When it comes to Creative Misfortune Power Rankings, production is combined with potential to determine a team's true strength compared to the rest of the league. Winning isn't the only factor, but it is one of the most important components of the rating. I don't believe teams can be powerful if they consistently lose, even to other great teams.
The Forked Few~
Abandon hope and fortune all ye who rank here
# 32 - Oakland Raiders (previous: NA)
The Raiders are in the league's cellar along with the Jaguars. In a stacked division, they will have to find lightning in a bottle if they hope to win more than four games this season.
# 31 - Jacksonville Jaguars (previous: NA)
The Jaguars have no shot in 2014 and have done little to improve their team after a disastrous campaign in 2013.
# 30 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (previous: NA)
After almost making it two seasons ago, the Buccaneers have fallen off the wagon and show very few signs of returning to greatness this year.
# 29 - St. Louis Rams (previous: NA)
The Rams seemed to once again be on the verge of doing something big - and then Bradford went down with an injury. Unless Shaun Hill can become Kurt Warner 2.0 and take St. Louis from worst-to-first, the Rams' season has ended before it even started.
# 28 - Minnesota Vikings (previous: NA)
The Vikings are still way too young and inexperienced to compete with the Lions, Packers and Bears. Six wins might be the best they can hope for in 2014.
The Creatively Challenged~
Folly remains ever their mistress
# 27 - Washington Redskins (previous: NA)
It will be interesting to see if RGIII can come back from his terrible outing in 2013. Washington has done little during the offseason to help their young star out, and it looks like it will be another long, losing season for the franchise.
# 26 - Cleveland Browns (previous: NA)
Is Johnny Manziel the most immature, potential superstar quarterback the NFL has ever seen? No idea when Manziel starts a game for the Browns this season, but it will be sooner rather than later if they struggle at all under Hoyer.
# 25 - New York Jets (previous: NA)
The Jets focused on their inept offense during the offseason. They should be an improved team, but are still at least a year away from truly contending for anything.
# 24 - New York Giants (previous: NA)
The Giants went a perfect 5-0 in the preseason, which is encouraging after last season's failures, but they won't be a playoff team this year.
# 23 - Buffalo Bills (previous: NA)
The Bills will be the Bills until they prove they can string together some late-season wins and make the playoffs. Until then, they look to be the weakest team in the AFC East.
# 22 - Atlanta Falcons (previous: NA)
After last season, who knows what Falcons team will show up this year. Will they dominate the league and their division or flounder in the middle of the NFC? A first-week matchup at home with the Saints should tell us a lot about the direction Atlanta is headed in 2014.
# 21 - Tennessee Titans (previous: NA)
2014 will be a year of transition for the Titans. In a weaker division, they'll still have a chance to surprise people, but don't expect big things from them this season.
The Remarkably Average~
Dancing the fine line between misfortune and glory
# 20 - San Diego Chargers (previous: NA)
Oft overlooked lately, the Chargers will be far more competitive this season than a lot of people believe. With all the expectations on the Broncos to carry the division, San Diego can relax and do what they need to do to try and sneak into the playoffs.
# 19 - Miami Dolphins (previous: NA)
Improving, but still will most likely miss the AFC playoffs.
# 18 - Houston Texans (previous: NA)
After last season's debacle, who knows how the Texans will perform in 2014.
# 17 - Arizona Cardinals (previous: NA)
The Cardinals are a young team on the rise, but will have to knock off the two heavyweights in their division before they'll be ready to challenge for the conference championship. They are close, but still at least one season away.
# 16 - Carolina Panthers (previous: NA)
The Panthers had a great run last year and anything short of the Super Bowl should be a disappointment to their fans. But as solid as the defense is and as well as Cam Newton has played recently, Carolina doesn't have enough firepower to take the division title from New Orleans this year.
# 15 - Dallas Cowboys (previous: NA)
All offense and absolutely no defense. Hard to win games week in and week out when your offense has to light up the scoreboard and put up 40+ points just to have a chance to win. Recent history says 8-8 and a missed opportunity to make the playoffs is what should be expected from the Cowboys once again this season.
# 14 - Green Bay Packers (previous: NA)
If the Packers can develop a running game, keep Rodgers healthy, and avoid the injury bug that has plagued them the last few seasons, they could be nigh unstoppable, especially once the weather turns for the worse late in the year.
# 13 - Chicago Bears (previous: NA)
With the offense coming together, the Bears will be a force to be reckoned with in the NFC.
The Fortunate Seven~
The best of those not yet elite
# 12 - Kansas City Chiefs (previous: NA)
The surprise team of 2013, the Chiefs will have a very difficult time duplicating their success from last season.
# 11 - San Francisco 49ers (previous: NA)
The 49ers continue to look impressive. If it weren't for the Seahawks, they'd run away with their division.
# 10 - Baltimore Ravens (previous: NA)
The Ravens have more potential for a playoff run this year than they had after they won the Super Bowl following the 2012 season.
# 9 - Detroit Lions (previous: NA)
The Lions will be in a dogfight with the Bears and Packers for the NFC North title this season. The division is theirs to lose, but that doesn't mean they will claim the title.
# 8 - New England Patriots (previous: NA)
Brady should have all his offensive weapons in place from the get-go this season, but, besides Gronkowski, can you name them? A weak division will carry the Patriots into the playoffs, but don't expect much more from them.
# 7 - Pittsburgh Steelers (previous: NA)
The Steelers continue to age more than any other team and now have off-the-field issues to contend with. Despite that, they will be a strong team this season.
# 6 - Philadelphia Eagles (previous: NA)
Philly started flying high at the end of the 2013 season. Have defensive coordinators learned how to combat Coach Kelly's Blur offense? If not, the Eagles will be an awesome team this year. If so, the Eagles still have a decent shot to win the weak NFC East.
The Creative Elite~
Wielding misfortune at its finest
# 5 - Indianapolis Colts (previous: NA)
Andrew Luck has proven he can win big games and lead the Colts to playoff wins. Now he just has to prove he can take the Colts to the next level. The Super Bowl may be unreachable with Brady and Manning still in the league, but the Colts will definitely be in the AFC playoff mix in January.
# 4 - Cincinnati Bengals (previous: NA)
The Bengals could be the surprise team to beat in the AFC this season, if they could just learn how not to go one-and-done in the playoffs.
# 3 - Seattle Seahawks (previous: NA)
The Seahawks lived up to their hype and then some last season. Can they repeat as Super Bowl champions? Doubtful, but they certainly have a shot to make it to the big dance once again.
# 2 - Denver Broncos (previous: NA)
After falling short in the Super Bowl last year, Denver has made moves on both sides of the ball to do their best to get back to the big game and actually win it this time. This may be Manning's last, best shot to win another championship before he retires.
# 1 - New Orleans Saints (previous: NA)
Despite a bend and somehwat break mentality on defense, the Saints come into the 2014 season with high expectations and they should contend for the NFC conference title.
Creative Misfortune Super Bowl XLIX Favorite ~ After the preseason
Check back tomorrow for a review of Creative Misfortune's 2014 prediction systems as well as predictions for the season opening contest between the defending Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers...
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