Doug & Wolf power poll, Week 1: Shane Doan likes the Saints
Sep 4, 2019, 8:19 AM | Updated: Sep 11, 2019, 7:48 am
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees reacts after a touchdown carry by running back Alvin Kamara, not pictured, in the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)
(AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)
A new NFL season has familiar teams expected to rise to the top.
Just ask the three participants for the 2019 debut of our weekly Doug & Wolf NFL power poll. Doug Franz and Ron Wolfley were joined by special guest Shane Doan, the former Arizona Coyotes captain, who had quite the unique pick atop his rankings of the top five NFL teams.
Doan picked the Saints as the best team heading into Week 1.
Or was it that unique?
Neither Doug nor Wolf had New Orleans in their top five, but that doesn’t mean Doan’s pick is all that abstract. It’s Doug and Wolf who are not sold on the Saints when most others are buying.
According to FiveThirtyEight’s projections, the Saints have the third best playoff chances after only New England and the Kansas City Chiefs. An ESPN simulation of the entire 2019 season has New Orleans finishing as the second seed in the NFC.
Instead of buying the Saints, Doug and Wolf each have the Patriots atop their boards and the Chiefs and Rams in the top three.
Here’s a look at the trio’s entire rankings of the five best teams in the NFL.
Shane Doan
1. Saints
2. Chiefs
3. Eagles
4. Patriots
5. Chargers
Doug Franz
1. Patriots
2. Rams
3. Chiefs
4. Eagles
5. Steelers
Ron Wolfley
1. Patriots
2. Chiefs
3. Rams
4. Packers
5. Chargers
