The NFL is an "air" game now, a pass-happy league built around quarterbacks who can throw the ball.
I've been a big believer in that way of thinking for a long time, which is why my four-pronged approach to building a team is even more important now than it has ever been.
To refresh, the four-pronged approach is this:
1. Get a franchise passing quarterback.
2. If you have that guy, get the player who can knock down the other guy's franchise passer.
3. If you have those two, get the corner who can knock down the quarterback's passes.
4. If you have those three, make sure to get a premium tackle to keep the other teams' pass rushers off your quarterback.
Four key positions. Four key players. If you have all of those, you should have success.
In the past, the left tackle might have been more important than the corners, but I've amended that. Getting cover players is imperative with the move to more passing. Having an elite one really is a big plus.
I used my four-pronged approach to rate the 32 teams heading into 2012. Each of the four categories has players ranked 1-32, with only one player per team per category. So if a team has two elite pass rushers, only the top one counts. The player ranked first gets 32 points, with the player ranked last getting one.
I then added up the total points to come up with a four-pronged total score. There is a catch. The quarterback position, which is now maybe 65 to 75 percent of the game, gets double points.
For example, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers is my top-rated passer. He gets 32 points for that, but it doubles to 64 in the team calculation. The idea is that the premium passers are worth twice as much as any other position -- and maybe even more.
Based on the calculations, there are some interesting outcomes. For one, the team at the top is the Dallas Cowboys with 135 points. They are well positioned at the four key spots with Tony Romo at quarterback, Tyron Smith at left tackle, DeMarcus Ware as a pass rusher and Brandon Carr on the corner. That doesn't mean the Cowboys are my pick to win the Super Bowl. It just means they are positioned well at four key spots.
One of the surprise teams in the top 10 is the Carolina Panthers. But they are also strong at the four key spots, especially now with Cam Newton at quarterback.
Some of the players I put in for their teams are based on projections. For example, I have several rookies penciled in as starters, although that could change. Injured players, such as Terrell Suggs of the Ravens, aren't included.
Being good at those four key spots in the "air-game era" is a must. The four-pronged approach is as important now as it has ever been.
| Prisco's 2012 Four-Pronged Rankings |
| Rank, Team (Pts.) | Quarterbacks | Left Tackles | Pass Rushers | CBs |
| 
Dallas (135) | 1. Aaron Rodgers
Packers | 1. Duane Brown
Texans | 1. DeMarcus Ware
OLB, Cowboys | 1. Darrelle Revis
Jets |
| 
Green Bay (119) | 2. Tom Brady
Patriots | 2. Joe Thomas
Browns | 2. Jason Pierre-Paul
DE, Giants | 2. Johnathan Joseph
Texans |
| 
Denver (118) | 3. Drew Brees
Saints | 3. Tyron Smith
Cowboys | 3. Julius Peppers
DE, Bears | 3. Champ Bailey
Broncos |
| 
Houston (118) | 4. Eli Manning
Giants | 4. Jake Long
Dolphins | 4. Jared Allen
DE, Vikings | 4. Joe Haden
Browns |
| 
Carolina (113) | 5. Ben Roethlisberger
Steelers | 5. Jordan Gross
Panthers | 5. Mario Williams
DE, Bills | 5. Brandon Flowers
Chiefs |
| 
N.Y. Giants (110) | 6. Philip Rivers
Chargers | 6. Andrew Whitworth
Bengals | 6. Clay Matthews
OLB, Packers | 6. Brandon Carr
Cowboys |
| 
New Orleans (94) | 7. Peyton Manning
Broncos | 7. Jared Veldheer
Raiders | 7. Dwight Freeney
OLB, Colts | 7. Nnamdi Asomugha
Eagles |
| 
Philadelphia (94) | 8. Matt Ryan
Falcons | 8. Michael Roos
Titans | 8. Cameron Wake
DE-OLB, Dolphins | 8. Chris Gamble
Panthers |
| 
Chicago (93) | 9. Matt Stafford
Lions | 9. Eugene Monroe
Jaguars | 9. Tamba Hali
OLB, Chiefs | 9. Charles Woodson
Packers |
| 
Kansas City (93) | 10. Tony Romo
Cowboys | 10. Branden Albert
Chiefs | 10. Trent Cole
DE, Eagles | 10. Brent Grimes
Falcons |
| 
Atlanta (91) | 11. Cam Newton
Panthers | 11. D'Brickashaw Ferguson
Jets | 11. Chris Long
DE, Rams | 11. Patrick Peterson
Cardinals |
| 
Pittsburgh (89) | 12. Matt Schaub
Texans | 12. Ryan Clady
Broncos | 12. Von Miller
OLB, Broncos | 12. Vontae Davis
Dolphins |
| 
New England (88) | 13. Joe Flacco
Ravens | 13. Joe Staley
49ers | 13. LaMarr Woodley
OLB, Steelers | 13. Richard Sherman
Seahawks |
| 
San Diego (86) | 14. Jay Cutler
Bears | 14. Jared Gaither
Chargers | 14. Brian Orakpo
Redskins | 14. Lardarius Webb
Ravens |
| 
N.Y. Jets (83) | 15. Mike Vick
Eagles | 15. Donald Penn
Bucs | 15. Aldon Smith
OLB, 49ers | 15. Cortland Finnegan
Rams |
| 
Cincinnati (82) | 16. Josh Freeman
Bucs | 16. Russell Okung
Seahawks | 16. Cliff Avril
DE, Lions | 16. Charles Tillman
Bears |
| 
Detroit (82) | 17. Sam Bradford
Rams | 17. Jermon Bushrod
Saints | 17. Charles Johnson
DE, Panthers | 17. Derek Cox
Jaguars |
| 
St. Louis (79) | 18. Carson Palmer
Raiders | 18. Nate Solder
Patriots | 18. John Abraham
DE, Falcons | 18. Leon Hall
Bengals |
| 
Miami (77) | 19. Andy Dalton
Bengals | 19. Trent Williams
Redskins | 19. Jeremy Mincey
DE, Jaguars | 19. Carlos Rogers
49ers |
| 
San Francisco
(77) | 20. Mark Sanchez
Jets | 20. Levi Brown
Cardinals | 20. Connor Barwin
OLB, Texans | 20. Jason McCourty
Titans |
| 
Baltimore (71) | 21. Alex Smith
49ers | 21. Jeff Backus
Lions | 21. Carlos Dunlap
DE, Bengals | 21. Ike Taylor
Steelers |
| 
Tennessee (66) | 22. Ryan Fitzpatrick
Bills | 22. Matt Kalil
Vikings | 22. Chris Clemons
DE, Seahawks | 22. Corey Webster
Giants |
| 
Tampa Bay (65) | 23. Matt Hasselbeck
Titans | 23. Will Beatty
Giants | 23. Will Smith
DE, Saints | 23. Aqib Talib
Bucs |
| 
Jacksonville (62) | 24. Matt Cassel
Chiefs | 24. Demetress Bell
Eagles | 24. Shaun Phillips
OLB, Chargers | 24. Devin McCourty
Patriots |
| 
Oakland (62) | 25. Andrew Luck
Colts | 25. J'Marcus Webb
Bears | 25. Kamerion Wimbley
DE, Titans | 25. Jerraud Powers
Colts |
| 
Cleveland (60) | 26. Robert Griffin III
Redskins | 26. Rodger Saffold
Rams | 26. Paul Kruger
OLB, Ravens | 26. Jabari Greer
Saints |
| 
Buffalo (56) | 27. Kevin Kolb or
John Skelton
Cardinals | 27. Anthony Castonzo
Colts | 27. Jabaal Sheard
DE, Browns | 27. Antoine Winfield
Vikings |
| 
Indianapolis (56) | 28. Christian Ponder
Vikings | 28. Bryant McKinnie
Ravens | 28. Matt Shaughnessy
DE, Raiders | 28. Chris Houston
Lions |
| 
Minnesota (56) | 29. Blaine Gabbert
Jaguars | 29. Marshall Newhouse
Packers | 29. Sam Acho
OLB, Cardinals | 29. Terrence McGee
Bills |
| 
Seattle (55) | 30. Matt Flynn
Seahawks | 30. Sam Baker
Falcons | 30. Calvin Pace
OLB, Jets | 30. Quentin Jammer
Chargers |
| 
Arizona (51) | 31. Colt McCoy or
Brandon Weeden
Browns | 31. Cordy Glenn or
Chris Hairston
Bills | 31. Adrian Clayborn
DE, Bucs | 31. DeAngelo Hall
Redskins |
| 
Washington (49) | 32. Ryan Tannehill or
Matt Moore
Dolphins | 32. Mike Adams
Steelers | 32. Chandler Jones
DE, Patriots | 32. Ron Bartell
Raiders |
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