The 2013-2014 NFL season begins on Thursday, September 5 and as coaches and players around the league make their final preparations for a grueling 16-game schedule, football fans around the globe are once again anticipating another great year of gridiron showdowns. Last season, NFL enthusiasts were treated to a tremendous regular season followed by one of the most entertaining postseason's in recent memory. Thanks to late-game heroics by Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional Round against the Denver Broncos, the Ravens were eventually able to earn a trip to the Super Bowl where they'd go on to upend the San Francisco 49ers in an absolute thriller.
As the league enters another season, familiar faces such as Denver quarterback Peyton Manning, two-time League MVP Tom Brady and 2013 MVP Adrian Peterson are once again expected to perform at a high level while teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles hope major offseason changes result in much-improved on-field play. With each season comes the ranking of all 32 teams by multiple media outlets who like to put their stamp on who the top and bottom teams in the league are before the year even begins.
Though teams like the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons were considered heavy favorites for the 2013-2014 season, the Seattle Seahawks top the early NFL Power Rankings. With rookie phenom Russell Wilson returning as quarterback and a loaded defense ready to take on the tough NFC West, many voters elected to play the Seahawks in front of the 49ers, who landed No. 3 on ESPN's list. The Atlanta Falcons, who finished 13-3 last season came in at No. 2 with the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers rounding out the Top 5. The New York Jets -- who finished last season 10-6 -- came in at No. 32.
2013 NFL Power Rankings: Week 1 (2012 Record)
1. Seattle Seahawks (11-5)
2. Atlanta Falcons (13-3)
3. San Francisco 49ers (11-4-1)
4. Denver Broncos (13-3)
5. Green Bay Packers (11-5)
6. New England Patriots (12-4)
7. Houston Texans (12-4)
8. Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
9. Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)
10. Washington Redskins (10-6)
11. Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
12. New York Giants (9-7)
13. New Orleans Saints (7-9)
14. Chicago Bears (10-6)
15. St. Louis Rams (7-8-1)
16. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8)
17. Minnesota Vikings (10-6)
18. Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
19. Kansas City Chiefs (2-14)
20. Miami Dolphins (7-9)
21. Detroit Lions (4-12)
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
23. Carolina Panthers (7-9)
24. San Diego Chargers (7-9)
25. Philadelphia Eagles (4-12)
26. Arizona Cardinals (5-11)
27. Tennessee Titans (6-10)
28. Cleveland Browns (5-11)
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-14)
30. Buffalo Bills (6-10)
31. Oakland Raiders (4-12)
32. New York Jets (6-10)
TOP 5 GAMES TO WATCH - WEEK 1
5. Washington Redskins vs. Philadelphia Eagles - Monday, Sept. 9 at 6:55pm, ET
Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is expected to play as he continues to rehab from last season's knee injury while everyone will be interested to see what new Eagles head coach Chip Kelly's offense looks like with quarterback Michael Vick leading the charge.
4. Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints - Sunday, Sept. 8 at 1:00pm, ET
New Orleans will welcome back head coach Sean Payton who served a full-season suspension last year for his alleged involvement in the Saints' bounty scandal and while emotions will certainly be running high at the Superdome, quarterback Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons have the potential to ruin the celebration.
3. Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers - Sunday, Sept. 8 at 4:35pm, ET
These two teams opened last season against one another with the Niners winning 30-22 at Lambeau Field. This time around, Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers hope to earn a win of their own in a match-up between two franchises with serious Super Bowl aspirations.
2. New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys - Sunday, Sept. 8 at 8:30pm, ET
Dallas defeated the Giants at MetLife Stadium a year ago and as the rivalry now returns to AT&T Stadium, Eli Manning hopes to keep his perfect record at the new home of the Cowboys intact as the two-time Super Bowl MVP is a clean 4-0 in Big D since the stadium was constructed in 2009.
1. Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos - Thursday, Sept. 5 at 8:30pm, ET
A rematch of last season's AFC Divisional Round, Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens return to Denver to take on Peyton Manning and his plethora of offensive talent. The last time Baltimore took the field at Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium, Flacco hit Jacoby Jones for a 70-yard touchdown to force overtime. Eventually taking down Manning and company, Baltimore went on to claim its first Super Bowl title since 2000.
RELATED: AP Poll College Football 2013: Alabama Remains No. 1 With Clemson Moving To No. 4 And Notre Dame Staying At No. 14 [FULL LIST]
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