Post by Cincinnati Bengals (Chris) on Oct 10, 2019 2:55:38 GMT -5
1. Philadelphia 0 (11-1)- Philly finishes atop the league standings as the only one-loss team and wins the NFC East outright with a 175-point effort this week. Justin Forsett had a 30+ point game, and Matt Forte and Russell Wilson also topped 20, accounting for all but 10 points of the mammoth offensive output this week. The defense was elite as well, scoring 80 points as well. Andrew’s team outscored the entire league by over 100 points on the year. That’s dominance. The Eagles will face the Redskins in the first round of the playoffs, a team they defeated in Week 10 by 19-plus points.
2. Pittsburgh 0 (10-2)- Closing out the season strong, the Steel City crew has put up nearly 300 points in the last two weeks. The nearly 50-point victory over Baltimore gave the Steelers 10 wins and the #1 seed in the AFC. Garrett will get the upstart Titans in the first round, a very winnable match up, but one that looks better today than it did several weeks ago.
3. Arizona +2 (10-2)- LeSean McCoy was back to his old self in Week 12, racking up a 20-spot, which Alfred Morris met with his own 20-pointer. The defense, for its part, racked up 75+ points, and Arizona was back to topping the 150-point mark. The Cards climb up two spots and finish #3 in the PRs. They will take on Minnesota in the 2-7 match up.
4. Seattle +3 (9-3)- The runner up to the NFC West crown, Seattle was still one of the best teams all year, as evidenced by their Week 12 point total, a league-leading 176 points. Peyton Manning led the way with 36, and D’Qwell Jackson and Cody Parkey each eclipsed 20 points, but the true test of Seattle’s might in the playoffs (even if it might not be a fair evaluation of SEA as a team) will come down to the RB spot. It shouldn’t, however, matter in the first round, as Cecil and the Hawks get 4-win ATL and the easiest route to the second round. SEA finishes the season in 4th.
5. Kansas City +4 (9-3)- Kansas City is back to their dominant selves, blowing up for 169 in Week 12 on the strength of 4 players topping 15 points and balance, as no player scored less than 6. Impressive would be the word I’m looking for. KC climbs to #5 in the final PRs, and Brooks will look to defend his MFL crown, starting off against Cincy in the 3-6 game.
6. Miami +4 (9-3)- In a roller coaster season that saw the Dolphins start 7-0 and then lose three-straight, putting their chances of winning the AFC East in serious doubt, Miami responded with two-straight wins to wrap up the division in the final week of the year with a 30+ point win over the previous division leader New England. For that accomplishment, they draw the Patriots for a second-straight week in the 4-5 match up and rise 4 spots in the final PRs, just finishing outside of the top-5. Congrats Donny.
7. Dallas -4 (9-3)- The losers of the all-important season finale in the NFC East, Dallas still managed 9-straight wins, the longest streak of any team in the league this year, a strong rebound after starting the year 0-2. Despite the 50+ point loss, the Cowboys still make the playoffs as a Wild Card, and will get a fairly even match up in the 3-6 game in the NFC against the Lions. The ‘Boys fall 4 spots in this final PR.
8. Jacksonville -4 (9-3)- In perhaps the strangest Week 12 proceeding, mighty Jacksonville fell victim to the Tennessee Titans. Not only did the AFC South champion Jags lose, but the 38 points from the defense and 4 points from the kicker didn’t help a severely below-average offense (by JAX’s standard), which only managed 42 despite a pedestrian 24 points from Aaron Rodgers. The Jags will have every chance in the playoffs, where they will face DEN in the 2-7 game. They drop 4 places in the last PRs.
9. New England -4 (9-3)- Eli was back on track with 27+ points, but the rest of the team wasn’t in a sub-100 point outing against the Dolphins. Four players scored 1.2 points or fewer, and Nick Folk’s 3 points didn’t help much either, as the defense and kicker barely topped 40. It’s hard to get a good read on New England after the 7-0 start, as the Pats dropped 3 of their last 5, twice failing to hit 100 points and only once topping 107 points. In the 7-0 start to the season, only once did N.E. fail to surpass that total. To completely write off the Patriots would be a grave error, but to say its not known to expect of them in their 4-5 match up this week against those same Dolphins would be appropriate. N.E. falls 4 spots in the final PRs.
10. Cincinnati +1 (8-4)- A balanced, but rather pedestrian effort based on some of the Bengals’ early season totals, saw them past the undermanned Browns with plenty of breathing room in Week 12. The defense has been top-5 all-year, and the offense has one of the best 1-2 RB combos in the league, but injuries at QB have left Chris relying on Drew Stanton, and wide receiver play has been spotty, and often anemic. Despite finishing in the top-10 of the final PRs, the Bengals are a 6-seed, and can ill-afford any gaps in the lineup against the Chiefs, who are rolling into the playoffs. CIN rises one spot to round out the top-10.
11. Detroit -3 (8-4)- At mid-season, it would have been asinine to suggest that Detroit would finish outside of the top-10, especially if one was told that they would do so while winning the NFC North. But both happened, as the Lions flopped in their final game of 2014, losing to the lowly Bears. With Cam Newton on a bye and Jerick McKinnon and Owen Daniels wholly unimpressive, the offense couldn’t carry an underperforming defensive unit and no kicker. For their wonderful season, DET gets Dallas in the 3-6 match up in round 1 of the playoffs, but for this week, DET drops 3 places and out of the top-10.
12. Tennessee +1 (7-5)- The Titans turned it on over the season’s final weeks to finish with a 7-5 record and secure the AFC’s final wild card and a playoff berth. The Titans, winners of 5 of their last 6, quietly snuck up on the league prior to their dismantling of the division champ Jaguars last week, putting up 146+ points in the process. Ryan Tannehill has turned into a fantasy commodity, and the Titans defense has some playmakers on a unit that racked up over 85 points in Week 12. Kirk’s club is on the wrong side of a 1-8 match up, but have more than enough ammunition to make it interesting. TEN comes in at #12 in the final PRs.
13. Denver -1 (7-5)- The two-week slide to end the season didn’t keep the Broncos out of the playoffs, but didn’t help Denver’s cause, slotting them into the 2-7 match up against Jacksonville. For what it’s worth, the two losses were less a reflection on Steve’s team and more of a testament to the two teams Denver played, Kansas City and Oakland, as the Broncos averaged over 130 points in the final two weeks. In their 3-point loss to Oakland, Tony Romo led the way with 33 points, but much of the offense was a letdown, including a 1.6-pointer by Reggie Wayne. In particular, Andre Ellington needs to have a rebound game after a few down weeks. DEN drops one spot and falls to #13 to end the year.
14. Minnesota +4 (6-6)- In a do-or-die game against the Packers, the Vikings had one last chance to control their playoff fate. This time, the Vikes punched their ticket, beating the up-and-coming Pack by a comfortable margin. As has been the case on several occasions this season, it was a lot of Andrew Luck and Eddie Lacy and not much else. Speaking with MIN, it’s clear he considers this team an underachieving disappointment, but will have the opportunity to right the ship and make new memories for the season in the playoffs as the #7 seed in the NFC, going up against college friend and first-year manager Mett and ARI. MIN finishes the season up 4 at #14.
15. Washington +3 (6-6)- In another deciding final game, the Redskins held the Giants, who were previously ranked higher, at bay, beating them by a final margin of over 30 points despite missing Ben Roethlisberger on a bye. The offense, because of this development, was saddled with a low point total, but the defense more than made for it with a near 70-point effort. In a week of extremes, three defensive players scored 2.4 or less, but every other defender topped 10. Because of the win, Washington makes the playoffs as the #8 seed in the NFC, facing the #1 Philadelphia Eagles right off the bat. The “whatever Washington will be called next year” team finished #15, up 3 spots from a week ago.
16. Green Bay -1 (6-6)- Despite a not insignificant playoff push, the Packers fell just a game short on head-to-head and point total, losing to the Vikings, who are playoff bound via their victory over GB in Week 12. Four players failing to hit 2 points didn’t help the Pack’s cause, nor did new starting quarterback Josh McCown’s 11-point game or Shane Vereen losing touches to LeGarrette Blount. But, this is a team with a decent young nucleus that could realistically contend, provided some good draft picks, perhaps as soon as 2016, even if they don’t meet their 2014 win total in 2015. That’s better than could be said at the start of the season, when GB was pegged as a bottom-5 team. Therefore, a top half finish isn’t so bad.
17. New York Giants -1 (6-6)- Tasked with defeating the sub-.500 Redskins in the season’s final week, the Giants fell short, losing their third consecutive game after an ill-advised trade of Peyton Manning in Week 9. Looking for a new manager in the off-season, the Giants have some good pieces to build on, but the construction will likely have to start anew from the quarterback position. NYG drops one place into the bottom half in the final PRs.
18. Baltimore -1 (5-7)- One of the more deserving teams for a playoff bid, Baltimore finished solidly in the top half (#14) in points scored, but were also far and away (by nearly 50 points) the team whose opponents scored the most points against them on the season. KC, PHI, PIT, NE, DAL and MIA (only half of the season’s schedule) nearly scored 1,000 points against the Ravens. As it is, they were just a game short of reaching the playoffs. BAL drops 1 spot in the final PRs.
19. Buffalo -5 (5-7)- Another sub-.500 team with the opportunity to sweep their respective division, Buffalo fell short, putting up a clunker in a 30+ point loss to previously winless NYJ, after beating the top-two AFC East teams. The offense was a trainwreck, and the defense, short a DL, wasn’t much better. Also short a kicker, Sal was reliant on offensive skill players such as Jordy Nelson, Martellus Bennett and Mark Ingram to carry the load. The result was disappointing, as the three combined for fewer than 20 points. Going into 2015, there are some key pieces, but missing out on the playoffs after beating the division’s elite will likely leave a sour taste in Sal’s mouth. The Bills finish #19, dropping a heaping 5 spots in the season’s final week.
20. Oakland +1 (5-7)- A team that looked moribund at the midway point, managed an impressive win over Denver in Week 12 despite a 4-spot with recently re-promoted Shaun Hill. Anquan Boldin topped 20 points and Steven Hauschka added in 15. Otherwise, it was an all-around effort that saw 10 players top 10 points. The Raiders, winners of their last two and finishing 3rd in the AFC West, have some good juju heading into the off-season, and finish in the top-20.
21. Houston +5 (4-8)- After several disappointing developments for the Texans, Erik’s bunch found a way to win, and convincingly, to end the season on a high note, beating the Colts by nearly 40 points. Kyle Orton had a 22-pointer, and Telvin Smith put up 21 points as well. Even missing two starting DL and three players at 3 points or under, including one 0, 5 players topped the 16-point mark, and gave the Texans a base needed to win. HOU closes the season out at #21, up 5 spots in the season’s final week.
22. Atlanta +2 (4-8)- In a gimme game (as much as that exists), the Falcons rolled the Saints while only scoring 90 points themselves and only 14 points on offense. While the defense was very good, it was mostly a function of Janoris Jenkins, who scored nearly half of the defense’s 70 points. Going forward, Colt McCoy might provide some value at QB, as opposed to the nothingness he’s given since RGIII’s return, but other offensive players need to up their game considerably. The Falcons win the NFC South outright with the victory, and luck into the 4-seed. Playoff seeding reform anyone? So I guess they deserve to rise 2 spots and finish at 22…as a division winner…?
23. Cleveland -3 (4-8)- Cleveland, long thought to be a bottom dweller in 2014 just like 2013, managed to make a respectable run down the stretch under a new manager, Kevin, who made some moves to get the Browns moving in the right direction. The Austin Davis acquisition might not pay off, but there is a nice young core of players on both sides of the ball that have CLE on target to make a wild card run in perhaps what will be the league’s best division in 2015. For the last set of PRs, however, CLE dives 3 spots.
24. San Diego -1 (5-7)- Yup. Victor Cruz and Arian Foster. Down 1 spot to #24, San Diego will benefit from new leadership.
25. Chicago +2 (4-8)- The Bears nipped the division champs at the end of the year, relying on Drew Brees’ 32-point game and Charles Woodson, Billy Cundiff and Vincent Jackson, who all topped 10 points, to pull off the upset. That said, there were 3 zeros and 5 players finished with 1.2 points or lower. Basically, it’s the same underwhelming Bears team we’ve seen all year, and had more to do with a Detroit down week. The Bears rise 2 places to finish at 25.
26. Carolina +2 (4-8)- A revitalized Carolina team looked the part again in Week 12, beating the Buccaneers by almost 20 points behind a balanced effort that saw two players hit the 20-point mark. Zach Mettenberger might be a fantasy commodity by next year, and several of the young skill players that Sze has on offense are primed for bigger roles. In a truly wide-open NFC South (I assume) next year, the Panthers will be right there, pending the off-season decisions that CAR makes. The Panthers finish in 26th, up two spots in the season’s final week.
27. San Francisco -5 (4-8)- One of the most inconsistent teams all year, San Francisco mounted a surge at the end of the season, but was unable to sweep the division. At their best, the Niners were legitimate contenders for a wild card spot, but at their worst, they rivaled the NFC South in ineptitude, putting up quite a few college basketball scores along the way. SF drops 5 places to #27, where they end the season.
28. Tampa Bay -3 (3-9)- The Bucs struggled to find a rhythm in Week 12, collecting three quality performances on offense, but only one such performance between the defensive unit and kicker. A close third in the worst division in both this league and real football, the Bucs will have to go back to the drawing board in 2015, and it will start with walk-year QB Philip Rivers. TB falls 3 spots to 28 to end the season.
29. Indianapolis 0 (2-10)- Despite the Odell Beckham wonder-catch/wonder-game, Indy fell far short of knocking off a short-handed Houston team, losing by nearly 40 points. It was perhaps the best all-around game that the Colts have had all-season, and for sure the best in the season’s second half. Perhaps if J.R. can luck into Mark Sanchez winning the Eagles job long-term, or lucking into a starting position elsewhere, the rebuild could be accelerated much more expediently. For now though, the Colts finish a depressing 29.
30. St. Louis 0 (2-10)- Who had Kemal Ishmael leading the Rams in points in Week 12? Well, no matter, as it was a predictable blowout loss for St. Louis at the hands of Arizona. The Rams finish dead last in the NFC West and #30 in the final PRs.
31. New York Jets + (1-11)- Finally, a legitimate reason to move the Jets in front of New Orleans occurred on the season’s final week, as New York finally put together a winning effort that had been in the making due to an uptick in points since Week 8. In the last game, Teddy Bridgewater led the way with one of the best games of his rookie season, and 94 points, though slight perhaps elsewhere, was plenty enough to beat a bad Week 12 version of the Bills. Good things lie ahead, however, for the Jets, as they own two top-5 picks and have plenty of youth already primed to take a step forward in 2015. Watch them as a dark horse playoff candidate next season. The Jets climb one spot to finish 31st.
32. New Orleans -1 (1-11)- This week, New Orleans fielded two players that scored over 10 points. One was a kicker. 10 players scored 2.4 points or less. New Orleans was the league’s worst team this year irrespective of their head-to-head win over the Jets. A lot needs to be done here. The Saints finish in dead last in the final PRs.
2. Pittsburgh 0 (10-2)- Closing out the season strong, the Steel City crew has put up nearly 300 points in the last two weeks. The nearly 50-point victory over Baltimore gave the Steelers 10 wins and the #1 seed in the AFC. Garrett will get the upstart Titans in the first round, a very winnable match up, but one that looks better today than it did several weeks ago.
3. Arizona +2 (10-2)- LeSean McCoy was back to his old self in Week 12, racking up a 20-spot, which Alfred Morris met with his own 20-pointer. The defense, for its part, racked up 75+ points, and Arizona was back to topping the 150-point mark. The Cards climb up two spots and finish #3 in the PRs. They will take on Minnesota in the 2-7 match up.
4. Seattle +3 (9-3)- The runner up to the NFC West crown, Seattle was still one of the best teams all year, as evidenced by their Week 12 point total, a league-leading 176 points. Peyton Manning led the way with 36, and D’Qwell Jackson and Cody Parkey each eclipsed 20 points, but the true test of Seattle’s might in the playoffs (even if it might not be a fair evaluation of SEA as a team) will come down to the RB spot. It shouldn’t, however, matter in the first round, as Cecil and the Hawks get 4-win ATL and the easiest route to the second round. SEA finishes the season in 4th.
5. Kansas City +4 (9-3)- Kansas City is back to their dominant selves, blowing up for 169 in Week 12 on the strength of 4 players topping 15 points and balance, as no player scored less than 6. Impressive would be the word I’m looking for. KC climbs to #5 in the final PRs, and Brooks will look to defend his MFL crown, starting off against Cincy in the 3-6 game.
6. Miami +4 (9-3)- In a roller coaster season that saw the Dolphins start 7-0 and then lose three-straight, putting their chances of winning the AFC East in serious doubt, Miami responded with two-straight wins to wrap up the division in the final week of the year with a 30+ point win over the previous division leader New England. For that accomplishment, they draw the Patriots for a second-straight week in the 4-5 match up and rise 4 spots in the final PRs, just finishing outside of the top-5. Congrats Donny.
7. Dallas -4 (9-3)- The losers of the all-important season finale in the NFC East, Dallas still managed 9-straight wins, the longest streak of any team in the league this year, a strong rebound after starting the year 0-2. Despite the 50+ point loss, the Cowboys still make the playoffs as a Wild Card, and will get a fairly even match up in the 3-6 game in the NFC against the Lions. The ‘Boys fall 4 spots in this final PR.
8. Jacksonville -4 (9-3)- In perhaps the strangest Week 12 proceeding, mighty Jacksonville fell victim to the Tennessee Titans. Not only did the AFC South champion Jags lose, but the 38 points from the defense and 4 points from the kicker didn’t help a severely below-average offense (by JAX’s standard), which only managed 42 despite a pedestrian 24 points from Aaron Rodgers. The Jags will have every chance in the playoffs, where they will face DEN in the 2-7 game. They drop 4 places in the last PRs.
9. New England -4 (9-3)- Eli was back on track with 27+ points, but the rest of the team wasn’t in a sub-100 point outing against the Dolphins. Four players scored 1.2 points or fewer, and Nick Folk’s 3 points didn’t help much either, as the defense and kicker barely topped 40. It’s hard to get a good read on New England after the 7-0 start, as the Pats dropped 3 of their last 5, twice failing to hit 100 points and only once topping 107 points. In the 7-0 start to the season, only once did N.E. fail to surpass that total. To completely write off the Patriots would be a grave error, but to say its not known to expect of them in their 4-5 match up this week against those same Dolphins would be appropriate. N.E. falls 4 spots in the final PRs.
10. Cincinnati +1 (8-4)- A balanced, but rather pedestrian effort based on some of the Bengals’ early season totals, saw them past the undermanned Browns with plenty of breathing room in Week 12. The defense has been top-5 all-year, and the offense has one of the best 1-2 RB combos in the league, but injuries at QB have left Chris relying on Drew Stanton, and wide receiver play has been spotty, and often anemic. Despite finishing in the top-10 of the final PRs, the Bengals are a 6-seed, and can ill-afford any gaps in the lineup against the Chiefs, who are rolling into the playoffs. CIN rises one spot to round out the top-10.
11. Detroit -3 (8-4)- At mid-season, it would have been asinine to suggest that Detroit would finish outside of the top-10, especially if one was told that they would do so while winning the NFC North. But both happened, as the Lions flopped in their final game of 2014, losing to the lowly Bears. With Cam Newton on a bye and Jerick McKinnon and Owen Daniels wholly unimpressive, the offense couldn’t carry an underperforming defensive unit and no kicker. For their wonderful season, DET gets Dallas in the 3-6 match up in round 1 of the playoffs, but for this week, DET drops 3 places and out of the top-10.
12. Tennessee +1 (7-5)- The Titans turned it on over the season’s final weeks to finish with a 7-5 record and secure the AFC’s final wild card and a playoff berth. The Titans, winners of 5 of their last 6, quietly snuck up on the league prior to their dismantling of the division champ Jaguars last week, putting up 146+ points in the process. Ryan Tannehill has turned into a fantasy commodity, and the Titans defense has some playmakers on a unit that racked up over 85 points in Week 12. Kirk’s club is on the wrong side of a 1-8 match up, but have more than enough ammunition to make it interesting. TEN comes in at #12 in the final PRs.
13. Denver -1 (7-5)- The two-week slide to end the season didn’t keep the Broncos out of the playoffs, but didn’t help Denver’s cause, slotting them into the 2-7 match up against Jacksonville. For what it’s worth, the two losses were less a reflection on Steve’s team and more of a testament to the two teams Denver played, Kansas City and Oakland, as the Broncos averaged over 130 points in the final two weeks. In their 3-point loss to Oakland, Tony Romo led the way with 33 points, but much of the offense was a letdown, including a 1.6-pointer by Reggie Wayne. In particular, Andre Ellington needs to have a rebound game after a few down weeks. DEN drops one spot and falls to #13 to end the year.
14. Minnesota +4 (6-6)- In a do-or-die game against the Packers, the Vikings had one last chance to control their playoff fate. This time, the Vikes punched their ticket, beating the up-and-coming Pack by a comfortable margin. As has been the case on several occasions this season, it was a lot of Andrew Luck and Eddie Lacy and not much else. Speaking with MIN, it’s clear he considers this team an underachieving disappointment, but will have the opportunity to right the ship and make new memories for the season in the playoffs as the #7 seed in the NFC, going up against college friend and first-year manager Mett and ARI. MIN finishes the season up 4 at #14.
15. Washington +3 (6-6)- In another deciding final game, the Redskins held the Giants, who were previously ranked higher, at bay, beating them by a final margin of over 30 points despite missing Ben Roethlisberger on a bye. The offense, because of this development, was saddled with a low point total, but the defense more than made for it with a near 70-point effort. In a week of extremes, three defensive players scored 2.4 or less, but every other defender topped 10. Because of the win, Washington makes the playoffs as the #8 seed in the NFC, facing the #1 Philadelphia Eagles right off the bat. The “whatever Washington will be called next year” team finished #15, up 3 spots from a week ago.
16. Green Bay -1 (6-6)- Despite a not insignificant playoff push, the Packers fell just a game short on head-to-head and point total, losing to the Vikings, who are playoff bound via their victory over GB in Week 12. Four players failing to hit 2 points didn’t help the Pack’s cause, nor did new starting quarterback Josh McCown’s 11-point game or Shane Vereen losing touches to LeGarrette Blount. But, this is a team with a decent young nucleus that could realistically contend, provided some good draft picks, perhaps as soon as 2016, even if they don’t meet their 2014 win total in 2015. That’s better than could be said at the start of the season, when GB was pegged as a bottom-5 team. Therefore, a top half finish isn’t so bad.
17. New York Giants -1 (6-6)- Tasked with defeating the sub-.500 Redskins in the season’s final week, the Giants fell short, losing their third consecutive game after an ill-advised trade of Peyton Manning in Week 9. Looking for a new manager in the off-season, the Giants have some good pieces to build on, but the construction will likely have to start anew from the quarterback position. NYG drops one place into the bottom half in the final PRs.
18. Baltimore -1 (5-7)- One of the more deserving teams for a playoff bid, Baltimore finished solidly in the top half (#14) in points scored, but were also far and away (by nearly 50 points) the team whose opponents scored the most points against them on the season. KC, PHI, PIT, NE, DAL and MIA (only half of the season’s schedule) nearly scored 1,000 points against the Ravens. As it is, they were just a game short of reaching the playoffs. BAL drops 1 spot in the final PRs.
19. Buffalo -5 (5-7)- Another sub-.500 team with the opportunity to sweep their respective division, Buffalo fell short, putting up a clunker in a 30+ point loss to previously winless NYJ, after beating the top-two AFC East teams. The offense was a trainwreck, and the defense, short a DL, wasn’t much better. Also short a kicker, Sal was reliant on offensive skill players such as Jordy Nelson, Martellus Bennett and Mark Ingram to carry the load. The result was disappointing, as the three combined for fewer than 20 points. Going into 2015, there are some key pieces, but missing out on the playoffs after beating the division’s elite will likely leave a sour taste in Sal’s mouth. The Bills finish #19, dropping a heaping 5 spots in the season’s final week.
20. Oakland +1 (5-7)- A team that looked moribund at the midway point, managed an impressive win over Denver in Week 12 despite a 4-spot with recently re-promoted Shaun Hill. Anquan Boldin topped 20 points and Steven Hauschka added in 15. Otherwise, it was an all-around effort that saw 10 players top 10 points. The Raiders, winners of their last two and finishing 3rd in the AFC West, have some good juju heading into the off-season, and finish in the top-20.
21. Houston +5 (4-8)- After several disappointing developments for the Texans, Erik’s bunch found a way to win, and convincingly, to end the season on a high note, beating the Colts by nearly 40 points. Kyle Orton had a 22-pointer, and Telvin Smith put up 21 points as well. Even missing two starting DL and three players at 3 points or under, including one 0, 5 players topped the 16-point mark, and gave the Texans a base needed to win. HOU closes the season out at #21, up 5 spots in the season’s final week.
22. Atlanta +2 (4-8)- In a gimme game (as much as that exists), the Falcons rolled the Saints while only scoring 90 points themselves and only 14 points on offense. While the defense was very good, it was mostly a function of Janoris Jenkins, who scored nearly half of the defense’s 70 points. Going forward, Colt McCoy might provide some value at QB, as opposed to the nothingness he’s given since RGIII’s return, but other offensive players need to up their game considerably. The Falcons win the NFC South outright with the victory, and luck into the 4-seed. Playoff seeding reform anyone? So I guess they deserve to rise 2 spots and finish at 22…as a division winner…?
23. Cleveland -3 (4-8)- Cleveland, long thought to be a bottom dweller in 2014 just like 2013, managed to make a respectable run down the stretch under a new manager, Kevin, who made some moves to get the Browns moving in the right direction. The Austin Davis acquisition might not pay off, but there is a nice young core of players on both sides of the ball that have CLE on target to make a wild card run in perhaps what will be the league’s best division in 2015. For the last set of PRs, however, CLE dives 3 spots.
24. San Diego -1 (5-7)- Yup. Victor Cruz and Arian Foster. Down 1 spot to #24, San Diego will benefit from new leadership.
25. Chicago +2 (4-8)- The Bears nipped the division champs at the end of the year, relying on Drew Brees’ 32-point game and Charles Woodson, Billy Cundiff and Vincent Jackson, who all topped 10 points, to pull off the upset. That said, there were 3 zeros and 5 players finished with 1.2 points or lower. Basically, it’s the same underwhelming Bears team we’ve seen all year, and had more to do with a Detroit down week. The Bears rise 2 places to finish at 25.
26. Carolina +2 (4-8)- A revitalized Carolina team looked the part again in Week 12, beating the Buccaneers by almost 20 points behind a balanced effort that saw two players hit the 20-point mark. Zach Mettenberger might be a fantasy commodity by next year, and several of the young skill players that Sze has on offense are primed for bigger roles. In a truly wide-open NFC South (I assume) next year, the Panthers will be right there, pending the off-season decisions that CAR makes. The Panthers finish in 26th, up two spots in the season’s final week.
27. San Francisco -5 (4-8)- One of the most inconsistent teams all year, San Francisco mounted a surge at the end of the season, but was unable to sweep the division. At their best, the Niners were legitimate contenders for a wild card spot, but at their worst, they rivaled the NFC South in ineptitude, putting up quite a few college basketball scores along the way. SF drops 5 places to #27, where they end the season.
28. Tampa Bay -3 (3-9)- The Bucs struggled to find a rhythm in Week 12, collecting three quality performances on offense, but only one such performance between the defensive unit and kicker. A close third in the worst division in both this league and real football, the Bucs will have to go back to the drawing board in 2015, and it will start with walk-year QB Philip Rivers. TB falls 3 spots to 28 to end the season.
29. Indianapolis 0 (2-10)- Despite the Odell Beckham wonder-catch/wonder-game, Indy fell far short of knocking off a short-handed Houston team, losing by nearly 40 points. It was perhaps the best all-around game that the Colts have had all-season, and for sure the best in the season’s second half. Perhaps if J.R. can luck into Mark Sanchez winning the Eagles job long-term, or lucking into a starting position elsewhere, the rebuild could be accelerated much more expediently. For now though, the Colts finish a depressing 29.
30. St. Louis 0 (2-10)- Who had Kemal Ishmael leading the Rams in points in Week 12? Well, no matter, as it was a predictable blowout loss for St. Louis at the hands of Arizona. The Rams finish dead last in the NFC West and #30 in the final PRs.
31. New York Jets + (1-11)- Finally, a legitimate reason to move the Jets in front of New Orleans occurred on the season’s final week, as New York finally put together a winning effort that had been in the making due to an uptick in points since Week 8. In the last game, Teddy Bridgewater led the way with one of the best games of his rookie season, and 94 points, though slight perhaps elsewhere, was plenty enough to beat a bad Week 12 version of the Bills. Good things lie ahead, however, for the Jets, as they own two top-5 picks and have plenty of youth already primed to take a step forward in 2015. Watch them as a dark horse playoff candidate next season. The Jets climb one spot to finish 31st.
32. New Orleans -1 (1-11)- This week, New Orleans fielded two players that scored over 10 points. One was a kicker. 10 players scored 2.4 points or less. New Orleans was the league’s worst team this year irrespective of their head-to-head win over the Jets. A lot needs to be done here. The Saints finish in dead last in the final PRs.