NFL 2010 Season: Looking Ahead by Remembering the Past

Most NFL fans like to predict how a season will go before it starts, and yours truly is not any different. I did quite poorly but decided to pay the piper by reviewing things. 

When we predict an NFL season's results in August, injuries have not always have come into play yet. Rookies are nothing more than hopefuls on how they will be used and excel.

Though it may seem brilliant to some that many of us picked the New England Patriots to win the AFC East, an injury to Tom Brady would have dissolved that theory quickly.

Then there are the dark horses. Teams some of us never saw coming quite as fast as they did. The Kansas City Chiefs led the way, sitting on top of the AFC West most of the season before winning it for good last week. They were the best Cinderella story for the NFL in 2010.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, Saint Louis Rams, and Jacksonville Jaguars also were pleasant surprises this season, and we all got to see the steady improvement of the Detroit Lions.

Some teams disappointed greatly. The Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals and San Diego Chargers are just a few teams who did not do as well as many televised experts told us they would do. These type of flops makes the NFL great, even if it frustrates those teams' fans.

Here are my August 2010 predictions to get a good laugh from. The only thing I can say is that my two Super Bowl teams, Baltimore and Green Bay, are still alive.

NFC East

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 28: Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles in action against the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field on December 26, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

1. Dallas Cowboys

Dallas decided to start their season ignoring the run play on offense, and it bit them hard. The defense looked old and overmatched often too. After firing head coach Wade Phillips as the scapegoat, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett finally decided to run the ball. Too late. Hopefully, owner Jerry Jones gets a better coach than Garrett in 2011.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

Philly won the NFC East with some players they knew what to expect from and one that shocked them. Instead of Kevin Kolb leading the charge at quarterback, Michael Vick had the best year of his career and could very well win NFL Comeback Player of the Year as well.

3. New York Giants

The Giants are a strange bunch. After a poor start to their season, many were calling for the firing of head coach Tom Coughlin. This was retracted after the Jints went on a winning tear and led the division. They are playing poorly again now, so Coughlin has his back to the wall once more.

4. Washington Redskins

The team is a mess, as well as the oldest in the NFL. Mike Shanahan will need time to prove what is the method behind his madness. Washington appears to be many years away from being consistently competitive again.  

NFC North

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CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 26: Julius Peppers #90 of the Chicago Bears runs onto the field during player introductions before a game against the New York Jets at Soldier Field on December 26, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Jets 38-34. (Pho

1. Green Bay Packers

Losing halfback Ryan Grant was a crushing blow, but the team lost loads of players and somehow stayed in the playoff hunt. Good defense can take a team a long way, and the Packers have one of the best in the league despite losing so many valuable players. Probably the best work defensive coordinator Dom Capers has done in his fine career.

2. Minnesota Vikings

Pat Williams came back to this? Too bad the fine defensive tackle retires on such a sour note as the Vikings are a loss away from last place. Let the rebuilding on this old team begin immediately.

3. Detroit Lions

I said the Lions would improve and win five games this year. Detroit goes for six on a very winnable game Sunday. It is obvious how good the kids have gotten, and no one should be shocked if they are in the playoff hunt in 2011.

4. Chicago Bears

I wasn't a fan of the Bears blockers, receivers, except Johnny Knox, and defensive backs. While blocking is still an issue, receivers like Devin Hester have improved. The defensive secondary has done a decent job, but that is mostly thanks to a ferocious pass rush. Defensive ends Julius Peppers, who should get several votes for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and Israel Idonije have nearly identical numbers in sacks and tackles. This pair of 6'7" monsters gives Chicago a luxury few have.

NFC South

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ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 27: Roddy White #84 of the Atlanta Falcons celebrates a first half touchdown during the game against the New Orleans Saints at the Georgia Dome on December 27, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

1. New Orleans Saints

Defending an NFL title is hard, but the Saints have done a great job so far. No one wants to face them in the playoffs.

2. Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta has been a nice story in 2010, holding the best record for several weeks. They are a smart bunch who hit you with a well-balanced attack.

3. Carolina Panthers

Even worse than I thought, this team needs to draft great the next few years. Some think they want quarterback Andrew Luck, showing how much faith they have on the current group of signal callers that they employ.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Every season has a "Cinderella Team". Tampa Bay was just that for the NFC. Young quarterback Josh Freeman has Bucs fans excited about the future, and the kid does seem to have a knack on how to win already.

NFC West

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ST. LOUIS, MO - DECEMBER 19: James Laurinaitis #55 of the St. Louis Rams is introduced prior to playing the Kansas City Chiefs at the Edward Jones Dome on December 19, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Chiefs beat the Rams 27-13. (Photo by Dilip Vishwana

1. San Francisco 49ers

Head Coach Mike Singletary was fired a few days ago because the Niners are in last place. He didn't draft quarterback Alex Smith, but that is a big part of the reason Singletary is gone.

2. Arizona Cardinals

I thought Derek Anderson would experience a rebirth with a fine group of Cardinals receivers, showing his 2007 Pro Bowl form. He was lousy, being benched by a pair of rookies throughout the year. The only question left for Arizona is if to blow up the roster and rebuild or try one more time to duplicate their 2009 magic. 

3. Seattle Seahawks

Give Seattle credit, even if they play in the lousy NFL West. No one could have seen them get so close to making the playoffs. Pete Carroll deserves a few votes for Coach of the Year.

4. Saint Louis Rams

They might win the division with seven wins, but it still counts big for a franchise that won three total games the previous two seasons. The reason for the improvement has been defense.

AFC West

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KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 26: Jamaal Charles #25 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with Thomas Jones #20 after scoring a touchdown during the game against the Tennessee Titans on December 26, 2010 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Phot

1. San Diego Chargers

A miserable head start to their season, combined with holdouts and having a horrible head coach, did the Bolts in early. They need to get a coach interested in getting his players be their best.

 
2. Oakland Raiders

Oakland improved on offense, but were held back by a bad head coach.

 3. Denver Broncos

They had a really bad season. It led to the firing of the head coach. There were a few bright spots with the play of wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, a leading candidate for Comeback Player of the Year and quarterback Kyle Orton.



4. Kansas City Chiefs

Good running back performance, as well as excellent blocking, led the Chiefs to a AFC West crown this season. Their quarterback, Matt Cassell, did not turn over the ball much, and the defense was led by a young and exciting secondary.

This team was not only the Cinderella of 2010 but one of the best stories all year too.

AFC South

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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 26: Peyton leaves the field against the Oakland Raiders during an NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on December 26, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

1. Indianapolis Colts

How Peyton Manning made this happen after a bunch of injuries was excellent. Maybe one of his finest accomplishments ever.


2. Houston Texans

A very disappointing season that could cost head coach Gary Kubiak his job. Their best story was halfback Arian Foster.  

 
3. Tennessee Titans

Halfback Chris Johnson did not duplicate last year's performance, but Vince Young had a lot to do with that by quitting on the team again. Big changes are needed in Tennessee, but getting a franchise quarterback may prove difficult.

 

4. Jacksonville Jaguars

One the best stories in 2010 for the NFL, thanks to the MVP-caliber play of halfback Maurice Jones-Drew. It probably saved the job of head coach Jack Del Rio for at least one more season.

AFC North

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BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: James Harrison #92 of the Pittsburgh Steelers watches from the sidelines against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images)

1. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are tied for first place in spite of erratic play from quarterback Joe Flacco.

2. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals prefer to being the Bungles. What a disastrous season they had in 2010!

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

Overcoming a four-game suspension of the starting quarterback to begin the year, Pittsburgh is in first place with a lot of help from an excellent defense.

4. Cleveland Browns

It appears Eric Mangini's final day as a head coach in the NFL is this Sunday.

AFC East

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FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 19: Quarterback Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots talks with head coach Bill Belichick before playing against the Green Bay Packers at Gillette Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots won the g

1. New England Patriots

Many saw this coming.


2. New York Jets

The Jets still are alive in their quest to support all that Super Bowl talk.

3. Miami Dolphins

Quarterback Chad Henne has a rough year, so some now wonder if he is the future. But they need a young running back now that Ricky Williams retires after Sunday.


4. Buffalo Bills

The team played well for a month, but they appear to be many years away from playing well for a longer period of time.

2010 NFL Coach of the Year

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FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 19: Mike McCarthy, head coach of the Green Bay Packers, reacts during the third quarter of the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Im

 Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers

He will get a lot of votes for keeping his team in the playoff hunt, despite massive amounts of injuries to his roster. He did a great job.

Lovie Smith, Pete Carroll, Andy Reid and Todd Haley are other worthy candidates.

2010 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

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DETROIT - OCTOBER 31: Ndamukong Suh #90 of the Detroit Lions recovers a late fourth quarter fumble from Rex Grossman #8 of the Washington Redskins an scores a touchdown at Ford Field on October 31, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions defeated the Redski

Defensive Rookie of the Year : Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions

The clear winner. Third on his team in tackles; his nine sacks leads all rookies. He is a huge reason the Lions are much improved.

2010 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 26: Jermaine Gresham #84 of the Cincinnati Bengals against the Carolina Panthers during their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 26, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Offensive Rookie of the Year : Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati

Gresham caught over 50 balls and has a bright future. Quarterback Sam Bradford might get it if the Rams win their division. Redskins receiver Anthony Armstrong came out of nowhere to average almost 19 yards on 42 receptions but is a dark horse at best.

2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year

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ATLANTA - OCTOBER 03: Patrick Willis #52 of the San Francisco 49ers against the Atlanta Falcons at Georgia Dome on October 3, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Defensive Player of the Year : Patrick Willis, San Francisco

With 128 tackles, six sacks and two forced fumbles, Willis was great this year. Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews III should get more votes than him.

2010 NFL Offensive Player of the Year

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 28: Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings runs against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on December 26, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Offensive Player of the Year : Adrian Peterson, Minnesota

Peterson surely had a year worthy of winning, but his team lost too much and AP still fumbles too often. He might get a few votes.

Maurice-Jones Drew is the most worthy this season, but Michael Vick might get votes too. It will be a consolation prize to one of them after losing out on the MVP trophy.

2010 NFL Most Valuable Player

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CHICAGO - DECEMBER 12: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots throws a pass against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 12, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Patriots defeated the Bears 36-7. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Most Valuable Player : Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Who else will win this? Maurice Jones-Drew is worthy, and Michael Vick might get a few votes, but Brady should have this.