The 8 Most Underrated Teams in the NFL

Everybody pretty much agrees on the best teams in the NFL this year.

There are the Packers, to start with, and the 49ers, while a surprise, seem to be for real.

Then there are some of the standbys, including New Orleans, New England, Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

But there are teams that don't get as much respect, and some of them should get more than they do.

Here's our pick of those.

8. Bills Stumbling, but They Still Have Some Game.

It’s easy to take a pass on the Bills after back-to-back blowout losses to Dallas and Miami as part of a three-game losing streak.

At the same time, this is a team that started the season 4-1 and beat two division leaders, Oakland and New England along the way.

It’s a team that needs to keep improving, and the running game needs more help from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, but the Bills are no pushovers.

7. Bengals a Mix of Solid Defense and Up-and-Coming Offense

The Bengals have a winning record but are something of an afterthought in the AFC North with the Ravens and Steelers at the top of the division.

But Cincinnati is not a team to be ignored. They have an up-and-coming quarterback in Andy Dalton and are 12th in the league in scoring.

At the same time, they have the league’s sixth-best defense, and are third against the running game, so any team facing the Bengals is in for a long afternoon.

6. After a Slow Start, the Eagles Are Coming on Strong

Michael Vick has been in and out of the headlines and in and out of the lineup.

The Eagles, however, are more than just Michael Vick. And after a 1-4 start, Philadelphia has clawed its way back into respectability.

This is a team that has the third-most total yards in the league, and if the Eagles ever get to the point where they can convert those yards into points, they’ll be dangerous.

5. Despite a Recent Slide, the Charger Are a Constant Threat

There’s nothing like a five-game losing streak to make people forget that this is a team that has the talent to get things done.

The 4-6 Chargers did, after all, start the season by winning four of five, and San Diego was within seven points in four of the five losses on the current skid.

With a quarterback like Philip Rivers and the seventh-ranked pass defense, the Chargers are more than capable of finishing with a run.

4. Panthers Are the Best Two-Win Team Around

If there is a two-win team more dangerous than the Panthers, it doesn’t come readily to mind.

Behind quarterback Cam Newton, Carolina is one of just five teams to average in excess of 400 yards per game.

Once the pieces all come together, this is going to be a quality team.

3. It's All Defense, for Now, in Jacksonville

The Jaguars have terrible trouble moving the ball, and that’s led to a long season.

At the same time, they are building a solid defense in Jacksonville, and once the offense gets on board, look out.

For the moment, the Jaguars have the fourth-best overall defense and the fourth-best pass defense.

2. Broncos Have Cast Their Lot with Tebow and Are Rising

The Tim Tebow story dominated the first half of the Broncos’ season, and while his numbers aren’t good, the quarterback’s production has to be respected.

He has guided the club back to respectability with three straight wins and for better or worse, he seems to be the quarterback of the present as well as of the future.

And, hey, the club is just one game out of the division lead.

1. Texans Big in AFC South, but Get Too Little Respect

The Texans get entirely too little respect for having a two-game advantage in the AFC South, their quarterback troubles notwithstanding.

But Houston has outscored its opponents by over 100 points and the Oilers are riding a four-game winning streak.

The Texans’ offense averages just under four touchdowns worth of production per game and Houston has the second-best pass defense, too.