Well, time to pick fun at myself, as we see what went right and what (more) went wrong with my Fall 2011 Predictions Post from September 7, 2011:
NFC East
Philadelphia: Picked 12-4 -- Went 8-8.
Really thought they'd put Vick over this year, but knew it pretty much was in the crapper that one game that I could've sworn that I saw a Philly runner intentionally fumble the ball to the opposition (I want to say Washington, IIRC...). Shocked Andy Reid is coming back -- but if Philly wants to go over, they have to get some people willing to see Michael Vick holding the Lombardi, because I don't think a lot of the Eagles are even so inclined.
Dallas: Picked 9-7 -- Went 8-8.
Train-wreck city to get that far. Tony Romo is a celebrity, not an elite NFL quarterback.
Giants: Picked 8-8 -- Went 9-7 and won it all!
Want a good example of how useless the regular season is getting? The 6 seed out of the NFC won Super Bowl XLV, and the 4 seed out of the NFC wins Super Bowl XLVI.
Washington: Picked 6-10 -- Mike and Mike were on the number at 5-11.
Daniel Snyder must go. That is all.
NFC North
Green Bay: Picked 12-4 -- Went 15-1.
I'm always loathe to go much higher than 12-4. In fact, I said in the post:
"Green Bay should even be better than 12-4, but they always get rather severely banged up."
The thing is that they really were an 8-8 team with that defense. The league gave them at least six wins, if not seven, through their benefit of the offense. So why the league abandons them cleanly in the post-season, I have no real idea.
Detroit: Picked 7-9 -- Went 10-6 and was the best team in the division.
Perhaps that's testament as to how good they were -- the league was screwing them over because of Suh and some of the other crap. This is a scary-good team in Detroit, and once/if they can prove to not be so dirty about it, they just might get to a Super Bowl.
Chicago: Picked 7-9 -- Went 8-8.
Minnesota: Picked 7-9 -- Went 3-13!!!
OUCH!! This team didn't even belong on the same field with the Wisconsin Badgers, much less the Green Bay Packers! It's clear they have many severe problems, and will probably be moved before they can become a relevant franchise again.
NFC South
Atlanta: Picked 12-4 -- Went 10-6.
I think a lot of that is that the league just went so pass-happy that Drew Brees went off like no other.
To wit:
New Orleans: Picked 9-7 -- Went 13-3.
See Bay, Green.
Tampa Bay: Picked 11-5...
And I won't even dignify how bad this team quit whenever they seemed to take one good punch to the mouth. There are some serious problems of boys just picking up a paycheck down there in Tampa.
Carolina: Picked 4-12 -- Went 6-10
Part of that was Tampa's suck-fest -- the rest was that the league went even more heavily into $Cam Newton than I thought. Give this guy some more pieces, and he'll take Carolina places, whether or not he's really talented enough to do so.
NFC West
San Francisco: Picked 5-11 -- Went 13-3!!
You have GOT to be kidding. Especially in a year where the quarterbacks were kings, how does a team with it's best offensive player being Frank Gore go 13-3? A gift of a schedule -- they really had no meaningful wins to speak of (the only one which otherwise might have been was the Monday nighter over Pittsburgh, but Rapist-burger was injured)
Arizona: Picked 6-10 -- Went 8-8
Seattle: Picked 6-10 -- Went 7-9
St. Louis: Picked 8-8 -- Went 3-13.
You know, there's such a thing as having pride and professionalism. The Rams have neither. If I'm Andrew Luck, I seriously consider pulling a Philip Rivers, even if it means a year in Canada or so. This team and franchise is one of the worst in football. (And you can add the college level to that discussion.)
Basically, missed the NFC completely. Didn't take into account two quarterbacks with 5,000 yard seasons (and a third who would've if he had played week 17!), plus Michael Vick and the Eagles going dysfunctional.
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AFC East
New England: Picked 14-2 -- Went 13-3.
Loathe to go that high, but felt it warranted, and Brady went for over 5,000 yards as well.
New York Jets: Picked 10-6 -- Went 8-8.
Depush for the Animal House. Someone has got to get Rex Ryan by the throat and order him to knock it off or find another job.
Buffalo: Picked 5-11 -- Went 6-10.
Miami: Picked 4-12 -- Went 6-10.
Both did a little better than expected, but neither is in very good shape at all.
AFC North
Baltimore: Picked 12-4 -- Went 12-4
Pittsburgh: Picked 10-6 -- Went 12-4
Still a bit of a depush for Rapistburger and the boys. Another depush probably coming unless someone can get James Harrison, et. al., in check.
Cleveland: Picked 6-10 -- Went 4-12
Didn't think they were that good, but thought Cincinnati was going to blow chunks.
Cincinnati: Picked 4-12 -- Went 9-7!
Probably the biggest pleasant surprise in the NFL!
AFC South
Houston: Picked 10-6 and win the division, and that's exactly how it went.
Houston's been the "sexy sleeper pick" for years now -- finally came through.
Jacksonville: Picked 7-9 -- Went 5-11
Dysfunctional franchise might well need a change of scenery for any relevance.
Tennessee: Picked 5-11 (thinking the situation with that running back would be a dismantling issue)
It wasn't. They went 9-7 as a result.
Indianapolis: Picked 6-10, thinking there were a few NFL players on the roster not named Manning nor Vinateri.
Welcome Andrew Luck. Would not be surprised if he's in Indianapolis this weekend!
AFC West
San Diego: Picked 10-6 -- Went 8-8
One of the victims of Tebow Time
Oakland: Picked 6-10 -- Went 8-8
Probably some sympathy for the late Al Davis, but the screwjobs were still there!
Kansas City -- Picked 7-9 -- Went 7-9
Denver -- Picked 6-10 -- Went 8-8 -- Should've went about 2-14 or worse!!
Tebow Time saved the franchise this year.
I did successfully pick New England to win the AFC (and for them to beat Baltimore to do it!), but didn't take into account Tebow Time when I made that pick. I clearly would've abandoned it later.
But, again, the idea is that you have to make it LOOK good and legitimate -- with that Denver team: Forget it, kid!
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