NFL Power Rankings: 4 Teams Stuck in a State of Freefall

Just one loss can drop a team in the power rankings, but a series of losses in a row is the fastest way for a team to plummet downwards week after week.

In the following slides, I detail four teams that have notched losses in Week 11, and as a result, have seen their standings in the league slide in turn.

San Diego Chargers (4-6)

The San Diego Chargers were many an analysts' Super Bowl pick heading into the 2011 season, but at 4-6 through 11 weeks, it's looking more and more likely that the team will be a long shot to even make it to the postseason as a wild card entrant.

They've dropped their last five straight, and while they have a good shot at turning things around against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, the team's many issues will still linger into the coming weeks.

Quarterback Philip Rivers has been less and less accurate as the season has worn on, with protection issues playing a major part. At the same time, the once-vaunted Charger defense has fallen flat.

A team that for all indications should be in the top 10, San Diego now sits at just No. 21 on my power rankings this week, dropping from No. 18 in Week 11.

Carolina Panthers (2-8)

There are a number of reasons why the Carolina Panthers shouldn't have such a terrible record through 11 weeks, but there is one glaring flaw with the team that has cost them win after win—their bad defense.

And when I mean bad, I mean bad. Thirty-first overall (through 10 weeks) bad. So bad that even stellar rookie quarterback Cam Newton can't dig them out of the holes they've placed the whole Panthers team in week in and week out.

In fact, the Panthers defense has allowed only one low-scoring game so far this season, holding the offensively-weak Jacksonville Jaguars to 10 points in Week 3. Other than that contest, the lowest number of points they've allowed is 24, and they gave up 49 points to the Detroit Lions in Week 11 despite scoring 35 points of their own.

That poor Carolina defense affects Newton negatively as well. Forced to attempt come from behind wins week after week, it puts the rookie in the unenviable position of throwing desperately, making him exposed to errors.

The Panthers need to shore up this one vital aspect of their game; then, they will be serious contenders. Until that point, however, they will continue to drop.

Their three-game losing streak has them stuck at No. 30 for the second straight week, and would have fallen farther if there weren't two far worse teams than they in the NFL this season.

Buffalo Bills (5-5)

After one of the most surprising starts, the Buffalo Bills have regressed severely, looking far more like the woeful team of 2010 than the powerhouse that defeated the New England Patriots in Week 3.

That high-octane offense has stalled out, with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick's accuracy issues once again rearing their ugly head, while defenses have finally found ways to stop the team's leading rusher, Fred Jackson.

But defense is their biggest issue, as evidenced by the three significant blowout losses they've suffered in the last three weeks.

Outscored 106-26 by the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and, most recently, the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo is unable to stop teams from scoring at will on them while at the same time struggling to put up points of their own.

At one point, the Bills were as high as No. 6 in my power rankings. Now, as they keep losing, they keep falling, dropping from 14th last week to 19th headed into Week 12.

St. Louis Rams (2-8)

Though the St. Louis Rams have just a one-game losing streak, the fact that they dropped their most recent contest to the Seattle Seahawks after barely beating the terrible Cleveland Browns the week before doesn't hearken well for the team to be digging themselves out of the considerable hole they've put themselves in this season.

The Rams lost their first six games this year before turning it around briefly with a surprising Week 8 win over the New Orleans Saints. Their second win, that aforementioned victory over the Browns, came via one point in Week 10 before being blown out by the Seahawks this past Sunday.

St. Louis was pegged to win the NFC West headed into this season, but injuries combined with a great number of mistakes and missteps have dragged them down to the bottom of the league's worst division.

With their eighth loss of the year, they've also fallen to the bottom of the power rankings, going from 29th in Week 11 to 31st for Week 12

Full 32-Team NFL Power Rankings for Week 12

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

*Subject to change pending outcome of Monday night's Patriots-Chiefs contest