pop in respect Jaguars nation Duval start for a no and kick the old Zuzer's ass and everybody else that's doubting them number well it's nice that you didn't bat an eye I don't even know what it means can we make sure that that Jag off that hosts the radio show down there sees this like clearly I believe that this team is going to be halfway decent but talk you shit you know so he's in the stillman bucket

40:02apparently on this program in my world and it's on there at that side okay well number 14 we have the Niners Justin and I in lockstep at number 10 we had him in our top 10 Connor and Justin or Mark and Connor more aligned at 12 and 14 or excuse me 14 and 17 respectively so but number 14 overall for our team I kind of put them in the and I went back and forth about the Niners and I'm a little surprised where you had him Mark because you know what you said on a show earlier this week resonated with me it was like all this bagging on San Francisco and all this glazing hate that term but used it on Los Angeles and Seattle would it be absolutely shocking if the Niners are in contention or even win this division no this the Kyle Shanahan led San Francisco 49ers with a bunch of dudes that are getting a little older but very it's very very possible they have another

41:05run in them and I just chose not to this was a to put them in the top 10 was a decision by me to push back on very loud summer discourse that sometimes can actually distort reality I am still weighing the fact that when we do our picks I may follow through with that feeling that I have that after all this drama the Niners just go and win the division and you have Seattle won L.A. 2 and the Niners 14 that would be pretty bold redirect if you do do end up making that decision sure I mean I think the other side of it is that you could look at like the best six seven or eight players on the Niners the all of injury history it just feels like a car with like 50 miles to go on an 8th the tank of gas I don't know if they're going to get there not can they stay healthy it feels like there is kind of a tipping point of like maybe this experience the Niners need to tear some stuff down to the studs a little bit more we'll find out soon but I would never be surprised if they overachieved the same way they did last year and to push back on my own point I just made

42:07about where you have these those three teams in the west where these teams stand on September third does not mean like who they are for four months right where things are right now San Francisco creeping up on everyone's power rankings while maybe one or both those teams drop that is not out of that is not out of the out you know outcomes for this upcoming season all right all right we got the cowboys at 15 and we're all kind of in every I think all of us you know I put together as part of this exercise and getting ahead of our predictions next week I did the I did the old Connor or move where I put together a record for every team this year made sure I got it to 272 hyphen 272 all the only way you can do it only way to do it and I had the cowboys I believe at nine and eight I feel like I feel like that is going to be their faith this year once again and that's why I have them at 17 right in the middle of the league but also one spot ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs and I'm

43:11going to throw some flowers to Connor because we're all kind of in the similar boat here and when Connor was taken fire from some bozos nationally about like the chiefs aren't should be considered a super bowl contender hey if you're at number 16 of the power rankings week one you got work to do to be viewed that way so what we have here is you know Kansas City three of the four of us in graver I know is like sideling into that lane of like actually Patrick my home is pretty good and like is going to try to make that the score of argument and in the twilight zone because they're up to me they're off team but they're a perfect twilight zone it's like I think that's just of the chiefs are we going to get I have no idea I I don't know but I think right now did your offensive line situation improve no did you bring in any any offensive weapon and I don't think the running back necessarily counts that's going to change the way that Patrick my home's operates no did you lose more

44:13talent last year in a season where you won six games than you brought it yes and so like like I just don't understand that the the vitriol centered around this conversation right now like they are just outside the playoffs for me well do you think that there's a reverse regression here where they were dead last in the NFL with one one score win after the year before where they did everything like right what if that what are the pops up to four or five like I just think kind of everything went completely wrong last year for the chiefs totally fair and it's one of those situations where I think that's a positive like they had a different kind of season they had a better draft pick like maybe I don't know maybe it was necessary and I'm not ready to sell them down the river can I just throughout one more thing and then Justin you could you could close it and we'll take a break but like one thing that we continue to say year after year on this show and everyone else saying the same things like the chiefs as long as they have Patrick my home's an Andy Reed and Steve Spagnol running the defense they're fine and they're going to always be in contention which okay sure these guys are

45:15in their respective positions some of the best to do it ever my homes I'm not I'm putting him in a different bucket but at a certain point as Andy Reed nearest his 70th birthday and Steve Spagnol has been there forever and is no spring chicken himself is it possible that the league is going to start to move past these guys and the innovators the younger coaches with fresher ideas and different mindsets are going to not it's going to go from a strength that they have this stability in their brain trust to something actually starts slowly in ways that it that may not be easy to notice works against them maybe Connor that's already started to happen the last couple years and that's why they haven't been in the Super Bowl I I think that the chiefs are taking some of the necessary steps to move into the next iteration of what they're doing but we also this is what the NFL is designed to do it's designed to break you down after so many seasons of

46:15picking in the 30s like it's designed to create parity where and I think we're seeing the effects of the chiefs not being able to draft you know tent pole offensive lineman you know elite cornerbacks like all that kind of stuff now they are this year but like it's going to it's going to be a process the last thing I wanted to add was Connors point about Kenneth Walker potentially not changing how Patrick my home's operates I think it takes pressure off him I think they want to use him in the receiving game and I think to your point about shifting into their next era whatever like Andy Reed has historically been a huge running back producer guy from a fantasy sample whenever and the last handful of years the chiefs haven't had that guy is this that guy that helps them maintain possession and grind out the clock late in the game and stuff like that I love Walker and I did make that point upon signing that out of all backs I think he has one of the highest success rates in basically shitty situations right like eight plus man boxes you know he's great after first contact all that stuff and so

47:17I and way better than Pacheco and Kareem Hunt and Everworth so I certainly can see that point I think it can help but you're looking at really I mean rashi rice needing to last Xavier worthy needing to come around and your number one tight end is still not really a plus blocker and is helping you in in in the run game at a point in time where that's like almost a necessity when you're talking about successful teams so I think it's just what's dragging them down against the positives but fun conversation there one more time to push back against my own point especially I said that maybe we've already started to see some the league started to move past the old guard there in the Kansas City brain trust it wasn't has been multiple years since the cheese for less than the football they were actually in the one before the last one and then it was five of six that they were in so I think giving them the benefit of the doubt still makes sense even if it's starting to feel a little creaky in Kansas City all right let's take a break and hit the

48:19back end of the power I can see you know mark I used to rely on endless cups of coffee and regular pouches just to survive my daily routine but the jittery anxiety afternoon crashes and terrible sleep scores were really getting to me that's why I started using ultra pouches about a month ago and honestly they've been a total game changer for my focus and energy levels these are completely nicotine free pouches with zero nicotine and zero caffeine that's right ultra actually partnered with leading neuroscientists to combine clinically backed new tropics and adaptogens like infinity px l theonine and vitamin b12 instead of spike and crash stimulants they give me a smooth steady flow state focus and clean energy that lasts for hours without making me feel on edge I keep a can right at my desk for work and another in my gym bag for an extra push before workouts oh baby a classic peek into the old sestog gym bag anyway plus the watermelon flavor tastes just like sweet sour patch candy ultra is the ultimate guilt free pouch delivering instant

49:22focus and mental clarity without nicotine or caffeine new customers can use the code he'd to get fifteen percent off at take ultra dot com that's take ultra dot com for fifteen percent off with code he'd after you purchase they will ask you where you heard about them please support our show and tell them he'd the call send you drink up baby fantasy football happy hours here to get you wins and have some laughs Matthew Barry here and my podcast fantasy football has the sleepers bus and start to advice you need to win your league we're diving in a tape or crunching numbers to bring you sleepers bus weekly start sit advice whether you're defending a title or desperately avoiding last place I've got you covered every single weekday the bar is open it's fantasy football happy hour with Matthew Barry wherever you get your podcasts all right we're back let's check out to your three three three you know you got some work to do I like where we're starting a little spice to start with the

50:22green bay packers I have a 16 sessie 16 Connor 15 just in 17 so they come in at 17 where I have the packers is not where I think they're going to end up I think there are another example of a team that could build you have you know you have to the Josh Jacobs thing he might be out of the picture entirely they have to account for that they got to figure out their backfield you have Tucker craft tied end who's coming back from ACL it might take him a little while to be the guy that was a game record before he went down last year and most importantly Michael Parsons as we know he won't be there for the start of the season he will be there for the back end of the season hopefully comes back as a game wrecking force I kind of think he is Michael Parsons yes so I think the packers will get better as the season goes along and we'll push for a playoff spot but right now I feel like they're a little vulnerable to start the season yeah they already aren't the team they plan to be and on beyond that like with the

51:22pretty big changes they made it wide out in terms of trimming that like foreheaded scenario from a year ago you are hoping that Matthew Golden has a breakout season like you are hoping that the absence of Josh Jacobs allows someone else to step in and take the job there I mean I think it's just kind of like it's the far from ideal and you sold the you know picks down the river for Michael Parsons you know you're probably getting around week six so I don't it's like there's a lot of like wait and see with these guys the three teams behind the packers I think they're all in a similar bucket it makes sense where where they are we have the bucket ears coming in at 18 we have the Steelers at 19 we have the Panthers at 20 and then we get to 21 and it gets wild yeah it gets absolutely wild Justin did you think there might have been a typo here from one of the individuals when he sent in his rankings yeah I had to check Mark's rankings multiple times here to make sure that I input the data

52:26correctly because I actually couldn't believe that he only had three teams worse than this one okay so the Washington commanders I had him at 18 Connor has him at 18 Justin has him at 19 Cecilor has him at 29 yep this team and I understand it last year was a mess and Jaden Daniels was really really banged up all year this must presuppose that Jaden Daniels will again miss much of the year and everything else is going to go to hell once again because 29 of your 29 we're talking that's 413 314 territory explain yourself Ceci yeah far box listening you know I don't need it doesn't presuppose an injury to Jaden Daniels so the instincts that I don't know if it's going to matter this season I think that Dan Quinn doesn't finish the season this was

53:29one of this was the worst defense in the league a year ago sunny styles might be a lot of the more important that would help I don't know if it's going to do it alone I don't believe in in Washington on any level and if 29 seems harsh I do believe this is one where I'll be closer to the result by the end and any of these other results this could be a route also a reverse Cecilor jinks and the hogs can be back in a super bowl this year right they you could argue that they've turned over the D at their defense more than any like that you can make an argument they have like nine new starters defense this year that doesn't know but I mean it's going to work though that doesn't yeah no you're right fair I love this dude when you were saying that I just kept here in the song no surrender by Bruce Springsteen you know and no one do it this is you gotta stand by it I love I love the the junk on the table right now

54:30anyway I it should be stated that in our hot butts episode we had Dan Quinn at the bottom that I absolutely think there is a scenario where this team disappoints and Quinn is the guy who gets gets you know singled out but and this is another bit of a Cecilor trope I I tend to think putting them at 29th is insinuating that Janet Daniels is not on the field and is predicting injury but you're telling me that you're strong about 29 even if Daniels plays 17 games which opens up an even bigger wormhole of destruction for this this franchise that I can't get there yet I think I see this as a seven or eight win team and if it breaks good instead of breaks bad goes nine or ten but this is you're out on the ledge on this one says he good job I'm happy to be there on the ledge I was happy to be on that island before I'm on the ledge take away from the ledge all right number 22 on our rankings is the Minnesota Viking so none of

55:35us are buying in on the Kyler Murray era at least not yet number 23 it is the third I believe it is the third NFC South team of four in the rankings the first year all in tier four and tier three it is the Saints I'm a little further down on the Saints and gravy's a little higher with Cessian Connor right in the middle so they come in at 23 24 another team that has big aspirations but we're not buying yet the Indianapolis cults I have them the top 20 at number 19 but Cecilor Connor and Justin all have them in the mid 20s which is actually tier four and I I didn't do that on purpose but as much as I'd like as the Jets owning the first pick of the the cults this season as much as I'd like them to be a tier four team I guess I can't get there right now that they're one of the worst teams in the league or the bottom eight teams in the league but I

56:36understand that is an outcome here as well the cults are so weird because statistic like there's things that are happening all over the radar that tug me in multiple directions because they are like the patriots I think the first 10 teams that they played last year eight of them fired their head coach at the end of the season and that opening schedule they were on a tear was so bad and we've mentioned that multiple times but also during that stretch I think someone sent me this the other day that like their offense in terms of VPA per play was like as good as the greatest show on turf like it was on pace to be like an unbelievably historic season for the Colton it's like what what is this team I have no idea I have they could be one of the worst teams in the league they could be picking a quarterback next year in the top five they could make the playoffs they could come in second place in that division I they're just so there's so the such a high variance they were picking a quarterback in the top five though because that's the Jets oh correct correct here's their

57:39schedule by the way because it's not a walk in the park in September home Baltimore at arrowhead home Houston and you know they can go on three there and it wouldn't be like oh my god they're terrible those are three potential high level teams in the league then you got to get on a plane and go to England to play the commanders that can go either way and I'll tell you which way that will go which way it will go in the direction of the call still get there that they'll get there that they'll get the first one to the commander's win a game the season yeah not many counting on half hand love this all right so but I'm just saying like oh and three is possible one in four might be probable you can get out of that top two and two and Daniel Jones is healthy then you could probably get your footing with coming up after that at Pittsburgh home Tennessee at Minnesota but yeah they're a tough one to figure out they're tough one to figure out all right let's close this out let's head to tier four let's do it listen

58:41you don't want to be in tier four ever but if there was a time to be in tier four it's now all right I know what you're celebrating we'll get there all right okay I'm excited I don't know what this I don't know what kind is excited about I kind of have an idea but all right here we go coming up first number 25 the New York Giants little gym and makes sense I feel like all the harboh hype it's gonna take a little bit of time to turn the ship into safe waters and I think Giants fans understand that too well some don't some think that instantly they're going to become contenders now with John harboh but this feels like the transition year that gets them from seven and 10 to hopefully 10 and seven so 25 makes sense 26 it's the Falcons and it's funny because I had talked about earlier in the summer like okay maybe I'll get behind the Falcons I couldn't I couldn't ignore the noise coming out of what is it flowery Ridge flowery

59:44branch flowery branch did you do this flowery bridge oldest team in the NFL they're the second oldest team in the NFL the flackery that's crazy that is crazy I wanted to know that and you know I was trying to tune out the two in noise until the report that they are now talking about kind of rushing panic back to the field because to it has been that lost in Stofansky's offense I worry for everyone on that team perhaps none more so than bjohn Robinson who looks a lot like Eric Dickerson on the Indianapolis cult right now that team is CBD and football pads well said number 27 are in my New York Jets maybe not surprisingly I have the Jets highest of the group I haven't at 24 which who not coincidentally keeps them out of tier four that was a happy accident that's a happy accident but I love that I don't think that's crazy because I mean they are the weird team that you could say like 20 years

1:00:44now like remember when Gino Smith won eight games with that Jets team like people have to understand like when when Dan is talking about this Jets team right now I'm not talking about them as a 11 and 16 or a 10 and 17 or even a 9 and 18 I think there is a path to seven eight wins and just being competitive now can it all fall apart as it does every year this this generation yes but where I stand right now is I think they're going to be a competitive football team that loses more than they win but aren't a total embarrassment I have the 24 mark 26 Conor 29 just in 28 right behind them is the Las Vegas Raiders we're all pretty much in lockstep on the Raiders not being ready yet at number 29 is this what got Connor excited I kind of get an idea knowing my friends that's what got him excited the Tennessee Titans I had a 28 just and I had a 20 cents 27 so Justin has his favorite teams like he understands that this is a work in progress under Bob Sala and Cam Ward year two but Conor is thrilled to

1:01:49report that both he and Mark Cessler have the Titans at 31 the second worst team in football so before the show Justin was like are you serious about this but I think I said are you trolling me or do you actually think there's only one team worse than the Titans but it did unlock I think Justin a really interesting conversation did it not where for example you're saying you're saying really the Titans are worse than the Cardinals if you had put the Cardinals roster on the tight and we keep in a book right now yes and flip them around I think that we're so down on the Cardinals partially because of the specter of like one of the hardest schedules that a last place team has ever had and one of the best divisions that a last place team has ever had to play against and we know that they're gonna get their shit pushed weekend and week out but the

1:02:51Titans like I think if a lot of the Cardinals players were on the Titans Justin you would be so much more optimistic about the Titans as a team I think the Cardinals are about example because I actually think the Cardinals are gonna be better than people expect I think they could win six to seven games but I also think you can sit here and say that almost every bad team in the league like Dan with sandy sees the path for the jets like I can see that path for just about every team except the dolphins and the Browns like I'll accept the Titans at 30 but I think the dolphins and the Browns are clearly the two worst teams in football what what made so this is this is this is interesting let's pull on this now what makes the Titans so much better and the path so much clearer than the Cleveland Browns before you answer that question Justin let me just finish out the rankings we have the Cardinals at 30 we have the Browns at 31 and yes the dolphins in lockstep what do we call that we call it a connect for all four of us

1:03:51have the dolphins at 32 the worst team in football entering the new year okay go ahead Justin I understand why you might like maybe an objective observer might not see a big difference between the Titans and the Browns I I guess I just have maybe it's un rewarded faith and that cam ward is a state it just keeps saying okay I think cam ward is a starting NFL quarterback I'm not I don't think he's a top 15 quarterback I think putting him around the 20 range right now 20 to 25 makes sense I don't think the Browns have a competent like whoever is the quarterback of the Browns right now is not going to be in the league next year much better that much better than Shedor Sanders that your path is crystal close Shedor standards isn't the quarterback of the Cleveland well he will do his things but he's not and presupposing anything about the Cleveland Browns decision making a quarterback would be why would say one thing though like to the Cardinals point the Conor made like I have Cleveland buried down at 30 and

1:04:52that's where they belong because I think that they are a tank job I almost as bad as the commanders but I think I think Cleveland is going to shift into tank mode I really really do I think they're already they're already trying to do that but Cleveland's young roster the second young is teenily two drafts in a row like I see direction with other position groups it's just a disaster a quarterback my one thing about the Titans I'm not trying to be over over the clinical so it's like what do I what am I clinging to this hope that the quarterback is competent beyond that because you already talked about them but like what am I clinging to with the Titans I see no identity like the Giants like look at us in our culture like I don't see that down in Tennessee or anything to do well I mean the Giants are a media they're a toot for the franchise they're gonna you're gonna see whatever's happening in New York and be told some narrative the Titans are the most non-descript irrelevant team in football just because of the market and because they've been a shit house team for two years in a row but I do think the Titans added a lot of weapons on offense this year they added a ton of defender there we talked about other teams remaking their entire starting defense the Titans are one of those as well they have the best defensive tackle

1:05:56in football in Jeffrey Simmons first team all pro last year and who now gets to play in a defensive defensive tackle in football he was first team all pro defensive tackle voted by the AP writers that makes him the best defensive tackle in football who now gets to play in a stop a system that will have him more freed up to attack offensive lines I think there are places to take the show to support their pieces on this team that you can believe in until the draft class point mark the Titans had a great draft last year as well and a lot of promise Justin I think when I'm not I'm not trolling you with the with the Titans but I have to take anything I you're right those things are factual and possibly true but like you anything that you say about the Titans you're enthusiasm level if it's there if it's that nine out of 10 I've got to put it at six out of 10 or five and a half out of 10 to bring back some of what I think is your youthful galovantine joy about the team which I admire but like from an if from a actual look at the Titans I've got to put it on my own scale and so I'm my I'm unenthused at the moment it's an unrewarding football team I want

1:06:57to be clear that my expectations for this team are between six and seven wins it's not like I think they're going to the playoffs or going worse to first or it's rubber solo one seven games with Zach Wilson if cam ward can't be a little better than Zach Wilson what are we doing right you're drafting another quarterback in a year to I guess read SI dot com tomorrow for more on that yeah the old ease from the or master all right that's it Justin I don't want you to be like on your defense on the defense at all times you know I again I hope the best for your Titans like I think I think having them as the fourth or fifth worst team in the league is totally fair I think having them below the browns and dolphins is I mean look I'm not sure we're having a deep conversation about this team when we're all kind of an agreement where they are like okay fair like I'm surprised counter you got so excited about the 31 thing because like me and Justin were like 26 and 27 like that's not a big

1:07:57difference really I joined him in the next third post 30 means something to me okay it's a statement I was just like Sessler putting the commander's a 33 seemed a little bit alright everybody we'll be back on Monday big week it's a new week it's it's the week when football is back remember it's not just the revenge of the mailbag on patreon this week will be in place of the Friday fun show it's revenge of the revenge of the mailbag marketing well I'm waiting Justin so far above the Titans he forgot the queue I didn't realize they're gonna do it again well I have it right there in the rundown I have another plug in it that's all I was asking for and then also so what we're gonna have the so revenge of the revenge of the mailbag patreon

1:09:01Friday Monday labor day we don't rest you'll have a brand new episode kicking off the week one week are over under draft and that's always a lot of fun and a lot of pressure on the old Sess dog it's been an absolute disaster I do believe this is the year that I will start to outlie correctly some of these things that have happened today and the over under contest is going to start to tilt towards justice which is me isn't that always like that as the greatest thing about a new football season or any sports season it's just the renewal of hope that things can finally change until next time do what you must either you