Bottoms Up for NFL 2014 (Week 5): Browns on the comeback

Which NFL bottom-feeders from last season are turning it around this year?

It’s nearly become a tradition in today’s National Football League, where up can be down and down can certainly be up.

Just about every season, we see a last-place club turn into a first-place club in the blink of an eye aka one season. Let’s take a look at some recent examples.

Last season, the Philadelphia Eagles rebounded from a 4-12 showing and won the NFC East in 2013 with a 10-6 record. The year before, it was the Washington Redskins going from a last-place finish to an unexpected division crown.

Once again, we are taking a look at how the eight teams that finished last a year ago and ranking them from worst to best.

It was a difficult week for the teams that played last week as six of the seven clubs that took the field last Thursday night, Sunday and Monday night were on the road.

8. AFC West: Oakland Raiders (0-4); off last week

When the Silver and Black take the field on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, they will have a new head coach in Tony Sparano and will be looking to end a miserable 10-game losing streak dating back to last season.

Sparano certainly has his work cut out for him. Oakland ranks dead last in the league in both total offense and rushing and only seven teams have gained fewer yards through the air. On defense, only the Green Bay Packers have allowed more yards per game on the ground and a disappointing pass rush has produced just four sacks in as many games.

The Raiders recently added former Patriots’ wideout Kenbrell Thompkins to the roster. Can he provide the team’s struggling offense some assistance?

Week 6: vs. San Diego Chargers

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7. NFC East: Washington Redskins (1-4)

It looks like it could be starting to get away from the Washington Redskins.

A suddenly-resurgent NFC East has the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys atop the division with 4-1 marks and the New York Giants have won three straight games to get to 3-2.

Meanwhile, Washington has now allowed 109 points in their last three contests, all losses, after giving up a combined 27 points during a 1-1 start.

Now Jay Gruden’s club heads to the desert to face Bruce Arians’ club, who may be starting rookie quarterback Logan Thomas on Sunday.

Week 6: at Arizona Cardinals

6. NFC West: St. Louis Rams (1-3)

In a season marked by comebacks, the St. Louis Rams almost pulled off a doozy last week at Philadelphia.

Jeff Fisher’s team trailed 34-7 in the third quarter only to fall short, 34-28, to the Eagles.

It marked the third time in as many losses this season that the Rams had allowed 34 points. Talk about the kind of consistency you’re not looking for?

Speaking of searching, the Rams’ once-potent pass rush continues to be a no-show. For the second straight game and third time in four outings, Fisher’s club was held without a sack. Rookie defensive tackle Aaron Donald has the team’s lone sack in 2014.

Week 6: vs. San Francisco 49ers

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5. NFC South: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-4)

After a rousing comeback win at Heinz Field over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Lovie Smith’s club appeared on its way to 2-3 as they took a 24-13 lead at the Superdome.

Oops. When the smoke cleared the disappointing Bucs fell to 1-4 thanks to a 37-31 overtime loss at the Superdome.

Save for the team’s Week 3 blowout loss at Atlanta, Tampa’s other four games this season have been decided six points or less. Unfortunately, this is a team that continues to disappoint in a big way.

Since starting the 2012 with six wins in their first 10 games, the Buccaneers are a disturbing 6-21 in their last 27 contests.

Week 6: vs. Baltimore Ravens

4. NFC North: Minnesota Vikings (2-3)

Fortunately for head coach Mike Zimmer, his Minnesota Vikings will have rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater back at his disposal on Sunday.

Last Thursday night at Lambeau Field, Christian Ponder looked terrible and the defense fared even worse in 42-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Now the Purple Gang is hoping history repeats itself this Sunday. The Vikings host the Detroit Lions, a team that is a dismal 1-15 in its last 16 road trips to Minnesota dating back to 1998.

Week 6: vs. Detroit Lions

3. AFC North: Cleveland Browns (2-2)

After an off week, the Browns were back in action this week when they traveled to Nashville.

It seemed like they were still off for the majority of last Sunday’s afternoon tilt with the Tennessee Titans, falling behind 28-3, before rallying for the greatest comeback in NFL history for a road team with a 29-28 win.

Now here comes the rematch with the Steelers, who let Cleveland back into a game in Week 1 when it looked like they were on the way to a comfortable win. Pittsburgh opened up a 27-3 lead at intermission only to watch quarterback Brian Hoyer and company tie the score before Mike Tomlin’s club came away with a 30-27 victory.

The Browns’ four games this season have been decided by a three (win), two (loss), two (loss) and one (win) point. For the first time since the franchise re-entered the league in 1999, the Browns have scored at least 21 points in their first four games of the season.

But none of that will be much of anything if the team loses to the Steelers and falls to 0-3 in the division in 2014.

Week 6: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

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2. AFC East: Buffalo Bills (3-2)

Last week, former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz returned to the Motor City as defensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills and he and his new team got a little carried away. Led by some late heroics by veteran starting quarterback Kyle Orton, the Bills scored the final 17 points of the afternoon in a 17-14 win.

But now comes the real test in the form of the talented but suddenly unpredictable New England Patriots. In the span of seven days, Bill Belichick’s club has lost by 27 points at Kansas City then defeated the Cincinnati Bengals by 26 points.

But beating the Bills has been no problem for the Pats, winners of 25 of their last 27 meetings in this series. A victory by Doug Marrone’s club would put them in first place in the AFC East with a 4-2 mark, including 2-0 within the division.

Orchard Park figures to be quite the place to be on Sunday afternoon.

Week 6: vs. New England Patriots

1. AFC South: Houston Texans (3-2)

It was a game effort by Bill O’Brien’s club at Dallas and the Houston Texans fans were there in earnest.

Still, the club came up short in overtime, 20-17, despite 157 yards rushing and two touchdowns from running back Arian Foster.

What had to be particularly disappointing for O’Brien and company is that the defensive unit, despite giving up its share of real estate, continues its opportunistic ways. Houston couldn’t come away with the victory despite forcing three turnovers. Houston leads the NFL with 12 takeaways in 2014, one more than the club totaled all of last season.

Now the Texans get ready to do something they haven’t done all season and that’s play a divisional foe. O’Brien’s club hosts the Colts on Thursday night in a battle for first place in the AFC South.

Week 6: vs. Indianapolis Colts

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