NFL Report Card Week 14: Handing out Grades to All 32 Teams

Every fan can tell whether his or her team played well. It's not so easy to give an exact grade compared to other teams around the league.

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers obviously played well as they blew out the Oakland Raiders. But did they earn the prized A+ grade?

The San Francisco 49ers lost to the Arizona Cardinals by two points, but how similar were their performances?

What was it that held back the Cincinnati Bengals as they narrowly fell to the Houston Texans?

All of this, and more, will be answered.

Chicago Bears

Without Jay Cutler and Matt Forte, the Bears struggled to score points. However, Caleb Hanie wasn't terrible, and Marion Barber rushed for 108 yards.

Chicago completely shut down Tim Tebow and Willis McGahee, and the Broncos scored just 13 points. If it weren't for a 59-yard field goal by Matt Prater, Denver would have scored only seven points and lost the game.

Because they do not have their two best offensive players, the Bears can't be criticized too much for losing this game.

Grade:  C+

Cincinnati Bengals

Andy Dalton did nothing special, but he was facing one of the game's best defenses. Cedric Benson was productive, and A.J. Green once again displayed awe-inspiring ability.

Though Cincinnati did a great job against Houston's rushing attack, T.J. Yates was surprisingly effective. Yates gained 336 yards in total and led the Texans on a last-second, game-winning touchdown drive.

On the whole, the Bengals managed to be adequately successful on both sides of the ball against a great team.

Grade:  B-

Buffalo Bills

Ryan Fitzpatrick completed just 13 of his 34 passes while throwing two interceptions, and the Bills were blown out. C.J. Spiller performed reasonably well, but he only received 12 carries and had limited success as a result.

Buffalo allowed the Chargers to move the ball at will. Philip Rivers completed 24 of his 33 passes, and Ryan Mathews averaged more than five yards per carry. Predictably, Buffalo allowed a staggering 37 points.

Grade:  F

Denver Broncos

Once again, Tim Tebow struggled, but he was able to help the Broncos earn yet another victory. Though Tebow threw 40 times and ran 12 times, he still gained just 285 total yards, and Denver scored an unimpressive 13 points.

Though the Broncos shut down the Chicago offense, it wasn't too impressive. Without Jay Cutler and Matt Forte, the Bears don't exactly have a surplus of stars on offense. Despite this lack of talent, the Broncos allowed Caleb Hanie to complete 12 of his 19 passes, while Marion Barber gained 108 rushing yards.

Grade:  C

Cleveland Browns

Though the score may suggest otherwise, the Browns nearly won this game. Peyton Hillis didn't help the Cleveland run game at all, and per the usual, Colt McCoy struggled through the air.

The Browns were only somewhat effective on defense. The Steelers did gain over 400 yards, but they only scored 14 points. A four-down stop within the five-yard line was huge for the Browns.

Grade:  D+

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Josh Freeman turned the ball over three times, and the Buccaneers had six turnovers overall. While Freeman did nothing well, LeGarrette Blount was reasonably successful, gaining more than four yards per carry.

Though Tampa Bay allowed only 325 yards, they did allow Maurice Jones-Drew to score four touchdowns. Even Blaine Gabbert was better than usual, and the Jaguars coasted to an easy victory. The Jacksonville offense was certainly aided by the Buccaneers' many turnovers, but the Tampa Bay defense offered little resistance in the red zone.

Grade:  F

Arizona Cardinals

If it were not for his two interceptions, John Skelton would have finished with a terrific performance against the 49ers. The Arizona rushing attack accomplished nothing, but Skelton still threw three touchdown passes.

Defensively, the Cardinals shut down Alex Smith, as he completed just 18 of his 37 passes. Frank Gore was reasonably successful, but he didn't do a ton of damage.

The 49ers have established themselves as the class of the NFC West, but the Cardinals earned the victory here.

Grade:  B

San Diego Chargers

Philip Rivers tore up an awful Buffalo defense, and the Chargers slaughtered the Bills. Rivers completed 24 of his 33 passes with no interceptions, and Ryan Mathews added 114 yards on the ground.

San Diego forced Ryan Fitzpatrick into completing 13 of his 34 passes for 176 yards and two interceptions. The Chargers barely even faced the run, but they performed reasonably well there as well.

Grade:  A

Kansas City Chiefs

With Tyler Palko at quarterback, the Kansas City offense is even more inept than it was previously. The Chiefs are unable to gain yardage through the air or on the ground and scored just 10 points against the Jets.

Kansas City allowed the abysmal New York offense to score 30 points as well. Shonn Greene rushed for 129 yards, and Mark Sanchez avoided throwing an interception or three.

Really, there are no positives for the Chiefs here, as they got blown out once again.

Grade:  F

Indianapolis Colts

Dan Orlovsky played like, well, Dan Orlovsky, and the Colts gained just 167 total yards. With how little Indianapolis did offensively, it's somewhat surprising that the team scored 10 points.

Defensively, the Colts were actually somewhat better than expected, allowing only 358 yards. Ray Rice had a typical day, and Joe Flacco was good, but not great.

Indianapolis was definitely dominated, but they weren't as awful as we have come to expect.

Grade:  D+

Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo played brilliantly, and the Cowboys lost only because of a blocked field goal at the end of regulation. After DeMarco Murray suffered an injury, Felix Jones took over on the ground, rushing for 106 yards on 16 carries.

The Rob Ryan-led defense allowed Eli Manning to pass for 400 yards, while throwing two touchdowns. The Cowboys also struggled against the run, as they allowed Brandon Jacobs to gain 101 yards on the ground.

The Cowboys played well, but they couldn't quite take down the Giants.

Grade:  B

Miami Dolphins

After playing well in recent weeks, the Dolphins looked like the team of old. Matt Moore was awful, gaining just 95 yards through the air. Though Reggie Bush continued to run well, Miami simply couldn't move the ball.

Despite allowing 26 points, the Dolphins actually played well defensively. LeSean McCoy gained an abysmal 38 yards on 27 carries, and Michael Vick was just decent. In fact, Miami's defensive effort was actually rather impressive.

Grade:  C-

Philadelphia Eagles

Though he scored two touchdowns, LeSean McCoy was awful on the ground, averaging less than two yards a carry. Mike Vick completed just 50 percent of his passes for 208 yards and threw an interception as well.

However, the Philadelphia defense completely shut down Miami's passing attack. Reggie Bush was successful on the ground, but he was unable to carry the team's offense to a victory.

Grade:  B

Atlanta Falcons

After getting annihilated in the first half, the Falcons managed a huge comeback over the Panthers. Michael Turner struggled to do anything, but Matt Ryan absolutely tore apart the Carolina secondary in one of his best games ever.

The Atlanta defense held Cam Newton to one of his worst games this year and allowed a respectable 23 points. Take away a 74-yard run by DeAngelo Williams, and the Falcons actually did a great job on defense.

Grade:  B

San Francisco 49ers

Against a somewhat shaky defense, Alex Smith completed less than 50 percent of his passes while not throwing a single touchdown. Frank Gore, on the other hand, rushed for an impressive 72 yards on just 10 carries.

John Skelton certainly hurt the San Francisco defense at times, but he did throw two interceptions. The 49ers' run defense continued to dominate, as Beanie Wells was incredibly ineffective on the ground. In one of his best games this year, Larry Fitzgerald gained 149 yards on seven catches.

Not only did San Francisco's offense struggle, but their usually-dominant defense was less than stellar.

Grade:  C

New York Giants

Playing against the blitz-heavy Cowboys, Eli Manning threw for 400 yards. Even backup running back Brandon Jacobs rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns in relief of Ahmad Bradshaw.

Though Jason Pierre-Paul was brilliant, the Giants struggled to contain the Dallas offense. Tony Romo was excellent, and Felix Jones did a great job after DeMarco Murray left with an injury. Laurent Robinson especially killed New York, as he gained 137 yards on four catches.

Grade:  B

Jacksonville Jaguars

Despite gaining just 325 yards, the Jaguars scored 41 points. Blaine Gabbert was less awful than usual, and Maurice Jones-Drew managed to score four touchdowns.

Defensively, Jacksonville was excellent. The team had two defensive/special teams touchdowns and limited Tampa Bay to 14 points. Josh Freeman was incredibly ineffective, and LeGarrette Blount was just decent on the ground.

Grade:  B

New York Jets

With 129 rushing yards, Shonn Greene was able to carry the Jets' offense as the team scored 37 points. Even Mark Sanchez played decently, completing 13 of 21 passes with two touchdowns and, more importantly, no interceptions.

The Jets unsurprisingly shut down the Kansas City offense, allowing just 221 yards. New York allowed neither the Chiefs' passing or rushing attacks to produce. Rex Ryan's defense even managed to gain five sacks throughout the game.

Grade: A

Detroit Lions

Despite having one of his most efficient games ever, Matthew Stafford gained just 227 yards through the air. With no rushing attack at all, the Lions' offense scored just 20 of the team's points.

Detroit certainly shut down Minnesota's passing attack, but the team still allowed 28 points. Both Joe Webb and Toby Gerhart were successful on the ground, and only turnovers saved the Lions' defense.

Grade:  B-

Green Bay Packers

Though Aaron Rodgers wasn't nearly as incredible as we are used to, the Packers still scored an astounding 46 points in their blowout victory over the Raiders. In the absence of James Starks, Ryan Grant and John Kuhn both played excellently.

Green Bay forced four Carson Palmer interceptions and allowed just 16 points. Even Michael Bush struggled some, and Palmer failed to do much of anything against the Green Bay defense.

Grade:  A-

Carolina Panthers

In one of the worst games of his young career, Cam Newton threw two interceptions while gaining only 312 yards and two touchdowns. DeAngelo Williams was brilliant on his seven carries, but Carolina's 23 points weren't enough to win.

The Panthers struggled defensively, especially in the second half, when they allowed 24 points. Carolina shut down Michael Turner, but Matt Ryan had one of the best games of his career. After getting off to a big first-half lead, both the team's defense and offense lost the game.

Grade:  D

New England Patriots

Once again, Tom Brady dominated, completing 22 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns. The New England rushing attack was nothing special, but it did its job. Rob Gronkowski secured the single-season touchdown record for tight ends in a dominant performance.

New England allowed Rex Grossman to play well, and Roy Helu was excellent. The Patriot defense continues to hold the team back, and it nearly lost the game against a vastly inferior team.

Grade:  B

Oakland Raiders

With four Carson Palmer interceptions, the Raiders struggled to accomplish anything offensively. Michael Bush struggled on the ground, and Darrius Heyward-Bey's multiple drops didn't help Oakland's cause either.

Playing against an outstanding Green Bay offense, Oakland's defense wasn't horrible. In fact, the Raiders limited Aaron Rodgers to a below-average (for him) performance. The Packers did score 46 points, but they benefited from Palmer's turnovers.

Grade:  D

St. Louis Rams

Sam Bradford continued to struggle under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, and the Rams fell hard to the Seahawks. Even Steven Jackson gained just 63 yards on 23 carries, as the Rams gained a lackluster 307 yards.

Tarvaris Jackson, who is usually awful, completed 21 of his 32 passes for 224 yards against the Rams, and Marshawn Lynch had another excellent game. St. Louis allowed a well below-average Seattle offense to score 30 points, and of course, the Rams were unable to provide any offense themselves.

Grade:  D-

Baltimore Ravens

Ray Rice and the Baltimore offense were good enough to win, and the team's defense dominated as always. Joe Flacco had an excellent game, minus his one interception, and Rice gained nearly 150 all-purpose yards.

Terrell Suggs forced three fumbles while also racking up three sacks, and the Colts gained just 167 yards. Dan Orlovsky completed less than half of his passes, and Donald Brown managed only 28 yards on 9 carries.

Grade:  B+

Washington Redskins

Because Rex Grossman played reasonably well, the Redskins were able to keep up with the Patriots offensively. Roy Helu dominated the New England run defense, gaining 126 yards on 27 carries. Donté Stallworth even showed up, as he caught four passes for 96 yards.

As was expected, Tom Brady killed Washington through the air. Brady gained 357 yards and threw three touchdowns, and the team's rushing attack added 79 more yards on the ground.

Obviously, the Redskins hung with New England, and the team actually played pretty well across the board.

Grade:  B

New Orleans Saints

Drew Brees picked apart the Tennessee defense, completing 36 of his 47 passes for 337 yards. The Saints' rushing attack wasn't anything special, but it was enough to keep the Titans honest defensively.

On defense, New Orleans allowed Jake Locker to create some plays, but the team did shut down Chris Johnson. Though Johnson has struggled on the year, he had been playing well as of late, and his lack of production was somewhat surprising.

The Saints did not score as many points as we are used to, but their defense played well enough to win.

Grade:  B

Seattle Seahawks

Playing against a horrible St. Louis defense, the Seahawks scored 30 dominated through the passing and rushing game. Tarvaris Jackson completed 21 of his 32 passes, and Marshawn Lynch rushed for 115 yards on only 23 carries.

Of course, the Seahawks shut down the always-awful Rams' offense. Sam Bradford continued to produce abysmal numbers, and Steven Jackson gained just 63 yards while averaging a little over three yards a carry.

Grade:  B

Pittsburgh Steelers

Despite suffering a high-ankle sprain, Ben Roethlisberger stayed in the game—and played well. Rashard Mendenhall had some success on the ground but did not receive enough carries to rack up huge yardage.

Defensively, the Steelers dominated. The Cleveland ground game was abysmal, and Colt McCoy played even worse than he typically does. Pittsburgh should have beaten an awful Browns' team by more, though.

Grade:  B

Houston Texans

Even with rookie T.J. Yates starting at quarterback, the Texans are winning. In fact, Yates carried the Houston offense with the team's rushing attack struggling. Yates threw two touchdown passes and gained 300 yards through the air.

Defensively, the Texans allowed Cedric Benson to hurt them, but Andy Dalton was limited. Once again, the Houston defense delivered a stellar performance and carried the team to a victory over a legitimate contender.

Grade:  B+

Tennessee Titans

Though he was somewhat inaccurate, Jake Locker gained over 300 yards and carried the Tennessee offense. On the other hand, Chris Johnson was nonexistent, as he gained just 23 yards on 11 carries.

The Titans allowed Drew Brees to dominate, but they only allowed 22 points. Though the Saints typically don't have a great rushing attack, Tennessee's run defense did play well.

Playing without their starting quarterback for most of the game, the Titans nearly won against one of the NFL's elite teams.

Grade: C+

Minnesota Vikings

Prior to being benched, Christian Ponder struggled, turning the ball over four times. Joe Webb provided a bit of a spark, but he wasn't anything wonderful passing the ball either. Despite the struggles at quarterback, the Vikings scored 28 points.

On the surface, it would appear that the Minnesota defense was dominated. However, two of Detroit's touchdowns were scored by the defense. The Vikings also completely shut down the Lions' rushing attack. Minnesota was a quarterback away from winning here.

Grade:  C+