Art by Sacha Irick
Apparently the two states to legalize recreational marijuana — Washington and Colorado — are getting together this Sunday for a “Super Bowl.” Go figure.
Green Bay Packers B-
The Packers were a shoo-in for the playoffs at the start of the season, but a broken collarbone for QB Aaron Rogers showed just how flawed this team is without their star player. Backup Matt Flynn was able to salvage the Packers’ season with a big win against the Cowboys, but the return of Rogers and his discount double-check at the end of the season wasn’t enough to save the Packers from packing after the first round of the playoffs.
Oakland Raiders D
The bad boys of the league couldn’t muster their die-hard fan support into a winning season, finishing 4-12 and missing the playoffs for another straight year. RB injuries have continued to haunt the team, and a shaky QB situation hasn’t helped the Raiders out of their current rut. Hopefully they will use a solid draft position to pick up a franchise player whose name doesn’t rhyme with JaMarcus Russell.
San Francisco 49ers A-
A depleted receiving core due to injuries and early season struggles for young QB Colin Kaepernick made the 49ers seem like a ghost of the team that made it to last year’s Super Bowl. But the 49ers were stillable to hold strong and grind out the season, returning to form and health in time to make a playoff berth and battle through the first and second round. Unfortunately, their season came to an end in dramatic fashion when they lost in the NFC Championship game against the Seahawks, their nitter rivals — due in large part to a certain ill-advised play to one Richard Sherman that provided the sound bite of the season.
Washington Redskins F
Second-year QB Robert Griffin III has regressed, badly. His incredible rookie season seems to be dwarfed by his currently inconsistent play, resulting in a 3-13 season for the Redskins. It could be due in part to lingering issues from a devastating knee injury suffered at the end of last season. It could be due to the deteriorating relationship between RGIII and now-fired Head Coach Mike Shanahan. Or it could be due in part to the team built around RGIII, which received its fair share of criticism from the QB this season. Regardless, the season was a bust for all involved.
Kansas City Chiefs B
The Chiefs had an amazing start to the season under new Head Coach Andy Reid and new QB Alex Smith, featuring an amazing defense and unstoppable running game, led by RB Jamaal Charles. Unfortunately, the Chiefs were not able to sustain their early season moment, and key losses near the end of the season would follow into the playoffs, resulting in a devastating first-round loss to the Colts in a game where the Chiefs led by 28 at one point. As last year’s worst NFL team, the Chiefs have a lot to be happy about with their improvement, and are undoubtedly excited for next season to start.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers D-
Drama with starting QB Josh Freeman at the start of the season led to his ousting and replacement by young QB Mike Glennon. An injury to last season’s star RB Doug Martin and a nasty staff infection in the team’s locker room serve as the only highlights (or lowlights?) of the Buccaneer’s season. Maybe next year.
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Follow Chirag Patel on Twitter: @cbpatel86
