AFC
MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-9)It wasn't the diaster that the majority assumed. The defense led by LB Cameron Wake, and a better-than-expected QB Ryan Tannehill showed spirit.There has been fight in Miami ever since their 1-15 2007 debacle, when will that next gear catch?
BUFFALO BILLS (6-10)Plenty are calling for Coach Chan Gailey's head to roll, RB C.J Spiller is becoming a star, everyone but the Buffalo coaching staff can see that. The real question is, despite DE Mario Williams, why did the Bills struggle yet again? There is a good pool of talent here.
NEW YORK JETS (6-10)They pretended they had a plan for QB Tim Tebow, they pretended he was the #2 quarterback while QB Mark Sanchez made himself the joke of the league. Coach Rex Ryan's fourth consecutive Super Bowl confidence thwarted by rational thought and games played.
CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-11)There aren't a lot of "QB Brandon Weeden is going to save the Cleveland Browns" sentences uttered. RB Trent Richardson and a solid D started the season strong and then gained CB Joe Haden mid-season, still, the wins did not come. Another long, cold year in Cleveland.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-8)If O-Co Todd Hailey and QB Ben Rothlisberger truly do disagree on offensive styles, I would say Ben would be vindicated by this season. The offense didn't know how to use WR Mike Wallace and that defense isn't aging anymore, it's aged.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2-14)Another debacale in Jacksonville. Hopefully these duldrum seasons can stay out of the playoffs and off prime time television. This is the least watchable team, with the least passionate fanbase. They literally may be even un-blurb worthy. I am adding a sentence just to fill the blurb!
TENNESSEE TITANS (6-10)RB Chris Johnson showed impressive burst, and then maddening hesitancy all season long. The cliche' book says the Titans "lack identity", but watching the games they just are mediocre in many areas talent-wise, this would be a general manager issue.
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (7-9)Coach Norv Turner is a great offensive coordinator, but when your most consistent weapon is WR Malcom Floyd, the same receiver who used to be your 3rd or 4th best weapon in his prime... you can blame GM A.J Smith. Over-confidence in his personnel scouting, letting the big names go, this is how we can explain such a lackluster product on the field.
OAKLAND RAIDERS (4-12)Oakland fans, once the cocksure braggarts of the NFL have seen misery and pitiful decisions doom their once proud franchise. The last of which, last year's firing of their first good coach since the early 2000s, led directly to this season. RB Darren McFadden and QB Carson Palmer are the typical flawed heros Oakland can hang their annual losing seasons on.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-14)RB Jamaal Charles continues to flash briliance. The Chiefs opt to take him out anywhere near the end zone though, lessening his impact. Kansas City was historically bad this season, unexpected for sure, and they played almost the entire season from behind. The NFL misses Kansas City (and Oakland too) and hopes turnarounds loom on the horizon.
NFC
NEW YORK GIANTS (9-7)It is starting to get ridiculous how consistent the Giants' November meltdown is. It happens every year, even 2007 and 2011, when they rebounded to win Super Bowls. QB Eli Manning was subpar as WR Hakeem Nicks battled injuries and WR Victor Cruz slumped. DE Jason Pierre Paul played well but only had 6 sacks. DE Jusin Tuck was again irrelevant.
DALLAS COWBOYS (8-8)QB Tony Romo continues to be defended in mainstream media. In fact, I see so many articles defending Tony Romo against the "media onslaught" I start to wonder the existance of the onslaught itself. The facts: despite above-average talent at WR, TE, and on D, Tony Romo puts up the big numbers when it doesn't matter and throws interceptions when it does.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-12)For years, the knock on the Coach Andy Reid's Eagles was that if they had better skill position (RB/WR/CB) players, they'd be Super. The Eagles have some of the best in the league now, and have turned it into two awful years. Skill position talent is only part of the game, the Eagles are proof of that.
DETROIT LIONS (4-12)WR Calvin Johnson had 1964 yards, a record. It not translate into touchdowns (5) or wins (4). There are fingers pointing in a lot of directions but this team continues to be penalized, focus tends to wane QB Matthew Stafford continues to show incredible arm strength but is only using it to bail him out from lack of footwork. This is still an undisciplined team.
CHICAGO BEARS (10-6)QB Jay Cutler, WR Brandon Marshall, RB Matt Forte were a productive and frightening trio for the first half of the season, backed by an ageless ballhawking D. It may have been age that caught up with LB Brian Urlacher, DE Julius Peppers and LB Lance Briggs. As for what happened to Cutler and the offense, that I do not know.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (7-9)Rookie RB Doug Martin and key addition WR Vincent Jackson upgraded the offense, and the defense improved. The Bucs were legitimate wildcard contenders, than they lost 5 straight. So what happened? Pass defense. And this decade of NFL, that's the last thing you want to be terrible at.
CAROLINA PANTHERS (7-9)QB Cam Newton fell prey to the obligatory sophmore slump, but he fueled a red hot 5-1 finish from the Panthers who finally seem to be on the brink of success. With Newton overcoming that adversity, including a number of heartbreaking last second losses, the Panthers are the latest hot finishing team to make a losing season feel like progress.
ST LOUIS RAMS (7-8-1)Coach Jeff Fisher makes a huge difference in St. Louis, they slugged it out with the top teams in the NFL. The Rams have achieved the oft-mentioned "culture change" so many losing franchises desire. they were the 49ers krytonite and almost knocked the red-hot Seahawks off at home in Week 17. The future is suddenly so bright.
ARIZONA CARDINALS (5-11)The sad, darkly comic, fact about this season for the Cardinals is that without their four game winning streak to start the season, they would have likely had the 1st pick. I don't think very many people in November or December would have argued the Cardinals are the worst team in football. Arizona should be ashamed of wasting so much of WR Larry Fitzgerald's prime.
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