NFL Predictions: 10 Teams to Bet Against in the Second Half of 2011

With the majority of NFL teams finished with their bye weeks in 2011, their performances in the second half of the season will determine either their playoff fates, or which top draft picks will fall into their laps next spring.

Some teams will try to overcome a poor record, injuries, or failure to live up to enormous preseason hype. With seven or eight games still on the horizon in 2011, there are many opportunities at redemption.

For others, there is also a chance of taking a step backwards and throwing away what might have been a successful season. Some teams are just looking for a win or two to salvage their season.

Will the "dream team", as Vince Young so innocently and foolishly deemed the Philadelphia Eagles, bounce back after a 3-5 start? Can the New York Giants continue their hot run after winning their first six of eight games this season?

Can the Green Bay Packers run the table and finish the season with a trip to Indianapolis in February? I mean, who wouldn't want to visit Indianapolis in February, Super Bowl or not?

Some teams are likely to reverse their fortunes in 2011 and win some games, but for others, the season will likely end in disappointment.

Here are 10 teams to bet against in the second half of 2011.

Kansas City Chiefs

While it's admirable what the Kansas City Chiefs have accomplished thus far in 2011 without their top running back Jamaal Charles, a losing season in Kansas City is coming around the bend.

Charles went down for the season with a knee injury during a 48-3 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 2.

Despite that, the Chiefs currently share first place in the AFC West with two other teams, and with Denver trailing by just one game. They have had impressive victories over Oakland and San Diego, but unfortunately, they can't play AFC West teams every week.

The Chiefs have been on the losing end of three blowouts this season, however, including last week's awful 31-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins.They have been outscored by their opponents by 70 points this season.

With a brutal stretch of their schedule awaiting the Chiefs, it's a safe bet that they will be on the bottom of their division by season's end.

After a divisional matchup with Denver in Week 10, the Chiefs face the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, New York Jets, and Green Bay Packers.

Cincinnati Bengals

In a short time, the Cincinnati Bengals have gone from leading the AFC North and the NFL in player arrests, to leading their division with a 6-2 record.

The Bengals have achieved this with a rookie quarterback, Andy Dalton, lining up under center. Dalton has been solid in 2011, throwing for 12 touchdowns, with only seven interceptions in his first season out of TCU.

The Bengals are also tied for first because of their stout defense, which has only yielded an average of 301 total yards per game, good for fourth in the NFL.

The Bengals have fattened up on some of the league's worst teams, however, and will face much stiffer competition in the second half of 2011.

A win is a win in the balanced NFL, but beating the likes of Cleveland, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Seattle, and Tennessee is probably not going to lead to a February parade in the Queen City.

With four games against division foes, the Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh Steelers, the chances of continued success for the Bengals are quite small.

Look for the Bengals and their rookie quarterback to come back to Earth a bit in the second half of the season.

New York Giants

Eli Manning and the New York Giants shrugged off some poor offensive performances this season, and have posted a 6-2 record, good for first place in the NFC East, and a three-game lead over the much-hyped Philadelphia Eagles.

The Giants won in style last week in New England, with Manning throwing a touchdown to Jake Ballard with seconds left, snapping the Patriots' 20-game home winning streak.

Manning has played great at times, and the defense leads the league in sacks, driving the Giants to their great start.

While the win over the Patriots in Week 9 conjures up memories of the Giants' Super Bowl upset win over the Pats four years ago, their true identity will be revealed as the season progresses.

The Giants are currently the 29th best rushing team in the league. Their reliance on Manning, who is prone to mistakes, may cause the defense to wear down as they will be spending more time on the field. Also look for Manning to cough up the ball more than he has.

Upcoming games against San Francisco, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Green Bay, and Dallas will be a difficult stretch for the Giants.

Manning and the Giants might be up to the task, but don't bet on it.

Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders are seemingly always in a state of transition, and 2011 is no different.

With the October death of NFL legend and team owner, Al Davis, the Raiders have begun another chapter in their storied history.

They also bet their future on aging quarterback, Carson Palmer. Oakland traded two possible first round draft picks for Palmer, who had demanded a trade from the Bengals.

Palmer has yet to find his rhythm in the new offense, throwing six interceptions in his first two games wearing silver and black.

With Palmer's struggles and running back Darren McFadden's continuing injury issues, the Raiders might fall out of the messy AFC West division battle sooner than they hope.

Their defense has not performed well in 2011, and with second half games against the Detroit Lions, the Green Bay Packers, and two against the offensive-minded San Diego Chargers, the Raiders' 27th ranked defense will continue to struggle. 

The Raiders will most likely slide under .500 by season's end. 

Detroit Lions

It's been a long time coming for the Detroit Lions. Their fans just might have to wait one more year.

Detroit has impressed this year, jumping out to a 6-2 record in 2011 with their eyes on a playoff berth. The last time a Lions team made the playoffs was 1999.

With a talented group of young players such as Ndamukong Suh, Matthew Stafford, and Calvin Johnson, the Lions are going to be a force in the NFL for years to come.

The Lions' front four have pressured quarterbacks all year, while their young secondary have held their own, allowing only 193 yards passing per game.

One reason teams aren't passing on Detroit is because they're running for 138 yards per game in 2011.

With two second-half games against the high powered offense of the Packers, as well as games against successful running teams like the Bears, Panthers, Vikings, and Raiders, the Lions might find it hard to win six of eight again.

Facing two top-ten offenses in the Saints and Chargers won't help matters either for the Lions.

While running back Jahvid Best is currently missing games with injuries, will Matthew Stafford play a full 16-game schedule for the first time in his career?

The Lions are a team to bet against the rest of the way, but come next year, all bets are off.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers are an average-looking team. Everything about them screams average.

Their record is 4-4, and they currently sit in the middle of the pack of the NFC race for the playoffs. Their offense is ranked 15th in the league, led by a suddenly average-looking quarterback, Josh Freeman.

Mike Williams in 2011. Average.

While average might be good enough to make the playoffs in this generation's NFL, a winning season will be the only way the Buccaneers overcome NFC South leaders, Atlanta and New Orleans.

What's below average, and then some, are the Bucs defense, ranking 29th in the league. Tampa Bay has only managed 12 sacks in eight games, while bleeding yards against the run, and through the air.

Despite games with the Titans and Jaguars, the rest of Tampa Bay's schedule looks daunting, especially considering their defense's sub-par performance in 2011.

The Bucs should continue to under-perform on defense against their formidable NFC South rivals, while struggling to finish with a winning season.

Denver Broncos

With the continuing sideshow circus that is Tim Tebow, the Denver Broncos and head coach John Fox will try and capitalize on their polarizing quarterback's recent winning ways.

Tebow has won two of three games since replacing Kyle Orton at quarterback.

The Broncos are definitely getting publicity with Tebow starting at quarterback. His atypical style of passing, and his lack of accuracy have been a hot topic in NFL corners since he came from behind against the Dolphins in a Week 7 victory.

The Broncos rank in the bottom half in offense and defense. It's not uncommon for Tebow to have first-half stat lines of 5-for-15, 36 passing yards, one interception. Of course, he'll put up some rushing yards, but Tebow's game still looks like he's from another planet.

After getting bludgeoned by the Detroit Lions 45-10 in Week 8, Tebow looked defeated and destined for the bench again. Somehow, Tebow keeps bouncing back, as evidenced by the Broncos' impressive offensive showing against Oakland a week later.

While Denver has a chance to compete in the AFC West, they're just not a good enough football team to break off a winning streak. The Broncos are not a good bet in the second half.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins take a four-game losing streak into Week 10. That streak could double considering their current quarterback situation.

When a team names Rex Grossman their starting quarterback before the season begins, you know it's going to be a long year.

John Beck has since replaced Grossman. While Beck has been serviceable, the Redskins are likely not going to make team owner Daniel Snyder a playoff winner anytime soon.

The Redskins' sputtering offense has ranked near the bottom of the NFL all year, and with running back Tim Hightower out for the year, the team is looking for someone to carry the offensive load.

Washington should continue their losing ways in the second half.

Tennessee Titans

After Week 4, the Tennessee Titans appeared to be on their way to a fine season. With three wins in their first four games, including an impressive 26-13 win over the Baltimore Ravens, first-year head coach Mike Munchak had Titan fans forgetting about former coach Jeff Fisher.

Tennessee snapped back to reality by dropping three of their next four, with their only victory over the hapless Indianapolis Colts.

Tennessee's Achilles' heel in 2011 is their offense, specifically $50 million man, running back Chris Johnson.

Johnson, who held out in training camp for a huge contract, has been wildly under-performing, averaging just three yards per carry with only one touchdown on the year.

With some stiff competition coming up in Carolina, Atlanta, Buffalo, and New Orleans, the Titans' winning start will become a distant memory by season's end.

Indianapolis Colts

While Peyton Manning and his surgically repaired neck have given way to Curtis Painter at quarterback, the Indianapolis Colts continue losing.

The Colts have yet to win a game, and with their franchise quarterback not taking a snap this season, the prospect of a winless season is very real.

The Colts haven't been helped by their aging defense either, which currently ranks 31st in the NFL.

The sad sight of Manning in street clothes after years of durability, sealed the Colts' fate early on.

The Colts are now in a good position to get another franchise quarterback, Stanford's Andrew Luck, through the draft if their losing ways continue.

With two games left against Jacksonville, and a matchup with Tennessee in Week 15, the Colts have a crack at winning a couple of games. The Colts' season, however, has 2-14 written all over it.