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During the season Royce Freeman Jersey White , we post weekly power rankings. This year, we’ve decided to dispense with ranking all 32 teams and to focus on the teams currently at the bottom of the stack. And even in this time of propaganda, the reality in a 32-team, zero-sum league is that some teams will be good, and just as many will be bad.This following list is far from scientific. It’s a qualitative assessment of where the franchises currently are, and where they’ve been, both recently and in some cases historically.The list isn’t a prediction as to where these teams will finish in 2019. Several of them could make the playoffs. And maybe one will make it to the Super Bowl. Still, for now, when considering the league’s teams from top to bottom, there necessarily has to be teams from 21 through 32.And here they are, from 32 to 21.1. Cardinals: Not long ago, they were one of the best eight or so franchises in the NFL. But a free fall in recent years has depleted the roster, with millions wasted in an effort to replace Carson Palmer, an embarrassing “extreme DUI” arrest and jail time for the franchise’s top executive, a trade up one year ago to get Josh Rosen followed by a trade of Rosen for a low second-round pick because the coach who replaced a one-and-done misfire coveted someone else at quarterback, and (most recently) news that G.M. Steve Keim has never bothered to call Rosen during or after three months of dangling and a few days of rollercoastering along with the six-game suspension of the team’s most recognizable defensive player for taking a PED, taking a masking agent to hide the PED, and getting busted on both counts. They’ll need Kyler Murray to have a Mahomes-Mayfield-style impact to avoid becoming the chronic No. 32 team in a season they quite possibly will begin as the underdog in every single game.2. Jets: The decision to fire coach Todd Bowles in January and to keep G.M. Mike Maccagnan and to overpay Le'Veon Bell at a time when no one else was pursuing him in that range and to fire Maccagnan after the draft and to make new coach Adam Gase the interim G.M. has made plenty of fans long for the days of Woody Johnson and Rex Ryan. Woody’s kid brother Christopher, whose arrival actually had some rivals concerned that the Jets would turn things around, is learning as he goes, and in his trial-and-error effort to figure out how to run a football franchise it’s been more error than success. That said, the decision to trade up and take quarterback Sam Darnold could eventually eradicate the fumes of Christian Hackenberg from the building, and the Jets actually could be in position to surprise everyone in 2019.3. Giants: The plan is there is no plan, and the more they try to convince everyone they have a plan, the less obvious it is that they don’t. Everyone except those making decisions for the franchise realizes that it’s keeping former franchise quarterback Eli Manning around because of what he’s done, not because of what he’s expected to do. But even as they cling to Eli, they overdrafted (in the opinion of everyone except those making decisions for the franchise) Daniel Jones to eventually replace Manning, whether in one year or three years or whenever the plan-is-there-is-no-plan spinning wheel lands on Jones. Meanwhile, there’s reason to believe that Jones could be the Week One starter, if he’s as good as the Giants believe and if they remove the helmet-catch-colored glasses when evaluating the training camp and preseason performances of Jones and Manning. The fact that they traded receiver Odell Beckham Jr. after paying him $20 million for 12 games serves merely as the acrid icing on a rancid cake. But, hey, at least the Jets are still the Jets.4. Dolphins: Although being in the same division as the Patriots hasn’t helped, the Dolphins have done little to help themselves. The slide began when Dan Marino retired, and it accelerated when doctors told Nick Saban to send a second-round pick for Daunte Culpepper and his wrecked knee in lieu of signing Drew Brees and his wrecked shoulder. The Dolphins continue to grope for an answer at quarterback, and the absence of one has been the biggest impediment to sustained success. Giving up too quickly on coach Adam Gase didn’t help matters, and now owner Stephen Ross can only hope that new coach Brian Flores will bring a New England vibe to South Florida. Quickly. The fact that this franchise was once so relevant makes it even more glaring that Courtland Sutton Jersey White , over the past two decades, it has plunged into the role of perennial afterthought, with periodic but fleeting exceptions.5. Bengals: Malaise has been the operative word for the Bengals in recent years. Five straight playoff runs ended with five straight wild-card losses, extending a string of playoff futility that traces back to January 1991. The organization never seems like it makes winning a priority, unless (as it seems) the organization defined “winning” as making money not competing for championships. There’s a certain pragmatism to accepting the fact that only one of 32 teams will be satisfied every year, if that’s accepted as the widespread standard for NFL success. Maybe the secret of Cincinnati’s success has been to accept that it’s far easier to turn a profit than it is to turn up in February. Regardless, this team chronically feels like it could use a new everything, from top to bottom.6. Raiders: Reason exists for guarded optimism when it comes to the Raiders, thanks to the pilfering of receiver Antonio Brown from the Steelers and a draft headlined by three first-round draft picks. But the organization continues to be mired in the funk of mostly 17 years of struggles unbecoming to what once was one of the greatest brands in football. The looming move to Las Vegas carries a vague sense of promise, but to make that happen the marriage between Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock must bear fruit in the form of great football players, sooner than later. It won’t be easy in a division headlined by a perennial contender in Kansas City and an underrated powerhouse in L.A. The current placement in the middle of the worst-franchise pack is deserved, and some would say the Raiders should be even higher (as in lower). The fact that they aren’t primarily flows from the notion that the inevitable return to glory is coming sooner than later. Even if, in reality, “later” continues to be the operative term.7. Washington: Mired in at-best mediocrity for most of Daniel Snyder’s tenure as owner, the franchise has hovered in the general vicinity of “maybe” when it comes to potential contention, but hasn’t delivered. This year’s first-round haul of Dwayne Haskins and Montez Sweat has boom-or-bust potential for Washington, which is 28 years removed from its last championship. A run of health could fuel a rebound, but the upper reaches of the operation seem to be destined to keep the team from being as good as it can be — and it’s still not quite clear how good the team can be, with or without the upper reaches of the organization holding it back.8. Buccaneers: But for the arrival of Bruce Arians, who unretired in a Hail Mary effort to salvage Jameis Winston, the Bucs would be among the worst teams in the league. They’ve struggled to sell tickets, and for good reason. In the 17 years since winning a championship, the team has languished more often than not, unable to consistently compete with the other teams in the NFC South. Ownership moves too quickly to move on from coaches, preventing the kind of continuity that characterizes the franchises that manage to make it to the postseason at least once every few years. For the Buccaneers, it’s been an extended dry spell, and but for the fading memories of a run that could have/should have yielded more than one Lombardi Trophy, the Bucs would still be spinning their wheels among the very worst organizations in all of sports. They continue to slide back in that direction, and only a major jolt from Arians will keep that from happening.9. Lions: Bobby Layne’s 50-year curse has lasted a decade longer than expected, and the Lions now must hope that the efforts of Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia to change the culture will take root before they’re gradually swallowed by the internal and, among much of the media covering the team, external acceptance of also-ran status that has kept the team from winning a playoff game for 28 years and counting. Periodic promise has yielded playoff berths but no postseason success, and the career of franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford has largely been squandered. The only question at this point is whether the team will step up before the current power structure decides to tell Stafford to step off. The answer depends on whether the Lions can incorporate sufficient Patriot DNA to spark change before ownership decides to press the restart button prior to the effort to embrace a shot at greatness taking root.10. Broncos: Yes, they’ve won three Super Bowls, including their most recent trophy only three years ago. But a sustained run of relevance has been replaced by a sharp plunge to the bottom made even more conspicuous by the fact that, for the first time since the early 1970s, the Broncos have had a losing record for consecutive seasons. While a decorated history spared Denver from being closer to the top of the list Joe Flacco Jersey , three years of post-Peyton flopping in the boat have earned them a spot in the bottom 12. Whether they remain there depends on whether Vic Fangio is the answer at coach (he very well may be), whether Joe Flacco is the answer at quarterback (he very well may not be), and whether the linger intra-family Willie Wonka competition for control of the team is ever resolved (at times it feels like it never will be).11. 49ers: Those five Super Bowl trophies are getting lonelier and lonelier. Things simply haven’t been working for the 49ers since the “mutual parting” with Jim Harbaugh. Last year, expectations were too high, and injuries derailed a season that may not have resulted in a playoff berth anyway, given the presence of the Rams and Seahawks in the division. This year, expectations are high once again, which will make another failure for a team in perpetual turmoil even more noticeable. The 49ers would be wise to stay the course with Kyle Shanahan, who has four more years remaining on his contract, but another sub-.500 season should provoke serious soul-searching regarding the best way to dig out of a protracted funk.12. Browns: Speaking of protracted funks, the Browns would have been the clear-cut No. 1 team on this list a year ago, with an 0-16 season in 2017 preceded by 1-15 in 2016. A surprising turnaround in 2018 has them on the brink of escaping — but as their coach would say they haven’t won anything yet, including a path out of the bottom dozen franchises in the league. While all indications are that the Browns have the players to turn things around (starting with Baker Mayfield, who may end up with a full mantle of MVP trophies), an unproven coach was hired in January, and ownership that has proven to be far too meddlesome remains. So before penciling the Browns in for a division title or a Super Bowl berth, the first step is to have the kind of season that will get them to be considered to be in the upper half of a 32-team league. Here’s hoping they do. While Drew Lock has returned to practice with great fanfare and much attention on his limited snaps, Brandon Allen has quietly been getting his second week of full NFL practice before heading north to face a much bigger challenge than his pro start debut - playing on the road against a contender.And even though he knows his chance to keep playing rests on having a damn-near perfect performance, Allen has been assuming that ever since bouncing around the waiver wire once making it to the NFL.“This league’s so competitive and there are so many good players waiting for an opportunity that every week you have to be on top of your game,” Allen said Wednesday. “If you’re not, that next guy behind you is ready to get in there.”Offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello will be under the microscope again to see if he can work a little more play-design magic as his young quarterback goes up against a very stout Front 7, taking advantage of Allen’s ability to move out of the pocket if the play breaks down.“You always want to build to a guy’s strength,” Scangarello said. “Brandon is smart, he’s intelligent and he’s tough. He hasn’t played a lot, but the game has slowed down for him in a lot of ways just being around guys, being around some good veterans and some good coordinators.“I think that that, with the ability to know when to go off-schedule and to make a play with his feet or to use that to his strength, it definitely helps the offense.”One thing that helped the offense last week was the “big play” - such as Courtland Sutton’s 21-yard touchdown catch or Noah Fant’s 75-yard catch and run touchdown.Although the Broncos’ offense still struggled to score on every drive, Scangarello did not discount the “big play” as a fluke.“That’s what makes great offenses, honestly,” Scangarello said, noting it’s hard to “earn” those scores. “That play by Noah could have been a 12-yard completion and we would have had to go 50 more yards to finish it with a score. Maybe you don’t score in the red zone and you’re kicking a field goal and we’re talking a different narrative. I just really feel like you get guys in a position to be successful, they learn to get confident, they take advantage of that and that’s what leads to great offensive play in the long run.”Allen admitted that it took him a little time to get into a rhythm during the Browns game, and he’s hoping to improve on that in Minnesota.“I think settling in sooner in this next game will be better for me,” he said. “I missed a few throws here and there I know I can make. Kind of cleaning up the little things will be better for this week.”While Allen aims to extend his playing time at least another week, Lock is still unsure of his timeline. And head coach Vic Fangio hinted on Thursday that there’s no guarantee Lock will play this season - but that he definitely benefited from the time away from the field.“I think he learned a lot whereas when he was going through it in the spring and in training camp before he got hurt Bradley Chubb Jersey White , it was piling up on him, I think,” Fangio said. “Besides learning the new offense and being under center which he had never done in college, etc., all those things were piling up on him and getting in the way of progressing the way you’d like to see him progress.”The onus has been on Scangarello - and his quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney - to get both Allen and Lock ready in a short amount of time. With both Scangs and McCartney coming from the collegiate ranks, their coaching style is well-equipped to teach in a short amount of time.“The college experience. It forces you to be creative teacher. I think the NFL is catching up now. I think for a lot of years, your players came in and they were a little bit more mature, they played in similar systems and there just was a foundation. I think now you’re starting at a lower level and to get a guy accelerated in his growth, learning and up to speed, you have to be creative with your teaching methods. I think teaching an 18-year-old it helps you do that.”Scangarello noted that the key is figuring out what each player responds to for correction.“It starts the day they walk in the door. It’s just a process of having a good teaching methodology and being creative because every learner is a little bit different,” he said. “How you attack it, each person I think is a little bit different. Whether they’re visual or audio learners and all that, that plays a factor….I think it’s reflected in Brandon’s play that [QBs coach T.C. McCartney] did a nice job with him.”As anxious as Lock may be to get on the field, he insists he’s cool with whatever the coaches decide.And how will they decide if he’s ready to activate? Lock has an idea.“Being clean out here on the practice field—no fumbled snaps, completing passes, just showing that I knocked the rust off from not being around a team, not being in a pocket and not doing the basic football things that quarterbacks do for a pretty good amount of time,” Lock said. “Once they feel like that’s the case, then I guess they’ll have a decision to make.”Horse TracksElway: Broncos will send scout to Kaepernick's workout and interview | 9news.comDespite the terrible lead for this story, the rest is worthwhile.Drew Lock, Broncos rookie QB, confident rust will be off after a "practice or two"Broncos rookie quarterback Drew Lock returned to practice Tuesday for the first time since sustaining a sprained right thumb in the Aug. 19 preseason game against San Francisco.Kirk Cousins: Broncos Have "The Best Defense We Will Play" This SeasonThe Broncos may be 3-6, but their defense presents a formidable challenge.NFL: 11 teams committed to attend Colin Kaepernick workout - NFL.comThe NFL announced Thursday that 11 teams have committed to attend Colin Kaepernick's workout in Atlanta.Lock's recovery time proves valuable as rookie quarterback looks 'a little bit better' in return to practice“I think the time off in some ways — although you never want it — helped him,” HC Vic Fangio said.NFL Week 11 game picks: Ravens edge Texans; Pats top Eagles - NFL.comWho'll prevail in an electric quarterbacking showdown between Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson? Are the Pats going to flip the Super Bowl LII script on the Eagles? Gregg Rosenthal predicts every Week 11 game.Von Miller still making major impact on defense as he waits for sacks to comeAs the Broncos enter Week 11, Von Miller finds himself in an unfamiliar position. The seven-time Pro Bowler, who has racked up five consecutive seasons with at least 10 sacks, sits at 47th among the season’s sack leaders.Lloyd: Myles Garrett is changed forever and the Browns are still the Browns – The AthleticFreddie Kitchens wanted his team to bring the fight every week. Well, they have. And the Browns are still the Browns. Even the wins are sad.JuJu, Conner exit early in Steelers' loss to Browns - NFL.comJuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner did not return to the Steelers' Thursday night loss to the Browns, as Pittsburgh's injury problems continue.Vikings Thursday Injury Report: Anthony Harris sits out of practice - Daily NorsemanAnother starter takes a seatMinnesota Vikings vs. Denver Broncos Week 11 Preview: No Style Points - Daily NorsemanSunday’s game against Denver might be tough to watch at times, but all the Vikings need to do is get a win before the bye and a tough final stretch.Myles Garrett, two others ejected after late skirmish - NFL.comAn ugly game ended in uglier fashion on Thursday night. Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi and Maurkice Pouncey were all ejected following a skirmish late in the fourth quarter of Cleveland's win.