NFL Power Rankings Week 17: How Each Team Can Improve Next Season

The NFL season is winding to a close.  There are still a few more playoff spots to be claimed, but most teams know if they are still playing for this season or heading into offseason mode.

Click through to see where each team ranks, and what moves they need to make to improve before the 2012 NFL season kicks off.

32. The St. Louis Rams

The Rams were finally bad enough to take the 32nd spot in the power rankings.  They lost to the Steelers on Saturday and will lose to the 49ers next week.

St. Louis can get better next year by firing their entire coaching staff and starting over.  They are also going to need a lot of help on the defensive side of the ball and a deep threat on offense.

Sam Bradford is the biggest key for the franchise going forward.  They are going to need him healthy and playing well.  They have not gotten either of those things from him this year.

31. The Indianapolis Colts

The Colts have been a mess all season long, but they are dangerously close to playing themselves out of the #1 pick.  That would mean no Andrew Luck in Indianapolis.

It is pretty much impossible to name just one thing that the Colts need for next season, but it has become painfully obvious that the entire coaching staff should be gone after this season.  Jim Caldwell looked in over his head last season, but he had Peyton Manning to cover his back.

This season he has shown that he does not have what it takes to lead an NFL franchise.

30. The Cleveland Browns

It has been a rough two months for Browns.  That is what happens when you are in the AFC North and do not face the Steelers or Ravens until December.

Cleveland needs to upgrade their offensive skill players. Peyton Hillis has not lived up to expectations and they do not have any receivers that scare the opposing defense.  They will probably be in a position to draft Justin Blackmon.  They should jump all over that.

29. The Minnesota Vikings

A bad season took a turn for the worse when Adrian Peterson went down with a torn ACL in week 16.

Minnesota needs help at wide receiver.  This will take some of the heat off of Peterson and Christian Ponder in 2012.  It will also make Percy Harvin much more valuable because teams will not be able to focus solely on him in the passing game.

28. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This has been a miserable season for the Buccaneers.  They have had a really tough schedule, and the losses have piled up.  That might add up to Raheem Morris being relieved of his duties at the end of the season.

The Buccaneers need help at defensive tackle.  They were so desperate this season for help at the position that they brought in Albert Haynesworth after he had flamed out with the Redskins and Patriots.

27. The Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars have a lot of issues heading into this offseason.  The first thing they need is a new coach.  They should be looking for a young guy with a good reputation of working with young quarterbacks.

That is important, but the most important thing is getting Blaine Gabbert a receiver who is NFL quality.  They do not have any of those on their roster right now.

26. The Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs came back to earth a week after the upset over the Packers with a loss to the Raiders.

Kansas City needs to find a creative coach in the offseason that can properly use the weapons he will have at his disposal.  If they can re-sign Dwayne Bowe, they will have the players to have a potent offense.  They just need the right person calling the plays.

25. The Washington Redskins

The Redskins went down to the Vikings in week 16.  It was just another loss in a miserable season.

Washington needs a quarterback in a bad way.  That is a decision that they should have been able to come to before this season started, but for some reason they decided to go with what they already had.

Mike Shanahan would love to get his hands on Robert Griffin III.  He would be a huge upgrade over Rex Grossman.

24. The Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins went up 17-0 on the Patriots and looked poised to pull off the upset.  Then the Patriots came storming back and put the Dolphins away.

Miami needs a quarterback.  Matt Moore has not been terrible filling in for an injured Chad Henne, but neither player is good enough to win a Super Bowl.  

The Dolphins best bet will probably be in free agency because the best quarterbacks in the draft will be gone by the time Miami is on the clock.

23. The Chicago Bears

The Bears are just ready for the 2011 season to be over.  Their misery was extended even more when they were hammered by the Packers in front of a national audience.

Surprisingly, Chicago has been really bad against the pass this season.  They are 29th against the pass.  That is because they do not have a shutdown corner on the outside.  They should look to add a young corner in the draft that can step in and play from day one.

22. The Buffalo Bills

The Bills finally got off of their two month losing streak with a win over the Broncos.  The good feelings they got from that will not last long because they play the Patriots in week 17.

Buffalo needs to add another receiver in the offseason.  They gave Ryan Fitzpatrick a huge contract extension this season, and there is a good chance Steve Johnson could walk in free agency. The Fitzpatrick deal is going to look like a horrible decision if they do not give him weapons.

21. The Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals saw their shot at the playoffs go away with the loss to the Bengals in week 16.  It is pretty amazing that they were in the race as long as they were with Kevin Kolb missing most of the season.

Arizona could use another corner back to play opposite of Patrick Peterson because they have had trouble defending the pass this season.  They probably wish they would have held on to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie instead of sending him to Philadelphia in the Kolb trade.

20. The Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton has far surpassed the expectations most people had for him before the season started.  The Panthers have not won as many games as they would like this season, but their offense is headed in the right direction.

Carolina should spend their entire draft upgrading their defense.  They have not been able to keep anyone from running or throwing the ball this season long.  

If they can add a solid defense to that offense, they will be a force to be reckoned with in 2012.

19. The Oakland Raiders

The Raiders kept their playoff hopes alive with a win over the Chiefs in week 16.  They need to win against the Chargers this week and have a Broncos' loss to win the AFC West.

Oakland needs to get better at stopping the run in the offseason.  They are 27th against the run this season.  Adding a big, run stopping defensive tackle would do the trick.  That would sure up the middle of their defense and help with the pass rush.

18. The Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have exceeded expectations this year.  Most people only expected them to win 4-5 games.  They ended up contention until a week 16 loss knocked them out.

Seattle needs a new quarterback if they want to be better next season.  They targeted Tarvaris Jackson in the offseason, but he simply is not good enough to win games in this league.

Jackson has been hurt by the fact that Sidney Rice missed most of the year, but that still would not make him good enough to be a franchise quarterback.

17. The New York Jets

The Jets still are all but eliminated from the playoffs at this point.  They need a win in week 17 and a lot of help to get in.

New York is another team that needs to upgrade at quarterback.  Mark Sanchez looked good when he had a power running game and an excellent defense.  The defense has taken a step back this season, and that has shown that Sanchez is not good enough to win games.  

The Packers' Matt Flynn could be an attractive target for the Jets.

16. The Denver Broncos

It has been a rough couple of weeks for the Denver Broncos.  They got hammered by a Bills team in week 16 that had not won a game since before Halloween.

This may not be a popular opinion, but the Broncos need to upgrade at quarterback to improve this offseason.  Tim Tebow has done some things well, but he cannot throw enough to be successful in the league today.  Denver should look for someone who can throw enough to win some football games.

15. The Philadelphia Eagles

A Giants' win in week 16 eliminated the Eagles from playoff contention.  They made a nice late season run, but it was not enough to overcome a terrible start.

Philadelphia needs to improve their linebacker corps in the offseason.  They have had a lot of problems stopping the run this season.  They are good against the pass because they have three really good corners.  Adding a dynamic linebacker to the mix could make their defenses one of the toughest in the league.

14. The Tennessee Titans

The Titans still have a slim chance of making the playoffs if they can beat the Texans in week 17 and get some help from a few other teams.

Tennessee needs to add a dynamic receiver in the offseason.  They have Kenny Britt, but he is about as undependable as they come.  The Titans need another weapon to compliment Britt and to make the transition to Jake Locker an easy one.  Signing a guy like Dwayne Bowe would make the Titans an instant contender.

13. The Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys' game against the Eagles did not mean anything for their playoff hopes with the Giants beating the Jets.  The week 17 game between the Cowboys and Giants is for the NFC East title.

The Cowboys need to fire Jason Garrett and hire Jeff Fisher to get better this offseason.  It is clear that Garrett is in over his head as a head coach.  To be honest, he was not even that good as an offensive coordinator.

Jerry Jones needs a star as his head coach.  Fisher would provide that and would be able to handle Jones as an owner.

12. The San Diego Chargers

The Chargers saw their faint playoff hopes disappear last week in their loss to the Lions.  The only thing they have to play for in week 17 is to spoil the Raiders' hopes.

San Diego needs to fire Norv Turner and A.J. Smith and start over to get better next year.  Turner has proven over the years that he is just not a good head coach.  Some team will snatch him up as an offensive coordinator.  It is time for the Chargers to go a different direction.

11. New York Giants

All the Giants need for an NFC East title is a week 17 home win against the Cowboys.

The Giants are very potent on offense, but they are 22nd or lower in rushing yards allowed per game and passing yards allowed per game.  They will need to upgrade their defensive line and secondary this offseason.  

Their first round draft pick from 2011, Prince Amukamara, has not been the player they hoped he would be this season.  They need a big offseason from him as well.

10. The Houston Texans

The Texans suffered one of the most surprising losses of the 2011 season when they lost to the Colts.  There really was not anyone who saw that one coming.

Houston has had one of the greatest turnarounds on defense in the history of the league, and they have a very good offense.  The only thing they are lacking is a talented wide receiver to line up opposite Andre Johnson.  

If they can add that guy to their line-up, they will have an excellent shot at winning another AFC South title in 2012.

9. The Cincinnati Bengals

In a week 17 that is full of complicated playoff scenarios, the formula is really easy for the Bengals.  All they have to do is win and they are in. 

The Bengals need to add a receiver to compliment A.J. Green before next season.  They have to be thrilled with the young nucleus of players they have in Green, Andy Dalton and Jermaine Gresham.  Adding another talented wide receiver would take a lot of the pressure off both Green and Dalton.

8. The Detroit Lions

The Lions are in the playoffs for the first time in a very long time.  That has to be a huge relief to all of the fans in Detroit.

There is no doubt the Lions have the offense to compete with anyone in the league, but they need some help on defense- specifically in the secondary.  They spent their first round draft pick last year on defensive tackle Nick Fairley.  This year they should look for a corner who can come in and make a difference from day one.

7. The Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons have not had the season they hoped for, but they are still going to be in the playoffs.  Anything can happen once the playoffs start.

Atlanta needs some help on the offensive line before next season starts.  There rushing offense has not been the same this year as it was in the last couple of years.  They need to add a guy that can open some holes for the running backs to run through.

6. The Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens still have a lot to play for in week 17.  They have a tough game against the Bengals that they need to win.  If they lose and the Steelers win, the Steelers would be the AFC North Champions.

Baltimore needs to upgrade at quarterback.  Joe Flacco has been decent to mediocre.  That is not good enough to win in today's NFL.  The Ravens need to add a difference maker under center.  They will be tough to beat if they can add that to a team that already has an incredible defense and Ray Rice.

5. The Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers will be on a roll when they enter the wild card round of the playoffs.  They will also be well rested because they can win their week 17 game against the Browns without playing half of their starters.

Pittsburgh needs an upgrade on the offensive line.  They have been beat up there this season, but even at full strength they are not very good.  

Ben Roethlisberger has plenty of weapons to get the ball to on the outside, but does not always have the protection he needs to get it there.

4. The San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers almost let one slip away against the Seahawks, but they rallied late and pulled out a victory.  They have an easy game with the Rams in week 17 and will have the #2 seed in the NFC.

San Francisco needs to improve at quarterback before next season.  They have a solid running game and an excellent defense.  If they could add a quarterback who could make some plays down the field they would have one of the best teams in the NFL.

3. The New England Patriots

The Patriots rallied from 17 down on Saturday to pull out a win at home against the Dolphins.  They should not have any trouble with the Bills in the final week of the season.

New England needs to get better in the secondary next season.  They have one of the most high-powered offenses in the league, but have been vulnerable against the pass all season long.  Adding a shutdown corner to the mix would make the close to unbeatable.

2. The New Orleans Saints

Drew Brees is really making a case to be the MVP of the league this year.  Aaron Rodgers has the inside track for the award, but it is impossible not to notice what Brees is doing.

The Saints need help in the secondary before next season.  They are giving up 256.1 yards per game through the air this year.  A shutdown corner would make them the best team in the league next season.

1. The Green Bay Packers

The Packers clinched home field advantage with their win over the Bears this week.

Green Bay obviously does not need any help on the offensive side of the ball.  To get better next year they are going to need to improve on defense.  They have given up a lot of yards through the air this year.  Part of that is because teams are always throwing to try and catch up with them, but it is also because they need better players on that side of the ball.

Look for them to put a heavy emphasis on defensive players in the 2012 draft.