NFL Power Rankings: Summing Up Each Team in a Single Tweet

If you had to sum up your favorite team in one sentence, what would you say?

It is not easy to condense an entire season into just a single tweet or phrase, but that is exactly what we are going to try and do here.

Every team is unique and has gone through its own trials and tribulations on the path to this point. So, let's examine a tweet that best describes each NFL team and power rank everyone along the way.

32. Kansas City Chiefs

Their record may not show it, but the Kansas City Chiefs have a ton of talent on their roster.

Apparently this was noticed by more people than just me, because five Chiefs are being sent to the Pro Bowl.

"

Despite having only 2 wins, the Kansas City Chiefs are sending FIVE players to the Pro Bowl.

— Numbers Never Lie (@ESPN_Numbers) December 27, 2012"

31. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars have had an off year. Blaine Gabbert was unable to develop into the starting QB needed, Maurice Jones-Drew is still hurt and the team has won just two games all season.

So, it should come as no shock that the most memorable part of the Jaguars season has been the potential hiring of Tim Tebow.

Nothing is set in stone, but fans have clearly voiced their decision.

"

And @mortreport reports it's "a virtual certainty" that Tim Tebow will play in 2013 for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 23, 2012"

30. Oakland Raiders

2012 has been tough for the Oakland Raiders. Terrelle Pryor has played QB, Darren McFadden got hurt yet again and the team has just a 4-11 record.

This tweet shows an insane play that took place earlier this season and somewhat encapsulates the struggle that the year has been for Oakland.

"

classic oakland raiders...cant even get within half the field of a first down twitter.com/jacobrosenblum…

— Jacob Rosenblum (@jacobrosenblum) December 23, 2012"

29. Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles failed to establish an identity this season. That failure is clearly highlighted in the fact that Philly sent a grand total of zero representatives to the Pro Bowl this season.

Andy Reid is expected to be fired, Michael Vick has been replaced at QB and the Eagles are the only NFC East team out of playoff contention.

There is talent all over the Eagles roster, but no one stepped up in a big enough way in 2012.

"

RT @roobcsn: For the first time since 1998, the Eagles have no Pro Bowl picks.

— Aaron Nagler (@Aaron_Nagler) December 26, 2012"

28. Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals have had a largely disappointing season, and much of their failures can be attributed to the carousel at quarterback.

Kevin Kolb, John Skelton and Ryan Lindley had all taken turns at starting QB before Brian Hoyer was named the starter heading into Week 17.

If Cardinals fans remember anything about this year it will be the constant turnover at the game's most important position.

"

Enter Brian Hoyer, new QB for the @azcardinals.#CHIvsAZ

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) December 23, 2012"

27. Detroit Lions

Maybe the below tweet suggests that the Detroit Lions organization has an interesting theory—that by focusing almost exclusively on the exceptional play of Calvin Johnson, people will look past the team's 4-11 record.

My guess?

Fans are happy for Johnson, but no one is looking past the sheer disappointment of this Lions team.

"

With Jerry Rice's record in the rear view mirror, 2,000 yards are now in sight for Calvin Johnson @ttwentyman detroitlions.com/news/lions-ins…

— Detroit Lions (@DetroitLionsNFL) December 24, 2012"

26. Buffalo Bills

The acquisition of Mario Williams was supposed to solidify the defense. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Stevie Johnson were supposed to lead a high-powered offense complemented by C.J. Spiller.

Some of these pieces fell into place, but 2012 will be a season to forget for the Buffalo Bills.

Russ Brandon's quote sums up the Buffalo Bills season perfectly.

"

.@russbrandon on how he'll remember 2012 #Bills: "Missed opportunities, unmet expectations, extremely disappointing"

— Buffalo Bills (@buffalobills) December 26, 2012"

25. New York Jets

The media circus that followed Tim Tebow to New York and Jets fans everywhere were curious to see how he would fit into the offense.

Turns out he doesn't really fit into the offense, and New York has turned into a shell of its AFC championship self from a few seasons ago.

This joke of a tweet attempts to highlight just how ridiculous the New York Jets quarterback situation has become.

"

New York Jets controller released! twitter.com/NFL_Memes/stat…

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) December 27, 2012"

24. Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans do not simply lose football games, they get embarrassed on a regular basis.

Six blowout losses by three touchdowns or more is not exactly a blueprint for success, and the Titans need to find out how to make games competitive sometime between now and the start of the 2013 season.

Head coach Mike Munchak's seat is obviously hot, but the players need to show more desire and will to win, because sometimes they seem to just be going through the motions.

"

Tennessee Titans have SIX blowout losses by three TD's or more, in other words they stink. #noheart

— Ben Maller (@benmaller) December 27, 2012"

23. San Diego Chargers

San Diego Chargers fans have been waiting for years to see head coach Norv Turner finally be fired. This tweet has a sarcastic take on the situation, making fun of the Chargers front office.

Turner has been unable to sustain success in San Diego, and the team has lost many games as a result. But fans no longer have enough patience to sit through another year with Turner on the sidelines.

"

My guess on Chargers changes for next season- New Coach: AJ Smith, New GM Norv Turner... #MarkItDown

— Eric Stangel (@EricStangel) December 24, 2012"

22. Cleveland Browns

Will 2012 be remembered as the start of the Brandon Weeden era or another failed attempt to draft a signal-caller?

New management is going to take place next season and may not be too keen on waiting for a 29-year-old QB to develop properly.

Cleveland is a young team that is learning and growing, but is the QB already too old to be a part of that process?

"

then he'll only have few yrs left. 29yr old qbs have 2 produce now. RT @cr8z4jets: "(Weeden) should b given few yrs 2 c if he develops"

— Ryan Riddle (@Ryan_Riddle) December 22, 2012"

21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It seems as if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are always poised to break out...next year.

At some point the Buccaneers need to develop a sense of urgency and put their talent to good use during the season at hand.

At 6-9, Tampa Bay has again fallen below acceptable standards, and there are major question marks surrounding QB Josh Freeman.

"

NFL.com senior analyst Gil Brandt has put the Bucs at the top of his list of breakout teams for 2013: tinyurl.com/cejeh9e

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) December 20, 2012"

20. Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers offense has been inconsistent all season. That inconsistency has led to a season failing to live up to preseason hype.

Carolina is just 6-9 on the year and has been forced to rely heavily on the ability of Cam Newton most of the way. Neither DeAngelo Williams nor Jonathan Stewart have been great on the ground, so Newton has been the one to lead the team in rushing.

Is it a good sign when your QB leads the team on the ground? Probably not, and the Panthers' 2012 campaign proves that.

"

Cam Newton leads team in rushing. Last QB to do that: Donovan McNabb, 2000

— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) December 22, 2012"

19. Miami Dolphins

You know the season has been bad when new logo designs are being used to ignite the fanbase.

The Detroit Lions took such a measure after going 0-16. The new jerseys signaled a new direction and philosophy.

Miami is clearly trying to move on from its current 7-8 record and mediocre level of play.

"

Here is a look at a possible new logo for the Miami Dolphins. twitter.com/Uniformswag/st…

— Uni Swag (@Uniformswag) December 26, 2012"

18. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have employed an all-or-nothing approach in recent years, and it seems to have backfired this season.

The Steelers have mortgaged more cap than any other team in the NFL in the past two years and will now head toward the 2013 offseason without much money and fresh off missing the postseason.

Head coach Mike Tomlin is not someone to be around once he finds out.

"

Long cold winter ahead in Pittsburgh.Steelers have mortgaged more Cap than any NFL team in last two years in a "win now" mode.

— Andrew Brandt (@adbrandt) December 23, 2012"

17. St. Louis Rams

As noted in the tweet below, it is astounding that the 7-7-1 St. Louis Rams are not sending a single representative to the Pro Bowl festivities.

However, that fact could also be perceived as a sign of balance and strength for the Rams. This team has grown and developed even without that elite star that can carry the organization at all times.

Fisher's work as coach has been almost universally praised, and the Rams should be real playoff contenders next season.

"

Other Pro Bowl thoughts: 1) Rams, zero Pro Bowlers, 7-7-1 record. Two words: Jeff Fisher. Coaching matters. (Next year they'll have a bunch)

— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) December 27, 2012"

16. New Orleans Saints

There have not been many positives for the New Orleans Saints to take away from the 2012 season. However, the play of Drew Brees has been the exception.

Brees has been just as good as expected, despite battling multiple interim head coaches and the entire Bountygate scandal.

New Orleans will likely miss the playoffs, but the play of Brees in the face of so many disruptive factors is commendable.

"

In past 3 seasons, @saints Drew Brees has 14,877 pass yards, most in ANY 3-year span in @nfl history

— Randall Liu (@RLiuNFL) December 23, 2012"

15. New York Giants

This sentiment is undoubtedly shared by most New York Giants fans. This was supposed to be a team that could flip the switch at any time and resume playing the great football that won a Super Bowl last season.

That belief proved false, as New York was blown out in Weeks 15 and 16 at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens, respectively.

The defending champions may not be completely out of the race, but they aren't in it either.

"

The New York Giants aren't mathematically eliminated, but this team is far from a playoff squad. Embarrassing.

— Wesley O'Donnell (@wesodonnell) December 24, 2012"

14. Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears went from elite to mediocre about as fast as the NFL schedule could possibly allow.

At one point the Bears were 7-1,  but after losing five out of seven games, they now sit at 9-6. Chicago will be relying on Minnesota to lose in order to reach the playoffs.

This tweet showcases just how unique this situation is.

"

LM: Last year, 11 of 12 NFL teams that finished above .500 made playoffs; only 9-7 Titans did not. This year there are 15 teams over .500.

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 26, 2012"

13. Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys are easily one of the most frustrating teams in the NFL—always in close battles and the outcome is never certain.

Dallas has shown it can win in the fourth quarter this season, but a Week 16 loss to the New Orleans Saints showed that this team is still not perfect.

Having six games decided by 22 total points may be what fans remember if the Cowboys again miss postseason play.

"

.@dallascowboys last 6 games decided by total of 22 points, inc, today's OT game, their 3rd in that stretch

— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) December 23, 2012"

12. Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson is a freak of nature. That is the only way to explain him coming back from a torn ACL and MCL after just eight months and making a run at Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record.

Sure, the fact that Minnesota is in the playoff hunt is both intriguing and great for the franchise, but this Vikings season will be remembered for the play of Peterson.

Both the Comeback Player of the Year and MVP awards are still up for grabs and well within the sights of Peterson.

"

If that whole "2nd year after ACL surgery" thing still applies Adrian Peterson will be downright scary next year

— Ross Tucker (@RossTuckerNFL) December 21, 2012"

11. Cincinnati Bengals

There is a new aura surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals. This is not the Bengals team of yesteryear that consistently missed the playoffs and was the laughingstock of the NFL.

Instead, Cincinnati is a bona fide contender thanks in large part to the work of A.J. Green and Andy Dalton. The QB/WR duo lead the Bengals offense and are making playoff berths commonplace. 

"

Get that?? In any case-#Bengals in playoffs for 2nd straight year. #WhoDeyNew culture- AJ Green and Andy Dalton have never missed playoffs

— ESPNCincinnati (@ESPNCincinnati) December 24, 2012"

10. Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are full of feel-good stories, from the emergence of rookie Andrew Luck to the resurrection of Reggie Wayne's career.

Still, nothing compares to head coach Chuck Pagano returning to the sidelines and leading this team in the postseason.

His battle with cancer has been both well-documented and supported. There will be no aspect of this season better remembered than the courage and strength of Pagano.

"

Ultimate gift exchange: Colts give Pagano a playoff berth today; he gives them a return to the sideline tomorrow. That's inspiring stuff.

— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) December 23, 2012"

9. Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins are back and in a big way. The play of Robert Griffin III has him up for Rookie of the Year consideration, and the team currently sits atop the NFC East, controlling its own destiny.

Washington still needs a win over the Cowboys to earn that playoff spot, but for the first time in years there is confidence surrounding the Redskins and their ability to win big games. 

What really needs to be said beyond what is already in this tweet?

"

Dallas Cowboys to face Washington Redskins for NFC East title. on.nfl.com/NFCeastTitle

— NFL (@nfl) December 25, 2012"

8. Baltimore Ravens

Quick show of hands: Who had any idea Paul Kruger was having a great year?

No one?

Exactly.

Ray Lewis has been out with injury and Terrell Suggs is far from 100 percent, but Baltimore always finds someone to step up and fill the void.

The key will be ensuring the defense can compete in the playoffs.

"

Paul Kruger now leads all 3-4 outside LBs in Pass Rushing Productivity, according to @pff

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 26, 2012"

7. San Francisco 49ers

Controversy.

If only one word could describe the San Francisco 49ers 2012 campaign to date it would most certainly be "controversy."

Was head coach Jim Harbaugh right to make Colin Kaepernick his starting QB when Alex Smith was playing well before injury?

"

Kaepernick or Alex Smith? That is the question.

— Ryder Rose (@RoseRoyce_5) December 27, 2012"

The answer is unclear, but if San Francisco fails to win the Super Bowl, there will certainly be scrutiny aimed in the coach's direction. 

6. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are having a season to remember.

Sure, losing two of three games toward the end of the season hurt, but Houston has the talent to overcome those momentary failings.

J.J. Watt in particular has been the glue holding the defense together, and his 20.5 sacks are firmly within reach of Michael Strahan's record.

"

. @nfl single-season sack record is 22.5 by @michaelstrahan. @jjwatt leads NFL w/20.5 sacks.Will he break record? #DBWH twitter.com/HoustonTexans/…

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 26, 2012"

5. Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks brought in Matt Flynn this past offseason to turn around the team's offensive woes and be the star.

That makes it all the more bold of head coach Pete Carroll to have chosen rookie Russell Wilson as his starting QB out of training camp.

The decision clearly paid off, as the Seahawks are 10-5 and Wilson is in contention for Rookie of the Year honors.

"

Can't say enough of how bold a move it was for @petecarroll to start @dangerusswilson -- the man is crazy like a fox.

— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) December 24, 2012"

4. Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers have not been dominant in every game this season, but Green Bay tends to step up when it matters most.

Aaron Rodgers plays his best football against the AFC and continually shows that he is one of the best QBs in all of football.

"

In past 8 vs AFC (inc SB), @packers Aaron Rodgers has 25 TDs, 3 INTs & 115.7 passer rating

— Randall Liu (@RLiuNFL) December 23, 2012"

Green Bay may not have made many headlines this year, but it is firmly in the playoffs and hitting its stride.

That should scare opponents.

3. New England Patriots

Every season seems to be business as usual for the New England Patriots.

With 21 more points, the Patriots will be just the fourth team ever to score 550 in a season.

Is anyone causing a fuss or plastering this information all over ESPN?

Absolutely not. Excellence is expected for New England, and the high-octane offense led by Tom Brady is just a part of that. 

"

Patriots: lead NFL with 529 points this season; need 21 points to become 4th team in NFL history to score 550 points in a season

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 26, 2012"

2. Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos may have won a playoff game last season, but change was clearly needed. QB Peyton Manning has brought that change and turned the Broncos into a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Denver has really found its groove as of late, winning 10 consecutive games and proving that Manning is every bit the player who won multiple MVP awards with the Indianapolis Colts.

"

Peyton Manning throws for season-high 339 yards as Broncos win 10th in a row, 34-12 over CLE.

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 24, 2012"

1. Atlanta Falcons

Every year the wish seems to be the same, but Falcons fans are hoping that this year the results finally differ.

Atlanta has become accustomed to great regular-season campaigns. It is the postseason failures that are the problem. Nothing matters if the Falcons don't string together some playoff wins this year.

"

All we want for Christmas is a Super Bowl championship for our Atlanta Falcons THIS SEASON!

— Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) December 24, 2012"