Defenses

ON THE RISE

BRONCOS
Dre' Bly joins Champ Bailey (above) to give Denver the NFL's best cornercombo--but defensive guru Jim Bates is the biggest addition.

COWBOYS
Wade Phillips's aggressive 3-4 scheme will mean more sacks for OLB DeMarcusWare.

DOLPHINS
Rookie Ted Ginn Jr. boosts the return game, and LB Channing Crowder has ProBowl potential.

ON THEDECLINE

BILLS
Second-round pick Paul Posluzny alone can't make up for the free-agentdepartures of LBs London Fletcher-Baker and Takeo Spikes.

FALCONS
Injured LB Demorrio Williams and DT Rod Coleman won't be ready for the start ofthe season.

TITANS
They'll face a schedule laden with top-rated passers--and do it withoutsuspended CB Pacman Jones.

SLEEPERS

CARDINALS
Additions at safety and corner give Pro Bowl SS Adrian Wilson (above) moreopportunity to roam.

BENGALS
First-round pick CB Leon Hall improves the return game and a dismal secondary.Safety Marvin White is a fourth-round steal.

PACKERS
All 11 starters return from a surprisingly stout unit that allowed only 23points over the last three games.

SI TEAM RANKINGSFOR 2007 with 2006 stats

 	 	POINTS/GAME	YARDS/GAME	RANK (rush/pass)	RANK (total)	INTERCEPTIONS	SACKS	POINTS*	BYE WEEK
1.	Chicago Bears	15.9	294.1	6/11	5	24	40	50	9
2.	Baltimore Ravens	12.6	264.1	2/6	1	28	60	40	8
3.	New England Patriots	14.8	294.4	5/12	6	22	44	8	10
4.	Miami Dolphins	17.7	289.1	8/5	4	8	47	18	9
5.	San Diego Chargers	18.9	301.6	7/13	10	16	61	18	7
6.	Denver Broncos	19.1	326.4	12/21	14	17	35	12	6
7.	Philadelphia Eagles	20.5	328.1	26/9	15	19	40	30	5
8.	Dallas Cowboys	21.9	322.8	10/24	13	18	34	30	8
9.	Jacksonville Jaguars	17.1	283.6	4/10	2	20	35	12	4
10.	Minnesota Vikings	20.4	300.2	1/32	8	21	30	36	5
11.	Pittsburgh Steelers	19.7	300.3	3/20	9	20	39	18	6
12.	Green Bay Packers	22.9	320.9	13/17	12	23	46	30	7
13.	Carolina Panthers	19.1	296.1	11/4	7	14	41	14	7
14.	Cincinnati Bengals	20.7	355.1	15/31	30	19	35	6	5
15.	New York Jets	18.4	331.6	24/14	20	16	35	18	10
16.	Arizona Cardinals	24.3	349.4	16/30	29	16	38	24	8
17.	Oakland Raiders	20.8	284.8	25/1	3	18	34	26	5
18.	Seattle Seahawks	21.3	330.3	22/16	19	12	41	18	8
19.	Indianapolis Colts	22.5	332.2	32/2	21	15	25	12	6
20.	San Francisco 49ers	25.8	344.2	19/26	26	14	34	14	6
21.	New York Giants	22.6	342.4	14/28	25	17	32	14	9
22.	Kansas City Chiefs	19.7	328.9	18/18	16	15	32	6	8
23.	New Orleans Saints	20.1	307.3	23/3	11	11	38	6	4
24.	St. Louis Rams	23.8	335.1	31/8	23	17	34	12	9
25.	Atlanta Falcons	20.5	332.8	9/29	22	12	37	12	8
26.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	22.1	329.4	17/19	17	11	25	18	10
27.	Buffalo Bills	19.4	329.6	28/7	18	13	40	30	6
28.	Washington Redskins	23.5	355.5	27/23	31	6	19	14	4
29.	Cleveland Browns	22.2	344.8	29/15	27	18	28	18	7
30.	Houston Texans	22.9	337.5	20/22	24	11	28	18	10
31.	Detroit Lions	24.9	345.6	21/25	28	12	30	8	6
32.	Tennessee Titans	25.0	369.7	30/27	32	17	26	52	4

*Points scored by defense and special teams

PHOTO

ICON SPORTS MEDIA (BAILEY)

PHOTO

KEVIN TANAKA/SPORTPICS (WILSON)