NFL Power Rankings: Identifying the League's Most Irrelevant Teams

What makes an NFL team relevant? Winning football games.

The best teams are always going to be relevant in the minds of NFL fans because they have a chance to play for something bigger than themselves.

Sometimes storylines can drive relevancy, such as the "Suck for Luck" campaign or a head coach on the hot seat. Maybe a rookie quarterback has given even a really poor team a ray of hope.

Then there are some teams who just fade away. We're going to discuss those teams in 2011 for you now: 

Cleveland Browns

What do the Browns have going for them right now that makes them relevant in the landscape of the NFL? Colt McCoy hasn't taken a step forward in his second season and Peyton Hillis has hardly played because of a variety of ailments.

Very few players on the rest of the roster spark much interest nationally. And while the team is 3-4 through seven games, no one would be surprised if the Browns finished 6-10. They need a talent infusion badly in Cleveland.  

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks don't have a quarterback, but they do have a coach who should be on the sidelines on Saturdays instead of Sundays. Pete Carroll is over-matched in the NFL and his happy-go-lucky attitude works better in recruiting high school kids than it does in leading grown men.

Where does the interest in this team come from? I don't see it. Maybe drafting a quarterback like Matt Barkley or Landry Jones can spark the dimming candle of Carroll's NFL career and the franchise as a whole. But in 2011, this team barely registers in the NFL consciousness.

Washington Redskins

What looked like a potential storyline for the 2011 season has turned into the punchline of a mean joke. Once atop the NFC East at 3-1, the Redskins have now lost three in a row and look as if they're headed for a 5-11 season.

The offense has also been slaughtered by injuries, and it was never a dangerous group to start, with quarterbacks Rex Grossman and John Beck leading the way. Mike Shanahan is a potential storyline, but it might be a negative one as the season drags on. Could his job be in trouble?

That might be the only thing that keeps the Redskins relevant for the rest of 2011. 

St. Louis Rams

The Rams became a blip on the radar Sunday when they took down the heavily-favored Saints at home. But what else excites you about this team? They likely won't win more than three or four games, despite playing in the weakest division in football.

The offense can be hard to watch most Sundays if Steven Jackson isn't carrying a heavy load. And even if they do get the first overall pick (as unlikely as that still remains), they wouldn't be in the running for Andrew Luck. 2011 is a blah season for St. Louis.

At least you had the Cardinals... 

Week 9 Power Rankings

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

* Plays Monday night