Better or Worse: Grading the Progress of Every Team in the NFL
Better or Worse: The NFL regular season is nearing its conclusion, and it's safe to say that we've seen some successful seasons, and some others that teams would like to forget.
There have been several squads who have shown some impressive progression in 2010.
But there are also plenty who have taken a giant leap back this season.
So we're here today to dissect the 2010 seasons for all 32 NFL teams.
I am the principal in this situation, so I'll be handing out grades for those squads based on their progression from the 2009 to the 2010 season.
And I won't be holding back.
Alright, let's get to it...
32. Minnesota Vikings
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Just a year ago, the Minnesota Vikings were 12-4 and a few minutes away from playing in the Super Bowl.
Oh, how times have changed.
Brad Childress completely lost control of his team and subsequently got fired, Brett Favre threw more interceptions than he did touchdowns, and the Vikings have been in turmoil ever since.
I'm not even going to bother touching on any other issues.
The two main problems with this team have been "Chilly" and the 40-year-old drama queen himself.
Progression: Worse
Grade: F. It's a close race between the Vikings and the Dallas Cowboys for which incredibly talented team sucked it up more in 2010.
31. Carolina Panthers
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The 2009 season was a mediocre year for the Carolina Panthers, who finished at 8-8 despite having two All-Pro players—Julius Peppers and Jon Beason—on defense.
But I'm pretty sure any Panthers fans would gladly go back in time to relive that season after the way Carolina has played this year.
The Panthers have just one win so far, and their offense ranks dead last in total yards, passing yards and points scored.
Carolina's defense gives up twice as many points per game (26) as the offense scores (12.8), and the team hasn't been able to do anything on offense with Matt Moore or Jimmy Clausen at quarterback.
Progression: Worse
Grade: F. The Panthers have been bit by the injury bug (DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Steve Smith), but there's no excuse for failing to put up 13 points per game and only winning once all season.
30. Cincinnati Bengals
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The 2009 Cincinnati Bengals managed to outlast the Ravens and Steelers on the way to an AFC North title, but they lost in the Wild Card round to the New York Jets.
Now? Wow. The Bengals have just been in complete disarray all season long.
They can't run the ball (87.8 yards per game), they can't stop people from scoring (give up 26.5 yards per game), and they can't get to the quarterback (dead last in sacks).
But perhaps the team's biggest problem has been the play of Carson Palmer, who's managed to go from a Heisman winner to the reason Bengals fans want to start drinking at 6 a.m.
Palmer has cost the team numerous times this season, and the Bengals have just two wins because of it.
Progression: Worse
Grade: F. Cincinnati has too much talent, especially on offense, to be 2-11. I mean, you would think they could at least win another game or two by mistake.
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29. Washington Redskins
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The Washington Redskins went 4-12 in 2009, but the preseason expectations were pretty optimistic, as many people thought the Redskins would contend for an NFC East title.
Then everything that could have went wrong did.
Albert Haynesworth has acted like an idiot all year, Mike Shanahan has now benched Donovan McNabb twice, and the Redskins rank 26th in rushing yards, 28th in rushing yards allowed, 29th in passing yards allowed and 32nd in total yards allowed.
Oh yeah, did I mention they have no wide receivers and actually used Joey Galloway at that position earlier this year?
Yep, they did.
The Redskins are quite the mess.
Progression: Worse
Grade: F. Too many inexplicable things have happened in Washington to even give them a D.
28. Seattle Seahawks
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After a 5-11 season in 2009, one would think that a 6-7 record for the Seattle Seahawks is showing signs of improvement.
I beg to differ.
Other than their home field advantage at Qwest Field, there's nothing that jumps out at you about the Seahawks.
They can't run the ball (31st in rushing yards), they can't stop opposing offenses (31st in total yards allowed), and Matt Hasselbeck probably shouldn't even be playing anymore.
Seattle has been on the wrong end of two 30-point blowouts and the rest of their five losses all came by at least 15 points.
Progression: Worse
Grade: D-. The Seahawks have more wins this last season, but they don't even remotely show up in their losses.
27. Dallas Cowboys
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The 2009 Dallas Cowboys finished at 11-5, winning the NFC East before getting blown out in the Divisional Round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Vikings.
So the Cowboys were "supposed" to play in the Super Bowl at Cowboys Stadium this season.
Um, so much for that.
Dallas looked beyond awful under Wade Phillips, and by the time he was replaced with Jason Garrett it was already too late.
The Cowboys have finally started running the ball now, but they still have just four wins, which is ridiculous considering the amount of talent the team has.
Progression: Worse
Grade: D-. The loss of Tony Romo probably hurt the team, but they were still a wreck even with him behind center. Anything below ten wins for a team like this is unacceptable.
26. Tennessee Titans
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The Tennessee Titans went 8-8 in 2009, so it's not like they were expected to win the Super Bowl.
But they also weren't expected to be as bad as they have been.
The Titans can't pass the ball, they give up a ton of yards on defense, and their offense has consistently regressed.
Not to mention Jeff Fisher seems to be losing control of the team, and Vince Young probably won't be a Titan next season.
This team is in a state of flux right now, which is crazy considering how bright the future looked when they started off 5-2.
Progression: Worse
Grade: D-. No team has gone progressively downhill quite like the Titans. They've lost six straight games and hardly scored any points in the process.
25. Arizona Cardinals
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The 2009 Arizona Cardinals won the NFC West with a 10-6 record and advanced to the Wild Card round before losing to the eventual Super Bowl Champions, the New Orleans Saints, in the Divisional Playoffs.
In 2010, however, the Cardinals have looked like the team we used to see in the earlier 2000s.
Arizona is just 4-9, they rank 25th or lower in every major statistical category on offense and defense, and their quarterback situation is more of a mess than Lindsay Lohan.
Not only will the Cardinals fail to win seven games but they'll do it in the worst division in the NFL.
Progression: Worse
Grade: D. The Cardinals simply couldn't recover from the losses of guys like Karlos Dansby, Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin, which put them in a bad situation from the get-go.
24. San Francisco 49ers
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After an 8-8 season in 2009, the San Francisco 49ers were an incredibly popular preseason pick to win the NFC West.
I mean, I literally don't think I saw anyone pick a different team to win that division.
Anyway, the 49ers have been a wreck for most of the season.
San Francisco's No. 1 defense of 2009 has fallen off considerably, Mike Singletary has gotten into it with his players, and the team has relied on two Smiths at quarterback—neither of which are of starting quality.
That's all translated to a 5-9 record, but the 49ers actually still have a slight chance of making it to the playoffs.
Isn't that ridiculous?
Progression: Worse
Grade: D. San Francisco has only had one or two impressive showings all season, and they came against the NFC West.
23. Denver Broncos
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In 2009, the Denver Broncos went 8-8, but we can't just ignore the fact that they started 6-0 and went 2-8 the rest of the way.
That poor play from last season has continued in 2010, when the Broncos have been really, really bad on defense.
Denver's D is last in points allowed, 28th in total yards allowed and 31st in rushing yards allowed.
But that Josh McDaniels offense also hasn't worked out.
Yeah, the Broncos often pass for a ton of yards. But they can't run the ball at all, and it's incredibly easy for teams to game-plan to stop them.
Maybe now that McDaniels is gone—partially due to Spygate II—Denver can get it turned around.
Progression: Worse
Grade: D+. Unless you have someone like Drew Brees or Peyton Manning at quarterback, you can't just throw the ball all over the place and expect to win.
22. Indianapolis Colts
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In 2009, the Indianapolis Colts finished the regular season at 14-2, eventually making their way to the Super Bowl where they lost to the New Orleans Saints.
But now Peyton Manning and the Colts are in unfamiliar territory, as they've struggled to a 7-6 start and are on the verge of missing the playoffs.
Why? Well, the Colts have struggled in the two aspects of the game that usually lead to success.
They rank 29th in rushing yards allowed (141.1 yards per game) and dead last in rushing yards (79.7 yards per game).
Though the Colts have suffered a number of injuries, it's hard to make any excuses for a team performing that horribly in the trenches.
Progression: Worse
Grade: D+. Indianapolis has been decimated by injuries (Dallas Clark, Bob Sanders, etc), but those guys don't play running back or on the defensive line. The Colts won't be in the playoffs if they continue to live and die by that pass-first mentality.
21. Houston Texans
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The 2009 Houston Texans went 9-7, just barely missing out on the playoffs in the AFC.
They entered this season as a popular preseason pick but haven't put together the season anyone thought they would.
Houston has one of the league's top scoring offenses and an incredibly balanced one at that, but their defense has really put them in a pickle.
The Texans give up a league-worst 279.9 passing yards per game and 27.3 points per game.
Even when Houston's offense has played well, its defense hasn't done anything on its part and the Texans have struggled to a 5-8 record as a result.
Progression: Worse
Grade: C-. The offense has been better in 2010, but that defense has been so ridiculously bad that it's hard to give them a grade higher than this.
20. Buffalo Bills
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In 2009, the Buffalo Bills finished in last place in the AFC East with a 6-10 record, but they went a decent 3-4 in their last seven games under interim coach Perry Fewell.
But this season, the first under new head coach Chan Gailey, has mostly been a lost cause.
The Bills give up 26.1 points per game, have the league's worst run defense, and have had a hard time putting up any points on offense.
There have been a few bright spots though.
The Bills defense ranks fourth against the pass, C.J. Spiller and Steve Johnson look like they'll be very good offensive playmakers, and Buffalo hung tough with a bunch of more talented teams like Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
Progression: Worse
Grade: C-. The Bills probably will only win two games this season, but they've played well enough at times to be a seven or eight-win team.
19. San Diego Chargers
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The San Diego Chargers went 13-3 in 2008, but they fell to the New York Jets in their first playoff game.
Still, most people expected San Diego to be just as good, or even better, in 2010, but it's been a mixed bag of results.
The Chargers have the league's No. 1 offense and No. 2 defense, but poor special teams has the team sitting at just 8-6.
It's hard to assess this team because they've had plenty of players who have played very well, with Philip Rivers looking exceptional all season long.
But San Diego should be 12-2 right now.
And they're not.
Progression: About the Same
Grade: C. Stats don't mean much at the end of the day if your team can't pull out important victories.
18. Green Bay Packers
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The 2009 Green Bay Packers finished at 11-5 and lost in the Wild Card round but entered the 2010 season as a Super Bowl favorite in the NFC.
Well, that plan has changed.
Ryan Grant went down with an injury early in the season, so did Jermichael Finley and a ton of other players, and now Aaron Rodgers' health is a question mark.
Green Bay's defense has been stellar all season—ranking third in passing yards allowed and first in points allowed—but that unit hasn't been able to overcome the team's offensive struggles.
Without much of a running game, the Packers have relied too heavily on the pass and are now on the outside of the playoffs looking in.
Progression: About the Same
Grade: C. Most of Green Bay's problems can be attributed to injuries rather than a lack of effort or poor play, and the defense is still one of the best in the NFL.
17. Detroit Lions
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The Detroit Lions went 2-14 in 2009, which gave them the No. 2 overall pick, which in turn gave them Ndamukung Suh.
Maybe that wasn't so bad after all.
Suh's been a beast all season, and he's provided a huge lift to Detroit's defense.
Though the Lions haven't been great on that side of the ball—or offense for that matter—they just seem to be taking a step in the right direction.
They're not the same Detroit team that used to get blown out every week, and they haven't completely folded despite losing Matthew Stafford and Shaun Hill at quarterback.
Detroit has one more win than they did in all of 2009, and that can be contributed to the team's improvement in several different areas.
Progression: Better
Grade: C. With Stafford behind center, the Lions probably would have won five or six games. Plus, their defensive line has improved dramatically and should continue to do so.
16. New York Jets
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In 2009, the New York Jets came on surprisingly strong at the end of the season and were one game away from a Super Bowl appearances.
Entering this season, it was Super Bowl or bust. And it's looking more like the latter at the moment.
Though Mark Sanchez has undoubtedly improved and the team's running game is top notch, the Jets have lost two straight games and probably could have lost another three games earlier in the season.
New York just squeaked by teams like Houston and Cleveland when they were largely outplayed in those games.
The Jets defense will continue to be a difficult match-up for most times, but it's hard to decide whether the Jets have been more lucky than good.
Progression: About the Same
Grade: C+. They'll finish with a better record this year, but they haven't been the dominant team most people predicted they'd be.
15. Miami Dolphins
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The Miami Dolphins didn't have a great 2009 campaign, finishing in third place in the AFC East at 7-6.
But with Brandon Marshall coming into the fold in 2010, the Dolphins were supposed to be a playoff caliber team.
They aren't.
Marshall has developed no chemistry with Chad Henne, and the team's running back duo of Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown has only rushed for 106 yards per game.
Miami's defense has been stellar all season—ranking in the top 10 in all major categories—but the Dolphins are just 7-6 because their offense only scores 17.3 points per game.
Until that team has a different quarterback, I wouldn't expect to see Miami in the playoffs (even though they're still alive in the chase).
Progression: Better
Grade: C+. The defense is the only thing preventing Miami from a D-.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a miserable 2009 campaign, going 3-13 and looking pretty terrible in the process.
But they've turned it around this season, winning eight of their first 13 games.
Here's the silver lining though: Tampa Bay is 8-0 against teams with losing records and 5-0 against teams who are .500 or better.
I do really like the way the team's offense has developed—with Josh Freeman, Mike Williams and LaGarrette Blount—but Tampa Bay's defense gives up far too many rushing yards and they beat up on the bad teams.
Until the Buccaneers get that signature win against a good team, I'll continue to be a hater.
Progression: Better
Grade: B-. Though the Bucs are obviously a better team than last year, they're nothing more than a schoolyard bully who only picks on the weaker teams.
13. Baltimore Ravens
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The 2009 Baltimore Ravens made it to the AFC Playoffs as a Wild Card team after a 9-7 season and second place finish in the AFC North.
Baltimore won its Wild Card game but was beat down by the Indianapolis Colts, 20-3, in the Divisional Round.
But with three games remaining in 2010 the Ravens have already matched last season's win total and look poised for another appearance in the playoffs.
Though the team's 9-4 record is very good, Baltimore hasn't played as well as many people thought they would.
Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzadeh haven't had the biggest impact on the offense, and the Ravens' historically good defense has struggled at times, especially against the pass.
Progression: Better
Grade: B-. The offense has been mediocre across the board and the secondary needs to improve, but the team will finish with more wins than they had last season.
12. Chicago Bears
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The 2009 Chicago Bears limped to a 7-9 record in their first season with Jay Cutler at quarterback.
But lo and behold, Cutler hasn't looked as bad as he did last season, and the Bears already have nine wins this season.
The offense has still been abysmal overall and Mike Martz's system doesn't look like a fit in Chicago, but the Bears have been winning games the old fashioned way: With defense.
Chicago's D ranks eighth in total yards allowed, second in rushing yards allowed and third in points allowed.
The Bears still need better play from their offense, but remember that this is the same type of team that got to the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman as their quarterback.
As long as that defense is still there, they'll be OK.
Progression: Better
Grade: B-. The defense is the one we're accustomed to seeing, but Chicago's offense is statistically one of the worst in the league.
11. Cleveland Browns
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In 2009, the Cleveland Browns finished at 5-11, good enough for last place in the NFC North.
But hey, what do you know? The Browns have looked like a pretty formidable football team at times this season.
Though I can't explain the horrific play of Jake Delhomme, Cleveland has been ten times better when rookie Colt McCoy is on the field.
McCoy's showed he's a true gamer, Peyton Hillis contains to make Broncos fans fume over that Brady Quinn trade, and Joe Haden has been outstanding at the cornerback position.
This team is obviously young and still has a number of holes—like its run defense and its wide receivers—but they've also held their opponents to just 19.4 points per game and took down the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints.
Progression: Better
Grade: B+. The team's offensive stats won't wow you because of Delhomme, but Cleveland's managed to put together a decent corps of players that should only get better with time.
10. Oakland Raiders
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The Oakland Raiders finished the 2009 season at 5-11, and Al Davis's team was one of the hardest to watch in all of football.
But even with a revolving door at quarterback in 2010, the Raiders have started out at 6-7 and are mathematically alive in the playoff race.
The two things that stand out about Oakland this year are the team's pass defense (No. 7 in the league) and rushing attack (No. 3 in the league with 149.3 yards per game).
The Raiders' running game has steadily improved in 2010, and Darren McFadden seems to finally be hitting his stride in the NFL.
If Oakland can get any consistency at the quarterback position, they'll be a solid team for years to come.
Progression: Better
Grade: B+.The Raiders offense looks better than anyone expected, but the defense still gives up a ton of rushing yards and far too many points.
9. New Orleans Saints
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The New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl last year but have largely been overlooked in 2010.
I mean, you hardly ever hear their name mentioned in the "best team in the NFL" debate despite the fact that they're better than they were last season.
The Saints now boast one of the NFL's best defenses, which ranks fifth in points and passing yards allowed.
Though the Saints offense has taken a tiny step back in 2010, much of that can be contributed to the losses of Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, who have both missed big chunks of the season.
Drew Brees is still Drew Brees, the Saints still have a ton of weapons, and the Saints defense is better than it was during the team's Super Bowl run last season.
Progression: Better
Grade: A-. New Orleans hasn't put up quite the offensive numbers it did last season, but the defense has vastly improved since 2009.
8. New York Giants
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The New York Giants finished at an even 8-8 in 2009, and many speculated that this would be Tom Coughlin's last hoorah with the team.
Well, after a rough early stretch, the Giants have definitely turned it around and Coughlin's job appears safe for now.
New York is 9-4 and will likely be in the playoffs this year, whether it's through the NFC East's bid or a Wild Card berth.
The Giants defense has been ridiculously good across the board all season, but it's the team's offense that has been the most impressive recently.
Brandon Jacobs is playing like a man possessed, which is scary considering the team already has Ahmad Bradshaw in the backfield.
Progression: Better
Grade: A-. The team's wide receiver corps has been hit hard with injuries, and Eli Manning has thrown far too many picks as a result.
7. Philadelphia Eagles
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The 2009 Philadelphia Eagles went 11-5 but finished in second place in the NFC East.
Well, this season could be much of the same if the Eagles lose to the Giants this week.
But either way, I'd expect Philadelphia to make it to the playoffs.
Their defense has been a bit inconsistent, but that offense has an absolutely ridiculous amount of speed.
I don't think anyone wants to face Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson in the playoffs.
How the hell do you cover those guys?
Progression: Better
Grade: A. It took some gonads for Andy Reid to stick with Vick at quarterback, but it's paid huge dividends, as Vick has been one of the league's biggest surprises this season.
6. Atlanta Falcons
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In 2009, the Atlanta Falcons finished 9-7, sealing their second straight season above .500 for the first time in franchise history.
They didn't make the playoffs, but they were right on the cusp.
The 2010 Falcons, however, have taken another huge step forward, reaching 11 wins in their first 13 games and on the fast track to be the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Matt Ryan and Roddy White have been the biggest reasons for the team's success, as both guys have become elite players at their respective positions.
With the maturation of Ryan and the improvement of the team's defense—they rank eighth in scoring and allow 107.2 rushing yards—the Falcons should be a top-tier team for several years.
Progression: Better
Grade: A. The only thing keeping this team from an A+ is the pass defense, which has been far too inconsistent this season.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
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Looking for a heck of a turnaround? Then look no further than the Jacksonville Jaguars.
They finished 7-9 in 2009, good for last place in the AFC South, but they've started off 2010 at 8-5.
If they beat the Colts this week, they'll win the division and find their way back into the playoffs.
And it'll be because of the play of David Garrard and Maurice Jones-Drew, who have both emerged as NFL MVP candidates.
Garrard is in the midst of his best season as a pro, and Jones-Drew has topped 100 rushing yards in six straight games.
Though Jacksonville's defense leaves a lot to be desired, it's hard to not be impressed by the team's performance on offense.
Progression: Better
Grade: A. Jacksonville's defense isn't good enough to warrant an A+, but no one outside of Jacksonville expected to see Garrard play this well or Rashad Jennings emerge as a very good No. 2 running back.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
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Even though the Pittsburgh Steelers went 9-7 last season, they still sat at home during the playoffs.
That won't happen this season.
The Steelers already have 10 wins and should have no problem sealing a Wild Card berth if they don't want the AFC North for some reason.
Pittsburgh managed to weather the storm earlier in the season when Ben Roethlisberger missed the team's first four games, and their defense has been dominant all season.
The Steelers rank fourth in total yards allowed, second in points allowed and first in rushing yards allowed.
With an above average offense as well, Pittsburgh should keep rolling.
Progression: Better
Grade: A. The Steelers need to work on their pass defense, but that's about it. Everything else looks pretty good in Pittsburgh.
3. New England Patriots
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As we've grown accustomed to, the 2009 New England Patriots won the AFC after going 10-6.
But they were blown out in the Wild Card round by the Ravens, and many people expected the Patriots to take a step back in 2010.
Needless to say, they haven't.
If you looked at New England's defensive stats—they rank 31st in passing yards allowed and 27th in total yards allowed—you'd probably think they were a bad team.
But those numbers are misleading.
That unit has given up much of those numbers in garbage time and has made a ton of big plays all season long.
As for the offense, Tom Brady continues to do his thing with guys named BenJarvus Green-Ellis an Danny Woodhead instead of Randy Moss.
Progression: Better
Grade: A+. The Patriots are a young football that doesn't have a lot of sexy names, but that doesn't matter—they're 11-2, and they just destroyed the Bears and the Jets.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
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The 2009 Kansas City Chiefs somehow managed to finish in last place in the lowly AFC West, winning just four games all season and disappointing a lot of Chiefs fans in the process.
But 2010 has been a much different story.
Matt Cassel has played very well for most of the season, Dwayne Bowe has emerged as one of the NFL's top wide receivers, and the Chiefs have the league's No. 1 rushing offense.
If you love the Chiefs, you have to be excited about the future of this team, with Cassel, Bowe, Jamaal Charles and guys like Brandon Flowers on defense.
Though Kansas City isn't phenomenal on the defensive side, they rank 18th in yards allowed and 14th in points allowed.
That's been good enough to get the Chiefs eight wins and a stranglehold on the AFC West's playoff bid.
Progression: Better
Grade: A+. The Chiefs certainly need to upgrade their defense, but you can't argue against the vast improvements we've seen on that offense in 2010.
1. St. Louis Rams
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The St. Louis Rams went 1-15 in 2009, but that's been a blessing in disguise.
They took Sam Bradford with the No. 1 overall pick, and he's led them to the same number of wins (six) as they had in the last three seasons combined.
The Rams don't have near the amount of offensive talent that most other teams have, but Bradford has turned in some impressive performances this season.
St. Louis may benefit from playing in a bad division, but that defense has consistently shown up.
The Rams defense ranks 13th in total yards allowed and 15th in points allowed, which is certainly a big step in the right direction.
Progression: Better
Grade: A+. No one's done more with less than the Rams.
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