From nearly the moment the last piece of confetti tumbled to the turf at Raymond James Stadium after the Pittsburgh Steelers' win in February's Super Bowl, talk turned to the 2009 season.

And nearly as quickly, Las Vegas oddsmakers installed the New England Patriots as favorites to win Super Bowl XLIV.

Whether you're the betting type or not, the numbers men in the desert aren't the only ones who believe New England is the top team coming into this NFL season. On Tuesday, writers for Sports Illustrated and CBSsports.com put New England atop their training camp power rankings. A day earlier, espn.com and FOXsports.com had the Pats second behind the Steelers.

New England certainly makes a strong argument for its status at the top. Tom Brady has returned, fully healthy and with a renewed passion for football after a year on the sidelines; the offense remains one of the best in the league, Bill Belichick remains a great coach, the defensive secondary has retooled after a down year, and the only big question mark might be at outside linebacker.

But this is the NFL. Every year, one or two teams who have have had a string of down years hit upon an up one (see last year's Arizona Cardinals), and teams who have enjoyed a string of success stumble. The team that is considered the favorite doesn't always end up as the champion.

It's part of why the game has become the most popular in the country and why even Lions fans can feel hopeful despite their 0-16 record in 2008.

With that in mind, here's one opinion on teams that belong in the conversation when it comes to top teams this year:

-- PITTSBURGH STEELERS: All but two of the Steelers' starters from the Super Bowl return, including reigning defensive player of the year James Harrison, who received a tidy contract extension. Defense has always been Pittsburgh's calling card, and it's no secret what the unit is going to throw at opposing offenses, The problem is, they do what they do extremely well. Coming off a career year in 2007, Ben Roethlisberger's numbers took a dip last season, yet he continues to come up with plays when Pittsburgh needs them. But Roethlisberger is facing civil charges of sexually assaulting a casino hostess, and who knows how the weight of those charges — he and his attorney have denied any wrongdoing — will affect the gritty quarterback.

-- PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Despite consistently leading the Eagles deep into the playoffs, Donovan McNabb has never seemed to get the nod as one of the top quarterbacks of his generation. Now that he finally has a solid group of wide receivers to throw to, maybe he'll get that respect. Kevin Curtis, DeSean Jackson, Hank Baskett and rookie Jeremy Maclin (assuming he signs his contract quickly and doesn't lose a lot of time) are a respectable lot. But with Tuesday's news that longtime defensive coordinator Jim Johnson had succumbed to cancer, there is no telling how the team will adjust to life without him. Also, heart-and-soul safety Brian Dawkins is now with the Broncos.

-- SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: The Chargers have seemingly been on the verge of greatness for half this decade, and this year is no different. Philip Rivers has blossomed into one of the league's elite quarterbacks, and he somehow has done that with an average receiving corps. LaDainian Tomlinson is hoping for a return to form despite being on the wrong side of 30, but the other big return for the Chargers is linebacker Shawne Merriman, who missed all of last year with a knee injury. San Diego's defense is its strength, and they could be the rare team that wins in spite of having Norv Turner as head coach.

-- NEW YORK GIANTS: After a few years as one of the best defenses in the league, will the Giants stay that way without the coordinator that orchestrated much of that success? Steve Spagnuolo is heading the Rams now, but while he has departed, Osi Umeniyora will return to the defensive line after missing last season with a knee injury. New York drafted North Carolina receiver Hakeem Nicks to hopefully take the place of former playmaker Plaxico Burress, who shot himself off the team (pun intended) last fall.

-- BALTIMORE RAVENS: Quarterback Joe Flacco was a surprise standout last season, leading the Ravens to the AFC title game, but now faces the pressure of proving his rookie season was no fluke. With receiver Derrick Mason apparently retiring, that pressure will increase. Since their Super Bowl win in 2000, Baltimore has been all about defense, and while several big names remain — Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs — a few have gone, most notably defensive coordinator Rex Ryan and linebacker Bart Scott, now together with the Jets.

smanza@projo.com