Saturday 1/14/12 (Divisional)

San Francisco 49ers, 36 New Orleans Saints, 32

The Saints record breaking offense was undone by the time-honored plague that takes down great offenses; turnovers. Right from the first drive/red zone fumble from a knocked-out RB Pierre Thomas and clear through the special teams fumble diasters, QB Drew Brees and that offense had an intense uphill climb. Yet somehow, the Saints were down only 3 at halftime and kept within striking distance even as the turnovers piled up.

In the final 3 minutes, we were treated to one of the all-time classic NFL playoff endings. Most of us were shocked to see the 3rd-and-short 28-yard bootleg TD by QB Alex Smith to put them up 4. The majority of us were not so surprised at the Saints' one-minute response TD, a 66 yarder to TE Jimmy Graham to put the Saints up 3. QB Alex Smith and the usually conservative 49ers unexpectadly drove for the win not the tie, as he gunslinged down the field in 1:37, hitting TE Vernon Davis for what the media has dubbed "The Grab".

KEY PLAY: You would be hard-pressed to find a similarly aggressive play on a reel of the 2011 San Francisco 49ers entire season than the game-winning dart from Smith to Davis. Give the 49ers credit, they fought to keep Brees off that OT field, and went for the throat. A conservative approach was exactly what many thought would hold them back. So much for that.

MVP: Watching the game, I came to appreciate the athletic talent on the San Francisco defense. LB Patrick Willis leads that very D and will get my honorable MVP award, but the entire D did it with power and energy and speed. The Saints were made to look like a normal offense and the key? No fancy gameplan or scheme, just superb closing speed and sure tackeling.

New England Patriots, 45 Denver Broncos, 10

Late in the Patriots slaughter of the over-matched Denver Broncos (oh but Tebow, Tebow, Tebow!) the Broncos were still running the ball, down by 35 points. If that doesn't set off the alarm bells in the Tebow-nation, than it should. It means that the Denver coaches (who would know more than us fans and media) felt they'd have a better chance continuing to run the ball rather than throw against the league's second worst pass defense when they knows the pass is coming. Essentially, a white flag that Tebow could not perform in any capacity without play-action.

QB Tom Brady put up a lightening-fast six TDs and Coach Bill Bellicheck showed no mercy. There should be no mercy. This is not little league, or high school football, unleash WR Wes Welker, TE Rob Gronkowski and earn those millions of dollars. Does it feel like we had three straight seasons without a Patriots playoff victory? Since losing Super Bowl 41 (2008-present) they are 35-13 in the regular season but 0-2 in the playoffs.

KEY PLAY: The first touchdown to WR Wes Welker. All at once, it became clear that Denver D, while solid and admirable, has only benefited from inferior opponoents (including the hobbled Steelers). Even the casual fans knew a shoot-out meant a blow-out, a few saturday nights got started early.

MVP: TE Rob Gronkowski is that additional playmaking superstar (additional to Brady and Welker) that they have lacked since Randy Moss and he lit up the Broncos for 145 yards and 3 TDs. His TE-record 17 TDs during the season and this performance mark it already as possibly the greatest season for a tight end ever

Divisional Weekend 2012

New Orleans Saints (14-3) @ San Francisco 49ers (13-3)

Now that the 49ers have chosen an effective loudmouth in Coach Jim Harbaugh, the storied franchise is finally back on track. A coach who believes in NFL gameplans and that the quarterback is important (as opposed to the Singletary smashmouth adreneline demands). Still, they can't be thrilled about the record-breaking Saints offense marching into town.

The 49ers have the best defense in the league, LB Patrick Willis, DE Justin Smith and 2nd-year phenom LB Aldon Smith are overshadowed in the press by the Giants' D-line and the Ravens' big names, but here in the the 2011 season - they led the league's best defense. Problem is, the 49ers do not have the best offense in the league. The Saints do. This will be a Super Bowl-caliber battle and the focus of much hype and attention. Sobering fact: this will come down to Saints' D -vs- 49ers QB Alex Smith. Deep down, we all know this.

KEYS FOR NO: Brees and company must start hot, get that running game going. With their trio of solid running backs they have what they did not have in 2010, viable options that aren't the arm of QB Drew Brees. As always, the Saints D needs to produce turnovers, this is their recipe for success and will continue to be so for as long as they give up so many yards.

KEYS FOR SF: There is only one way to defeat an offense like this, score touchdowns when you get to the red zone (TE Vernon Davis and WR Michael Crabtree must show up big) and stop the run, force the Saints into a one-trick-pony. Now this pony is deadly and can really, really kill but the 49ers have a great pass rush and they must hassle Brees early and often.

Denver Broncos (9-8) @ New England Patriots (13-3)

You think the magic of Tebow cannot continue. Every critic (and almost all intelligent football analysts are critics of his throwing-motion and accuracy/arm strength) has said 'well next time, he cannot pull it off' and yet here we are. Eight teams left and one of them has God's only son... QB Tim Tebow. On the other sideline, we have the #1 seed and the darling of every football anaylyst's last ten years, QB Tom Brady. I cannot envision Brady losing to Tebow, we just watched him shred Tebow in Week 15, nobody can, and so we throw up these doubting paragraphs yet again.

The Broncos of course are about more than Tebow, RB Willis McGahee has re-surged to success, and the D led by rookie LB Von Miller and DE Elvis Dumervil has really excelled. Over the years, there have been many Patriot teams that are all about the QB, about Brady, but this year with TE Rob Gronkowsi and TE Aaron Hernandez becoming an uncoverable duo next to WR Wes Welker, there is less pressure on Brady to make difficult throws, he's got weapons and that is always dangerous.

KEYS FOR DEN: There must be control over Tom Brady, unless WR Demaryius Thomas plans to keep piling up 50+ yard touchdowns from Tim Tebow. The pressure is on the D-line to get pressure. There is one known cure for the Tom Brady blues and that is a harassing him with your front four. Tebow isn't going for any shoot-outs

KEYS FOR NE: The last two years, New England has been one-and-done at home, and the excuse was always that they were re-building that D. This is year #3 and the D has been suspect at best. If those defensive-minded athletes on the Patriots can gain some momentum here, maybe they can turn things around (a la 2006 Colts). Still, in the AFC there is only Flacco, Tebow and Yates - nothing like the years of AFC dominance, no Mannings, no Rivers, no Rothlisbergers, no high-flying Palmers or Schaubs. This is year to have suspect pass defense in the AFC.

Houston Texans (11-6) @ Baltimore Ravens (12-4)

The Texans rely on defense and a good running game to keep things in control and not force their rookie QB T.J Yates into a shootout. The Ravens are all too willing to play this kind of game, and when push comes to shove QB Joe Flacco, with RB Ray Rice at his side, can get that offense down the field in a hurry. Flacco's game-winning drive in the 2nd Pittsburgh game impressed me immensely. He really won that game three times in a row, if his WRs hadn't dropped the first two.

Now, with Ray Rice and RB Arian Foster we have two of the better running backs in the league facing off two great defenses. Football purists, those who love the smashmouth down-and-dirty, will likely find this to be their game this weekend.  Even WR Anquan Boldin for the Ravens, and WR Andre Johnson for the Texans are all about after-the-catch and tough hard-fought posessions.

KEYS FOR HOU: LB Brian Cushing is playing at a great level and with the big-name Hall-Of-Famers on the Ravens' D on the other sideline, he's got reason to step it up. As with the Bengals game though, they need Foster to control the game and Johnson to make some big plays.

KEYS FOR BAL: Execute and protect on offense, because LB Ray Lewis, LB Terrell Suggs and S Ed Reed, with DT Haloti Ngata up front are too good to let a rookie QB beat them in a playoff game at home. The only way would be a Flacco meltdown, and he has performed well in the playoffs. This is his and Coach John Harbaugh's 4th season and 8th playoff game (they are 5-3 so far). Amazingly, this is their first at home.

New York Giants (10-7) @ Green Bay Packers (15-1)

Echos of 2007 are the main focus of the sports media today. The New York Giants knocked off the best offense of all time (the 2007 New England Patriots) with a relentless pass rush. As luck would have it for the Giants, there are three offenses legitametly challenging that "best-of-all-time" crown this season. The 2011 Patriots have been just as frightening as 2007, the 2011 New Orleans Saints are blowing records out of the water and the Giants next opponent... 2011 Green Bay Packers are right there with those two, if not above those two!

It's been three weeks since we have seen QB Aaron Rodgers throw and we miss him dearly (nfl.com actually as a survey about best QB in the league, Brees -vs- Brady! That's how quickly they forget). Will good defense be able to slow down this attack? Rodgers and the Packers have been on such fire the entire season, it's hard to imagine them being stifled. Yet the Giants are not a defensive brickhouse, QB Eli Manning can compete in a shoot-out.

KEYS FOR NYG: RB Ahmad Bradshaw and RB Brandon Jacobs and that O-line must prove they are gelling at the right time and truly dominate the game. I know I was just speaking about Eli being able to compete in a shoot-out but... this cannot be the plan.

KEYS FOR GB: WR Greg Jennings must prove he's back in full health. Yes, the Packers have done fine without him but now we are in the playoffs and you need a go-to guy. TE Jermichael Finley is also in the spotlight, he can't produce some of the duds he put up in the regular season against a playoff defense. LB Clay Matthews, CB Charles Woodson et al are 32nd in the league, allowing 298 passing yards per game!

Sunday 1/8/12 (Wild Card)

New York Giants, 24 Atlanta Falcons, 2

The New York Giants started slow on offense with a safety but turned in a solid performance overall, the Giants handling of the Falcons seemed routine. Falcons QB Matt Ryan and the offense failed to generate even a single point. There was a definite lack of playmaking but the real daggers were the awful short-yardage conversions, whether it be 3rd or 4th down The Falcons simply lost the game at the line of scrimmage.

The rest was just a matter of time for the Giants offense to click into some production. QB Eli Manning was able to find WR Hakeem Nicks for a pair of TDs, WR Mario Manningham added some nice production to close out the game.

RB Ahmad Bradshaw, RB Brandon Jacobs, and the Giants D-line looked vitage 2007. That certainly will set off a few alarm bells throughout the league. Today, Atlanta was exposed as an inferior team.

KEY PLAY: The two 4th-and-1 QB sneaks by QB Matt Ryan. Both failed. The first, in field goal range early on, set a dark defensive tone for the game. The second deflated the Falcons and, although there was still a quarter or so, essentially ended their fighting chances. The Giants' D-line known with it's three big-name pass-rushers came through on two non-passing plays.

MVP: WR Hakeem Nicks made two big plays in a game that was more about stellar defensive line play than big lights and fast-clicking scoreboards. He hauled in a beautiful 4-yard TD for the first offensive points of the game and then took a slant route 72 yards in to give the Giants' D the breathing room they never even needed.

Denver Broncos, 29 Pittsburgh Steelers, 23

I will admit, I was surprised by QB Tim Tebow on Sunday. He threw the passes he needed to. So much of the credit goes to the Denver O-line. They were amazing, throwing the Steelers around and if it wearn't for a late 4th quarter by RB Willis MaGahee (who played well anyways) the O-line looked on the verge of wrapping the game up without fireworks and drama.

But this is Tebow TV, we had to have the drama. Following the fumble, QB Ben Rothlisberger (on a bum ankle that seemed to improve in the 2nd half) rallied the Steelers back tied the game, forcing OT. RB Isaac Redman ran hard and impressed many, the tide really felt lie it was going to swing to the veterans of the stage despite their myriad of injuries.

It was the Steelers D who let Pitsburgh down, they could not come up with the turnovers they needed or the stops they usually deliver. LB James Harrison apparently thought there was no such thing as a fake handoff  because he lost contain on Tebow at least once a quarter, giving up some important conversions. All of Tebow's critics, including me, can point to wobbly passes and poor choices but he's winning. No, he isn't doing it by himself but these same teammates didn't win much last year and were 1-4 before he came onto the field.

KEY PLAY: This one is a no-brainer, The first play of OT and the final dramatic play of the game, of the weekend. QB Tim Tebow hit WR Demaryius Thomas cutting across an apparently empty secondary. Thomas did the rest with a solid stiff arm and the speed to finish those final 50 yards. S Troy Polamalu has gotten a free pass from the media, but he was way too close to the line of scrimmage and jogged back into coverage when he could have made the tackle. Darling Polamalu does not get a pass here, that was awful.

MVP: WR Demaryius Thomas deserves some credit for what he has done. Much of the accolades goes to Tebow and he did exceptionally well, but the Broncos knew they needed big plays and the main source of those came from this man. "Just" four catches (as the sports pages say) for 204 yards. This is 51 yards a reception and the majority of it was after the catch.

Saturday 1/7/12 (Wild Card)

Houston Texans, 34 Cincinnati Bengals, 10

Somewhere, in an alternate universe, there is a dimension where RB Arian Foster's first-play fumble didn't fly right back to him. Butterflies abound for the first quarter, but both offenses turned in workmanlike performances against stout defenses.

WR Andre Johnson played decent after missing most of the year, but failed to make some of those superstar catches he might normally have made until he and Foster sealed the game up with unanswered touchdowns in the 2nd half.

The Houston crowd was incredibly hostile for rookie QB Andy Dalton who had trouble hearing the calls all throughout the game, and while he and WR A.J Green appear to have a solid future brewing, Dalton didn't have the defense and the running game that we all agreed rookie QB T.J Yates would need (and that he received).

KEY PLAY: DE J.J Watt's interception return at the end of the 1st half. A combination of incredible athleticism and a good healthy amount of luck as he snatched what should have been a batted-down slant pattern into a pick-6 in the final 2 minutes of the 1st half. It put the Texans up 17-10 and the Bengals never scored again.

MVP: RB Arian Foster was stifled in these team's Week 14 meeting and so by our sports media logic we knew that he would have the exact same numbers and performance. That seemed obvious at the time. Instead, he was responsible for 182 total yards and 2 TDs, exactly the kind of performance needed from this star to capture Houston's first playoff victory in franchise history.;

New Orleans Saints, 45 Detroit Lions, 28

Coach Sean Payton and QB Drew Brees never let up, even in the face of two early fumbles, even in spite of an insurmountable lead and certain victory, the offense kept the pedal to the floor; screens and bombs, slashes across the middle, and nary a 4th down that couldn't be converted. We are witnessing one of the best offenses of all time.

The Lions fought admirably, QB Matthew Stafford, WR Calvin Johnson (211 yards, 2 TDs to end a brilliant season), even that Detroit D-line played well but it was all in vain as the New Orleans offense just rolled and rolled and rolled to 626 yards, 466 of it through the air.

The frightening thing is that Detroit is one of the only teams built for taking down this onslaught. Their offense was solid, Stafford started hot and finished with 380 yards. The defense came up with two turnovers, and if it wasn't for a blown call and an easy interception dropped the Detroit D might have kept the Lions competitive.

KEY PLAY: In the 4th quarter, finally gaining control of the game up by 10, the Saints made a statement with full-throttle aggression as Brees connected on a 56-yard bomb to WR Robert Meachem. The Saints will not let up and they must keep this attitude as they are unlikely to return to the Superdome this season.

MVP: While the Saints actually ran very hard and successfully with a 3-headed monster of RB Pierre Thomas, RB Christopher Ivory and RB Darren Sproles, the honor has to go to QB Drew Brees who set the bar high for the other two MVP candidates who will play next weekend (Brady and Rodgers).

Wild Card Weekend 2012

Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) @ Houston Texans (10-6)

The Bengals and Texans limp into the playoffs (like the entire AFC wildcard field, truly) but for both franchises to be here is a smiling affair. Houston will continue to miss QB Matt Schaub, and rely on either 3rd-string undrafted rookie QB T.J Yates for the franchise playoff game #1. D-Co Wade Philips has that defense humming.

The atmosphere will be electric in favor of Houston and that could add a boost or two. If Schaub and WR Andre Johnson were at full health, we would be talking about the Texans with the Patriots and Ravens for the Super Bowl. For the Bengals, QB Andy Dalton and WR A.J Green are the real deal. They really are the final, flashy, pieces to a solid team. The headline billing will be 'building expierence' for both teams before one goes to lose to an AFC elite but this is "the dance", anything can happen. Still, both teams are riding losing streaks into the playoffs.

KEYS FOR CINN: We saw the Ravens RB Ray Rice run all over that Bengals run D. Stopping the potent Texans running game has to be concern #1. In this era of preparation and big lights during the regular season are we really worried about Dalton and Green being awe-struck? RB Cedric Bensen is a hard runner, he could provide a lift

KEYS FOR TEX: Houston fans are hoping for an undrafted 3rd string QB to be healthy enough to play. That sums up their late season woes. RB Arian Foster, RB Ben Tate will need to have one of those monster rushing days because WR Andre Johnson does not appear to be in game shape after missing most of the season and with these question marks at QB. All this mares a special day for Houston.

Detroit Lions (11-5) @ New Orleans Saints (10-6)

QB Matthew Stafford threw for 520 yards in Week 17 and had monster numbers throughout the year, QB Drew Brees set- no- Drew Brees obliterated the record for passing yards in a season (5,476 to '84 Marino's 5,084). Two high-flying dome teams face off in the Superdome. The fixings appear ripe for a shootout.

I guess someone should inform that there will be defenses playing as well. DT Ndamakong Suh leads a strong Detroit D-line that must get after Brees and LB Jonathon Vilma leads a Saints D that only two years ago was hailed as opportunistic ballhawks. But let us give into the hype at least a little bit, this is a matchup of two 5,000 yard passers.

KEYS FOR DET: WR Calvin Johnson is almost unguardable in the red zone and the emergence of WR Titus Young has helped that, there's explosiveness on offense. There is an elephant in the room; a backup (Packers QB Matt Flynn) just threw 6 TDs against the Lions secondary that now faces a red-hot, record-setting Brees. Stafford may need more than 520 yards.

KEYS FOR NO: Turnovers. Has there been a time when Drew Brees wasn't amazing? He's got two new, almost unstoppable, weapons in RB Darren Sproles and breakout TE Jimmy Graham but the Saints have set offensive records and lost before. In order to win consistently, the defense will need to keep Brees on the field.

Atlanta Falcons (10-6) @ New York Giants (9-7)

The extremely competitive NFC has these two teams at the #4 and #5 seed. I would consider both teams possible #1 or #2 seeds in the AFC. Both teams are hungry for some playoff success. Atlanta has yet to have a playoff victory in the QB Matt Ryan era; he is 0-2. New York avoided a third-straight late season collapse, and is riding high.

QB Eli Manning has an arsenal at his disposal with WR Victor Cruz taking over the last two games, and WR Hakeem Nicks quietly becoming one of the best receivers in the league. Both teams can fly high through the air but would prefer an early lead and the luxury of riding the backs of RB Michael Turner (for ATL) or RB Ahmad Bradshaw (for NYG).

KEYS FOR ATL:  He is a rookie, but WR Julio Jones was brought here to provide big plays in the post-season. At the very least, he will allow these better post-season defenses to not focus so much on WR Roddy White, who did have a down year by 2010's standards, but is still a top-tier threat. The passing attack will need to be in high gear to compete in these playoffs.

KEYS FOR NYG: With two dominant victories over hated rivals on national television (Jets, then Cowboys) the Giants have announced themselves as a legitimate threat. The pass rush, just like 2007, could carry them if they can crank it up a notch. It's all on DE Justin Tuck, DE Osi Uminuroa and their best pass rusher DE Jason Pierre-Paul

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) @ Denver Broncos (11-5)

Last year, many people said Seattle was one of the worst teams to ever make the playoffs. Seattle had an NFL quarterback though. Denver does not. "QB" Tim Tebow has been exposed, the puzzle solved, and riding a three game losing streak the Broncos have worried looks on their faces.

Tebow has never taken the time to refute the legions of pseudo-religious "God loves the Broncos" hype and by not doing so he has to realize he has encouraged it. I know he's got his 'aw shucks, gee golly' act going on but the implication that God cares about football and likes Tebow more because he's Christian and hates abortions has is grating on the NFL populace. Yet still, no Seattle man can ever root for Pittsburgh.

KEYS FOR PITT: With RB Rashard Mendenhall out, the media will wonder if RB Isaac Redman is ready. This game will be all about an early lead. The Steelers would be smart to get QB Ben Rothlisberger firing early and let their defense, still anchored by S Troy Polamalu by the way, take over.

KEYS FOR DEN: Their best hope is the running game, which has actually been great. They ran good against Kansas City but scored three points. Because it is 2012 and not 1958 the Broncos are looking at an uphill battle. The defense with rookie LB Von Miller and veteran CB Champ Bailey is formidable and may be up to the task of the formula, keep Tebow in striking distance for when he can pile up the garbage yards and wait for a crucial mistake by other team. Not a terrible formula, actually, but it would be a lot easier if he played four quarters.

The Farewell 20 (2011)

Every season (this being the second) I take a little time to remember the fallen 20 that we won't be talking about for the next month. A quick look at our long lost and departed teams. Fear not, they shall return for the NFL draft. Pick #1? Indianapolis Colts!

AFC

MIAMI DOLPHINS (6-10)
Most critics of RB Reggie Bush as a finese player were thwarted but for the Dolphins it was a moot point. While 2nd QB Matt Moore was able to put up some numbers, Coach Tony Sporano had not maxmized this team's talent and was released. They fought hard after an 0-8 start and you have to admire that.

BUFFALO BILLS (6-10)
A hot start for the Bills and a morale-boosting early victory over New England eventually gave way to reality. RB Fred Jackson had a breakout year until he was injured, where RB C.J Spiller was able to pick right up. The young D needs work, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was incosinstant after signing his new contract, but promise was shown.

NEW YORK JETS (8-8)
Coach Rex Ryan adds to his collection of imaginary Super Bowls (3) and if he continues to support the shakey & gutless QB Mark Sanchez, he will have even more. It is a talented team at every position except the quarterback. They've invested their future in a media darling, their D is aging, the imaginary trophy shelf will continue to expand.
 
CLEVELAND BROWNS (4-12)
Last year's bright spots failed to shine again. QB Colt McCoy was out of his league and RB Peyton Hillis showed the toughness of a schoolgirl. They lack playmakers and the D is mediocre. If GM Mike Holmgren is trying to build something, this season was a step backwards.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-14)
If ever there was an exclamation point to QB Peyton Manning's Hall-Of-Fame career with the Colts it was that, without him, the same "pro-bowl" players could barely muster two victories and lost 13 in a row to start the season. No other player deserves mention here, and Coach Jim Caldwell should soon be removed.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (5-11)
Jacksonville continues their long tradition of being the most boring medicore team in the league. The NFL primetime TV schedule continues to consider them the most dynamic, exciting home team ever. RB Maurice Jones-Drew won me over, but he is wasted here. QB Blaine Gabbert cannot be the answer.

TENNESSEE TITANS (9-7)
QB Matt Hasselbeck continued his solid (but almost universally ignored) career with a great season. RB Chris Johnson showed up for about five games and phoned in the rest but Hasselbeck still had this time fighting for a playoff spot in the last week.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (8-8)
With more weapons, a D and special teams that upgraded from 'meltdown' to just 'mediocre', this was a time for QB Philip Rivers, WR Vincent Jackson, TE Antonio Gates, RB Ryan Matthews to become an elite unit. They did not. Rivers faced questions of injury all season (how could he be this bad suddenly?) and that mediocre D was led to the slaughter, as a result.

OAKLAND RAIDERS (8-8)
Not very many franchises would consider back-to-back 8-8 seasons a success but the Raiders are turning a corner, they hope. QB Carson Palmer was accquired for a steep price and was able to do some good things. The running game and D continues to be a strength, and their young WRs looks promising.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (7-9)
The Chiefs suffered injuries to RB Jamaal Charles and S Eric Berry right off the bat, QB Matt Cassell went down, Coach Todd Haley was fired. But the Chiefs D still looked good and D-Co Romeo Crennell did a great job building some momentum at the end of the year. One of those injury-to-your-superstars years for Kansas City, always a sad thing to see

NFC

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-6)
QB Michael Vick stayed as healthy as he always does, missing about a quarter of the season. But this "Dream Team" quit and the quit early (some might say they went to sleep?). WR DeSean Jackson didn't show up at al. RB LeSean McCoy was one of the best running backs of the year but Coach Andy Reid focused on the passing game,

DALLAS COWBOYS (6-10)
QB Tony Romo led them admirably to a 1-5 start and was then injured. Coach Jason Garrett took over for the grandfatherly and perputaly baffled Wade Phillips and had a few good wins. Is this the kind of season Dallas, or anybody anywhere, expected?

WASHINGTON REDSKINS (5-11)
This team is such a mess it's almost sad. Every year for the entire reign of Owner Dan Snyder we go through an under-achieving but big-name coach and wonder what's wrong, what's wrong with the big name free agents (QB Donovon McNabb). It's starting to get old.

CHICAGO BEARS (8-8)
Without QB Jay Cutler and RB Matt Forte late in the season, the Bears staged a good old-fashioned Chicago meltdown with cheese. I thought they actually looked better than last year, but somehow Cutler can't seem to field a winning attitude and the defense is aging.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-13)
The McNabb experiment was not as successful as the Favre experiment and after 6 games rookie QB Christian Ponder took the helm. RB Adrian Peterson was lost to a major knee injury while DE Jared Allen quietly sacked the living hell out of opposing quarterbacks. That's an un-even season, right there.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (4-12)
Not many saw QB Josh Freeman and RB LaGarrete Blount taking such steps back, the defense continues to be undisciplined. There is a clear need for talent, after such a promising 2010, 2011 was a sobering statement that maybe not all young talent is sustainable talent. Or maybe Coach Raheem Morris just needs to be fired.

CAROLINA PANTHERS (6-10)
Not very many pegged rookie QB Cam Newton as breaking into the league with two 400-yard passing games, and shattering rookie records in production. Newton made the team instantly better. RB DeAngelo Williams is another lost star in Carolina, Newton brings that key NFL bottom-feeder word; "hope".

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (6-10)
QB Tavarious Jackson wasted RB Marshawn Lynch's breakout year. The offensive line didn't help, so let's be fair. Lynch fought hard, for every two yards gained he had to work for four. There are bright spots on defense and offense (WR Doug Baldwin) but a down, drizzly year in Seattle.

ARIZONA CARDINALS (8-8)
There a couple of rising young defenses in the NFC West with pitiful quarterback play (The quarterback is an important position, Arizona, admit it) and this team is one of them. CB Patrick Peterson showed potential and there's still a superstar on offense (WR Larry Fitzgerald) their late season surge was impressive.

ST. LOUIS RAMS (2-14)
This was not pretty, QB Sam Bradford had a dearth of talent around him. RB Steven Jackson has got to be wondering what cruel joke has had his career span the end of the Greatest Show On Turf to this, the least talented team possibly in the history of the NFL. The entire front office and the bulk of the roster needs to be overturned.

Offseason Update (3 Questions)

WILL THERE BE FOOTBALL NEXT SEASON? 

The state of the 2011 Football season has gone from 'likely' to 'bleak' about 90 times in four months. This is because the 24-hour NFL coverage has nothing else to do but analyze statements, lawsuits and numbers. Not a specialty.

One thing that must be made clear is that both sides (owners and players) use the media to gain sway in the negotiating room. There are no candid interviews, there are barely any full truths being told. The P.R business is a tough one, and both sides have objectives; to not appear weak, and to have public sentiment on their side.

This means that we are not getting the full story. Neither side is really able to admit that they really want something, or give away any tactics or strategies to the media. They'd get shredded in negotiations. The majority of the articles about the lockout do not take this into account, they assume full disclosure and use the very limited information we have to draw large, confidant pictures.

Will the players be able to whether a lockout? This seems to be a source of concern for the less-marquee players who are starting to split from the superstars. This could mean hardships for the players against the owners who, while they may not all agree privately, appear to me a 32-headed monster right now.

IS IT REALLY SO TOUGH TO REPEAT?

The number one football conversation going around is how 'tough' it is to repeat the Super Bowl. That the Green Bay Packers will have a real 'up-hill battle' but seem to be the first team in a long time to be equipped for a serious run at a repeat (not true, every team after winning the super bowl appears this way).

So is it so hard to repeat? I, for one, am flabbergasted by these articles. It IS hard to repeat but certainly it's not the toughest feat ever attempted. The Packers won the Super Bowl for a reason, it wasn't just their name picked out of a 32-team hat.

The Packers have QB Aaron Rodgers, they get back many injured players and return their main coaches. They have just as good of chance as anybody. Yes it will be tough, but would it be such an anamoly? Such a major mountain achieved? For them, yes. For NFL history, no.

The 66/67 Packers. The 72/73 Dolphins. The 74/75 Steelers. The 78/79 Steelers. The 88/89 49ers. 92/93 Cowboys. 97/98 Broncos. 03/04 Patriots. Do you realize that is 16 Super Bowls part of a repeat performance? 16 out of 45 is not a rarity.

ARE MOCK DRAFTS TRULY NECCESSARY?

Many times I wonder; what is the purpose of the mock draft? Is this neccessary information? I suppose you could make a case for getting to know the players likely to be drafted. But to go into all rounds and predict what actual professional GMs are going to do is assinine at best, it's football writers' boredom.

There are no sportswriters (including Mel Kiper at ESPN) who are qualified to make these calls. First of all, you need much more intimate contact with 32 head coaches and their schemes and strategies than just watching last year's game film. Second, general managers are sometimes given to whims and hunches, is ESPN so good they can tell another man's hunch?

Yes, debating about the first 32 picks can be fun and interesting but we need to leave it at that. Debate. First round. When we start trying to predict the exact order of players picked in the 4th round based on genius factoids like "the bengals had trouble stopping the run last year" we are in pure, undiluted, boredom-induced bullshit.