The 7 Biggest Disappointments in NFL This Year

Through five weeks, the NFL has provided fans with some incredible excitement and story lines.

There have been a record number of comeback victories, as well as breakout stars like Cam Newton.

However, amidst all of the heroes, there are a number of players and teams that have struggled out of the gate.

These franchises have given their fans plenty of heartache and frustration so far in 2011.

Here's a look at the seven biggest disappointments in the NFL this year.

7. Denver Broncos

The Broncos earn a spot on this list because of their 1-4 record and seemingly endless quarterback controversy.  

Kyle Orton has been a serviceable and, at times, underrated quarterback in this league, but his year seemed doomed from the start.

Orton was nearly traded to Miami before the season even began and then had to contend with fan favorite Tim Tebow.

Things seemed to settle down as Tebow struggled in preseason and was relegated to third string quarterback.

However, change has come due to the combination of Orton's ineffectiveness, Tebow's popularity and the significant investment that was made in selecting him.

It's Tebow time in Denver. Look for the Broncos to turn to the polarizing young quarterback coming out of their Week 6 bye.

The Broncos were a team with relatively low expectations anyway, but the mess of a quarterback situation has made for a difficult year in Denver.

6. Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota made two notable quarterback acquisitions coming into the season. The Vikings used their first-round draft pick on Christian Ponder, out of Florida State, and then traded for Donovan McNabb.

The Vikings planned on having a motivated McNabb, Adrian Peterson and a tough defense lead them to the playoffs.

The 2011 season got off to a brutal start. The Vikings lost their first four games and handed away fourth quarter leads in each of the first three. 

McNabb has looked more like the Redskins' McNabb, rather than the Pro Bowler he was with the Eagles.

Peterson has been his usual, spectacular self, but the fact that he is running so well makes the start even more disappointing.

With Peterson in the backfield, the Vikings should have no trouble controlling the clock and icing away leads.

This makes the fourth quarter collapses all the more troublesome.

McNabb has played better of late, but this team will only go as far as Peterson's legs can take it.

Few people viewed the Vikings as legitimate contenders, but a 1-4 start is disappointing considering they have the league's best running back.

5. Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts have been a perennial power in the AFC.

Expectations for 2011 were tempered when the team announced that quarterback Peyton Manning would be on the shelf to start the year.

Once it was clear that Manning would not be available for a significant portion of the season, the Colts went out and signed Kerry Collins as a stopgap.

The Collins' experiment, as Reggie Wayne predicted, has failed.

After being forced out of their Week 3 game with a concussion, Collins lost the starting gig to Curtis Painter.

The Colts are 0-5 and the lead contender in the 'Andrew Luck Sweepstakes'.

While Painter has been able to keep the team competitive, it's clear that without Manning the Colts are going nowhere.

4. Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals paid a king's ransom for Kevin Kolb.

They parted with a talented young cornerback, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and a second-round pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

Why was Arizona willing to part with so much?

They believe Kolb can be their franchise quarterback for years to come.

Kolb has had a shortened offseason and five games to acclimate himself to a new team and system.

It's unreasonable to pronounce him a failure, but the Cardinals certainly have not gotten the immediate return they were hoping for.

Kolb has posted a 77.2 quarterback rating en route to the team's 1-4 start.

The Cardinals rank in the bottom half of the NFL in passing yards, rushing yards, opponent's passing and opponent's rushing.

That doesn't exactly sound like a recipe for success.

Kolb inked a lucrative extension with the team and will have time to continue developing his chemistry with star receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

However, Kolb and the Cardinals were expected to contend for a division title in 2011, making their sluggish start a disappointment.  

3. New York Jets

The New York Jets will be Super Bowl champions. Just ask Rex Ryan.

This Jets team is coming off of two straight trips to the AFC title game.

Many, including Rex, expected this team to be neck-and-neck with the rival Patriots all season.

The Patriots landed a big blow in Week 5, earning a head-to-head victory and knocking the Jets down to a 2-3 record.

The Jets got off to a good start with an improbable comeback win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Then, in Week 2, they cleaned up the lowly Jaguars.

The Jets have gone on to drop three straight road contests since their last victory.

Winning on the road has been key for the Jets in the past and will likely be important again this year.

The Jets have done their playoff damage while playing on the road as a wild card team. This year, they will likely have to repeat that magic, as they trail both New England and Buffalo within the division.

What's more alarming than the overall record is the way the Jets have looked getting there.

The offense has been putrid. Mark Sanchez has struggled to get the ball to his receivers, and Shonn Greene has yet to show the spark that he did last January.

The Jets are certainly not done and have time to work out their issues, but through Week 5 they are a major disappointment.

2. St. Louis Rams

Coming into the season, the St. Louis Rams were a trendy pick to win a weak NFC West division.

Second year quarterback Sam Bradford was expected to build upon his promising rookie campaign.

Steven Jackson is no longer a young man but, when healthy, he is still a very effective running back.

Add the likes of Danny Amendola and the Rams had the makings of a decent offense.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Rams have under-appreciated players like Chris Long and James Laurinaitis to go along with newly signed Quintin Mikell.

The Rams are currently enjoying their bye week but will return to action at 0-4.

Bradford seems to have taken a step back in his sophomore campaign. Of course, it doesn't help that he is without top target Amendola for the rest of the season.

Meanwhile, Steven Jackson has been dealing with a nagging quad injury that has limited his effectiveness.

The Rams were considered a rising team but, so far, they've fallen flat on their face.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

Shocking no one, the Philadelphia Eagles finish No. 1 on this list.

During the offseason the front office proclaimed themselves 'all-in'.

Head coach Andy Reid, general manager Howie Roseman and team president Joe Banner promised to be aggressive in putting together a championship caliber team.

They held true to their word and made splash after splash in the shortened NFL offseason.

The Eagles entered this 2011 season with a stacked roster and Super Bowl aspirations.

How quickly things change.

Just five weeks into the season the Eagles find themselves sitting at 1-4 and in the basement of the NFC East.

With 11 games remaining, the Eagles will have to fight desperately just to have a shot at making the playoffs.

Turnovers, porous defense and late game collapses have marred what was supposed to be a banner year for the Eagles.