2017 NFL Power Rankings: Preseason Edition

6. New Orleans Saints, 2.46 nERD

The New Orleans Saints improved a touchdown and an extra point's worth of nERD from 2015 (-4.41 to 2.75). That ranked them eighth in the NFL, but they (and their +15 point differential) mustered just a 7-9 record.

That can happen when the offense has ranked inside the top 10 by NEP for 11 straight years (not a typo) and were second in four of the past five. Whew.

Of course, even after the departure of Brandin Cooks, we know it's the defense that needs discussed. The Saints' defense has ranked 32nd, 32nd, and 30th in the past three seasons. They were 29th, 32nd, and 30th against the pass in those seasons.

To address that concern, the team drafted stud cornerback Marcus Lattimore 11th overall, but that alone can't make up for the overall issues. Add in the unfortunate news that Nick Fairley's heart condition has caused him to head to the NFI list (meaning he's unlikely to play in 2017), and the Saints could struggle to turn their above-average efficiency into a comfortable winning record.