NFL Power Rankings: Which Teams Can Use Injuries As An Excuse?

Injuries are a part of the NFL, but they can shipwreck a season before it even leaves the harbor. The Indianapolis Colts know all about that in 2011, and they now sit in the cellar of our Week 8 Power Rankings. 

Let's discuss the Colts and some other teams that have run into injury trouble in 2011.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Name an important piece of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and he's probably dealt with an injury issue in 2011. LeGarrette Blount (knee), Jeff Faine (biceps), Gerald McCoy (ankle), Mason Foster (ankle) and Quincy Black (ankle) are just some of the names that have regularly appeared on the Bucs' injury report. You can add backup running back Earnest Graham to that list, as he blew out his Achilles tendon on Sunday in London.   

Houston Texans

The big names have taken the biggest hits in Houston this season. The Texans saw Arian Foster, the NFL's top rusher from 2010, miss the start of the season with a hamstring injury. Once Foster came back, both Andre Johnson (hamstring) and Mario Williams (pectoral) were hit with long-term injuries. Williams is out for the season. Kareem Jackson, Ben Tate, Brian Cushing, DeMeco Ryans and Derrick Ward have also battled injuries. Through it all the Texans are still the top team in the AFC South.  

Indianapolis Colts

We all know why the Colts are on this list. Peyton Manning's absence from the Colts' organization has seen Indianapolis suffer a free-fall of unspeakable proportions. It might have hit rock bottom on Sunday night, as the Saints routed the Colts 62-7, just two years removed from facing off in the Super Bowl. Never in the history of the NFL has one injury impacted a season like Manning's has this season.

New York Giants 

Credit the Giants for winning four of their first six, even with some of the names they've had on the sidelines in 2011. Let's run through the names of players who have missed at least one game: Prince Amukamara, Brandon Jacobs, Chris Snee, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Travis Beckum, Jonathan Goff and Mario Manningham. That's a long list of impact players for the Giants, many of which come on the defensive side of the ball.

Week 8 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (7-0)	17. New York Jets (4-3)
2. New England Patriots (5-1)	18. Oakland Raiders (4-3)
3. New Orleans Saints (5-2)	19. Tennessee Titans (3-3)
4. San Francisco 49ers (5-1)	20. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4)
5. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)	21. Carolina Panthers (2-5)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)	22. Cleveland Browns (3-3)
7. Detroit Lions (5-2)	23. Washington Redskins (3-3)
8. San Diego Chargers (4-2)	24. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3)
9. Buffalo Bills (4-2)	25. Denver Broncos (2-4)
10. New York Giants (4-2)	26. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5)
11. Houston Texans (4-3)	27. Seattle Seahawks (2-4)
12. Dallas Cowboys (3-3)	28. Minnesota Vikings (1-6)
13. Chicago Bears (4-3)	29. Arizona Cardinals (1-5)
14. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)	30. Miami Dolphins (0-6)
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3)	31. St. Louis Rams (0-6)
16. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)	32. Indianapolis Colts (0-7)