2012 Detroit Lions and the Most Undisciplined Teams in NFL History

The arrest of starting cornerback Aaron Berry over the past weekend (as reported by ESPN) marks the sixth time since the 2011 season ended that a Detroit Lions player has found himself in handcuffs, which has done nothing to alleviate the club's reputation as the NFL's most undisciplined team.

If the Lions keep it up, they may join a rather infamous group of NFL clubs for whom such trivialities as rules, ball control and execution were beneath their concern.

2012 Detroit Lions

Since the 2011 season ended, four players for the Detroit Lions have been arrested a total of six times, including a pair of DUIs, four arrests for possession of marijuana and multiple arrests for defensive tackle Nick Fairley and running back Mikel LeShoure.

If the Lions played half as hard as they partied, maybe they wouldn't have gotten smoked by the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs.

However, the problem extends back to last year. The Lions were the third-most penalized team in the NFL last season, often committing stupid penalties at the worst possible moments in games.

As a shining example of this, I present for your viewing enjoyment, the Ndamukong Suh arm-stomp.

Pretty sure that's a no-no Kong.

2011 Oakland Raiders

I know, I know, it's an incredible shock to see the Oakland Raiders represented on this list.

For years during their "Commitment to Excellence" heyday, the Raiders were among the most penalized teams in the National Football League even as they rattled off wins and made trip after trip to the playoffs.

The team has been much closer to "Commitment to Excrement" in recent years, having not made the postseason since their blowout loss in Super Bowl XXXVIII.

However, that hasn't stopped Oakland from keeping the officials busy. Last year's team set the gold standard for yellow flags, racking up an NFL-record 163 penalties for a staggering 1,358 yards.

1965 Pittsburgh Steelers

Penalties aren't the only sign of a lack of discipline by a football team, as nothing will drive a coach crazy faster or rack up the losses quicker than a team that can't hold onto the football.

Turnovers are, quite simply, the kiss of death.

Before the arrival of quarterback Terry Bradshaw and the dawn of the Steel Curtain defense, much of the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers was filled with disappointment and futility.

Sort of like the Cleveland Browns are now.

There's no better example of this than the 1965 team that set an NFL-record with a turnover margin of minus-30 in 14 games, meaning that they turned the ball over an average of two-plus times more than their opponent each and every week.

The team finished the season 2-12.

2006 Cincinnati Bengals

Given the Cincinnati Bengals' willingness to take a chance on players with checkered pasts, it's not surprising that a Bengals team would find itself listed here.

What is surprising is that the Bengals kept taking chances on risky players after 2006.

During that year, according to the U-T San Diego NFL Player Arrests Database (God I love the Internet), eight Bengals players were arrested a whopping 10 times.

Wide receiver Chis Henry was the ringleader of the Cincy chain gang, following up a December 2005 arrest for marijuana possession with three more in 2006 for carrying a concealed weapon, DUI and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Then for extra measure, Henry was arrested again in March of 2007.

The Bengals went 8-8 in 2006 after winning the AFC North the year before and missed the playoffs.

1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I don't know that it's even fair to call the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers undisciplined, but given that the team didn't have anything else (hope, talent a shot at winning a game) I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the glass was even empty where discipline was concerned.

With a roster filled with has-beens, never-were's, never will be's and rookie Lee Roy Selmon (who got hurt), the Buccaneers had one of the worst seasons in the history of professional football, going 0-14 while being outscored by a margin of 409-125.

After being told that many of his players planned to remain in the Tampa area following that disastrous first season, head coach John McKay famously quipped "Stop by my office tomorrow and pick up some fake noses and mustaches so no one recognizes your sorry asses".