NFL Power Rankings: Teams That Are Worse Than Their Record Indicates

With Week 14 upon us in a historically weird NFL season, the hierarchy of teams is finally starting to crystallize.

Parity has stricken the middle-tier—where a muddled mess of equally flawed teams are vying for wild-card spots—but a few teams have managed to post impressive records.

Not all records are indicative of how good a team really is, however. Some teams have managed to slip through the cracks thanks to serendipity—distorting their records, and making them appear, on paper, to be better than they actually are.

Let's take a look at how all 32 teams stack up, with an emphasis on who isn't quite as good as their record says they are:

1. Houston Texans (11-1)

Close calls against Chicago, Jacksonville and Detroit in consecutive weeks had some questioning the Texans' dominance. But a ho-hum, 24-10 demolition of the Titans last weekend reminded everybody how easy this team sometimes makes winning look. They've proven they can win games in manifold ways, which will be vital come playoff time.

2. New England Patriots (9-3)

With massive games against Houston and San Francisco coming up, the Pats wanted to get out of Miami with a win—but also without showing too many of their cards. They did just that, grinding out a road victory against an underrated Dolphins team. In the next two weeks, we'll get to see how good this team really is.

3. San Francisco 49ers (8-3-1)

Maybe St. Louis just has their number? The Niners finish 0-1-1 against the Rams this season after 10 quarters of grueling play. Even coming off a loss, however, no team's physicality instills more fear into opponents than San Francisco's. Nobody wants to see them in January.

4. Denver Broncos (9-3)

The Broncos, winners of their last seven games, are the hottest team in the league, and might boast the NFL's offensive and defensive players of the year. They haven't lost a bad game all season, too: The combined record of the three teams who beat them is 31-5. 

5. Atlanta Falcons (11-1)

Has a team this mediocre ever had a record this elite?

They're average on offense, average on defense, average on special teams. Average at everything. The only thing they've excelled at this year is winning close games—a stat that is notoriously serendipitous. 

Since Week 4, they've only won two games by more than seven points, which hardly inspires confidence in a division leader.

If you think San Francisco, New York, Green Bay and Chicago are scared about traveling to Atlanta for a road playoff game, you're sadly mistaken. This is a team everybody wants to play in January.

6. Green Bay Packers (8-4)

Nice bounce-back game for the Packers against Minnesota. They looked awful in the Meadowlands, but they always look awful against the Giants. If they can avoid the G-Men in the playoff draw, there's not another team they can't beat handily. If you don't believe me, just ask the Texans.

7. New York Giants (7-5)

The Giants have laid out a blueprint for playoff success and, apparently, it doesn't involve winning the NFC East. The defending champs won't sneak up on anybody this time around—no matter how bad they look now—but they genuinely enjoy going on the road in January. Honestly: If they get a six-seed and play a divisional playoff game in Atlanta, who's betting on the Falcons?

8. Chicago Bears (8-4)

A home loss against a rookie QB is a little disconcerting, but those games sometimes happen. Especially against good teams like Seattle. The wheels aren't falling off like they did at the end of last season, but they can't lose focus now. Three road games sandwich a home date with the Packers; Chicago needs to go at least 2-2 to feel safe about a playoff berth.

9. Seattle Seahawks (7-5)

Robert Griffin and Andrew Luck have gotten a lot of publicity—and rightfully so—but where's the love for Russell Wilson? A rookie QB showing that much aplomb on the road against a good Bears team? That's something special. If he starts to find a road comfort zone like the one he feels in Seattle, this team could be dangerous.

10. Baltimore Ravens (9-3)

The Ravens have been getting exposed week after week, and last week it finally manifested in a loss.

They rank 23rd in the league defending both the run and the pass, a very un-Raven stat that speaks to how much they miss their injured defensive players. The offense has hardly inspired awe either. Joe Flacco was pegged as a breakout candidate in 2012, but he's looked very much like the same old Flacco.

They've barely edged out crummy teams like the Chiefs, Browns and Chargers far too often to be taken as seriously as they normally are.  

Legitimate 9-2 teams don't lose home games to Charlie Batch. Plain and simple.

11. Washington Redskins (6-6)

We know the offense is capable of coming up big on occasion. The pistol offense has translated nicely into the NFL, thanks to Robert Griffin's superpowers, and a healthy Pierre Garcon is a serious game-changer (the 'Skins are 5-1 with him and 1-5 without him). If the defense, who have struggled all season long, and play like they did against New York, this team could be scary.

12. Indianapolis Colts (8-4)

I hate to be the one who has to say this. But Indianapolis is not a legitimate 8-4 football team.

Andrew Luck is my favorite of all the rookie quarterbacks. His poise, leadership, footwork and athleticism are off the charts. But even he isn't capable of making this team a true threat.

The Colts have won six of their last seven games, but the combined record of the teams they've beat in that stretch is 24-44. New England, the one winning team they have played, scored 59 points on them.

In the end, the Colts are either the best bad team in the NFL, or the worst good one. Either way, they're a fraud at 8-4.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)

As they're wont to do, the Steelers' defense has stepped up in a big way since Ben Roethlisberger's injury. They haven't exactly looked like the Steelers of old, but seeing the black and yellow across the line is still a chore for opposing offenses. Big Ben was having a grand year before going down, and if he can play in January (assuming the Steelers make it that far), they'll be a tough out.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6)

Two consecutive losses against the Broncos and Falcons have derailed the Tampa Bay hype train a little bit. But they stayed relatively competitive in both contests, which provides a silver lining as they move forward. Josh Freeman, Doug Martin and the rest of the offense are for real. So is the run defense. The pass defense, however, could become the first in league history to allow more than 300 yards per game. Yikes.

15. Cincinnati Bengals (7-5)

What a deliciously above-average team the Bengals are; they rank 13th in pass yards, 13th in rush yards, 11th in pass defense and 11th in rush defense. They're also playing their best football at the right time, winning four consecutive games. With Pittsburgh and Baltimore still lurking on the schedule, this week's showdown with the Cowboys is almost a must-win.

16. Dallas Cowboys (6-6)

Speaking of those Cowboys, they managed to do just enough to sneak by the un-pesky Eagles last weekend, keeping their playoff hopes alive. Their schedule is just as rough as the Bengals', and they need a win in this week's game just as badly. Even in a pass-happy league, they need to get something going on the ground if they want to be taken seriously. 

17. St. Louis Rams (5-6-1)

In actuality, this—not the Colts—is probably the best bad team in the NFL. The Rams are physical on defense, and plucky (on occasion) on offense. Their biggest hole is the offensive line's inability to create holes. They still have an outside shot at a playoff berth, though, especially if they win at Buffalo this week.

18. Buffalo Bills (5-7)

Many pundits had them touted as the sleeper du jour before the season, and while things haven't gone exactly to plan, they really aren't all that bad. In fact, after last week's impressive victory, they still have an outside shot at making the AFC playoffs. Especially when you look at their schedule; they have three home games left (St. Louis, Seattle and New York Jets) and their only road game is at Miami—hardly a hostile environment to play in.

19. Minnesota Vikings (6-6)

Things have started to unravel following their 4-1 start, the playoffs now looking like more of a pipe dream than a realistic goal. But any team that has Adrian Peterson—even post-ACL-tear Adrian Peterson—stands a chance in any game they play. They need Christian Ponder to revert to his early season form; Percy Harvin's injuries haven't helped, but he's been God awful as of late.

20. Miami Dolphins (5-7)

The Dolphins boast one of the strongest front sevens in the league, which has helped them stay competitive in almost all of their games. They have a shot at the playoffs, but even if/when that doesn't come to fruition, year one of the Tannehill/Philbin era has to be considered a modest success. They do need to add some weapons on offense, though.

21. New Orleans Saints (5-7)

Turns out that, even after a short hot streak, the Saints actually are who we thought they were. A stinky team, with a stinky defense and no head coach.

Seriously. Does this team even deserve to be 5-7? Look at their five wins; other than the Atlanta game, do any of them jump off the page? San Diego? Philly? Oakland? I guess Tampa is a decent win, but even that looks less impressive by the day.

The truth is, this season was never meant to be in New Orleans. They had too much working against them. Who knows if Sean Payton will be back next season, but the good karma might be.

That, along with a complete defensive overhaul, should be enough to help them compete in 2013. But for now they're too soft to be taken seriously.

22. Cleveland Browns (4-8)

The Browns have been sneaky good all season, especially on defense. The numbers don't exactly reflect it, but the eye test does. Brandon Weeden hasn't been a travesty in his first season (although he's certainly left a lot to be desired), and Trent Richardson has been as good as advertised. With a few minor tweaks, and some better late-game execution, this team could challenge for a playoff spot next season.

23. New York Jets (5-7)

Where do you start with the New York Jets?

Yes, the quarterback situation hit an all-time nadir last weekend when Greg McElroy was needed to salvage a 7-6 home game against Arizona. Yikes.

But we knew the quarterback position would be a problem. What we didn't know was how soft the defense would become. They couldn't stop a nosebleed (sorry, Bart Scott) on the ground right now, ranking 29th in rushing yards allowed.

I alluded to the eye test when I talked about the Browns. The Jets don't pass it. They don't even come close. Yes, they're still in the playoff hunt. And—oh, God—they actually have one of the league's easiest remaining schedules. It's absurd to think that this team could be playing in January.

But they won't be. Take my word for it.

24. Detroit Lions (4-8)

The Lions temporarily righted the ship in October and early November, but a four-game losing streak has ended their playoff hopes. Although they lead the league in passing yards, they've struggled to find consistency in any other facet of the game. It's hard to say whether last year was the fluke or this year was the fluke. But it'll sure be interesting to find out in 2013.

25. San Diego Chargers (4-8)

Thanks to the San Diego Chargers—and the rest of the AFC West—the Jets aren't the worst second-placed team in football! Seriously though, this team has derailed since a 3-1 start, finding creative ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. It'll be interesting to see if the next head coach can right that ship. That is, if they ever get around to firing Norv Turner.

26. Arizona Cardinals (4-8)

The Jets have yet another thank you card to send: If not for the Arizona Cardinals, they would have the most dire quarterback situation in football! Does anybody remember when the Cardinals started out 4-0? Yeah, me neither. They've lost eight straight, and have a lot of work—probably more than any other team—to do on the offensive side of the ball.

27. Carolina Panthers (3-9)

Let's start with the bad news. Carolina just lost to Kansas City—the Chiefs' first win since September. The good news: Cam Newton is finally starting to play like Cam Newton again. He might have been an (alleged) jerk at the Pro Bowl last season, but he's still someone this franchise can build around. This year's draft will be vital, though.

28. Tennessee Titans (4-8)

This is one of the most confusing teams in football. But after some diligent study, I've come to the conclusion that they're actually pretty bad. Jake Locker has done enough to earn reps next season and Chris Johnson is finally running like a viable NFL running back, but the defense has been atrocious. The vibe around this team just doesn't inspire confidence.

29. Philadelphia Eagles (3-9)

One more thank you card for the Jets to send: Thanks to the Philadelphia Eagles, they aren't the most resoundingly disappointing team in football! It'll be interesting to see where the Eagles, bastions of consistent success over the past decade, go from here. Andy Reid is almost certainly gone, as is Michael Vick. But is Nick Foles really the answer at QB? If they go 3-13, they could be in the market for a signal-caller with their high draft pick.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10)

Chad Henne breathed some life into this listless offense, but it's hard to say if he's the long-term answer. His destiny was to be one of the best backups in the NFL, not a bona fide starter. Either way, it's better than Blaine Gabbert's destiny, which at this point is probably being a middle-of-the-road starter in Canada.

31. Kansas City Chiefs (2-10)

Quick mea culpa: I had the Chiefs pegged as my sleeper at the start of the season. Obviously, I couldn't have been more wrong, but I think they do have some pieces to build with. A change at quarterback and head coach could invigorate some life into this team in 2012.

32. Oakland Raiders (3-9)

It befuddles me to think how this team reached three wins. Before last week's offensive stinker vs. Cleveland, the Raiders had allowed 42, 55, 38 and 34 points in consecutive games. The passing game has been surprisingly effective (though they've had a lot of late-game, big-lead, prevent defenses), but everything else has been an unmitigated disaster.