Road Warriors: The 10 Best Road Teams in the NFL Since 2009

The hardest thing to do in the National Football League is win on the road. Teams have to travel thousands of miles, with two even having to travel across the pond to play in London.

Later in the season, teams travel on a short week of practice to play games on Thursday or Saturday night. That can be a tough task, seeing that no team is 100 percent healthy after the season starts.

Out of the 32 teams in the NFL, only 12 teams have a .500 or better winning percentage on the road since the 2009 NFL regular season. The key to being a championship-caliber team is finding ways to win games in hostile territory, especially come playoff time.

I looked up the road records of all 32 NFL teams to see which teams were the best playing away from home. Two teams, the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have win percentages over .500, but they didn’t make the list due to my tiebreaker formula.

I averaged their road-winning percentages over the past two-and-a-half seasons and both teams missed the cut. So without further ado, I give you the 10 teams you might actually want to avoid when you're at home.

10. New England Patriots

Road Resume

2009: 2-6*

2010: 6-2

2011: 2-2

Overall Road Record: 10-10 (.500 win percentage)

The Patriots have been the most dominate team at home but have only managed to win half of their games on the road the past two-and-a-half seasons. The 2-6 mark in 2009 can be attributed to Tom Brady missing the entire season due to a torn ACL.

(* Denotes team missed playoffs that season)

9. Indianapolis Colts

Road Resume

2009: 7-1

2010: 4-4

2011: 0-5*

Overall Road Record: 11-10 (.523 win percentage)

The Colts would have more roads wins if Peyton Manning were playing right now (.687 road winning percentage from 2009-2010). Indianapolis is winless on the road and at home without their future Hall of Famer under center. As of right now, the Colts are still one of the best roads teams record-wise, even with Manning most likely out for the season.

8. San Diego Chargers

Road Resume

2009: 7-1

2010: 3-5*

2011: 1-3

Overall Road Record: 11-9 (.550 win percentage)

The Chargers have been very inconsistent on the road, but their 7-1 road record in 2009 still makes them one of the better road teams in the NFL. If San Diego would have won in Kansas City on Monday night, they would be in the Top Five of this list.

7. Atlanta Falcons

Road Resume

2009: 3-5*

2010: 6-2

2011: 2-2

Overall Road Record: 11-9 (.550 win percentage)

The Falcons have won 11 games on the road but are probably the one team on this list that most needs to play at home to be successful. As long as the Falcons have Matty Ice under center, they will be able to win more road games than they lose.

6. New York Jets

Road Resume

2009: 5-3

2010: 6-2

2011: 0-3

Overall Road Record: 11-8 (.578 win percentage)

The Jets have been a tough team to beat on the road under head coach Rex Ryan. New York has even won two road playoff games each of the last two seasons, something that is very difficult to do in the stacked AFC. An 0-3 road record this season must improve if the Jets are looking to get over the hump and be Super Bowl champions.

5. New York Giants

Road Resume

2009: 4-4*

2010: 5-3*

2011: 2-1

Overall Road Record: 11-8 (.578 win percentage)

Despite missing the playoffs the past two seasons, the New York Giants have the fifth-most road wins in the NFL since 2009. Everyone can remember the Giants’ playoff run in 2007, when they won three consecutive road games and they were technically the road team in Super Bowl XLII. Maybe they should wear their away jerseys at home from now on.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

Road Resume

2009: 3-5*

2010: 7-1

2011: 2-2

Overall Road Record: 12-8 (.600 win percentage)

The Steelers have always been a good road team over the years, especially during their Super Bowl run in 2005, when they won three-straight road playoff games. Looking to avenge their loss in the Super Bowl last year, Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers look like they will win several more road games this year.

3. Green Bay Packers

Road Resume

2009: 5-3

2010: 3-5

2011: 4-0

Overall Road Record: 12-8 (.600 win percentage)

The Green Bay Packers weren’t very good on the road during the 2010 regular season but managed to win three road playoffs games and the Super Bowl on a neutral site. Aaron Rodgers has the Packers undefeated and looking like early favorites to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

Road Resume

2009: 5-3

2010: 6-2

2011: 2-2

Overall Road Record: 13-7 (.650 win percentage)

The Eagles have won more games on the road the past two-and-a-half seasons than they have at Lincoln Financial Field. Michael Vick and The Dream Team just need to find a away to turn it around come playoff time.

1. New Orleans Saints

Road Resume

2009: 7-1

2010: 6-2

2011: 2-3

Overall Road Record: 15-6 (.714 win percentage)

The Saints have been the most consistent team in the NFL the past two and a half seasons. New Orleans has won a staggering 15 of their last 21 road games. Something that is hard to do in the NFL. What is crazy is that the Saints have two horrible road losses this season that would have put them head and shoulders above every other team in road wins.