Buffalo has not been to the playoffs since 1999 and has lost double-digit games the last five seasons. But 2013 may have provided a bit of a turning point.
The team added head coach Doug Marrone, athletically gifted QB EJ Manuel and stud middle linebacker Kiko Alonso to a roster that already included the likes of C.J. Spiller, Fred Jackson, Steve Johnson, Jairus Byrd, Mario Williams and a handful of other solid players.
Just how much progress was made is hard to assess, given that Manuel and Spiller, among others, missed significant time or effectiveness with injuries. But there is at least some optimism that the core may be more in place than it has been in awhile.
So, how close are the Bills to ending that playoff drought? Matt Warren, senior editor of Buffalo Rumblings, shared his thoughts.
Zoneblitz: In 2013 Buffalo was 6-10 for the third straight year and fourth of the last five. What is your assessment of the season compared with the previous couple? (more…)
Another of the NFL’s most disappointing teams in 2012 was the Minnesota Vikings, who dropped to 5-10-1 after going to the playoffs as a wild card in 2012.
Adrian Peterson’s 2,000 yard 2012 season propelled that postseason run, but for everything that went right that season, more went wrong in 2013. Christian Ponder regressed, losing his job twice and ensuring he would be lucky to see the field regularly in 2014. And the defense was a mess, ranking last in the league in points allowed and second to last in yardage allowed.
The miserable season cost Leslie Frazier his job and certainly has General Manager Rick Spielman on notice that a repeat performance won’t be tolerable. But this team does have weapons, particularly on the offense, where Cordarrelle Patterson and Kyle Rudolph join Peterson as toys with which new offensive coordinator Norv Turner can tinker.
So what will this team look like in 2014? Much depends on what management can do at the quarterback position, says Jon Merckle, senior blogger with The Viking Age. He shared some thoughts with Zoneblitz.
Zoneblitz: After making the playoffs in 2012, the Vikings fell apart in 2013, going 5-10-1. What went wrong and is this team’s talent level closer to the 2012 or 2013 season? (more…)
Ten games into the 2012 season, Tampa Bay was 6-4 and riding a four game win streak into playoff contention under the leadership of Josh Freeman.
The Bucs lost five of six to close out the season, but Freeman looked good enough at times that year to convince some that he really was coming together as the future franchise QB.
Not so much in 2013.
Tampa got off to a disastrous 0-8 start and four games in, Freeman was benched and ultimately released. The 4-12 season was the team’s second in three years and it led to the dismissal of Greg Schiano as coach.
So where do the Bucs go from here? Leo Howell, editor of the Pewter Plank, stopped by Zoneblitz.com to share his thoughts on what Tampa has going heading into 2014.
Here’s what he had to say.
Zoneblitz: After an at least semi-promising 2012 season, the wheels fell off in 2013. The Bucs would seem to have way too much talent to start 0-8 and go 4-12.What went wrong?
Howell: Poor coaching was really the main issue, as it spread to other areas of the team. The coaching staff ran a horrible offensive scheme, which limited the players. The coaching staff couldn’t develop Josh Freeman, ran him out of town (either intentionally or unintentionally). And eventually, the decisions of the coaching staff drove the team past the point of being a contender, and as you said, the wheels fell off. Soul-crushing losses to start the season against the Jets and Saints set the tone for an incredibly disappointing season. (more…)
Just a year after nearly going to the Super Bowl, the Atlanta Falcons were one of the favorites to again make a deep run in the playoffs. Instead, Atlanta is picking sixth in the NFL draft after one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory.
Was it injuries that set the Falcons astray? Or is this an aging team with salary cap issues on a downward slide? Two bloggers shared their thoughts on what went wrong in 2013 and what the team has to do to fix things in 2014. Here’s what Ben Sullivan, editor of Blogging Dirty, and Aaron Freeman, founder of FalcFans.com have to say.
Zoneblitz: A year off the NFC Championship game the Falcons took a huge step back in 2013. How would you assess the season and where it went wrong?
Sullivan: In one word, awful. The Falcons struggled on all three phases of the game, including special teams. The team is built around the offense, but injuries and poor offensive line play left them with a stagnant offense. I think the success they had recently left them with some blinders on when it came to the holes in the team. Sometimes you need a kick in the teeth to really take a harsh look at your own house, and last year was just that for them.
Freeman: It was a combination of injuries and other factors. Simply put three of the team’s top 5 players: Julio Jones, Roddy White and Sean Weatherspoon missed a lot of time. And the Falcons did not respond well to it. Backups and newcomers like Steven Jackson and Osi Umenyiora didn’t step up or contribute to the levels expected. (more…)
As the 11th consecutive non-playoff season ended in Oakland, rumors floated indicating that the jobs of General Manager Reggie McKenzie and Head Coach Dennis Allen’s may be in jeopardy. Cooler heads prevailed, however, as ownership decided to acknowledge the salary cap hell Oakland has been recovering from since the duo arrived.
The training wheels likely come off in 2014 though. The Raiders are back in the ball game with significant cap space and the ability to begin adding talent. So how far is this Oakland team that is coming off of consecutive 4-12 finishes from being relevant again?
Depends on how the offseason goes, says Chase Ruttig, editor of Just Blog Baby. If all goes well, he thinks it’s not out of the question the long-struggling Raiders might be a factor in 2015. Here’s what Ruttig has to say.
Zoneblitz: The Raiders were competitive in a number of games early before slumping over the last month or so. What happened and how would you characterize this season? (more…)
games the last five seasons. But 2013 may have provided a bit of a turning point.
Loading ...
@Brian - I don't think the Vikings lowballed Darnold as much as told him up front "We'd love you back,…
100% agreed Paul with what you said and BTW appreciate the clarification on plunkett
I don't think we bring up Plunkett that often but Raiders fans online certainly do! LOL Winning SBs is a…
Good Enough answer for me Brian i can see the logic behind your use of plunkett in certain cases, Your…
Haha ... messing with Paul. Because winners always get discussed for the HOF, Robert. It helped get Warner and eventually,…