Patriots Rising in Week 1 Power Rankings?

The New England Patriots aren't seen as a contender by many, including Sports Illustrated's latest power rankings.

The New England Patriots have a lot of doubters going into the season ahead.

With improvements made by the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets and the consistent excellence displayed by the Buffalo Bills, many expect the Patriots to finish last in the AFC East this season.

Sports Illustrated agrees, placing the Patriots at No. 19 in its power rankings ahead of Week 1.

"New England comes in at a low No. 19, because I acknowledge it’s going to take some time for people to see what I see," SI writes. "I see depth, and I see an offense that isn’t going to generate a ton of back-breaking big plays, but one that will consistently generate first downs. I see pride. I see power."

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Any team coached by Bill Belichick won't be a bad one, but there's something lacking in New England that the other divisional opponents have. There's a certain swagger surrounding each of those teams that the Patriots are looking to find from beyond the players on the depth chart.

There's reason to believe that the Pats could find it, but with a difficult first month of the schedule against four teams projected to go to the playoffs, New England will have to prove itself early if it wants to be in contention for a playoff spot in December and January.

The Pats begin their season with arguably their most difficult test ... a date with the NFC reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.