Eliminate 6 Franchises - NFL Version

[IrishCanadian25]

If the NFL came to you today and assigned you the job of eliminating 6 of it's 32 franchises (just less than 20% of the league), which 5 would you eliminate and why?

The 32 NFL Franchises are:

Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
New York Jets
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
Pittsburgh Steelers
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Titans
Denver Broncos
Kansas City Chiefs
Oakland Raiders
San Diego Chargers
Dallas Cowboys
New York Giants
Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Redskins
Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Arizona Cardinals
St. Louis Rams
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks

Please be sure to provide at least one reason for EACH of your eliminations. Also, you aren't doing this as a fan of a team - you're doing this as an NFL executive. As a Packer fan, I'd LOVE to axe the Vikings and Bears, but both are solid franchises.

 

[Big Sexy]

1. Houston Texans- This is the most recent franchise to join the league as they were founded in 2002. This is the easiest choice. They've never made the playoffs and have only had one season with a winning record.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars- Another recently joined franchise as they were founded in 1995. The state of Florida really doesn't need any more then the Dolphins and the Jags attendance numbers just aren't very good.

3. Carolina Panthers- Like Jacksonville they joined in 1995. They've been a fairly successful franchise recently but again they're relatively new and have never won the big one so it wouldn't be some huge loss.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Joined in 1976 and if it wasn't for Tony Dungy then they probably wouldn't even be in Tampa at this point. They have a Super Bowl from 2002 but like I said earlier the state of Florida doesn't need more the one team and no way are the Dolphins going anywhere.

5. Seattle Seahawks- Also joined in 1976 and haven't had enough success to warrant them staying around. One Super Bowl appearance and some good seasons with Mike Holmgren isn't enough to keep them around.

6. Arizona Cardinals- To me it was a toss up between them and the Rams but I went with the Cards because of their shit owners. One Super Bowl appearance isn't enough to shake off the years of shit the Cardinals have had during their franchises long history.

 

[People's Champ]

Jacksonville Jaguars- the fanbase is pretty much nonexistant. Hardly any money is being made by that team. No need to keep them around.

Tampa Bay Bucs- Except for the Super Bowl they won in '02, this team has been complete crap. From the time it started til now, they have been at the bottom half of league most of their existance. No need for bottom dwellers.

Cleveland Browns- I understand the proud history of this franchise, but since its return, this team really done nothing. They have ugly jerseys, a bad team pretty much year in and year out.

Buffalo Bills- After their string of Super Bowl appearances in which they were crushed each time, they have fallen off big time. They can't attract great players or coaches up there. No one wants to be in Buffalo. If you can't attract stars and give fans reasons to come, then its time to go.

St. Louis Rams- Another one of those teams that had a brief run at success but otherwise has been a failed franchise. Besides that period with the greatest show on turf, they have not been a very good team. Axe em.

That was a little bit harder than I thought it would be. But if I had to pick, those are the teams that I would scratch.

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

St. Louis Rams- Bad ownership, bad team history, and I'd rather have a basketball team. The Greatest Show on Turf is the Rams claim to fame, that's it. They do have a decent fanbase here, nothing like the big name teams have but pretty good for only having them here for a few years. It does pain me to say it, but if I have to give a team the axe the Rams are probably going to get it. The only thing that saves them is if Bradford is worth the hype, but as of today they're out for me.

Arizona Cardinals- Maybe the worst ownership in all of sports. Another team that hurts me to say they need to go but I have to be objective here and they don't deserve to be part of the NFL. The only thing that can save them is better ownership, til that day comes they are on my list.

Seattle Seahawks- So basically the entire NFC West is shit. The team really only dominated the weakest division in the NFL. They really don't have a savior right now.

Jacksonville Jaguars- Zero fanbase. They were talking about drafting Tim Tebow for the sake of selling jerseys, that screams being worthy of being in the NFL doesn't it?

Oakland Raiders- Rich history, horrible owner. If Al Davis is out of the picture then they stay, but with him still there they don't need to be taking up profit sharing and tv time.

Cleveland Browns- Rich history(sort of) great fan base but bad teams, really bad teams.

 

[Minor League Brian]

Oakland Raiders- Rich history, horrible owner. If Al Davis is out of the picture then they stay, but with him still there they don't need to be taking up profit sharing and tv time.

They have that rich history BECAUSE of that Horrible Owner.

This is tough, as I personally love how the NFL is now...though I wish it was 18 games over 16. Anyways, here goes.

This ends up being a "Who's the shittiest" team award so I'm going to attempt to change it around a tad bit. A part of me wants to add the Lions and Rams to the top for being so bad for so long (Rams haven't done shit since the early part of the decade) but I couldn't. They're both on track to return to some form of mediocrity. So I'll go like this.

1. Cleveland Browns: This team use to be the shit. So much, in fact, that they still have one of the best overall win loss records in football I do believe. However, ever since coming back they just haven't been able to amount to much. Outside of random fluke seasons, the overall team is just terrible. They've got one of the best LT's and a very good Special Teamer but outside of those 2 they have no real weapons on Offense. The same can be said on Offense with only 2 real standouts in my mind. (Eric Wright and Shaun Rodgers). Its as if they're stuck in the limbo between College and NFL level.

2A/B. Jacksonville Jaguar's and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Now I wouldn't really be up for eliminating either of these team, but I propose combining them. The Jags have always seemed to be a decent team but don't have a fan base, nor can they seemingly be more then fodder in the playoffs. Tampa Bay seems to be on the up, and seems to have slightly better attendance then the Jags, yet have shit on their team. I'd in fact combine them (in essence eliminating a team) and make one team that actually would be a pretty decent team imo.

3. Kansas City Cheifs: This team just cannot do anything and they haven't been worth mentioning since they lost Trent Green. I know Jamal Charles has the potential to be a monster, but right now I just do not see how one person is worth keeping a franchise for. I'd even argue Matt Cassel struggling so bad makes one wonder how Tom Brady would look in another offense outside of Belichek's.

4. Buffalo Bills: This team at once had like what...3 or 4 Superbowl appearances in a row and didn't win a single one? This team is just a better version of the Browns to me. A team stuck in limbo, who just cannot pull anything substantial their way. They're just a fodder team now.

Outside of these 4...I can't think of anyone else honestly. The Lions and the Rams are on the up. Houston gets better every year, they will eventually make it over the Hump. The Panthers are very successful. Bears are shit now, but they haven't gotten to the level of being "out of the league" worthy yet. Saints just won the Superbowl. Normally I'd want to throw the Jets onto this list, but with Rex and how they're GM they've been turning heads and are on their way up.

Maybe we should just toss the Cowboys and Steelers. 2 of the most over-rated franchises ever.

 

[tripolie atche]

1. Jacksonville Jaguars- fan base absolutely sucks (i think all of their home games except for one were blacked out in the city of Jacksonville), they dont have any marketable players (yes MJD is great but he isnt one of the most popular players in the league), & who in the hell did they select in the 1st Rd of this yrs draft??? some DT who was projected to go in the 2nd rd, they might as well should've used the pick on Tebow cuz at least they wouldve sold out their home games with him on the team

2. Detroit Lions- kinda shocked no one mentioned them but yeah the lions, they were the worst team during the 2000s decade & theyve only won ONE PLAYOFF GAME in the last 50-60 yrs & plus the city of Detroit is suffering from the bad economy (dont live in Detroit so cant really go deep into that & if the bad economy would even hurt the Lions; only reason i mentioned it is because ive heard rumors about the Detroit Pistons possibly moving)

3. Buffalo Bills- like the Lions they had a terrible 2000s decade but unlike them they still dont have a franchise QB & any signs of making the playoffs in the near future, plus this yr will be the 3rd straight season that theyll play one of their regular season home gms in Toronto so does that mean a possible move there in the future since its more of an attractive city then Buffalo???

4. Cleveland Browns- i feel sorry for this franchise i mean the year they moved to Baltimore was the year they drafted Jonathan Ogden & Ray Lewis, & then 5 years later Baltimore wins the Super Bowl & have been playoff contenders yearly ever since; the "new" Browns who came back to the NFL in 1999 have only reached the playoffs once since & have made terrible draft choices (had the #1 pick in '99 & '00 and both Tim Couch & Courtney Brown were busts & also they took Couch over McNabb and Culpepper, Gerard Warren over LT & Richard Seymour, William Green over Clinton Portis, etc. just to name a few) hopefully Mike Holmgren can turn this franchise around

5. Kansas City Chiefs- what has this franchise done since winning Super Bowl 4??? luckily for them Montana joined the team in the early 90s & made them relevant for a few yrs (took em to the AFC Title game) but since he retired they havent won a playoff gm. Fortunately for them, they brought in Weis & Crennel (the two coordinators who were with NE when they won their 3 Super Bowls) & Weis should help Cassel out a lot since he did help Tom Brady out a lot obviously

6. Tie between Oakland & Houston- couldnt settle on this one so i said both; Houston because theyve been here since 2002 (the youngest of the 32 teams) & theyve never been to the playoffs although they were close last yr & hopefully they can reach it this yr; Oakland because well since reaching the Super Bowl in 2002 theyve become the Detroit Lions of the AFC by not reaching the playoffs since then & by their recent draft selections (Robert Gallery over Fitz, Rivers, Big Ben, etc. in 2004, Jamarcus Russell in 07, McFadden in 08, Darrius Heyward-Bey over Michael Crabtree in 09) fortunately for them they have a good history but the man behind it all, Al Davis, needs to go since the team hasnt benefited from him for almost the last 10 yrs