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junker-town · 5 years ago

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Can the Saints finally end their decade of playoff heartbreak?

Drew Brees is still trying to make it to the second Super Bowl of his Hall of Fame career.

The Saints won a Super Bowl after the 2009 season. It’s been nothing but playoff heartbreak since.

The New Orleans Saints are back in the playoffs and hopes are high. It’s the worst thing that could happen.

Since winning the Super Bowl a decade ago, a pattern of immense disappointment has emerged whenever the Saints make the playoffs in dominant fashion. Any team losing in the postseason is bad, but New Orleans has cornered the market on heartbreaking exits — all of which is underscored by Drew Brees. We are all aware that one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history has an expiration date, and much like Peyton Manning before he went to the Broncos, we’re waiting to see if Brees can secure one more ring.

If you’re a Saints fan, you might want to avoid reliving these moments, but it’s important to retrace how we reached this point, and just how agonizing it’s been for the Saints in the playoffs in the last decade.

2010 season: The mid-game collapse and Beast Quake

A perennial issue for New Orleans was a lacking defense that never lived up to the team’s lofty offense. That changed in 2010, when New Orleans had one of the best defenses in the NFL. The 11-5 Saints fought their way through a brutal NFC South, which featured three 10-plus win teams, finishing second to the 13-3 Falcons. They headed into what felt like a favorable Wild Card Round matchup against the 7-9 Seahawks, who waded through a miserable NFC West into the playoffs.

The Saints were extreme favorites, even taking into account traveling to Seattle for the game. The Seahawks were statistically one of the worst teams to ever make the playoffs, and Brees was coming off a 4,600-yard passing season. Furthermore, the Saints had proved they could handle the matchup, winning 34-19 when the teams met in Week 11.

The game started as expected. The Saints jumped out to a 17-7 lead early in the second quarter and looked firmly in control. Then everything collapsed. In the span of 22 minutes, Seattle scored 27 points before the game was cemented in NFL history with one play.

That was the “Beast Quake” run, in which Marshawn Lynch ran 67 yards for a touchdown and set off seismic monitors in the process as Seahawks fans created a man-made earthquake.

The @Seahawks' Greatest Moment: Beastquake To vote for this as the Greatest Moment in NFL History, go to https://t.co/7lKIkPlnlj. #NFL100 pic.twitter.com/8BcegNdACL

— NFL (@NFL) January 2, 2020

The Saints lost, 41-36, to cap off a season when they finished with a top-10 offense and defense.

2011 season: The Catch III

Remember that New Orleans was coming off a year when it needed to travel as an 11-5 team to face a 7-9 team because of the difficulty in its division.

A similar things happened this year. At 13-3, the division champions found themselves in a situation where the NFC was stacked. The Packers earned the No. 1 seed at 15-1, and the 13-3 49ers were the No. 2 seed due to a tiebreaker. The result was the Saints, who were perfect at home that season, easily handled the Detroit Lions in the Wild Card Round.

Then they had to head to San Francisco in the Divisional Round. Despite a slow start, the Saints battled back and traded blows with the 49ers in the second half. With 1:37 remaining, Brees hit tight end Jimmy Graham for a 66-yard touchdown to take a 32-29 lead.

The 49ers didn’t bat an eye. Alex Smith drove them down the field and found his tight end, Vernon Davis, for “The Catch III,” a game-winning touchdown with just nine seconds left.

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The Saints lost, 36-32.

2017 season: The Minneapolis Miracle

If there’s one thing that’s consistent with the Saints’ routine playoff collapses, it’s that they find a way to get moments rubbed in their faces for eternity, all with signature names attached. It happened with Beast Quake, and again with the Minneapolis Miracle.

With 10 seconds left in the Divisional Round, the Saints were up 24-23 in a game that seemed over. At their own 39-yard line, the Vikings called “Buffalo Right Seven Heaven” — a passing play out of a bunch formation that made Stefon Diggs the critical receiver running a route to the sideline.

At the time, everyone expected the Vikings were simply aiming to get into field-goal position by running out of bounds. But a botched play at the ball by free safety Marcus Williams left Diggs with the remarkable sideline catch and nothing but daylight. Diggs took the ball 61 yards for the score, which made the matchup the first NFL playoff game to end with a walk-off touchdown.

Once again the Saints were on the wrong side of history.

2018 season: The non-call

The Saints were the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time since they won the Super Bowl. And it still didn’t stop the heartbreak from coming.

A year after giving up one of the most embarrassing touchdowns in postseason history, the Saints once again found themselves being the talk of the playoffs for all the wrong reasons. A back-and-forth NFC Championship Game against the Rams went to overtime after one of the most horrific missed calls in league history.

With 1:45 left in the fourth quarter, Brees threw the ball to Tommylee Lewis, who was in position to make a play on third-and-10. At the time, the game was tied 20-20 and a completion could have set the Saints up with a touchdown or a game-winning field goal as time expired. However, Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman blew up Lewis on the play in what appeared to be an obvious case of pass interference.

No flag was thrown, and the livid Saints were forced to settle for a field goal with 1:41 remaining. They would eventually lose in overtime, 26-23, sending the Rams to the Super Bowl.

The moment itself made the Saints irate. This was their season. A culmination of every piece of bad luck they’d worked against for the better part of a decade. Homefield advantage in hand, there was every belief the high-octane Saints would match up favorably with the best the AFC had to offer, potentially leading to Brees’ second Super Bowl win.

Instead, Saints fans were left bitterly arguing (and attempting to litigate) the outcome of the game for the entire offseason and into the beginning of the 2019 season. It also led the NFL to try out a new rule that didn’t really fix anything.

What happens now?

History has shown a cruel propensity to punish the Saints for correcting their own problems. When New Orleans gets a defense, it’s punished. When the team secures homefield advantage, it vanishes in controversy.

This year, the Saints are 13-3 and the No. 3 seed, missing out on a first-round bye by inches. They host the Vikings in the Wild Card Round, two years after traveling to Minnesota to get their hearts ripped out by Diggs.

Maybe this postseason will be their chance to turn their luck around. Or maybe they’ll find a new painful way to lose.

If there’s one thing that could be the potential vector of disappointment in the playoffs, look no further than the Saints’ lack of turnovers. In 2019, the Saints set a new NFL record for fewest turnovers in a season, with eight. That naturally leads us to the eventual conclusion: Something will happen this playoffs with a critical turnover that leads to the Saints’ demise.

This isn’t something that should be celebrated, no matter how much the team might annoy you, though.

Brees deserves better. The city of New Orleans deserves more. It’s unclear how much long the team’s window is open — but to have every season end in acrimony is unfair. Now it’s on the football gods, or whichever NFL deity you believe in, to determine what will happen.

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paulbenedictblog · 5 years ago

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New Post has been published on %http://paulbenedictsgeneralstore.com%

Fox news Power Rankings: Pats sputter into playoffs - NFL.com

Fox news

And that is the explanation a wrap on the 2019 popular season.

Within the arriving weeks, the Vitality Rankings will heart of attention its attention on the final playoff teams, however for this week, let's roll out the fleshy 32.

Making an strive to search out a relaxing bid? (Don't be troubled, I'm no longer talking about loyal bid. Every person knows that is no longer going to -- hypothetically -- occur unless after New Yr's.) OK: Strive your favourite team's ranking this week, and compare that to where it turned into as soon as earlier than Week 1 on these very Vitality Rankings. How a lot stir discontinue you peep? Whereby direction? Did you compromise with me then? Quit you compromise with me now? Quit you fancy me? Would you formulation to my dwelling if I invited you? Would you loan me 20 bucks?

Blissful 2020, everyone.

NOTE: The outdated rankings referenced within the lineup below are from the Week 17 Vitality Rankings.

Old terrible: No. 1

John Harbaugh has notched a lot bigger wins, every this season and over the direction of his long and a success Ravens tenure, however you surprise how many were extra pleasant than beating the Steelers along with his backups in a game that started with playoff ramifications for the longtime rivals from Pittsburgh. Or no longer it has been that extra or much less blessed year for the Ravens, who completed the popular season at 14-2, the glorious place in franchise history. They made extra history, too, passing the 1978 Patriots (yes, the Patriots existed earlier than Tom Brady) for presumably the most team speeding yards in a single season. They did it on the backs of two particular avid gamers: soon-to-be MVP Lamar Jackson (1,206 speeding yards) and stellar free-agent acquisition Ticket Ingram (1,018 yards). Up next is every week of relaxation and preparation earlier than getting the Bills, Texans or Titans of their dwelling every week from Saturday. This is your definite Abundant Bowl favourite.

Old terrible: No. 2

The Saints deserve better than the No. 3 seed. Sean Payton's team took care of their industrial in decisive vogue on Sunday, constructing a 35-0 first-half lead in an unholy blowout of the early-vacationing Panthers. The Saints averaged 40 design per game over the final four weeks of the season, buzzing on offense with the extra or much less precision now we grasp got no longer considered since closing season. It makes you surprise if bringing in Antonio Brown for a workout closing week turned into as soon as a switch made fully to freak out NFC playoff teams already intimidated by the Saints' overwhelming attack. First up is the Vikings, a team that appears to be stumbling on the identical time the Saints are reaching fleshy flight. Throw in an all-time Revenge Sport change ( Minneapolis Miracle, any individual?), and Saints fans are correct to feel confident about their team correct about now.

Old terrible: No. 3

If the 49ers discontinue up hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in five weeks, keep in mind the care for rookie linebacker Dre Greenlaw made in the popular-season finale in opposition to the Seahawks. Greenlaw de-cleated Seahawks tight discontinue Jacob Hollister on the aim line, denying Seattle the tear-ahead ranking within the final seconds and ensuring the 49ers would enter January because the NFC West champions with dwelling-field abet right thru the conference playoffs. The Niners are the next team than the Seahawks, and to boot they showed it for most of Sunday evening's story season-closing showdown. But had Russell Wilson worked his magic and stolen the sport? Who knows if the Niners salvage better? If they did, it would've been on the facet road this weekend in Philadelphia. As an alternative, it be a bye week, a dwelling game (or two) and the interior tune on a Abundant Bowl return. Yup, keep in mind that identify. Dre Greenlaw.

Old terrible: No. 6

The Packers completed the season at 13-3 and grasp composed one amongst the 2 all-most fundamental byes that severely lengthen the prospect of a Abundant Bowl appearance. So why does this team feel inclined coming into the playoffs? Thanks to performances fancy we seen on Sunday, when the Packers allowed the Detroit Lions -- the identical Detroit Lions team that misplaced 12 of its final 13 video games -- to jump out to a 14-0 lead within the 2d quarter. Aaron Rodgers and Co. figured it out after the late commence and got a Mason Crosby field aim to grab it as time expired, however right here is no longer habits turning into of a legit conference superpower. Inexperienced Bay desires to be better on all sides of the ball if it be going to closing within the sandbox occupied by the acceptable beasts of the NFC.

Old terrible: No. 5

A stunner at Foxborough. Ryan Fitzpatrick's touchdown circulate within the final minute turned into as soon as a devastating dagger to the Patriots' hopes of securing a postseason bye for the 10th consecutive year. The Dolphins hung spherical all afternoon, and New England's vaunted defense couldn't withhold Miami out of the discontinue zone with the sport on the line, allowing Fitzmagic to march the Fins 75 yards on 13 plays within the final four minutes for the sport-winning ranking. For the major time since the 2009 playoffs, the Patriots will must abolish their means to the Divisional Round with a snatch on Wild Card Weekend. And they're going to must total it in opposition to the Titans, one amongst the NFL's most up-to-the-minute teams. Is this all a recipe for coming near doom for the glorious dynasty in NFL history? Will it even be a vast upset if Tennessee wins on Saturday evening at Gillette? The Patriots are inclined -- it be been that means for weeks.

Old terrible: No. 7

The Seahawks were design up for their sweeping cinematic 2d. One yard a ways flung from a touchdown that would clinch their division in entrance of Al, Cris, Michele and hundreds of hundreds of TV viewers, no longer to mention the 69,162 delirious 12s at CenturyLink Field. The Clink roared as Marshawn Lynch jogged onto the field for a aim-line elevate that regarded destined to trigger a 2d BeastQuake. But then the Soccer Gods yelled "Decrease!" The Seahawks got a thoughts-numbing prolong-of-game penalty, Al Riveron took a circulate on an glaring PI review and Jacob Hollister turned into as soon as upended inches a ways flung from paydirt on fourth-and-aim. Within the discontinue, it turned into as soon as the 49ers celebrating an NFC West title because the credits rolled. Seattle's season ends on a rough two-game skid -- and now the 'Hawks salvage the surging Eagles on the facet road Sunday. This doesn't feel fancy a script with a delighted ending.

Old terrible: No. 8

Invoice O'Brien turned into as soon as given a possibility to guard his high avid gamers in Week 17, and now a in point of fact rested Houston squad will salvage an offensively-challenged Bills team at dwelling on Saturday. The Buffalo defense is as pleasing as its Josh Allen-led attack is erratic, so don't ask the Texans to waltz to victory. A looming X-explain is J.J. Watt, who turned into as soon as designated to design befriend from injured reserve closing week and will return to motion Saturday. Houston has survived extra than it has thrived with out its three-time Defensive Participant of the Yr, struggling to end the journey or journey the quarterback since Watt tore his pec in leisurely October. Can he be end to the identical guy? Can he abolish it thru the sport? Take care of tuned.

Old terrible: No. 11

How fitting turned into as soon because it to demand Derrick Henry ripping off yet any other monster touchdown journey to clinch a playoff berth for the Titans? Ryan Tannehill has been a revelation in Nashville, nonetheless it turned into as soon as Henry who proved himself to be the team's heart and soul over the previous two seasons. The 53-yard plod place away the Texans' backups and gave him 211 yards within the sport -- enough to take the NFL speeding title a ways flung from Browns celebrity Slash Chubb. Sure, the Titans went 9-7 for the fourth consecutive season, however this team is nothing fancy these lifeless-as-a-dishwasher-restore-manual editions of Mariotas previous. Mike Vrabel doesn't grasp a finest team -- the defense and kicking game stand out as advise ask marks -- however discontinue you watched the Patriots desire anything else to total with this playoff matchup on Saturday evening? The Titans are feeling unhealthy.

Old terrible: No. 10

The Bills went into Sunday's popular-season finale in opposition to the Jets with nothing to play for however a shimmering 11-5 discontinue. They did now not salvage it, and to boot they ended up losing some key avid gamers to damage despite resting a couple of starters. Beginning cornerback Levi Wallace turned into as soon as dominated out after suffering a rotten-trying ankle damage on an interception of Sam Darnold. Offensive lineman Ty Nsekhe aggravated an ankle damage in his first motion since Week 11. Josh Allen turned into as soon as lifted after finest two series, and Matt Barkley reminded us that, properly, the Bills need Josh Allen to end healthy. The standout on offense turned into as soon as reserve wideout Duke Williams, who had six catches for 108 yards on a team-excessive 12 targets. A nice showcase for Williams, however he'll likely return to the sidelines when the Bills starters emerge from hibernation Saturday in Houston.

Old terrible: No. 9

With nothing to play for in Week 17's loss to the Bears, the Vikings made the prudent switch in resting their starters, however let's be correct right here: No team in The Closing 12 enters January with much less juice than Minnesota. If nothing else, Sunday turned into as soon as a possibility to wash out one of the famous unfriendly taste of that egregiously awful Monday Night Soccer performance in opposition to the Packers. They chose a obvious path, and now they're going to commute to New Orleans to face a Saints team that is a mortal lock to stack design on Sunday. Sean Payton's squad averaged 40 design per game in its final four contests of the season. Difference that with the Vikings, who managed seven first downs in opposition to Inexperienced Bay of their final popular-season game of slay end result. Sports actions are unfamiliar, and it be completely that you just would additionally judge of Kirk Cousins and mates emerge from their stupor to switch punch-for-punch with the mighty Saints ... however you would perceive if doubt has crept into the constructing.

Old terrible: No. 12

What an phenomenal job by the Eagles, who chose to push apart every signal from the Soccer Gods that this wasn't their year. The NFC East champions salvage the equally battered Seahawks this weekend -- a winnable matchup for the Wentz Warriors. Talking of which, right here's a expansive stat that completely encapsulates what makes a franchise quarterback. In Sunday's snatch over the Giants, the Eagles became the major team in NFL history to grasp a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards with out a 500-yard wide receiver on the roster. It speaks to Philadelphia's imperfect damage finest fortune, however additionally to Wentz's impressive means to withhold producing while the world crumbled spherical him. One guy Wentz desires to abolish the Eagles extra than a December feel-correct story? Zach Ertz, the celebrity tight discontinue who stays in limbo after suffering a cracked rib and lacerated kidney (ouch) in Week 16.

Old terrible: No. 14

Developed metrics bask in the 2019 Dallas Cowboys ... they're going to continuously grasp that. Jason Garrett's team turned into as soon as a darling within the DVOA realm this season, however we are going to follow the teachings of the tenured professor, Invoice Parcells: You are what your describe says you are. The Cowboys went 8-8 -- the definition of common. If Jason Garrett does certainly tear (a fate that stays expected as of now), his musty job turns into presumably the most attention-grabbing gig on the market. Working for the forever eager Jerry Jones comes with its grasp particular challenges, however right here's a prestige design leading a roster that stays stocked with basically intensive talent. Sunday's 47-16 snatch over the Redskins turned into as soon as a reminder -- and a final tease -- of how impressive the Cowboys machine may per chance per chance additionally additionally be when it be buzzing. Jerrah's job is to search out somebody who can withhold it from going on the fritz so progressively.

Old terrible: No. 15

The Rams did now not ask their final game on the extinct Coliseum to design within the popular-season nearer, nonetheless it turned into as soon as that extra or much less disappointing advertising campaign in Los Angeles. On the plus facet, Sean McVay's offense began to demand extra fancy itself in contemporary weeks, a indisputable fact that must allay some Jared Goff-related fears because the organization looks ahead to a pivotal offseason. Talking of December optimism, how about Tyler Higbee's final stretch? The one-time reserve tight discontinue caught 8 of 12 targets for 84 yards and a touchdown in a snatch over the Cardinals; it turned into as soon as basically the major time he turned into as soon as held below 100 yards since November. In Higbee's final five video games, he piled up 43 catches for 522 yards and two scores. Within the process, he went from afterthought to reserve to Key Contributor for an offense that mandatory some contemporary blood.

Old terrible: No. 16

We discovered over the weekend that Dan Quinn would withhold his job -- a advance miracle after the Falcons' unpleasant 1-7 open to the season. Or no longer it's an instance of how avid gamers can rally spherical a coach and attach his bacon even after the major aim -- reaching the postseason and making a Abundant Bowl -- is wiped from actuality. Quinn is also on the bread line correct now with out these facet road wins over New Orleans and San Francisco within the 2d half. Beating the 2 handiest teams within the NFC -- of their constructions -- convinced ownership that this team can composed be particular, three years after a Abundant Bowl appearance. Now comes the laborious allotment. This roster desires a talent infusion, and there are salary-cap issues to grasp in thoughts. Atlanta desires to repeat the New Orleans model of 2017 and hit expansive on a draft class. Easier said than executed, in spite of all the pieces.

Old terrible: No. 13

A humbling end to the season for the Steelers, who were crushed soundly by the Ravens' backups in a game that started with playoff ramifications. The Titans' snatch over the Texans rendered Sunday's slay end result in Baltimore irrelevant, nonetheless it doesn't trade the true fact that -- and this bears repeating -- the Steelers misplaced to the Ravens' backups. In equity, the Steelers are fiddling with some backups in key positions, as properly, most particularly on the sport's most most fundamental design. It felt fancy the Steelers misplaced their juice the 2d Duck Hodges failed to handbook the team befriend leisurely within the fourth quarter in opposition to the Bills. At that 2d, the actuality of the region turned into as soon as laid bare: With Hodges (or Mason Rudolph) late heart, Pittsburgh would never provide you the probability to grasp with the NFL's elite, even with a expansive and opportunistic defense. The Steelers' No. 1 offseason acquisition will likely be getting Ben Roethlisberger befriend from elbow surgery.

Old terrible: No. 17

Whenever you told Bears fans in August this season would discontinue with an Eddy Pineiro field-aim abolish within the final seconds, I'm obvious most would grasp begun preparations for a parade down Michigan Avenue. As an alternative, Pineiro's kick turned into as soon as correct enough to (barely) beat the Vikings' backups in the popular-season finale. The Bears were an 8-8 team your total means, mediocre before all the pieces, middle and discontinue. Ryan Tempo says he's sticking with Mitchell Trubisky in 2020, and he can grasp some weapons. David Sir Bernard Law did now not grasp the affect that fantasyheads dreamed about over the summer, however he went for 100 yards in opposition to the Vikings and grasp turn out to be the fourth Bears rookie since 2000 with 1,000-plus scrimmage yards. The wide receiver corps has a legit No. 1 in Allen Robinson, who completed with presumably the most receiving yards (1,147) by a Bears player since 2013.

Old terrible: No. 20

The season ends with definite vibes spherical the Broncos. We will commence with the glaring: Denver completed at 7-9 after a 2-6 commence. Rookie Drew Lock won four of his five starts, then went viral for his virtuoso Young Jeezy impression on Sunday. Phillip Lindsay became the major undrafted operating befriend in NFL history to switch over 1,000 yards in befriend-to-befriend seasons to open a career. And, in a charming story from the CBS broadcast, we discovered leisurely in Sunday's 16-15 victory over the Raiders that famously Grinch-fancy head coach Vic Fangio spent closing week binge-looking out at Hallmark Christmas motion photos on my own. Two famous happenings on Monday: 1) Denver picked up Von Miller's paunchy option, ensuring the defense's heart and soul will remain intact. 2) Basic manager John Elway doesn't foresee competition for Lock within the summertime: "I don't fancy to demonstrate our hand, however I judge it be unrealistic to hiss we're going in a obvious direction."

Old terrible: No. 18

Who had a worse final two weeks than Jameis Winston? Forward of the Bucs' Week 16 game in opposition to the Texans, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Tampa Bay turned into as soon as expected to withhold the musty No. 1 total capture for 2020 and per chance previous. But then Winston threw six extra interceptions in two closing losses, giving him a staggering 30 on the year. The Bucs' season ended like a flash on Winston's seventh capture-six -- surroundings an ignoble NFL describe. Bruce Arians turned into as soon as clearly peeved after Sunday's beyond regular time loss, and on Monday he remained agitated close to Winston's future when requested if he may per chance per chance additionally envision the Bucs winning with a obvious QB. "With yet any other quarterback? Oh yeah. If we're going to grab with this one, we're going to for sure snatch with yet any other one, too." Is the straight-taking pictures Arians blowing off steam -- or did a unhappy discontinue payment Winston his change to end with Bucs?

Old terrible: No. 19

The Colts felt fancy a team that simply ran out of gasoline. A series of injuries to key positions played a vast allotment -- including the Monday disclosure that T.Y. Hilton played thru a two-centimeter calf toddle (yuck) -- however the Colts were barely aggressive within the final weeks of the season. Or no longer it's no longer a expansive demand, and it'll lead to interior questions of whether or no longer this team is on the correct path within the put up-Andrew Supreme fortune know-how. One expansive ask will heart of attention on Jacoby Brissett, whom Indy tried to prop up as a franchise quarterback successor to Supreme fortune, although that never rather passed the smell take a look at. Brissett turned into as soon as up and down this season (largely down after his November knee damage), and the Colts would discontinue themselves a select on by taking a requirement at other alternate choices on the market. There's composed loads to fancy about this offense with Frank Reich on the controls.

Old terrible: No. 22

The Jets will peep the playoffs from their couches for the ninth consecutive year, however let's end definite right here: New York won six of its closing eight video games after a black 1-7 commence, ending with a 7-9 describe that represents its handiest 16-game place since 2015. Who would grasp notion that turned into as soon as that you just would additionally judge of at midseason, when studies swirled that the team turned into as soon as bright to hit the eject button on Adam Gase? The coach did now not snatch over many Jets fans within the 2d half, however Gase (along with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams) deserves credit for turning this team into a 2d-half winner -- in opposition to a cake agenda, however composed. Your next step, in spite of all the pieces, is discovering a means to total it over the direction of a total season. A pivotal offseason awaits for untested typical manager Joe Douglas.

Old terrible: No. 23

There may per chance per chance be no Week 17 miracle for the Raiders, and a failed 2-point conversion strive within the final seconds on Sunday meant there may per chance per chance be no snatch to end 2019, both. But pay particular attention to Jon Gruden within the minutes after Derek Carr's circulate turned into as soon as batted down on the line of scrimmage, clinching a snatch for the Broncos. CBS cameras caught the coach with a smile on his face, his arm spherical defensive coordinator Paul Guenther earlier than giving Carr a agency handshake with some genial peep contact on every ends. The season may per chance per chance need sputtered after that no longer going 6-4 commence, however you salvage the sensation Gruden believes he's on the correct tune. With yet any other correct offseason -- and, keep in mind, the Raiders were an Antonio Brown fiasco a ways flung from ending an offseason masterpiece in 2019 -- the future Las Vegas Raiders may per chance per chance additionally very properly be a bona fide playoff contender of their first season within the wasteland.

Old terrible: No. 21

Freddie Kitchens had to switch, however any evaluation that his hiring turned into as soon as continuously recede for catastrophe is the worst extra or much less 20/20 hindsight. The Browns fell for Kitchens because Baker Mayfield fell for Kitchens, and -- when the time came to capture a permanent replacement for Hue Jackson -- Mayfield turned into as soon as contemporary off one amongst the upper debut seasons by a rookie quarterback in contemporary NFL history. Ought to composed the Browns grasp rebooted the full team? Ought to composed they've saved meantime coach Gregg Williams, leaving Kitchens in an assistant-coach position he proved to be a ways extra certified for? Presumably. In retrospect, selling Kitchens turned into as soon as a vast probability, one which turned into as soon as amplified when the Odell Beckham Jr. circus came to town by technique of a mega-trade that shot expectations thru the roof. The Browns will take a extra calculated route this time spherical, however I will be succesful to not assassinate them for following an instinct ... even though it became out to be the unpleasant one.

Old terrible: No. 27

Ryan Freaking Fitzpatrick. What a season for the Amish Rifle, who capped a fearless advertising campaign with a 13-play, 75-yard game-winning touchdown drive that shy the Gillette Stadium devoted into silence and returned the defending champion Patriots to their version of Hell ... the NFL's Wild Card Weekend. Fitzpatrick is an effortless change for team MVP -- a man who turned into as soon as presupposed to be a tackling dummy for per chance the worst team ever however as yet any other helped flip the Dolphins into a weekly headache for opponents too fleet to study off a "W" on their agenda. Fitzpatrick couldn't grasp executed it with out DeVante Parker, who emerged as a celebrity wide receiver in Yr 5, got himself paid, then -- in a finest trying final act to his one-man play -- beat up on Defensive Participant of the Yr candidate Stephon Gilmore for four quarters. Tank this.

Old terrible: No. 25

This is succesful of per chance per chance be the offseason of Philip Rivers. The passe quarterback is coming off one amongst his worst seasons, a 23-turnover advertising campaign that made him demand fancy a passer whose handiest days had passed him by. Couple Rivers' down year with a calm Chargers entrance design of industrial, and it be gorgeous to surprise if the organization plans to abolish its traumatic transition to sizable SoFi Stadium with a shimmering contemporary quarterback who may per chance per chance additionally additionally be frail as a selling dispute the Los Angeles market. Rivers' season-ending press conference printed the QB's understandably emotional disclose. He completely wants to return for a 17th season, however he sounded fancy a man who understands that may per chance per chance additionally no longer be with the glorious team he's ever identified. "I've never been on this design," he said. "I progressively don't even know when the league year starts and when all these items are. We will finest extra or much less peep."

Old terrible: No. 24

The Cardinals' season ended with yet any other loss, a 31-24 setback to the Rams that left Arizona's final describe at 5-10-1. That is no longer a lot better than the 3-13 discontinue in Steve Wilks' one-and-executed journey within the wasteland, however the Cardinals feel fancy they're in a a lot extra definite design than they were a year ago. That includes balance. Kyler Murray had a a success rookie season and will likely be design for a expansive Yr 2 leap. Kliff Kingsbury is no longer going anywhere, and on Monday, he announced that defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will additionally be befriend, despite Arizona's struggles on that facet of the ball. A expansive offseason precedence will likely be giving Joseph extra pieces to work with: The defense completed the year ranked closing in yards allowed per game (402) and allowed no longer much less than 21 design in every week however one.

Old terrible: No. 26

The Giants parted ways with Pat Shurmur on Monday, ending a marriage that felt doomed from the commence. Shurmur turned into as soon as a victim of timing to a couple extent, however he went 9-23 in two seasons with Cleveland, then matched that describe in his two years in Gotham. You may per chance per chance handiest grasp loads pity for a man who had a .292 career winning share in four seasons (plus one meantime game in Philly) within the expansive chair. Possession determined to withhold typical manager Dave Gettleman, even supposing team president John Mara acknowledged that Gettleman's "batting common has got to lengthen going forward." Baylor coach Matt Rhule is reportedly the point of interest of the Giants' instructing search; it be a wise match for all sides. Let's peep if Colossal Blue can land their expansive fish.

Old terrible: No. 30

A describe surfaced over the weekend that Doug Marrone had been told he may per chance per chance be relieved of his obligations as head coach following Sunday's game in opposition to the Colts. That describe turned into as soon as challenged, and obvious enough, Marrone turned into as soon as formally retained for 2020 by technique of a Tuesday morning statement released by owner Shad Khan. GM Dave Caldwell will likely be befriend for yet any other season, as properly, making Tom Coughlin the glorious excessive-profile casualty linked to Jacksonville's closing-design discontinue. Khan's statement expressed a combination of disappointment over 2019 and hope for the future, with one advise graph summing up the owner's mixed emotions: "The 2019 season turned into as soon as unacceptable and I've made my dissatisfaction definite. Whereas many unfamiliar conditions influenced our season, none can fully dispute or defend our 2d-half collapse with first design within the division nearby on Week 9. At the identical time, there had been definite dispositions and contributions that must no longer be overpassed."

Old terrible: No. 28

Something tells me Perry Fewell will fail to garner severe consideration for the permanent head-instructing job in Charlotte. The Panthers' season came to a fittingly grim conclusion with a 42-10 loss to the Saints that may per chance per chance additionally had been loads worse had Sean Payton been in a petty temper. Will Grier capped a disastrous mini-audition with yet any other unproductive commence, this one ended prematurely by a foot damage. The glorious correct files came within the backfield, where Christian McCaffrey joined Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk because the glorious operating backs to total with 1,000 yards speeding and receiving within the identical season. McCaffrey turned into as soon as remarkably consistent all year, persevering with to produce even as Carolina's season morphed into a Saw sequel within the final two months. CMC is on a Corridor of Reputation trajectory thru three seasons.

Old terrible: No. 29

Ron Rivera is a neat hire for the Redskins, a extremely respected select in league circles who brings a winning pedigree and professionalism to a Washington franchise that badly desires it. Rivera turned into as soon as arguably presumably the most coveted NFL coach on hand on the open market, and one suspects the Redskins supplied him loads -- every in terms of cash and energy -- to withhold him from browsing his wares across the league. A muddied tradition in Washington is an glaring disaster, however there is one person Rivera doesn't must disaster about clashing with. On Monday, Bruce Allen turned into as soon as brushed aside as team president. Allen joined the organization in 2010; since then, the Redskins grasp logged a 62-97-1 popular-season describe. That entails five closing-design finishes within the NFC East and glorious two playoff appearances.

Old terrible: No. 32

Andy Dalton started what turned into as soon as virtually completely his final game as a member of the Bengals on Sunday. He won, as he did extra progressively than no longer in his time with the team. His 70-61-2 describe in Cincinnati is no longer going to place him in Canton, nonetheless it be completely commendable even as you occur to suspect in regards to the franchise he's played for since coming into the league as a 2d-spherical capture in 2011. Dalton introduced balance and professionalism to the design, and that's what can grasp to -- and likely will -- abolish him a properly-organized option for a team trying for a passe quarterback this offseason. The Bengals, within the intervening time, demand forward to a future that can virtually completely comprise LSU quarterback Joe Burrow as the major total capture within the 2020 NFL Draft. Hope is a correct thing.

Old terrible: No. 31

It stays severely dazzling that the Lions determined to follow Matt Patricia, a coach who constructed his recognition on defense, then presided over one amongst the NFL's worst defenses of the 21st century in 2019. The Lions allowed 400 yards per game, never discovering any alternate choices as quarterback after quarterback picked them apart. When Matthew Stafford went down with a befriend damage in early November, Detroit's dwelling of playing cards tumbled to the ground over nine straight losses to end the season. Stafford said this week he's feeling correct and is pleased to return to motion, however that is no longer going to trade all that a lot if the Lions aren't getting markedly better on the opposite facet of the ball. It is miles the No. 1 directive of the offseason.

Notice Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.

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