Congratulations to the Denver Broncos, who finish the NFL season as the number-one team in the country, according to the AP Poll. Here is your final top-10:
1. Denver Broncos: 13-3
2. New England Patriots: 12-4
3. San Francisco 49ers: 11-4-1
4. Atlanta Falcons: 13-3
5. Seattle Seahawks: 11-5
6. Green Bay Packers: 11-5
7. Washington Redskins: 10-6
8. Houston Texans: 12-4
9. Indianapolis Colts: 11-5
10. Minnesota Vikings: 10-6
The Miami Dolphins (7-9) finished 20th in the AP poll.
Long-time readers will recall that the HP did its own NFL rankings in 2010 and 2011. Here are the year-end champs for each of the last three years:
2010: New England Patriots
2011: Green Bay Packers
2012: Denver Broncos
As I watch the great Robert Griffin III hobble through the second half of this Redskins-Seahawks playoff game, I'm scared to death that I'm watching Greg Cook.
ReplyDeleteI cannot exaggerate the extent to which watching RG3 in that game killed my interest in the Redskins. I have no plans to watch the Redskins' opener on Monday night, in large part because I don't expect RG3 to last more than about 10 plays. Don't forget that in the last few years, we have had Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, RG3, and John Wall come into town -- and all of them have suffered serious injuries that have prevented them from reaching their full potential.
DeleteSo in my mind, it's as if RG3 has retired already.
RGIII's being unable to avoid that blitzer and losing 12 on the first-down sack and then being unable to get off the field on second down to recover the fumbled snap comprise one of the saddest things I've ever seen in an NFL game.
ReplyDeleteIt was the saddest thing I can remember in an NFL game that I actually cared about.
DeleteThanks a lot, Fox, for showing clips of the Seahawks carrying Chuck Knox off the field after beating Miami in 1983 or whatever.
ReplyDeleteDave Kindred @DaveKindred
ReplyDeleteTime to strip six words across the top of WaPo's A1, floating in white space inside a black border: FIRE SHANAHAN. NOW. YOU KNOW WHY.
7:48 PM - 6 Jan 13
Shanahan could be in big trouble. Washington has a very strong puritan streak -- remember that the folks here agreed with the Nats' decision not to use Strasburg in the MLB playoffs.
DeleteSmartGirl has very little interest in football, but she was FURIOUS with Shanahan last night, and she won't be alone.
Unlike the Strasburg situation, however, the decision to bench Griffin would've not only protected his long-term health but also perhaps given this team a better chance to win yesterday. What if the Redskins had sat Griffin after opening the 14-0 lead and the first time he went in the little magic sidelines room? Even I thought of that possibility then. Certainly, though, after seeing him unable to avoid that rusher on first down late, you had to get him off the field.
DeleteMichael Wilbon says on the Tony Kornheiser radio show that he wouldn't've taken out Griffin.
DeleteFor the record, I don't think Shanahan should be fired.
DeleteOh, I don't necessarily think he should be fired, but I definitely think he should've taken out Griffin earlier in the game. Kornheiser does not, by the way. David Aldridge and Gary Braun agree with Dave Kindred and me.
DeleteI have just received a very, very compelling argument via email as to why the Shanahans should be fired.
DeleteI don't sense the usual goofy optimism in Washington we usually get when football season begins. I think everyone understands that the fate of the team depends on RG3, and I don't know anyone who is optimistic about his health.
DeleteMeanwhile, I will get to watch Peyton Manning play something like the 9,000th games I've seen him in since he came to Tennessee back in 1973.