The worst NFL teams from the 2000s

The 2000s were defined by great quarterback play, but at the other end of the spectrum were some truly horrific teams. These 20 squads were the worst in the NFL from the decade.

1. 2008 Detroit Lions (1 of 20)

They said it couldn't be done, but the 2008 Lions proved them wrong. Detroit became the first team to go a "perfect" 0-16, showing off true futility under head coach Rod Marinelli. The team displayed one of the worst defenses ever put on a football field, allowing 32.3 points per game, while quarterbacks Dan Orlovsky, Jon Kitna, and Daunte Culpepper failed to produce much offense with more interceptions than touchdown passes.

2. 2009 St. Louis Rams (2 of 20)

The Rams started the 2000s with dominance, but failures in the draft put them at the bottom of the league by the end of the decade. They went 1-15 under Steve Spagnuolo in 2009, with an offense that averaged only 10.9 points per game as Marc Bulger, Kyle Boller, and Keith Null combined to throw 11 touchdowns. Running back Steven Jackson did shine with 1,416 yards rushing.

3. 2000 San Diego Chargers (3 of 20)

Mike Riley's squad had a brutal 1-15 season with Ryan Leaf back under center for the majority of 2000. The draft bust went 1-8 as the starter, while Jim Harbaugh and Moses Moreno combined to go 0-7. San Diego's defense was even more lackluster than its offense, allowing 27.5 points per game.

4. 2001 Carolina Panthers (4 of 20)

Head coach George Seifert wore out his welcome in Carolina, going 1-15 in his final season. The team lost 15 straight games after winning in Week 1, with rookie fourth-round pick Chris Weinke struggling as a starter after a great college career.

5. 2000 Cleveland Browns (5 of 20)

Cleveland's 1999 expansion season was terrible at 2-14, and 2000 was hardly better at 3-13. The team started the season 2-1, but struggled before quarterback Tim Couch suffered a season-ending injury in Week 7. The Browns finished the season last in the league with 10.1 points per game, with future head coach Doug Pederson starting half of the season.

6. 2008 St. Louis Rams (6 of 20)

The Rams began the season 0-4, resulting in Scott Linehan losing his job during the team's bye week. They didn't do much better under Jim Haslett the rest of the way at 2-10, with an offense that averaged 14.5 points per game and a defense that allowed the second-most points in the league.

7. 2000 Arizona Cardinals (7 of 20)

Arizona fired head coach Vince Tobin after a poor 2-5 start, and it only got worse from there with the team going 1-8 under interim head coach Dave McGinnis. Quarterback Jake Plummer threw at least 20 picks for the third consecutive year, and the defense was the second-worst in the NFL with 27.7 points allowed per game.

8. 2005 Houston Texans (8 of 20)

Houston had five consecutive losing seasons before they could even get to .500 in 2007, and the 2005 squad was their worst. The team went 2-14 in head coach Dom Capers' final season, with a league-worst 26.9 points allowed per game. As usual, quarterback David Carr was running for his life with a league-high 68 sacks.

9. 2007 Miami Dolphins (9 of 20)

Head coach Cam Cameron got only one year as head coach in Miami and for good reason with the team going 1-15. Their only win was an overtime victory over Baltimore in Week 15, as the quarterback trio of Cleo Lemon, Trent Green, and John Beck combined for 12 touchdown passes. The defense was also the third-worst in the league with 27.3 points allowed per game.

10. 2009 Detroit Lions (10 of 20)

They certainly weren't as bad as the winless 2008 Lions, but the sequel only improved to 2-14 under new head coach Jim Schwartz. Rookie first overall pick Matthew Stafford started only 10 games due to injury, and along with Daunte Culpepper and Drew Stanton, combined to throw 32 interceptions. The defense also remained at the bottom of the league, allowing 30.9 points per game.

11. 2006 Oakland Raiders (11 of 20)

Raiders owner Al Davis curiously brought back head coach Art Shell after his success in the role with the team a decade earlier, but his second opportunity didn't go as well. Shell went 2-14 in one season, overseeing a terrible offense that averaged 10.4 points per game and reached 20 points only four times with Aaron Brooks and Andrew Walter splitting starts.

12. 2004 San Francisco 49ers (12 of 20)

Head coach Dennis Erickson struggled in his second of two seasons as San Francisco head coach, going 2-14. The team had the worst defense in the NFL, allowing 28.3 points per game, and the offense wasn't much better with Tim Rattay and Ken Dorsey combining to throw 16 touchdowns.

13. 2002 Cincinnati Bengals (13 of 20)

Defensive coaching legend Dıck LeBeau didn't fare well as Cincinnati's head coach in two-plus seasons, and was fired after going 2-14 in 2002. His defense was the worst in the league, while the offense scored seven or fewer points in five of the team's first six games. The offense did start to right the ship later in the year with improvement from Jon Kitna and Corey Dillon, but it wasn't enough.

14. 2003 Arizona Cardinals (14 of 20)

The 2003 Cardinals were last in the league in both points scored and points allowed with a 4-12 final record. They employed future Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith in an injury-plagued season, while quarterbacks Jeff Blake and Josh McCown struggled. The lone bright spot was Offensive Rookie of the Year wideout Anquan Boldin.

15. 2005 San Francisco 49ers (15 of 20)

The Mike Nolan era started with a big Week 1 win over the Rams, but San Francisco would win only three more games in a 4-12 season. First overall draft choice Alex Smith missed time to injury and had a horrific 1/11 TD/INT in nine games, while the defense allowed the third most points in the league.

16. 2007 St. Louis Rams (16 of 20)

Head coach Scott Linehan went 8-8 in his first season with the Rams in 2006, but the team fell hard the following year at 3-13. Marc Bulger, Gus Frerotte, and Brock Berlin combined to throw 28 interceptions, while running back Steven Jackson missed four games to injuries. The defense also allowed the second-most points in the league.

17. 2000 Cincinnati Bengals (17 of 20)

Akili Smith's first season as the primary starting quarterback didn't go well, as he went 2-9 in 11 starts. His early struggles cost head coach Bruce Coslet his job after an 0-3 start in which the team totaled seven points scored, and the anemic offense finished the year averaging 11.6 points per game.

18. 2005 New Orleans Saints (18 of 20)

2005 was head coach Jim Haslett's fifth and final year as Saints head coach, going 3-13. Aaron Brooks' passing inaccuracy helped limit the offense to only 14.7 points per game, while the defense was also fifth-worst in the league.

19. 2001 Detroit Lions (19 of 20)

Detroit made a change at head coach despite a winning season in 2000, and the results under new head coach Marty Mornhinweg were far worse. The Lions went 2-14 in his first season, using three different starting quarterbacks led by Charlie Batch while struggling defensively with 26.5 points allowed per game.

20. 2008 Kansas City Chiefs (20 of 20)

The Chiefs struggled through injuries in Herm Edwards' third and final season at the helm, going 2-14. Tyler Thigpen started 11 games under center despite completing fewer than 55% of his passes, and the defense was the fourth-worst in the league with 27.5 points allowed per game.