By Jay Sweeney & Luciano Rapa

Featured writers for Sideline Report

NFL Rankings…….part 3-3

10. Chiefs

Jay:    The Chiefs are a team that shouldn’t be talked about that refuses to understand that and might win too often again

Luciano:        Good coaching clearly makes a difference, however Chief not as good as first half of last season. Should easily beat out Chargers for second in division. Hands down the best BQ tailgating you will ever experience.

9. Cardinals

Jay:    The Cardinals will repeat as a team nobody understands from a place that has Phoenix and the Grand Canyon in it.

Luciano:        Cards will unseat 49ers in second place, keeping the 49ers out of the playoffs! Another place where clearly coaching does matter. Young and vibrant, I like the Cards.

8. Colts

Jay:    The Colts will do a lot of things well that won’t add up to doing everything well enough to win anything.

Luciano:        Colts have become all hype, and I’m afraid they will be the new Dolphins in constant hopes to replace Peyton. I like Luck, but this team wil burn the kid out.

7. Bengals

Jay:    The Bengals are proof that a team from each division will make the playoffs regardless of how good they are.

Luciano:        Honeymoon is officially over for Marvin Lewis, its win now or you are gone! Bengals have underachieved forever. Teasing their fans with good seasons, only to suck in the playoffs. I think they finish in second and barely make the WC.

6. Saints

Jay:    The Saints are expected to be a dominating team that doesn’t once again next year.

Luciano:        Talented team for sure, but lets be realistic for a second: Take them and move them to Cleveland, and they 7-8 games at best. This is a dome team, and unless they play numerous dome games, they will continue to tease their fans. HC is great, but stubborn and frankly snobbish to a fault. He has had great RBS, but refuses to let them become a part of the offense. Will finish 2014 in second place to the Panthers.

5. Patriots

Jay:    The Patriots have averaged 12 wins and not won the Superbowl for 10 years. Therefore this was an average year as will be the next

Luciano:        Wins the division again, simply because the other three are not kind of close; Patriots will continue the slow decline (14, 13, 13, 12). Brady will need help, gone are the luxurious two TEs (Gronk has become doubtful yearly). Too many areas have been neglected over the successful years, rebuilding will be painful. Pats will lose in the AFCCG again.

4. 49ers

Jay:             When its all said and done we will remember Harbaugh as a guy that took over a good team and won nothing with it. IMO had he kept Alex Smith another year, he would now have at least one SB.  I am not a Kap fan, he is nothing more than Tebow on with an arm. 49ers will start the decline and finish out of the playoffs in third place.

Luciano:        Steelers had a down year, but rebounded nicely in the end, and almost made the playoffs. I expect them to rebound and win the division again, as the Bungles begin to slide.

3. Panthers

Jay:    12-4 is a pretty good record for a team you don’t know much about other than Cam somebody is the QB and Steve Smith can catch.

Luciano:        Panthers will challenge the Seahawks for dominance in the NFC. This is a solid team, with an excellent defense. I expect Cam to continue to grow. They will unseat New Orleans in the division, again. A SB win will not surprise me!

2. Broncos

Jay:    Peyton, Peyton, Peyton, and Elway who knows what a QB like him needs. This winning combination will last as long as the neck does.

Luciano:        In this case coaching doesn’t matter. The HC is an idiot on two feet. Take Manning away and you have 6 win team, maybe. Peyton cannot continue to carry them as he did last season, his age will eventually catch up, and a serious injury can occur. I still expect them to win the division, but SB will be just a dream.

1. Seahawks

Jay:    Seahawks are and will be good until Sherman & Wilson’s new contracts start sucking up the money. Get used to seeing them in the post season

Luciano:        This team is basically guaranteed 7-8 wins every year at home. Add the fact they now have a good traveling team as well, and you get 14 wins all over again. Solid all around.