AFC
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.
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