NFL Power Rankings: Rating Each Team's Step Forward in 2011

Through 14 games of the NFL season, it's time to evaluate which teams have taken the biggest step forward, or back. The Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers head the list of the most improved teams in football.

The NFL is a league of constant turnover and turmoil. It's commonplace for half of the playoff teams in each conference to drop off each season.

This year has been no different, with new teams ascending to the top and old standbys falling by the wayside.

So, who's taken the biggest step forward in 2011?

32. Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts get to share the dual distinction of the worst team in the NFL and the team that's taken by far the biggest step back.

Peyton Manning's neck injury crippled the Colts offense. Formerly outstanding skill players were suddenly lost without No. 18 at quarterback. Poor Curtis Painter suffered most of all.

After spending nearly all of Manning's career competing for division titles, the Colts are 1-13 and have been outscored by their opponents by a total of 194 points through 14 games.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After nearly sneaking into the playoffs last season with one of the youngest rosters in the league, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have face-planted their way to the basement of the NFC South. The Bucs on-field leader, Josh Freeman, has regressed significantly after very sound season in 2010.

Freeman's quarterback rating has dropped from 95.9 to 73.5, his touchdowns have tailed off from 25 to 13, and his interceptions have tripled from six to 18.

After contending for coach of the year honors in 2010, Raheem Morris has earned himself a toasty seat in 2011.

30. Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings have been embroiled in a seemingly endless search for a quarterback for the past few years, and while it seems like they might have found a solution in young Christian Ponder, it seems the Vikes now have much bigger problems to fry.

A formerly stout Vikings pass defense has cratered in 2011, ranking dead last in the NFL in interceptions and opposing quarterback rating.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars

At the opening of the 2011 season, the Jaguars inexplicably cut ties with former starting quarterback David Garrard. Presumably, the purpose of this move was to make way for rookie starter Blaine Gabbert, but Jacksonville failed to make any other moves in support of its young starter. With the likes of Jason Hill and Mike Thomas as primary targets, Gabbert has struggled mightily.

The Jags average a league-worst 137 passing yards per game.

How bad is that?

Double Jacksonville's per-game average, and it still doesn't crack the top five in the NFL.

28. St. Louis Rams

After nearly sneaking into the playoffs last season, it's been tough for the Rams to get into an offensive rhythm behind injury-riddled quarterback Sam Bradford. Yet, offense hasn't really been the Rams' biggest problem in 2011.

It's awfully tough to win games in the NFL when you can't stop the run, and St. Louis ranks dead last in the league in run defense, allowing over 150 yards per game.

As a result, the Rams are 2-12, and have lost seven games by a margin of 17 points or more.

27. New York Jets

A team coming off of back-to-back trips to the AFC Championship game would figure to excel against elite competition. This season, the Jets have defied that logic.

New York has stumbled its way out of the race in the AFC East, and has recorded just one win over a team with a winning record.

26. Kansas City Chiefs

Though Kansas City certainly hasn't improved its product on the field this year, the Chiefs have been knee-capped (pun intended) by injuries more than any other team in the NFL.

Matt Cassel, Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry, arguably the Chiefs' best three players, will all miss most of this season.

Last week's win over the Green Bay Packers showed some promise from the rest of the roster, but with so many studs on the shelf, that promise won't be realized until 2012.

25. Cleveland Browns

Record-wise, there's a fair chance that the Cleveland Browns may finish in the same spot this season as they did in 2010. However, beyond that number, it's clear that the Browns have taken a step back.

As his career has progressed, it seems like defenses have figured out Colt McCoy. After providing the Browns with a spark as a rookie, McCoy's 2011 campaign has resulted in a total of just 195 points, good for third-worst in the NFL.

24. Tennessee Titans

Chris Johnson's lengthy holdout has absolutely crippled the Tennessee Titans. New quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has been effective, but CJ2K is the lifeblood of the Titans offense.

Through 14 games of the 2011 season, Johnson has been held under 65 yards rushing 10 times. That happened just nine times in the previous two seasons combined.

Unless Johnson miraculously regains his form from 2009, the Titans will continue to step backward.

23. Washington Redskins

The Redskins are a perennially fickle team. Washington seems to register just as many befuddling losses as surprising wins. Mike Shanahan has a bit of talent at his disposal, but it hasn't borne much fruit in the win column.

Washington hasn't won a game at home since Week 2.

All in all, the Redskins' progress during the 2011 season comes down to one fact: Rex Grossman has won the job as their starting quarterback.

Yuck.

22. San Diego Chargers

Somehow, the San Diego Chargers still have a shot to win the topsy-turvy AFC West, but even as they recover from their customary early-season swoon, these Chargers are not what they used to be.

Supposed star quarterback Philip Rivers has been putrid this season. 14 games into his 2011 campaign, Rivers has already set career highs in interceptions and fumbles.

Across the ball, a defense that formerly thrived on wreaking havoc in opposing backfields now ranks 22nd in the NFL in sacks.

21. Oakland Raiders

At 7-7, the Oakland Raiders could improve on their record from a year ago, but that number can be deceiving.

Even as they finished at 8-8, the Raiders outscored their opponents by a total of 65 points in 2010. This season, with an identical winning percentage, Oakland has been outscored by 39 points.

New quarterback Carson Palmer has been a big help in the short term, but the defense has fallen from the Top 10 status it earned last season, allowing 57 more yards per game in 2011.

20. Buffalo Bills

Buffalo has come crashing down after its hot start, and the mega-deal handed out to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick looks like a huge mistake.

After tossing seven scores in his first two games, Fitzpatrick has thrown more than two TDs just once in his last 12 starts. He's failed to throw more touchdowns than interceptions in eight of those 12 games.

Certainly, the injury to Fred Jackson hurts, but Buffalo lost the last two games Jackson started by a combined score of 89-15.

After taking a significant step forward in the early part of the 2011 season, the Bills have turned toe and taken a gigantic step back.

19. Chicago Bears

After advancing all the way to the NFC title game last season, injuries to Jay Cutler and Matt Forte have derailed a once-promising 2011 for the Chicago Bears.

It always hurts to lose your two best offensive players, but Chicago's injuries have exposed a disturbing lack of depth on offense.

Normally, the Bears can rely on their defense, but even with Julius Peppers providing pressure up front, the formerly fearsome Chicago pass defense has allowed nearly 275 passing yards per game.

18. Philadelphia Eagles

While Philadelphia's start to the 2011 season was an epic disappointment, the suddenly under-the-radar Eagles have righted the ship in the second half.

The once-maligned pass defense has recovered to rank 10th in the NFL, and LeSean McCoy has established himself as one of the best all-around offensive players in football.

Despite their 6-8 record, the Eagles have actually outscored their opponents by a total of 31 points.

17. New York Giants

Eli Manning has had an outstanding season in New York, but his teammates have let him down. Last season's 10-6 mark is already out of reach, and even at 7-7, the Giants have been outscored by 38 points on the season.

Even as Jason Pierre-Paul has emerged as yet another elite pass rusher for the G-Men, the Giant pass defense ranks only 29th in the league.

16. New England Patriots

Over the last 10 seasons, the New England Patriots have made an incredible about-face as an organization, going from a team built on stout defense to one of the highest scoring offenses the NFL has ever seen.

Tom Brady and his ocean-deep corps of receivers have been predictably outstanding, but the Patriots defense has taken a giant leap backward.

Though injuries have thinned out the New England secondary, it's no excuse for a defense that's allowed an NFL-worst 414 total yards per game.

15. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons remain in excellent position to clinch a playoff spot, but this year's model is certainly a downgrade from last season's 13-3 squad.

Quarterback Matt Ryan is on pace for a career-best passer rating, but the pounding that Michael Turner has taken over the past few seasons is starting to wear him down. The once-dependable Atlanta run game has dropped to 18th in the NFL.

14. Baltimore Ravens

Though the Baltimore Ravens are currently in the mix for the top seed in the AFC, this team doesn't play with the kind of routine dominance that normally defines a conference champion.

After establishing themselves as playoff road warriors over the last few years, the Ravens have suddenly lost the ability to win outside of their home stadium.

Baltimore has lost four road games this season, with all four losses coming against teams with records of .500 or worse.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers haven't gotten much better this year, but they also haven't gotten worse. It's exactly what you'd expect for an organization built on consistency.

Ben Roethlisberger's passing offense hasn't been quite as prolific this season, but the Steelers defense has been just as dominant as always, leading the NFL in total defense.

12. Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals were horrific in 2010. They were outscored by their opponents by a total of 145 points. This year, the Cardinals have improved, ascending to the great heights of mediocrity.

Dynamic rookie Patrick Peterson has energized the defense and provided a couple of game-clinching touchdowns on special teams.

He's just a rookie, but through the first 14 games of his career, Peterson has been a better version of Devin Hester. He's been equally as dangerous in the return game, while also contributing at a high level on the defensive side of the ball.

11. Miami Dolphins

A 5-9 record doesn't seem like a big improvement, but after an horrendous beginning to the 2011 season, the Miami Dolphins have rebounded to respectability. Four of the Dolphins' five wins have been by a margin of 11 points or greater.

While renaissance quarterback Matt Moore deserves some of the credit for the turnaround, the most notable Dolphin has been Reggie Bush. After being written off in New Orleans, the former No. 2 draft pick is on a mission to prove he can carry the load as a lead tailback.

10. Seattle Seahawks

In terms of playoff position, Seattle will almost certainly take a step back from last season. The Seahawks limped into the 2010 playoffs, emerging from one of the most inept divisions in football history.

Even so, there's no question that this year's Seattle team is much improved. Tarvaris Jackson has led a surprisingly effective offense, complementing a defense with a penchant for creating turnovers.

On the whole, Seattle has outscored its opponents by a total of 11 points. It doesn't seem like much, but after a minus-97 scoring margin last season, it's a huge stride forward.

9. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans' improvement this season cannot be expressed by the numbers. The Texans have been impressive on both sides of the ball, but most importantly, the perennial bridesmaids have finally clinched an AFC South title.

Even with Matt Schaub, Arian Foster and Andre Johnson battling injuries, the Texans offense has been a consistent force. Ben Tate has been a primary difference-maker in Houston, establishing himself as a superstar in the making.

8. Dallas Cowboys

With an infusion of young talent on offense and Tony Romo poised to set a career high in quarterback rating, the Dallas Cowboys are in control in the NFC East.

Jason Garrett has provided some stability as the head coach. New defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has injected an attacking spirit into the defense.

The Cowboys have still suffered a couple of the close losses that have plagued Romo throughout his career, but to their credit, Dallas has been able to battle back.

7. Denver Broncos

Tebow or no Tebow, there's no arguing the Denver Broncos' improvement this season.

Tim Tebow has certainly contributed by spicing up the offense, but most of the credit should go to a vastly improved Denver D.

Von Miller has ignited a pass rush that ranks fourth in the NFL with 39 sacks (led by Miller's 11.5), up from a league-worst 23 all of last season.

6. New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints have been great for a while, but in 2011, Drew Brees has taken his excellence to a whole new level.

Brees averages over 330 passing yards per game and completes over 71 percent of his passes. He's thrown for over 300 yards and three or more touchdowns on six occasions this season, including three of his last four games.

With Darren Sproles bringing a new element to an already explosive offense, the Saints look absolutely unstoppable.

5. Detroit Lions

The Lions closed out 2010 on an upswing, and with Matthew Stafford finally healthy, Detroit has vaulted into playoff contention for the first time in a decade.

Ndamukong Suh and the defense have made more than their fair share of mistakes, but most weeks, they've kept the game close enough for Stafford and Calvin Johnson to hook up for a win.

4. Carolina Panthers

In 2010, the Carolina Panthers offense was the definition of anemic. The Cats generated an NFL-worst 258 yards of offense per game, earning the No. 1 pick in the process.

That pick, Cam Newton, has completely turned things around on the offensive side of the ball in Carolina. He's single-handedly rejuvenated Steve Smith and led his team to 393 yards per game on offense, which ranks fifth in the NFL.

3. Cincinnati Bengals

Many draft experts had Andy Dalton pegged as a sleeper, but I don't imagine that many thought he'd be quite this good out of the gate.

Dalton has immediately developed an explosive chemistry with standout rookie A.J. Green, awakening a Bengals team that seemed to be destined for yet another rebuilding project.

Combined with a vicious defense that allows only 315 total yards per game, Dalton and Green have led the Cincinnati to the brink of the playoffs in one of the toughest divisions in football.

2. Green Bay Packers

It's hard to imagine that the Green Bay Packers have improved so much from the team that won the Super Bowl last season, but somehow, Aaron Rodgers' dominance has progressed to historic levels.

The offense has been held under 24 points just once all season, and the defense leads the league in turnovers.

The Packers traveled an unlikely path to a championship in 2010. In 2011, the path to a title is much clearer; it goes right through Green Bay.

1. San Francisco 49ers

Jim Harbaugh's San Francisco 49ers have unquestionably taken a bigger leap forward than any other team this season.

Alex Smith has been stunningly competent at quarterback, and Patrick Willis has developed into the second coming of Ray Lewis.

Willis leads a defense that has stuffed the run better than any other in football. In fact, the 49ers have set a new NFL record by failing to allow a rushing touchdown through the first 14 games of the season.

With that stat in mind, it's no surprise that the 11-3 49ers have allowed the fewest points in the NFL.