The Absolutely Worst of the NFL's 2011 Regular Season

After 17 weeks of incredible NFL action, our hearts and minds and bellies are chock full of glorious pigskin. After thinking we might go all season without a single crumb of NFL football, fans are trying to find room for four more courses of postseason buffet, even as they start nibbling at the hors d'oeuvres of draft season.

But it's not all steak and lobster in the NFL. Every single week, there are plays, players, teams and games that get left on the plate, sent back to the kitchen, fed to the dog, or even turn the stomach.

Throughout the season I've plated a menu of "The Absolutely Worst of the NFL," and you've let us know with your votes and comments which are the worst of the worst, the vilest of the vile, the rancid stuff even your dog turned its nose up at.

Get your barf bag ready, because this is "The Absolutely Worst of the The Absolutely Worst of the NFL's 2011 Regular Season."

The Absolutely Worst Franchise Savior: Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos

Back in Week 8, Tim Tebow cracked the Broncos' starting lineup for just the second time. On the heels of a quasi-stirring comeback defeat of the Dolphins, many thought Tebow had a chance to outplay a struggling, limping Matthew Stafford.

It didn't take long before the Lions defense brutally demonstrated how little help Tebow has around him—and how much he needs.

The Lions sacked Tebow seven times for a loss of 55 yards, including a sack-fumble Cliff Avril returned for a score. Chris Houston returned a Tebow end-zone pick the full length of the field for a score. Tebow did find Eric Decker in the end zone during garbage time, but the Lions defense still defeated the Broncos, 14-10. Oh, Stafford and the offense tacked on 31 insurance points, too.

After that fateful loss, Tebow "led" the Broncos to six straight wins, including two overtime triumphs. But three straight losses, ending with a pitiful performance in "The Absolutely Worst Division Clinch," leaves the Broncos with a .500 record, a playoff berth and no clearer future at quarterback than when they started the season.

The Absolutely Worst Twitter Beef: Anthony Davis, San Francisco 49ers

In the immediate aftermath of the Week 6 contest between the 49ers and the Detroit Lions, opposing head coaches Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz engaged in an aggressive back-and-forth. One of the key peacemakers in the scuffle was Davis, the 49ers left tackle.

Then, Davis hopped on Twitter and shot from the hip. Davis tweeted they'd "teabaggggggged" the Lions, and that he'd "saved shwartz life" [sic] by intervening. He swore a blue streak, then noted that football players should "save classy for Morton's," referring to the upscale steakhouse chain.

Of course, Lions defensive ends Avril and Lawrence Jackson took exception to Smith's tweets. Jackson called Davis a "fake Twitter gangster," and Davis responded by deleting most of the tweets in question.

As silly as this all was, it set the stage for an enormous possible playoff rematch. Nothing's more entertaining than watching two teams who genuinely dislike each other play with their seasons on the line. This Twitter beef was some of "The Absolutely Worst of Week 6" in the NFL, but it might fuel some of the best of the NFL in the coming weeks.

The Absolutely Worst Clean Player: Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions

After weeks of swearing he's a clean player—while sending his game checks straight to the league office to cover fines—Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh paid a visit to commissioner Roger Goodell. They spoke, allegedly, to make sure the two men were on the same page regarding acceptable on-field behavior.

It's clear they weren't even reading the same book. Suh, allegedly after being manhandled all day by the Packer offensive line, flipped out on Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith. After repeatedly pounding Dietrich-Smith's head into the turf, Suh apparently tried to stomp on him.

With a captive national audience and days of NFL downtime for the national media to opine and re-opine on it, Suh was tried, sentenced and imprisoned by the court of public opinion. Suh was suspended for two games, and arguably cost himself a return trip to the Pro Bowl.

The Absolutely Worst First-Place Team: Dallas Cowboys

Back in Week 13, I nominated the Dallas Cowboys as "The Absolutely Worst First-Place Team." Needing only to take care of business against the 5-7 Arizona Cardinals, the Cowboys took their six-shooter and emptied every single round into their foot.

They managed to limp into position for a game-winning 47-yard field goal, but Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett effectively "iced" his own kicker. Just before Dan Bailey attempted the kick, he called timeout.

Bailey's kick was good but didn't count. After the reset and re-attempt, Bailey's second game-winning try fell short and to the left.

The Cowboys couldn't beat the Giants head-to-head in Week 17 to beat them out for the division crown, and so they're sitting at home for the postseason. Back in Week 13, I said, "If they want to make it to the postseason, they'll have to do better than that." Despite every opportunity to do so, they didn't, and they didn't.

The Absolutely Worst Loss: Week 9, Kansas City Chiefs

How on Earth does a team that made the playoffs last year get blown out by a team that came into the game 0-7? Former Chiefs head coach Todd Haley found a way to make it happen, volunteering to defibrillate the Dolphins' 2011 season with a shocking 31-3 loss.

That's probably why he's former Chiefs head coach Todd Haley.

The Absolutely Worst Team: Indianapolis Colts

All the way back in Week 5, I named the Colts "The Absolutely Worst Team" after blowing a 24-7 lead against the flailing Kansas City Chiefs. I tried to go easy on Indy, but couldn't help but brand it with the "A" again in Week 7 after "The Absolutely Worst Sunday Night Football" game ever. The Colts got another "Absolutely Worst Team" nod in Week 12.

There were a few bright spots; the redemption of quarterback Dan Orlovsky actually landed the Colts on "The Absolute Worst" list in Week 16 for doing the "Suck for Luck" thing all wrong!

But in the end, Peyton Manning's injury too dramatically pulled the curtain back on the Wizards of Indy, Bill and Chris Polian. Roster spots two through 52 couldn't begin to match up with the rest of the NFL; netting nearly no help from the last several drafts has left the Colts' cupboard uncomfortably bare.

With the No. 1 overall pick safely in hand, Colts owner Jim Irsay fired the storied father/son executive tandem.