Protecting the Shield - NFC Season Retrospective

Today, it's the 2nd Half of our season-ending Protecting the Shield recap of the 2009 NFL regular season. This time we look back at the NFC and how each team fared this year. We'll also include the preseason over/under picks and how right or wrong our predictions were for each team (Y1's comments in green and Y2's in blue). Enjoy!

NFC East

1) Dallas Cowboys 11-5

*Over/Under 9 Wins - OVER

-Y1: Push Y2: Over

-What we said: Agreed that this is the most talented team in the league, and without the burden of TO around I think Tony Romo will finally be able to let loose with this offense. There will be two dynamic duos on offense, Roy Williams and Jason Witten catching passes (also free from the wrath of TO) and Fast Felix Jones and Marion the Barbarian in the backfield. The defense, led by DeMarcus Ware will be dominant enough to take the division crown.

-What Happened: Well, all of that talent finally did show up when it mattered most as Dallas clinched the division with a Week 17 win against the Eagles. The turning point was a great effort in New Orleans that stopped the Saints' unbeaten dreams. There's no questioning the talent to go all of the way - but with this team it has always been the playoff wins that has eluded them. Will they lose now when it matters most even after putting their annual December blues behind them?

2) Philadelphia Eagles 11-5

*Over/Under 10 Wins - OVER

-Y1: Under Y2: Under

-What we said: There's actually no way of knowing how Philly will perform with the Vick Circus in town, we've never seen anything like it before. How will Vick play? We don't know. How will Andy Reid circle the wagons? We don't know. Any prediction is an educated guess at best. This group of Eagles has been around the block a few times, but they've never faced these circumstances. 10 wins would be hard under normal circumstances, but now its going to be even harder.

-What Happened: Well, the Eagles were a team that was very tough to predict. Even with a relatively ineffective Mike Vick and injuries to McNabb and Westbrook throughout the season, it wasn't enough to keep the Eagles out of the playoff. The D held up and big play threats like DeSean Jackson carried the high flying Eagles throughout the regular season. They need to rebound in Dallas for a Week 17 rematch in R1.

3) New York Giants 8-8

*Over/Under 9.5 Wins - UNDER

-Y1: Over Y2: Under

-What we said: Someone does have to win this division, but I don't think it's the Giants. Eli's big contract may look great on paper, but really, is he one of the best quarterbacks in the league? Without Plax, there isn't a #1 receiver on the team; the opposition can load up the box to stop Brandon Jacobs. Defensively, the Giants seemed to have taken a couple steps back from their Super Bowl dominance.

-What Happened: Well, at least my brother saw this coming. I predicted this team would win the Super Bowl! While the offense took a couple steps back, the defense took a Giant leap (we get payed by the unnecessary pun, sorry) backwards this season. In several big games they were absolutely torched by opposing offenses. The most disconcerting thing though for the Giants is the way they folded up shop in the last two games getting blown out vs Carolina and at Minnesota.

4) Washington Redskins 4-12

*Over/Under 8 Wins - UNDER

-Y1: Under Y2: Under

-What we said: Well, at least Washington can win the spending money title every offseason! Albert Haynesworth signed for over $100 Million, but how much impact can a DT really have? Jason Campbell (left) is still going to be an average QB. Jim Zorn is still going to be an average coach. And with the quality in this division, its going to be hard to get above the .500 mark.

-What Happened: Jim Zorn was in fact so average that the Skins hired a Bingo hall coordinator to run their offense in midseason. This team had very little happen this season that you would consider positive - even Albert Haynesworth became disgruntled at the end of the year. Dan Snyder is counting on another big name, big money signing to turn things around: Mike Shanahan. Time will tell if he is finally the savior, or another expensive flop.

NFC North

1) Minnesota Vikings 12-4

*Over/Under 9.5 Wins - OVER

-Y1: Under Y2: Under

-What we said: Well, Minnesota, you brought this upon yourself. The Favre Circus is in town and now the microscope is on the Twin Cities. I don't know about you, but Brad Childress doesn't exactly exude confidence under a lot of pressure. If Favre's first preseason game is a sign of things to come, maybe it'll be a short season for Brett, and a long one for Minny. Already there are reports of player unrest in the locker room over Favre's arrival, that's a great sign. Maybe Favre will start out good, and flame out again. Then again, maybe he'll just stink from the beginning.

-What Happened: Unfortunately for us it was a long season for the non-Favre worshippers as the Vikings cruised to an easy NFC North title and playoff bye. There was reports of locker room unrest along the way, but Favre and the defense were amongst the elite all season long. The underrated facet of Minny's season is receivers like Rice, Harvin, and Shancoe stepping up to provide Favre with options in the air. There were some chinks in the armor exposed in the last month of the season, but they remain in the discussion to lift the Lombardi Trophy.

2) Green Bay Packers 11-5

*Over/Under 8.5 Wins - OVER

-Y1: Over Y2: Under

-What we said: Unlike Mr. Yoder II, I don't have an inherent hatred for the Packers, so I am a little more bullish on their season. Aaron Rodgers played very well in his first season as a starting QB, and it'll be interesting to see what happens with Favre back in the division to motivate him more. The Pack's D will be pretty solid, led by Buckeye alum A.J. Hawk, but the running game will be the key. If Ryan Grant can return to form, the Pack may sneak a Wild Card berth.

-What Happened: The Packers, very quietly, had an outstanding season. The new-look defense that included solid rookies like Clay Matthews and BJ Raji, as well as a Charles Woodson revival. Amidst Favreapalooza, Aaron Rodgers had another good season too. The Packers may be the NFC's hottest team coming into the playoffs, and they get a Week 17 rematch in Arizona coming off of a blowout of the Cardnials.

3) Chicago Bears 7-9

*Over/Under 9 Wins - UNDER

-Y1: Over Y2: Over

-What we said: Ah, the team closest to my heart, DA BEARS! And, for the first time in my lifetime, they have a legitimate quarterback in Jay Cutler. His arrival and the continued development of Matt Forte should hide the deficiencies of an aging defense. However, if the off-season's most important acquisition, that's right, new D-Line coach Rod Marinelli had any impact, the Monsters of the Midway could be reborn. I'll predict double digit wins for the Bears, hey, I have to be optimistic about something.

-What Happened: Well much to Y2's chagrin, the Bears' legitimate QB led the NFL in INTs. Although, to his credit, he played much better at the end of the season. However, there were too many games that Cutler lost because of poor decision making. Of course it wouldn't be fair to pin the Bears' struggles solely on the brash signal caller. The running game was stagnant, the O-line pathetic, the pass rush non-existent, the tackling worthless, and the secondary a sieve. It didn't help either that Brian Urlacher's biggest contribution was ripping his teammates after a Week 1 injury.

4) Detroit Lions 2-14

*Over/Under 4.5 Wins - UNDER

-Y1: Under Y2: Under

-What we said: If you, our loyal RSS reader, would like to throw money away by betting 5 wins or more on a team coming off the first 0-16 season in history, and playing a rookie QB, be my guest. I'll be quite happy taking the safe bet with under. Shoot, if new coach Jim Schwartz wins 4 games, he'll be a saint in Detroit.

-What Happened: Doesn't it seem like Detroit had a pretty good season? We remember the wild celebrations after they beat Washington and the gutty Matt Stafford beating Cleveland on the final play of the game - but do we remember that the Lions were 0-14 aside from those 2 games?? Jim Schwartz is a saint... and he only won 2 games! At least the future is slightly brighter in the Motor City. Now it's just mostly cloudy.

NFC South

1) New Orleans Saints 13-3

*Over/Under 9 Wins - OVER

-Y1: Over Y2: Push

-What we said: I can't believe that my beloved Saints are the Vegas picks to win the South! They've underachieved the last 2 seasons for a number of reasons (dumb coaching decisions, lack of power running, Jason David!) but I'm hoping and praying this is finally the year. Of course, history and years of torment tell me otherwise. But, with Shockey and Colston healthy (and Bush, cross your fingers) to add to the best O in football, and Gregg Williams in to run the D, this could be the year. Of course, I've said that for all 23 years of my existence and it hasn't happened yet...

-What Happened: I don't even know where to start. This might indeed be the season. The last 3 weeks have seen 98% of folks jump off of the Saints bandwagon, but I will never forget their 13-0 start to 2009. It has truly been a magical season every step of the way for us Saints fans - I mean come on, we're the #1 NFC seed! That's never happened before. The Saints were the best offense in the league, and Gregg Williams' D was unbelievable turning the ball over for much of the year. Big wins against the Giants, Dolphins, Patriots, and Redskins won't be forgotten anytime soon by Saints fans. Sure, I'm worried that they'll bow out in R1, but you gotta have faith that they can close the deal and shock the world and find their best form like they did for the first 3 months of the season.

2) Atlanta Falcons 9-7

*Over/Under 8.5 Wins - OVER

-Y1: Over Y2: Under

-What we said: I'm stunned to see the Falcons at only 8.5. This is one of the easiest calls in the league. RSS favorite Matt Ryan will only be better in year 2, the WR's are getting better, and the D led by John Abraham will be solid once again. They'll compete with New Orleans for the division, but the Saints will beat them out (I hope), they are good enough to get a Wild Card berth though.

-What Happened: Well, at least Atlanta put together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time. In a stacked NFC though, it wasn't enough to get near a Wild Card berth. Matt Ryan didn't necessarily make the same leap in year 2 that Joe Flacco did in Baltimore and Atlanta never could get over the hump and get momentum going this season. This is a very talented team that should look to rebound in 2010 and get back into the playoffs.

3) Carolina Panthers 8-8

*Over/Under 8.5 Wins - UNDER

-Y1: Under Y2: Over

-What we said: Carolina's predicted to take a fall every year, but much like the Eagles, they find a way to win ball games. I think John Fox is one of the most underrated head coaches in the league. Jake will make enough plays/avoid making big mistakes (mostly to Steve Smith) and their running game looks to be one of the best in the league with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

-What Happened: Jake Delhomme couldn't avoid making the big mistakes that haunted the Panthers in the playoffs last season. Before he was injured, the Panthers were headed for a 10 loss season easily and a new head coach. However, Matt Moore's insertion at QB gave the Panthers a boost and they finished strong to get to .500. John Fox is still one of the most underrated coaches in the league and Carolina would be foolish to get rid of him. If this team gets a trustable QB, they too could be in for a stronger 2010.

4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-13

*Over/Under 6 Wins - UNDER

-Y1: Over Y2: Under

-What we said: Perhaps only Denver has had more upheaval in the offseason than Tampa. With a young roster, a cavalcade of retreads and rookies at QB, and a first-time head coach in Raheem Morris, there's no way the Bucs can get past 6 wins.

-What Happened: 2 weeks into the season I regretted picking the over. The cavalcade at QB finally ended with rookie Josh Freeman leading a sinking ship. Raheem Morris fired both coordinators during the season and there were even rumblings he may lose his job. They did fight hard in beating the Saints late in the season, but the Bucs rebuilding effort is taking the shape of a long term project rather than a quick fix.

NFC West

1) Arizona Cardinals 10-6

*Over/Under 8.5 Wins - OVER

-Y1: Over Y2: Under

-What we said: Can you say Super Bowl Hangover? While they have the best wide receiver duo in football, I don't see a lot of improvement in other areas. Kurt Warner staying healthy for a second straight year is a mighty big if and I'm also not sold on first-round draft pick Beanie Wells saving their running game.

-What Happened: Ironically, there wasn't much improvement in Arizona, but there wasn't a Super Bowl hangover either. They actually did finish 2009 with a better regular season record, but didn't look like the team that took the NFL by storm last year. For the defending conference champions, they flew under the radar for much of the season. Most people are giving Green Bay the edge in their playoff rematch, but I wouldn't be surprised to see this team make a deep January run (as long as it's not against the expense of the Saints of course).

2) San Francisco 49ers 8-8

*Over/Under 7.5 Wins - OVER

-Y1: Over Y2: Under

-What we said: I like Mike Singletary as a head coach. I don't love Shaun Hill as an NFL starting QB, but with this team he should get the job done. The 49ers will be very average this year, which makes me happy after years growing up of them terrorizing my Saints. This one will go very close to the number, I'll say barely over at 8-8.

-What Happened: There's not much else to say. I'll take credit for getting the 49ers season spot on (while ignoring my 13-15 record, yipes). 8-8 is exactly where the 49ers belong. They perfectly encapture what an average NFL team is about. An average QB, some good players, some bad players, a young head coach, and a future that could go either way. The story for 2010 is whether Alex Smith becomes the full-time starter or is brandished to the fate of fellow #1 pick David Carr - a career backup.

3) Seattle Seahawks 5-11

*Over/Under 8 Wins - UNDER

-Y1: Under Y2: Over

-What we said: Under, under, under. Do you think Matt Hasselbeck's going to stay healthy? Do you think Edgerrin James is going to make a difference with his 2 yards a carry? No and no. Jim Mora, Jr. is now in charge and TJ Houshmandzedah isn't carrying a 4 win team to an 8 win team.

-What Happened: Edgerrin who? Don't remember him... TJ Houshmanwhat? Matt Hasselbeck, doesn't he always get hurt? The Seahawks might have had the least interesting season of any team in the NFL. Seattle may be the one team in the league who has seen it's time at the top come crashing down and is badly in need of rebuilding. There are still some quality pieces for this group, but fresh faces are certainly in need.

4) St. Louis Rams 1-15

*Over/Under 5.5 Wins - UNDER

-Y1: Over Y2: Under

-What we said: I do like the hire of Spagnuolo, but this team won't make a quantum leap to win 6 or 7 games... If their draft picks on defense develop, maybe this team can see moderate success, but it won't come yet this year

-What Happened: Just as we closed out our AFC recap with a wretched pro football team from Missouri, we do so in the NFC as well. The Rams will have the #1 pick in the NFL draft after a despondent 1-15 season when they were only able to defeat Detroit. The defense was atrocious and the offense was even worse - 10.9 ppg. A new QB is a must, as well as a #1 WR and some pieces on the O-Line. However, that boy named Suh would instantly turn the Rams into a good defense and a team that would compete with Steve Spagnuolo's guidance, unlike they did this season.

We'll be back with our thoughts for the National Title Game and our NFL playoff preview coming up this week, only at RSS!