Don Banks Power Rankings: Lions Aren't Last!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Don Banks (a columnist who I respect more than most) just posted his preseason power rankings with the Lions coming in at #31.

Consider it a strong vote of confidence for the beginning of the Jim Schwartz era that I didn't doom the winless Lions to dead last right off the bat this season. But next to last still speaks to how much work remains in Motown.
While I disagree with a lot of spots in the last ten, I do agree with Banks statement under the Broncos

Sometimes I think the task of separating the bottom 10 teams in these power rankings is significantly more challenging than identifying the top 10.
Typically the worst teams in the league are also a bit more unpredictable. A couple teams that are already entirely written off by the media will take their divisions by storm. Or maybe not, but it is a fairly common occurence.

One spot I do agree with is #32
Investing in Steve Spagnuolo's future was a move I believe will pay dividends at some point in the future. Solid coaching is the foundation of success in the NFL. But this year, a bright future may be hard to see in St. Louis.
St. Louis has a lot of the same problems as Detroit, and it is difficult to argue that they did much to address them this offseason. They off-loaded Torry Holt and Orlando Pace, and while the moves were understandable, those two players still represented the best of their group. Adding Jason Brown will help a bit but that offense is still awfully old and creaky. Their quarterback is old and broken, their star running back the same.

Mark down November 1 v the Rams as a sure victory. I guarantee it!

Discuss it Here, in The Den