11. 1996 Indianapolis Colts
Regular season: 9-7 | Playoffs: 0-1
This marked the only season from 1994 through 2001 in which Marshall Faulk didn’t gain at least 1,000 yards on the ground, as a toe injury limited his effectiveness most of the season. Still, the future Hall of Famer and three-time Offensive Player of the Year gained over 1,000 yards from scrimmage, proving that even in an injury-plagued season, he could get the job done. Colts quarterback Jim Harbaugh regressed from a 1995 season in which he threw just five interceptions on 314 attempts, with 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Harbaugh the coach probably wouldn’t have been patient with Harbaugh the quarterback. In any event, the Colts finished third in the AFC East with a 9-7 record, helped along by one of the weakest schedules of any team on our list, and were poleaxed by the Steelers, 42-14, in the wild-card round. Harbaugh rebounded in 1997, throwing 10 touchdowns and just four picks for a 3-13 Colts team, but the franchise had its eye on Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning at the top of the 1998 draft. Wonder how that worked out …