The RedZone: Regular Season Review

Week 17 featured a lot of dead rubbers, so I decided that rather than highlighting the specific individual performances from one game, I would compile a Top 5, featuring rookies who failed to make the playoffs with their teams. Here goes:

5. Joe Haden (Browns) - 64 combined tackles, 1 sack, 6 INT's, 1 FF - A first-round selection who lived up to the hype in the Browns secondary. In all honesty, Cleveland were not as bad as their 5-11 record suggests and have plenty of young players to suggest that there will be a brighter future without fired coach Eric Mangini. When Peyton Hillis is your leading rusher and receiver, you need your defense to make big plays to paper over the cracks on offense (a WR or O-Lineman high in the draft is a must). Thankfully, Haden was able to do that to an extent.

4. Jacoby Ford (Raiders) - 1280 KR yards, 3 TD's; 470 receiving yards, 2 TD's; 155 rushing yards, 2 TD's. How you go 6-0 in the division and miss the playoffs is beyond me, but then this is the Raiders we're talking about. However, an 8-8 record is an improvement and the lightning-quick Ford has developed into a big weapon on special teams - handy when you face San Diego twice a year! He also proved a deep threat for Jason Campbell, who eventually beat out Bruce Gradkowski and looks like he'll lead the franchise for the next few years.

3. LeGarrette Blount (Buccaneers) - 1007 rushing yards, 6 TD's. The new Brandon Jacobs and one of the many young Bucs (see what I did there) who have turned around the franchise's fortunes in 2010. Credit must also go to DT Gerald McCoy, WR's Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams and of course star QB Josh Freeman. But Blount gets my vote - undrafted and cut by the Titans in pre-season, he was picked up by Tampa Bay in Week 4 and showed pace and power on his way to leading all rookies in rushing yards. A potent weapon for a burgeoning offense

2. Sam Bradford (Rams) - 354/590, 3512 yards, 18 TD's, 15 INT's. Make no mistake, these are superb numbers for a rookie QB. But what impressed me most about Bradford was his leadership for such a young guy - cool in a crisis and able to pick up a team at their lowest ebb after 2009. He may not possess a rocket arm, and may not have the best mobility in the pocket but he has so much potential to develop as well as those oft-cited intangibles. He was asked to throw the ball an awful lot by Steve Spagnuolo and has come up trumps. He IS the St Louis Rams and was only denied a divisional title at the very last.

1. Ndamukong Suh (Lions) - 66 combined tackles, 10 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR for a TD. Graeme and I identified the second overall draft pick as an absolute beast from the outset. Jake Delhomme was the first to feel the force as he was slammed into the turf in preseason, with many others suffering a similar fate later in the year. Along with Kyle VandenBosch, he really revitalised the defensive line in Motown (although the secondary could still use a little help) and the franchise is FINALLY moving in the right direction, if only Matthew Stafford could stay healthy.

You may remember a while back, I compiled a list of predicted records for all the teams - well here are the results. I'll add a point for every win I was over, and take one away for every win I went under and see how close to 0 I get - was I too generous or too mean in 2010?

AFC East

New England Patriots - predicted 11-5, actually 14-2. -3
New York Jets - predicted 10-6, actually 11-5. -1
Miami Dolphins - predicted 8-8, actually 7-9. +1
Buffalo Bills - predicted 4-12. Spot on!
Total score = -3 but positions correct!

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers - predicted 7-9, actually 12-4. -5 (ouch!)
Baltimore Ravens - predicted 12-4. Spot on!
Cleveland Browns - predicted 3-13, actually 5-11. -2
Cincinnati Bengals - predicted 10-6, actually 4-12. +6
Total score = -1 but generally miles out on this one!

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts - predicted 12-4, actually 10-6. +2
Jacksonville Jaguars - predicted 6-10, actually 8-8. -2
Houston Texans - predicted 10-6, actually 6-10. +4
Tennessee Titans - predicted 9-7, actually 6-10. +3
Total score = +7. Whoops!

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs - predicted 5-11, actually 10-6. -5
San Diego Chargers - predicted 10-6, actually 9-7. +1
Oakland Raiders - predicted 9-7, actually 8-8. +1
Denver Broncos - predicted 8-8, actually 4-12. +4
Total score = +1. Denver surprisingly bad, KC surprisingly excellent = Ryan looking a fool

NFC East

Philadeplhia Eagles - predicted 9-7, actually 10-6. -1
New York Giants - predicted 10-6. Spot on!
Dallas Cowboys - predicted 13-3, actually 6-10. A whopping +7
Washington Redskins - predicted 8-8, actually 6-10 (Graeme got it spot on). +2
Total score = +8. Not as good a division as we thought!

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons - predicted 10-6, actually 13-3. -3
New Orleans Saints - predicted 11-5. Spot on!
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - predicted 8-8, actually 10-6. -2
Carolina Panthers - predicted 6-10, actually 2-14. +4
Total score = -1.

NFC North

Chicago Bears - predicted 7-9, actually 11-5. -4
Green Bay Packers - predicted 12-4, actually 10-6. +2
Detroit Lions - predicted 5-11, actually 6-10. -1
Minnesota Vikings - predicted 10-6, actually 6-10. +4
Total score = +1

NFC West

Seattle Seahawks - predicted 5-11, actually 7-9. -2
St Louis Rams - predicted 3-13, actually 7-9. -4
San Francisco 49ers - predicted 10-6, actually 6-10. +4
Arizona Cardinals - predicted 7-9, actually 5-11. +2
Total score = 0. At last!

Overall prediction index = +12. Way too generous. And only 4 correct records and 7/12 playoff teams. The NFL shall feel my wrath in 2011. I will do a playoffs preview on Friday
RM