NFL Power Rankings

Sure, the regular season is a few weeks away, but it’s never too early to start handicapping the field for the 2008 NFL season.

Were the Giants a flash in the pan? Will Brett Favre get the Jets off the runway? Are the Patriots primed for a comeback? Will the Cowboys finally win a playoff game?

Serious fans want to know, and ESPN (of course) aims to provide an answer. That’s why it polled a group of staff writers for ESPN.com to get a consensus on who has the inside track for the Super Bowl.

Here are the dirty dozen, as of early August:

1. Patriots (16-0)

2. Colts (13-3)

3. Chargers (11-5)

4. Cowboys (13-3)

5. Jaguars (11-5)

6. Giants (10-6)

7. Steelers (10-6)

8. Packers (13-3)

9. Seahawks (10-6)

10. Browns (10-6)

11. Vikings (8-8)

12. Saints (7-9)

Source: ESPN.com