COLUMN: Here’s to an awesome NFL season and great playoffs
The 2012 NFL Playoffs are underway and it’s hard to believe that we’ve already closed the books on another NFL regular season. Ah, 2012 -— the season that almost wasn’t — was full of surprises. There was the good and bad — star performers, rookie sensations, perfect records… almost, complete turnarounds, total breakdowns and, of course, Tim Tebow. Here are some of the more memorable moments of this 2011-12 NFL regular season.
1. The San Francisco 49ers. From 2003-2010, the 49ers didn’t make it to the playoffs. Their best record was 8-8, and they went through five head coaches and the Alex Smith dilemma. After the 2010 season they hired their sixth head coach in eight seasons, kept pretty much the same personnel and here they are 13-3 with the No. 2 seed in the NFC. What?! Who said college coaches can’t come to the NFL? Watch out for them in the playoffs.
2. The Indianapolis Manning-Colts — 11 playoff appearances and two Super Bowl appearances from 1999- 2010. Then 2011 rolls around, there’s no Peyton Manning, and suddenly the Colts forget how to play football. They didn’t have the lead in a single game until they beat the Titans in week 15. Let’s hope for the Colts and their fans’ sake that Peyton Manning’s back and on his game in 2012.
3. Green Bay Packers-Aaron Rodgers. What a season for the defending Super Bowl Champions and their quarterback. After winning the Super Bowl as the NFC Wildcard last year, they decided to take the easy route this year — win 13 games in a row, finish at 15-1 and grab the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Not bad. The overall play though of the 2011 Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers might have been even more impressive than the Packers’ 15 wins. He completed just under 70 percent of his passes, threw for more than 4,500 yards, had 45 touchdown passes, only six interceptions and finished with a passer rating of 122.
4.Drew Brees. Not only did he break Dan Marino’s 27-year-old single-season passing record with 5,476 yards and throw a league-leading 46 touchdowns, but he got the Saints back to the playoffs.
5. Tim Tebow. He did throw an 80-yard game-winning-in-overtime-against-the-Steelers touchdown pass, but I’m still not converted. Nonetheless, how can you ignore what he did this season? If nothing else, he cemented his backyard legend status. Now, whenever a quarterback in backyard football breaks a tackle and runs for more than two yards, or completely runs someone over, or starts saying a prayer before hiking the ball, people start saying that the aforementioned player looks like — Tim Tebow. If that’s not enough, he got the Broncos back to the playoffs.
True they only finished 8-8, but with Mr. Tebow they were 7-4. What about those fourth-quarter comebacks? Five of his seven regular season wins came from fourth-quarter comebacks that were capped off by game-winning drives. It’s true his throwing is erratic and his career completion percentage is less than 50 percent but still, who provided more drama and excitement this season than Tebow? Nobody, except maybe…
6. Cam Newton. It’s possibly the easiest Rookie-of-the-Year selection ever. Not only did he lead the Panthers to four more wins than last season, but he also passed for more than 4,000 yards, completed 60 percent of his passes, rushed for over 700 yards, helped revive Steve Smith’s career and made the Panthers relevant once again.
Here’s to a stellar regular season and hoping the playoffs continue to provide even more drama and excitement.
– Spencer is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. He supports Manchester United and hopes to live long enough to watch the Cubs win a World Series. Send any comments to eliason.wright3@aggiemail.usu.edu.