The NFL's Three Turnaround Teams

Talk about a turnaround! When last season ended, these teams were near, if not at, the bottom of the standings. But here they are now, leading their divisions and staying in the top five of their conference.

So you might ask: Who did that? What did they do? How did they do it?

Without further ado, the NFL’s three turnaround teams...

Chicago Bears
After ending the 2009 season 7-9 and 11th in the NFC, the Bears had little hope to be Super Bowl contenders. Now they already have more wins than last season. The Bears are quickly making their way to the playoffs and giving new hope to their loyal fans. With players like Brian Urlacher, Jay Cutler and Julius Peppers, the Bears have improved an amazing nine places in the NFL standings. Wow! And, who knows, maybe this year Jay Cutler will have a chance to lift the Lombardi trophy. Go Bears!

St. Louis Rams
Ending their 2009 season at the bottom of the NFC with a 1-15 record, the Rams appeared to have a bleak future. Many laughed at them. Then the Rams made an excellent choice in drafting Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford. Since then, St. Louis has improved dramatically in passing yards and have more than doubled their wins from last season. Going from last in the NFC to fourth in the conference is a big change. Bradford has had an amazing rookie year. Before him, there was little chance for the Rams to even get close to the playoffs. But here they are, working their way slowly to the not-far-off Super Bowl. Keep it up Rams!

Kansas City Chiefs
In 2009 the Chiefs were last in the AFC with a 4-12 record. Most felt that the Chiefs were never going to improve, let alone be where they are now. They are first in rushing in the NFL and have the third best record in the AFC. Best of all, they’re doubling their win total from last season and heading toward the playoffs. However, all of this didn’t happen overnight. Many changes have been made regarding plays and new players. With new draft picks Eric Berry, Dexter McCluster and Tony Moeaki, the Chiefs have a bright future! A future that the patient Chiefs fans have been waiting for! Of course, with Todd Haley leading the team and Matt Cassel leading the offense, maybe the Chiefs will end a 40-plus year wait for an appearance at the Super Bowl! Let’s go Chiefs!

I’m looking forward to watching these teams the rest of the season to see if they continue to surprise and impress us. But like they say in sports: If they don’t, there is always next season!