2010 Playoffs: What the 10 Teams Not in the Superbowl Should Do in 2011

In less than 48 hours, the crown jewel of American sports (sorry, Daytona 500) will take place as the Packers and Steelers will meet in Superbowl XLV. 

For the fans of these teams, it will be a joyous occasion to celebrate and enjoy.  For the fans of the 10 teams that made the playoffs but came just short, however, it will be filled with longing, questions of what if and reliving the key moments in their team's playoff loss. 

While nothing is guaranteed in the ever changing world of the NFL, the fact that these teams even had a chance to play for the chance to be in the Superbowl shows just how close they could be with the right moves. 

These are the moves I think each team needs to make to be back in the playoffs next season and possibly in Indianapolis on February 5th, 2012. 

10. Indianapolis Colts: Convince Peyton Manning to Take Less Money

Peyton Manning is due for a large raise, but should he take it?

Everyone from the team owner to the hot dog vendors in Lucas Oil Stadium will tell you that the Colts' first order of business needs to be re-signing No. 18 and the popular thinking is that the Colts quarterback will set records with the money he is going to receive, but is that what's best for the Colts? 

I'm not saying they shouldn't re-sign him, of course they should, but they should try to convince him to do what Brett Favre never did...take less money. 

At this point, he's made enough money that he doesn't need another $100 million contract.  If he truly only has four or five elite years left, then the Colts need to strike now to fill the holes they have on defense and the offensive line.  That all starts with trimming Manning's enormous contract to create cap to sign veteran free agents to fill those holes. 

No single player deserves to be the highest player in the NFL more than Peyton Manning just based on what he means to his team, but no other player would be willing to take less money to win either.  Is he willing to make the ultimate NFL sacrifice to help his team be the first team to play a Superbowl on their home field?

9. New Orleans Saints: Sign DeAngelo Williams

The Saints should take a long look at DeAngelo Williams in free agency

This season, the Saints were plagued by two things: injuries to their running backs and Drew Brees interceptions.  It would seem that the first probably led to the second, which is where Williams comes in. 

Though injuries limited him to only six games last year, twice he has surpassed the 200 carry mark for a season and he has proven that he can be a featured back. 

With Williams as the featured back and Reggie Bush the change of pace back, the Saints offense could achieve the balance it had in 2009 when they won the Super Bowl and Drew Brees can take some of the pressure off of himself to have to be the guy moving the offense. 

With a career five yards per carry, Williams would make any offense look good, but the Saints could be the one that needs him most.

8. Kansas City Chiefs: Petition the NFL to Relocate Out of the AFC West

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OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 07: Darren McFadden #20 of the Oakland Raiders runs against Brandon Carr #39 of the Kansas City Chiefs during an NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 7, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty

Okay, they obviously can't do that, but very few teams surprised the NFL world more than the Kansas City Chiefs, who posted a 10-6 record and won an AFC West crown that most felt would permanently reside in San Diego. 

The real surprise, though, is that they did it with a losing record in the division at 2-4.  No other division winner, including the 7-9 Seahawks, had a losing record in division and conventional wisdom would suggest that the recipe for success in the future would be to beat the teams you play the most, but after splitting against the Chargers and Broncos, including that infamous 49-29 drubbing at Denver, they were swept by the Raiders. 

If the Chiefs hope to repeat in the division, they must beat these teams, especially since this season they will face not only the three division winners in their conference, the Colts, Steelers and Patriots, but also the Bears and Packers.  It could be very difficult to repeat with a first place schedule if they can't win in division.

7. Philadelphia Eagles: Re-Sign Mike Vick

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 09: Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles drops back against the Green Bay Packers during the 2011 NFC wild card playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 9, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Lah

No player meant more to his team this season than Mike Vick meant to the Eagles.  Conversely, no team meant more to a player than the Eagles did to Mike Vick. 

This season, Vick showed that he can be the complete passer as well as the game breaking runner and it would seem that Andy Reid's system is to thank for that.  Yes, the Eagles traded Donovan McNabb with the idea of making Kevin Kolb the quarterback of the future, but he didn't have nearly the impact that Vick did and that offense reached explosive heights with Vick at the helm. 

The conventional thinking is that Vick will want too much money for the Eagles to spend, but if they know what's good for them, they will break the bank if that's what they have to do to bring him back.  Of course, if he knows what's good for him, he'll take less to stay. 

This could be the single most important signing of the offseason for any team in football.

6. Baltimore Ravens: Force Joe Flacco to Throw To Anquan Boldin

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CHARLOTTE, NC - NOVEMBER 21: Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens talks to his wide receivers Derrick Mason #85 and Anquan Boldin #81 during a timeout against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on November 21, 2010 in Charlotte, North Caro

On paper, it is hard to find a better team in the NFL. 

The Ravens have a top five defense, a top-tier young quarterback, a potent rushing attack and one of the most productive receivers in football.  So why aren't they playing for the championship? 

The best indicator is in the stats.  In 2009, as the No. 2 target to Kurt Warner in Arizona, Anquan Boldin had 84 catches for over a thousand yards.  Last year, as the No. 1 receiver, he had twenty less catches for 837 yards.  Yes, he caught three more touchdowns, but he had six less catches for first downs, which could be the more telling stat in an offense built on the two headed rushing attack of Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. 

More first downs means more plays to run and more plays running means less time for that defense on the field, which may be the best thing they could do for an aging defense with the window closing rapidly.

5. Seattle Seahawks: Sign Nnamdi Asomugha

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OAKLAND - NOVEMBER 9: Steve Smith #89 of the Carolina Panthers collides with Nnamdi Asomugha #21of the Oakland Raiders at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 9, 2008 in Oakland, California. (Photo by: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

It is as simple as that.  The Seahawks only took the ball away 22 times last year and while Asomugha didn't record an interception in 2010, that was more because teams simply didn't throw at him. 

In Seattle, he would be playing opposite Marcus Trufant, a bonafide number one cover corner, and opposing teams wouldn't be able to avoid Asomugha the way they were able to in Oakland.  He showed in 2008 that he can post big interception numbers when he had eight and Seattle might be just the place for him to put those kinds of numbers up again.

But can a Cal guy handle playing for Pete Carroll?

4. New England Patriots: Sign Mathias Kiwanuka

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 12: Matt Moore #3 of the Carolina Panthers is sacked in the fourth quarter by Mathias Kiwanuka #94 of the New York Giants on September 12, 2010 at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants defe

If the Patriots defense had a noticeable weakness, it was its inability to stop the pass, which is a bad weakness to have on a team that scores as much as the Patriots do, which usually forces teams to start passing.  The most noticeable statistic is their lack of quarterback sacks.  Their leader was Mike Wright, who had 5.5. 

It was the Giants in Superbowl XLII that best showed how to stop an offensive juggernaut with a powerful pass rusher, so how fitting that Mathias Kiwanuka could be the answer to the Patriots pass rushing woes.

Kiwanuka would bring a true pass rushing threat that could help create sacks and get the ball back to Tom Brady and the Patriots' potent offense, which may actually be the best defense for the Patriots. 

3. Atlanta Falcons: Sign Champ Bailey

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SAN DIEGO - NOVEMBER 22: Cornerback Champ Bailey #24 of the Denver Broncos intercepts a pass over wide receiver Malcom Floyd #80 of the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on November 22, 2010 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Im

For most Falcons fans, the lasting image of the offseason will be the Packers receivers running free into the end zone for touchdowns in that horrific NFC Divisional game. 

That game was the microcosm of the 2010 season for the Falcons, though.  Their defense gave up 28 passing touchdowns last season, which is not a good recipe for prolonged success in the new pass happy NFL. 

Enter Champ Bailey. 

Yes, his interception numbers have been down the last three seasons, but not his passes defended.  His 13 in 2010 would have ranked second on the Falcons by a large margin and with the window closing on the Falcons' chances to contend with this current group, a quick fix, like Bailey—looking to win a Super Bowl before retiring—is just the thing to help the Falcons get back to the postseason and actually win a game.

2. New York Jets: Sign BenJarvus Green-Ellis

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FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 19: Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis #42 of the New England Patriots runs 33 yards to score a touchdown in the first quarter against safety Charlie Peprah #26 of the Green Bay Packers at Gillette Stadium on December 19, 2010 in F

If the Jets proved anything to us this season, it was that they need a true featured running back and Shonn Greene is not that back. 

BenJarvus Green-Ellis is, however, and he was also the featured back for the hated Patriots in 2010.  Nothing heats up a rivalry, not that this one needs any more flame, like signing away one of your rival's key offensive weapons to be the missing piece of your puzzle, but Green-Ellis may be that guy. 

He has shown he can be the workhorse with 229 carries last season and he would enable Greene to settle into the change of pace back role that he seems to thrive in.  The Jets always got into the most trouble this year than when Mark Sanchez was forced to make plays to win games. 

A truly steady and reliable rushing attack would lessen those situations, and how much longer can LaDanian Thomlinson be counted on to be the featured back in any offense?  Green-Ellis would make that a moot point, plus tweak the nose of the Patriots a little more.

1. Chicago Bears: Sign Vincent Jackson

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SAN DIEGO, CA - DECEMBER 16: Wide receiver Vincent Jackson #83 of the San Diego Chargers makes a 58-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter as Nate Clements #22 of the San Francisco 49ers defends at Qualcomm Stadium on December 16, 2010 in San Diego, C

Everyone from the GM, Jerry Angelo, to Mike Martz and Jay Cutler will tell you how happy they are with the Bears receiving corps, but the truth is that there is no true No. 1 for Cutler to throw to when the going gets rough. 

That was never more evident than in the NFC Championship game.  Aaron Rodgers had an average game statistically, but Greg Jennings did not with eight catches for 130 yards. 

The Bears' leading receiver was Matt Forte with 10.  The actual receivers had a combined five catches for 101 yards.  Every elite quarterback has a true No. 1 receiver that they know will be where the ball is and if the Bears want Cutler to be an elite quarterback, they will get that for him. 

Vincent Jackson is that guy.  He's a huge target at 6'5", 230 pounds and has the speed to help free Johnny Knox on the outside, but the strength to work over the middle. 

Cutler's most productive seasons came when he had Brandon Marshall to throw too and Jackson could be the Chicago equivalent for him.

Parity Creates Hope

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ARLINGTON, TX - FEBRUARY 01: The Lombardi Trophy is displayed during Super Bowl XLV Media Day ahead of Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium on February 1, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV on

What separates the NFL from the other major sports is the importance of the one game.  It isn't always about who the best team is, but who plays the best on any given night.  It is because of this that you hear teams talk about just getting to the postseason.

If the matchup is just right, or their player has a bad day, or your player has a good day, you can find yourself moving on just like the Seahawks this year against the Saints or the Jets against the Patriots.  Each team that makes the postseason truly believes that they have a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl and recent history would show that to be true.

Do these ideas guarantee success for each team?  No, but in the NFL, there are no guarantees.