NFL Power Rankings: Highlighting Each Team's Inconsistencies

The New Orleans Saints' beatdown of the New York Giants on Monday night was convincing enough to land them in this week's second spot.

Other teams took a drop because of QB issues. The Houston Texans are on their third-string QB and have desperately reached out to Jake Delhomme.

Some teams are just proving to be inconsistent in some areas and deserve their new lower ranking.  

The Green Bay Packers remain No. 1 while the real battle is for the third spot between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

1. Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers have claimed the top spot until they lose, and that's even if they lose. At 11-0, their offense is showing no signs of letdown, ranking third overall in the league.

Green Bay's defense is also starting to warm up, coming down with five interceptions in their last two games.

With such a good offense, it is surprising to see that the Packers' rank 28th in rushing, gaining less than 100 yards per game. Green Bay is consistently inconsistent in the running game.

2. New Orleans Saints

At 8-3 and coming off a huge Monday night win against the New York Giants, the New Orleans Saints jump up a few spots to No. 2.

The Saints employ the league's best offense, ranking first in passing yards per game and eighth in rushing yards per game. Altogether, New Orleans averages an astounding 450 offensive yards per game.

The Saints are the most inconsistent team when it comes to being thought of as one of the league's best. They are often lost in the mix, just outside of the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots.

This season, they have been overshadowed by the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens.

3. Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens came out on top in the Harbaugh Bowl, proving they can beat another quality team this season.

To date, the Ravens have victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers twice, the Houston Texans, the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Francisco 49ers.

As good as Baltimore is, they still have one inconsistency: their offense, specifically their usage of Ray Rice. In three games this season, Rice carried the ball less than 10 times. The Ravens lost two of those three games.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers played a surprisingly tough game last Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. They were able to pull out a four-point win.

The Steelers rank 10th overall in total offense and second overall in total defense.

Pittsburgh is the league's most balanced and consistent team.

5. San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers, losers of the Harbaugh Bowl, dropped three spots this week.

The 49ers have the league's seventh-ranked defense, as well as the league's seventh-ranked rushing offense. They are also best at stopping the run, holding opposing teams to just 75 yards per game.

No matter how good they are, questions will be raised about their QB Alex Smith, who has been inconsistent until this season.

6. New England Patriots

The New England Patriots are in the middle of a winning streak that can possibly last until the end of the season.

As of now, the streak is up to three games. In each of those games, the Pats have scored over 34 points.

Tom Brady has thrown for over 300 yards in two of the previous three games without throwing an interception in either one of them.

Even if the Pats win out and finish 13-3, they're going to do it with the league's most inconsistent pass defense, which gives up 307 passing yards per game, the worst in the league.

7. Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys have moved into first place in the NFC East. They are on a four-game winning streak, each win coming against sub-.500 teams.

In fact, the only quality opponent they have beaten this season is the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2, and they needed overtime to do it.

With two games left against the New York Giants, we'll see how good they are in the coming weeks.

The Dallas Cowboys are one of the league's most inconsistent teams against winning teams. This season, they've beaten just one team that currently has a winning record.

8. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are hanging on to their playoff lives with their third-string QB. They just might have enough to win their division.

The Texans have the league's best offense and the league's third-best rushing game. If whoever their QB is just hands off for the remainder of the season, they should be fine.

The Texans are the most inconsistent team making the playoffs. In fact, they have never made the playoffs. I guess that's what happens when a healthy Peyton Manning is in your division. 

9. Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are second in the league against the run, 11th in passing yards per game and 14th in rushing yards per game.

It's just too bad they are in the same division as the New Orleans Saints.

Atlanta's playoff hopes may rest on Week 16 when they face off against the Saints in New Orleans. The last meeting between the two ended in overtime.

10. Oakland Raiders

Carson Palmer looks to be getting comfortable. In four games as a starter, he is averaging 274 passing yards per game and has a total of seven TDs.

In those four games, the Oakland Raiders are 3-1.

The Raiders have the league's fourth-best rushing game, even without Darren McFadden.

They currently have the AFC West division lead.

The Raiders are the most inconsistent team when it comes to sanity. Two first-round picks for Carson Palmer? They outbid themselves.

11. Cincinnati Bengals

At 7-4, the Cincinnati Bengals are this season's most improved team behind the San Francisco 49ers.

The Bengals are doing this all on the back of the league's fifth-ranked defense.

On offense, they rank 17th while being led by a rookie QB and receiver.

They played tough against the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it is clear to see they are just a step away.

The Bengals are the most inconsistent team with keeping their players out of jail. Eight Cincinnati players have been arrested since 2005. 

12. Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are in a similar situation as the Houston Texans, hanging on for their playoff lives without their starting QB.

While the Bears have a chance to sneak into the playoffs if they win out, it looks like they have no shot at surpassing the division leading Green Bay Packers, who are up on them by three games with five games left.

Chicago's season rests on the arm of Caleb Hanie.

The Bears are the most inconsistent team when it comes to quality starting QBs. Before Jay Cutler, some of the names include Rex Grossman, Craig Krenzel, Jim Miller, Cade McNown and Shane Matthews.

Their last quality starting QB before Cutler can be considered Jim Harbaugh, whose last season with the Bears was in 1993.  

13. Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions have come back to Earth since starting the season out 5-0.

Since then, the Lions have lost four out of their last six games.

They still rank sixth in the league in passing yards per game as well as ranking sixth against the pass.

We'll see how they can hold up without their best defensive player, Ndamukong Suh, who is suspended the next two games for trying to steady his balance with his foot on Thanksgiving.

Detroit, along with the Buffalo Bills, are the most inconsistent teams to make it to the playoffs. As of now, their playoff drought is 11 seasons.

14. New York Jets

The New York Jets have been erratic this season. They started 2-0, then lost three, then won three, then lost two, then won one.

The only top-10 statistic the Jets have is their pass defense, which ranks seventh in the league.

The Jets are the league's most inconsistent team when it comes to backing up the bold words of their coach, Rex Ryan.

15. New York Giants

After getting dominated by the New Orleans Saints, the New York Giants took a dive in the rankings.

Against the Saints, the Giants defense gave up 577 yards and 49 points.

New York ranks fourth in the league in passing yards per game while ranking last in the league in rushing yards per game. It is clear to see that the passing game is not their problem.

The Giants are the most inconsistent team in the league to find their identity. This season, they have beaten a hot Buffalo Bills team and a win over the New England Patriots. They also have lost to the Washington Redskins and the Seattle Seahawks. 

16. Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are not all about Tim Tebow anymore.

Their running game is the best in the league while their defense has not allowed over 13 points to a team in three weeks.

Denver is the most inconsistent passing team in the league. In their last four games, the Broncos have only completed 30 passes. But who needs passing with Saint Timmy?

17. Tennessee Titans

Can you believe the Tennessee Titans are 6-5 and only two games behind the Houston Texans for first place in the AFC South?

RB Chris Johnson just may be rounding into form at the right time. In his past three games, he has surpassed 100 yards rushing twice.

His last game was his best of the season, gaining 190 yards on the ground against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Titans are the most inconsistent team to get their star RB to produce after giving him millions.

18. Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are in a midst of a four-game losing streak. They are a shadow of what they were early in the season.

The poor play of QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and injuries to Fred Jackson, who was accounting for 40 percent of their offense, has left the Bills with a 5-6 record.

Their most recent loss to the New York Jets most likely crushed their playoff hopes.

The Bills, like the Detroit Lions, are the league's most inconsistent team when making it to the postseason. Like the Lions, the Bills have not made a playoff appearance in 11 seasons.

19. San Diego Chargers

Wow. What can you say about this underachieving team? The San Diego Chargers have lost six in a row and are in last place in a division that they should dominate.

Their offense ranks seventh in the league while averaging almost 23 points per game. And yet the Chargers failed to score more than 13 against the Denver Broncos in a must-win game at home.

San Diego is the league's most inconsistent team for getting the most out of their talent. Since Norv Turner came in to coach, they have been getting worse every season.

20. Philadelphia Eagles

At 4-7, it's safe to say that the Philadelphia Eagles dream team has transformed into the nightmare team.

The Eagles are a strange team. They rank second in the league in rushing yards per game and 10th in the league in passing yards per game.

On defense, Philly ranks right in the middle, 15th against the run and 16th against the pass.

How does this add up to only four wins?

Philly is the most inconsistent dream team I have seen. At least the Miami Heat lost in the Finals, the Eagles are not even going to make the playoffs.

21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After starting the season 4-2, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost five straight.

They had injuries this season to their running backs. Their work horse RB, LeGarrette Blount, was only out for two games.

It should not have caused a season collapse.

The latest news is that starting QB Josh Freeman has an injured right thumb, which may have happened at a gun range.

The Bucs are the most inconsistent team in Florida. They have switched from bad to good to to bad quickly. At least the Miami Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars have stunk for a long time and don't get your hopes up.

22. Kansas City Chiefs

Who was that team that I saw play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night?

It wasn't the same 4-7 Kansas City Chiefs team I saw all season.

The Chiefs were able to hold the Steelers offense to just 13 points.

It's just too bad Kansas City doesn't have a QB, and I don't think injured Matt Cassel is the answer. Does anybody in KC?

The Chiefs are the most inconsistent team with the best home-field advantage. This season, Kansas City is only 2-4 at Arrowhead Stadium.

23. Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins have been injury-riddled this season with their top RB, Tim Hightower, out for the season, their top WR, Santonio Moss, missing games with a broken hand and one of their top tight ends, Chris Cooley, out for the season. 

Last week, the Skins were able to get a win against the Settle Seahawks, putting an end to a six-game losing streak.

Washington is in a mess with their QB situation and losing might be best for them to get a higher draft pick in a QB-loaded draft.

The Redskins get this season's award for the league's most inconsistent healthy team.

24. Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks just lost to a possibly worse team than themselves in the Washington Redskins.

Seattle is another team in need of a franchise QB, that is unless Pete Carroll thinks Tarvaris Jackson is his QB of the future.

While Pete is at it, maybe he should offer LeBron James the starting tight end spot again.

Seattle is the most inconsistently bad team that does okay for itself. We all saw how they made the playoffs last season with a below .500 record to come away with a playoff victory against the New Orleans Saints.

Their luck may be gone though, since Jim Harbaugh took over the San Francisco 49ers.

25. Miami Dolphins

After losing their first seven games to start their season, the Miami Dolphins have gone 3-1 with wins over the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins and Buffalo Bills.

On Thanksgiving, they lost a close one to the Dallas Cowboys by one.

In three of their last four games, their defense has held each opponent under 10 points.

The Dolphins, like the Chicago Bears, have been the most inconsistent with finding a starting QB. Miami still hasn't found a reliable one since Dan Marino, and no, Matt Moore doesn't count. 

26. Carolina Panthers

Although the Carlina Panthers have just three wins, their offense is one of the league's best thanks to rookie QB Cam Newton.

They rank sixth in the league in rushing yards per game and ninth in passing yards per game.

What they need is help on the defensive side and time to grow.

Carolina is the most inconsistent team when it comes to winning close games. Five of their eight losses have been by a TD or less.

27. Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals need a QB. They still have not found out if Kevin Kolb is the answer.

The best thing they have going for them right now is not Larry Fitzgerald, but rather rookie Patrick Peterson who has returned four kicks for TDs.

The Cardinals are most inconsistent in running the ball from game to game. Starting RB Beanie Wells' last five games rushing read like this; 228 yds., 33 yds., 62 yds., 20 yds. and 83 yds.

28. Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings lost three in a row, their most recent loss coming against the Atlanta Falcons.

Rookie QB Christian Ponder is proving he can play and has a future as their starting QB.

Against the Falcons, he went 17-for-25 for 186 yards an TD and no interceptions.

In his first five starts, Ponder has passed for a TD or more in four of them. 

29. Cleveland Browns

With the return of Peyton Hillis, the Cleveland Browns played well against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hillis was a bright spot in his first game back, running for 65 yards on 19 carries. If he improves on his performance, the Browns may be able to at least make their last few games closer than they would have been without him.

The Browns are the most inconsistent team in finding a quality running back, having not one since Jim Brown.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars have the league's fourth-best defense and a stud RB in Maurice Jones-Drew. That's it.

They have the league's worst passing offense behind struggling rookie QB Blaine Gabbert.

The Jaguars are on a two-game losing streak with losses to the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans.

Jacksonville is the most inconsistent team in passing yards per game, even worse than the Denver Broncos. The Jaguars pass for a total of 131 yards per game.

31. St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams are last in the league in stopping the run, and it sure showed in their last game when they gave up a total of 268 rushing yards to Beanie Wells and the Arizona Cardinals.

At least their season wasn't a total waste. They did finally get Sam Bradford a No. 1 receiver in Brandon Lloyd, who has shined since arriving in St. Louis, catching a TD in four of his five games as a Ram.

The Rams are the most inconsistent team in stopping the run. St. Louis has been giving up an average of 159 rushing yards per game.

32. Indianapolis Colts

At 0-11 and with remaining games against the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans and the Jacksonville Jaguars, it looks like the Indianapolis Colts are going to lose out.

The question is, are they waiting on Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck?

The Colts are the league's most inconsistent winning team in the league.