It’s hard to prove that a team or player is overrated or underrated because perception isn’t something you can totally quantify. But I do spend an unhealthy amount of time consuming NFL Twitter, reading NFL analysis and watching NFL games. I know who’s getting love and who’s getting hate. And I know that in some cases, teams receive too much of one or the other.
Here are five NFL teams that don’t get enough love considering the state of their rosters.
Los Angeles Chargers:
Often overlooked because they’re in a division with the 2015 Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, the chic Oakland Raiders and the defending AFC West champion Kansas City Chiefs, the Chargers actually have more talent across the board than all of those teams. Seriously.
Philip Rivers, Keenan Allen, Melvin Gordon, top pick Mike Williams, Antonio Gates, Hunter Henry and a deep receiving corps as well as a remade line on offense. Reigning defensive rookie of the year Joey Bosa, strong under-the-radar pass-rusher Melvin Ingram and top-notch cornerback duo Jason Verrett and Casey Hayward on defense. Luck wasn’t on their side last season, but if the law of averages allows them to be healthier and less unlucky in general in 2017, they’ll make the playoffs.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
The defense was quietly one of the best in football during the second half of the 2016 season, and the Bucs finished 9-7 despite a poor start. Quarterback Jameis Winston should be even better in his third season, especially now that they’ve added high-quality weapons DeSean Jackson in free agency and O.J. Howard and Chris Godwin in the draft. Tampa Bay should be strong on both sides of the ball next year, but nobody seems to be talking about this team.
Tennessee Titans:
Like Tampa Bay, Tennessee just missed the playoffs with a 9-7 campaign in 2016 while receiving a strong performance from a second-year first-round pick at quarterback. Marcus Mariota was actually better than Winston, and while he doesn’t have as many high-quality weapons in the passing game, newbie receivers Eric Decker and Corey Davis (a first-round pick who tore it up at Western Michigan) should help take pressure off Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker and stud backs DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry.
Tennessee also has one of the best young offensive lines in the game, a loaded front-seven and a secondary that should be much better after adding veteran starters Logan Ryan and Johnathan Cyprien to the fray in free agency. I think Tennessee is the team in beat in the AFC South.
Washington Redskins:
It certainly doesn’t feel as though the Redskins are coming off back-to-back winning seasons, and that franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins has been one of the highest-rated and most efficient passers in the game during those two campaigns (his first two as a regular starter).
Yes, the ‘Skins lost 1,000-yard receivers DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon in free agency, but I think they’ll be in great shape still with young talents Jordan Reed, Jamison Crowder, Josh Doctson and new arrival Terrelle Pryor in the passing game. They also have one of the top offensive lines in the game and several strong playmakers (Josh Norman, D.J. Swearinger, Ryan Kerrigan) on defense. Don’t be surprised if they take the NFC East for the second time in three years.
Miami Dolphins:
The Dolphins won’t likely compete with New England in the AFC East, but they’re good enough to go toe-to-toe with pretty much any other division favorite in the NFL. Wrong division, wrong time. And that’s a big reason why they’re underrated.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was having a breakout 2016 season before suffering a knee injury in December, and running back Jay Ajayi became a star last year. They also have a deep receiving corps, a strong young offensive line and a defense that is vulnerable but contains playmakers Cameron Wake, Ndamukong Suh and Reshad Jones.
Beyond New England in the AFC, everybody talks about Pittsburgh, Oakland and Kansas City. But Miami deserves to be in that picture, along with the Titans and Chargers (and maybe even the Broncos, Colts, and Texans).
