Every NFL Team's Biggest Flaw Heading into December

With the playoffs approaching, NFL teams are constantly analyzing how to attack their opponents. A team facing the Miami Dolphins knows better than to run the ball instead of passing.

Every week, coaches spend their time looking for flaws in not only their opponents, but themselves. The more a team understands their own flaws, the more they can do to cover them up.

Many teams have been devastated by injuries and have huge needs that were not expected prior to the season. Entering the final stretch of the NFL season, each team has a weakness to work on.

Each also has a weakness to attack.

Chicago Bears

Biggest Flaw:  Quarterback

Since Jay Cutler went down with an injury, the Bears' quarterback play has been putrid. Though he does have above-average physical tools, Caleb Hanie is inaccurate and not a decent starting—or even backup—quarterback.

The Chicago offensive line is still awful, but even they are capable of a decent game on occasion. Add in the importance of the quarterback position, and this is a no-brainer.

Cincinnati Bengals

Biggest Flaw:  Secondary

Even before losing cornerback Leon Hall for the season, the Bengals had a weak secondary. Now with Pacman Jones and Nate Clements starting at cornerback, it is even worse.

Neither Chris Crocker nor Reggie Nelson is a good safety, and at the moment, Cincinnati does not possess an above-average defensive back. The Bengals do have other needs, but the team's secondary has been exposed recently.

Buffalo Bills

Biggest Flaw:  Pass Rush

With the fewest sacks in the NFL, the Bills are obviously struggling to attack the quarterback. Buffalo's defense has been putrid on the whole, but the team's pass rush has been worse.

Because the Bills struggle to pressure the quarterback, opposing passers are able to sit back and attack secondaries. Even if Buffalo had the best secondary in the world (and they definitely don't), they would still allow huge passing performances.

Denver Broncos

Biggest Flaw:  Quarterback

For the moment, Tim Tebow is working at quarterback—kind of. Last week's performance against the Vikings aside, Tebow has struggled to throw the ball and the Broncos have won because of excellent defensive play.

However, Denver will not be able to keep this up, and when they face competent teams, the Broncos will probably lose. The current win streak is a mirage, and despite popular opinion, the team is winning in spite of Tebow, not because of him.

Cleveland Browns

Biggest Flaw:  Quarterback

Though the Browns lack offensive talent on the whole, Colt McCoy has simply been awful. The second-year pro not only lacks arm strength, but is also seemingly incapable of reading a blitz or completing a simple five-yard out pass.

Even with a good quarterback, the Cleveland offense wouldn't be producing. But until the Browns acquire a capable passer, their offense will always be incompetent.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Biggest Flaw:  Run defense

The Tampa Bay defense has been awful on the whole, but the team's run defense has been especially bad. Even with Gerald McCoy, the Buccaneers lacked talent at linebacker and struggled to contain the run.

In Week 12, Chris Johnson ran for 190 yards. Then, in Week 13, the Carolina Panthers combined for over 160 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

The Buccaneers have many flaws—including quarterback—but none is bigger than the team's run defense.

Arizona Cardinals

Biggest Flaw:  Offensive Line

Though the Bears offensive line receives more attention, Arizona's is equally awful. The sad reality of the situation is that the Cardinals do not possess a single above-average offensive lineman, and most are below average.

The No. 5 pick of the 2007 NFL draft, Levi Brown is among the NFL's worst left tackles and the rest of the unit isn't a whole lot better. Kevin Kolb has received a lot of criticism, but he is seriously hindered by his abysmal offensive line.

San Diego Chargers

Biggest Flaw:  Pass Rush

Former first-round draft pick Larry English is officially a bust, and Shaun Phillips is not nearly good enough to carry San Diego's pass rush. Despite running a 3-4 defensive scheme, the Chargers have the 28th-fewest sacks in the NFL.

San Diego's defense has not been terrible in 2011, but with a decent pass rush, it would be much better. The Chargers possess talent at every other defensive position, so an improvement at outside linebacker is necessary to improve.

Kansas City Chiefs

Biggest Flaw:  Quarterback

Even before Matt Cassel went down with a hand injury, the Chiefs suffered from awful quarterback play. Now with Tyler Paklo starting, it is even worse.

In all honesty, Palko isn't even an adequate backup, and Kansas City has virtually no chance of winning with him at quarterback. The Chiefs have issues aplenty, but no position is in as bad of shape as quarterback is.

Indianapolis Colts

Biggest Flaw:  Quarterback

Many units could be chosen here. In fact, there is barely a position that isn't a weakness for the Colts. But at the moment, Indianapolis has no bigger hole than that at quarterback.

After starting Curtis Painter for much of the season, the Colts finally switched to Dan Orlovsky, and though the early results are positive, Orlovsky isn't a high-quality passer either. There's a reason Indianapolis is winless, and it is the team's quarterback play.

Dallas Cowboys

Biggest Flaw:  Head Coach

Prior to his fatal error against the Arizona Cardinals, Jason Garrett had already made plenty of costly mistakes. His guffaw against the Cardinals was, however, inexcusable.

Even ignoring Garrett's mistakes as a head coach, he is an awful offensive coordinator. Garrett's play-calling is often puzzling at best, and other times idiotic. Right now, nothing is hindering the Cowboys more than Garrett is.

Miami Dolphins

Biggest Flaw:  Secondary

Right now, the Dolphins are playing shockingly competent football. Quarterback would seem like the logical pick here, but Matt Moore has actually played well.

The team's secondary, on the other hand, has been awful. Vontae is an above-average cornerback, but Sean Smith is awful and the Dolphins lack a true free safety. Miami's run defense has been excellent, but the team's pass defense has not been playing nearly as well.

Philadelphia Eagles

Biggest Flaw:  Run Defense

Not surprisingly, Philadelphia's offense has often had to compensate for the team's defense, but this hasn't worked as well as it dis last year. The Eagles' lack of defensive tackles and linebackers easily explains their shaky run defense.

At linebacker, Philadelphia possesses little talent, and even less run stoppers. The team's defensive tackles are primarily quick, penetrating players who do not excel at holding ground against the run.

Philadelphia's offense is still well above average, but the team's run defense is holding them back.

Atlanta Falcons

Biggest Flaw:  Pass Defense

No aspect of Atlanta's pass defense has been particularly good. Even with two high-priced defensive ends, the Falcons have struggled to provide an average pass rush, and the team's secondary is not good enough to compensate.

Brent Grimes has been excellent at cornerback, but the rest of the secondary has not played up to his level. Dunta Robinson has not earned his massive contract, and Atlanta's safeties are nothing to write home about either.

San Francisco 49ers

Biggest Flaw:  Wide Receiver

Though Alex Smith has played well, the 49ers wide receivers leave much to be desired. Michael Crabtree hasn't been awful, but he hasn't lived up to his high draft status either.

After Crabtree, San Francisco has just two players with more than 200 receiving yards, one of whom is tight end Vernon Davis. The 49ers have relied on their run game and defense, and thus far it has worked. In the future, however, San Francisco will need some wideouts to make plays.

New York Giants

Biggest Flaw:  Run Game

Eli Manning has carried the New York offense, and wide receivers Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks have been excellent. The Giants rushing attack, on the other hand, has been awful.

The owners of the NFL's worst rushing attack, the Giants average just 3.3 yards per carry. Whether this lack of success falls on the team's backs or offensive line isn't entirely clear, but either way, New York desperate needs to improve here.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Biggest Flaw:  Quarterback

As anyone can tell, the Jacksonville quarterback play has been putrid. Be it Luke McCown or No. 10 overall pick Blaine Gabbert, the Jaguars quarterbacks can't provide even adequate performance.

Prior to losing his job to Gabbert, McCown was the NFL's worst quarterback. Since the change, Gabbert has been arguably the worst starting quarterback in the game. Regardless of who is taking the snaps, Jacksonville has had no passing attack.

New York Jets

Biggest Flaw:  Quarterback

The Jets have some talent at the skill positions and an above-average offensive line, but Mark Sanchez is atrocious. Not only has the former No. 5 overall pick been unable to make plays for the New York offense, he can't even avoid shooting the team in the foot.

Though the team's rushing attack hasn't been miraculous by any means, it has offered Sanchez some support. The Jets quarterback is simply incapable of leading an offense. New York obviously has an excellent defense, and even a below-average quarterback would be enough to succeed.

Detroit Lions

Biggest Flaw:  Run Defense

Though the Lions have a talented defensive tackle unit, the team's run defense struggles. Detroit has several well-known linebackers, but they have not lived up to the hype. As a result, the team has struggled to stop the run.

The Lions run defense isn't awful by any means, so this isn't a huge issue. However, Detroit is below average against the run, and the Lions would be wise to address this in the future.

Green Bay Packers

Biggest Flaw:  Pass Defense

Obviously, Green Bay's offense has been spectacular. The team's defense has not been so great, however. The Packers actually defend well against the run, but their pass defense is ranked dead last throughout the NFL.

Though Green Bay's own high-octane offense certainly impacts this stat, the team's secondary has struggled some in Nick Collins' absence. The Packers pass rush has only been average as well.

Carolina Panthers

Biggest Flaw:  Run Defense

Cam Newton and the Carolina offense have been spectacular, but, not surprisingly, the team's defense has struggled. The team's run defense has especially struggled and is ranked 27th throughout the NFL.

The Panthers lack talent at defensive tackle, and losing their starters for the rest of the season, the unit became even worse. Without Jon Beason, Carolina doesn't have anything special at linebacker either. The Panthers simply lack the talent do defend the run at a high level.

New England Patriots

Biggest Flaw:  Defense

This is pretty vague, but in reality, the Patriots need help at every position on defense. Whether it is at defensive tackle, defensive end or defensive back, New England has holes to fill.

In years past, the Patriots have had fantastic defenses, but as of late, the team has relied on their offense. No matter how creative Bill Belichick is, New England simply can't stop opposing offenses. There is simply a lack of defensive talent on the roster.

Oakland Raiders

Biggest Flaw:  Run Defense

The owners of the NFL's 28th-ranked run defense, Oakland lacks the size up front to compete with offensive linemen in the power game. Even at linebacker, the Raiders have speed over size and strength. Middle linebacker Rolando McClain does not fit this bill perfectly, but it applies to the team's other 'backers.

At defensive tackle, Oakland has two former defensive ends who excel as pass-rushers but struggle to maintain ground. All of this helps the Raiders against the pass but hinders their efforts to stop the pass.

St. Louis Rams

Biggest Flaw:  Offensive Line

I didn't really want to say "everything" here, so I went with one of the Rams' more notable weaknesses. After playing great in 2010, the St. Louis offensive line has been putrid this year, and Sam Bradford has taken a beating.

Though the Rams have Steven Jackson at running back, the team's rushing attack has only been decent. This combined with the lack of pass-blocking ability all but cements the unit as St. Louis' biggest weakness.

Baltimore Ravens

Biggest Flaw:  Left Tackle

As crazy as it seems, the Ravens don't really have any flaws. Bryant McKinnie hasn't been great by any means, but he hasn't been bad either. And with the possible exception of McKinnie, the team's offensive line played excellently.

After being cut by the Minnesota Vikings and losing some weight, McKinnie regained much of his old quickness and it has shown on the field. McKinnie is aging, however, and can be beaten by quicker pass-rushers.

Washington Redskins

Biggest Flaw:  Quarterback

When the Redskins entered the 2011 season with John Beck and Rex Grossman at quarterback, many criticized the team as insane. These people were even right than most of us knew.

Grossman has certainly gone through his hot periods, but he is far too inconsistent to lead a team. Washington has struggled in other areas as well, but none are nearly as important as the quarterback position.

New Orleans Saints

Biggest Flaw:  Pass Defense

Because they lack both great pass-rushers and defensive backs, the Saints have often struggled against the pass. New Orleans does have some talented members of the secondary, but the unit as a whole is not special.

Rookie Cam Jordan has struggled to provide anything resembling a pass rush, and Will Smith is not nearly good enough to compensate. New Orleans' pass defense isn't terrible, but on an excellent team, it is the Saints' biggest weakness.

Seattle Seahawks

Biggest Flaw:  Quarterback

Though the Seahawks have been playing well, they are still held back by the play of Tarvaris Jackson. The former Viking is not just a below-average player, but an awful one. In fact, Jackson has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns thus far.

Marshawn Lynch has been excellent for Seattle, so Jackson's struggles cannot be blamed on lack of support. The Seahawks don't have a surplus of talent by any means, but Jackson has certainly held them back.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Biggest Flaw:  Offensive Line

Though Ben Roethlisberger has been excellent, he is facing as much pressure as ever. Even Rashard Mendenhall, who has had success in the past, is struggling to gain yardage. In fact, Mendenhall isn't even averaging four yards per carry.

Defensively, Pittsburgh is as stellar as ever, and Roethlisberger is playing at an elite level. If the Steelers run game could only pick up, the team might have a dynamic offense to offer for the first time in years.

Houston Texans

Biggest Flaw:  Quarterback

The Texans are yet another team to be negatively impacted by an injury at quarterback. Houston is hoping that their offensive talent can help overcome T.J. Yates' lack of talent and experience. The team will certainly feel the effects regardless, however.

Arian Foster, Ben Tate and possibly Andre Johnson can help to support Yates, but odds are that Yates won't make too many plays. With Matt Schaub at quarterback, the Houston offense was not at all limited. That is no longer the case.

Tennessee Titans

Biggest Flaw:  Run Game

Though Chris Johnson and the Tennessee rushing attack have certainly picked up their play in recent weeks, the team's run game is still a concern. For weeks, Johnson was unable to gain any substantial yardage, and the Titans lost their offensive firepower.

Matt Hasselbeck is a capable, if unspectacular quarterback, and Tennessee needs Johnson to provide the team's offense. With a game manager at quarterback, the Titans need to be able to control the clock. The only effective way of doing that is pounding the rock.

Minnesota Vikings

Biggest Flaw:  Passing Attack

Only so much blame can be placed on rookie quarterback Christian Ponder. Ponder may not be playing wonderfully, but he has very little offensive talent around him. Percy Harvin is Ponder's only competent wideout.

Minnesota's offensive line struggles in pass protection, and this hurts Ponder even more. Some of the blame certainly falls on the rookie, but overall, the entire offense is at fault.