Ranking the Top 10 Surprises of the 2013 NFL Season

Each year, there are always storylines in the NFL that no one sees coming. These surprises keep the NFL exciting and unpredictable.

I have put together a list of the top-10 surprises this season. In order to qualify for this list, each of these stories had to be one that no one saw coming, and they also needed to have an effect on the league moving forward.

All of these surprises are unique and have been a storyline in the NFL this season.

Honorable Mentions: Giants and Falcons Failed Seasons

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It has been a tough year for Eli Manning's Giants.

Giants Slow Start

The New York Giants surprisingly started this season 0-6. That was a horrible start for a team that had hopes of winning the NFC East and making another Super Bowl run.

Eli Manning has been awful, throwing only 16 touchdowns against 25 interceptions. This was not a rebuilding year for New York, and the team was expected to do well.

This story did not make the list because I have the Texans on my list as being the bigger overall disappointment. Many people did not expect the Giants to be this bad, but the Texans were even more surprising.

Not the High-Flying Falcons From Last Year

The Atlanta Falcons were a very good team last year on offense. The defense was lacking a shutdown corner, so the Falcons took cornerback Desmond Trufant in the first round of last April's draft. With this addition, the Falcons were expected to make another run for the Super Bowl this season.

This season has actually been anything but a run for the Super Bowl, though.

The Falcons (4-10) will take on the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night and look for their fifth win of the season. This is a team that many people expected to have four wins by Week 6.

The Falcons' struggles are just as bad as the Giants, but they are still not as bad as the meltdown in Houston.

10. Rookie Runningbacks

Giovani Bernard and Eddie Lacy have come into the league and been very effective for their respective teams.

Bernard has rushed for 673 yards and scored five touchdowns this season for the Cincinnati Bengals. He has been a good change of pace from the team's power-runner, BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

The Bengals are going to have a solid running back in Bernard for a long time, as he is only 22.

In the above video above, Bernard takes a play that could have been shut down for a loss, and he turns it into an incredible touchdown run. This video shows the quickness of Bernard and how good he is at following blocks.

Green Bay Packers rookie Eddie Lacy has been the better of the two, rushing for 1,112 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Packers have had to lean on Lacy the past couple of months after Aaron Rodgers went down with a collarbone injury.

Lacy has delivered for Green Bay with a 1,000-yard season. The Packers should be able to build off of his production next season, when Rodgers will be injury-free. Giving Rodgers a running game should free up more opportunities down the field.

These running backs have been a surprise, because I don't think many people expected Lacy or Bernard to do this well.

9. Kiko Alonso: The Next Star Linebacker

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Buffalo Bills' rookie Kiko Alonso has taken the league by storm, similar to the way Luke Kuechly debuted last season.

Alonso's rookie campaign has been a good one. He has 145 tackles, four interceptions and a forced fumble.

Alonso has been a surprise, because the linebacker was selected in the second round in 2013. A lot of rookies need time to mature, but Alonso has come in and been a force on this Bills defense.

Moving forward, the NFL is getting a solid linebacker for the future. Alonso could become one of the top players in the league within a few years if he keeps it up.

8. Knowshon Moreno: A Running Back Resurgence

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DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 8: Running back Knowshon Moreno #27 of the Denver Broncos runs in the open field as offensive tackle Orlando Franklin #74 blocks safety Michael Griffin #33 of the Tennessee Titans during the third quarter at Sports Authority Field F

Before this season, Knowshon Moreno had failed to reach 800 yards rushing in a season since 2009.

This season, he has 1,015 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns. The Broncos have benefited from Moreno’s running because it makes the opposing defense game-plan for more than just Peyton Manning.

This story is such a surprise because, coming into the year, Moreno was not supposed to be the guy carrying the load. The Broncos drafted Montee Ball out of Wisconsin, and he was expected to be a difference-maker for Denver.

With Ball struggling, Moreno needed to step in and lead the running game, and that’s exactly what he did.

In a big showdown with New England earlier this year, Moreno was asked to carry the ball 37 times, and he accumulated 224 rushing yards. Even though the Broncos lost that game, the run game was very effective.

Moving forward, the Broncos have a solid option at running back in Moreno. This also gives hope to other players in the league who have struggled at times in their career and are looking to find a career rebirth.

7. Alshon Jeffery: The Next Big Wide Receiver

Alshon Jeffery has also been a pleasant surprise for the Chicago Bears.

The second-year player out of South Carolina had only 24 catches in his rookie season. However, he has improved that number all the way to 86 catches this season, and he also has seven touchdowns to go along with it.

This story is a surprise, because even though he was a second-round pick by the Bears, his rookie season was not a standout year.

In the above video, Jeffery makes an unbelievable catch and shows how he can be a dangerous deep threat.

The Bears’ offense has been much better this year under new head coach Marc Trestman, and Jeffery has also benefited from the new offense.

Jeffery could become one of the elite receivers in the league in the next couple of years, giving the Bears a great duo with Jeffery being accompanied by Brandon Marshall.

6. Panthers on the Prowl

The Carolina Panthers started the season with losses to Seattle and Buffalo. The cries of the “same old Panthers” began, and the team's seasonal outlook seemed bleak.

Then, all of a sudden, the Panthers won games against the 49ers and the Patriots. This team was not expected to have a shot at the division, with the Falcons and the Saints being the favorites to win the NFC South before the season started.

The Panthers clinched a playoff spot with their win over New Orleans on Sunday, however, and will look to clinch the NFC South next Sunday with a win over the Falcons.

This Panthers team has been a big surprise. Even those that thought the Panthers were a good team did not give them a chance against the likes of the Saints and Falcons.

In the above video, Cam Newton shows how good he has been for the Panthers. This shows his versatility getting out of the pocket and making plays with his legs.

This team having the second-best record in the NFC after Week 16 is something that was not expected. Looking ahead, Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly can lead this team to many more playoff berths if they continue this success.

5. Bullying in NFL Locker Rooms?

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Dolphins offensive lineman, Richie Incognito, who was accused of bullying earlier this season.

The bullying scandal that came out about the Miami Dolphins was a huge surprise. This was something that was not given any attention until Jonathan Martin left the Dolphins.

The media covered this story for weeks, trying to figure out the Dolphins guard Richie Incognito’s role in the bullying.

This is one of those stories that isn’t necessarily bizarre, but it is really strange when it comes out because many people don’t think of this aspect of the NFL culture.

Moving forward, this is a topic that will get a lot of attention from NFL front offices. The NFL will probably seek to get to the bottom of bullying in the locker rooms.

4. Josh Gordon...Wait Who?

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Josh Gordon has been a pleasant surprise for the Cleveland Browns this season.

When all the analysts were asked who would be the league's leader in receiving yardage after Week 16, I can almost guarantee that Calvin Johnson and Dez Bryant were common names that were brought up.

The one that might have been overlooked is Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon. Gordon has 80 catches on the year for 1,564 yards and nine touchdowns.

The receiver from Baylor University is in his second year and is already emerging as one of the top youngsters in the game.

This story is a big surprise because of how quickly the 22-year-old is making himself comfortable among other great players. 

Gordon will be a big-time player in the league for years to come.

3. Meltdown in Houston

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This season has left many Texans fans with this same expression.

The Houston Texans have easily been the biggest disappointment in the NFL this season. They were expected to contend for the AFC title and have a shot at winning the Super Bowl.

This team has drawn lots of attention, but for the wrong reasons. After starting the season by winning two straight, the team has now lost 13 in a row.

The Texans would have been one of the last teams predicted to have a shot at the top overall pick in next year’s draft, but it looks like that will happen.

The Texans have lacked consistency from their quarterbacks and have dealt with injuries this year. Arian Foster, one of the best backs in the game, has battled through an injury, causing him to miss some games.

Next year, the Texans will likely get the first overall pick and look to contend for the AFC crown. This team has the talent, and they will look to stay healthy next season.

2. Started from the Bottom...The Chiefs Are Here

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Andy Reid has turned the Kansas City Chiefs around this season.

Kansas City’s situation is the exact opposite of the one in Houston. The Chiefs went from having the first overall pick and two wins last season to competing for an AFC title this year.

The arrival of Andy Reid and the addition of Alex Smith have catalyzed the Chiefs to an 11-4 record with one week remaining.

This story is such a shocker, because even with Andy Reid, Kansas City was still not expected to be this good. They proved everyone wrong by starting out the season 9-0.

This surprise has not concluded yet either. Kansas City can still make a deep playoff run if they continue to play as well as they have so far.

1. Nick Foles Making a Name

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OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 03: Quarterback Nick Foles #9 of the Philadelphia Eagles throws against the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter on November 3, 2013 at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Eagles won 49-20. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Nick Foles has been the biggest surprise in the NFL this season, by far.

With the arrival of Chip Kelly and his high-octane offense, many thought Foles was done in Philly. His lack of speed would not work in the Chip Kelly offense, said the critics.

Foles, who battled with Michael Vick for the starting job, finally won over the Eagles fan base and proved his doubters wrong.

Foles has thrown for 25 touchdowns and only two interceptions this season, and he has given the Eagles a chance at making the playoffs.

This is the No. 1 surprise on my list because of the situation with Chip Kelly. Even in a pro-style offense, Foles’ arrival to the big stage was a surprise because he was a second-year backup to Vick coming into the season. The fact that he is doing all of this in Kelly’s offense is even more unreal.

In the years to come, Foles will be one of the top quarterbacks in league. Foles is an emerging star and will only get better with Kelly coaching him.