Arena Football Power Rankings: Soul start at No. 2 spot

The season kicks off in style with a rematch of last season’s Arena Bowl between the Arizona Rattlers and the Philadelphia Soul on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m. ET.

To no surprise, the Rattlers and the Soul will be No. 1 and No. 2 to start, but where do the other teams fall? Let’s take a look at our rankings.

1. Arizona Rattlers (2012 record: 13-5, Arena Bowl champions)

It is not out of the ordinary to put the defending champions at the top of a power rankings list at the start of the next season, but this is a rare case where the defending champion actually got better. The Rattlers kept their main core of players while adding guys like receivers Rod Windsor and Tysson Poots to go along with Maurice Purify and form the scariest receiver group in the league. They may be up here for a while.

2. Philadelphia Soul (2012 record: 15-3)

The Soul made a dominant run into the Arena Bowl last year before falling to the Rattlers. The Soul brought back a lot of key players from last year’s team, including quarterback Dan Raudabaugh, fullback Derrick Ross and receiver Tiger Jones and will be sure to rack up victories in a weak American Conference. Not to mention additions such as Andrae Thurman and Alvance Robinson. Despite the weak conference, the Soul are still one of the better teams in the AFL.

3. San Jose Sabercats (2012 record: 12-6)

The Sabercats had an eventful offseason of their own. Their longtime quarterback Mark Grieb retired after a Hall-of-Fame-worthy career. The Sabercats replaced one future of Hall of Famer with another in Aaron Garcia. Garcia may be up in age, but he can still lead a team to victories in the AFL. Other additions include receiver Jamarko Simmons and defensive back JC Neal who are both quality players in the league. If it weren’t for the Rattlers, the Sabercats would be the favorite to win the National Conference.

4. Utah Blaze (2012 record: 12-6)

Utah marks the third and final western division team in the top five. Needless to say, the western division is the strongest division in the league. Utah possesses the most prolific offense in the game and that mostly due to their record setting quarterback Tommy Grady. The reigning league MVP threw a league-record 142 touchdowns last season and with receiver Aaron Lesue in tow, it doesn’t seem like that will decrease. Utah was one game away from the Arena Bowl last season and will look to take the next step this season.

5. Orlando Predators (2012 record: 4-14)

How can a team that finished one spot from the bottom of the league a season ago be in the top five next season: with a complete overhaul during the offseason. The Preds went out got a proven coach in former Soul head coach Doug Plank, a proven quarterback in Kyle Rowley, and a very talented roster for this season. Other additions include receiver Prechae Rodriguez, who caught 32 touchdowns in 2012, and linebacker Tim Cheatwood, a former all-Arena selection.

6. Jacksonville Sharks (2012 record: 10-8)

If this list was made a week or two ago, the Sharks might have been a spot or two lower on this list, but after the additions of receivers Markee White and Trandon Harvey, they, along with the Predators, are the biggest challengers to the Soul in the American Conference. The Sharks will have quarterback Bernard Morris for the second season in a row, which is big because not every team has consistency at the quarterback position. But any team that is coach by Les Moss will be a contender.

7. Spokane Shock (2012 record: 10-8)

Unfortunately for the Shock, they may be the least talented team on paper in the western division, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t one of the better teams in the league overall. The Shock won 10 games a season ago, but finished two games behind everyone else in the division and missed the playoffs. While other teams were stacking the deck in the offseason, the Shock quietly put together another competitive team, bringing back quarterback Erik Meyer, receiver Adron Tennell and defensive back/kick returner Terrance Sanders. The Shock will compete and win games, but playing in the deadly western division will be tough for them to overcome throughout the season.

8. New Orleans VooDoo (2012 record: 8-10)

Despite finishing two games below .500, the VooDoo earned a playoff berth in 2012 in the American Conference. The VooDoo are a talented team, however, with quarterback Kurt Rocco coming back for another year under head coach Pat O’Hara. The addition of New Orleans native, and former member of the Soul Donovan Morgan will definitely help the passing attack. The loss of linebacker Alvin Ray Jackson will definitely hurt the defense as he led the league with 14 interceptions a season ago.

9. Iowa Barnstormers (2012 record: 7-11)

Iowa marks the first central division team on the list. The Barnstormers were not a great team by any stretch last season, but did have great games with some of the best teams in the league in 2012. Again, having consistency at the quarterback position is crucial and Iowa has that with J.J. Raterink. Every team to this point of the list have brought back the same quarterback for at least the second season in a row or added a proven quarterback from elsewhere. Residing in a very weak central division, this season could be Iowa’s best chance to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2009, when they were still apart of the Af2.

10. Chicago Rush (2012 record: 10-8)

Chicago narrowly missed the playoffs in 2012, but after a tumultuous offseason of owner swapping and even arena swapping, the Rush has been dropped down to this point of the list. Not mention, they do not have a proven quarterback to speak of on the roster. The Rush does have some talent at wide receiver with “Big Play” Reggie Gray and Rodney Wright. They even have good defenders in defensive back Vic Hall and all-Arena linebacker Kelvin Morris. But the biggest key is whether quarterback Carson Coffman can be productive. It doesn’t matter how talented you are everywhere else, if you don’t have consistency at quarterback, you’re not going to win in the AFL.

11. Tampa Bay Storm (2012 record; 8-10)

One of the proudest and most successful franchises in the history of the AFL doesn’t look like it’s going to do much in 2013. They will have a new quarterback in Adrian McPherson to start the season. McPherson has AFL experience, but it came five years ago with the Grand Rapids Rampage. Since then, he’s been a backup in the Canadian Football League and was a sought after free agent there before returning to the AFL. As experienced as McPherson is, he is an unknown commodity at this point. Other than that, the Storm posses no recognizable AFL names to speak of. But that’s why they play the games, right?

12. San Antonio Talons (2012 record: 14-4)

And the award for biggest nosedive in one season could very well go to the Talons. This is directly attributed to the loss of Aaron Garcia after only one season under center. The Talons then lost the projected starter G.J. Kinne, who signed with the Eagles. The Talons recently picked up AFL veteran John Dutton, but his best days appear to be behind him. The Talons do have talent: receivers Jomo Wilson, Robert Quiroga and Dwanye Eley, Jr. are a formidable trio. But at the end of the day, however, it will come down to how much Dutton still has left in the tank.

13. Pittsburgh Power (2012 record: 5-13)

The Power’s 2012 season was ruined from the start with the work stoppage and the loss of quarterback Kyle Rowley. The damage may carry over into this season. The Power do have some name players: receivers Mike Washington and P.J. Berry and linebacker Alvin Ray Jackson. But once again, it all comes down to the quarterback position. The Power announced recently that they’re going with former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson as the starter. Jefferson has no AFL experience or any indoor experience so there will be some growing pains. How steep is learning curve is will determine the fate of the Power’s season.

14. Cleveland Gladiators (2012 record: 8-10)

A team that will have an uphill battle to say the least is the Gladiators. Just two seasons ago, they were was division champions, now they may finish dead last in the league. By now you know my rule: no quarterback, no victories. As of right now, the Gladiators have Brian Zbydniewski under center, who has a small amount of experience in the league. If he can be consistent for the Glads, they could be a contender in the weak American Conference. If not, it could be a very long season for Cleveland.