The 2012 NFL season is in the books and what a season it was. It started off a little rocky as Bounty Gate filled the headlines with Roger Goodell issuing multiple suspensions all associated to the pay incentive program instituted in New Orleans for injuring opposing players.
The dust had barely settled on Goodell’s rulings when it became apparent that the NFL season would open with replacement referees. The NFL was standing firm and refusing to give into the referees demands for a benefit package that was worth $16 million, or equated out to $500,000 per team, over a five year period.
Nonetheless, the season kicked off with great anticipation as NFL fans tuned in to see Peyton Manning in game action for the Denver Broncos and to watch the much heralded Robert Griffin III in Washington. Neither man disappointed on opening day as Manning showed he had plenty left in the tank and Griffin was electric in Washington’s win over the depleted New Orleans Saints.
Fans and players alike struggled through along with the replacement refs right up until a fateful night in Seattle on a Nationally televised Monday Night Football game. What ensued was a refereeing debacle that truly made such a mockery of the NFL and Roger Goodell. Come Tuesday morning there was little choice but to end the three month labour strife and get the real referees back on the field. Once the likes of Ed Hochuli were back the players became the focus once again.
With the storylines back focusing on the players we take a look at the NFL season that was. Here is eDraft’s 2012 NFL year in review.
Compelling Story of the Year
Without a doubt the story revolving around Indianapolis Colt’s head coach Chuck Pagano and his battle with leukemia was the most personable story to come out of the league in quite some time. The much documented battles with treatment, Pagano’s will to be intimately involved in football operations and his triumphant return to the sidelines was heartfelt by everyone. It was truly a refreshing human interest story for the NFL as the league continues to deal with concussion related topics as well as detrimental (if not criminal) off-field behaviour of it’s players.
Surprise Team of the Year
The Indianapolis Colts bounced back in a huge way during the 2012 season. They were coming off a 2-14 2011 campaign that saw their franchise quarterback Peyton Manning miss the entire season which then precipitated his release from the team. The Colts picked a terrific year to be horrific as two top-tier talent quarterbacks were available via the draft. With the top selection the Colts choose Andrew Luck to be their new pivot and what a pick it turned out to be. Under Luck the Colts were revived, they posted an 11-5 record and secured a wildcard berth into the playoffs. No one predicted the Colts winning 11 games on the year and to do so with a rookie quarterback and a head coach battling cancer; the Indianapolis Colts surprised everyone.
Biggest Disappointments of the Year
The Kansas City Chiefs were looked upon by many to compete for a division title in the AFC West. There were reasons for optimism entering the year as they finished 2011 at 7-9 and appeared to be playing quite well. The 2012 got off to a horrible start and the Chiefs never recovered on their way to a 2-14 record. Upside to the year is that Matt Cassel will be jettisoned from the starter’s spot and the likely top draft pick Geno Smith will be starting under center come next season.
Not to be out done in terms of futility, the Philadelphia Eagles were coming off an 8-8 record in 2011 and expectations were high in the City of Brotherly Love for a division title. It was not to be as the defense proved to be completely inept and the offense was disjointed and sporadic at best. Michael Vick got knocked out for the season with injuries and as the team spiralled rumours swirled that players had quit on head coach Andy Reid. Such a disastrous season inevitably brings about change which was brought down almost immediately following the year as Andy Reid was dismissed as coach.
Breakout Players of the Year
This season was filled with it’s share of players who emerged as leaders and contributors for their teams. J.J Watt certainly made an impression with his 15 sack improvement over 2011 while Luke Kuechly led the league in tackles as a rookie. There was also cornerback Tim Jennings of the Chicago Bears who led the league in interceptions with nine; while over the previous six years of his career he had seven total.
The breakout players of the year however were a player drafted 75th overall in the 2012 NFL draft and another who had a total of five pass attempts entering this season and who didn’t see real game action till week six of the schedule. As the season progressed, both Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick showed why they were the breakout players of the year.
Wilson landed the starting job right out of training camp, this despite the Seattle Seahawks having signed Matt Flynn to a three year $26 million deal. Wilson led the Seahawks to an 11-5 record and a first round playoff win against Washington. While the success of Kaepernick has been well documented as it culminated in a Super Bowl appearance.
Top Performers of the Year
There were many players who had outstanding seasons, as mentioned J.J.Watt had a terrific season as he came within two sacks of tying Michael Strahan’s season record. Peyton Manning was excellent in leading the Denver Broncos to 11 straight wins and a division title. The New England Patriots as a whole managed to score a record 21 points in under a minute against the hapless New York Jets and Matthew Stafford set a new all-time record for pass attempts in a season with 727.
All that being said, two accomplishments stood out beyond all the rest. Adrian Peterson broke through the 2000 yard rushing barrier and came with a measly nine yards of breaking the all-time single season rushing record. Peterson accomplished this feat after only one off-season removed from ACL & MCL surgery and as if that wasn’t enough Peterson recently disclosed that he had an extremely painful sports hernia that he suffered toward the end of the season. Peterson was the runaway MVP winner and was also named the Outstanding Offensive Player of the Year.
Over in Detroit, history was being made not on the ground but rather through the air. Calvin Johnson set about to show that he is the most dominant wide receiver in the game today and thanks to a pass-happy offense Johnson made a emphatic statement. It came down to the last week of the season; however, Johnson broke Jerry Rice’s single season receiving yards record. At only 27 years of age, we should be treated to many more years of prolific receiving out of Johnson.
The 2012 NFL season was as entertaining as they come. We were witness to Ray Lewis’ retirement party that ended in New Orleans with purple, black and gold streamers falling from the sky. We saw the start of what could be a revolutionary period for the quarterback as much success was had with those able to run spread and pistol formation offenses.
The youth movement in the NFL was on full display this past season as the rookie class of Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Trent Richardson, Russell Wilson, Doug Martin and many more had impactful seasons for their teams and the league. While a second-generation of quarterbacks that includes the likes of Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco served notice that they are ready to challenge for quarterback supremacy. Not to be out done, the old-guard if you will in Peyton Manning and Tom Brady showed that they will not go quietly into the night as both led their teams to division titles once again.
The 2012 season set the bar for excellence pretty high and next season will have it’s work cut out for itself. Granted we could all do without a repeat of the referee labour situation; but, that aside the blueprint for success has been clearly laid out. After all Adrian Peterson said himself that come next season he is chasing down 2500 yards on the season...regardless of his year-end total, I know I’ll be along for the ride.
Until such time as NFL training camps open we will turn our fanatical attention to the NBA and MLB and of course for those 15.3 million Canadians and 6 people in Southern California who care, there is always the NHL.