NFL Jersey Rankings, part 4 of 9

After analyzing the dreadful jerseys in the AFC South Division, we turn our attention to the AFC West.    Of the four teams here, two haven't changed their looks much, resulting in timeless jerseys, while the other two bring more modern looks to the table.

Kansas City Chiefs
Home - Classy all around.  The Chiefs use a great color combination with the red and yellow.  What I really think ties the whole thing together are some small details:

• the white numbers/names are trimmed in yellow
• the yellow and white stripes on the sleeves
• the striped socks

          Score: 5/5

Away - This one might be the best away jersey in the game.  The red pants go nicely against the white jersey, and like the home jersey, the names and numbers are trimmed in yellow.  Also, the sleeve stripes are even better than on the home jersey (to me, red and yellow stripes look better than yellow and white stripes).  Score: 5/5
Helmet - I like the helmet, but the logo doesn't grab at me like some others.  Their original logo from 1963 is amazing, but I understand why it isn't used in the present day. Score: 4/5
Final score: 14/15

Denver Broncos
Home - The Broncos' jerseys were big hits when they debuted in 1997 (these were the home jerseys worn from 97-2011, until Nike took over and changed to the orange home unis (the blues are used as alternates now)).  Now, they're slowly beginning to show their age.  While the color template is fine, certain things stick out, such as the number font and the blue "flairs" on the pants.  It's also tough to look at these orange jerseys when they're placed next to the orange ones worn throughout their history. If they can simplify the current form, they have a winner.  Score: 2/5
Away - Slightly better than the home set, mainly because white is easier on the eyes than orange.  I'm also not nuts about the blue side panels (or that they stretch down the leg as I mentioned above).  Score: 2.5/5
Helmet - This logo is decent, but it still can't top the one used previously.  Score: 3/5
Final score: 7.5/15

San Diego Chargers
Home - My biggest issue with this jersey is the white collar.  Why was this needed?  A plain blue one would've looked better.  For a "modern" jersey, the Chargers have a pretty nice look.  Piping-wise, I can deal with the lightning bolts, and while I'm not nuts about the numerical font, it works for a team with lightning bolts all over the place.  Score: 3.5/5
Away - While I like the blue tops better than the white ones, I don't find much of an issue with these at all.  The only bones I have to pick with this set were mentioned above.  Score: 3/5
Helmet - I like the white helmets, but after a half decade of them, I wouldn't mind a return to the blue ones worn from the late 80's to 2006 or the blue and yellow ones worn before that.  Score: 3/5
Final score: 9.5/15

Oakland Raiders
Home - I go back and forth on these all the time.  While it's a simple look, the jerseys are instantly identifiable.  I guess my issue with these could be that they're too simple.  I would love to see some sleeve striping or more intricate piping down the legs.  Also, the silver seems too dark.  I may be nit-picking, but it looks dull and dingy, almost as if the jersey is dirty.  Shine up that silver and we have a great uni.  Score: 2.5/5
Away - These are a better look simply because the black looks better against the white, as opposed to the silver-on-black that are worn at home.  Score: 3/5
Helmet - A classic helmet, this logo is one of the best in the league.  Score: 4.5/5
Final score: 10/15

NFL Jersey Rankings (part 3 of 9)

Over the past two posts, we've seen some classy uni entries from NFL teams (i.e. Steelers, Bills, and some others) as well as some dreadful ones (Bengals, I'm looking at you).  When looking at the AFC South, there is not much respect for the traditional football designs.  Quite frankly, the Colts are the only team whose jerseys have (and probably will) stand the test of time.

Indianapolis Colts
Home - A great set all around.  The stripes on the sleeves are timeless, as well as the simple white-on-blue throughout.  The piping is solid, and while I wish they would force the players to wear striped socks, not all do.  I loved the Steelers' home jerseys, but docked them points for not using block numbers.  The Colts go with the block numerals, so I'll give them a perfect score for this one.  Score: 5/5
Away - While I'm not nuts about white-on-white for the jersey and pants, the Colts still show that simple can work.  Score: 3.5/5
Helmet - While the logo is simple and plain, it still goes very well with both home and away jerseys.  As we've seen before (and as we'll see again), less change in a helmet design usually means a very nice overall package.  Score: 4.5/5
Final score: 13/15

Tennessee Titans
Home - I know a lot of teams wear blue as a primary color in the NFL (the Patriots, Bills, Colts, Texans, Chargers, Broncos, Giants, Cowboys, Lions, Bears, Panthers, and Rams all have a blue uni).  However, do the Titans find it necessary to use two shades of blue on the same shirt?  Another bone I have to pick with the Titans is the number font.  While it is different, I don't think it enhances the jersey one bit.  In fact, I think certain numbers can be hard to read when watching them on TV.  They wanted their own identity when they moved from Houston in the late 90's, but they would've been better served if they had stuck with the Houston Oilers color scheme.  Score: 2/5
Away - Slightly better, but the goofy number font is still there. What bothers me with this one is the blue shoulder yoke.  I'm sure it was added to break up the white-on-white, but this is where stripes come in handy (just look at the Colts' away unis).  Score: 2.5/5
Helmet - Technically, the logo is supposed to be a flaming shield.  However, it looks like a comet to me.  While I don't think it's much of an improvement, the secondary sword logo may work better.  Score: 2/5
Final score: 6.5/15

Jacksonville Jaguars
Home - I'm not nuts about the load of black.  However, the teal that the Jags wore from 1995-2011 wan't much better either.  They needed to break up the black, so they went with double piping (teal and white) that runs from the collar to mid-torso, then wraps around to the back.  It doesn't add much, and the piping on the pants does nothing either.  Score: 2/5
Away - Better, but not by much.  I think I may like these simply because I think the white top looks nicer than their black one.  Score: 2.5/5
Helmet - The logo is average and not inspiring, much like the history of the franchise.  To me, the head looks a bit oddly shaped -- I wonder if their secondary logo would be better on the helmet (just like the Titans).  Score: 2.5/5
FInal score: 7/15

Houston Texans
Home - The overall design is much more pleasing than the Titans and Jaguars.  My main issue with this uni combo is the pants.  I think they would look much better wearing white pants, but the blue will suffice for now (the piping is nice, I will admit).  I'm also not nuts about the numerical font nor the red on the shoulders (remember, sometimes plain is better).  Score: 2.5/5
Away - Better than the home, only because of the white-on-blue.  The splash of blue on the shoulders works a little better here because it is on white.  Score: 3/5
Helmet - This may be the most average of helmets/logos in the league.  When they play a team like the Titans, for example, the helmet looks spiffy.  When they play a team like the Colts or Steelers, though, it looks bland.  Score: 2.5/5
Final score: 8/15

NFL Jersey Rankings, part 2 of 9

The last post focused on the AFC East Division.  Of the four teams, three have pretty nice unis (the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins), where the Patriots fell short of the mark with their set.  Today, we'll look at the AFC North, which is, in my opinion, a land of contrasts.

Baltimore Ravens
Home - I'm fine with black as a jersey color, but I don't like a ton of it.  I also don't mind purple that much, but I'm not a fan of purple overload.  This jersey has both black and purple overload, and I can't stand this uni combo.  The purple is very deep, therefore making it very close to black on the color wheel.  A lack of piping on the pants, as well as very blain black socks, make this a hard sell for me.  Score: 1.5/5
Away - This is slightly better than the home jerseys, though I think it's because there isn't so much deep purple against black.  Score: 2/5
Helmet - Another reason I don't like the purple jerseys could be because it's A LOT of purple on a big guy.  The helmets are pretty much uniform inside, and I don't feel like I'm getting smacked in the face with a particular color.  The Ravens' original helmets looked like this.  I think the logo they use now on the helmet is a substantial upgrade.  Score: 2.5/5
Final score: 6/15

Pittsburgh Steelers
Home - One of the best in the league.  The Steelers have a great color scheme, and the lack of change in the jersey shows us it's a classy jersey.  Why fix something when it's not broken, right?  However, I do wish they would go back to the block numbers worn until the late 1990s.  Also, some striped socks wouldn't hurt.  Score: 4.5/5
Away - It's hard to top the home jersey for the Steelers, but the white away unis are well above par.  Once again, the Steelers just seem to look better with the older block numbers.  Score: 3.5/5
Helmet - I love that the Steelers put the logo on only one side of the helmet.  The hypocycloids are unique in the sports world, and the numbers and yellow stripe on the helmet add an old-school feel.  If you ever wondered "Why is the logo only on one side of the helmet?" or "What the heck is a hypocycloid?" look here.  Score: 5/5
Final score: 13/15

Cleveland Browns
Home - Another great jersey.  Like the Steelers, not much has changed with this uni set.  However, I'm sure some of you are wondering, "You said the Ravens' purple and black clashed because the colors were too similar.  What about brown and orange for the Browns?  Isn't that just as bad?"  I get it.  However, the Browns' jerseys have some details that the Ravens do not.  First, the numbers and player names are in white, which offsets the brown jersey nicely.  Secondly, they Browns have orange and white stripes on the sleeves which also helps break up the brown.  Third, the Browns wear white pants, which again helps the eyes when looking at brown and orange up top.  Score: 4/5
Away - Not a fan of the white jersey on white pants (though I'm not sure if wearing a white jersey with brown pants would be much better).  Score: 2/5
Helmet - Plain, but it works.  By itself, some might think it is ugly, simply because of the color.  But, the helmet is part of a greater whole and it works.  Score: 3.5/5
Final score: 9.5/12

Cincinnati Bengals
Home - I'm not quite sure where to start with this team.  I understand the team wants to incorporate the bengal tiger into the uni somehow.  I'm just not sure how to do it tastefully.  The home jersey has so many problems that I'll just begin to list them:

• The "shadow effect" with the numbers is very 1998ish
• the tiger stripes on the sleeves are tough on the eyes, especially since there are tons of tiger stripes on the helmet only a few inches above
• the "piping" (technically piping is a stripe or stripes running down the length of the jersey or leg. While the Bengals' piping are literally stripes, it still is just a lot of orange and black to look at, without a linear effect.  Score: 1/5

Away - I'm honestly not sure if this is an improvement.  Part of me thinks it is, simply because the piping looks better on the black pants.  However, sometimes I think it is worse because the tiger stripes on the sleeves look worse on the white jersey.  Score: 1/5
Helmet - By itself, I think it's fine.  Technically, it does match the rest of the jersey well.  However, it just gives off too much of an amateurish look (so does the home and away jerseys for that matter).  While it's not much of an improvement, part of me wishes the Bengals would go back to this helmet from the late 70's and early 80's.  However, it's just too similar to the Browns.  They do orange the right way.  Score: 1.5/5
Final score: 3.5/15

NFL Jersey Rankings, part 1 of 9

Today, we'll begin looking at the jerseys of the National Football League, specifically the AFC East division.  I'll be taking into account three things: the home jersey, the away jersey, and the helmet (the pants and socks will be factored into both home and away jerseys).  Some teams use throwback jerseys during some games -- these will not be discussed, as not every team uses them.  Jerseys and helmets will be rated on a 5-point scale, for a total of 15 points.

New England Patriots
Home -- To me, the Patriots' jerseys seem stuck in the year 2000.  Sure, the jerseys were nice when they won Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002, but now they're beginning to look dated.  Much of this to me seems to be caused by those silver shoulder stripes.  Score: 2/5
Away -- These jerseys look even more dated.  Not in a "Oh cool, let's revel in sports history," but more in a "yuck" sort of way.  The blue shoulder stripes here look even worse than on the home jersey.  Score: 1.5/5
Helmet -- This is an above average helmet.  Typically, I'm not nuts for a silver helmet, but I do like the logo.  Nothing can beat the old school Patriots helmet, though.  Score: 3/5
Final score: 6.5/15

Buffalo Bills
Home -- This is a big-time upgrade from their previous home unis.  The stripes on the sleeves for the new ones are very nice, as well as the stripes socks and piping on the pants.  The lighter shade of blue is more distinctive from the navy worm previously.  Score: 4.5/5
Away -- Once again, a much-needed improvement.  While I do like the home blues better, this is still an upgrade from their last road jersey.  Score: 3.5/5
Helmet -- While I do like the red helmet they wore previously, as well as their old-school helmet, this new white one does a nice job.  Score: 3.5/5
Final score: 11.5/15

New York Jets
Home -- I like these jerseys, but I can't fully commit to them, mainly because I like their previous shade of green (slightly lighter) better.  See if you can tell the difference between a jersey from 2012 and one from the Joe Namath era.  The piping on the pants and striped socks are above average for an NFL team, but don't do enough for me to bump up the score for the home greens.  Score: 3/5
Away -- Typically I like home darks better than road whites in both the NFL and NHL.  I like these, but I think the green is just too dark.  If it was lighter, like in the past, this would be a killer uni.  Score: 3/5
Helmet -- I like the helmet, but I like this one from 1963 even better.  The current helmet works well with both home and away jerseys -- they have used this design often throughout the history of the team, and keeps a connection between past and present.  Score: 3.5/5
Final score: 9.5/15

Miami Dolphins
Home -- Teal is a very hard color to pull off (I'm looking at you, Jacksonville Jaguars).  However, the Dolphins manage to do it with white as a secondary color and orange as a tertiary color.  They haven't ventured far from this color scheme over their history.  I love the piping on the pants, but wish the socks would have some stripes.  Score: 4/5
Away -- Another solid entry, though the white uni-on-white pants can look a little bate sometimes.  Now those socks look really bare when paired with tons of white.  Score: 2.5/5
Helmet -- Classic helmet.  The Dolphins actually streamlined the logo in 1997 (the logo was looking dated in 1996).  Like the Jets, the Dolphins have white helmet with a logo that doesn't change much throughout history, making them team instantly identifiable.  Score: 4/5
Final score: 10.5/15