what does that mean in terms of the defensive line rankings?

1. Minnesota Vikings: When you start with the best defensive end in the league (Jared Allen(notes))  and perhaps the best 4-3 defensive tackle (Kevin Williams(notes)),  that's a pretty impressive foundation. Throw in Pat Williams(notes),  who is one of the best run stuffers in the league even at 37, and complementary pass rusher Ray Edwards(notes),  and you have a group that can do just about anything necessary. The depth at end is lacking and the issue of whether the Williamses will ever serve their four-game suspensions as a result of the StarCaps case continues to hang over the team.

2. Baltimore Ravens: As mentioned above, ranking 3-4 teams really high is tough because those fronts generally don't produce a lot of the pass rush. Rather, they set the table for the linebackers. That's still the case with the Ravens jerseys, but they manage to milk enough pass rush from aging Trevor Pryce(notes) at one end spot. However, the true greatness of the Ravens line lies in their malevolence, led by right end Haloti Ngata(notes). Simply put, Ngata can't be blocked by mere mortals. He is not a product of the human species. He is really a creation of a building contractor, made of cinderblocks and some type of flesh-like covering. Throw in Kelly Gregg(notes) at nose tackle and behemoth rookie Terrence Cody(notes) and you have something truly frightening.

3. New York Giants: Between injuries (Justin Tuck(notes) was most banged up and Chris Canty(notes) was never healthy) and the loss of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, no team went backward more than the Giants last year with their line play. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora(notes) didn't help matters with his whining. That said, this group has the best depth in the league, adding high-ceiling end Jason Pierre-Paul(notes) through the NFL draft. They still miss the professionalism of Michael Strahan(notes), but they should get back to what they were in the 2007 title run.

4. Indianapolis Colts: This might be the best end combination in the league with Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis(notes). In fact, Mathis would be a really good right end on a lot of teams, but instead gets to torment right tackles for a living from the defense's left side. Some critics like to point out that the Colts don't exactly stuff the run, but those critics forget that's by design. Between the emphasis on quickness and the instruction of pass rush-happy line coach John Teerlinck, the Colts football jersey simply don't put any emphasis on stopping the run. If they happen to get the running back on the way to the quarterback, so be it. The interior is better than it has been in years and the addition of rookie Jerry Hughes(notes) will add depth at end. The loss of versatile Raheem Brock(notes) is a problem, but not a significant one.

5. Dallas Cowboys: With all due respect to Vince Wilfork(notes) of New England, Jay Ratliff(notes) has become the best 3-4 nose tackle in the game. The key difference is that Ratliff can penetrate and pass rush better than any other nose man. Wilfork, who is a monster when it comes to holding the point, could probably be similar if the Patriots allowed him to do that, but they don't. Thus, Ratliff gets the nod. Left end Marcus Spears(notes) has shown flashes of excellence and right end Igor Olshansky(notes) rebounded from a bad 2008 to play well in 2009. The combination does a great job of setting the table for outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer(notes).

6. Pittsburgh Steelers: Just about everybody in the NFL talks about how the Steelers are aging. They talked about it in 2008 when the Steelers won their sixth Super Bowl title. OK, the Steelers are old and, in particular, end Aaron Smith(notes) is recovering from another injury. But if Smith is healthy and nose tackle Casey Hampton(notes) can max out the run downs he plays, the depth should be good enough to make the 3-4 system work just fine for another year. More progress from second-year man Ziggy Hood(notes) is a must and the Steelers better start drafting some guys.

7. Chicago Bears: OK, a lot of this is dependent upon Julius Peppers(notes) being, well, Julius Peppers – the guy who can be the best defensive end in the league when he chooses. It's also dependent upon Tommie Harris(notes) being the dominant Tommie Harris he has been before being limited because of injuries and losing his edge mentally. If those things happen, everybody else gets better, particularly end Mark Anderson(notes). The depth is highly questionable, but if you have two stars stirring the drink, you have a serious chance to be good.

8. New Orleans Saints: The Saints jerseys don't have one defensive lineman who makes you say "wow," but they have a lot of very good players, such as end Will Smith(notes), tackle Sedrick Ellis(notes) and versatile backup Anthony Hargrove(notes). The group is diverse enough that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams felt comfortable using a lot of 3-4 looks in the Super Bowl. Former Bears end Alex Brown(notes) joins the defending champs this season, replacing Bobby McCray(notes), and should be a moderate upgrade.