Late Rankings

1. Tennessee Titans: Didn't see that coming. Their defense might be able to carry them.

2. New York Giants: Way to snap back into it in time to save home-field advantage. Now they will probably rest for the Vikings.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers: I'll give them a break. With this schedule, you are going to lose on the road a couple times.

4. Indianapolis Colts: Win, win, win.

5. Baltimore Ravens: Huge win over Dallas, the kind that should get them a ton of respect. 

6. Carolina Panthers: I don't see this team going far in the playoffs.

7. New England Patriots: They look pretty good to me. Too bad they are going to miss the playoffs.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan is the real deal, but their defense is going to lose them a playoff game.

9. Miami Dolphins: About as consistent this year as any other team.

10. Minnesota Vikings: No other team gives away more games that they should win.

12. Chicago Bears: They are starting to look destined for a playoff spot. Or maybe the Packers and Saints are just proving how bad they are.

26. Green Bay Packers: What an awful, awful second half. Losing streaks don't just happen.

28. Oakland Raiders: Nice, unexpected win over Houston. Will they reach .500 next year? Doubt it.

29. Kansas City Chiefs: This team cannot hold on to a lead. Ever.

30. Cleveland Browns: Bruce Gradkowski gets the start this week. Not sure what to say.

31. St. Louis Rams: So the Dolphins added Chad Pennington and have won nine more games than they did last year. Maybe the Rams should look into signing Matt Hasselbeck, their version of a long-time divisional rival...

32. Detroit Lions

Since I was a little late with this, I added Sports Illustrated, which comes out with their rankings on Wednesdays.

ESPN.com: MIN-11, CHI-13, G.B.-24

Michael Silver (Yahoo!): MIN-10, CHI-13, G.B.-25

CBS Sports: MIN-13, CHI-14, G.B.-25

Don Banks (SI): MIN-11, CHI-13, G.B.-25

Jeff Sagarin (USA Today): MIN-9, CHI-11, G.B.-16

Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News): MIN-11, CHI-14, G.B.-24

FOX Sports: MIN-12, CHI-13, G.B.-25

Upsetting Stat

Oakland: 3-9

Kansas City: 2-10

Seattle: 2-10

St. Louis: 2-10

Cincinnati: 1-11-1

Detroit: 0-12

Is this significant? Six teams with three or fewer wins. The interesting part about it is that the last time more than three teams finished with three or less wins was 1991. That is a long time. In 2003 every team had at least four wins. Over the past 10 years 20 teams have finished with three or fewer wins. Detroit has been that team three times. Cleveland is the only one during that time to do it in back-to-back seasons, 1999 and 2000 (They were an expansion team in '99).

So how likely is it that we will see more than three of these awful records this year? Well we have one already, the Lions. Here is how the other five look heading into the last month of the season:

Oakland Raiders: 2-10

The Raiders need only one victory to avoid this dubious distinction. They might not get it, especially if they lose to San Diego tonight. They host New England and Houston in the next two weeks, then travel to Tampa Bay. Houston is a possible win, but Tampa likely will be fighting either for a division title or playoff seeding. 

My Guess: 3-13

Kansas City Chiefs: 2-10

The Chiefs are a big reason why this field is so large; they beat Oakland last week, keep them in contention for a 3-13 year. Their schedule isn't too heavy the rest of the way — at Denver, home for San Diego and Miami, and at Cincinnati to close the year out— but, then again, no schedule is easy for a team with two wins going into December. The most they will win is two games.

My Guess: 4-12

Seattle Seahawks: 2-10

Seattle is going to lose three more games: vs New England, the Jets, and at Arizona. They also travel to St. Louis. If Seattle wins that game, both will finish 3-13 or worse.

My Guess: 2-14

St. Louis Rams: 2-10

It is a safe bet that the Rams will lose at Arizona and at Atlanta. I think they will win at home against Seattle. Their other game is also at home, against San Francisco. I think they'll lose that one.

My Guess: 3-13

Cincinnati Bengals: 1-10-1

The Bengals only shots at winning this again this year are at Cleveland and home against Kansas City in Weeks 16 and 17. Until then, they travel to Indianapolis and host Washington. Looks rough for them

My Guess: 1-14-1

So, if my predictions are right, there would be five teams with records of 3-13 or worse. Yikes.

Other stats on this stupid subject:

The teams who have finished 3-13 or worse the most since the 16-game schedule was introduced in 1978:

Indianapolis and Cincinnati five times each. Detroit, Tampa Bay, and New Orleans four times each.

Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Denver, Jacksonville, Green Bay, and Chicago have never lost more than 12 games in a season. The Chiefs obviously could do it this year.

On the other side, San Francisco has finished 13-3 or better eight times since 1978. Denver has done it four times.

The Jets, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Oakland, Houston, Detroit, Arizona, Carolina, Tampa Bay, and New Orleans have never won 13 games in a season. The Bucs and Panthers still could do it this season.

Miami, San Diego, Seattle, Minnesota, and Philadelphia have accomplished each feat exactly once. 

Top Five, Bottom Five

1. New York Giants: Best team in the league, not even close.

2. Tennessee Titans: One of the easiest wins I have ever seen. They should wrap up the AFC South soon.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers: Toughest schedule in the league, and they just keep winning. Really one of the better defenses in recent memory, at least statistically. 

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: I still feel like after Pittsburgh, the next six or seven spots are a jumble. Dallas is really close to getting back into the Top Five. Tampa is playing as consistent as anybody.

5. Indianapolis Colts: An ugly win against Cleveland, but when a team keeps winning, that means they are good.

12. Minnesota Vikings: If they had Kevin and Pat Williams the rest of the way, and could beat Detroit this week, the division would pretty much be theirs. But they almost certainly won't have those two, and without them, even Detroit is not a guaranteed win.

19. Chicago Bears: They have officially come back to Earth. They did a good job up piling up wins before this bad stretch though, and still have a shot at the playoffs.

21. Green Bay Packers: Their schedule is seriously weak, and that is their only hope. Houston, Jacksonville, Chicago, and Detroit are all very beatable, even for the struggling Packers. They'll have to win all four.

28. Oakland Raiders: Not sure what to say about the Raiders. They show up every week, but they aren't that good. Nice defense though. 

29. Seattle Seahawks: Mike Holmgren should have sat this year out. He could have started fresh in 2009 with San Francisco, a team that he might be able to take to 9-7 or so. Instead, he either won't get that year off, or he won't get a shot with the 49ers.

30. Cincinnati Bengals: I think the Bengals and Chiefs deserve some sort of consolation pat on the back for fighting so hard despite never having a chance in 2008. A lot of injuries here, too.

31. St. Louis Rams: The Rams are actually almost as bad as the Lions, if you can believe that. It is too bad for Marc Bulger, who is having an awful year. I would like to see him get a shot on a better team, because he is a legit quarterback, probably could win a Super Bowl with a decent team around him.

32. Detroit Lions: 

ESPN.com: MIN-15, CHI-19, G.B.-20

Michael Silver (Yahoo!): MIN-9, CHI-17, G.B. 20

CBS Sports: MIN- 13, CHI-18, G.B.-21

Jeff Sagarin (USA Today): MIN-8, G.B.-12, CHI-13

FOX Sports: MIN-14, CHI-18, G.B.-20

Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News): MIN-12, CHI-19, G.B.-21