Most disappointing NFL teams of 2010

Only in the NFL could you have on the same day one coach of a 7-9 team (Pete Carroll) preparing for the playoffs and another coach of a 7-9 team (Tony Sparano) meeting with his owner among widespread specualtion that he's about to become a former head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

I know there were a lot of great storylines in 2010, but we live in the Land of 10,000 Disappointments. And that only covers the football team. So I thought I'd focus on some of the flops. It's not easy to sort through them all when you consider that half of last year's division winners (Vikings, Cowboys, Cardinals and Bengals) made up half of this year's last-place finishers.

So, without further delay, here are my top 12 most disappointing NFL teams in 2010, in reverse order:

12, Cleveland Browns (5-11)

Yeah, I know the Browns were in Year 11 of being expected to lose. But this year's team outcoached and outplayed Bill Belichick's Patriots. This year's team outcoached and outplayed Sean Payton's Saints. Then they lost to the Bills and Bengals. Peyton Hillis fell apart. Eric Mangini got fired. And, well, here we go again.

11, Arizona Cardinals (5-11)

We all knew the Cardinals wouldn't be as good without Kurt Warner. But they were in the NFC West, and all it took was seven games to win that division. Instead, the Cardinals sank to near the bottom of the league with two rookie QBs and Derek Anderson. Probably shoulda kept Matt Leinart even though he's not that good.

Some idiots (guilty) thought the 49ers were so good defensively that they'd be able to mop up the NFC West and get a No. 2 seed. Yikes, what a whiff. For all those who think head coaches must have NFL playing experience, we present to you Mike Singletary.

9, Houston Texans (6-10)

Yeah, it's unfortunate for the Texans that they play in the AFC Manning division. But 6-10 after going 9-7, your first winning season ever? C'mon. What's even worse for Texans fans: Gary Kubiak is coming back. Again.

8, Tennessee Titans (6-10)

This one was kind of fun to watch. Remember when the Titans were the only team to put in a claim for Randy Moss after he was waived by the Vikings? Remember how smug they were in describing why Moss would work out there? Stable organization. Under-the-radar organization. Head coach Jeff Fisher. Etc., etc. Well, since that acquisition, the Titans went 1-7, saw their franchise QB (Vince Young) stage a one-man revolt and are now considering whether to keep the immature quarterback or Fisher.

In a normal season, the Chargers might have ranked No. 1. Considering the talent they had and the division they play in, it seemed like a layup for the Chargers to host a playoff game. GM A.J. Smith must have been thinking that too when he drew a line in the sand with key veterans, who decided to hold out and bring down a season.

6, Washington Redskins (6-10)

Remember when Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb being on the same team was considered a good thing? Turns out they were just two more props in the ongoing fiasco under Redskins owner Daniel Snyder.

5, Cincinnati Bengals (4-12)

Yeah, it's the Bengals. They're supposed to lose after years in which they lose. But the Bengals not only won the best division in football last year, they swept the AFC North. Then they went out and added T.O. This season, they lost 10 consecutive games after a 2-1 start. Same old Bengals. Again. And now it's looking like Marvin Lewis, whose contract expired, will be moving on a year after winning NFL Coach of the Year.

Yeah, it's unfortunate that the Jaguars are in the AFC Manning division. But in what seems like the 50th year under Jack Del Rio, the Jaguars were poised to finally take that next step and elbow past Peyton for at least one season. They were 8-5 when they went to Indianapolis for the big showdown. Then they lost the first of three straight to post yet another disappointing season-ending collapse.

And even worse for Jags fans (if there is such a thing): Del Rio agreed to give up defensive play-calling so he could return in 2011. But cheer up. He has to make the playoffs in 2011 to keep his job.

3, Dallas Cowboys (6-10)

Wow. Another team that in a normal year would be No. 1 on this list. The pomposity of the Cowboys was at an all-time high heading into the season. They were going to become the first team to play a Super Bowl in its own stadium. The losses mounted, Wade Phillips was fired and, well, Super Bowl XLV will have to find someone without stars on their helmets.

1B, New York Giants (10-6)

When they were 6-2 and coming off a 41-7 win at Seattle, some of us were convinced the Giants were the team in the NFC. Then they lost two straight division games and they weren't even the team to beat in the NFC East.

But then the Giants won three in a row and were leading the Eagles by 31-10 with eight minutes left in their 14th game of the season. We assumed they would win that game, seize control of the division and hunt down the No. 1 seed.

Well, they lost that Eagles game on the only game-winning punt return as time expired. Then they got killed at Green Bay. And that was that.

1A, Minnesota Vikings (6-10)

As you're painfully aware of, everything -- E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G -- went wrong from Day 1 for the team that was in the national public eye for every painful step of the way. This was the team that had it all: the experience of nearly reaching the Super Bowl the previous season, the 22 returning starters, Brett Favre coming off his best season.