NFL's Worst: Ranking 5 Teams with the Possibility to Be Winless This Season

Just one year after the New England Patriots finished the 2007-08 regular season with a perfect 16-0 record, the Detroit Lions did the exact opposite, going 0-16 and completing the worst season ever in the history of the NFL. The Lions' 0-16 record was one that certainly made them the talk of all sports and media outlets everywhere. An imperfect, completely atrocious and downright horrible season put the Lions in the record books for all of the wrong reasons.

This year, six teams have the potential to tie the Lions for the worst season ever. With ineptitude, lack of skill and overall absence of talent these six teams all have a shot of matching the Lion's feat of 2008.

Get your paper bags ready, because this is a list you don't want to see your team on.

5. The Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are a far cry from their 14-0 perfect season in 1972. Despite some good play, the team's inability to close out games has them at 0-3 and alone in the cellar of the AFC East.

The Dolphins offensive numbers have them in the top half of the pack ranking 12th in total yards, 13th in passing yards and 7th in rushing yards. They fall towards the bottom in the category that counts most though, which is points per game. The Dolphins 17.7 points per game ranks them 27th out of 32 teams.

So why is it that the Dolphins can't win games?

Is it Chad Henne, the QB that Miami fans wanted out before the season even began? It was rumored that Kyle Orton might be traded to Miami and since that news broke, Dolphins' fans turned on Henne. He has been greeted with boos and "we want Orton," chants at every home game and with the Dolphins being 0-3 neither of these will be stopping anytime soon.

Henne was never a great QB but he is solid and despite the QB controversy surrounding him, he has still managed to put up pretty average numbers. He may not be helping the Dolphins win games but he isn't exactly making them lose either.

Is it Tony Sparano, the coach who has become first prey to this year's possible firing rumors? Sparano pulled off an almost impossible feat in his first year coaching the Dolphins. He took a 1-15 team and in his first year turned them into the AFC East winning 11-5 team. His magic was short lived however, as in the next two years of coaching the Dolphins, the team suffered consecutive 7-9 records; both times missing the playoffs. Sparano signed a two-year contract extension before the start of the 2011 NFL season, but if the Dolphins continue to struggle, he could be gone before the ink even dries.

Is it Reggie Bush, the guy who was traded to Miami in hopes of a fresh start? Bush has really been a disappointment so far for the Dolphins. In three games, he only has 69 rushing yards on 27 attempts. Bush who was also brought to Miami to help in the passing game, yet he has really only been a factor in one game where he caught nine passes, one of which was a touchdown. In two games he recorded a mere two receptions to go along with two fumbles. It doesn't look good for Bush to get anymore production either, as the Dolphins have picked up Steve Slaton off waivers from the Texans. 

Despite the Dolphins early struggles they do not look to stay winless. Look at Miami to get wins in the Denver, Oakland and Kansas City games, with the potential to win a few more. Also, look for the Dolphins to lose every divisional game against the AFC East this year on the way to a sub .500 record.

4. The Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings lost by one Detroit Lions' FG on Sunday and weren't able to get their first win of the season. Instead, the overtime FG broke the hearts of many Viking fans who could honestly say that this one was a win that got away.

2011 was time for Minnesota and the NFL to finally bid adieu to veteran QB Brett Favre. Tragic isn't it? The Vikings, however, weren't so sad to see Favre go because they had their eyes set on another vet, albeit an only slightly younger, slightly quicker and slightly more accurate passer in former Eagles and Redskins QB Donovan McNabb.

The Vikings thought that McNabb was the answer to their prayers and believed that with him they instantly became a playoff team. I guess the Vikings forgot that they played in the same division as the Packers; as long as they have to face Green Bay twice a season then the playoffs are not in the newly revamped Vikings future.

After the Week 1 debacle, where McNabb only complete seven passes for 39 yards, the Vikings QB has improved, including throwing one touchdown and no interceptions in his last start. McNabb has not been as good as the Vikings had hoped but he isn't the reason for their problems.

If it isn't McNabb and the 27th ranked passing offense, then the problems must lie in the defense. Minnesota's defense has given up 24, 24 and 26 points in their first three games this season. With their offense only scoring an average of 20 points a game, this defense just isn't cutting it.

Looking ahead, Minnesota's schedule certainly does not get any easier. With divisional games against Detroit, Chicago and Green Bay, in addition to matchups with the Saints, Falcons and Redskins, there are only a handful of games that the Vikings could potentially win.

In my mind there is only one reason why the Vikings will not go winless and his name is Adrian Peterson. Peterson has broken off two 40-plus runs on the way to scoring three TDs for the Vikings. Match his explosive ability against a lackluster defense, such as the one the Vikings will face against Kansas City in Week 4, and the Vikings are bound to pull off a win.  

3. The Indianapolis Colts

Being forced to watch games from the sideline is something that Peyton Manning never expected he would be doing once he received the starting QB job in Indianapolis. Manning also never expected that he would be watching his Colts team implode in front of his eyes, but that is exactly what is happening.

Without Manning, the Colts are missing the single most important piece of their team. He is more than just a QB, he is an overall team leader on the field. While he can still do some of this from the sidelines, Manning's presence on the field is sorely missed.

Without Manning, the Colts seem lost. They have no consistency on offense because for 13 years Manning was at the helm. The Colts are still trying to figure out an offensive direction under new QB Kerry Collins. The struggling offense has only averaged 15.3 points a game and an average of 254 yards which ranks 29th in the NFL.

Manning may not play defense, but the fact that he is not on the field leading game-winning drives is affecting all aspects of the Colts personnel. The already banged up Colts defense suffered two more season losses, including LB Gary Brackett who played a huge role in the Colts D. The defense has given up 20-plus points a game and have struggled to stop the passing attacks of Houston, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

As if losing Manning wasn't enough, the Colts back up QB Kerry Collins also went down with an injury last week. Just as Collins seemed to be adjusting into the role, and his WR and TE were doing the same, he suffered a concussion and is reported to be out for at least a week or two. The Colts are looking at picking up former Lions QB Dan Orlovsky and once again, the Colts maligned offense will have to adjust to a different style of play run by a new QB.

The Colts have a realistic shot to win two of their next three games, permitting that no one else gets injured. With a new QB, WR Reggie Wayne is going to play a huge role in the Colts offense and if he can get it done the Colts might be able to salvage this season with a respectable record.

2. The St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams have struggled to put points on the board this year and have struggled to stop their opponent's from getting the ball in the end zone. With injuries to two of their top weapons in WR Danny Amendola and RB Steven Jackson, winning games will be somewhat of a struggle for the Rams.

St. Louis felt confident that drafting Sam Bradford No. 1 overall was a great move. To them he was the QB of their future. In his short NFL career, Bradford has shown that he can be the Rams QB of the future and has proven to many sceptics that his shoulder injury is in the past. That being said, it is tough for Bradford to win games when he has no weapons.

The Rams offense is averaging a meager 12 points, which ranks 29th in the NFL. They are also 21st in total yards and 21st in passing yards. Their 108 rushing yards a game is good enough for 11th but with a banged up Jackson, this number only looks to go down.

In addition to the struggles of the offense, the Rams defense has also faltered this season. Giving up more than 27 points a game, the defense has not gotten started quickly and have given up a majority of points in the first half including 21 to the Ravens in the first quarter of week three.

The Rams saving grace is that they are in the worst division in all of football. The Rams will not go 0-16  because they have games against the 49ers, Seahawks and Cardinals. I am not saying that the Rams will win all of their divisional games but they are bound to at least win one.

1. The Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are bad. Their 0-3 record is completely telling of the abysmal year that Matt Cassel and his team are having and unfortunately for the Chiefs, it is only going to get worse.

The image of Jamaal Charles being taken off the field is one that Chiefs fans won't forget if they finish the 2011 season 0-16. Charles was the only bright spot on this Chief's team as he helped them to average 113 rushing yards a game which was good enough for 9th best in the NFL. Out with a season ending ACL injury, Kansas City will struggle to not only win a game, but to score points as well.

Without Charles, the Chiefs horribly unproductive offense has little hope for the rest of the season. The passing game ranks 29th with only 130 yards and the Chiefs have somehow only managed to average  nine points a game.

Their offense, however, is not the only area that needs help. The Chiefs defense is absolutely atrocious, having twice given up 40-plus points a game to the surprise and upstart Lions and Bills. In those two games the Chiefs only scored 10 points total, an embarrassing number for any team.

With 13 games left on the schedule the Chiefs can take solace in one thing. They are currently atop the running to finish last place and win the Andrew Luck draft sweepstakes. Luck looks to be the No. 1 pick and if the Chiefs keep being humiliated, which I believe will happen, then Luck will fall to them easily. As great of a QB Luck is, even he alone would not be enough to turn this Chiefs team around.

The Chiefs are on the fast track to an 0-16 record but there is some—and by some I mean a thread—of hope remaining. The Chiefs played San Diego tough in a 20-17 loss and may have even won the game if Charles hadn't gone down with injury.

Also, they have an early bye in Week 6. What may help the Chiefs the most however, is that their next two games are against winless Minnesota and Indianapolis. KC must manage to put together any semblance of an offense in order to steal a win from either of these teams. 

It helps the Chiefs that they play both the Raiders and Broncos twice this year, but as of now both teams are likely and expected to destroy the Chiefs. I'm sure they will make some games close because it takes more than lack of skill to lose 16 games. You need to be extremely unlucky too, and so far, with Charles' injury it looks like the Chiefs may just have the imperfect combination of a horrible offense and defense and lack of luck that it takes for a team to not win a single game.