The Divisional Playoff Losers:

New Orleans Saints:

The Saints showed me that they are still a dangerous team...at the Dome...but for 2012, they're going to have to address their defense. Even though this was the year of the quarterback and we saw Madden video game stats, certain teams have shown that a defense can still make or break a contender. As for the offense, there is the issue of Marquis Colston, on if they'll resign him or let him walk and go into 2012 with Lance Moore.

Denver Broncos:

I've said it before and I will say it one more time. Tim Tebow needs a proper offseason, with training camp and workouts. He knows it. He's excited about it. Chances are that Eddie Royal won't be back, but it won't matter. Tebow, Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker should use this off season to figure out the next step. They will also need to figure out the successor for Willis McGahee, as he may only have 1 or 2 good seasons left in the tank, but it's never too early to think of getting a young workhorse. And also, tweak their defense a bit.

Houston Texans:

T.J. Yates did a good job getting the Texans farther than they've ever been. But I can't help but wonder what would have happened had Matt Schaub been in there. If the Texans can remain healthy, they may go even farther in 2012. Matt Schaub should be back, Andre Johnson should be healthy, Mario Williams should be healthy, and this team could be very scary. All I can think of right now for the draft, maybe look for their own Julio Jones type WR to take pressure off of Andre Johnson.

Green Bay Packers:

Defense. The Packers must address their defense. Plain and simple. I think Aaron Rodgers and the offense just had a bad day at the worst possible timing. But their defense was of no help at all. As I said with the Saints, a high powered offense can only get a team so far before it catches up. Will this theory catch up the Patriots? Only time will tell.

2012 NFL Opponents

AFC EAST

1. New England Patriots

Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

2. New York Jets

Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans,Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

3. Miami Dolphins

Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans,Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts,Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

4. Buffalo Bills

Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans,Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

Away: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts,Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

AFC NORTH

1. Baltimore Ravens

Home: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

Away: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

3. Cincinnati Bengals

Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

4. Cleveland Browns

Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

AFC SOUTH

1. Houston Texans

Home: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

Away: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

2. Tennessee Titans

Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

4. Indianapolis Colts

Home: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

Away: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

AFC WEST

1. Denver Broncos

Home: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Away: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

2. San Diego Chargers

Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

3. Oakland Raiders

Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

4. Kansas City Chiefs

Home: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

Away: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFC EAST

1. New York Giants

Home: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

Away: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals

2. Philadelphia Eagles

Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals

Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Dallas Cowboys

Home: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

Away: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals

4. Washington Redskins

Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals

Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

NFC NORTH

1. Green Bay Packers

Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

2. Detroit Lions

Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

Away: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

3. Chicago Bears

Home: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

Away: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

4. Minnesota Vikings

Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

NFC SOUTH

1. New Orleans Saints

Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers

Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders

2. Atlanta Falcons

Home: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders

Away: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers

3. Carolina Panthers

Home: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders

Away: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers

Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders

NFC WEST

1. San Francisco 49ers

Home: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

Away: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, New York Jets

2. Arizona Cardinals

Home: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

Away: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, New York Jets

3. Seattle Seahawks

Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New York Jets

Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

4. St. Louis Rams

Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots, New York Jets

Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

The Wild Card Losers

Cincinnati Bengals:

The Bengals took a step in the right direction in 2011. And if they play their cards right, they will have a very bright future. I'm glad that owner Mike Brown swallowed his pride and traded Carson Palmer for the Raiders' draft picks. I hope it hopes out for Cincinnati, as this could be the foundation of this decade. After all, remember when Mike Ditka traded away all of the New Orleans Saints picks to the Redskins to get Rickey Williams? Look how that worked out. The Redskins are still a horrible team and it took the Saints about 10 years to finally become a real championship contender. The Bengals have a great defense and what could be a very dangerous offense in time. What I'd like to see next? Continue cleaning house...and find a new running back who won't get himself arrested and suspended.

Detroit Lions:

Like the Bengals, the Lions took a step in the right direction. Matthew Stafford may not have been voted into the Pro Bowl, but he is already an elite quarterback in my mind. Calvin Johnson emerged as a top wide receiver and the defense looks very respectable. There's just a few issues to address. The main issue is running back. Kevin Smith looked great but his health may always be a concern. Once Javhid Best returns, both backs will be very valuable to Detroit. And to save on both their bodies, perhaps the Lions should consider adopting a New Orleans backfield and rotate their backs. It might take a New Orleans approach to challenge Green Bay in 2012.

Atlanta Falcons:

The Falcons may have taken a step back. Things looked sketchy to me since their embarrassment in Chicago in Week 1 and things still looked bad last week against the Giants. On defense, their secondary needs work. On offense, I think it'd be consistency. When healthy and in the game, Roddy White and Julio Jones made a great double threat. And Harry Douglas could be thrown into the mix to make a triple threat. But now it's time to start thinking about replacements for Tony Gonzalez and Michael Turner. Tony may have one more season left, and Turner is about to hit 30, an old man in running back terms. I wasn't overly impressed with Jacquizz Rodgers but I would have to see him get more carries in 2012 before I decide if he's starter worthy or not. The talent is there for Atlanta.

Pittsburgh Steelers:

Health is what doomed the Steelers in Denver. One could just chalk it up to bad timing with Ben Roethlisberger's high ankle sprain, Rashard Mendenhall's torn ACL and Ryan Clark sitting out due to his health. There's not too much I see for the Steelers to do, unless they start thinking about grabbing younger players to this aging defense. Not to mention, fixing their offensive line. Maybe even think about a young workhorse to take over for Mendenhall.

The NFC Teams that failed to make the playoffs

NFC East:

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys were a confusing team for me. But there is hope for 2012, now they should realize they have a triple threat of WRs in Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and Laurent Robinson, and along with TE Jason Witten. Once RB DeMarco Murray returns healthy, this could be a very dangerous offense. But the rub is...can Tony Romo take this team back into the playoffs? If he doesn't do it in 2012...he may find himself in the same position where Mark Sanchez is right now.

Philadelphia Eagles

I think it was just a case of bad team chemistry in the beginning of 2011, cramming new players in and throwing a foreign playbook their way. With a real off season and training camp, this Eagles team should hit 2012 like a hurricane. Just fix the offensive line, tweak the defense and we could have a potential run for the NFC Championship.

Washington Redskins

Before the season began, I thought there was talent on this team. Santana Moss, Jabar Gaffney, Fred Davis and Tim Hightower all came to mind. I think Moss and Gaffney have enough left in the tank for another run. Hopefully Fred Davis can keep his nose clean, as I think Chris Cooley may be reaching his limit. The only issues: a consistent running game, although I think Mike Shanahan should realize Roy Helu should be his primary back next season. The bigger issue, quarterback. I never liked Rex Grossman, although he had a few bright spots, I just don't believe he is the man to save Washington. I did like John Beck, but unfortunately, his regular season appearances didn't convince me he was the man either. Perhaps another team. If anything, I believe the Redskins should look at Matt Flynn, rather than draft a rookie QB. Especially for Mike Shanahan's sake. If he can't get anything going in 2012, he may be gone before the season is over. Then again, I said it before and I'll say it again, Washington seems to be a cesspool of wasted potential.

NFC North:

Chicago Bears:

I thought the Bears were an overrated team, coming off their 2010 NFC North champion season. But for most of the season when Jay Cutler and Matt Forte were on top of their game, the Bears looked like they could have challenged the Packers. The only issue on offense I would like to see resolved, aside from replacing Mike Martz, is to figure out what kind of offense they want to be. Months ago, I thought the WRs like Roy Williams and Johnny Knox were underperforming, but then I saw that Matt Forte was playing an O.J. Simpson role. If the Bears want to play where Forte is 50% of the offense, then that's just fine. The Ravens do it with Ray Rice and the Bills do it with Fred Jackson. I think of Forte sees increased time in 2012, they should work Kahlil Bell into the mix, as I see a real 1-2 punch with them. Course, all this means nothing if they can't reach a new deal with Forte.

Minnesota Vikings:

Very few remained from the team that came 1 game away from the Super Bowl in 2009. 2011 seemed like a distant cry. Donovan McNabb didn't last long, Bernard Berrain didn't even show up on the field and to end the season, Adrian Peterson tore his ACL and MCL. So, is there anything to look towards in 2012? I'd say yes. Christian Ponder and Joe Webb both showed great promise. Toby Gerhart should be a fine replacement until Peterson's return. It's time to think of another WR to create a double threat with Percy Harvin. The likes of Dwayne Bowe and Vincent Jackson come to mind. Marquis Colston is another name should he leave New Orleans. The Vikings should also focus on their pass defense, but I'm sure that will be addressed with the 2012 draft.

NFC South:

Carolina Panthers:

Cam Newton is the wave of the future. I think with him, it may only be a matter of time before the Panthers return to the Super Bowl. So quarterback should not be an issue for Carolina. The rest of the team however...if DeAngelo Williams would have played to what his contract is worth, that would be a big help. I know that Williams, Newton and Jonathan Stewart all put up great numbers on the ground, but 2012, they should fine tune this production. As for WRs, I'm sure they're happy Steve Smith returned, but now might be the time to think about a younger replacement. David Gettis should be back next season, and he may have what Demaryius Thomas had this season. And to address their run defense, but I remember the defense has its fair share of injuries.

Tampa Bay Buccanneers:

I don't blame Raheem Morris for everything that went wrong in 2011. Such as the interceptions that Josh Freeman kept making. And one can't blame a coach for lack of production, such as Mike Williams' sophomore slump. But the few things I do place blame on Morris has been the penalties and the lack of free agency signings. I don't know if he thought that the same 2010 squad would deliver even better results or if he observed how little the Lions did to their offense in the offseason but clearly this team needed veteran help. And still needs it. Some depth at running back would help, as there was a time when both Legarrette Blount and Ernest Graham were both down. And at least a veteran receiver to help the offense out, much like how Laurent Robinson helped the Cowboys offense. The defense is another story. It's in dire need of help.

NFC West:

Arizona Cardinals:

I thought with the addition of Kevin Kolb, the Cardinals would have delivered an 11-5 season and a division title. I said that the Cardinals were a quarterback away from being a winning team. Larry Fitzgerald and Beanie Wells to help Kolb out, I thought the pieces were in place. Now, I would say that John Skelton put in his case for being 2012 starter. Which would mean, what would become of Kolb? But that's up to the coaching staff in the coming months. A healthy Beanie Wells will do this team so many wonders. Patrick Peterson emerged as a great return specialist. Now it's time to figure out the defense.

Seattle Seahawks:

The Seahawks had a roller coaster season. They looked like one of the worst teams at times. They looked like contenders at times. Marshawn Lynch finally awoke in Beast Mode once more. I like Tarvaris Jackson and I think he should get another year to settle in at QB. Mike Williams should be released, as Doug Baldwin is clearly a better WR, and a healthy Sidney Rice would come in very handy. Just tweak the offense a little, kept the defense intact and who knows what could happen.

St. Louis Rams:

Never before have I realized how valuable a good offensive line is. And I'm sure that Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson would agree. Injuries riddled the Rams in 2011. Jeff Fisher has his work cut out for him this offseason, as the offensive line and the entire defense needs a lot of work. This defense made Ryan Torain look like a Pro Bowl running back, gave DeMarco Murray a 91 yard touchdown and allowed Beanie Wells to run 200 yards on a bum knee. How did this team beat the Saints again? It will be interesting to see how Fisher will use the #2 pick. A new anchor the offensive line? A possible successor to Steven Jackson? Their own Julio Jones or A.J. Green WR? A young pass rushing linebacker? This could determine the decade for the Rams.

My Thoughts the AFC teams that didn't make the playoffs.

2011 Team Recap & Suggestions:

NOTE: All 20 teams will benefit from having a real off-season, with training camps and time spent with coaching staff.

AFC East:

New York Jets:

I actually pegged the Jets as a 13-3 team this season, winning the AFC East and being a possible Super Bowl contender. All that pretty much hinged on how well Mark Sanchez would improve. Even though Sanchez had a mediocre year, I did not expect the Jets run defense to break down as they did. The secondary is still there, thankfully, and keeping that unit will be key to stay competitive in this division, especially since Tom Brady, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matt Moore will attack through the air. The defense has to improve their run defense. Santonio Holmes is another issue they will need to figure out. How reliable is Shone Greene? With LT most likely retiring, will we see more Joe McKnight?

Buffalo Bills:

A hot 3-0 start, including an upset over the Patriots had me thinking the Buffalo Bills were for real. I had this team projected as a 2-14 or 3-13 team. Coming into 2011, I thought the Bills were going to sleep through this season to get Andrew Luck in the draft. Trading away their veteran receiver Lee Evans and making no real move to replace him, I thought for sure this team was trying to fail. Even though they did finish 6-10, I saw signs that this could be a very dangerous team in 2012. Ryan Fitzpatrick has looked like Buffalo's solution for a long term QB. And when Fred Jackson comes back healthy, it will be a major boost for the Bills. There is still some issues at WR, on the fate of Steve Johnson or if the Bills are prepared to move on with David Nelson and Naaman Roosevelt. I would also like to see this offense work TE Scott Chandler more into the mix. He's been a good red zone target but I feel he's not properly utilized. But the biggest issue is to fix this awful defense. It might not be the players on this squad, it could be the staff. Look how Wade Philips turned the Texans defense around. Maybe the same could happen to Buffalo.

Miami Dolphins:

Adding the right coach could make all the difference for this Dolphins team. Matt Moore may have found a home in Miami, but if that's the case...what happens to Chad Henne? Reggie Bush too may have found a system that fits him. The run defense is there. A few tweaks to the secondary and who knows what could happen for Miami in 2012. But again, it could all depend on who will be the new head coach.

AFC North:

Cleveland Browns:

On a team with so many issues, the one cornerstone they can take into 2012 will be their pass defense. Management should definitely keep this group intact. However, the run defense could use a complete overhaul. As for offense, first thing's first...Peyton Hillis. A major disappointment from his 2010 explosion. He did not play like he deserves the money he wanted. Could be used in a possible trade. I do like Colt McCoy and I think he's one deep threat away from becoming a much better QB. With the likes of Vincent Jackson, Dwayne Bowe and maybe Steve Johnson hitting free agency, Cleveland could immediately upgrade their offense with one of these players.

AFC South:

Tennessee Titans:

9-7 is a fine way to end a season. Kenny Britt should come back healthy, Chris Johnson should return back to reality. Unfortunately, the defense might hit a snag should Courtland Finnegan hit free agency. But the bigger issue for me is quarterback. Is Matt Hasselbeck a caretaker quarterback? Just counting down until the day when Jake Locker can take over? Would Hasselbeck be okay with that role?

Jacksonville Jaguars:

One of the best running backs of 2011 and a formidable defense. The only thing left to do...is fix the awful passing game! Unlike Andy Dalton, Blaine Gabbert didn't have an A.J. Green or Jerome Simpson to throw to. And I don't blame Gabbert for 2011's poor stats. If anyone is to blame, it's former head coach Jack Del Rio. I wasn't a huge fan of David Gerrard, but he knew the system better than McCown and Gabbert. Perhaps a deep threat WR through free agency or the draft would help this team.

Indianapolis Colts:

I don't know Peyton Manning, I'm not around him and I imagine I will never get to know the answers to my questions. But I will still ask it. Why wait until May to get that surgery? Why didn't he get it the moment the 2010 season ended? It would have added about 3 months towards his recovery. But I don't know, maybe his surgeon was booked or maybe he kept putting it off for as long as possible. And yes, Bill Pollian should have started to consider a back-up plan the moment the Lock Out had been lifted. Bringing Kerry Collins out of retirement just days before the regular season was just an awful idea, and it's not that Collins didn't have anything left, it was throwing a new playbook at him that didn't help. Curtis Painter knew the system better than anyone else at the start of the season and I agree with Reggie Wayne that starting QB role should have been delegated to him. For 2012, they will have to figure out their defensive flaws and maybe even a new running back.

AFC West:

Oakland Raiders:

The Raiders were an odd team to me. There were moments they looked like divisional champions. And there were times they made the Colts look good. Even with Jason Campbell, Darren McFadden and a few other receivers out, there was still enough talent on this squad to get the job done. Carson Palmer was a bit rusty so I can't place blame entirely on him. If anything, I would blame the Raiders front office and Hue Jackson for questionable decisions. Such as benching Darrius Heyward-Bey for two games for no reason, other than to try out different WR formations like it was the preseason. For 2012, the offense doesn't need a lot of work save for Palmer's INT problem, but maybe they should even consider a running back-by-committee scheme like in New Orleans, especially with McFadden's injury history, I could see an all out ground assault with McFadden, Michael Bush and Taiwan Jones. But the bigger issue to tune up this defense.

San Diego Chargers:

A 4-1 start was something that San Diego had never seen in years. I had expected a 13-3 or 12-4 season. I'm not sure what went wrong, but it was simple and stupid mistakes, such as fumbling the ball in the final minutes in regulation at Kansas City. Or the several interceptions thrown against Green Bay. Or how Vincent Jackson would disappear from time to time. Should Jackson leave, I would expect that Malcolm Floyd and Vincent Brown could take over the starting WR spots with ease. Other than fixing up their defense, I'm not sure what else San Diego could do to get past this season.

Kansas City Chiefs:

Although I would like to say that injuries played a part with this team, but even when they had Matt Cassel and Jamaal Charles at the beginning of the season, something didn't look right with Kansas City. Now there will be new questions, on who should be the starting QB...Cassel or Kyle Orton. Frankly, I'm not really thriller with either one but I imagine I'd have to go with Cassel. Another issue is what will happen to Dwayne Bowe. Although if Bowe does leave, I imagine that Jon Baldwin will take over alongside Steve Breaston.

Week 16 Results

Well, I won 2 championships and lost the third.

I'll start with the bad news first:

Yahoo:

My Yahoo team, the Los Angeles Riots, were projected to lose 100.50-112.96.

They actually lost 74.90-100.94.

My opponent had Cam Newton and Arian Foster.

Several mistakes were made, such as starting the Houston defense without Wade Philips at the helm and I didn't expect Tony Romo to be out, leaving the rest of the Cowboys to suffer. I also made the mistake of starting Santana Moss over Jabar Gaffney, who was still on waivers. I also have Kevin Smith and Kahlil Bell on my bench. And if I want to go back even further, I'll still bring up the fact I dropped Victor Cruz months ago. Oh well, live and learn!

Now for the better news: The championships I did win!

CBS:

My team, The Scary One, was projected to win 109-103.

Through a very ugly game for both me and my opponent, I won 85-74.

Only C.J. Spiller scored double digits for me leading up to Sunday night football, as everyone else scored in the singles and by Sunday night, my opponent had me down 73-43. Remember that CBS will automatically give you a 20 point boost for defense and my opponent had the Bears defense in, so he actually had me down 93-43. I thought that even if Aaron Rodgers does well, the Packers would bench him in due time. 5 touchdown passes later, Rodgers shredded the Bears defense enough to allow me to win 85-74!

NFL:

My team, the Vegas Vegans, were projected to win 126.24-96.34.

The Vegans actually won 113.26-93.88 in what was my best game. I had Calvin Johnson, Victor Cruz, Maurice Jones-Drew and Julio Jones, all four helped cover the points I lost out on Philip Rivers and Willis McGahee. Winning this championship made me think about all the moves I've done over the season. I will discuss this more later.

Until then, I'm going to retire with the fact that I was able to win 2 championships in my first year of Fantasy Football!

Week 16 Championships!

Well, I made 3 championships this week.

Yahoo

Los Angeles Riots (7-3) vs Lame Ducks (9-1)

QB Tim Tebow vs. QB Cam Newton

WR Roddy White vs. WR Steve Smith

WR Santana Moss vs. WR Miles Austin

WR Laurent Robinson vs. WR Dez Bryant

RB Michael Bush vs. RB Arian Foster

RB C.J. Spiller vs. RB Willis McGahee

TE Tony Gonzalez vs. TE Rob Gronkowski

K Dan Bailey vs. K Jason Hanson

D Houston vs. D San Diego

Projected Winner: Lame Ducks 112.96-100.50

My opponent has a very solid team and she has only lost once this season...I was able to beat give her her one defeat, with Eli Manning and Darren Sproles icing the win that Monday Night. Now, I have Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez in for Monday Night while she has no one. Chances are, I'll be playing catch-up with her.

CBS Championship

The Scary One (7-3) vs Kitchener Sharks (6-4)

QB Aaron Rodgers vs QB Philip Rivers

RB C.J. Spiller vs. RB Ray Rice

RB Beanie Wells vs. RB Reggie Bush

WR Steve Smith vs. WR Vincent Jackson

WR Demaryius Thomas vs. WR Torrey Smith

WR Laurent Robinson vs WR Anquan Bolden

TE Aaron Hernandez vs. TE Rob Gronkowski

K Dan Bailey vs. K David Akers

D Redskins vs. D Bears

Projected Winner: At this moment, The Scary One is projected to win 109-103, but my opponent has to replace Bolden ASAP. Unless he throws Pierre Garcon in within the next 20 minutes, he will need to make room for a WR. My opponent got off to a rocky start while I started off 6-0, but he was able to give me my first loss of the season.

NFL Championship

Vegas Vegans (8-2) vs. Sons of Silence (8-2)

QB Philip Rivers vs. QB Drew Brees

RB Willis McGahee vs. RB Shone Greene

RB Maurice Jones-Drew vs. RB Frank Gore

WR Calvin Johnson vs. WR Roddy White

WR Victor Cruz vs. WR Dez Bryant

TE Tony Gonzalez vs. TE Jermichael Finley

WR Julio Jones vs. RB Felix Jones

K Mason Crosby vs. K Lawrence Tynes

D Bengals vs. D Eagles

Projected Winner: Vegas Vegans 126.24-96.34, although with Drew Brees on Monday Night Football, I expect the score to be much closer. I have beaten this opponent before, but I think it was a close game as well.

To everyone in their Championship games, I wish you all the best of luck.

And to everyone else playing consolation games, just have fun and finish out the season strong!