Creative Misfortune - Season 2 Sign-Off

The second of Creative Misfortune’s blog seasons has finally come to an end. As we await the results of the NFL Draft in April, Creative Misfortune will now head into its offseason. While I am away, relive some of the many highlights during the second season of blogging action…

 

 

- Week-to-week Power Rankings led to the infamous Indiana Jones-themed rankings of Week 6, found here.

- The second ever “If Real Football Used Fantasy Scoring…” champions – the 2011 New Orleans Saints – were crowned in Week 16.

- Team by team Season Recaps filled the void following Super Bowl XLVI.

Creative Misfortune will return in the fall once the NFL has resumed practices under the August sun. For now, go out and enjoy your spring and summer! Do not long for the passing of days until the NFL returns. Laugh and live life to its fullest.

After all, life is about making some things happen, not waiting for something to happen.

May your Creativity know no bounds and

May Misfortune and Folly never find you!

Tournament of Past Champions - Title Defense of the '99 St. Louis Rams

Last year, 128 of the greatest teams in football history came together and competed in Creative Misfortune’s Tournament of Past Champions. The tournament, comprised of 35 league champions (teams from the NFL, AFL and AAFC, who won their titles between 1941 and 1965), 45 Super Bowl champions, 45 Super Bowl runner-ups looking for redemption and 3 wild-cards pulled from the ranks of those modern-era teams so great during the regular season the football world was shocked when they did not make it to the Super Bowl (the 1998 Minnesota Vikings, the 2005 Indianapolis Colts and the 1987 San Francisco 49ers), proved to be a grueling task for all but the hardiest of teams.

In a single elimination tournament, with virtual game results determined by What If Sports computer simulations, 128 of the greatest teams in football history fought for supremacy and only one team – the 1999 St. Louis Rams, aka The Greatest Show on Turf – emerged victorious.

The road to the title for St. Louis was not an easy one. The Rams opened their tournament with a dominating 21-13 victory over the 1958 Baltimore Colts and really hit their stride in the second round when they absolutely crushed the 2001 New England Patriots, 29-12, in a matchup where they won every possible simulated game and avenged a real-world loss by the 2001 St. Louis Rams in the process.

St. Louis struggled mightily against the ’95 Cowboys in round three, advancing despite winning less than half of the simulations, but managed to find their high gear again when they defeated the 1962 Packers in their Fortunate 16 matchup, 21-14.

The Greatest Show on Turf punched their ticket to the Elite 4 with a gutty, one-point victory over the #1 seeded, 1985 Chicago Bears and then rolled into the title game after defeating Brett Favre and the 1996 Green Bay Packers. A victory over the 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers completed St. Louis’ championship run.

One year removed from their outstanding victory, two new upstarts are set to challenge the ‘99 Rams for the title of greatest team ever – this season’s Super Bowl entrants, the 2011 New England Patriots and the 2011 New York Giants.

The Tournament of Past Champions games are played using the What If Sports SimMatchups software (try it for yourself here) that allows you to simulate historical games as many times as you would like with teams using different “offensive playbooks” while competing in both home, away or neutral game sites. To determine the title defense results, each matchup will be based on the result of 20 head-to-head simulations.

For example, to decide who would prevail – the 1959 Baltimore Colts or the 2009 Indianapolis Colts, 20 game simulations will be run – 10 at the home stadium of the ’59 Colts and 10 at the home stadium of the 2009 Colts.

Each of those 10 simulations will be broken down into “playbook” matchups in order to better gauge the overall strength and weaknesses of each team taking part in the tournament. The What If Sports game engine provides four separate playbook options – Balanced, Run Heavy, Pass Heavy and West Coast style. Over the course of a single, 20-game sim matchup, teams will play eight Balanced sims, four Pass Heavy sims, four Run Heavy sims and four West Coast style sims.

The final score for each team in the virtual matchup will be the average of the team’s scores over the course of all 20 simulations. The higher average “wins” the virtual matchup. In case teams are tied after 20 simulations, an additional 10 overtime sims, five at each team’s home stadium, will be played until one winner emerges. 

Results for each virtual matchup are recorded as follows:

                                                          

			1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
		1959 Baltimore Colts	7	7	10	0	24
		2009 Indianapolis Colts	7	7	0	7	21
		*Baltimore won 14 of 20 simulations

Now, without further ado, the 1999 St. Louis Rams defend their Tournament of Past Champions title against this year’s Super Bowl teams…

1999 St. Louis Rams vs 2011 New England Patriots

			1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
		2011 New England Patriots	7	7	0	0	14
		1999 St. Louis Rams	7	7	14	3	31
		*St. Louis won 18 of 20 simulations

   
            The Patriots held strong through halftime, but could not keep pace with the high-flying Rams who dominated the second half by outscoring New England 17-0.  

1999 St. Louis Rams vs 2011 New York Giants

			1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
		2011 New York Giants	3	3	7	7	20
		1999 St. Louis Rams	14	7	7	3	31
		*St. Louis won 16 of 20 simulations

            The Giants fared slightly better against the Rams than the Patriots, but fell into an early 14-3 hole at the end of the first quarter. Despite scoring two second half touchdowns, the Rams proved to be too much for the Giants.

Congratulations again to the 1999 St. Louis Rams.

Still Creative Misfortune’s reigning Champion of Champions.

           


On Friday, the final blog announcement of Creative Misfortune’s second season…

Season Recap - 2011 Super Bowl Champion New York Giants

Final Record: 9-7 (4-0)

Finished: 1^st Place in the NFC East; Super Bowl XLVI Champions
2012 Draft Position: 32^nd

Preseason Ranking: 10

Week 1: Lost at the Washington Redskins, 28-14
    Ranked - 25
    Did the Redskins surprise the Giants on Sunday? It sure seemed like New York had no idea what to expect from their revamped rivals.

Week 2: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 28-16
    Ranked - 19
    Sloppy wins are still wins. Manning has been careless with the football and had the Rams not gift-wrapped so many points for the Giants on Monday, the game easily could have slipped away from New York. Against Philadelphia they will have to play turnover-free football if they hope to keep pace in the hotly-contested NFC East.

Week 3: Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 29-16
    Ranked - 12
    Note to self: You are the Manning of the league now. Make the family proud. Signed, Eli Manning.

Week 4: Defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 31-27
    Ranked - 11
    Could Little Manning be the man now? Sure, he's won a Super Bowl, but until he wins another one, or Peyton retires, he will not be able to shake the "immature" label.

Week 5: Lost to the Seattle Seahawks, 36-25
    Ranked - 15
    The Seahawks? Seriously. The Giants could be the cream of the NFC East crop with Philadelphia's failings, but they need to win games like this if they hope to make it to the playoffs.

Week 6: Defeated the Buffalo Bills, 27-24
    Ranked - 16     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [Following the Giants gritty victory over the Buffalo Bills]
    New York Reporter #1: The last time I saw Coach Coughlin like this we were at the Super Bowl. He was very close to achieving his life's ambition. I've never seen him so excited. He was as giddy as a schoolboy.
    Eli Manning: Who, Atilla The Coach? He was never giddy, even when he was a schoolboy.

Week 7: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 14
    The NFC East is theirs to lose at this point, but the Giants still have a long way to go before they get to the playoffs.

Week 8: Defeated the Miami Dolphins, 20-17
    Ranked - 13
    Warning: The high-flying Eagles are closer than they appear.

Week 9: Defeated the New England Patriots, 24-20
    Ranked - 14
    The Giants have collapsed before, but after that gritty win in New England, even they will be hard pressed to let the division slip away from them this season.

Week 10: Lost at the San Francisco 49ers, 27-20
    Ranked - 15
    New York controls the NFC East for now, but they've been known to collapse in seasons past.

Week 11: Lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, 17-10
    Ranked - 15
    The Giants are better than they looked against Philadelphia… but the next two games against New Orleans and Green Bay could kill their postseason hopes.

Week 12: Lost at the New Orleans Saints, 49-24
    Ranked - 17
    This defense is not good enough to slow teams down… and the offense is not quite explosive enough to win high-scoring shoot-outs.

Week 13: Lost to the Green Bay Packers, 38-35
    Ranked - 17
    Despite four straight losses, the Giants still control their own destiny with two games still remaining against division-leading Dallas.

Week 14: Defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 37-34
    Ranked - 12
    Gritty play by Eli and the defensive line has the Giants back in control of their own destiny. More's the pity, I say.

Week 15: Lost to the Washington Redskins, 23-10
    Ranked - 18
    I love the Giants' ability to consistently collapse in December. They are like the anti-Chargers.

Week 16: Defeated the New York Jets, 29-14
    Ranked - 11
    By all rights the Giants should already be eliminated… but talk of December collapses will vanish if New York can win at home to take the NFC East crown.

Week 17: Defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 31-14
    Ranked - 11
    The Giants are the worst NFC East champion in recent memory, but if their defensive line can continue to wreck havoc with opposing offensive lines, they could upset some of the NFC's elite… if they can get by Atlanta this weekend.

Wild Card Round: Defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 24-2
    Ranked - 7
    Could the Giants become the first team to knock off a 15-1 team in the Divisional round? They already have the defeat of an 18-0 team in the Super Bowl on their resume.

Divisional Round: Defeated the Green Bay Packers, 37-20
    Ranked - 3
    The Giants are this season's version of the 2010 Packers. How fitting is it that they ruined Green Bay's championship hopes? If they win in San Francisco, they will be able to relive either their greatest Super Bowl triumph or their worst Super Bowl failure. Either way, I'm sure there will be a story in there somewhere.

Championship Round: Defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 20-17
    Ranked - 2
    Like back in 2007, the Giants have nothing to lose and have been playing in survival mode since late in the regular season. Nobody will be surprised if they knock off the Patriots again, just like nobody will be surprised if the Patriots crush them on the biggest stage. With nothing to lose, teams often find a way to win.

Super Bowl XLVI: Defeated the New England Patriots, 21-17


Final Ranking: 1

Tomorrow, the 1999 St. Louis Rams defend their Tournament of Past Champions title against the 2011 New York Giants and the 2011 New England Patriots. Will either of these conference champions be able to slow down The Greatest Show on Turf?

Season Recap - 2011 New England Patriots

Final Record: 13-3 (2-1)
Finished: 1^st Place in the AFC East; AFC Champions; Lost Super Bowl XLVI
2012 Draft Position: 31^st

Preseason Ranking: 7

Week 1: Defeated the Miami Dolphins, 38-24
    Ranked - 2
    Why aren't the Patriots ranked #1 after their awe-inspiring offensive performance on Monday night? The defense allowed Miami's Chad Henne to look like a poor man's copy of Tom Brady. If the Patriots hope to challenge for another Super Bowl title, they better figure out how to stop opposing offenses. Even the greatest offenses can't win every game 38-34... just ask the 2007 Patriots.

Week 2: Defeated the San Diego Chargers, 35-21
    Ranked - 1
    Until they are beaten, the Patriots remain the team to beat in the NFL. Belichick's cutthroat tactics, even when they fail (see 4th and 4 from midfield against the Chargers with only a six point lead), still seem to have other coaches shaking in their boots. The Evil Empire is alive and well, though regular season success has been nothing new of late for the Patriots. It's playoff victories they need to secure before everybody should really fear that New England is back to their Super Bowl winning ways.

Week 3: Lost at the Buffalo Bills, 34-31
    Ranked - 4
    Note to self: Four touchdowns, good. Four interceptions, bad. If possible, pick up a running game before next week. Signed, Tom Brady.

Week 4: Defeated the Oakland Raiders, 31-19
    Ranked - 4
    With the stumbling of Buffalo and New York last week, the Patriots are in perfect position to take back control of the AFC East. Now if they could just find a defense…

Week 5: Defeated the New York Jets, 30-21
    Ranked - 5
    New England's offense is scary good, but until the defense starts shutting teams down, opponents will have hope.

Week 6: Defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 20-16
    Ranked - 4     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    Commissioner Goodell: Now what does this Brady look like?
    Rich Eisen: Uh… there’s a picture of him right here. [Opens a GQ magazine on the table and places it before the Commissioner] That’s him.
    Commissioner Goodell: Good God!
    Rich Eisen: Yes, that’s just what the cornerbacks thought.
    Commissioner Goodell: [pointing to a beam of light surrounding a football as it leaves Brady's hand] Uh, now what’s that supposed to be coming out of there?
    Rich Eisen: Lightning. Fire. Power of God or something.
    Commissioner Goodell: I am beginning to understand Belichick's interest in him.
    Rich Eisen: Oh, yes. The NFL Gamebooks speak of Brady leveling linebackers and laying waste to entire secondaries. A football team that starts Brady at quarterback… is invincible.

Week 7: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 3
    Out of the bye week and on the road to Pittsburgh - a place where the Patriots have done quite well in the past 10 years. We'll see how well they made use of their extra week to prepare.

Week 8: Lost at the Pittsburgh Steelers, 25-17
    Ranked - 6
    If New England can't figure out how to beat press coverage and aggressive bump-and-run tactics, the brilliant start to their season will become just a distant memory.

Week 9: Lost to the New York Giants, 24-20
    Ranked - 8
    Seriously? What happened to the defensive genius that is Bill Belichick?

Week 10: Defeated the New York Jets, 37-16
    Ranked - 5
    A big win over the Jets has given the Patriots some of their momentum back.

Week 11: Defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 34-3
    Ranked - 4
    New England seems to have figured out how to play defense. If they could just get their offense back on track…

Week 12: Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-20
    Ranked - 3
    If the Patriots continue to play solid defense few teams will be able to match Brady and Co in a shoot-out.

Week 13: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 31-24
    Ranked - 6
    Did Belichick call off the dogs against Indianapolis last week after building an early lead or did the Colts actually shut this high-powered offense down in the second half?

Week 14: Defeated the Washington Redskins, 34-27
    Ranked - 5
    The Patriots are a win away from clinching the division, but Brady better keep on throwing the ball if New England hopes to gain a bye-week advantage.

Week 15: Defeated the Denver Broncos, 41-23
    Ranked - 2
    Doesn’t it kind of feel like the Patriots killed Christmas when they defeated the Broncos last week and laughed at Tebow's fourth quarter magic?

Week 16: Defeated the Miami Dolphins, 27-24
    Ranked - 4
    The best team in the AFC finds ways to win, but there are still a lot of holes in their defense.

Week 17: Defeated the Buffalo Bills, 49-21
    Ranked - 4
    Despite their defensive woes, the path to the AFC championship has to go through Foxboro.

Wild Card Round: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 3
    Is this weekend's game against Denver the epitome of a "Good vs Evil' matchup in the NFL

Divisional Round: Defeated the Denver Broncos, 45-10
    Ranked - 1
    Is it just me or did Tom Brady come out against Denver in full on F-U mode? He played cold-blooded... upset that in the year he breaks Dan Marino's passing record, Drew Brees broke it better... when he played lights out during the regular season, Aaron Rodgers - star of the fallen Packers - will most likely win the MVP award... despite winning three Super Bowls already, nary a word was said about him leading up to the match up against the Broncos - it was all Tebow, Tebow, Tebow. A record six touchdown passes later, five in the first half, and suddenly Brady was back in the spotlight and nothing but questions surrounded Tebow's future in the NFL. Unless his defense fails him, a la Green Bay and New Orleans, Brady will likely lead the Patriots to a fourth Super Bowl title.

Championship Round: Defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 23-20
    Ranked - 1
    Tom Brady now has the chance to become the all-time winningest quarterback in playoff history and also has the chance to win his fourth Super Bowl title, further separating himself from the other quarterbacks of his era. All he has to do is get past a scary good defensive front that has keyed three straight road victories in the playoffs. But how sweet would revenge be for the Patriots if they won their fourth Super Bowl title avenging their loss in Super Bowl XLII?

Super Bowl XLVI: Lost to the New York Giants, 21-17


Final Ranking: 2


Tomorrow, the 2011 Super Bowl Champion New York Giants...

Season Recap - 2011 San Francisco 49ers

Final Record: 13-3 (1-1)
Finished: 1^st Place in the NFC West; Lost in the NFC Championship Game
2012 Draft Position: 30^th

Preseason Ranking: 30

Week 1: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 33-17
    Ranked - 8
    Two late return touchdowns made this game look like a blow-out, but the 49ers were close to blowing a fourth quarter lead against the Seahawks. A win is a win, but until the NFC West teams start defeating powers in the other divisions, these kinds of victories will remain necessary, but hollow.

Week 2: Lost to the Dallas Cowboys, 27-24
    Ranked - 12
    The 49ers. The best team in the NFC West. That isn’t saying much. A total collapse against Dallas on Sunday can't do much for their confidence, either, with the latest reports that Romo beat them with broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Week 3: Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 13-8
    Ranked - 8
    Note to self: Now you are following in Walsh's footsteps. He beat the Bengals twice, you know. Signed, Jim Harbaugh.

Week 4: Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-23
    Ranked - 8
    A huge comeback win over the Eagles, combined with the overall ineptness of the other NFC West teams has the 49ers suddenly believing in themselves.

Week 5: Defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 48-3
    Ranked - 4
    The 49ers completely demolished the upstart Bucs last weekend. San Francisco looks like they are finally coming into their own, although this is a year later than expected.

Week 6: Defeated the Detroit Lions, 25-19
    Ranked - 3     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [At dinner following the explosive ending to the San Francisco-Detroit game]
    Coach Jim Harbaugh: How odd that it should end this way for us after so many stimulating encounters. I almost regret it. Where shall I find a new adversary so close to my own level?
    Coach Jim Schwartz: Try the local sewer.

Week 7: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 2
    The 49ers aren’t there yet, but as the best team in the NFC West they are definitely well on their way.

Week 8: Defeated the Cleveland Browns, 20-10
    Ranked - 2
    The 49ers are playing well and would be undefeated but for their early season mental lapse against the Cowboys.

Week 9: Defeated the Washington Redskins, 19-11
    Ranked - 2
    Undefeated on the East Coast, the 49ers are rising above the muck that is the NFC West.

Week 10: Defeated the New York Giants, 27-20
    Ranked - 2
    San Francisco will be the first team to clinch a division title. Now they need to focus on gaining home field advantage throughout the playoffs, because nobody wants to play at Lambeau in January.

Week 11: Defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 23-7
    Ranked - 2
    San Francisco is playing solid football and, with the division all but wrapped up, securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs should be their goal the remainder of the regular season.

Week 12: Lost at the Baltimore Ravens, 16-6
    Ranked - 6
    The 49ers looked out-of-sorts last Thursday for the first time all season. In the NFC West, they should be fine, but one-and-done in the playoffs certainly looks like a more realistic possibility now.

Week 13: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 26-0
    Ranked - 2
    San Francisco probably won't be able to catch Green Bay for the best overall record in the NFC, but they should keep hold of their bye-week positioning.

Week 14: Lost at the Arizona Cardinals, 21-19
    Ranked - 7
    Two losses in the last three weeks have hurt the 49ers. A trip to Pittsburgh should do little to help them recover their early-season form.

Week 15: Defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-3
    Ranked - 4
    I'm still not sold on the 49ers being able to defeat either the Saints or the Packers. Realistically, for them to reach the Super Bowl, they will have to beat them both.

Week 16: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 19-17
    Ranked - 3
    A win over the hapless Rams is all the 49ers need to clinch a first-round bye.

Week 17: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 34-27
    Ranked - 3
    The 49ers better pull the game film for the recent Chiefs-Packers game and make note of everything Kansas City did to derail the defending champs. San Francisco will need every one of those tricks if they are to have any chance of knocking off the Saints and the Packers. Chances are they will have to defeat both - or at least one - of those elite teams in order to get to the Super Bowl.

Wild Card Round: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 4
    This weekend we will get to see just how good the 49ers defense really is. If they can hold Brees and Co to less than 24 points, San Francisco will have a chance to advance to their first championship game since the '90s.

Divisional Round: Defeated the New Orleans Saints, 36-32
    Ranked - 2
    San Francisco has gone back to the basics of fundamental football and the 49ers sit just one game away from another Super Bowl appearance. If their defense can frustrate the Giants like their offense might be frustrated by the Giants' defense, we could be in for a scintillating 6-3 game.

Championship Round: Lost to the New York Giants, 20-17


Final Ranking: 3


Season recaps close out next week with the Super Bowl XLVI teams, starting with the 2011 AFC Champion New England Patriots...

Season Recap - 2011 Baltimore Ravens

Final Record: 12-4 (1-1)
Finished: 1^st Place in the AFC North; Lost in the AFC Championship Game
2012 Draft Position: 29^th

Preseason Ranking: 8

Week 1: Defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 35-7
    Ranked - 1
    Offensive prowess, defensive grit and a huge, media-touted monkey off their backs. Not only did the Ravens defeat the AFC champions from a year ago, they humiliated the Steelers by forcing 7 turnovers and dominated all aspects of the game. The division is Baltimore's to lose.

Week 2: Lost at the Tennessee Titans, 26-13
    Ranked - 8
    It's a little early in the season for the curse of the Creative Elite #1 to rear its ugly head, but, man did it ever. As good as the Ravens looked when they dominated the Steelers in week one, Baltimore looked just as bad and confused in their week two loss to Tennessee. A loss like this should wake them up and I expect them to head to St. Louis with a chip on their shoulder and a desire to show that their embarassing game last week was nothing but a momentary lapse of focus.

Week 3: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 37-7
    Ranked - 3
    Note to self: Recipe for success - Passing opens up the running game. Running opens up the passing game. The defense crushes the opposition. Quothe the Raven.

Week 4: Defeated the New York Jets, 34-17
    Ranked - 2
    Not many defensive struggles end up being so high scoring. Sure, the offense has issues, but when the defense can outscore its own offense 21-13, you just might have the potential to go deep into the playoffs.

Week 5: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 3
    Baltimore faces a tough test coming out of their bye week against Houston, but they should be fresh enough to hold off the Texans and maintain their slim division lead.

Week 6: Defeated the Houston Texans, 29-14
    Ranked - 2     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [Mocking rookie quarterback Blain Gabbert after a sack]
    Ray Lewis: I'm like a bad penny, I always turn up.

Week 7: Lost at the Jacksonville Jaguars, 12-7
    Ranked - 5
    In four wins, the Ravens have been stellar. In their two losses, Baltimore has looked about as bad as a team can look. What gives?

Week 8: Defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 30-27
    Ranked - 3
    The Ravens shouldn’t have needed such a dramatic comeback to beat the Cardinals… but great teams overcome adversity like that.

Week 9: Defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 23-20
    Ranked - 3
    That huge victory over the Steelers in Pittsburgh should propel Baltimore into the playoffs… if they can just hold off the surprising Bengals.

Week 10: Lost at the Seattle Seahawks, 22-17
    Ranked - 4
    That's twice now the Ravens have played way down to their opponent's level. Keep it up and Baltimore's season will come to a tragic end sooner rather than later.

Week 11: Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 31-24
    Ranked - 5
    Baltimore will have their work cut out for them when the 49ers come to town Thanksgiving Night. If they can win, there should be no stopping them the rest of the season.

Week 12: Defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 16-6
    Ranked - 4
    A statement win over the 49ers keeps Baltimore in control of their own destiny.

Week 13: Defeated the Cleveland Browns, 24-10
    Ranked - 4
    A power running game and strong defensive play often mean the difference between winning and losing in the playoffs. Baltimore has both.

Week 14: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 24-10
    Ranked - 2
    At this point, Baltimore is the best team in the AFC.

Week 15: Lost at the San Diego Chargers, 34-14
    Ranked - 5
    The Ravens gained a reprieve since the Steelers lost, but they are looking more and more like a team that will struggle on the road. All the more reason for them to win out so they are guaranteed to host at least one playoff game.

Week 16: Defeated the Cleveland Browns, 20-14
    Ranked - 5
    How sad would it be if the Ravens swept the Steelers and still lost the division title?

Week 17: Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 24-16
    Ranked - 5
    The Ravens have a strong-defense and home-field advantage unless they face the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. If they can avoid the Steelers they might just make it to the Super Bowl.

Wild Card Round: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 5
    Baltimore has had a week to rest up and now, with the Steelers eliminated, they don’t have to worry about facing their divisional rivals in the playoffs.

Divisional Round: Defeated the Houston Texans, 20-13
    Ranked - 4
    The Ravens may have the defense to stop the Patriots… but they don't have the offense to do much more than grind out a 17-14 victory.

Championship Round: Lost at the New England Patriots, 23-20


Final Ranking: 4


Tomorrow, the 2011 San Francisco 49ers...

Season Recap - 2011 Green Bay Packers

Final Record: 15-1 (0-1)
Finished: 1^st Place in the NFC North; Lost in the Divisional Round
2012 Draft Position: 28^th

Preseason Ranking: 3

Week 1: Defeated the New Orleans Saints, 42-34
    Ranked - 4
    One yard and a 2-point conversion and everybody would have forgotten all about how great the Packers offense was and how their defense blew the opening game against the Saints. If Green Bay can only achieve victory against the upstart Panthers this weekend by a similar slim margin, Green Bay will be hard pressed to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

Week 2: Defeated the Carolina Panthers, 30-23
    Ranked - 4
    The Packers may still be the best team in the NFL, but two straight near-misses - an excusable one against the Saints, a surprising one against the Panthers - give me enough pause to wonder when they will stumble first. Will it be in Chicago this weekend or in their first game against Detroit down the road?

Week 3: Defeated the Chicago Bears, 27-17
    Ranked - 1
    Note to self: Defense wins championships and we are more than just a flashy offense. Signed, Clay Matthews.

Week 4: Defeated the Denver Broncos, 49-23
    Ranked - 1
    Until they finally lose a game, there is no reason to believe the Packers will fall short of another Super Bowl title.

Week 5: Defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 25-14
    Ranked - 1
    Until Green Bay loses, will anybody doubt that they are the best team in the NFL? Nothing changes that perception this week win the winless Rams travel to Lambeau.

Week 6: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 24-3
    Ranked - 1     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    Aaron Rodgers: You did it, didn't you?
    Ted Thompson, Packers GM: The fans want you to go for it. They want you to get a hold of the championship before the AFC does and they are prepaid to pay handsomely.
    Aaron Rodgers: And the museum at Lambeau? They get the Lombardi trophy when this is all finished?
    Ted Thompson: Oh, yes. You know, I'm really rather envious. 10 years ago I would have gone after the undefeated season myself with Favre.
    Aaron Rodgers: I just have to locate 13 more wins along the way. I think I know where to start. [Pauses] Do you think the Vikings will trip me up?
    Ted Thompson: Possibly. But the Vikings are the least of your worries right now, believe me, Aaron.
    Aaron Rodgers: What do you mean?
    Ted Thompson: Well, I mean that for nearly 40 years teams have been striving for the undefeated season. It’s not something to be taken lightly. No one knows if it’s possible now. It’s like nothing you’ve ever gone after before.
    Aaron Rodgers: [laughing] Oh, Thompson. What are you trying to do, scare me? You sound like my mother. We’ve known each other for a long time. I don’t believe in magic, a lot of superstitious hocus pocus. I’m going after a season of incredible historical significance and you’re talking about the boogie man. Besides, [unwraps a copy of the Packers playbook and throws it into his suitcase on top of his championship belt] you know what a cautious fellow I am.

Week 7: Defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 33-27
    Ranked - 1
    Nothing like a 20-point third quarter on the road against a division rival to solidify Green Bay as the #1 team in the league.

Week 8: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 1
    Until they lose, the Packers have to be expected to win.

Week 9: Defeated the San Diego Chargers, 45-38
    Ranked - 1
    Short yardage downs and a defense willing to bend, but not necessarily break, between the 20s may be the only things that will prevent Green Bay from finishing the season undefeated.

Week 10: Defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 45-7
    Ranked - 1
    The Packers continue to make it look easy and remain the class of the NFL.

Week 11: Defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 35-26
    Ranked - 1
    The Packers face their greatest challenge of the season when they travel to Detroit to face the Lions on Thanksgiving Day.

Week 12: Defeated the Detroit Lions, 27-15
    Ranked - 1
    When the Packers clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs, they better learn from the Indianapolis Colts and play lights out to be perfect.

Week 13: Defeated the New York Giants, 38-35
    Ranked - 1
    We will know Green Bay is unstoppable if they ever win a game 10-7. Despite being undefeated, are the Packers capable of winning a close, defensive struggle?

Week 14: Defeated the Oakland Raiders, 46-16
    Ranked - 1
    The Packers are playing at a level other teams can only dream about.

Week 15: Lost at the Kansas City Chiefs, 19-14
    Ranked - 1
    The Packers can try and spin their loss to the Chiefs any way they want, but the bottom line is they missed out on a chance to make history. If all it takes is a power running game to take them out, Green Bay's next loss very well may kill any Super Bowl dreams they have.

Week 16: Defeated the Chicago Bears, 35-21
    Ranked - 1
    With nothing substantial left to play for, having already clinched a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, the Packers just have to decide if they would prefer the Lions to go into the playoffs as the #6 seed or the #5 seed.

Week 17: Defeated the Detroit Lions, 45-41
    Ranked - 1
    How scary are the Packers if their backup quarterback can go off against another playoff-caliber team for 480 yards and 6 TDs?

Wild Card Round: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 1
    No team has ever finished the regular season 15-1 and lost their first game at home. It is hard to imagine this Packers team becoming the first in NFL history to do so.

Divisional Round: Lost to the New York Giants, 37-20


Final Ranking: 5


Tomorrow, the 2011 Baltimore Ravens...

Season Recap - 2011 New Orleans Saints

Final Record: 13-3 (1-1)
Finished: 1^st Place in the NFC South; Lost in the Divisional Round
2012 Draft Position: 27^th

Preseason Ranking: 2

Week 1: Lost at the Green Bay Packers, 42-34
    Ranked - 17
    Stopped just short of victory, the goal line stand by the Packers could very well come back to haunt the Saints when they have to board a plane in late January bound for the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field for a rematch.

Week 2: Defeated the Chicago Bears, 30-13
    Ranked - 10
    New Orleans, so close to knocking off Green Bay, left no doubt that they were better than Chicago with a solid victory before the home fans. Now they need to stay true at home and knock off the Texans this week in order to stay tied for first place with the winner of the Falcons-Buccaneers game.

Week 3: Defeated the Houston Texans, 40-33
    Ranked - 6
    Note to self: All we have to do is stay one point ahead of the other guys and then everything will be fine. Signed, Drew Brees.

Week 4: Defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 23-10
    Ranked - 6
    Drew Brees finally has the offense clicking and with the defense showing signs of life, the Saints are in perfect position to regain the division title they lost last season.

Week 5: Defeated the Carolina Panthers, 30-27
    Ranked - 6
    New Orleans can open up a huge lead in the NFC South if they take out the Bucs on Sunday in Tampa Bay. With all their division foes stung by recent losses, the division is theirs to lose.

Week 6: Lost at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 26-20
    Ranked - 6     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [Congratulating Coach Raheem Morris on Tampa Bay's victory following the game]
    Coach Sean Payton: Next time, Raheem, it will take more than my broken leg to save you.

Week 7: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 62-7
    Ranked - 4
    Way to shut down the offense late in the third quarter. No need to subject the stars to unnecessary punishment when the game has already been decided and the stats have been accumulated.

Week 8: Lost at the St. Louis Rams, 31-21
    Ranked - 8
    Even good teams have off days. I'll give the Saints a pass on their loss in St. Louis last week… if they are able to beat the Buccaneers this weekend.

Week 9: Defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 27-16
    Ranked - 7
    The Saints evened their score with the Bucs and now only really have the Falcons to contend with for the division title.

Week 10: Defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 26-23
    Ranked - 7
    The Saints can rest easy during the bye week now that they have complete control over their own destiny.

Week 11: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 7
    An extra day of rest should have the Saints ready to make a run for the playoffs.

Week 12: Defeated the New York Giants, 49-24
    Ranked - 5
    Brees is on fire and now that all the running backs are healthy, the Saints have added additional versatility to their potent offense.

Week 13: Defeated the Detroit Lions, 31-17
    Ranked - 5
    Until the Saints catch up with the 49ers, Drew Brees has no reason not to keep chasing Dan Marino's passing records.

Week 14: Defeated the Tennessee Titans, 22-17
    Ranked - 4
    The 49ers have stumbled and with games remaining against Minnesota, Atlanta and Carolina, New Orleans is primed to steal the NFC's remaining first-round bye.

Week 15: Defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 42-20
    Ranked - 3
    For my money, the NFC is a two-team race between the Saints and the Packers. On a neutral field, I think the Saints win. Unfortunately it looks like Drew Brees will have to learn to throw the ball in the snow as a date with the Packers in Green Bay looks like the road New Orleans will have to travel to make it to Super Bowl XLVI.

Week 16: Defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 45-16
    Ranked - 2
    The Saints' record-setting peformance on Monday should make a possible Wild Card rematch with Atlanta very interesting.

Week 17: Defeated the Carolina Panthers, 45-17
    Ranked - 2
    The Saints are the only NFC team that can match the Packers in a shoot-out, but they will have to win a couple road games on grass if they hope to return to the Super Bowl.

Wild Card Round: Defeated the Detroit Lions, 45-28
    Ranked - 2
    The high-flying Saints have been perfect at home, but now we get to see what they can do outside, on grass, in front of a hostile crowd.

Divisional Round: Lost at the San Francisco 49ers, 36-32


Final Ranking: 6

Tomorrow, the 2011 Green Bay Packers...

Season Recap - 2011 Houston Texans

Final Record: 10-6 (1-1)
Finished: 1^st Place in the AFC South; Lost in the Divisional Round
2012 Draft Position: 26th

Preseason Ranking: 11

Week 1: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 34-7
    Ranked - 6
    The Texans should have defeated the Manning-less Colts on Sunday. That they did so quite convincingly shows great promise for the 2011 season. Who knows? Maybe they will actually make the playoffs for a change. What a novel idea.

Week 2: Defeated the Miami Dolphins, 23-13
    Ranked - 5
    With Foster out and gimpy, Ben Tate has filled the void nicely at running back for the hard-charging Texans. The division remains theirs to lose. If Houston can’t make the playoffs this year, rules should be put in place to keep them out indefinitely.

Week 3: Lost at the New Orleans Saints, 40-33
    Ranked - 9
    Note to self: Continue to keep the running backs listed on the injury reports as "Questionable, Game-Time Decisions". Fantasy football players love that stuff. Signed, Gary Kubiak.

Week 4: Defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 17-10
    Ranked - 7
    When one hammy heals, another is injured. Can't the Texans keep both Foster and Johnson on the field at the same time?

Week 5: Lost to the Oakland Raiders, 25-20
    Ranked - 9
    The football gods were against the Texans last week, but they still put up quite the fight.

Week 6: Lost at the Baltimore Ravens, 29-14
    Ranked - 13     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    Matt Schaub: Brutal couple of weeks, huh, Coach? First the Raiders, then the Ravens. 
    Coach Kubiak: We seem to have reached the point in the season where the football gods stop giving us wins and start taking them away.

Week 7: Defeated the Tennessee Titans, 41-7
    Ranked - 6
    That is how you seize control of the division.

Week 8: Defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 24-14
    Ranked - 7
    The Texans are finally playing like they want to win the division. If Andre Johnson can ever get back on the field, this offense will be even scarier.

Week 9: Defeated the Cleveland Browns, 30-12
    Ranked - 5
    No Andre Johnson? No problem when you have two running backs on pace for 1,000 yards.

Week 10: Defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 37-9
    Ranked - 3
    The Texans have absolutely played themselves into Creative Elite status, but Schaub's injury could put a damper on their season if defenses start loading up to stop Houston's impressive running game.

Week 11: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 3
    The Texans are playing lights out football. We'll see if Leinert can keep them on the right track. Andre Johnson's return to the lineup should help.

Week 12: Defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 20-13
    Ranked - 2
    Without a quarterback, it is up to Foster, Tate and the defense to keep Houston on pace to reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

Week 13: Defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 17-10
    Ranked - 3
    When the Texans can defeat a playoff caliber team with a third-string quarterback, you know something is going right in Texas.

Week 14: Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-19
    Ranked - 3
    Yates picked up the Texans when the defense and running game failed to deliver. If the Texans continue to gain confidence from tough, close wins, they could be a surprising force once the second season starts.

Week 15: Lost to the Carolina Panthers, 28-13
    Ranked - 6
    The Texans have played valiantly since losing their quarterbacks. A game against the Colts later tonight should keep them in the hunt for a first round bye in the playoffs.

Week 16: Lost at the Indianapolis Colts, 19-16
    Ranked - 7
    The Texans haven’t won since clinching a playoff spot. They better figure things out quickly otherwise they will be no better off than when they started the season - without a playoff victory in franchise history.

Week 17: Lost to the Tennessee Titans, 23-22
    Ranked - 7
    If ever a team has backed into the playoffs, the Texans definitely have. Now down to their 4th starting quarterback, Houston better play solid defense and run the ball effectively, otherwise they will be one-and-done in their first postseason apperance.

Wild Card Round: Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 31-10
    Ranked - 6
    Houston will need another strong defensive performance combined with a great day from Arian Foster if they hope to upset the Ravens at home.

Divisional Round: Lost at the Baltimore Ravens, 20-13


Final Ranking: 7


Tomorrow, the 2011 New Orleans Saints...

Season Recap - 2011 Denver Broncos

Final Record: 8-8 (1-1)
Finished: 1^st Place in the AFC West; Lost in the Divisional Round
2012 Draft Position: 25^th

Preseason Ranking: 29

Week 1: Lost to the Oakland Raiders, 23-20
    Ranked - 24
    The Broncos weren't picked by anybody to be good this season, but the sloppiness of their game on Monday night seemed a bit much. Could the fans already be clamoring for Tebow after the Broncos so purposefully anointed Orton the guy behind center during the preseason? At this point, it certainly couldn’t hurt to see once and for all whether Tebow can play at this level or not.

Week 2: Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 24-22
    Ranked - 24
    Kyle Orton has kept the "Tebow" chants at bay for at least one more week, but a two-point victory at home over the Bengals is not going to instill a lot of confidence in any quarterback.

Week 3: Lost at the Tennessee Titans, 17-14
    Ranked - 24
    Note to self: You can’t avoid the Tim Tebow question all season long. Signed, John Fox.

Week 4: Lost at the Green Bay Packers, 49-23
    Ranked - 25
    Even if Orton remains the starter, you can’t tell me that Tim Tebow can't fill some sort of slash-type role on this struggling offense. Give the kid a chance to prove himself once and for all or fail in the effort. Don’t just let him sit on the bench.

Week 5: Lost to the San Diego Chargers, 29-24
    Ranked - 27
    TEBOW TIME! Finally. Long-time readers of this blog know I have been a big supporter of Tebow getting on the field in Denver. I have no idea if he will be truly successful or not, but he is far too talented not to be given the opportunity to prove himself once and for all. At 1-4, there is no time like the present for the Broncos to figure out what kind of quarterback he can be.

Week 6: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 26     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    [Addressing the team before the first start of his career]
    Tim Tebow: Meet me at Sun Life Stadium in Miami. Be ready for me. I'm going after a win.
    J.D. Walton, Broncos Starting Center: How?
    Tim Tebow: I don't know. I'm making this up as I go!

Week 7: Defeated the Miami Dolphins, 18-15
    Ranked - 26
    Say what you want about Tim Tebow's start in Miami over the weekend, bottom line is he won the game, something Denver has failed to do consistently since Elway retired.

Week 8: Lost to the Detroit Lions, 45-10
    Ranked - 28
    I'm going to go out on a limb and say that last game against the Lions probably wasn't the finest moment in Tim Tebow's career. Unfortunately, it may be a defining moment of his career and that definition was sh… not good. Note: you can’t curse in a post about Tim Tebow! You just can’t. It wouldn’t be proper.

Week 9: Defeated the Oakland Raiders, 38-24
    Ranked - 24
    Don’t look now, but Tim Tebow has the Broncos just one game out of the division lead with 8 games left to play.

Week 10: Defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 17-10
    Ranked - 20
    Tim Tebow may be setting quarterback play back a generation or two, but despite what Revis says, the Tebow-led veer offense of the Broncos is anything but boring.

Week 11: Defeated the New York Jets, 17-13
    Ranked - 19
    Tebow has the Broncos in second place after a horrid start. The Wild Card is probably out of the question, but a division title for the Broncos? Stranger things have happened.

Week 12: Defeated the San Diego Chargers, 16-13
    Ranked - 16
    A deceptive runnning game, stout defense and the clutch fourth-quarter play of Tim Tebow have Denver suddenly back in the thick of things.

Week 13: Defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 35-32
    Ranked - 16
    The Broncos are winning because they believe they can. Plain and simple.

Week 14: Defeated the Chicago Bears, 13-10
    Ranked - 11
    Miracles or otherwise, Tebow keeps finding that fourth quarter magic and the rest of the Broncos believe they can win any game now. When was the last time you saw a game won by two 50+ yard field goals in the closing seconds? Even in Denver, this was an outstanding achievement by Matt Prater.

Week 15: Lost to the New England Patriots, 41-23
    Ranked - 17
    Tebow failed against the Evil Empire, but that doesn’t mean the Broncos are out of it by any stretch of the imagination. If you haven’t seen the SNL Tebow skit from last weekend, you are missing out.

Week 16: Lost at the Buffalo Bills, 40-14
    Ranked - 13
    Tebow vs Orton? Nobody saw this coming eight weeks ago.

Week 17: Lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 7-3
    Ranked - 12
    Tebow has been instrumental in getting Denver to the playoffs, but a 7-3 loss to Kansas City in week 17 does little to inspire confidence in the Broncos with Pittsburgh coming to town.

Wild Card Round: Defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 29-23
    Ranked - 8
    Wait a minute! You mean Tebow can throw, too?

Divisional Round: Lost at the New England Patriots, 45-10


Final Ranking: 8


Season recaps continue next week with the 2011 Houston Texans...

Season Recap - 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers

Final Record: 12-4 (0-1)
Finished: 2^nd Place in the AFC North; Lost in Wild Card Round
2012 Draft Position: 24^th

Preseason Ranking: 4

Week 1: Lost at the Baltimore Ravens, 35-7
    Ranked - 22
    The Steelers should be embarrassed by their performance on Sunday. I can’t remember the last time a Pittsburgh team looked so out of sync and was so easily manhandled by an opponent.

Week 2: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 24-0
    Ranked - 11
    The Seahawks were cooked before they ever left Seattle after the embarassment Pittsburgh suffered in Baltimore during week one. Since the Ravens stumbled, the division is once again a two-team race that won't be decided until November when Baltimore comes to town for round two.

Week 3: Defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 23-20
    Ranked - 10
    Note to self: Aged steel is still strong enough to win. It's been tempered by fire. Signed, The Steel Curtain.

Week 4: Lost at the Houston Texans, 17-10
    Ranked - 14
    Has age finally caught up with the Steelers? Injuries are starting to take their toll and the defense looked like it had lost a step against the fleet-footed Texans last week.

Week 5: Defeated the Tennessee Titans, 38-17
    Ranked - 10
    I guess you don’t need a good, healthy foot in order to toss five touchdown passes against a hot defense. The Steelers, dead and nearly buried a week ago, suddenly have new life.

Week 6: Defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 17-13
    Ranked - 7     Indiana Jones Style Recap
    Pittsburgh Fans: You're not the men we knew ten years ago. 
    Steelers Players: It's not the years... it's the mileage.

Week 7: Defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 32-20
    Ranked - 8
    Nobody was happier about the Ravens loss than the Steelers.

Week 8: Defeated the New England Patriots, 25-17
    Ranked - 10
    The Steelers have improved much of late. A victory over the Ravens will prove they are finally back for real and slingshot them into the elite among the AFC.

Week 9: Lost to the Baltimore Ravens, 23-20
    Ranked - 10
    Seriously? I always wondered what it would look like when a Steel Curtain shattered.

Week 10: Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 24-17
    Ranked - 9
    The Steelers have decided not to qo quietly into the night.

Week 11: BYE WEEK
    Ranked - 9
    The Steelers have the experience to emerge from their bye week ready to take control of the division back from Baltimore.

Week 12: Defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 13-9
    Ranked - 7
    An ugly win in Kansas City… but a win is a win this late in the season.

Week 13: Defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 35-7
    Ranked - 7
    Pittsburgh is quietly starting to dominate teams as they solidify their spot in the playoffs.

Week 14: Defeated the Cleveland Browns, 14-3
    Ranked - 6
    Another solid, if not glamorous, division victory has kept Pittsburgh in the playoff chase. However, with Baltimore playing so well, the Steelers could just as easily finish the #1 overall seed or the #6 Wild Card.

Week 15: Lost at the San Francisco 49ers, 20-3
    Ranked - 7
    More than just the lights went out for Pittsburgh during last week's game in San Francisco.

Week 16: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 27-0
    Ranked - 6
    The only seeds the Steelers can't be are #4 and #6.

Week 17: Defeated the Cleveland Browns, 13-9
    Ranked - 6
    The strongest of the Wild Card teams, Pittsburgh looks to prove it by taking out the weakest of the Division champions.

Wild Card Round: Lost at the Denver Broncos, 29-23


Final Ranking: 9


Tomorrow, the 2011 Denver Broncos...