NFL season wrap-up

A look back at what my playoff and regular season picks were for the season.
I didn't do too bad. (3/6 on NFC teams 4/6 on AFC) (15 Pro Bowl starters. Several others I picked are alternates)

Here were my picks from mid-season review.

Let's recap all the things I was dumb enough to open my mouth about.

Team most likely to have a major drop off from last year:
My picks: Dolphins, Cardinals, Panthers, Broncos
Result: pretty good
Dolphins, Panthers and Broncos finished better than I though at 8-8 but missed the playoffs. Cardinals are the same team as last year and will need another miracle run to make the Super Bowl again this year.

Player most likely to have a down year:
My Picks: Jay Cutler - QB Bears; Anquan Boldin - WR Cardinals
Result: Cutler- Jackpot; Boldin - ok
Cutler lead the NFL in INTs and if it were not for a great last 2 games of the year, had a good chance to have the most INTs in the last 34 years in the NFL. Boldin still got to 84 catches and over 1,000 yards but finished with only 4 TDs

Player most likely to have a return to All Pro:
My picks: Larry Johnson - RB Chiefs; Joseph Addai - RB Colts
Results: Major strike out
Can I take a mulligan on this one? Johnson has been a disaster but somehow weaseled into the playoffs. Addai has scored a lot of TDs, but the Colts continue to struggle to run the ball.

Team most likely to shock the NFL:
My picks: San Francisco 49ers; New Orleans Saints
Result: Jackpot
Saints flirted with perfection till a late season collapse, but still finished as the NFC's #1 seed at 13-3. 49ers had an up and down year, but did finish 8-8.

Break-out Player of the Year:
My picks: Leon Washington - RB Jets; Jonathan Vilma - LB Saints
Result: Not quite there
Washington was hurt for most of the season. Vilma made the Pro Bowl as a back up.

Now my bold predictions from Mid-Season.

1) Neither the Saints or Colts will finish 16-0.
Result: Winner
Not that crazy of a pick. NFL is just too hard to do this, and they were both going to rest their starters.

2) Chris Johnson will break the rushing record this year (2,105 yards)
Result: Almost
He did break the yards from scrimmage record and ended up with 2,006 rushing yards. I expected him to have at least 2 more of those 200+ yard games in his final 8, but never did.

3) The New York Giants will finish 8-8
Result: Winner
Despite starting 5-0, they completely collapsed on Eli's injured heel. Who knew their defense would be that bad?

4) The Houston Texans will make the playoffs
Result: Missed it by a hair
Had the Colts and Bengals not phoned in their games to the Jets in the last 2 weeks, Houston would have been in. The Texans should have won 1 more game and gotten in regardless, but at least they finished with their first winning season ever (9-7).

5) 7 teams will finish 4-12 or worse
Result: Close
Oakland and Cleveland both managed to beat the Steelers and got to 5 wins. As for the rest of the teams... ouch.