The Outrage Difference

The outrage over Seahawks-Packers Monday Night Football has bordered on hysteria. “Is The NFL irrelevant?” says ESPN, “Seahawks/Packers should have an asterisk” says Bleacher Report. All the way up to President Obama, the condemnation has been swift and sound, it's taken on a frightening downhill roll of rage 'enough is enough' and why? Because this call, unlike any of the other botched calls in NFL history, can have resolution, a small taste of redemption, by removing the admittedly awful replacement refs and never seeing them again.

As somebody who has followed the NFL since the 1993 Super Bowl at the age of 7, I’ve noticed the media are pretty in sync week-to-week. We will talk about concussions when it’s time, we will discus Tebow’s faith when it’s time, James Harrison’s fines, Bret Favre’s retirements, is Tony Romo mad at Jessica Simpson?

Hey- do Steve Young and Joe Montana like each other? Is Randy Moss poisoning the locker room? What does it mean for this coach to beat his old team? I mean- what does it really mean? Anything to get out of talking about football it seems. Now, it’s time to talk about the replacement refs. This call is different because there is that added storyline, and there is a scenario to build to. (That being the return of the actual refs).

Have we seen worse calls? Yes. But not this exact day.

DISCLAIMER: I am a Seahawks fan and annoyed with the Tuesday morning outrage of this play (because where was the Monday morning outrage after Super Bowl XL, seriously) but I am a lifetime fan of the NFL, and I love the whole league.

Was the call botched? Yes. But only because Golden Tate had a blatantly obvious pass interference right before the catch and the game should have ended. Ho-hum, seen that  kind of pass interference controversy a million times to the reward/disgust of all 32 teams.

The actual possession of the ball is in dispute, it’s not clearly a Green Bay interception like the media thinks. Watch it over and over and over, Tate has BOTH hands on the ball when they hit the ground, one over the ball and body of Jennings that the cameras can see and one under his body and on the ball that you can’t see.

Can you conclusively say Jennings had full control of the ball while in the air? On the replay you can see Tate has his right hand on it. Jennings “has the ball and is bringing it in” says Gruden, who does think it is an interception. He does not bring it in, he tries to bring it in, he is bringing it in, but he does not bring it in. Watch that ball kind of shift down in Jennings' hands while the players are in the air. Remember the control of the ball has be DEFINITIVELY proven on a replay. (Look at the picture above, you can see Tate's left hand that he supposedly didn't get on the ball until later on, he's got the full bottom of the ball.)

Once they hit the ground Tate has both hands on it, albeit one hand obscured from camera view. It’s close, very very close and could go either way and I really would not have been surprised to see it go Green Bay's way but it is not NFL-ruining obvious. It was not doomsday, just a tough call.

There was barely this reaction outside of Detroit after Calvin Johnson’s TD call was clearly botched in week 1 of 2011 season. The reaction is usually limited to the losing fanbase, why this time is it 31 against 1? Because something can actually be done. We can have the replacement ref's heads. If this was just about the call, few outside of Green Bay would even comment on it by midweek.

Remember before replay, Packers? Do you remember Jerry Rice clearly fumbling in the 1999 Wild Card game and it being called down before the 49ers threw the game-winning TD to Owens? Remember in 2001, Jacksonville -vs- Cleveland when the Browns converted a 4th-and-2, spiked the ball, and then the replay officials challenged the play anyways, even though you can’t challenge a play after the next play has been run? They reversed the 4th-and-2 completely and illegally gave the win to Jacksonville. Only eye-rolls and vicious home team rage, today there is something much different than the days after those calls.

Do you remember when Detroit and Pittsburgh met at the start of OT for the coin-flip for who would get the ball first, Jerome Bettis called “tails”, the ref saw tails and awarded the choice to the wrong team and the Steelers lost? Why don’t these games deserve asterisks? Why only this one? Because this is the one that happened this week.

(I won't even begin to speak about Super Bowl XL and the lack of outrage that generated, seriously ESPN... go watch that game, watch Rothlisberger’s “touchdown”, watch it be reviewed, and then talk to me about Golden Tate).

We do not remember these plays, because they did not happen this week. We have relegated the Ravens highly questionable Field Goal two days ago as a hazy footnote to the replacement referee outrage. It is time to talk about the replacement refs, it’s time to win the battle of extremity! Hang the refs! Cancel the season! Cancel all of the NFL! I’m sure it’s all out there. This call has something that can be done to remedy, something can happen, these refs can be booted, kicked to the curb, so we are seeing a pile-on unlike any before.

It is a bad call, a terribly refereed game, but the point is, every fan in Seattle would take the Super Bowl XLV calls or the Testaverde 4-yard run for a 5-yard TD that cost us the playoffs (Dec 1998, the play that brought back instant replay) and call for an asterisk as well.

There just is no perspective in sportswriting. It’s frustrating to watch the media hyperventilate over this like they should have over Super Bowl XLV, but nothing could be done about the Super Bowl and... just like Steelers fans have said time and time again - “you still could have won” and that will always remain true. Did the refs sack reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers 8 times and hold him to 0 TDs? No. Did the refs make the Packers DB Jennings try to intercept the ball when even Middle School players know to bat a hail mary down, bat a hail mary down, bat a hail mary down!

With this situation though, the media and fans are salivating over the prospect of an actual goal, something can actually be achieved by this, the real refs can come back. They can use this leverage and get their pensions and come back. That is what sets this call apart, but “worst call in NFL history”? No way.

SUPER BOWL 46

New York Giants, 21 New England Patriots, 17

5-time Super Bowl QB Tom Brady's first pass in this game was an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone resulting in a safety. Shortly after, the Patriots' defense squandered a red zone fumble recovery for having 12 men on the field. It was that kind of day for New England.

In the end, it was another stone cold Super Bowl-winning drive by the inexplicably elite QB Eli Manning. A sick, twisted, reoccurring nightmare for the old Patriot guard. In place of the infamous Tyree catch in 2008, the final drive saw the Patriots burned by an amazing fade route against the sideline by Giants WR Mario Manningham, a receiver universally admonished by scouts and commentators for his inability to do just that. In fact, Chris Collinsworth had been commentating on Manningham's unawareness of the sideline just a few drives before after Maningham had inexplicably faded his deep route out of bounds for no reason,

The Patriot's quarrel with lady luck aside, the Giants controlled this game. They had no business scoring only 9 points in the first half. Eli moved the ball well with RB Ahmad Bradshaw, WR Hakeem Nicks and WR Victor Cruz clicking masterfully with QB Eli Manning until, that is, the red zone. The Giants' D couldn't hold forever, the final four minutes of the 1st half they were steamrolled for a 'Brady-to-Woodhead' fueled 14 play, 4 minute, 96 yard drive to put the Pats up 10-9.

The Giants Subway-sponsered vaunted defense was again slaughtered for a similar touchdown drive to start the 2nd half. Luckily for the over-rated Giants pass-rushers (undeniable coverage sacks aside), Eli Manning moved the ball the entire game with ease. If not for continually poor red zone efficiency, the Giants should have had blowout on their hands. Instead, they found themselves down in the 3rd quarter. (Albeit with a red-hot quarterback having no trouble driving the field the entire game.)

Helping Manning out: the bounces (dictated by the stars, Football Gods, what-have-you). In a down-the-seam jump ball situation between career backup LB Chase Blackburn and 20-touchdown 6'7" TE Rob Gronkowski, the ball somehow fell to Blackburn. The following play, Ahmad Bradshaw lost yet another fumble, bouncing over 7 yards away from him right to a trailing Giants offensive linemen.

Still, the Giants were only able to add field goals closing in 15-17 by the start of the 4th quarter. The Patriots had a chance to seal the game, touchdown-minded and driving, it was the ball slipping through WR Wes Welker's 122-catch hands on a crucial 3rd down giving the ball back to Eli & Co with 4 minutes remaining.

In the end, it was Eli again moving through the Patriots D with buttery ease, an assist from the aforesaid Manningham sideline catch, and finally culminating in their first touchdown of the game with 1:04 left. The Patriots appeared to purposefully allow Bradshaw to score so as to give Brady that full minute, Bradshaw tried to stop at the 1 but his momentum carried him in for the ugliest, most unwilling, game winning Super Bowl touchdown of all time.

A few key drops by TE Aaron Hernandez and WR Deon Branch made the Patriots' desperate 1 minute drive harder than it had to be. It came down to a catchable Hail Mary that fell to the floor, mercifully for New York and heartbreakingly for New England, reliving their 2007 nightmare. The Giants defeated the Patriots, again.

KEY PLAY: The close game came down to Welker not catching his chance to convert to 1st down with 4:06 left, and Manningham catching his chance to keep the final drive alive.

MVP: QB Eli Manning. That is crystal clear. Without his routine 296 yards, the Giants (down 29 of the 30 2nd half minutes) might have panicked. Instead, it seemed inevitable.

SB Weekend 2012

New York Giants (12-7) vs- New England Patriots (15-3)

Most of America is less than enthused that it will be New York and Boston, two championship-rich cities, batteling to add another Super Bowl ring (both have 3 championships). QB Tom Brady and QB Eli Manning don't have the folk followings outside of their cities like Brees, Rodgers, Peyton and others do. Much of the media is telling us these are not even the two best teams in the Super Bowl. Well, they are the two best. You want to see a Super Bowl of the two teams playing their best football in late January and this is New York, and this is New England.

Much is made of Tom Brady not dominating the AFC Championship and now having to face that "relentless" Giants pash rush. I didn't see 49ers Alex Smith too flustered in the NFC Chamoionship. In the Divisional Round, Aaron Rodgers was done in by the many drops and uncharcterstic overthrows. The one-week-sports-media seems not to remember that Rodgers ran for many key first downs? Is that becauuse the Giants' D-line was just too good to stop him?

No there aren't the sympathetic underdogs, or even any loveable legends to root for but this a high-powered New England offense and a red-hot New York Giants team. We have two flash-in-the-pan running games that often dissappear completely. We have two high powered aerial attacks with elite recievers and tight ends. It will at least make for good television.

 HOW NYG GOT HERE: After two straight years of sliding from week 5 elite Super Bowl contenders to watching the playoffs from home, the Giants scratched the starting-strong theory, and appear to have elected instead to start slow and sneak into the playoffs late, just as they did in 2007. The 2007 New York Giants have been a bit of a conversation point among the media but this is a more explosive team, with a less constricting defense

They have again caught fire and ran through playoff opponents who handled them easily in the regular season. WR Victor Cruz has been the additional playmaker they have needed, his emergence is a huge reason for the turnaround. WR Hakeem Nicks has also been insturmental, stepping up to combine with Cruz for Eli Manning's most dangerous weaponry of his career.

HOW NE GOT HERE: New England's defense had a substantial amount of injury issues throughout the season but they are finally healthy up front, LB Brandon Spikes, LB Jarod Mayo and DT Vince Wilfork will be in full health. Meanwhile, QB Tom Brady, WR Wes Welker, TE Rob Gronkowski have generated historic numbers to make up for the D, though it's been lost in the shadows of the Saints (Brady also broke Marino's record for passing yards this year!) and Packers MVP Rodgers, over 5,000 yards and Gronkowski has broken all kinds of records for tight ends.

Why then, is nobody quite sure about the Patriots? The defense gave the most passing yards this year, scratch that, of ANY year by ANY team. As Brady and his weapons have found out, there is no such thing as a safe lead. Though to be fair, the Patriots secondary game up big in the Ravens game.

KEYS FOR NE: Rebuilding their defense from the glory of 2001-2007 has been a rough road. While QB Tom Brady has blossomed from a gritty champion to a high-flying leader of the passing game revolution, the Patriots had lost their big game touch. This likely has to do with defense. They lucked out with Tebow and Flacco comprising their road to the Super Bowl but stopping Eli will not be easy. Tebow and Flacco just don't make those same 3rd-and-long conversions that Eli maddens defensive coordinators with.

KEYS FOR NYG: Basically the exact same thing. They must have an elite passing game because while everyone is predicting a repeat of 2007 and Brady on his back and Justin Tuck throwing up Subway gift cards, I don't see how Coach Bill Bellicheck allows this two to happen in yet another Super Bowl. Brady and Bellicheck, surefire Hall of Famers, are helpless against the spokesman for Subway and DE Jason Pierre-Paul? Throw in the towel? No, the Patriots offense will likely do fine. It is up to that Giants passing game to keep them in the game.

The Farewell 10 (2011/12)

DETROIT LIONS (10-7)
WR Calvin Johnson and QB Matthew Stafford put up large, Madden-esque numbers that (some argue) masked a deficient defense, but if 5,000 yard seasons and dominant WRs who require sometimes triple coverage are the key to masking , then so be it. Detroit enjoyed it's run into the wild card sun, and the glimmer of hope on the silver and blue looks good.

CINCINNATI BENGALS (9-8)
WR A.J Green was as good as expected and QB Andy Dalton better than expected. The young talent on both sides of the ball (and most importantly the solid O-line and D-line) will continue to blossom. Has the improbable happened? Have the Bengals stopped reaching and begun building with the draft?

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (12-5)
QB Ben Rothlisberger truly hobbled the team into the playoffs. The aging Steelers D had a chance to step up, but were unable to stop Tebow from throwing 300 yards. Some say we are seeing the last industrial gasps of the Steeler machine, billowing ill black smoke, Still, the team looks promising aon the outside; WR Mike Wallace and WR Antonio Brown are game-changers.

ATLANTA FALCONS (10-7)
The Falcons played one of the worst playoff games in recent memory. Scoring 2pts against the Giants and laying down flat. WR Julio Jones looks worth the draft day ransom they paid, and the Falcons continue to have one of the best teams of the regular season. They just can't seem to translate that into postseason success, 3 straight losses in the playoffs.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (13-5)
Nobody can deny that QB Drew Brees is amazing, and TE Jimmy Graham and RB Darren Sproles frighteningly added game-breaking speed and superstar-making size to an already imposing offense. They broke all kinds of offensive records, including most passing yards in a season, but with a minimal run game and a suspect defense, it will only look impressive on paper.

DENVER BRONCOS (9-9)
Tebow-mania was out of control. The media could not start a sentence without bringing it around to QB Tim Tebow and his improbable winning streak after replacing benched QB Kyle Orton. RB Willis McGahee deserves alot of the credit as does an impressive defense led by rookie LB Von Miller and CB Champ Bailey, but unorthodox quarterback play doesn't beat the Bradys, Rodgers and Brees' of this world.

HOUSTON TEXANS (11-7)
If not for the injury to QB Matt Schaub, it's possible the Texans would have been one of the big stories of the season. Even with RB Arian Foster and WR Andre Johnson at the top of their positions and massive amounts of talent on D, the reliance on undrafted rookie QB T.J Yates couldn't take them too far, and everyone knew it.

GREEN BAY PACKERS (15-2)
The last three 15-1 teams (99 Vikings, 04 Steelers and the 11 Packers here) have failed to make the Super Bowl. MVP QB Aaron Rodgers looked unstoppable all season long but in the playoffs it was drops, miscues and terrible defense. They were the favorite to repeat the Super Bowl, they went 15-1, and.. they didn't win a playoff game.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (14-4)
Coach Jim Harbaugh turned a team of underachieving offensive playmakers , a stacked defense with elite size and speed at every level, into what it should have always been. This is a harder task than it sounds. The 49ers played some of the best football of the season and truly were undone by only a few muffed kicks. That is the curse and beauty of football.

BALTIMORE RAVENS (13-5)
While RB Ray Rice becomes a superstar, the defense's waning veteran leaders spread their Raven culture to the youngsters. LB Terrell Suggs was defensive player of the year. This story has been on repeat for three years, playoff victories come but amazingly, the Ravens can't make that jump into the Super Bowl.

Sunday 1/22/12 (AFC/NFC)

New York Giants, 20, San Francisco 49ers, 17

In a masterpiece of hard-hitting defense and talented, opportunistic offense it should not be surprising that turnovers on special teams would be a deciding factor. Rookie WR Kyle Williams had a punt glance off his knee in the 4th quarter and fumbled the clincher in OT after the 49ers D had stopped clutch QB Eli Manning a second time in OT, forcing said fumbled punt.

Big 100 yard recieving performances from Giants WR Victor Cruz and 49ers TE Vernon Davis (with both 49er touchdowns) and sweat-and-tears workhorse efforts from Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw and 49ers RB Frank Gore tell the story of a game truly fought against two very strong and fast defenses.

Soggy San Francisco may have played host to one of the most gritty Championship Games of all time. Huge stops by the 49ers LB Patrick Willis, CB Carlos Rodgers, and DT Ray McDonald with a part of 3  big sacks, were met, blow-by-blow by DE Justin Tuck's 2 sacks, DE Jason Piere-Paul, LB Chase Blackburn and the big play Giants D. It was not obvious during the regular season that the Giants D would be able to compete in a slugfest like this, but they have solidified at the right time. In the end, it was a game lost on two fumbles.

KEY PLAY: With both teams playing so well, there are no doubts the two deciding plays in this game were the two fumbles by WR Kyle Williams. It is a tough burden for a rookie, truly a matter of inches.

MVP:  On this day, Eli Manning deserves more credit for putting up 300 yards against this defense on this day than he will get. While the 3rd downs were a roller-coaster, 5-for 7 to start the game, then 7 straight failed conversions, Eli made the plays when they needed to be made against a defense that over-matched opponents all year.

New England Patriots, 23, Baltimore Ravens, 20

QB Tom Brady announced he "sucked pretty bad today" as he waltzed into the Super Bowl for a 5th time but it was the Ravens who will hold the poor recollections of this day. Surefire Hall-of-Famers LB Ray Lewis and Brady jawed with each other early, and both teams were able to stop the big weapons, Ravens RB Ray Rice was limited to 67 yards and Brady had barely over 200 yards, 0 TDs and 2 INTs.

In the 4th quarter, Tom Brady's 4th down crushed acrobat TD was pure heart and soul to put the Pats up 23-20, but his 2nd interception, a deep and overconfidant bomb directly following LB Brandon Spikes' momentum-solidifying interception gave the Ravens a window.

In the final minute of the 4th quarter, both teams alternated attempts to give the game away. The Patriots' D turned to jelly and let WR Anquan Boldin slice them for 9 yards, 29 yards, and 9 yards on consecutive plays, Boldin fumbled the final play out of bounds, a bounce that was ridiculously fortunate (and would prove to be the end of the Ravens' fortune). Patriots CB Sterling Moore than made two consecutive pass defenses, the first of which appeared a certain game-winning touchdown to WR Lee Evans, the second of which was apparently QB Joe Flacco's attempt to lose the game through an unneccessarily forced 3rd down conversion in field goal range.

Maybe Joe's reckless urgency was foreboding premonition because K Billy Cundiff missed the chip shot field goal. That sent Tom Brady and Bill Bellicheck to The Super Bowl for the 5th time. The sideline shots of S Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Ray Rice, WR Torrey Smith were of complete shock and horror, good television but a truly sickening ending for the Baltimore Ravens.

KEY PLAY: WR Lee Evans had the game-winning TD in his hands for almost a full second before CB Sterling Moore was able to whack it away and leave Baltimore's Super Bowl hopes a mere alternate reality inside of that one second.

MVP: DT Vince Wilfork was a force inside the entire game. His performance; three tackles for loss and a sack looked decent on paper but his clutch domination of the 3rd and 4th down in Patriots' territory that resulted in a turnover late in the 4th quarter was game-changing.

Championship Weekend 2012

New York Giants (11-7) @ San Francisco 49ers (14-3)

The Giants and 49ers play tough, hard-nosed football. They have out-lasted the record-breaking passing offenses from Green Bay and New Orleans and delivered us an NFC Championship focused on defense, and the running game. However, the key too their playoff success has been their quarterbacks improved play.

QB Eli Manning took some hits against the Packers but kept on firing. Late game hero QB Alex Smith struggled for most of his game against the Saints  to capitalize on 5 turnovers but my, were the final drives impressive. Perhaps some confidence in that arm will jumpstart the 49er offense. While the defenses are elite, the running games decent, overall depth on both teams impressive, any regression by Eli or Alex Smith would be a diaster.

KEYS FOR NYG: The Giants don't get to play the Falcons and Packers defenses any more. RB Brandon Jacobs had looked good in the box score but the eyeball test makes it pretty evident he will have no success against a physical D like San Francisco. Jacobs runs like a back 100lbs lighter, afraid of contact, the Giants O-line will need to dominate even that much more.

KEYS FOR SF: It wouldn't hurt to keep punching out those turnovers. QB Alex Smith is lucky to be at home for this NFC Championship and if TE Vernon Davis keeps up his brilliance, the offense could take a step up at a perfect time. They would love RB Frank Gore, however, to remain the focus.

Baltimore Ravens (13-4) @ New England Patriots (14-3)

Plain ol' vanilla QB Joe Flacco and his pedestrian stat lines come rolling into QB Tom Brady's magical miracle show. It is a good thing for competetive spirt that the Ravens D is great and the Patriots' D was one of the league's worst during the season.

LB Ray Lewis will get 'em fired up, Coach Bill Bellicheck will have his team humming low and deadly, but we know these stories already. To beat Patriots, pressure Brady constantly. To beat Ravens, get ahead early and make Flacco throw. Now, accomplishing these tasks is a whole different thing, but we know the formulas.

KEYS FOR BAL: DT Haloti Ngata and the rest of the line will obviously need to play well. WR Anqouan Boldin and RB Ray Rice know they can't get to the Super Bowl with two mediocre performances, and they need to show up in a big way on the road.

KEYS FOR NE: Hopefully some spark in New Englad's defensive step has been lit and Brady won't have it entirely on his shoulders. This playoff year, we are seeing elite defenses exposing weak defenses that have coasted on their highlight-reel offensive counterparts (see: Packers, Saints). The Patriots do not want to be that next lesson.

Sunday 1/15/12 (Divisional)

Baltimore Ravens, 20 Houston Texans, 13

Give credit to two hard-hitting, exciting defenses. The Ravens had to bend to RB Arian Foster and WR Andre Johnson but they refused to break. The Texans' D was even more impressive, really keeping QB Joe Flacco in a holding pattern of 3-and-outs (11 first downs, 9 punts) to keep the Texans in the game. Time and time again though, we bow to one mitigating factor that allows a 'good' defense to call itself 'great': turnovers.

The Ravens did not make the mistakes, the Texans did. It was a well-played game and certainly announced the Texans to the league as a force to be reckoned with. Today was not their day, but as we being to leak out their farewell paragraphs into monday morning, let it be stated QB T.J Yates is not to blame. With 2 minutes, needing a TD to go to OT he slinged 16 and then 18 yards in 2 plays to Johnson and went out slinging for the victory, rather than dinking down to certain defeat. Maybe not the right decision, but admirable.

KEY PLAY: When QB T.J Yates slinged it again to WR Andre Johnson the Ravens answered with what they have so often answered with, the incredible athleticism and instincts of S Ed Reed. Reed made a leaping grab and sealed the game, as you would expect a "great" defense to do.

MVP: S Ed Reed, LB Terrell Suggs and LB Ray Lewis. You just cannot say enough about these old veterans who have played hard so long and have rarely given us a one-and-done in the playoffs. They showed they still have the instincts and the toughness to win playoff games.

New York Giants, 37 Green Bay Packers, 20

QB/MVP Aaron Rodgers recieved little help this day. 8 drops from 7 different receivers and 3 post-catch fumbles (actually 4 if Referee/SBXL Asshole Bill Leavy doesn't bizarrely refuse to grant a plainly obvious 1st quarter fumble to the Giants, even Packers fans were genuinely shocked). The Green Bay defense never met a 3rd-and-long that they didn't leave a star Giants player wide open in the middle of the field.

Give QB Eli Manning credit though too, he is playing great and the entire Giants team has that momentum they had in 2007 and that the Packers had in 2010. The Giants D-line has received a heap of praise but say the Packers catch the ball, say the Packers D stops anything at all (not even a hail mary at the end of the 2nd half? Really?) and that D-line did not produce anything close to the legendary performance that has been billed.

KEY PLAY: Really, the Giants D-line produced only one big play and it was the biggest play of all. On the first drive of the 3rd quarter, WR Greg Jennings had his guy royally scorched and DE Osi Uminyoria stripped the ball at the last possible second. This easy pitch-and-catch would have made the game 20-17, got the crowd involved and possibly made a much different game.

MVP: So we received our second day of "defense wins championships" curriculum. While the Giants D will receive across-the-board accolades for the Packers fumbling and dropping passes, the true hero of the game is QB Eli Manning who worked the field at will, even after taking some brutal hits, for 330 yards and 3 TDs (benefiting from another huge game by WR Hakeem Nicks).

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.