The year in review

By Kevin Holtsberry Sports Central Columnist

Another NFL regular season is behind us and the teams that remain are dreaming of Super Bowl glory. But before we leave the regular season, let's take a look at the year that was in the NFL. Here is my take on the wacky NFL regular season that just ended.

One of the first things that spring to mind is the number of overtime games this year. From the first week of the season, it seemed as if important games were coming down to the last minute and frequently spilling over into overtime.

In fact, both the first and last weeks of the season involved three overtime games leading to a record-breaking 25 overtime games this year. The maddening closeness of so many games sure made for an exciting season, but it probably weakened the hearts of quite a few fans.

The games weren't the only things that were close and overtime is a fitting metaphor for this roller-coaster season. The AFC division battles and the hunt for the playoffs came down to the wire keeping fans and players alike glued to the TV.

In the ultra-competitive AFC East, three teams tied with a record of 9-7 (and only one game separated first from last place) and the elaborate NFL tiebreakers were used to determine the division winner. Similarly in the AFC West, only three games separated the first place team from the last place team. In the other two divisions, North and South, the divisional battle came down to the last few weeks of the regular season.

Over in the NFC, things weren't nearly so close as the once-powerful St. Louis Rams fell loudly to the earth. The Chicago Bears' 4-12 season seemed a polar opposite (Bears and polar, get it?) of their remarkable 13-3 outing last year. Last year, they beat everybody except Green Bay.

This year, instead of unseating the Packers from their NFC North throne, the Bears suffered a rash of devastating injuries and watched as everything turned against them. The couldn't even play their games at home as they were forced by Soldier Field renovations to call Champaign "home." By the last game of the season, they were forced to field third-string QB Henry Burriss against the fiercest defense in the NFL, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The result was an embarrassing shutout.

As all of this played out over the final two weeks of the season, it seemed like nothing was certain and everything was up for grabs. The writers, announcers, and pundits all tried to earn their pay outlining all of the possible scenarios for making the playoffs, a first week bye, and for home field advantage. A great many fans were watching their team compete for the playoffs right down to the final game and some had to wait for the outcome of the late game to find out whether they would make it.

Despite the complaints about parity and mediocrity, this makes for an exciting season. Unfortunately, this doesn't dull the heartbreak when your team fails to make the post season. Chicago and St. Louis fans weren't the only ones with heavy hearts at the end of the season as both leagues had their share of collapses.

The AFC's biggest collapse in terms of size must be the San Diego Chargers. The Bolts won their first four games and were 6-1 going into their bye week. They were even coming off a big overtime win against division-rival Oakland. The Chargers proceeded to lose seven of their last nine games, including their last four. The scary thing is that both of their wins were overtime squeakers. If not for a few missed kicks by their opponents, the Chargers would have lost their last nine games!

In the NFC, New Orleans resurrected their old nickname: "The 'Aints." Their season didn't start out this way, as they were 6-2 going into the bye week, having beat their divisional-rivals, Tampa Bay, as well as playoff contenders Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco. Deuce McAllister was running well and Aaron Brooks was leading an explosive offense.

New Orleans, however, lost five of their last eight games including the last three to miss the playoffs and end another season with a disturbing losing slide. In the final game, the Saints need only beat the 6-9 Carolina Panthers at home to advance to the playoffs. They couldn't even muster a touchdown! If you can't beat Cincinnati, Minnesota, or Carolina, you don't deserve to make the playoffs.

The most surprising playoff outsider this year has got to be the Miami Dolphins. With two weeks to go in the season, the Dolphins were feeling good about themselves. Despite losing starting QB Jay Fiedler for a number of key weeks, they were 9-5 and coming off an impressive win against the Oakland Raiders. Ricky Williams was on pace to win the league's rushing title, Fielder seemed healthy, and the defense was on a roll.

Then, in two short weeks, it all fell apart. First, the Dolphins managed to lose to the 4-10 Minnesota Vikings. Then they blew an 11-point lead with three minutes to go, losing to the New England Patriots in overtime. Throw in a Jets win and both New England and Miami miss the playoffs. Suddenly, the team with both the league-leading rusher and the league's leading pass rusher (a record by itself) is out of the playoffs. The folks in Miami must still be in shock.

There were two teams who were the flip side of San Diego, New Orleans, and Miami; and they were both from New York City (well, New Jersey anyway). The aforementioned New York Jets made a miraculous run to steal the AFC East division and enter the playoffs as one of the hottest teams around. The season didn't start out that way. In fact, if not for two special team touchdowns in their opener against Buffalo, the Jets would have started the season 0-5. As it was, they were 2-5 going into November and facing the then 6-2 San Diego Charger in San Diego.

They proceeded to whip the Chargers 44-13 and turn their season around. The Jets went on to win seven of their last nine games, only losing heartbreakers to Oakland and Chicago. After all the dust had settled the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, JETS were playoff bound and their divisional-rivals were staying home. Now that is a sweet feeling!

The other team that plays in the Meadowlands had quite a season, as well. The New York Giants struggled for consistency from week to week. At the bye week, they were 3-3. Coming off the bye week, they were dominated by the Philadelphia Eagles in a game riddled with mistakes and turnovers.

Coach Jim Fassel realized things were not well and took over the offensive play calling. The team responded by winning the next three games. Things took a turn for the worse, however, as they inexplicably lost to the expansion Houston Texans and allowed the Tennessee Titans to come back and beat them in overtime, despite leading 29-21 with only a few minutes to go. Suddenly, the G-Men's season seemed to be over. They were back at .500 and facing rivals Dallas, Washington, and Philadelphia, plus Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Remarkably, the Giants pulled it together and won all four of their final games, including another overtime game -- this time a win against the Eagles, to make the playoffs. Tiki Barber, Jeremy Shockey, and Kerry Collins just plain refused to give up (note to the Chargers and Saints: this is how you finish a season). In one crazy weekend, both Meadowland teams won big games to make the postseason. They were in a New York state of mind!

Playoff Outlook

Each season in the NFL is unique. This year the official theme seemed to be "On Any Given Sunday." As we enter the playoffs, the theme continues. If you add up the wins of all of the playoff teams, they add up to 125 wins, the third lowest since the NFL went to the 12-team format. There is not a dominant team going into the playoffs this year.

In the NFC, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a great defense, but a highly suspect offense and a banged-up QB in Brad Johnson. The Philadelphia Eagles had a remarkable season, but how well will Donovan McNabb be able to play after more than a month of not playing? The Eagles didn't exactly look like champions against the Giants last week. They do have home field throughout the playoffs and that should serve them well.

Elsewhere in the NFC, San Francisco has a great deal of talent with Jeff Garcia, Terrell Owens, Tai Streets, and Garrison Hearst, but their defense is suspect and the offense sputters at times. They will have to turn it up a notch to make a Super Bowl run.

In the AFC, things are just as cloudy. The Oakland Raiders are probably the strongest AFC team on paper. They have just the right mix of veterans and younger players. They run the West Coast Offense like a well-oiled machine. QB Rich Gannon is the league's MVP and the defense is playing opportunistic football. They have been vulnerable, however, losing four straight at one point. Can the Raiders finish the job this season? Only time will tell.

The Tennessee Titans are playing tough and solid football right now, having won 10 out of their last 11 games, but QB Steve McNair is a walking cripple and he has been carrying the team on his back. The Titans seem one key injury away from trouble. The Pittsburgh Steelers finally have an offense that can score points, thanks to Tommy Maddox. But unfortunately, the vaunted Steelers defense looks suspect and in addition to throwing touchdowns for his team, Maddox has a habit of giving touchdowns to the other team on turnovers.

If you had to pick the hot team, it just might be the Jets, for all the reasons mentioned above. I wouldn't count them out, that is for sure.

The regular season sure was entertaining and exciting. Here's hoping the second season is just as interesting.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.