AFC
MIAMI DOLPHINS (8-8)
QB Ryan Tannehill showed promise, especially considering it was behind one of the worst O-line performances of all-time, 51 sacks allowed only begins to describe. The Martin/Incognito bullying & legal drama left Miami without 2 starters, It is one of the most bizzarre distractions a team has ever faced. The Dolphins still competed for the playoffs until losses in week 16 and 17.BUFFALO BILLS (6-10)
Another promising Buffalo Bills season has faltered and past. While QB E.J Manuel showed potential between injuries, RB C.J Spiller failed to live up to the hype. DE Mario Williams and a solid D-line have been decent, but the previously formidable Buffalo secondary was set back with injuries and under-performance. Buffalo yet again could not get things to click.NEW YORK JETS (8-8)
It was a genuine surprise that Coach Rex Ryan was able to get some big wins out of this team. Rookie DT Sheldon Richardson is a monster inside and the D played as decent as it could. The offense ebbed and flowed with rookie QB Geno Smith's inconsistency with, in my estimation, the worst skill position players in the NFL. Hey, not every single rookie QB can come out firing in year #1.CLEVELAND BROWNS (4-12)
You know, I sit here and I wonder why are the Browns again a bottom-dwelling NFL team. Two offensive stars bloomed in Cleveland this year (WR Josh Gordon and TE Jordon Cameran) and the defense has been good for a few years now. The answer seems to lie in dreadfully poor QB play (after promising QB Brian Hoyer went down in week 5) and a poor front office.PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-8)
Another down year for the Steelers starting 0-4 and predictable age creeping in on defense. Still, an influx in younger talent is coming on defense and on offense. RB Le'Veon Bell has promise, WR Antonio Brown has reached his potential. The 2013 Steelers were a strange combination of young players finding their feet and old players losing a step.JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-12)
A nice little quirk of the NFL is when the historically bad team turns tough spoiler. I do not see this in many other sports. Just lke the 2010 Bills and alongside this year Bucs, Coach Gus Bradley came out of the dust of QB Blaine Gabbert's 481 yards, 1 TD and 7 INT in his career-ending 3 games. The Jags put together some nice wins to foster some of that beautiful thing called hope.TENNESSEE TITANS (7-9)
The most un-heladed and un-hyped team in the league (now that the Seahawks are on the national map) did little to garner attention. CB Alturon Verner and WR Kendall Wright emerged while RB Chris Johnson and WR Kenny Britt lost their luster. QB Jake Locker went down and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick led the Titans to a very Bills-esque season. Will the Titans hang their hat on Locker from here?HOUSTON TEXANS (2-14)
Even with a roster of All-Pros and playoff experience over the last two seasons, the Texans lost their balance and tumbled. Houston started 2-0 and lost 14 straight, firing Coach Gary Kubiack, benching Matt "pick-6" Schaub, even losing twice to the previously 0-8 Jaguars. The tumble remains unexplained, that's the NFL.OAKLAND RAIDERS (4-12)
While QB Terelle Pryor and QB Matt McGloin showed flashes of competency, the Raiders seriously lack depth and talent everywhere else. A result of the late Al Davis' easy trigger in trading away draft picks. They are finally getting some full drafts on the horizon, and the depth of the team should improve.NFC
NEW YORK GIANTS (7-9)
QB Eli Manning any former Super Bowl winning QB has ever had. Viewing some of his dreadful, almost sad, performances was literally painful. While the interceptions piled up because the running game didn't exist, the defense actually collected itself in front of S Antrell Rolle, after acquiring LB Jon Beason and turned in a solid year.DALLAS COWBOYS (8-8)
I've read one hundred 'It's not Tony Romo's fault" articles. The strange joke is that these articles outnumber the 'Blame Romo' at least 50 to 1. QB Tony Romo was fine, he's exactly what he is, an 8-8 quarterback with or without talent. He has had talent, WR Dez Bryant is emerging into the game's next best WR and RB DeMarcco Murray had a great year but again the defense was historically awful and Romo threw all the interceptions at all the wrong times. It's not blaming Romo, it's just what happened.WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-13)
QB Robert Griffin III was the ESPN 'heel' this year, Cam Newton, Jay Cutler and Michael Vick have previously played the part. RG3 and Coach Mike Shanahan never got on the same page this season. It didn't help that the Redskins defense was surprisingly one of the league's worst.DETROIT LIONS (7-9)
The Lions continue to under-achieve. In a season that Cutler and Rodgers from the Bears and Packers both missed signifigant time, the Lions were poised to take the NFC North. Instead QB Matthew Stafford's mechanics broke down, he was awful down the stretch despite RB Reggie Bush and RB Joqiue Bell producing. They lost 6 of their last 7 and finished 3rd in the NFC North.CHICAGO BEARS (8-8)
Finally, Chicago has a genuine offense. There is no question this is the best offense Chicago has ever had. The emergence of WR Alshon Jeffery alongside WR Brandon Marshall is exciting for the Bears. RB Matt Forte was dynamic yet again. And wouldn't you know it? Suddenly, the Bears defense is awful! The Bears could not stop the run, 32nd in the league in rushing defense.TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (4-12)
A misreble 0-8 start with a handful of very close losses. The Buccaneers defense is finally coming around behind DT Gerald McCoy, LB Lavonnte David and CB Darrelle Revis. In the 2nd part of the season, the Bucs could ran the ball well despite being down to their 3rd-string RB. QB Mike Glennon stepped in after QB Josh Freeman was traded in week 5. It was chaos in Tampa Bay this year.ATLANTA FALCONS (4-12)
For the sake of symmetry with the Houston Texans in the AFC, the Falcons collapsed from Super Bowl contender to bottom-dweller with much the same roster as had made them playoff perennials in the last few years. The Falcons dealt with injuries at WR and RB and without marquee skill players, the offensive line, defense, special teams all fell way short.ST LOUIS RAMS (7-9)
After the injury to QB Sam Bradford it became clear, 2013 would be another rebuilding year for St. Louis. A promising rebuilding year tough with CB Janoris Jenkins, WR Tavon Austin and especially 19-sack DE Robert Quinn showing flashes of cornerstrone-ability. The Rams will have two top 10 picks in this year's draft, again positioned well to rebuild.ARIZONA CARDINALS (10-6)
Arizona has perked up. The defense with DT Calais Campbell and CB Patrick Peterson is big, strong and hard to run against. QB Carson Palmer did the best he could and got things moving a little bit. RB Andre Ellington provided a spark, WR Larry Fitzgerald returned to relevance. Arizona narrowly missed the playoffs, and like the Rams, look positioned well to rebuild and create a seriously scary NFC West.
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