The air is heavy with pollen. The American presidential campaign drags on, nearly six months away from the finish. Gas is $4 a gallon and it's not yet summer.

We know what you're thinking: What better time to debate the NFL hierarchy? Welcome to the May 2008 edition of our Power Rankings.


Has it been three months since the New York Giants, who finished ninth in the 2007 final edition of the Power Rankings, completed an unlikely run to the Super Bowl title by upsetting the New England Patriots? Wasn't it just yesterday when the Patriots, our 2007 Power Rankings titlists, were putting the wraps on an unprecedented 16-0 regular season by beating those same Giants?


Even as rookies and free agents acquaint themselves with their new teammates at minicamps around the league, we speculate. Are the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints really headed for rebound seasons after lackluster 2007 campaigns? Are the Green Bay Packers -- who, you might have heard, will have a new starting quarterback in 2008 -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans destined to take steps back?


And what do you make of the Washington Redskins, a surprise playoff team last season but one of several teams adjusting to a new head coach in 2008?

To take a look at teams during the offseason, we've called upon some of our voting members to provide the team-by-team commentary. Thus, for your reading pleasure, you'll have:

• Mike Sando on the AFC East and NFC West
• James Walker on the AFC North and NFC North
• Pat Yasinskas on the AFC South and NFC South
• Bill Williamson on the AFC West
• Matt Mosley on the NFC East


Our voters, who also include staff writer John Clayton and Scouts Inc. Insiders Jeremy Green and Keith Kidd, had diverse takes on what offseason moves mean to various teams. The Titans ranked as high as 10th in one voter's opinion, but rated only 22nd in another's. The defending champion Giants are the best team in the league, according to one selector; another ranks nine teams ahead of Big Blue.



BIGGEST RISE: N.Y. Jets from 30th (final finish in 2007) to 21st. BIGGEST DROP: Green Bay Packers from fifth to 10th; Tennessee Titans from 11th to 16th; Detroit Lions from 24th to 29th.

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