It’s time to check in on the teams that can’t get out of their own way. We’re halfway through the 2022 NFL season, and much of it has been unpredictable, but there are always a few teams we expect to disappoint their fanbases. Now let’s get into the powerless ranking for Week 11.
Teams on the doorstep: Chicago Bears (3-8), Arizona Cardinals (4-7), Pittsburgh Steelers (3-7), Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7), Denver Broncos (3-7)
It’s been a tough season for Sean McVay (above) and the Rams coming off that Super Bowl win in February. They’ve been banged up and beaten down because of it, and seemingly nothing has gone right through 10 games. Things got even worse as star wide receiver Cooper Kupp will miss 6-8 weeks after requiring ankle surgery before the Week 11 loss to New Orleans.
Matthew Stafford (pictured) could also miss time as he’s been placed in concussion protocol again. Barring a miracle, the Rams are all but officially out of the playoff hunt. They’d likely need to win out to have any chance of getting into the postseason at this point. Based on how they’ve played, the chances of that happening are slim.
The Raiders finally got another win, the first since beating the Texans a month ago. The passing game is still a one-man show for the Raiders, with Derek Carr (above r.) targeting Davante Adams 13 times and connecting on seven for 141 yards and two touchdowns in a win over the Denver Broncos.
Overall, Carr passed for 307 yards, and the two TD passes to Adams (above). Josh Jacobs also had a good day carrying the ball 24 times for 109 yards. When you’ve been as bad as the Raiders have been lately, you take wins wherever you can get ’em. It’s even sweeter when it comes over one of your biggest rivals.
Denver has been beyond disappointing this season, with Russel Wilson (above) leading the way. It’s time they were recognized for their failure. Following the offseason trade to the Broncos, many wondered if Wilson would follow in the footsteps of Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford in winning Super Bowls in their first year with new teams. Wilson won’t even come close, as his Broncos will be lucky to win six games this year.
If it hasn’t been head coach Nathaniel Hackett screwing up, it’s been Wilson looking washed up at times and failing to put up points on offense. Denver is last in the NFL in points per game, averaging under 15. There isn’t much more to say about the Broncos after losing to rival Las Vegas in Week 11, 22-16.
There’s no shame in losing to Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, but there should be some embarrassment in the offense scoring three points. It’s even worse when your defense holds Jackson and crew to just 13. The 2023 NFL Draft can’t come soon enough for Carolina.
It hasn’t mattered who plays QB this year for the Panthers. The result is usually the same. Baker Mayfield (pictured) passed for 196 yards against Baltimore posting a QBR of 20.4 and a passer rating of 54.6. They gained 36 rushing yards in four quarters. It’s clear Carolina needs a QB, but more playmakers, in general, should be the focus in the offseason.
You know it was a rough week when Texans head coach Lovie Smith gets involved in a verbal back-and-forth with a reporter following the game. Houston lost to Washington, 23-10, in a game that was never that close.
Any goodwill that Davis Mills (above l.) had built up last season is now completely gone, and the Texans should be in the hunt for their QB of the future. (CJ Stroud? Bryce Young?) The offense was so bad Sunday that the Texans rushed for only 21 yards. Mills was sacked five times and registered a QBR of 11.7. At that point, he might as well not even be on the field.