10 NFL Players in Desperate Need of a Reality Check

More so than anything, we all love a great, happy, positive sports story.

Look at how gaga people are about Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, the 49ers and so many of the other "feel good stories." 

But the flip side to that coin is of course, players and teams who aren't feeling so good. 

That can be the case for a whole host of reasons: poor play, poor decisions, potentially missing the postseason, injuries, a younger-challenger bidding for your job, etc. 

And for these 10 players, things aren't going terribly well right now. 

No. 10: Cedric Griffin, CB, Minnesota Vikings

Being benched is bad enough. Being benched on a bad team is worse. But being benched on a bad team that has a putrid secondary is even worse. And if you're making $4 million but the coaching staff still sits you against arguably the NFL's best passing attack, that's embarrassing.

But that's currently the situation Griffin finds himself in.

Despite Jared Allen's dominance, the Vikings pass defense is 30th in the NFL yet head coach Leslie Frazier sent Griffin to the pine during the loss to Detroit—a red flag since the Lions have a tremendous passing attack as well—and didn't put him out on the field last week against New Orleans.

Griffin does have a great excuse considering his knee surgeries, and he will reportedly be returning to the field this week against Washington. So he has a chance to redeem himself. He needs to take advantage. 

No. 9: Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buffalo Bills

Obviously you've got to feel bad for Bills fans and the organization in general. They seemed so close to breaking through and reaching the postseason for the first time in a decade. Now that's not going to happen.

But if you're feeling sorry for Ryan Fitzpatrick, try and remember that his great start to the 2011 season earned him an enormous contract extension: seven-years, $62 million, $24 million guaranteed. 

Since signing that deal in late October he hasn't exactly lived up to it, throwing 13 interceptions and 10 touchdowns as the Bills have lost seven in a row.

As bad as this stretch has been, it's not bad enough to call him a bust or a disastrous signing. But, starting with these final two games, and heading into the 2012 season, he better start to show improvement. 

No. 8: Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans

Johnson deserved the huge contract he received: there are not very many stud running backs in the game and he is one of them. More importantly, he's only 26 years old.

But at what cost?

Sure, the Titans were in the playoff race for the majority of the season—not anymore—but Johnson will almost certainly finish this year with career lows in yards and touchdowns. 

Couple that with the fact that the Titans lost to the winless Colts—with Johnson rushing for just 55 yards—and it's been a pretty bad year for him. Maybe he does need training camp after all....on to 2012. 

No. 7: Everyone on the New York Giants

Rather than say Eli Manning (three interceptions), Hakeem Nicks (a horrific drop), Lawrence Tynes (missing that field goal), or a defense that allowed the Redskins eight third-down conversions, I'm just going to lump the entire Giants team into one and say they all need a reality check...except for maybe Jason Pierre-Paul.

For the Giants to lay such a tremendous egg, at home, against a pretty mediocre team is a shame. 

Having said that, they still control their own destiny: winning out would earn them the NFC East. If that fact alone doesn't give them a reality check, I don't know what will. 

No. 6: Josh Freeman, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Eagles are easily the most disappointing team in NFL this season, but if you look past all the big signings and moves Philly made this offseason, I'd argue that the Buccaneers take that dubious honor.

They cam close to the playoffs last year and drafted two young defensive lineman who were expected to boost an already promising unit.

Still, it was Josh Freeman that made Tampa Bay look like a legitimate contender for the postseason. He seemed to have all the tools and in the team's final eight games last year, he threw 15 touchdowns and just one interception. Since then he's been something of a turnover machine and the Bucs have lost eight in a row and fallen to last place in the NFC South.

He'll have a shot to regain some credibility in the division the next two weeks, with matchups against Cam Newton and Matt Ryan, so we'll see what he's made of. 

No. 5: Brian Urlacher, LB, Chicago Bears

When I think "reality check" I think of a person needing a wake-up call. And that should be Urlacher. Here's why.

After the loss to Denver, Urlacher delivered that "he's a good running back" blast regarding Tim Tebow. 

That dig was probably more out of frustration than hatred or dislike for Tebow, but it was still uncalled for.

Worse than that is the fact that, when it comes to the postseason, the Bears are probably going to be the ones on the outside looking in, while Tebow's Broncos will not only qualify, they'll have a division title and a home playoff game. That should give Urlacher a moment of pause. 

No. 4: Mark Sanchez, QB, New York Jets

When the season started, I doubt anyone looked at Mark Sanchez and thought he was bound for a Pro Bowl spot or entry to that ambiguous "elite quarterbacks" club. 

But we all seemed to think he was a serviceable, capable starting quarterback. And if nothing else, he really stepped up his game in the stretch run of the regular season and into the playoffs. 

That belief is starting to fade.

Not only has he not improved his play, but—if last week's game against Philadelphia was any indication—he could drop the "starter" title from his resume. 

Mark Brunell's cameo at the end of last week's game, might be re-run next week if the boo birds cry out at Met Life Stadium. 

No. 3: DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

The reality check that Jackson needs stems more from a financial standpoint than anything.

Between his boorish behavior and tremendously reduced stats, he is not likely to get nearly as much money from another team as he is hoping. 

And although staying in Philly would probably be best for him (with Michael Vick and Andy Reid in his corner) the Eagles have a history of not wanting to pay cranky wide receivers big contracts and the way things are going, that's not likely to change. 

Unless, of course, he puts together back-to-back breakout games against divisional foes. 

No. 2: James Harrison, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers

I think we can all agree that the situation regarding determining late or unnecessarily vicious hits is capricious and almost impossible to streamline. 

More to the point, it's asking a lot (and asking the unnecessary) to require players to stop playing aggressively: that's mandatory in the NFL. 

But James Harrison is so squarely focused under the microscope that he really has to at least appear that he's trying. That's not been the case, on or off the field. And it's going to start to hurt his team.

Maybe the Steelers would have lost in San Francisco with Harrison. But the seal has now been broken. The next time he delivers that type of hit, it's going to be a longer suspension. And if it were to come in the postseason? That would be borderline disastrous. 

No. 1: Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts

There are two ways to look at Manning's situation right now and think "reality check."

The first would be the fact that, given his neck surgery, he is probably risking a serious, life-altering injury if he takes a vicious hit. That's the chief reason why many people think he will never play again.

But even if Manning can convince himself, his doctors, the Colts and all the fans that playing again is reasonable, there's a good chance he'll have Andrew Luck as a teammate. If it does indeed play out that way, Manning is going to have to realize that when he comes into training camp next summer, he'll have to earn the starter's job just like he did as a rookie in 1998.

Sure he's Peyton Manning, a Hall of Famer and the most important player in Indianapolis Colts history. But he'll be damaged goods, have missed a full season, and be 36 years old. Given how many rookie quarterbacks—and ones deemed far less "pro-ready" than Luck—have started and excelled in 2011, Luck has every bit a claim to the job in 2012.