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As in previous blogs, I will list the criteria I used to derive my rankings. I will use a mix of personnel (including what key additions/subtractions the team made) , previous results, and most importantly my analysis of what scheme they utilize (basically my take on the skill of defensive coordinator/head coach/defensive assistants). As always I welcome your comments, but ask that you read my reasonings why before you post (don't just skip through the team names) .Now that I have dispatched with the formalities- on to my rankings.

#1- Baltimore Ravens- They lost a huge talent in Adalius Thomas, but this is a star studded DEEP talent bench. They won't miss a beat. Rex Ryan is a pure DEFENSIVE GENIUS. The blend of the 3-4 zone blitz and the 46 he learned from his dad, buddy, is the kind of constant scheme change that drives Offensive coordinators insane. Look for Rolle to be healthy and have a year more commeasurate with his standard this year, add to that McAlister (who I consider to be #2 best CB in the league behind Champ Bailey), Ed Reed, and DaWan Landry and you have one of the best secondary units in the league. The only question mark for this team on D, is if Rex taught his D to someone else. Because mark my words, he will be a head coach come 2008 (he even lost weight because teams GM/owners were uncomfortable with his ability to be a HC at his hefty weight).

 #2- Oakland Raiders- No real changes to this unit. Same as last year's squad that finished #3 overall in Defense. But, a common theme among my top 2 is the defensive coordinator's heritage-they both come from the same coaching and family tree. Rob Ryan, Rex's twin runs the Raiders D. He takes a slightly different approach using a 4-3 as his base, but mixes the 46 Dad showed him in there a ton. Warren Sapp lost the equivalent of a 10 year old boy in weight. He will have his best year in a long time, look for 15 sacks from him. I move them up a spot simply because the team has had another year to mature and learn the scheme Rob uses, and most importantly they might actually get to rest a little this year, with a "somewhat" improved offensive situation. Argue with that if you want, but can you get worse than 12 offensive TD's in one year? Anyway moving along...

#3- Pittsburgh Steelers- No I am NOT a blind fan. Anyone who has read my blogs, posts, or throwdowns knows I can be and always am objective. Anyway, on to my reasoning- The Steelers have been in the top 10 in overall defense for 15 straight seasons, since Lebeau first installed the 3-4 zone blitz scheme in '92. That won't change this year, and here is why: Dick Lebeau, the godfather of the zone blitz is still there, and Mike Tomlin is one of the most gifted "new school" defensive minds in the league. He took a bottom of the barrel Vikings D with no big name defensive players and took them from #20 overall to #7 overall. Need I even get into his prowess as a defensive backs coach? Tomlin takes over an extremely talented defensive bunch that have only surrendered two 100 yard rushers the last 3 seasons (last year LJ and LT combined for less than 75 yards rushing). The weak spot of the Steelers D was the secondary, just having Tomlin there, makes the same unit better. The Steelers lost loud mouth Joey Porter, so what? We drafted 2 younger, faster versions in Timmons and Woodley. Casey Hampton and Polamalu are 100% healthy now. Lebeau's 3-4 base with some tampa 2 schemes mixed in will create pure havoc for opposing offenses.

#4- New England- The addition of the Adalius Thomas, makes this great D even more formidable. The king of versatility, Bill Belichik, gets his "prototypical" player. The schemes and coverages they show will be that much more confusing. Wilfork will continue to be a force in the middle, swallowing blockers. Add into that, Asante Samuel's pending free agency (by that I mean he will have a monster year, trying to earn a Clements type contract) and they will break into the top 5 this year. They know safety is their weak point, hence their 1st round pick this year.

#5- San Diego- The uninitated fan will question this choice with all the coaching changes in SD this offseason. They will say "How do you justify this with the loss of Wade Phillips?". Here is why: They hired Ted Cottrell as the defensive coordinator. For those who don't know- Ted was an assistant under Wade Phillips for over a decade. He runs the SAME D as Wade does. And as a side note they somehow got Ron Rivera (the ex-D coordinator of the Bears) to sign on as the LB coach. Are you kidding me?!?! AJ Smith has made some great personnel moves with players (Eli for Rivers and Merriman), now he takes it to the coaching level (on Defense anyway). The D will not only NOT miss a step, it will be better. The only real loss on the D was Donnie Edwards- lots of talent on the team though. He will not be missed. Williams, Merriman, Phillips, and Olshansky will continue to anchor this D. My only question, is in the secondary. They get exposed a bit when the pressure isn't in the QB's face.

#6- Jacksonville Jaguars- They return most of the starting unit from last year. They have the best DT tandem in the league in Stroud and Henderson. But I move them down from last year for a couple of reasons. First, they are talking about switching to a tampa 2 coverage scheme. This, for this team, is subtraction by addition. They will give up less 20+ yard pass plays, but far more check down and screen passes. The front 4 struggle at times getting pressure on the QB (based on the DE rotation they use and while stroud and henderson are great, neither is a true 3 technique DT, something important in the tampa 2- inside pressure, not just from the corners) and the LB core doesn't get ANY pressure on the QB at ALL. They will also give up a bit more in run D by using more cover 2 sets. Also the loss of Darius, while long term may be the right move for the franchise, will hurt at first.

#7- Chicago Bears- A good defensive unit- but not a game changing unit. They come in at #7 because they play in the worst division in football. Favre has one weapon, they play the Lions twice and Jackson is the staring QB in Minn. They get 6 games that will bolster their stats just from division play. Urlacher is a beast. I can't rank them higher, with the loss of Ian Johnson, Tank missing 8 games, and Briggs possibly missing 10. Add into that the loss of their defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, and this isn't the same D that carried Da Bears into Da Bowl last year.

#8- Denver Broncos- The addition of Dre' Bly and Jarvis Moss push this team into the top 10. There will be pass rush pressure from both sides from a platoon of Dumervil, Lang, Eukuban and Moss. And honestly, how do you throw the ball against this team? Champ on one side, Bly on the other... Although the weaknesses I see are a young, inexperienced LB crew that lost their leader and an OLD John Lynch. They will start out on fire, shutting everybody down but look for them to level off by week 11 or so when O coordinators learn to game plan around the pressure and corners. They will exploit the short pass to neutralize Champ and Bly. They will slide from a top 3 or 4 unit to #8 by season end.

#9- Miami Dolphins- Capers is a defensive genius and will continue to get a ton out of this unit. They overpaid for an aging Joey Porter, although he is an upgrade at the position for them. Thomas and Taylor continue to anchor the unit, but more injury problems for Andre Goodman, along with the further advanced age of this unit move them down from last year. Add to that the improvements New England made on O and this unit slips from the top 5. It's time for the Fins to start looking for Thomas and Taylor's replacements. I can't believe they didn't draft Patrick Willis with the 9th pick this year. Talk about the perfect fit into Capers' scheme in that MLB spot when Zach leaves...sheesh...this will be a pick that haunts them for years.

#10- Dallas Cowboys- Wade Phillips and his crazy 3-4 pressure happy D will push this team into the top 10. Demarcus Ware will rival Merriman for the sack lead. The addition of Hamlin and the added pressure Wade's defenses bring will help equalize how AWFUL Roy Williams is in pass coverage. Phillips will utilize him more in the box and allow Hamlin to play center field. Add into this Anthony Spencer, the rookie, who is like a Shaun Phillips clone (the LB who plays the other outside slot in SD) and this D will get after the QB. The challenges I see for this unit are keeping Roy WIlliams as far as possible away from coverage and they really need more of a 2 gap NT and DE's to allow for more pressure from the LB's. Ok, OK i know 'Boys fans are going to say "Well Wade doesn't run a conventional 3-4 2 gap" I know this, but that being said- they don't have a legitimate NT on the roster, you want somebody who commands 2 blockers to create mismatches in ANY 3-4. Look at what Casey Hampton does for Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel in Pittsburgh. The missing pieces to this D being a top 5 unit are a premier 2 gap NT and sack production/run stopping from the DE's. The key to that is the NT. Use that 1st round pick you got from Cleveland next year on Glenn Dorsey. Hope the Browns suck and it's a top 5 pick so you can get him.

As always thanks for reading. I look forward to your comments. No homer posts- please.