The New York Jets and the 6-Biggest Train-wreck Franchises in the NFL

In the span of a few days the Jets became embroiled in a feud between a star receiver and the rest of the team, were eliminated from the playoffs and allowed both their quarterback and their coach to go firmly on the hot seat. The Jets are the definition of dysfunction.

The NFL has seen its fair share of disruption this year. Players, coaches and owners have all contributed to the mess. What would the NFL be without a little drama?

Here are the six-biggest train wrecks in the NFL.

New York Jets

The dysfunction in East Rutherford runs throughout the team.

The quarterback's lack of accuracy has him firmly on the hot seat, despite only being 25 years old.

The head coach can't keep his foot out of his mouth and has lost control of the team. He too, is on the hot seat.

The offensive coordinator continues to baffle fans with his play calling.

The running game has struggled all year, keeping the Jets from their desired identity as a ground-and-pound team.

The star wide receiver has been described as a cancer in the locker room and has picked fights with the offensive coordinator and the quarterback.

The once proud defense has looked decidedly average recently.

The dysfunction starts at the top. Rex Ryan is directly responsible for losing control of his team and the situation. The Jets need to clean house and instill some discipline. This means finding a quarterback who hits open throws and makes good decisions, finding a head coach who will demand discipline and building a young, motivated nucleus of players through the draft.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns find themselves on this list due to one single moment. When Colt McCoy went back into the Steelers game with a concussion, the Browns lost all credibility.

Some may disagree with the way the NFL has gone about pushing safety, but no one should disagree that players should not be allowed to play with a concussion. If there is any doubt about whether a player has a concussion, the player should be on the sideline. This incident has rightly led to stricter rules on concussion management.

Beyond this, the Browns franchise has serious problems.

Colt McCoy was given the keys to the franchise this year and the Browns responded with a 4-12 season.

Their No. 1 receiver was a rookie who was second in the league in drops.

Perhaps most visibly, Peyton Hillis's antics kept him off the field for several weeks, and even when he was on the field, he was mostly unproductive.

Hillis' actions distracted the Browns and lowered morale in Cleveland. He needs to be let go this offseason, and the Browns need to look for a legitimate franchise quarterback. There is hope, though, as the Browns were regularly competitive and their defense has been solid. Still, this is one of the most dysfunctional franchises in the NFL.

Buffalo Bills

Stevie Johnson's picture shows all you need to know about the Buffalo Bills.

Johnson has been a dynamic threat, but he is immature and has caused numerous penalties and headaches. His contract expires at the end of the year.

More importantly over the long term, Ryan Fitzpatrick was given a six year, $59 million contract extension after his hot start. Fitzpatrick clearly wasn't worthy of such an expensive contract, as his 23 interceptions this year show.

The Bills let go of a former first-round pick, only to see Aaron Maybin find success with a division rival.

Year after year, the Bills finish near the bottom in the NFL in rush defense. This year was no different, as they finished 28th.

The Bills need to completely change the way they do business. They have failed to land successful draft picks in recent years and have locked themselves to a marginal starting quarterback.

The Bills need a talent infusion at every position except running back. With their history, it seems unlikely the Bills will succeed in adding the talent necessary to succeed.

Dallas Cowboys

Year after year, the Cowboys dominate headlines. This year was no different, as Tony Romo experienced a roller-coaster season, and the Cowboys looked lost in the final weeks.

Tony Romo's season started by blowing a fourth-quarter lead against the Jets. Romo followed that up with a remarkable comeback victory against the 49ers. Two weeks later, the Cowboys again blew a huge lead in the fourth quarter. This trend continued all season, as Romo was capable of both great brilliance and great stupidity, often in the same game.

Further, the Cowboys defense struggled all year, and coordinator Rob Ryan, like his brother, often made a buffoon of himself through his comments to the media.

Head coach Jason Garrett finds himself firmly on the hot seat after blowing another season in December.

All of this dysfunction starts at the top, though, with owner Jerry Jones. As long as Jones is the ring master, the Cowboys franchise will continue to be a circus.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After a promising 2010 season, the Buccaneers regressed badly in 2011.

Former Head Coach Raheem Morris appeared overmatched and his team clearly gave up late in the season. In their last five games, the Buccaneers were outscored 203-88. They gave up an average of 40-plus points per game over that span.

Quarterback Josh Freeman, who was so dynamic in 2010, turned into a turnover machine in 2011, throwing 22 interceptions and losing five fumbles.

The Buccaneers defense was the worst in the NFL, giving up 30.2 points and nearly 400 yards per game. They had significant holes at every level.

To help patch up the defensive line, the Bucs signed Albert Haynesworth, but the defense regressed further and the Buccaneers only succeeded in adding a difficult personality to their locker room.

The Buccaneers will be rebuilding in 2012, but with a young roster and a talented young quarterback, they could have a bright future. Everything depends on who they acquire to coach this team.

The AFC West

Every single team in the AFC West has been dysfunctional.

The Denver Broncos handed the keys to the franchise to Tim Tebow, and while he momentarily electrified the NFL, he was eventually exposed as a one-dimensional player. The Broncos struggled late in the season, and they should be one-and-done in the playoffs.

Tebow's success will only serve to force the franchise to stick with him for at least another year. Tebow will be hard-pressed to replicate the magic he brewed this year, at least until he learns to throw.

The Oakland Raiders, meanwhile, traded a king's ransom for a marginal, turnover prone quarterback in Carson Palmer. All this when they already had a solid, albeit injured, Jason Campbell on their roster. The Raiders will be forced to stick with Palmer, even though Campbell is the better player, or the trade will look like a monumental mistake.

The Kansas City Chiefs had three starting quarterbacks this year, and the only one who found any kind of success was Kyle Orton at the end of the season. The Chiefs will likely have a competition between Orton and Matt Cassel in 2012, but neither of these quarterbacks have proven to be winners.

Finally, the San Diego Chargers continued to disappoint in 2011. Phillip Rivers threw 20 interceptions as the Chargers wasted a chance to win the weak AFC West. Their defense lacked talent, and the offense often made key mistakes. Norv Turner was able to prove once again that he is not a competent NFL head coach, and A.J. Smith has continuously whiffed in the draft.

The entire AFC West has significant issues, and it would be shocking if any AFC West team wins a playoff game this season or next.