NFL Power Rankings: Looking at Each Team's Greatest Strength and Weakness

As we head inexorably toward the NFL playoffs, the contenders (the San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots) are separating themselves from the pretenders (the Buffalo Bills and the Washington Redskins).

Teams that entered the year with high hopes (Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles) are now only waiting for their suffering to end so that they can look toward the future.

The final four games of the season will be drenched with intrigue. The AFC West will come down to the wire, with the surprising Tim Tebow-led Broncos pushing the inconsistent (but very talented) Oakland Raiders. The Tennessee Titans and the New York Jets still hold out some small hope that they could squeeze into the playoffs.

The NFC playoff picture is clearer, but teams like the New York Giants and the Atlanta Falcons are up-and-down teams who will be in the wild-card chase.

Let's take a look at each team's greatest strengths and weaknesses as we enter the stretch run to the playoffs. I'll start with the worst team in the league and cap off the slideshow with the unbeaten Green Bay Packers.

32. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are "oh-fer" for the year so far. In the interest of avoiding the 2008 Detroit Lions' 0-16 fate, they fired their defensive coordinator and sent the struggling Curtis Painter to the bench last week.

The results after one game are mildly encouraging. New starting quarterback Dan Orlovsky had a nice game, which should give the Colts hope that they could eke out a victory (possibly against the Jacksonville Jaguars to cap off the season).

Greatest strength

Right now it's Dan Orlovsky and the passing game. Orlovsky was efficient last week against the New England Patriots, and Pierre Garcon continued to show that he's one of the most dynamic receivers in the league. The Colts would have been able to keep pace with the Patriots if they could have avoided giving up a couple of game-changing turn-overs.

Greatest weakness

Their secondary. The Colts just don't have much talent back there. Chris Rucker and Kevin Thomas are raw at cornerback and Jacob Lacey should only be out there in nickel situations. The Colts' soft Cover 2 scheme also plays a role in the wretchedness of their defense and must be fixed with a better QB under center next season.  

31. St. Louis Rams

The Rams possibly hit bottom on an disappointing season by getting blanked by the 49ers this past Sunday.

A plethora of injuries have plagued the Rams and the promise they showed last season now seems (in hindsight) like a mirage.

Greatest strength

Although they are giving up a whopping 159 rushing yards per game, the Rams defense has actually been fairly effective against the pass. If head coach Steve Spagnuolo survives this season, he will have his work cut out for him in building back up a tougher defense. However, he does have a solid secondary to build on.

Greatest weakness

A lack of playmakers on offense. While the addition of Brandon Lloyd from the Denver Broncos is a positive step, the Rams still have a critical dearth of game-breaking offensive weapons. Of course, Sam Bradford's seeming regression in his second year in the league (culminating with his injury) hasn't helped anything either.

30. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings have the look of a team that needs to enter rebuilding mode. Their defense is getting too old and their offense looks disjointed without an efficient quarterback.

Greatest strength

Rookie QB Christian Ponder has shown promise and he has a few nice pieces on offense to help him moving forward. Percy Harvin is a fantastic talent at wide receiver and Adrian Peterson is possibly the best running back in the league. 

Greatest weakness

Minnesota stops the run fairly well (only giving up 99 yards per game on the ground) but its pass defense is atrocious. In a pass-first league, the Vikings have been awful at stopping the opposing teams' quarterbacks from making hay through the air.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars are possibly the least interesting team in the league. They've finally ended the long and mediocre reign of Jack Del Rio, but Jacksonville seems to be largely a disjointed gang of no-names (outside of Maurice Jones-Drew).

Greatest strength

Jacksonville's defense is actually very good. It ranks fourth in the NFL in overall defense and has a number of young playmakers who can stop other teams' offenses.

Greatest weakness

The lack of any semblance of a passing game. Rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert has been inconsistent and he doesn't have anyone to pass to. The Jaguars desperately need to add some decent receivers in the offseason to help out their young passer.  

28. Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers seem to be headed in the right direction. Their impressive thrashing of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which came on the heels of a nice victory over the punch-less Indianapolis Colts, show that they are a young team on the rise.

Greatest strength

Rookie QB Cam Newton has shown that he is an incredibly talented guy who can make plays with the legs and his arm. The Panthers' offense is clearly the greatest strength. It can put up enough points to keep pace with most teams and has a solid running game.

Greatest weakness

They are still a year or so away (talent-wise) from having a good defense. The secondary is abysmal and they don't put very much pressure on quarterbacks.

27. Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns are marinating in their uninspiring juices this year. They haven't done much of anything this season and don't look any different under new coach Pat Shurmur.

Greatest strength

The Browns have a better defense than they often get credit for. They are particularly good against the pass and they have some nice pieces in place in their secondary and linebacking corps.

Greatest weakness

They have a woeful offense led by an ineffective quarterback. Joshua Cribbs and Peyton Hillis (when he decides to run hard) are their only exciting options on offense. The Browns need to draft another quarterback in this deep 2012 class and start to stockpile some offensive talent.

26. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins have been smoldering since an 0-8 start to the season. They've won four of five games and have looked good doing it.

After a shaky start, Matt Moore has seemed to come into his own as a starting quarterback. He has been accurate and has shown that he can lead the offense effectively.

Greatest strength

The Dolphins have chutzpah and a belief that they can beat anyone. Their offense is clicking well behind Moore's sharp play and their defense is making plays when it needs to. The Dolphins may not have done enough in the back half of the season to save Tony Sparano's job, but they've certainly shown their cupboard is not bare of talent at this point. 

Greatest weakness

Despite their better play of late, the Dolphins still give up too many yards through the air. They are vulnerable to excellent quarterbacks and don't snare enough interceptions. I like Karlos Dansby, Vontae Davis and Yeremiah Bell, but beyond those guys, the Dolphins are thin against the pass.

25. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals are improving too little, too late for this season. Although they are far out of the playoff hunt, they have shown excellent resilience in the past couple weeks. They have won two in a row in gritty fashion and have shown that they can pull together to eke out victories.

Greatest strength

Their special teams. I like what Beanie Wells has shown recently (especially against St. Louis two weeks ago), but rookie Patrick Peterson has been truly special as a return man. He has turned the tide in two of the Cardinals' victories with his break-away speed and cutting ability.

Greatest weakness

The Cardinals quarterback play has been very inconsistent all season. Kevin Kolb has not been the savior they expected, and John Skelton was spotty in his relief duty during Kolb's mid-season injury.

24. Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have a couple good wins under their belts (notably against the Baltimore Ravens and this past Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles), but on the whole, they've been disappointing in 2011.

Greatest strength

The Seahawks have a young and energetic defense. They have seemed to improve as the season has progressed and play hard every week.

Greatest weakness

Inconsistent quarterback play has been the Seahawks' bane this year. Matt Hasselbeck may not light up the scoreboards, but he limits turnovers and hits his receivers when given time. The Seahawks need a better option at QB than Tarvaris Jackson.

23. Washington Redskins

The Redskins started well this year but, since their 3-1 opening, have been fading faster than Marty McFly at the "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance in Back to the Future. Rex Grossman doesn't seem to be the answer at quarterback, and the Redskins haven't made enough plays on defense of late.

Greatest strength

The 'Skins defense is still fairly stout on the whole and doesn't often give up big plays. Rookie defensive end Ryan Kerrigan has played well and the back-end of the Redskins defense is solid.

Greatest weakness

Good NFL teams need a good quarterback. The Redskins don't have that right now, and as a consequence are not a good team. Mike Shanahan needs to get a quarterback in the offseason.

22. San Diego Chargers

The Chargers have likely under-performed for the last season with Norv Turner as head coach. It seems highly probable Turner will end up as an offensive coordinator again after this year. However, Turner's timidity and lack of focus haven't been the only problems for the team.

Greatest strength

The Chargers can still show flashes of offensive prowess. Vincent Jackson is a fantastic talent and Antonio Gates is an amazing tight end. Philip Rivers has been "off" this season, but despite throwing a bundle of interceptions, he will fix whatever was wrong this year and bounce back as a top-tier quarterback next year.

Greatest weakness

The Chargers' inability to close out games. They have been deplorable in fourth quarters this year and hurt themselves with knucklehead penalties, botched plays and turnovers.

21. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are streakier than a window on an off-road vehicle this year. They have played well in spurts, but on the whole have been highly disappointing one year after they squeaked into the playoffs.

Greatest strength

The Chiefs have some nice pieces on defense. Brandon Flowers at cornerback, Tamba Hali at defensive end and promising rookie defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey all have played effectively this year.

Greatest weakness

Whether it's Matt Cassel or Tyler Palko, the Chiefs' quarterbacks have been roughed up and inefficient this season. The offensive line needs to be better and the quarterback play needs to improve for the Chiefs to be better in 2012.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers entered into 2011 with high hopes. Head coach Raheem Morris described his team as "youngry" in the offseason, but the hunger and youth have not resulted in many wins this year. Their current six-game losing streak has shown the Bucs to be thoroughly unimpressive.

Poor backup QB Josh Johnson had no time behind a porous offensive line this past Sunday in their loss to the Panthers. 

Greatest strength: The Buccaneers offense has shown flashes of promise. Josh Freeman still makes good decisions and LeGarrette Blount is a hard-running back.

Greatest weakness: The Bucs defensive regression this year has been astonishing. It has trouble stopping anyone and gives up points in buckets. The Bucs need to tighten up defensively. Signing or drafting a sack artist would really enhance the team.

19. Buffalo Bills

The Bills have been in a thorough nosedive since starting the season strong with a 5-1 record. Their defensive liabilities caught up to them and their offense was suddenly pedestrian with less production from the now-injured Fred Jackson and the fading Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Greatest strength

Good offensive play-calling from Chan Gailey and Curtis Modkins. They have strung together a nice mix of running plays, Brad Smith-led Wildcat plays and typical drop-back passing plays to keep opposing teams' defenses kept off-kilter. They have a nice nucleus of talent to build on for next year.

Greatest weakness

The Bills defense is awful. The Bills have a couple good pieces, especially Jairus Byrd and the improving rookie Marcell Dareus at defensive tackle, but on the whole they have an acute dearth of talent on that side of the ball.

18. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles handily won the offseason by scoring huge free agents and looking like a team ready to make a push to the Super Bowl. Winning in the regular season hasn't proven to be as easy for this star-crossed team.

From horrendous linebacker play and a defensive scheme that is ill-suited for its cornerbacks' talent to an under-performing offense whose break-away playmaker (DeSean Jackson) is in the throes of disgruntlement, the Eagles have shown they weren't ready to fulfill their lofty expectations this year.

Greatest strength

LeSean McCoy. He is an absolutely dominant running back. He can do it all and he does it well. When the Eagles get away from the ground game, they struggle. McCoy makes it all tick.

Greatest weakness

Lack of cohesion. This is a rudderless team right now. They have buckets full of talent. The problem is that the talent hasn't coalesced well together and head coach Andy Reid has seemed incapable of motivating them to reach for greatness.

17. Tennessee Titans

The Titans have performed well under new head coach Mike Munchak. It took half of the season for Chris Johnson to get his transmission into gear, but now that he has, the Titans have the look of a team that could compete for a wild-card spot.

Greatest strength

Their key offensive players protect the ball well and know how to win. Chris Johnson and Matt Hasselbeck are effective veterans who make smart decisions and avoid chuckleheaded errors.

Greatest weakness

The Titans defense is average and won't win many games. The Titans defense is not as dominant as it once was, and the main reason is that it doesn't get consistent quarterback pressure. Munchak will need to add some depth along the defensive line this offseason.

16. Denver Broncos

The ascendancy of Tim Tebow and the Broncos' subsequent winning ways has been the most shocking story of 2011 in the NFL so far. They have won five out of their last six games and are now the AFC West division leaders. 

While the dramatic improvement of the Broncos defense has as much (if not more) to do with the Broncos success recently, it can't be doubted that Tebow has brought an elan to the team that it didn't have with Kyle Orton under center.

Greatest strength

I just have to have two strengths here. Their No. 1 greatest strength is a revitalized defense that is hounding opposing teams' quarterbacks and making key plays late in games.

No. 2 is Tebow's clutch play. He protects the football better than almost any other QB in the league and he can win through the air (like this past Sunday against the Vikings) or with his legs (like a few weeks ago against the Jets).

Greatest weakness

With the way the Broncos play right now (keeping the game close enough to stage a dramatic comeback), if they get in a two- or three-touchdown hole, they may find themselves too far gone to climb out. This happened against the Detroit Lions in Tebow's second game as a starter this year and Tebow was forced to get away from the running game and to make bad throws.

15. New York Jets

The Jets have been a maddening team in 2011. Many of their mid-season woes can be blamed on a sieve-like offensive line and the bad decision-making of Mark Sanchez, but their defense also didn't bring the wood like it has the past couple of seasons.

Greatest strength

The Jets' bread and butter is still their swarming defense anchored by lockdown cornerbacks. The jam to add to the toast is Rex Ryan's defensive scheme, which often outsmarts opposing teams' offenses.

Greatest weakness

Mark Sanchez's inconsistency. While the Jets' past two victories have been encouraging, with Sanchez making enough plays down the stretch to ice the game, the third-year QB is still a wild card. He can be highly inaccurate at times and he doesn't always read defenses very well.

The Jets probably have to win three out of their next four games to get in to the playoffs. Sanchez will have to sharpen up for the Jets to continue playing after the regular season.

14. New York Giants

The Giants are in the midst of the murderers' row portion of their schedule. With games against Green Bay and the News (England and Orleans) in the past few weeks, the Giants have been losing at an alarming rate.

At this point it will be difficult for them to squeak into the playoffs, and head coach Tom Coughlin's job may be in jeopardy.

Greatest strength

The Giants offense is still effective. Eli Manning has played well all year, and although the Giants running attack has suffered with Ahmad Bradshaw sidelined, they are still a solid running team. The emergence of Victor Cruz as a No. 1-quality receiver and Jake Ballard as a top-tier tight end has been a revelation.

Greatest weakness

The Giants' sudden defensive regression. The normally-tough Giants defensive line hasn't gotten enough sacks and QB pressures in recent weeks. Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka (in particular) need to be better to make covering receivers easier on the Giants' inexperienced secondary.

13. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are still a great story this season. Despite a recent tough stretch, they have played well as a team and have surprised a lot of folks. Quarterback Andy Dalton has been the best rookie at his position not named Cam Newton. 

Greatest strength

A defense that limits points to the opposition and gives the offense a chance to win games in the fourth quarter.

Greatest weakness

Inconsistent pass-catchers. After tight end Jermaine Gresham and rookie receiving phenom A.J. Green, the Bengals' receiving weapons are very limited. Jerome Simpson can occasionally have a good game, but he often disappears for long stretches.

The Bengals are still in the hunt for a wild-card spot, but they need to right the ship quickly.

12. Chicago Bears

Prior to Jay Cutler's injury, the Bears looked like a sure-fire playoff team that would push Green Bay and San Francisco in January.

Now, with Caleb Hanie in as the starter, the Bears have dropped two games and may not be able to rally out of their Cutler-less funk.

Greatest strength

Their run defense. The Bears are limiting their opponents to an average of 99 rushing yards per game and are consistently stout against even the best running backs in the league.

Greatest weakness

Caleb Hanie. He isn't even managing the game very well these days. He throws too many picks and puts the Bears defense in bad spots. The Bears still have some excellent players on offense (Matt Forte continues to be a beast and Devin Hester is always dangerous), but the lack of a competent QB will hold this team back.

11. Detroit Lions

The Lions got off to a hot start to the year, but have been sidetracked by undisciplined play and too much talk overshadowing too little action on the field.

Greatest strength

Their multi-faceted offense. Although they don't have an amazing running game, Matt Stafford has a plethora of excellent weapons to toss the ball to and the Lions can put up points in a hurry. Calvin Johnson is (arguably) the best receiver in the NFL, and Brandon Pettigrew and Nate Burleson aren't slouches either. 

Greatest weakness

Their hot-headedness. They have some talented guys on defense (Ndamukong Suh, in particular) who let their emotions take over and then hurt their team. They need to ease up on their feisty ways if they want to show that they have legitimately turned the franchise around.

10. Oakland Raiders

The Raiders looked very comfortable at the top of the AFC West just a couple of weeks ago. Now, with the surging Broncos breathing down their necks like rabid chupacabras, the Raiders have reason to be worried.

They were pummelled by the Miami Dolphins this past Sunday and are still getting penalized at a rapid clip.

Greatest strength

An accurate quarterback throwing to speedy receivers. Carson Palmer has played well after a shaky first game and a half with the Raiders, and he has seemed to enjoy throwing to young, talented receivers like Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey. 

Greatest weakness

A defense that gives up way too many yards on the ground. Right now opposing teams are racking up an average of 141 yards in the running game against the Silver and Black. In order to hold of the Broncos, Hue Jackson needs to get his team to stiffen up across its defensive front and avoid costly penalties.

9. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons have been the yo-yo of the NFL this season. One game they look dominant; the next they fall on their face and look like also-rans.

They have too much talent not to make a strong push in the playoffs this year, but they need to tighten up a few loose ends to become an even more effective team.

Greatest strength

The Falcons defensive front is stout against the run and plays hard every game. John Abraham and Ray Edwards are a nice defensive end tandem and they make the guys behind them better.

Greatest weakness

An inconsistent offense. With the super-star trio of Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White and Michael Turner, the Falcons should be putting up points along the lines of New England or New Orleans.

They haven't found a good rhythm on offense this season, however. Matt Ryan hasn't been as good as he was last year. He'll need to improve in the final four games in order to squeeze his team into the playoffs.

8. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are America's [Most Puzzling] Team. With talent oozing out of every orifice, the Cowboys should be running roughshod over the NFC East. Instead, they seem to hurt themselves more than the opposition with boneheaded late-game decisions and turnovers.

Greatest strength

A revitalized running game with DeMarco Murray leading the way. Tony Romo is a much better quarterback when he doesn't have to shoulder the offensive load by himself. Murray's success was key to the Cowboys wins in November.

Greatest weakness

A tendency to shrink in tight spots. The Cowboys haven't been known for being a gritty team when games are closely contested. They are better at being front-runners. Jason Garrett needs to get his talented squad to play well when under pressure in order to make noise in the playoffs this year.

7. Houston Texans

This is not the same blandly mediocre Texans team we've come to ignore the past few years. These guys have absorbed injuries to key players (Arian Foster, Andre Johnson, Mario Williams and now Matt Schaub) and have continued to win.  

Head coach Gary Kubiak has the Texans believing they are a good team.

Greatest strength

Wade Phillips has the Texans defense playing fast, hitting-hard and covering receivers tight. They are the No. 1 defense in the league right now and have shown they can silence normally potent offenses.

Greatest weakness

Sure, T.J. Yates played well enough to get a victory against the Falcons this Sunday, but I seriously doubt that the third-string QB can lead the Texans to a playoff victory once the postseason starts.

6. New England Patriots

The Patriots offense is as well oiled as ever and their defense has been playing better since the end of October.

Bill Belichick gets his team to play its best down the stretch, and the Patriots have the look of a dangerous postseason squad right now.

Greatest strength

Their tight ends. Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez have been incredible this year, and with Wes Welker catching everything that comes his way, the Pats intermediate passing game is virtually unstoppable.

Greatest weakness

The Patriots secondary is better than earlier in the season, but it's still a vulnerable crew back there. Even the anemic Indianapolis Colts offense put up lots of yards and points on those guys (albeit when the game was already in the bag).

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are going to be a tough out when the playoffs begin. Their defense brings the wood, they get it done efficiently on offense and they don't hurt themselves very often.

Greatest strength

They play the best team defense in the NFL. From top to bottom, their defensive lineup is strong, fast and motivated. They don't give up many big plays and they stiffen up in the red zone.

Greatest weakness

While Mike Wallace is a dynamic speed guy at receiver, after him, they really don't have a great array of game-changing weapons on offense. Their running game is merely passable and they don't put up enough points to keep pace in a shoot out.

4. New Orleans Saints

The Saints are flying high again this year and will be a tough team to challenge in the playoffs. It's almost unfair how many talented guys Drew Brees has surrounding him on offense.

Greatest strength

Their speed (Darren Sproles), length (Jimmy Graham) and strength (Marques Colston) on offense. Sean Payton calls great games and gets all of his weapons in the mix to push opposing teams' defenses to the brink.

Greatest weakness

A soft secondary that relies on take-aways. The Saints defense is a bit undersized and isn't built for grind-it-out games. The Saints typically have to rely on getting ahead and then making timely plays on defense to win games.

3. San Francisco 49ers

It's amazing what a new, energized coach can bring to a football team. Jim Harbaugh has brought determination and focus to a talented team that had failed to meet expectations for the past few years.

The 49ers are the first team to secure a spot in the playoffs (thanks to their home in the worst division in football) and they look to be a team that believes in itself.

Greatest strength

Avoidance of errors. The 49ers play hard-nosed, safe football. They don't allow big plays on defense and they protect the football on offense. Those are two key ingredients to winning games.

Greatest weakness

Their offensive line. After a rough early-season stretch, a shaky group of offensive linemen started to play with confidence through the 49ers' mid-season winning streak.

Some of their early season concerns resurfaced in the 49ers loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving. They played much better this past Sunday against the St. Louis Rams, but they didn't have to contend with elite pass-rushers. This group is definitely a concern for Harbaugh going forward.

2. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens have a great combination of youth and experience that is helping them to make waves in the AFC North this season.

With Ray Rice showing why he's one of the best running backs in the league and Ray Lewis showing why he's not even close to losing a step, the Ravens are a juggernaut ready to barrel into the playoffs.

Greatest strength

A defense that knows how to make plays when it counts. They have a glut of savvy veterans who do what it takes to keep offenses in check.

Greatest weakness

The Ravens passing game can sometimes get bogged down like a fifth-grader wearing a book-filled backpack. They have some nice receivers (Torrey Smith is an emerging star and Anquan Boldin is consistently good), but Joe Flacco can inexplicably become inaccurate at times and they don't always click very well.

1. Green Bay Packers

The undefeated Packers are trucking ahead toward perfection through a combination of excellent pass distribution, efficient running and timely defensive stops.

The Packers seemed poised to silence the braggarts from the 1972 Miami Dolphins team. There are a couple of weaknesses for the reigning Super Bowl champs, however.

Greatest strength

A superb, unselfish offense. Aaron Rodgers is throwing to a great corps of receivers who can get extra yards after the catch. Jermichael Finley is an above-average tight end, and Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson and company are all excellent receivers.

Greatest weakness

A defense that is susceptible to high-quality passing quarterbacks. Their closest games this year have come against teams with top-tier QBs. The Giants, Bears and Chargers all have good passers whose receivers burned the Packers less-than-stellar secondary.

Since almost all of the playoff teams will have proficient quarterbacks under center, Mike McCarthy should be concerned that they may not keep pace in a shootout when the postseason starts.