How we did...

 So, considering that we are just passed the New Year, as well as the end of the NFL regular season, and because it is a time for reflection, we are going to review those NFL previews we provided way back at the end of Summer.  The New Year is a time to look ahead, rather than behind?  I fancy myself a wool coat covered in velcro: it's sticky and when it gets wet, it stays wet.  Go ahead... Run with it.  Plus, it's fun to point out how wrong Deuce had been about so many teams.

Anyway, the final rankings are on the left and the number in parentheses represents our original prediction... Let the bloodbath begin.

32. Rams (31): No surprise here, and we won't be surprised if we find ourselves in the same exact position again next year.  And they actually did beat the next team...

31. Lions (32): Everyone knew the Lions were going to be better this year, but two whole wins better? We say that they're getting four next year.

30. Buccaneers (28): The Bucs proved to be surprisingly competitive down the stretch.  If their running backs can stay healthy next year and Freeman can continue to mature, then this team will at worst be a playoff spoiler for some shitty team like the Falcons.

29. Redskins (16): Our new least favorite team in the league and of our biggest misses.  We assumed that their defense would be able to keep them competitive, but it turns out that this was not the case.  Do they draft a quarterback?  Is Haynesworth hungry?  Does anyone give a shit?

28. Chiefs (29): They are already the most intriguing team for the 2010 season.  Now that they have a running game, the front office needs to do everything in their power to get better on defense.  If they do, no reason this team can't be sleeping into the playoffs next year.

27. Seahawks (24): So we had these assholes slightly overrated, and so did everyone else for that matter.  But did anyone think they were this bad?  The Seahawks will probably be drafting a quarterback in the first round and considering Hasselbeck's uselessness this year, a rookie could very well be taking snaps in Week 1.

26. Browns (27): b. Lee's sleeper special couldn't quite wake the fuck up this season and well, when you don't have a quarterback, then that makes plenty of sense.  But never fear, for Holmgren is here!  Surely to hoist the Browns out of putridity and into mediocrity in no less then 3 years time!

25. Raiders (26): The ranking seemed high at the time, and for some reason the final ranking seemed high, but somehow the Raiders earned it in lieu of their abusive coach and missing quarterback.  But, victories over the Bengals, Steelers, Broncos and Eagles suggest that something must be going right in Oakland, and beyond Nnamdi.

24. Bills (20): Our first overrated team of the year comes as a result of the evil influence of one Donk the Honkey.  The Terrell Owens experiment was a failure and even with the him as a distraction, Lee Evans fantasy reign of terror continued unabated.  Marshawn was useless.  And who is even going to be the quarterback of this team next season?  It won't matter anyway, will it?

23. Jaguars (23): For a time it seems that Jack del Rio was doing everything right in order to preserve his job... Until the last 2 games of the season, when the Jaguars collapsed in epic fashion.  Least penalized team in the league?  I guess that's something to be happy about.

22. Bears (12): Was it all Cutler's fault?  Well, of course not.  After all, Lovie is still the coach.   Oddly enough, it is the Bears defense that needs most of the help.  Even with Urlacher coming back, Chicago has one of the worst rushing defenses in the league.  Perhaps to complement their suddenly awful rushing offense.  A big miss, but a miss for just about everyone.

21. Dolphins (22): With the wildcat proving resilient enough to keep the Dolphins competitive, Chad Henne and the receivers will still need to improve if Miami intends to make the playoffs anytime soon. Considering the youth on the offensive side, this should come with time, but the sooner the better considering that the wildcat window could being closing in the league at anytime.

20. Giants (2): Whoops...

19. Broncos (25): Broncos were the surprise of the year, until they showed their true colors down the stretch.  While Kyle Orton certainly exceeded expectations, in the end, he was still Kyle Orton.  Perhaps the biggest problem facing the Broncos was their defense.  After getting only allowing 66 points in their first six games, they allowed 117 over their next four.  We can't see any reason why not to expect the same thing next year.

18. Niners (19): The perrenial sleeper, the Niners frustrate both supporters and naysayers alike.  Just be good or be bad.  Enough with the 8-8 record already.  But at this point, what is preventing this team from being good?  Defense is maybe a piece or two away and the offense?  Has the Alex Smith rennaissance run its course?  Let's hope so.

17. Titans (11): No one should have believe that this team would be as "good" as they were the year prior, but there is no reason to believe that this team is any better with Vince Young at the controls rather than Kerry Collins.  Sure, it's an added dimension, but Vince's passing ability is so college-level that it makes their attack entirely too one-dimensional.  Although, that is one pretty fucking sweet dimension to be confined to.

16. Panthers (15): Well, lookee here.  All it took was a well-timed dig from the Bill Belichick for the Panthers to become the best football team in the NFC.  You still can't love their quarterback situation but with the team's running game and their above average defense, a trip to the playoffs next year is certainly believable.

15. Falcons (6): Someone was overrated by a certain someone with obvious collegiate connections... Actually why did this suck so bad this year?  Iceman certainly wasn't at the top of his game and Turner was banged up, but in actuality, this team's defense is just awful.  And that's what it all came down to.

14. Steelers (1): One and done? Who said that...?  Anyway, the Steelers are a team in transition.  They're not the same smash mouth offense that they once were, and based on the common wisdom (that the defense sucked because of Troy's absence), they're not even the same pressure defense.  So welcome to the Run n' Gun era Steeler nation.  But just because your team is changing, feel free to reamin fat and ugly as always.

13. Texans (17): Awwww, the little sleeper that could didn't have the juice to make it into the show this season, and they have no one to blame but the COLTS.  That's right.  If the Colts go for 16-0, then they beat the Jets, and then the Texans are next in line for 6th seed.  Meaning that they go on the road for a Week 17 re-match with the Pats... Pats beat them... And, sorry.  Just think how much better this team could be if they found a running back that could hold onto the ball.

12. Ravens (10): Well, the defense ain't what it used to be, and Flacco will probably never be who people expect him to be, but good thing Ray Rice is around, huh?  The Ravens once again took the backdoor into the playoffs, and once again appear primed to do some damage.  As long as the team can control the clock with their  big-time backfield, then relevance should never be a problem.

11. Jets (21): Okay fine, their defense is solid, but we knew this would be the case coming into the season.  What we didn't believe was that they could score points with a rookie quarterback and this is also the case.  Team should not be 9-7 and should not be in the playoffs and should not even be ranked this high.  Crash and burn, jerk offs.

10. Cincinnati (30): We know.  A 20-spot swing from prediction to actual is vast, but is this team good?  No.  They will not be playoff bound next year and you have our word.  In fact, at this time next year, Marvin Lewis' stay of execution will have expired and he will be looking for a new job.  b. Lee. dat

9. Eagles (5): Well, they started off like the razor blade we expected them to be, but what a collapse.  Getting waxed by a divisional opponent in the NFC East title game is just not acceptable.  I'm convined that Westbrook's return kind of screwed everything up... Well, unless you don't count Andy Reid's play calling.  Can't blame Donovan for this year kids.

8. Packers (18): Expectations were high for the Packers this year (outside of FSD), and they certainly fulfilled them.  After falling hard twice to the Vikings and one awful game against the Bucs, the Packers turned it around and surged into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league.  This offense should be firing for years to come based on Aaron Rodgers lights out season (30 TDs, 7 INTs).

7. Cardinals (14/13): New year.  Same old Cardinals.  Once again the victims of lowered expectations (but can you blame us?) the Cardinals high-powered yet shizophrenic offense was finally complemented with a decent defense... For the most part anyway.  But, if Kurt Warner retires, then the Cardinals better consider drafting a quarterback, because Matt Leinary might as well be playing for the Niners.

6. Patriots (4): What a weird year for the Patriots.  Brady was back, but looked about as comfortable as first time inmate at San Quentin, the defense was full of brand new faces, and Randy Moss went all, well, Randy Moss.  That being said, this was, in essence, a re-building year for the Pats that could very well spill into the 2010 season as well.  But, with a stockpile of draft picks and some emerging studs, the Patriots should remain competitive until things fall into place.

5. Dallas (8): Look out.  For most of the season, the Boys looked like the same old underachievers: talented, but lazy.  Explosive, but inconsistent.  That is until they waltzed into the Superdome as if they had grown up over night.  With December demons exercised and a pass rushing attack that has now (easily) exceeded that of their divisional counterparts, the Cowboys are a full-fleged Super Bowl contender and should be for some time.

4. Vikings (7): Call them the anti-Cowboys (ironic, huh?).  While the wins came in bunces early on, the latter part of the season showed just how truly chaotic things were both in theory and in practice, on and off the field.  This team is assured of their competitive nature due to their superstar running back and breakout wide receiver (Sid Rice), but if their shitty quarterback is too busy waging a power struggle with his head coach instead of playing ball, then this team could be getting everything they had coming to them... And soon.

3. Saints (14/13): Flash in the pan?  Again?  Or possum playing dead?  The Saints are an absolute mystery.  After flying out of the gate, things began to slow down a bit when the Saints barely snuck passed teams such as the Rams and Redskins (check the bottom of the list).  Then, they finished the season with 3 straight losses.  Is the defense worthy of respect?  Can the offense perform under intense defensive pressure?  We'll find out soon enough.  But as for what is expected from this team next year... We have no clue.

2. Chargers (3):  Hey!  A team we got right!  THE hottest team in the league is currently on a collision course with the best team in the league.  And it would just be a shame if it did not happen.  While the Chargers defense has clearly lost some of its edge, the offense has been downright unstoppable.  With VJJ's continuing emergence, Gates' reliability, and the rapidly expanding confidence of Philip Rivers, a Super Bowl should be in this team's near future.

1. Colts (9):  Go ahead and read the preview first.  Sure, we underrated this team a bit, but the wishful thinking was apparent.  Maybe if we willed them to be bad, it would happen.  No luck, we're afraid.  As long as Peyt the Great is around and as long as his offensive line provides an impenetrable force field from which to throw, then this team will be a tough draw.  Score on them and have the ball last is the only recipe for success.  Just good luck executing is all.