NFL Power Rankings Week 12: Bottom Feeders That Deserve Some Respect

This year, life at the bottom of the barrel in the NFL kinda sucks. There's little to no hope of getting hot and making a run at the playoffs, and the only reason people pay you any mind is because you're in the Suck for Luck sweepstakes.

But hey, teams at the bottom of the barrel have feelings, too. Not all of them deserve your pity, but some of them do, darn it.

In fact, I'll wager that the four teams listed below deserve your respect. They've fallen on hard times, but there are reasons for them to keep their chins up.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 21)

Because they're 4-6 and still somewhat alive in the postseason hunt, it may seem a bit unfair to label the Buccaneers as a "bottom feeder."

That said, I calls 'em as I sees 'em, and I see a team that has lost four games in a row, not to mention one that is failing to keep up in a tough NFC South. The Bucs are much closer to the bottom of the league than they are to the top.

However, the one thing you notice about the Bucs is that they've been dealt kind of a raw deal this year. All six of their losses have come against top-shelf NFL teams. Including the game they played in England, four of these losses have come on the road.

The Bucs' crime is not that they're a bad team. It's that they are an okay team that has played a really tough schedule. Give the Bucs an easier schedule, and they're probably right in the thick of things. 

Miami Dolphins (No. 23)

How 'bout those Dolphins? A couple weeks ago they were 0-7 and Tony Sparano was staring his inevitable doom right in the face.

Suddenly, they've won three in a row and have pretty much played their way out of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. Many will tell you that this is not a good thing (I'm on the fence about the idea myself), but you have to give the Dolphins credit for not throwing in the towel.

The really interesting part now is whether or not they can escape the cellar in the AFC East. If they do, you'll have to hand it to them.

Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 28)

No doubt there are a lot of NFL fans out there who have forgotten that the Jaguars even exist. Goodness knows they haven't made themselves noticeable this year.

Not having any offense to speak of will do that for you. But to overlook the Jaguars is to overlook one of the truly great running backs in the NFL in Maurice Jones-Drew, not to mention a defense that currently ranks among the league's best.

Seeing as how MJD doesn't have a passing game to rely on, his accomplishments are pretty impressive. Seeing as how the defense doesn't have an offense to take some pressure off of it, its own accomplishments are pretty impressive.

Carolina Panthers (No. 29)

I wouldn't be the first person to say that the Panthers are the most exciting bad team in recent memory, and that's because it's true. 

This has everything to do with Cam Newton, who is a lot like an NBA star stuck on a bad team. He'll razzle and dazzle, but he can't win all by himself. For that, many people choose to fault him. 

For those who would fault Newton, I'd like to say something else that has been said before:

But he's trying, man. 

Zachary D. Rymer's Week 12 Power Rankings

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