Season Recap - 2011 Arizona Cardinals

Final Record: 8-8 Finished: 2^nd Place in the NFC West
2012 Draft Position: 13^th

Preseason Ranking: 19

Week 1: Defeated the Carolina Panthers, 28-21
    Ranked - 15
    Arizona showed a lot of promise… and a lot to be concerned about during their narrow victory over the Carolina Panthers. If the defense does not have an answer for a rookie quarterback in his first real game as a pro, how will they fare when an elite veteran comes to town?

Week 2: Lost at the Washington Redskins, 22-21
    Ranked - 21
    The aerial attack of Kolb to Fitzgerald seems to be coming along nicely, yet Arizona still has too many question marks on their roster for anybody to tell if they are for real or not. Being real in the NFC West is one thing, being real in the rest of the NFL is totally different.

Week 3: Lost at the Seattle Seahawks, 13-10
    Ranked - 23
    Note to self: We weren't built to run. Throw me the ball! Signed, Larry Fitzgerald.

Week 4: Lost to the New York Giants, 31-27
    Ranked - 23
    The Cardinals showed they can run the ball. We always knew they could pass. Now can they just play some fourth quarter defense?

Week 5: Lost at the Minnesota Vikings, 34-10
    Ranked - 26
    Kolb benched. Defense struggling. Offense thinking about becoming run-first. So much for the Cardinals making a run this year.

Week 6: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 24     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    Larry Fitzgerald: There are big Steelers in the stadium, Kolb!
    Kevin Kolb: Oh, that's just our opponent, Larry.
    Larry Fitzgerald: I hate the Steelers, Kolb! I hate 'em!
    Kevin Kolb: Come on! Get over the Super Bowl loss, will ya!

Week 7: Lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 32-20
    Ranked - 27
    It's still hard to believe this team has fallen so low after being in the Super Bowl just a few seasons ago. For all of you out there clambering for Peyton Manning to be MVP this season after the Colts' dreadful start, I give you exhibit B for your argument: the Arizona Cardinals in the years since Kurt Warner retired.

Week 8: Lost at the Baltimore Ravens, 30-27
    Ranked - 27
    Fitzgerald will be hard-pressed to make his run to the Hall of Fame if the Cardinals can’t get him a decent quarterback in the next few years.

Week 9: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 19-13
    Ranked - 25
    How careless do you have to be to give up two safeties in a single quarter? Teams can go years without giving up two safeties…

Week 10: Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 21-17
    Ranked - 21
    Could a Skelton-Kolb quarterback controversy be on the horizon? That certainly doesn't have the same ring as Montana-Young, does it?

Week 11: Lost at the San Francisco 49ers, 23-7
    Ranked - 24
    Who will start for Arizona once Kolb is back to 100%? Does it even matter?

Week 12: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 23-20
    Ranked - 23
    The offense and defense may not be doing much, but at least the Special Teams unit is making people pay attention.

Week 13: Defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 19-13
    Ranked - 22
    Sometimes the only thing better than calling a timeout is not calling a timeout. It's worked for Andy Reid all these years, it certainly worked for Ken Whisenhunt last Sunday.

Week 14: Defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 21-19
    Ranked - 21
    Just when you think the Cardinals are done, they turn spoiler.

Week 15: Defeated the Cleveland Browns, 20-17
    Ranked - 21
    Could the Cardinals actually sneak into a Wild Card spot? The odds are not in their favor by any means, but for Arizona to even be part of the discussion after the way the season started is worthy of note.

Week 16: Lost at the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-16
    Ranked - 22
    Kolb is back and, even if the season is lost, he has a starting job in 2012 to play for.

Week 17: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 23-20


Final Ranking: 19

Tomorrow, the 2011 Dallas Cowboys...

Season Recap - 2011 Seattle Seahawks

Final Record: 7-9
Finished: 3^rd Place in the NFC West
2012 Draft Position: 12^th

Preseason Ranking: 24

Week 1: Lost at the San Francisco 49ers, 33-17
    Ranked - 30
    Nothing like an old college rivalry to add some spice to a boring, NFC West divisional matchup. Seattle is well on their way to becoming the first team in NFL history to make it into the playoffs two years in a row with a losing record. Now, if they could just find seven wins on their remaining schedule…

Week 2: Lost at the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-0
    Ranked - 31
    The Seahawks have looked absolutely terrible with Tarvaris Jackson at the helm. Was Matt Hasselbeck really that bad? I don't think so and the Titans don’t think so. Unlike with Kansas City, there is still hope for Seattle to turn things around. They play in the NFC West afterall and in a division where the teams are a combined 2-6 after two weeks, anything can happen. Just ask the 2010 Seahawks.

Week 3: Defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 13-10
    Ranked - 26
    Note to self: 7-9 division champions two years in a row? That would be some kind of record! No need to aim high when you play in the NFC West. Signed, Pete Caroll.

Week 4: Lost to the Atlanta Falcons, 30-28
    Ranked - 26
    There is some life in Seattle, but it certainly isn’t very interesting.

Week 5: Defeated the New York Giants, 36-25
    Ranked - 22
    Seattle scored a great road victory against the Giants last week and showed signs of life for the first time all season. With the 49ers looking dominant, even outside the NFC West, the Seahawks are the only team in position to challenge them for the division title.

Week 6: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 22     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [The Seahawks study the standings after their bye week and see the 49ers have increased their lead in the division]
    Coach Carroll: Our situation has not improved.

Week 7: Lost at the Cleveland Browns, 6-3
    Ranked - 24
    Yuck. Some fans actually had to watch that game.

Week 8: Lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, 34-12
    Ranked - 26
    Aside from the two games against the Falcons and Giants, Seattle hasn't scored more than 17 points. Seven wins this season seems a stretch with such woeful offensive performance.

Week 9: Lost at the Dallas Cowboys, 23-13
    Ranked - 28
    Meh.

Week 10: Defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 22-17
    Ranked - 24
    I don’t get this team. Please decide once and for all if you are good or not so people can get on with their lives.

Week 11: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 24-7
    Ranked - 22
    Seattle is still one of the most boring teams in the NFL.

Week 12: Lost to the Washington Redskins, 23-17
    Ranked - 22
    Seattle just bores me. I don't know why.

Week 13: Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 31-14
    Ranked - 20
    Marshawn Lynch is finally adding some much needed life to the Seahawks, though it is too little, too late for Seattle.

Week 14: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 30-13
    Ranked - 19
    Seattle is still mathematically alive for a playoff spot, but even a perfect run to 9-7 won’t be enough to get them to the second season.

Week 15: Defeated the Chicago Bears, 38-14
    Ranked - 14
    Seattle sure put a beating on Chicago. The Seahawks are just starting to get interesting. It only took them 14 games to get there.

Week 16: Lost to the San Francisco 49ers, 19-17
    Ranked - 20
    7-9 was good enough to win the division title last year. This year, the Seahawks could finish one game better and miss the playoffs.

Week 17: Lost at the Arizona Cardinals, 23-20


Final Ranking: 20


Tomorrow, the 2011 Arizona Cardinals...

Season Recap - 2011 Kansas City Chiefs

Final Record: 7-9
Finished: 4^th Place in the AFC West
2012 Draft Position: 11^th

Preseason Ranking: 20

Week 1: Lost to the Buffalo Bills, 41-7
    Ranked - 32
    The Chiefs apparently never recovered from the 30-7 loss to the Ravens in last year's playoffs, but the 41-7 drubbing the Bills put on them is ridiculous for a defending division champion. There is still plenty of time for them to get their act together, but the window will close quickly if their offense can't figure out a way to score on a consistent basis.

Week 2: Lost at the Detroit Lions, 48-3
    Ranked - 32
    If I could rank the Chiefs lower than last overall, I would. I have never seen a team so dead and buried after two games as this 2011 Kansas City squad. Injuries and poor execution on both offense and defense have devastated this division champion from one year ago. But no worries. A trip to San Diego may be the cure for what ails them, since the Chargers are infamous for playing down to their opponent's level. Still, the Chiefs are beyond forked.

Week 3: Lost at the San Diego Chargers, 20-17
    Ranked - 32
    Note to self: At the end of a miserable season, they'll fire you anyway, so you might as well start calling the plays yourself. Signed, Todd Haley.

Week 4: Defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 22-17
    Ranked - 29
    A win against the Vikings isn't saying a whole lot, but after the terrible start to the season, the Chiefs are happy to have any hope in their 2011 campaign.

Week 5: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 28-24
    Ranked - 28
    Two wins in a row? Forget the fact that those wins came against winless opponents. Luckily for the Chiefs, they do have a game scheduled against Miami soon. I foresee another notch in the win column that week.

Week 6: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 27     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [To the other Chief players, while watching the Oakland fans take their seats]
    Matt Cassel: Guys, we're pilgrims in an unholy land.

Week 7: Defeated the Oakland Raiders, 28-0
    Ranked - 23
    Have the Chiefs suddenly figured things out and turned the corner on their season? Monday night's matchup against the Chargers has suddenly become interesting.

Week 8: Defeated the San Diego Chargers, 23-20
    Ranked - 20
    From three straight losses to four straight wins and a tie for the divisional lead. The Chiefs may not have all the pieces in place to continue this run, but they certainly have the potential to keep surprising people.

Week 9: Lost to the Miami Dolphins, 31-3
    Ranked - 23
    I just don’t know what to make of the Chiefs. They are like a poor man's underachieving Chargers.

Week 10: Lost to the Denver Broncos, 17-10
    Ranked - 23
    When the other team only completes two passes against you, it is usually considered good form not to let one of those two completions result in a touchdown. Talk about humiliating.

Week 11: Lost at the New England Patriots, 34-3
    Ranked - 29
    The Chiefs have gone from bad to better to absolutely terrible.

Week 12: Lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 13-9
    Ranked - 29
    The Chiefs tried a fast-paced college offense against the Patriots last week and that worked for about a quarter. If they can turn things around, they still have a chance in the AFC West, but only if they run the table.

Week 13: Defeated the Chicago Bears, 10-3
    Ranked - 27
    Hail Mary passes don't generally win games at the end of the first half. Maybe Kansas City's luck is about to change for the better.

Week 14: Lost at the New York Jets, 37-10
    Ranked - 28
    Haley, gone. Now what?

Week 15: Defeated the Green Bay Packers, 19-14
    Ranked - 25
    Just when you think Kansas City has no life left in them, they go out and play a game like that… and totally redeem themselves.

Week 16: Lost to the Oakland Raiders, 16-13
    Ranked - 26
    How sweet would Orton's revenge be if he could knock the resurgent Broncos out of the playoffs?

Week 17: Defeated the Denver Broncos, 7-3


Final Ranking: 25


Tomorrow, the 2011 Seattle Seahawks...

Season Recap - 2011 Buffalo Bills

Final Record: 6-10
Finished: 3^rd Place in the AFC East
2012 Draft Position: 10^th

Preseason Ranking: 28

Week 1: Defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 41-7
    Ranked - 9
    The absolute surprise of the weekend, Buffalo made everybody do a double take when their 41-7 shellacking of the Chiefs crawled across the ticker. It is doubtful in such a strong division the Bills will be able to keep this up and string together a few victories, but for one week, at least, they are not buffaloed.

Week 2: Defeated the Oakland Raiders, 38-35
    Ranked - 6
    A 2-0 start means nothing if the Patriots go into Buffalo this weekend and lay 50 on the Bills. Sure, Buffalo has started out with two impressive wins, but since they are not even supposed to be here, a victory over New England will silence their critics until they finally lose a game.

Week 3: Defeated the New England Patriots, 34-31
    Ranked - 5
    Note to self: Still young and unproven, we have nothing to lose! Harvard and Coe - what an explosive combination. Signed, Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Week 4: Lost at the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20
    Ranked - 10
    Really? Marvin Lewis makes a ridiculous guarantee and the Bills let him get away with it? Nobody expected Buffalo to be perfect - or even 3-1, for that matter - but that was a bad loss to the Bengals last Sunday.

Week 5: Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 31-24
    Ranked - 7
    The Bills solidified their position in the league as the anti-Eagles when they knocked off Philadelphia last week.

Week 6: Lost at the New York Giants, 27-24
    Ranked - 9     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [Following the late interception in the loss to the Giants...]
    Ryan Fitzpatrick: Give me your helmet. 
    Stevie Johnson: [takes his helmet off slowly] Why? 
    Ryan Fitzpatrick: [taking the helmet] Because I'm gonna puke in it!
    [Stevie Johnson quickly takes his helmet back]

Week 7: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 9
    Another surprise team of 2011 comes out of its bye week fresh and ready to keep on winning.

Week 8: Defeated the Washington Redskins, 23-0
    Ranked - 5
    The Bills keep forgetting that they are, well… the Bills. A win this week over the Jets will further legitimize their rise back to the ranks of the AFC elite.

Week 9: Lost to the New York Jets, 27-11
    Ranked - 9
    A bad division loss to the Jets could be the beginning of the end for Buffalo.

Week 10: Lost at the Dallas Cowboys, 44-7
    Ranked - 16
    The Bills were completely outclassed by the Cowboys last weekend and now their playoff hopes are starting to dim after an impressive start to the season.

Week 11: Lost at the Miami Dolphins, 35-8
    Ranked - 18
    Fans in Buffalo must be thinking, "here we go… Buffaloed again."

Week 12: Lost at the New York Jets, 28-24
    Ranked - 18
    Oh, what could have been. The Bills continue to erase all the good feelings created by the outstanding start to their season.

Week 13: Lost to the Tennessee Titans, 23-17
    Ranked - 21
    The luster is certainly gone from Buffalo's scintillating 4-1 start.

Week 14: Lost at the San Diego Chargers, 37-10
    Ranked - 23
    Buffalo exhibited some signs of life in the third quarter against the Chargers, but beyond that, they failed quite miserably.

Week 15: Lost to the Miami Dolphins, 30-23
    Ranked - 26
    So much for the Bills being the surprise team of the season.

Week 16: Defeated the Denver Broncos, 40-14
    Ranked - 23
    Buffalo has hardly been relevant the last half of the season, aside from last week's victory over the Broncos.

Week 17: Lost at the New England Patriots, 49-21


Final Ranking: 24


Season recaps resume next week with the 2011 Kansas City Chiefs...

Season Recap - 2011 Miami Dolphins

Final Record: 6-10
Finished: 4^th Place in the AFC East
2012 Draft Position: 9^th

Preseason Ranking: 23

Week 1: Lost to the New England Patriots, 38-24
    Ranked - 27
    Try as they might, the Dolphins just can’t win a shoot-out against the Brady-led Patriots.

Week 2: Lost to the Houston Texans, 23-13
    Ranked - 28
    Before the season started, if you had to guess which AFC East team would be 0-2 after two weeks, few people would have picked the Dolphins. Further burying them deep in the division cellar is that they are the only AFC East team to lose a game yet this season. That changes this week when the Bills and Patriots square off, but that's little consolation for Miami.

Week 3: Lost at the Cleveland Browns, 17-16
    Ranked - 29
    Note to self: If you can’t be part of the solution, complain loudly about the problem. Signed, Reggie Bush.

Week 4: Lost at the San Diego Chargers, 26-16
    Ranked - 31
    Coach Sparano has been given the kiss of death by Owner Stephen Ross, who says he supports Sparano 100%, despite Miami's winless start. He now has two weeks to prepare for a division matchup with the Jets. A bad loss in that game will probably seal Sparano's fate in Miami once the season ends, if not sooner.

Week 5: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 31
    The Dolphins have a new quarterback, but not a new coach. We'll see if that means anything on Monday night when they face off against the reeling Jets.

Week 6: Lost at the New York Jets, 24-6
    Ranked - 31     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [The Dolphins Coaching staff wanders around their practice facility, studying the players preparing for their next game]
    Coach Sparano: Who knows. Perhaps the key to our first win is waiting in some new offensive scheme for us to discover. Perhaps there's some vital bit of information which eludes us. Perhaps...
    Brian Daboll, Offensive Coordinator: [interrupting him] Perhaps Andrew Luck can help us.
    Steve Bush, Wide Receivers Coach: My feeling exactly.

Week 7: Lost to the Denver Broncos, 18-15
    Ranked - 30
    If the last five minutes of the Denver game hasn’t convinced the owners to make a coaching change, nothing will.

Week 8: Lost at the New York Giants, 20-17
    Ranked - 31
    Make up your mind, Reggie Bush. Do the Dolphins stink or are you guys just having too much fun wallowing in your own winless filth?

Week 9: Defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-3
    Ranked - 30
    The win over Kansas City probably allowed Coach Sparano to keep his job through the end of the year. A few more will be needed if he hopes to be around in 2012.

Week 10: Defeated the Washington Redskins, 20-9
    Ranked - 28
    Isn’t it amazing how two straight victories can take the pressure off a team that lost seven in a row to start the season?

Week 11: Defeated the Buffalo Bills, 35-8
    Ranked - 21
    The Dolphins are suddenly scary good.

Week 12: Lost at the Dallas Cowboys, 20-19
    Ranked - 20
    Tough break in Dallas on Thanksgiving. The Dolphins should still be on a winning streak.

Week 13: Defeated the Oakland Raiders, 34-14
    Ranked - 18
    The talk of firing Coach Sparano has died down since Miami's success of late.

Week 14: Lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, 26-10
    Ranked - 22
    The writing has been on the wall for quite some time now, so it was inevitable that Sparano would be fired, but at this point, why didn't the Dolphins just let him close out the season?

Week 15: Defeated the Buffalo Bills, 30-23
    Ranked - 24
    The Dolphins have shown flashes of brilliance this season. There is hope for 2012, depending on who ends up being hired as the coach during the offseason.

Week 16: Lost at the New England Patriots, 27-24
    Ranked - 24
    The Dolphins can put an end to the Jets season once and for all. Too bad Rex Ryan will never shut up.

Week 17: Defeated the New York Jets, 19-17


Final Ranking: 21


Tomorrow, the 2011 Buffalo Bills...

Season Recap - 2011 Carolina Panthers

Final Record: 6-10
Finished: 3^rd Place in the NFC South
2012 Draft Position: 8^th

Preseason Ranking: 31

Week 1: Lost at the Arizona Cardinals, 28-21
    Ranked - 26
    Cam Newton for 400+ yards and three total scores. Not a bad first day of work. If he is able to lead the Panthers to a fraction of that yardage this week against the Packers then he might truly be the quarterback of the future.

Week 2: Lost to the Green Bay Packers, 30-23
    Ranked - 27
    400+ yards against the Cardinals is one thing, 400+ yards against the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, totally different. Despite Cam Newton's jaw-dropping stat lines, the bottom line remains that the Panthers are 0-2 and play in a stacked division. They will not go 1-15 this year, but they are still at least one year away from being a serious contender for the division title.

Week 3: Defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 16-10
    Ranked - 25
    Note to self: Points matter more than passing yards. Seems counterintuitive, but isn’t. Signed, Cam Newton.

Week 4: Lost at the Chicago Bears, 34-29
    Ranked - 24
    The stats are impressive, but where are the wins? A video-game like matchup against the Saints this week will end with the Panthers staying true to form - statistically superb, but failing on the one stat that really matters: points scored.

Week 5: Lost to the New Orleans Saints, 30-27
    Ranked - 25
    The elusive wins continue to evade Cam Newton and company, but if the stats keep piling up week-to-week, eventually the Panthers will break through.

Week 6: Lost at the Atlanta Falcons, 31-17
    Ranked - 28     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    Steve Smith: You know how to win, don't you?
    Cam Newton: Um, no. Do you?

Week 7: Defeated the Washington Redskins, 33-20
    Ranked - 25
    At 2-5, the playoffs are a long-shot, but Carolina is building a team here with Cam Newton that could be a force to be reckoned with next season.

Week 8: Lost to the Minnesota Vikings, 24-21
    Ranked - 24
    All the stats don't mean anything if you can't be ahead on the scoreboard when it matters most. The Panthers have another week to stew before they can try and get back into the win column.

Week 9: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 21
    A bye week should have given them time to figure how exactly they can turn their stats into victories.

Week 10: Lost to the Tennessee Titans, 30-3
    Ranked - 27
    Everybody, including the Panthers, expected more from Carolina coming out of their bye week.

Week 11: Lost at the Detroit Lions, 49-35
    Ranked - 28
    It's still surprising the Panthers only have two wins after how impressive Cam Newton has been all season.

Week 12: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 27-19
    Ranked - 26
    Cam Newton continues to rack up the stats, but it's difficult to crown him rookie of the year, since Andy Dalton has the Bengals in the playoff hunt.

Week 13: Defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 38-19
    Ranked - 24
    A few more wins - and Cincinnati's struggles - should make Cam Newton a lock for Rookie of the Year.

Week 14: Lost to the Atlanta Falcons, 31-23
    Ranked - 24
    Carolina was so close to ruining Atlanta's playoff chances. The Panthers need to learn how to close out games. It's not enough to lead them. You have to win them.

Week 15: Defeated the Houston Texans, 28-13
    Ranked - 22
    I don’t know what the heck that trick play was, but it was definitely entertaining!

Week 16: Defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 48-16
    Ranked - 21
    A Panthers victory will depend on how long Brees and the other Saints starters stay on the field.

Week 17: Lost at the New Orleans Saints, 45-17


Final Ranking: 23


Tomorrow, the 2011 Miami Dolphins...

Season Recap - 2011 Jacksonville Jaguars

Final Record: 5-11
Finished: 3^rd Place in the AFC South
2012 Draft Position: 7^th

Preseason Ranking: 26

Week 1: Defeated the Tennessee Titans, 16-14
    Ranked - 16
    The Jags won despite cutting their starting quarterback a few days before their game. Had the Titans come to town ready to play, the outcome of this game would have been far different.

Week 2: Lost at the New York Jets, 32-3
    Ranked - 25
    Garrard, gone. McCown, benched after a terrible three quarters of play filled with four interceptions and a safety. Welcome to the party, Gabberts. Coach Del Rio needs you to take him to the playoffs if he wants to be coaching the Jaguars next season. But don’t worry. There is no pressure on you.

Week 3: Lost at the Carolina Panthers, 16-10
    Ranked - 27
    Note to self: Take the blame for mental lapses at the end of games. That is the best way to instill team owners with confidence in your leadership abilities. Signed, Jack Del Rio.

Week 4: Lost to the New Orleans Saints, 23-10
    Ranked - 28
    The Jaguars have one more win than the Colts, but they seem lifeless compared to Indianapolis.

Week 5: Lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, 30-20
    Ranked - 29
    It's too early to say that the Jaguars have quit, but they certainly are playing uninspired football.

Week 6: Lost at the Pittsburgh Steelers, 17-13
    Ranked - 29     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [Responding to critics after another lackluster outing]
    Maurice Jones-Drew: I can only say I'm sorry so many times.
    Jacksonville Fans: Well, say it again anyway!
    Maurice Jones-Drew: Sorry.

Week 7: Defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 12-7
    Ranked - 28
    That was an ugly win over the Ravens, but at this stage in the season, the Jags will take them anyway they can get them.

Week 8: Lost at the Houston Texans, 24-14
    Ranked - 29
    We'll see just how much the Jaguars have left in them this season when they come back from their bye week and face off against the winless Colts. I sure hope a riveting game like that will be shown on TV somewhere.

Week 9: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 29
    The Jaguars have little hope of being anything more than spoilers the second half of the season.

Week 10: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 17-3
    Ranked - 26
    Good news for the Jaguars - they get to play the Colts again this season.

Week 11: Lost at the Cleveland Browns, 14-10
    Ranked - 27
    At least Maurice Jones-Drew is a viable fantasy option, but this offense has nothing else going for it.

Week 12: Lost to the Houston Texans, 20-13
    Ranked - 28
    New coach. New owners on the horizon. Could a new city be in the works as well?

Week 13: Lost to the San Diego Chargers, 38-14
    Ranked - 29
    A fired coach. The team up for sale. Despite all that, Jones-Drew continues to put up nice fantasy numbers.

Week 14: Defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 41-14
    Ranked - 25
    41 points! Sure, it came against the Buccaneers, but still… 41 points!

Week 15: Lost at the Atlanta Falcons, 41-14
    Ranked - 27
    The Jaguars suffered a good old fashioned butt-kicking against the Atlanta Falcons. With at least one game left against the Colts, the Jaguars can gain some hint of positivity before they shut the doors on a miserable 2011 campaign.

Week 16: Lost at the Tennessee Titans, 23-17
    Ranked - 27
    Is the season over yet?

Week 17: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 19-13


Final Ranking: 27


Tomorrow, the 2011 Carolina Panthers...

Season Recap - 2011 Washington Redskins

Final Record: 5-11
Finished: 4^th Place in the NFC East
2012 Draft Position: 6^th

Preseason Ranking: 27

Week 1: Defeated the New York Giants, 28-14
    Ranked - 10
    Grossman put his money where his mouth is and knocked off the first NFC East rival on the schedule. If the Redskins continue to play solid defense and Grossman can avoid the mental errors that forced him out the door in Chicago, Washington might just surprise some people.

Week 2: Defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 22-21
    Ranked - 7
    The Redskins are 2-0 and in sole possession of first place? Their upcoming Monday Night matchup against Dallas looks scarier than ever. Washington can play defense. If the offense can continue to move the ball consistently from week to week, Rex Grossman may very well be right about their chances to win the division.

Week 3: Lost at the Dallas Cowboys, 18-16
    Ranked - 14
    Note to self: Find out what type of football team you have. You don't have time to feel sorry for yourself. Also, big blitz in more obvious situations. Blitzes without mercy always work at this level. Signed, Mike Shanahan.

Week 4: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 17-10
    Ranked - 12
    A power running game and solid defense have given the Redskins their best start in years.

Week 5: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 11
    The Redskins had about the best bye week they could have hoped for. Next week's game against the Eagles could be their springboard to a division title.

Week 6: Lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, 20-13
    Ranked - 14     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [Seeing Carolina next on the schedule, Rex Grossman is eager to put his horrible game against the Eagles behind him]
    Rex Grossman: Let us hurry. There is nothing to fear here.
    [Coach Shanahan stops him before he can take the field]
    Coach Shanahan: That's what scares me.
    [Shanahan points to the bench.]
    Coach Shanahan: Stay here.

Week 7: Lost at the Carolina Panthers, 33-20
    Ranked - 18
    The best of Washington's season looks to be behind them.

Week 8: Lost at the Buffalo Bills, 23-0
    Ranked - 22
    The Redskins are primed to finish the season on a 13-game losing streak. I hope to see that happen.

Week 9: Lost to the San Francisco 49ers, 19-11
    Ranked - 22
    3-13 is still a distinct possibility.

Week 10: Lost at the Miami Dolphins, 20-9
    Ranked - 25
    6 straight losses and the Redskins are still well on their way to finishing 3-13 after starting 3-0.

Week 11: Lost to the Dallas Cowboys, 27-24
    Ranked - 26
    The Redskins are still on pace to finish 3-13. The overtime game against Dallas last week could very well have been their last chance to win a game this season.

Week 12: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 23-17
    Ranked - 24
    So much for all of my 3-13 talk, but 4-12 still has a nice ring to it.

Week 13: Lost to the New York Jets, 34-19
    Ranked - 25
    A few suspensions should help the Redskins finish on a 1-12 run after starting 3-0.

Week 14: Lost to the New England Patriots, 34-27
    Ranked - 26
    4-12 remains a distinct possibility, but the Redskins could at least beat the Giants this week, couldn’t they?

Week 15: Defeated the New York Giants, 23-10
    Ranked - 23
    Despite all expectations, the Redskins gained a huge victory over the Giants on Sunday. Even a Cowboys fan like myself can appreciate this win.

Week 16: Lost to the Minnesota Vikings, 33-26
    Ranked - 25
    The Redskins have been rebuilding ever since Daniel Snyder took the reins of the franchise. Why is Coach Shanahan surprised rebuilding in Washington is so difficult?

Week 17: Lost at the Philadelphia Eagles, 34-10


Final Ranking: 26


Tomorrow, the 2011 Jacksonville Jaguars...

Season Recap - 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Final Record: 4-12

Finished: 4^th Place in the NFC South
2012 Draft Position: 5^th

Preseason Ranking: 17

Week 1: Lost to the Detroit Lions, 27-20
    Ranked - 19
    The surprising young team of 2010 appears to have been cut down by the surprising young team of 2011. In a stacked division, Tampa Bay's only saving grace is that they are still tied for first place with New Orleans, Atlanta and Carolina in the NFC South.

Week 2: Defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 24-20
    Ranked - 20
    Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay saved their season with their fourth-quarter heroics against the Vikings on Sunday. The game was absolutely crucial for them to keep pace with the Saints and Falcons. Their upcoming clash with Atlanta in Florida will help determine if the Young Bucs are finally coming of age or if they're still just the annoying little brothers of the NFC South.

Week 3: Defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 16-13
    Ranked - 16
    Note to self: Next time, don’t do a little birdy dance when you score a rushing touchdown. That looked just downright silly on ESPN. Signed, Josh Freeman.

Week 4: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 24-17
    Ranked - 13
    If Tampa Bay ever learns how to stop all the mental mistakes they keep making in the first half of games, they could truly become a championship contender.

Week 5: Lost at the San Francisco 49ers, 48-3
    Ranked - 19
    That 45-point loss to the 49ers was the worst in Buccaneers history. That is saying something, considering how woefully inept Tampa Bay was prior to Tony Dungy's arrival back in the late 90's.

Week 6: Defeated the New Orleans Saints, 26-20
    Ranked - 19     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [The Buccaneers step off the plane in London, prepared for their "home game" against the Bears]
    London Fans: We should say you all look rather lost, but then we can't imagine where in the world you would look at home. And you are?
    Coach Morris: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
    London Fans: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one time Super Bowl champion?
    Coach Morris: Hard to believe, isn't it?

Week 7: Lost to the Chicago Bears, 24-18
    Ranked - 22
    Just when the Bucs seem to get going, injuries strike down their backfield.

Week 8: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 21
    Backfield injuries may short-circuit Tampa Bay's attempt to challenge New Orleans and Atlanta.

Week 9: Lost at the New Orleans Saints, 27-16
    Ranked - 20
    The Buccaneers have almost slipped completely out of the playoffs and now need to recover quickly if they hope to finish better than 8-8.

Week 10: Lost to the Houston Texans, 37-9
    Ranked - 22
    The Young Bucs are going through a sophomore funk and will need at least another year under their belts before they can seriously challenge the Falcons and the Saints for the division title.

Week 11: Lost at the Green Bay Packers, 35-26
    Ranked - 25
    The sophomore slump of the Buccaneers continues.

Week 12: Lost at the Tennessee Titans, 23-17
    Ranked - 27
    The Bucs need to settle down and use these last few weeks of the season to figure out what they need to do to be successful in 2012.

Week 13: Lost to the Carolina Panthers, 38-19
    Ranked - 28
    If the Buccaneers can't find some positivity by season's end, they will have to make some significant changes if they want to have any chance in a tough division next year.

Week 14: Lost at the Jacksonville Jaguars, 41-14
    Ranked - 29
    Seven straight losses by the Bucs makes you wonder if last year was more of a fluke than the beginning chapters of some coming of age story.

Week 15: Lost to the Dallas Cowboys, 31-15
    Ranked - 29
    The Buccaneers just keep on falling.

Week 16: Lost at the Carolina Panthers, 48-16
    Ranked - 32
    The Bucs have lost nine straight games, and have been outscored 158-64 in their last four. A final game against Atlanta will not change their fortunes any.

Week 17: Lost at the Atlanta Falcons, 45-24


Final Ranking: 30


Season recaps resume next week with the 2011 Washington Redskins...

Season Recap - 2011 Cleveland Browns

Final Record: 4-12

Finished: 4^th Place in the AFC North
2012 Draft Position: 4^th

Preseason Ranking: 18

Week 1: Lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, 27-17
    Ranked - 28
    For a team expected to be one of the surprise teams of the 2011 season, the Browns certainly laid an egg in their opening game against the Bengals.

Week 2: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 27-19
    Ranked - 23
    The Browns should be 2-0 now, but a bad loss to the Bengals still has people wondering if Cleveland can rise above the underachievement of the past few seasons and actually challenge for the playoffs. When Miami comes to town this week, the Browns better win if they hope to start building any positive momentum this season.

Week 3: Defeated the Miami Dolphins, 17-16
    Ranked - 18
    Note to self: Never give up the never-give-up attitude. Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Let's just say it has potential. Signed, Colt McCoy

Week 4: Lost to the Tennessee Titans, 31-13
    Ranked - 22
    Looks like Cleveland fans are in for another long season of underachievement.

Week 5: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 21
    Like the Chiefs, Cleveland's only wins have come against winless opponents. A trip to Oakland coming out of their bye week will do little to change their fortunes.

Week 6: Lost at the Oakland Raiders, 24-17
    Ranked - 23     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    Coach Pat Shurmur: [Looks around in dismay at his underachieving players] Does anyone understand a word I'm saying here? This is intolerable!

Week 7: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 6-3
    Ranked - 21
    Yuck. At least the Browns rewarded their fans with a win after this miserable outing.

Week 8: Lost at the San Francisco 49ers, 20-10
    Ranked - 23
    Cleveland's disappointing start this season is made even more profound by Cincinnati's great start. Who would have thought before the season the Browns, not the Bengals, would be the team left out of the AFC North mix?

Week 9: Lost at the Houston Texans, 30-12
    Ranked - 26
    The Browns continue to be one of the biggest disappointments of the 2011 season.

Week 10: Lost to the St. Louis Rams, 13-12
    Ranked - 29
    Congrats! You even lost to the Rams. Now what?

Week 11: Defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 14-10
    Ranked - 23
    Cleveland's season is all but mathematically over. Barely defeating a struggling Jacksonville team does little to change that perception.

Week 12: Lost at the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20
    Ranked - 25
    The Browns continue to disappoint in 2011.

Week 13: Lost to the Baltimore Ravens, 24-10
    Ranked - 26
    Three games out of four against the Ravens and the Steelers should put the exclamation point on Cleveland's forgettable 2011 campaign.

Week 14: Lost at the Pittsburgh Steelers, 14-3
    Ranked - 27
    Nobody expected the Browns to win last week. It's nice they didn’t disappoint anybody.

Week 15: Lost at the Arizona Cardinals, 20-17
    Ranked - 28
    The Browns had the game against the Cardinals in the bag until they collapsed in the fourth quarter before losing the game outright in overtime.

Week 16: Lost at the Baltimore Ravens, 20-14
    Ranked - 28
    The Browns have been whipped by every other team in the AFC North. I don’t see the Steelers letting them off easy the final week of the season when Pittsburgh has so much to play for.

Week 17: Lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 13-9


Final Ranking: 28

Tomorrow, the 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers...

Season Recap - 2011 Minnesota Vikings

Final Record: 3-13

Finished: 4^th Place in the NFC North
2012 Draft Position: 3^rd

Preseason Ranking: 25

Week 1: Lost at the San Diego Chargers, 24-17
    Ranked - 23
    There is a new kind of play now allowed in the NFL where the quarterback takes a few steps back and then throws the ball forward to what is called a receiver. The receiver then catches the ball and runs for a few more yards, if possible, thereby advancing closer to the opponent's goal line. Granted, this kind of play seems weird, since it is so much easier to just have the quarterback hand the ball off to Adrian Peterson, but trust me, this so called "passing" play works. In fact, some teams have even turned it into an art form. Maybe the Vikings should try it out and see if it makes a difference.

Week 2: Lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-20
    Ranked - 26
    Two straight weeks, two straight fourth quarter collapses. At least the Vikings are consistent. Defensively, the Vikings have failed to stop anybody for long stretches of time and offensively, the Vikes have struggled to string together successful drives resulting in touchdowns. It will be a long, tough season in Minnesota if their only hope for victory each game is that the defense contains the opposing offense just enough so that Adrian Peterson can breakaway for the winning score. Three more weeks of ineptness and Christian Ponder should be named the starting quarterback.

Week 3: Lost to the Detroit Lions, 26-23
    Ranked - 28
    Note to self: When up by two touchdowns, let Peterson run the ball. Also, don't forget the game lasts a full 60 minutes. I think that's a new rule this year. Signed, Leslie Frazier.

Week 4: Lost at the Kansas City Chiefs, 22-17
    Ranked - 27
    Possibly the best of the winless teams, Minnesota needs to improve all aspects of their game starting now if they want to salvage any shred of hope for this season. Another loss should be the last one before Christian Ponder is given the reigns and the experience he will need to lead this team into the future.

Week 5: Defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 34-10
    Ranked - 24
    Wow. The Vikings finally managed to hold onto a big first half lead. If they had figured out how to do that earlier this season, they might actually have been relevant the rest of the year.

Week 6: Lost at the Chicago Bears, 39-10
    Ranked - 25     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [Christian Ponder stands at midfield following his first game against the Green Bay Packers and talks with Aaron Rodgers]
    Aaron Rodgers: You lost today, kid, but that doesn't mean you have to like it.

Week 7: Lost to the Green Bay Packers, 33-27
    Ranked - 29
    One of the best 1-6 teams in the history of the league, Ponder provided a spark for the Vikings on Sunday. Too bad the rest of the team wasn't up to the challenge of playing a full four quarters against the Packers. Three quarters of solid play will never be good enough.

Week 8: Defeated the Carolina Panthers, 24-21
    Ranked - 25
    The Vikings dodged a bullet on Sunday, but at least they have hope for the future with Ponder looking confident at quarterback.

Week 9: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 27
    The Vikings have one last shot at the Packers and the NFL has given them a bye week and one extra day to prepare. They will have no excuses when they get blown out this weekend at Lambeau.

Week 10: Lost at the Green Bay Packers, 45-7
    Ranked - 30
    Yes, the Packers are scary good. But on national TV, against a hated division rival, you'd think the Vikings would have mustered a little bit more effort.

Week 11: Lost to the Oakland Raiders, 27-21
    Ranked - 30
    It's surprising to see the Vikings so bad and in search of an identity after all that has happened with this franchise in the past three years.

Week 12: Lost at the Atlanta Falcons, 24-14
    Ranked - 30
    The slide continues for a team just two years removed from the NFC Championship game.

Week 13: Lost to the Denver Broncos, 35-32
    Ranked - 30
    If the Vikings could just win half of the games they were leading at some point, just think how good their record could be.

Week 14: Lost at the Detroit Lions, 34-28
    Ranked - 30
    The Vikings continue to implode.

Week 15: Lost to the New Orleans Saints, 42-20
    Ranked - 32
    Drew Brees had a career day in just three quarters against the Vikings. I wouldn’t expect Minnesota to get an interception until 2012.

Week 16: Defeated the Washington Redskins, 33-26
    Ranked - 29
    That was, quite possibly, the worst ever regular season victory in franchise history.

Week 17: Lost to the Chicago Bears, 17-13


Final Ranking: 29


Tomorrow, the 2011 Cleveland Browns...

Season Recap - 2011 St. Louis Rams

Final Record: 2-14

Finished: 4^th Place in the NFC West
2012 Draft Position: 2^nd

Preseason Ranking: 13

Week 1: Lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, 31-13
    Ranked - 29
    Ouch. The Eagles put the hurt on the Rams and with so many early season injuries, St. Louis could be hard-pressed to challenge for the division title.

Week 2: Lost at the New York Giants, 28-16
    Ranked - 30
    The Rams are better than their 0-2 record and are probably better than their 30th ranking, but injuries and bad decisions have St. Louis trying to figure out what is going on. The game against the Giants was sloppy and not the best way to highlight your talents in primetime. Like Seattle, the Rams still have more than a good chance in the NFC West, but how truly terrible is the division if two of its four teams are considered Forked?

Week 3: Lost to the Baltimore Ravens, 37-7
    Ranked - 31
    Note to self: Bruised, but not broken. Shaken, but not stirred. Winless, but not out of it. Signed, Sam Bradford.

Week 4: Lost to the Washington Redskins, 17-10
    Ranked - 32
    Even in the NFC West the Rams won't be able to overcome their horrible start.

Week 5: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 32
    Normally teams that start winless look forward to coming out of the bye weeks locked and loaded for their first win of the season. Unfortunately for the Rams, they have the Packers waiting for them this week in Lambeau. That can’t be good.

Week 6: Lost at the Green Bay Packers, 24-3
    Ranked - 32     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [At a press conference discussing the Rams woeful 0-5 start]
    Coach Spagnuolo: We have top men working on it now.
    Media Member #1: Who?
    Coach Spagnuolo: Top... men.

Week 7: Lost at the Dallas Cowboys, 34-7
    Ranked - 32
    The Rams keep looking worse every week. They haven't even been close to winning a game all season.

Week 8: Defeated the New Orleans Saints, 31-21
    Ranked - 30
    Unfortunately for the Rams, and the people of St. Louis, the Cardinals can’t celebrate a World Series championship at the Edward Jones Dome every Sunday.

Week 9: Lost at the Arizona Cardinals, 19-13
    Ranked - 31
    Giving up a 99-yard punt return touchdown is a devastating way to lose in overtime. But scoring 4 points in the third quarter on the strength of two safeties was pretty cool. The Rams have that going for them… if nothing else.

Week 10: Defeated the Cleveland Browns, 13-12
    Ranked - 31
    Just when you think the Rams might have figured out how to gain the #1 overall pick, they go and win another one against a suspect team like the Browns.

Week 11: Lost to the Seattle Seahawks, 24-7
    Ranked - 31
    The Rams should have been so much better this year.

Week 12: Lost to the Arizona Cardinals, 23-20
    Ranked - 31
    The Rams have been close to breaking through all season, but they just aren’t good enough.

Week 13: Lost at the San Francisco 49ers, 26-0
    Ranked - 31
    Nothing says "we haven't given up" like scoring 0 points against your division rival.

Week 14: Lost at the Seattle Seahawks, 30-13
    Ranked - 31
    The Rams have showed just enough promise to avoid earning the #1 overall pick next year, but that's about it.

Week 15: Lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-13
    Ranked - 30
    The Rams are having a devil of a time winning this year, but their strength of schedule could end up hurting them come draft time if they end up tied with the Vikings.

Week 16: Lost at the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-0
    Ranked - 31
    The Rams could be on the clock as early as 4:00pm Eastern on Sunday… if Indianapolis can get past Jacksonville.

Week 17: Lost to the San Francisco 49ers, 34-27


Final Ranking: 32


Tomorrow, the 2011 Minnesota Vikings...

Season Recap - 2011 Indianapolis Colts

Final Record: 2-14

Finished: 4^th Place in the AFC South
2012 Draft Position: 1^st

Preseason Ranking: 12

Week 1: Lost at the Houston Texans, 34-7
    Ranked - 31
    Without Manning, the Colts looked helpless. The team will rally around Collins in the coming weeks, but these Colts are merely Ponies without their fearless leader at the helm.

Week 2: Lost to the Cleveland Browns, 27-19
    Ranked - 29
    I really thought the Colts would rally around Collins enough to get by the Browns without incident, but Indy looks completely out of their element without Manning behind center. The Colts have been designed for a vertical passing game led by their formerly indestructible general and are now forced into a balanced attack with an emphasis on defense. That can be a formula for success in the long run, but the 2011 season is all but lost.

Week 3: Lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 23-20
    Ranked - 30
    Note to self: With Manning most likely gone for the year, talk with coaches about manufacturing some "Luck" for our future. Signed, Jim Irsay.

Week 4: Lost at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-17
    Ranked - 30
    Painter is no Manning, but after his gutty performance against the Buccaneers, he showed he can be far more useful than your typical clipboard holder.

Week 5: Lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 28-24
    Ranked - 30
    Painter has provided a spark to the Manning-less offense, but the defense of the Colts has always been suspect, even when Manning took the field.

Week 6: Lost at the Cincinnati Bengals, 27-17
    Ranked - 30     Indiana-Jones Style Recap
    Reggie Wayne: We're in trouble!
    Peyton Manning: Trouble? What kind of trouble?
    Reggie Wayne: It's a long story. Better hurry up or you won't get to hear it.

Week 7: Lost at the New Orleans Saints, 62-7
    Ranked - 31
    Horrible effort by the Colts last Sunday night in New Orleans. They were never going to win that game, but they certainly should not have been blown out that bad. 45-7, sure. But 62-7, that's ridiculous.

Week 8: Lost at the Tennessee Titans, 27-10
    Ranked - 32
    Even without Manning at the helm, the Indianapolis Colts shouldn’t be this bad. Could 0-16 really be a possibility? If they get to 0-14, I hope Coach Caldwell benches his starting players to make 0-16 a reality. If it was good enough for 14-0, it's good enough for 0-14.

Week 9: Lost to the Atlanta Falcons, 31-7
    Ranked - 32
    The bye week can’t come soon enough for Indianapolis.

Week 10: Lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 17-3
    Ranked - 32
    The bye week has finally arrived for the Colts.

Week 11: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 32
    Unfortunately the season is not over yet for the Colts. Although they didn’t lose last week. They have that going for them.

Week 12: Lost to the Carolina Panthers, 27-19
    Ranked - 32
    The Colts were unwilling to try for perfection a few years back, content to settle for a 14-2 record. Are the football gods punishing them now by having them go 0-16?

Week 13: Lost at the New England Patriots, 31-24
    Ranked - 32
    The misery of the Colts season continues.

Week 14: Lost at the Baltimore Ravens, 24-10
    Ranked - 32
    About the best thing that can be said about the Colts is that their season will be over in three weeks.

Week 15: Defeated the Tennessee Titans, 27-13
    Ranked - 31
    Defeated no more, the Colts can now tank their remaining two games with a clear conscience.

Week 16: Defeated the Houston Texans, 19-16
    Ranked - 30
    Indy is on a two-game winning streak. One more victory and they can kiss all those Manning-Luck conversations goodbye.

Week 17: Lost at the Jacksonville Jaguars, 19-13


Final Ranking: 31


Tomorrow, the 2011 St. Louis Rams...

Super Bowl XLVI

Congratulations to the New York Giants!

Last season's "If Real football Used Fantasy Scoring..." champions have shown they can do it on the real football field as well. How nice for Giants fans everywhere.


Team season recaps start on Monday, February 13th. Relive the glory (or misfortune) of your favorite team's 2011 campaign in the next few weeks...

Predictions of Creative Misfortune - Super Bowl XLVI

A rematch of Super Bowl XLII... and we have no clearly predicted winner. It should be a great game!


Super Bowl XLVI Predictions:

New York Giants vs New England Patriots
     Creative Misfortune's Pick: New England Patriots 27, New York Giants 23. The Patriots have not forgotten their loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. The sting of that defeat will never go away, but a bit of redemption can be had by a New England victory in Super Bowl XLVI.

     Scottie V's Pick: New York Giants 27, New England Patriots 23. Eli continues to emerge from Peyton's shadow snatching his second Lombardi Trophy with a brilliant 300-yard, no turnover performance.

     Vegas Lines Pick: New England Patriots 30, New York Giants 26. Patriots by 3, Over/Under 54.

     Best Record Wins Pick: New England Patriots 20, New York Giants 17. Patriots better at 15-3.

     Home Team Wins Pick: New York Giants 20, New England Patriots 17. The Giants play their home games in MetLife Stadium, just 711 miles away from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, whereas Gillette Stadium in Foxboro sits 975 miles away. New York gains home-field advantage by having slightly less distance to travel.


Next week, once the Super Bowl celebrations have wound down and the champion has been duly praised, complete season recaps for all teams will begin. Don't miss out on your chance to relive the glory (or misfortune) of your favorite team's 2011 season!

Super Bowl XLVI Preview - Franchise Comparisons - New England Patriots vs New York Giants

Two storied franchises are set to battle it out in Indianapolis on Sunday to determine which one will become even more storied. We’ve compared the offenses. We’ve compared the defenses. Now let’s compare the organizations as a whole and see how they stack up to each other.

Founded -

            New England Patriots: 1960

            New York Giants: 1925

            Comment of Misfortune: New York is older by 35 years and was part of the original National Football League.

            Team Advantage: New York
            Score: New York, 1-0

Stadium Capacity -

            New England Patriots: 68,756
            New York Giants: 82,566
            Comment of Misfortune: Since 82,566 is a few more drunken fans more than 68,756, I gotta rule in favor of New York.

            Team Advantage: New York
            Score: New York, 2-0

Uniform Colors -

            New England Patriots: All the colors of the great U.S. of A
            New York Giants: Blue and Gray

            Comment of Misfortune: The Patriots fly the colors of the greatest nation on Earth. How can New York's Civil War colors possibly compare?
            Team Advantage: New England
            Score: New York, 2-1

Nickname -

            New England Patriots: Patriots, Evil Empire, Homeland Defense, Patsies, The Pats

            New York Giants: Giants, Big Blue Wrecking Crew, Crunch Bunch, "Earth, Wind and Fire", G Men, Jet Blue, Thunder & Lightning

            Comment of Misfortune: The Giants have more nicknames and none of theirs have to do with long periods of ineptness, such as the Patsies, however, the Evil Empire is a cool way to refer to the Patriots of the Belichick era.
            Team Advantage: New York
            Score: New York, 3-1

2011 Record -

            New England Patriots: 13-3 (2-0)

            New York Giants: 9-7 (3-0)

            Comment of Misfortune: New England clearly stands apart from New York in this category at 15-3 vs 12-7... but they stood out four years ago when they were 18-0 as well.

            Team Advantage: New England
            Score: New York, 3-2

All-Time Regular Season Record -

            New England Patriots: 414-365-9 (.525 win %, since 1960)

            New York Giants: 645-531-33 (.534 win %, since 1925)

            Comment of Misfortune: Not only has New York played more games than New England, they've won a higher percentage of them, too.

            Team Advantage: New York

            Score: New York, 4-2

All-Time Playoff Record -

            New England Patriots: 23-15 (.605 win %)

            New York Giants: 23-24 (.489 win %)

            Comment of Misfortune: Come playoff time, however, New England has won a higher percentage of games than New York.

            Team Advantage: New England

            Score: New York, 4-3

2011 Touchdowns Scored -

            New England Patriots: 69 (regular season, 61; playoffs, 8)

            New York Giants: 56 (regular season, 47; playoffs 9)

            Comment of Misfortune: The Patriots offense has been quite prolific through most of the season and they have punched the ball into the end zone 13 more times than the Giants.

            Team Advantage: New England

            Score: Tied, 4-4

2011 Field Goals Scored -

            New England Patriots: 32 (regular season, 28; playoffs, 4)

            New York Giants: 25 (regular season, 19; playoffs, 6)

            Comment of Misfortune: In close, defensive battles, field goals can be of utmost importance. The Patriots, surprisingly, have a significant edge here.

            Team Advantage: New England
            Score: New England, 5-4

Super Bowl Titles -

            New England Patriots: 3 ~ Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX

            New York Giants: 3 ~ Super Bowls XXI, XXV, XLII

            Comment of Misfortune: They have each won three Super Bowls, but I can't overlook the value of New York's victory in Super Bowl XLII in this category.
            Team Advantage: New York
            Score: Tied, 5-5

 

Other Championships -

            New England Patriots: None
            New York Giants: 4 ~ NFL Championships in 1927, 1934, 1938 and 1956

            Comment of Misfortune: While their Super Bowls may need a tiebreaker, the Giants clearly win the Other Championships category by being older and more successful during the first half of the 20th century.

            Team Advantage: New York
            Score: New York, 6-5

All-Time Record vs Each Other -

            New England Patriots: 5-5

            New York Giants: 5-5

            Comment of Misfortune: The all-time series is tied up between these two, but only because the Giants defeated the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Again, that victory cannot be overlooked when all other things appear to be equal…

            Team Advantage: New York
            Score: New York, 7-5

Record in Last 10 Games vs Each Other (since October 1970) -

            New England Patriots: 5-5

            New York Giants: 5-5
            Comment of Misfortune: The Giants have won the last two meetings (this season and Super Bowl XLII), but prior to those games, the Patriots owned New York between 1996 and 2007.
            Team Advantage: New England

            Score: New York, 7-6

Biggest All-Time Victory vs Each Other -

            New England Patriots: 11 points (NE 17, NYG 6; October 12, 2003)

            New York Giants: 16 points (NYG 16, Boston Patriots 0; October 18, 1970)

            Comment of Misfortune: Neither team has ever been able to crush the other one. Looks like we are set up for another close game on Sunday, if the current versions of these franchises hold true to history.
            Team Advantage: New York
            Score: New York, 8-6

Total Franchise All-Pro Players -

            New England Patriots: 30 Players (named a total of 50 times)

            New York Giants: 58 Players (named a total of 110 times)

            Comment of Misfortune: When it comes to Pro's Pros, New York has had almost twice as many All-Pro players on their rosters as the Patriots.

            Team Advantage: New York
            Score: New York, 9-6

Total Franchise Pro Bowl Players -

            New England Patriots: 88 Players (named a total of 199 times)

            New York Giants: 117 Players (named a total of 258 times)

            Comment of Misfortune: When it comes to fan balloting, both teams have had a similar number of Pro Bowl players, but New York should have had far more than New England since they have been in existence 35 years longer.

            Team Advantage: New England

            Score: New York, 9-7

Pac-10 Players on Roster -

            New England Patriots: 10 - Josh Barrett (Arizona State), Andre Carter (California), Patrick Chung (Oregon), Christian Cox (Utah), Rob Gronkowski (Arizona), Bret Lockett (UCLA), Chad Ochocinco (oregon State), Matthew Slater (UCLA), Nate Solder (Colorado) and Shane Vereen (California)
            New York Giants: 2 - Spencer Paysinger (Oregon) and Terrell Thomas (USC)         
            Comment of Misfortune: What's with all the non-Pac-10 players, New York? Clearly only one of these teams suffers from an extreme case of East Coast bias. Left Coast Advantage - New England.

            Team Advantage: New England

            Score: New York, 9-8

Final Judgment:

            Both franchises are among the true elites of the National Football League, but history is on New York's side as they get the nod in 9 of the 17 franchise categories. Will their edge in intangibles lead to another surprising victory in Super Bowl XLVI? Only a few more days until we find out.

Check back tomorrow for the predictions of Creative Misfortune for Super Bowl XLVI…Will either team be a unanimous pick by all prediction systems?