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Power Rankings From Around the Web: Post-Super Bowl Edition

By John Crean

Hi guys. Remember me? Of course you do, I've still been writing lately. It's just been forever since I've done a "Power Rankings From Around the Web" post.

Well, that all changes, for today only.

You see, I rely on other people's thoughts, hard work, and statistical analysis to do my own thoughts and statistical analysis of their collective hard work.  A few outlets have updated their rankings, both subjective and objective, and I was able to cull enough data to do a Power Rankings post. It's not a full, meaty, version of the normal rankings that are done during the season, but these will do.  We'll call them Diet Power Rankings: they still taste okay, you just won't get as many calories out of them.

Wait, what was I talking about again? Oh yeah, onto the rankings.

Notable Quotes

Okay, not quite to the rankings just yet. I've pulled a few notable quotes from the various sites in regards to the Chargers:

Somebody teach this team that winning in September actually is important. You'd like to think the league's best offense and defense statistically speaking will be a title contender in 2011.

-- Yahoo!

 

This team underachieved last season in a major way, but the injuries at wide receiver were a detriment for their playoff hopes. And if they don’t re-sign WR Vincent Jackson, it might be harder for the Chargers to be a legitimate playoff contender in 2011.

-- Fox Sports


Subjective Average


Subjavg_medium


Observations

  • I can't say there are too man surprises here.  The rankings generally follow how the teams finished the regular season, and then how well they did in the playoffs (with a few exceptions).
  • The Seahawks, who beat the Saints (ranked 8th) in the first round of the playoffs, are still ranked down at an average of 17th.
  • The Packers are good. The Panthers are bad.

Subjective Standard Deviation


Substddev_medium

Observations

  • Gee, everyone was going out on a limb here ranking the Packers and Steelers 1-2, and the Panthers 32. However, there is unanimous agreement in the Ravens being 5th which is interesting.
  • The Cowboys were nearly in agreement at 20th, but some chucklehead had to throw a wrench in the mix and rank them all the way up at 15th. Same story with the Jets: almost a lock at 3rd, OH WAIT THEY'RE ACTUALLY 7TH.
  • So the Titans? What do we know about them? Apparently nothing. same story with the Vikings and Browns and Lions.

Objective Average

Just a quick disclaimer. Only 2 objective sites updated their rankings to include the playoffs.


Objavg_medium

Observations

  • Yep. That looks about right.

Objective Standard Deviation


Objstddev_medium

Observations

  • So having only two data samples kind of keeps the Standard Deviation close.  For instance, half the league is within a Standard Deviation of 0.50.
  • Were the Bills and Titans bad or just mediocre?  We still don't know.

Overall Average


Overallavg_medium

Observations

  • Looking at the list, top-to-bottom, teams are fairly evenly distributed. There is a sharp definition between the Buccaneers and the Chargers, and then the Bengals and the Broncos.
  • This signifies the Chargers (and similar teams) as significantly worse then the Bucs (and those teams better than them).
  • The Broncos, Cardinals and Panthers are definitely worse than all the other teams.

Overall Standard Deviation


Overallstdev_medium

Observations

  • Wow, the Redskins: not so good across the board.
  • The Chargers finished right in the middle of the pack.
  • Patriots, objectively, are better than conventional wisdom dictates.
  • Things get out of hand quickly when you look at the Seahawks and below.


Difference in Averages


Overalldiffinaverage_medium

Observations

  • This is where things start to get fun as we look at which teams are apparently overrated, and which are underrated.
  • Most Overrated NFL Team: The Kansas City Chiefs. Objectively speaking, they're down in the bottom-third of the NFL.  However, they appear to be playing like a team in the top-third. My guess is strength of schedule (or lack thereof) have something to do with both lists.  Honorable Mentions: Jaguars, Rams and Seahawks.
  • Most Underrated NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings. We know the Vikings had a tumultuous season.  What, with all the drama surrounding Brett Favre and Brad Childress and Randy Moss. Here's the thing though, they actually played decently throughout the year, they just came up short most of the time. Honorable Mentions: Lions, Bengals, Browns and Bills.
  • The Chargers are close to even, with a slight nod to being a little overrated.
  • The Packers, Ravens, Jets, Panthers and Eagles are right where they should be.

That about does it.  Look for another post following the draft, as many sites update their Power Rankings in response to the draft.

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