NFL Teams, Players Coming Back from the Dead

For some reason, it just never feels too early to write an individual or a team off in the world of professional football.

However, the story isn't over until a player has earned a permanent place on the sideline or a team has been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

This season has provided some perfect examples of how this is true.

Today, we will take a look at some of the resurgent players and teams that seemed dead in the water early in the 2013 season.

Carson Palmer

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More than a few may have snickered when the Arizona Cardinals turned to veteran quarterback Carson Palmer for help in their attempt to become a playoff contender.

Criticism seemed justified through the first seven weeks of the season when Arizona sat with a 3-4 record.

Palmer appeared to be a liability for an otherwise strong team. While he had thrown for 1,741 yards, he had tossed just eight touchdowns while committing 14 total turnovers.

Since then, however, Palmer has been part of the solution and the Cardinals have won four straight to find themselves squarely in playoff contention.

During the winning streak, Palmer has thrown for 1,146 yards with eight touchdowns and just two interceptions.

Carolina Panthers

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The Carolina Panthers looked to be headed for another mediocre season after the first five weeks of 2013.

At that point the team was sitting at 1-3 and coming off a 22-6 blowout loss at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals.

However, Carolina has not lost since and has rattled off seven wins in a row to move to 8-3 on the season.

Aside from being the league's hottest team, Carolina appears to be one of its most well-rounded and is firmly in playoff contention.

In fact, with two games remaining against the division-leading New Orleans Saints, the Panthers might even be headed for an NFC South title.

Josh Gordon

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has emerged as one of the hottest young receivers in the league this season.

However, this was hardly his reputation a month into the 2013 season.

Thanks largely to a two-game suspension for violation of the league's substance abuse policy, Gordon had produced an unspectacular 217 yards and one touchdown prior to Week 5.

He surpassed that total in Week 12 alone, racking up a franchise-record 237 yards and a score against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In nine games this season, Gordon has amassed 988 yards and five touchdowns on 54 receptions—from three different quarterbacks. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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At 3-8, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are far from an elite team.

However, they no longer appear to be the worst in the league, which was the case for the first eight weeks of the season.

After seven losses and a massive quarterback controversy, the Buccaneers were shipwrecked and head coach Greg Schiano looked like a lock for the chopping block.

However, the Buccaneers took the vaunted Seattle Seahawks to the limit before losing in overtime in Week 9 and have not lost since.

Cameron Wake

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Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake has carved out a reputation as a fearsome pass-rusher over the past couple of years. However, he began the 2013 season very quietly.

Through Week 8, the former CFL standout had produced just eight tackles and 2.5 sacks in six starts (he missed Week 4 due to injury and Miami had its bye in Week 6).

Wake has rebounded well, however. In his past four appearances (all starts), Wake has racked up 13 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble.

He also brought home a win in Week 9 with an overtime safety against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Philadelphia Eagles

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With a rookie head coach and a little uncertainty at quarterback, the Philadelphia Eagles were expected to undergo some growing pains in 2013.

Therefore it was of little surprise when the Eagles began the season 1-3 or when they reached its midpoint at 3-5.

However, Philadelphia has stormed back under the leadership of quarterback Nick Foles (10 touchdowns, 0 interceptions over the past three weeks).

The Eagles now sit at 6-5 and will remain tied for first place in the NFC East with a win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Chris Johnson

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It has been some time since anyone referred to Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson as "CJ2K" with any sort of sincerity.

However, he has still remained one of the league's more productive rushers, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark in each of his pro seasons.

Unfortunately, it appeared that Johnson's time as a top-tier runner was over five weeks into the 2013 season. At that point he had rushed for just 294 yards and zero touchdowns.

Johnson has looked like a reborn player over the last month, however. In his past four starts, he's amassed 339 yards on the ground with four touchdowns rushing.

New York Giants

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The New York Giants had not started a season 0-6 since 1976.

That was before this year.

The Giants' season appeared to be over after the team lost its first six games. However, New York has rebounded to win four of its last five.

With a win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday, the Giants will move to 5-7 and two games out of first place in the division. 

This is a situation that seemed virtually impossible just a little more than a month ago.

Rob Gronkowski

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New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski might not have been dead at the beginning of the 2013 season, but he was certainly among the walking wounded.

Gronkowski missed the first six weeks of the season before finally being cleared to return from forearm and back procedures. 

In the five games since his return, Gronkowski has managed to catch 31 passes for 433 yards and three touchdowns. 

His yards-per-game average of 86.6 currently ranks first among all tight ends.

Baltimore Ravens

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The defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens were all but dismissed at the halfway point of the 2013 season.

A loss to the lowly Cleveland Browns in Week 9 dropped the Ravens to 3-5 and 1-2 within the AFC North.

However, Baltimore has gone on to win three of its next four.

A victory over the division-leading Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10 and a win over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Thanksgiving night may be enough to save the Ravens' season.

In fact, it was the 22-20 win over the Steelers that has moved Baltimore into position to grab the sixth and final AFC wild-card spot.

It also moved Baltimore's divisional record to 3-2 and provided hope that the Ravens will still have a chance to defend their title.