Then Dallas lost two heartbreakers to Arizona and the New York Giants late and the Cowboys were on their way to a 1-4 finish.
So what’s ahead for Jerry Jones, Jason Garrett and crew? Steven Mullenax, editor and head writer at The Landry Hat blog, recently shared his thoughts with Zoneblitz.

Zoneblitz: Are Jason Garrett and his current coaching staff the right mix for the Cowboys?

Mullenax: Only time will tell. The coaching staff had their ups and downs last season. But we also have to remember that they had a shorten off-season to prepare due to the NFL lockout. We’ll have to see what they can do with a full off-season program under their belts.

Zoneblitz: In recent years the Cowboys seem to have pretty solid talent. What is keeping this team from getting deep into the playoffs?

Mullenax: If you have the answer to this question, please e-mail Jerry Jones immediately. Just kidding. I think it’s been a combination of inconsistency, lack of mental toughness and just pure bad luck. There have also been some moves by the organization that has held the team back. The Roy Williams trade and the hiring of Wade Phillips as head coach come to mind.

Zoneblitz: Tony Romo is frequently criticized for the inability to take the Cowboys deep into the playoffs, but many cited him as one of this year’s biggest Pro Bowl snubs. Are you satisfied with his play?

Mullenax: Yes and No. Cowboy fans will never be satisfied with the play of Tony Romo until he wins a Super Bowl ring. Despite his stellar statistical season this year, his mental errors cost us at least two games (see New York Jets, Detroit Lions). And when your team was just one loss away from the playoffs, that criticism is going to be hard to shake.

Zoneblitz: The Cowboys’ offense certainly has a lot of talent at the skill positions. But DeMarco Murray and Felix Jones both had significant injury issues in 2011. Do you think the team needs additions there?

Mullenax: Yes. The team will be looking for help in the offensive backfield in either the draft or free agency.  Murray, Jones and Tanner were all injured and sat out significant time at some point last year. Also consider the fact that Jones is in his final contract year, and that’s even more of a reason to bring in running back help.

Zoneblitz: With Dez Bryant and Miles Austin on the roster, do you expect Laurent Robinson back?

Mullenax: Robinson may be the most important player to resign this off-season. Both Austin and Bryant missed games due to injury last year. Austin missed six games alone with hamstring issues. On top of that our third wideout going into the season, Kevin Ogletree, took major steps backwards in his development. At this point, Robinson is a must re-sign for the Boys.

Zoneblitz: One of the biggest issues this season seemed to be the defensive backfield. Can the current personnel turn the results around or do you expect significant changes? And how will Dave Campo’s leaving affect the unit?

Mullenax: Last season’s defense was one of the best in the league until mid-season. Then it all fell apart. But remember, Rob Ryan was implementing a new defensive scheme in a very shorten amount of time. This year, the team should be better prepared and hopefully able to extend their dominance further into the regular season. I do believe new defensive backfield help and pass rushers will be added to the team in the off-season. And I also believe the replacement of Dave Campo will ultimately help the defensive backfield.

Zoneblitz: How will the retirement of offensive line coach Hudson Houck and the hiring of Bill Callahan affect Dallas going forward and how did you think that unit performed in 2011?

Mullenax: I believe the addition of Callahan’s head coaching experience will bring a stability to Jason Garrett and his offensive play-calling. I expect to see an improvement in the young offensive line and the offense over-all.

Zoneblitz: Jerry Jones promised after the season to “look in the mirror.” Should Jones think about bringing in someone to at least work with him on player personnel issues? Will he?

Mullenax: He should, but he won’t. Jones bought the Cowboys to be the general manager. And it appears he would sell the team before he would bring in someone else to fill that role. It’s really not even a discussion with him. Jones believes he is the right man for the job…and the only man for the job.

Zoneblitz: What would you like to see the Cowboys do in free agency and the draft?

Mullenax: Obviously, there are needs in the defensive backfield, the defensive line, and the offensive line. I’d like to see an experienced free agent brought in for the inexperienced O-line. I also would like to find a quarterback in the draft who could possibly become Romo’s successor.

Follow The Landry Hat on Twitter at: @LandryHat
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Previous In Depth: Arizona Cardinals

That result seemed more satisfying to people than the results of Saturday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame voting. From the exclusion of Cris Carter, Andre Reed, Bill Parcells and Will Shields to the inclusion of Cortez Kennedy or Chris Doleman, most fans seemed to be upset about something – and with the immediacy of the Internet, many of them decided to let the voters know they were upset.

Some spewed epithets. Others called for entirely new voting panels. Most would benefit their arguments by at least spelling correctly the names of the candidates they support … but I digress.

At least a couple of voters invited discussions with the fans, acknowledging both the voters’ frustrations and, notably in some cases, even their own. Peter King from Sports Illustrated noted that all six players who were selected ultimately deserve to be inducted to the Hall – and on that I agree with him. There isn’t anyone going to Canton in 2012 who I would argue does not belong there.

I would say, however, that I don’t think they are necessarily the six MOST deserving players. And I don’t know that King would disagree with that either. He notes in another tweet specifically on the wide receiver logjam: “Seems a disagreement over which of the two – Carter, Reed – is most deserving.” And in another, in response to criticism from a fan who called for an entirely new panel of voters, he notes: “Not sure new panel could bridge Reed/Carter gulf.”

That’s also a fair point. Throw in Tim Brown, whom I argued at this linked post is the most qualified of the three, and you’ve got a situation where fans are perplexed and frustrated – and so are King and other voters.

That’s a problem. You’ve got three deserving candidates who, from the way it sounds, are not being held out of the Hall of Fame on merit, but on the inability of voters to come to a consensus around getting one of them in now so they can narrow the field and improve the odds of the other two in later years.

That becomes important as those guys’ careers become more and more memory and as those wide receivers playing now benefit from a more pass-happy game. Current players – and even some who have recently retired – who in some cases were not nearly the players that Brown, Reed and Carter were, put up stats that equaled or even exceeded them, simply because there were more opportunities. Guys who catch 100 passes a season were once a rarity. Now it happens almost every year.

So what do you do?

Well, at least one guy on Twitter suggested an entirely new voting panel. I think that’s going overboard. I believe the voters, by and large anyway, are dedicated, well-meaning, knowledgeable and trustworthy. Or at least I will believe that until I’m told otherwise. But what about some new panelists or an expansion of the voting panel? Major League Baseball has more than 1,000 voters. Does that make their process better? Arguable. And any new voter still is going to have to deal with the fact that there simply are a lot of qualified players right now, maybe more than ever.

In fact, that alone might be part of the problem. It’s always said that players are bigger, faster, stronger and more talented as a whole these days than they were in the past. These guys can afford to train year-round and don’t have to get jobs like their predecessors most often did through probably the early 1980s.

Maybe we have to face the fact that either A) The Hall needs to increase its class size and let more players in or B) Really tighten up the standards, realizing that the Hall is for the absolute best of the best of the best and acknowledge that, as such, some – often many – great, very qualified candidates are going to end up on the outside looking in.

I don’t know what the answer is. I’m hoping to do some digging around over the coming weeks and months to see if there are any great ideas out there. If you readers have any thoughts, please feel free to post them below.

In the meantime, let’s look at the good that was done on Saturday. Even though many of us agree that the six guys who will be inducted this summer might not be the first six guys we would have expected or hoped the voters would elect, they still did some good work.

Going into this weekend, the offensive line logjam was equally as troubling as the wide receiver one remains. Had Dermontti Dawson and Willie Roaf not been elected, they would still be on the board next year with returnee Will Shields. As it sits, Shields will be joined next year by Larry Allen and Jonathan Ogden. You could induct an entire class of Dawson, Roaf, Shields, Allen and Ogden, using up all of the available modern-day candidate slots, and nobody could say any of the candidates did not deserve to be there. But voters took care of two of the three this year.

They also started to clear up a defensive line mess. While I think Charles Haley was more deserving than Cortez Kennedy or Chris Doleman, I have no issue with the latter two being inducted. And that also loosens another logjam that would have been created if all three had been on the board as Michael Strahan and Warren Sapp join the list of eligible candidates next year.

So a fair amount of good was done this year.

Others have argued that Parcells and/or DeBartolo belong. Maybe they do. But with the other finalists this year and some of the other factors involved, I don’t have a problem with them waiting another year or two years. I’d take one or two of the three wide receivers as my next “in” over the two of them.

Regardless, at a limit of five modern-day candidates per year, we’re almost inevitably going to be having this conversation year after year after year. And while I think it is okay to be frustrated, I think calling for a voting panel or yelling epithets at the selection committee over Twitter is the wrong way to attack the problem, at least in part because it seems at least some of them are frustrated by what is going on too.

Joining them at the Aug. 4 induction ceremony will be senior Jack Butler, a senior nominee.

The Steelers fared particularly well, with Dawson and Butler entering the Hall. Dawson played center for Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2000. Butler was a four-time Pro Bowl defensive back for them from 1951 to 1959.

Doleman was an eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end for Minnesota, San Francisco and Atlanta from 1985 to 1999. Kennedy spent his entire 11-year career with Seattle. He made eight Pro Bowls during that span.

Five-time Pro Bowler Martin played split his 11-year between New England and the New York Jets. He ran for 14,101 yards and reached the 1,000 yard mark during his first 10 years in the league. And Roaf was a dominant left tackle for New Orleans and Kansas City during a 13-year career that included 11 Pro Bowls.

The new class was selected by a 44-person selection committee Saturday afternoon in Indianapolis. The group was announced this evening on the NFL Network’s Road to Canton show.

Other finalists included Cris Carter, Charles Haley, Andre Reed, Aeneas Williams, Bill Parcells, Tim Brown, Jerome Bettis, Kevin Greene, Will Shields, former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr. and Dick Stanfel, a second senior nominee.

The new class helps reduce an abundance of offensive linemen that will only get deeper starting next year when Larry Allen and Jonathan Ogden become eligible.

Perhaps surprising is that the class does not reduce the long list of wide receivers attempting to gain entry to the Hall. Carter, Brown and Reed will soon face additional competition from other star wideouts, such as Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss become eligible in years ahead.

The committee’s decision to not enshrine Haley and Parcells this year was mentioned by some analysts as surprising.

The selection committee had narrowed the field to 15 modern era finalists in January. Before that they had reduced the list to 26 from an original group of 105 preliminary nominees.

Stanfel and Butler were nominated in August 2011. Senior nominees are selected by a special committee that reviews the qualifications of players whose careers ended more than 25 years ago. Unlike the modern-era candidates, who are discussed and winnowed throughout the process, senior nominees move directly to the finalist vote.

We predicted in November that Reed, Roaf, Dawson, Martin and Parcells would get in from the modern-era nominees. Several readers posted their guesses today.

Last year’s inductees were Richard Dent, Marshall Faulk, Chris Hanburger, Deion Sanders, Shannon Sharpe, Les Richter and Ed Sabol, the man who started NFL Films.

And, of course, our Class of 2013 predictions, which we promise will be posted a lot sooner than November this time around.

Below are the final 2012 hall of fame class predictions that we’ve been able to scrape from the comments–let me know (tony(at)zoneblitz.com or in the comments section) if you’d like to be added to the list…

But closing 7-2 on the strength of a mostly strong defensive performance has at least some Cardinals fans optimistic about the future. The quarterback situation is in flux, the running back position has some question marks, the team needs more consistent play from wide receivers not named Fitzgerald and the offensive line needs some upgrades.

Even with those issues, the blog Raising Zona’s Lead Writer Scott Allen says he thinks the Cardinals’ future is bright. Here’s what he had to say:

Zoneblitz: John Skelton won six of eight starts. Arizona gave up a lot for Kevin Kolb. Is the Cardinals quarterback of the future currently on the team’s roster?

Scott Allen: I would say chances are yes he is. The Peyton Manning rumors are great and I truly believe he’d want to play here if he was healthy, but the Cardinals would have to spend a lot of money to get him. They owe Kevin Kolb a $7 million option on March 17th and I just can’t see the Cards declining his option without knowing if Manning is going to be able to play. Skelton played admirably in 2011 however I don’t think his future is as a full-time starter. Kolb probably gets one more shot in 2012 to prove his worth. He wasn’t a complete bust as some might be led to believe.

Zoneblitz: Beanie Wells put up 1,000 and 10, but much of his success came in two or three big games. With him and Ryan Williams, are the Cardinals set at running back or do they still need more resources at that spot?

Allen: Two questions that need to be answered first before I can give a 100 percent honest answer on this question. Can Beanie Wells stay healthy for a whole season? He played injured this season and only missed two games. In the St. Louis game, he got hurt on three separate occasions that in prior seasons with a decent backup, would have put him out a couple of weeks at least. He stayed in and had his best game of the season. Second question – can Williams rebound from his season-ending injury in Green Bay in the preseason? I think Williams has a great future in the NFL if healthy.

Zoneblitz: It’s appeared to me even back as far as the Super Bowl season that Arizona could use a couple offensive linemen. How do you assess that position?

Allen: Just a couple of offensive linemen? I think they could use a complete overhaul, but that’s just me.

Zoneblitz: Larry Fitzgerald is one of the top wideouts in the game but what about his supporting cast in the passing game? Has anyone stepped up in the number two receiver spot?

Allen: Not yet. A couple of players tried. Andre Roberts and Early Doucet. Both certainly had their great moments in 2011 but neither was consistent enough to be considered a number two. Time might be running out on Doucet. Roberts will probably be the number three in 2012. I do see the Cards drafting a receiver high in the draft.

Zoneblitz: The defense gave up nearly 90 points less in 2011 than 2010. Where has it improved and where does it still need work?

Allen: The thing with the defense was that they did give up fewer points because although they gave up a lot of yards between the 20′s, inside the red zone they were terrific. They held a lot of offenses to field goals rather than touchdowns. In the game against the San Francisco 49′ers in San Francisco in November, in the first half they only allowed the Niners to score nine points on six drives. David Akers was 3-6 on field goal attempts.

The Cards defense came up big when it counted most. It kept the Cards in the game, one they eventually lost 23-7 after giving up a couple of touchdowns after turnovers in the second half. Of course the defense still needs to improve – especially in the secondary, but they will get Greg Toler back in 2012 after he missed the entire season. The Cards’ defensive line may not be the biggest in the NFL, but man they sure do know how to bring it and that was also a huge reason why they were able to limit the points.

Zoneblitz: At 8-8, the Cardinals finished second in the NFC West. But San Francisco won the division hands down. How much of a gap is there between the two teams and how far are the Cardinals from contending for the playoffs and division title?

Allen: Not as much of a gap as you would be led to believe. They split the season series with the Niners. Turnovers killed them in the first game against them. The Cards easily left five wins on the field. They lost to the Washington Redskins 22-21 and fumbled on their last drive. They lost to the Seattle Seahawks 13-10 in a game Seattle had no business winning. They lost to the New York Giants 31-27 after leading 27-17 with just five minutes left in the game. The defense had one of its few lapses of the season and the Giants were the beneficiary of a couple of egregious calls that should have gone the Cards way.

Then there was the loss to the Baltimore Ravens loss 30-27. That was a game they led 24-3 at one point – in Baltimore. That was a collapse of epic proportions. That was also the game where they lost Kevin Kolb for a month with turf toe. They also had a great opportunity to win in Cincinnati. After being down 23-16, the Bengals had to hold on after the Cards had four clear shots at the end zone at the end of the game and would have tied it had Early Doucet not tripped over his own feet on a wide open pass.

The Cards were their own worst enemy in 2011. Sure, they could have been a lot better and had they been, they would have won those close games. They easily could have finished 13-3 as well. However they weren’t, so would’ve, could’ve, should’ve.

Zoneblitz: It’d be hard to talk about the 2011 Cardinals without mentioning Patrick Peterson. He was great as a returner. I’d heard he was having ups and downs early as a defensive back. What is your assessment of his season and his future?

Allen: Peterson will get better as a cornerback. He had an interception in the Pro Bowl. He was thrust into the starting position a little quicker than the Cards wanted coming off a lockout. They had planned on him starting at some point in 2011, but all season was necessitated by injury. It’s tough to throw a rookie back there as your “main guy” but especially when there was no offseason to prepare. I look for him to find better balance between the two positions in 2012.

Zoneblitz: I was reading where Arizona’s kicker, punter and long snapper all are in their mid-30s and all free agents. What did you think of their performances in 2011 and who among them should be re-signed?

Allen: Jay Feely spends more time on Twitter giving me his political views than he does impressing me on the football field, but he’s serviceable. Long snapper Mike Leach is serviceable as well. He makes few mistakes, so I’m good with him. Long snappers can have a long life in the NFL. The punter is a position I know the Cards continually look at. It would not surprise me if Dave Zastudil doesn’t make it through the 2012 season, however we shall see.

Zoneblitz: What would you like to see the Cardinals do in free agency and the draft?

Allen: I think the Cards will be very active in free agency. I think they look at upgrading the offensive line, probably looking at free agency first. The wide receiver core (unless they plan on getting a top notch one in the draft – but both would be fine by me). I can see them trying to find a linebacker to replace Joey Porter and Clark Haggans. That’s another position that could be in the draft plans.

Zoneblitz: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Allen: Yes, the Cards will be back in the playoffs in 2012.

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Previous In Depth: Seattle Seahawks
Next In Depth: Dallas Cowboys

He gained so much respect for his efforts that teammates and coaches often referred to him as a sixth offensive lineman. And ESPN analyst Merril Hoge in 2000 reportedly called Goodwin the best blocking tight end in the league, saying he could block any defensive end without assistance.

Goodwin’s journey to the NFL began with with Texas A&M-Kingsville. He then walked on to the football team at Texas A&M. He starred there for two years as an All-Southwest Conference offensive tackle. And when Goodwin left, he was on his way toward an agricultural economics degree and a he had earned a shot with the Vikings.

Goodwin attributes his success in the NFL to grit and determination. He’s working just as hard in the decade-plus since he left football behind, establishing himself as a player in the real estate industry and filling his time with several community- and charity-based endeavors. Goodwin recently took some time with Zoneblitz.com to reflect on his football days and give an update on how what he’s been doing since moving on from the game.

Zoneblitz: You’re the president of Oldham Goodwin Group (he along with partner Casey Oldham, another Texas A&M graduate, were co-honored by the Better Business Bureau in 2010 as “boss of the year”). What is your company’s focus and what is your role?

Hunter Goodwin: My company’s focus us summed up in our mission statement: Maximize value creation for all stakeholders by providing integrated commercial real estate services to select market segments.  We have a distinct accessible expertise and connection with our target markets.

Zoneblitz: What post-NFL route took you here and what are your future goals?

Goodwin: The route that led me to my current profession actually happened while I played. I invested in commercial real estate holdings. My future goals are to continue to grow a reputable company in the commercial real estate sector, with a focus on central Texas.

Zoneblitz: You’ve been on the City of College Station Design Review Board – what does that do and why were you interested?

Goodwin: I am very involved day to day with the City and city officials and due to my construction/development knowledge, I was appointed to the position by City Council. My interest revolves around my industry knowledge, which is required to be effective in the capacity of this board’s service.

Zoneblitz: I’ve also read that you are connected to several charitable and volunteer activities, such as Habitat for Humanity, the Special Olympics and the Cystic Fibrosis foundation. Did I miss any? And what is your motivation here?

Goodwin: I am the current Chairman of the Board for the Bryan-College Station Convention and Visitors Bureau. I have served on the general board for many years, but was elected by my fellow board members to chair in 2009. My activity with the CVB is largely motivated by my investment in tourism (owning hotels), and a passion for tourism.

I currently serve on a board for Scotty’s House, which focuses on abused children. I was motivated to join this group and help on their building committee many years ago, once again due to my construction knowledge, contacts within each city (Bryan and College Station) and name recognition to raise awareness, problem solve, and utilize my relationships with both cities for the greater good of our purpose at Scotty’s house.

I believe in our mission and what we do and I think it makes a huge difference in my community, as well as surrounding communities that we serve.

I’m also the current president of the Texas A&M Lettermen’s Association as well for 2012. I was also voted by membership as their president.  My passion for this is my tie back to alumni, former Lettermen and the greatest University in the world, Texas A&M.

I volunteer with Special Olympics. I have a cousin with Cerebral Palsy and he is my motivation. I also do some work with FCA, my motivation there was perpetuating a positive program that had a positive impact on me as a human being.

Zoneblitz: When did you start preparing for your career after football?

Goodwin: I started preparing for my career after football while I was playing.  I worked really hard to make important relationships during my collegiate career. Now many of those contacts have become clients and customers.  Also, I started doing development projects during my playing career and I believe this was critical with respect to successfully transitioning to “life after the game.”

Zoneblitz: You went from a walk-on at Texas A&M to an eight-year NFL career. What made that happen?

Goodwin: Grit, determination and great coaches:  Juan Castillo, Mike Sherman and Jimmy Johnson to name a few. And I had great supportive parents.

Zoneblitz: As a Minnesotan, I remember you from the 1998 Vikings team that broke all sorts of records. What was that season like and what are a couple of your best memories from playing in the NFL?

Goodwin: 1998 was a phenomenal year. It was my favorite of my career. We had great leadership on that team and an honest belief that we could beat anyone. Head Coach Dennis Green did a fantastic job that year. My best memory was beating Green Bay in Green Bay several times and lighting up the Dallas Cowboys in 1998 on Thanksgiving day. They were an old team and we beat the hell out of them at home, pretty fun for a kid from Texas to do that.

Zoneblitz: I know you’ve been involved in calling Texas A&M football games? Do you still do that and do you maintain other connections to football?

Goodwin: Yes, I am part owner of the number one fan site in Aggieland called Texags.com. I do a pre-game radio show for all Texas A&M football games and I also write an article as well.

Zoneblitz: What do you miss about playing football and how were you able to successfully move on from the game?

Goodwin: I miss some of my teammates; I miss the unity and closeness of a locker room. I miss the intoxication of game day. I was successful in my transition largely due to my constant investment going all the way back to college. I did NOT wait for it all to end. I always realized it would end and could end at any time and planned accordingly.

Zoneblitz: What else keeps you busy these days?

Goodwin: I love my kids and enjoy teaching my son how to hunt, fish and have a passion for the outdoors.

Zoneblitz: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Goodwin: I would love to write a book someday about how to successfully transition from the NFL to life after. I have learned some valuable things that I think would benefit others on how this is done. I do NOT feel sorry for those that played in the NFL and lost it all. You are responsible for your choices and I could have told you in 30 seconds or less who would be broke and who would be successful. The NFL is a cherished honor, NOT an entitled right. Those that treat it as an honor do well both during and after, those that treat it as an entitlement exit early and struggle eternally.

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There are a number of areas where the Seahawks still have room for significant improvement. But if they can add a few pieces this team could be a threat as soon as 2012, says Keith Myers, editor and lead writer of the Seahawks’ fan blog called 12th Man Rising. Myers recently shared his thoughts on where Seattle should be headed from here with Zoneblitz. Here’s what he had to say:

Zoneblitz: Is Tarvaris Jackson a long-term answer at quarterback or will the team have to address that position again?

Keith Myers: He isn’t a long term answer, but he never was meant to be. Jackson was brought in on a two-year contract to provide a bridge until the next franchise quarterback could be found. Everyone expects the Seahawks the address the position in some way this offseason.

Zoneblitz: Will Marshawn Lynch be back in 2012 and if so, will he repeat the season he had in 2011?

Myers: It’s hard to imagine that he won’t be back in 2012. Lynch is a perfect fit for the offense that the Seahawks are trying to run. Lynch is a free agent, and still young enough to demand a big contract, so anything is possible. But Lynch has talked about wanted to stay in Seattle, and that he doesn’t feel the need to the test free agency. Re-signing Lynch is clearly a priority for the Seahawks.

Zoneblitz: The Seahawks invested heavily in the offensive line with James Carpenter and John Moffitt at the draft in 2011. How have they developed?

Myers: They didn’t develop quite as much as the Seahawks had hoped. Not having a proper off-season really hurt them. Moffitt improved steadily throughout the season until his knee injury. He’ll clearly be back in the starting lineup in 2012.

Carpenter is another story though. He struggled early on, and it clearly affected his confidence. As a result, while he improved in some areas, he also regressed in others. The talent is there, but he needs time to develop before he’ll make the type of impact the Seahawks expected when they selected him in the first round. Compounding the problem was that he suffered a major knee injury that ended his season. He’ll miss the entire offseason program, and likely won’t be ready for the start of training camp. Carpenter might actually start the year on the PUP list, so the Seahawks will need to be prepared to have someone else start at right tackle in 2012

Zoneblitz: After a 2-6 start, Seattle won five of six and started playing much better. What happened to create the turnaround?

Myers: The Seahawks were an extremely young team in 2011, and with the limited off-season, they really struggled in many different aspects of the game. As the season went along different groups started playing together and improving. As far as wins and losses go, mostly it was that the young offensive line finally starting to gel, allowing the running game to get take off. It also allowed Tarvaris Jackson a little extra time, when meant more consistency in the passing game as well.

Zoneblitz: Seattle has Sidney Rice, who is good when healthy, but often isn’t, and a number of other on-again, off-again wide receivers. Are the passing weapons necessary to win on the roster or does the team have to go outside the organization to improve there?

Myers: There’s talent at the position, but it still needs some work. As you said, Rice is a major weapon when healthy. Doug Baldwin is one of the best slot receivers in the NFL even though he went undrafted. There’s also Ricardo Lockette and Kris Durham, who are young and but untested, seem to have the talent to play in this League.

The team does have tough decisions to make on Deon Butler, Golden Tate, Mike Williams and Ben Obomanu. This group is clearly talented and has shown the ability to be productive at times, but also are not consistent contributors even when given consistent playing time. I could see only one from this group returning next season.

Zoneblitz: Coach Pete Carroll talked after the season about needing more speed at linebacker. Do you agree? What other upgrades could enhance what appeared to be a fairly competitive defense?

Myers: Linebacker is definitely a need this offseason. The Seahawks really struggled covering backs out of the backfield on passing plays, and tight ends, and they also struggled with mobile quarterbacks like San Francisco’s Alex Smith. The linebackers were great against the run, but against the pass they were a major weakness. The Seahawks also need to upgrade their pass rush, though I should note that even with their inconsistent pass rush and poor linebacker play, the Seahawks defense ranked ninth in the league.

Ultimately, the one position that would make the most difference for this team is quarterback. With an upgrade there, the Seahawks easily could have won three or four more games this past season.

Zoneblitz: San Francisco emerged in the NFC West this year. How far away is Seattle from competing again for the division and the playoffs?

Myers: The Seahawks aren’t very far off at all. They were one to two plays away from beating the 49ers in both games in 2011. The Niners also were extremely lucky in 2011 with their turnovers and lack of injuries. This entire division is much closer than people realize.

Zoneblitz: What would you like to see the Seahawks do in the draft and free agency?

Myers: The Seahawks need to do something at quarterback. Jackson played well enough in 2011 to allow the Seahawks to draft a “project” QB (like Brock Osweiler or Ryan Tannehill) if need be. If they don’t, then they’ll need to find an upgrade at the position via free agency. Someone like Matt Flynn or Jason Campbell perhaps, while they wait another year before trying to draft a quarterback of the future. They also need to find depth at running back behind Lynch.

The Seahawks also need to upgrade linebacker, and improve their pass rush. That can come via either a new defensive end to play opposite Chris Clemons on passing downs, or a pass rush specialist at defensive tackle, or both.

Zoneblitz: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Myers: The Seahawks are much more talented than people think. The national media played them off as a team with expansion level talent and they couldn’t be more wrong. This is a team with a top three rush defense (in terms of yards per carry) and a top 10 pass defense despite not having a good pass rush. They’ve also got a top 10 rushing attack and decent talent at tight end and wide receiver. Don’t let the guys at EPSN fool you into thinking this team doesn’t have talent.

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Previous In Depth: Kansas City Chiefs
Next In Depth: Arizona Cardinals

So perhaps it’s for the best that the season ends Sunday.

The New York Giants and New England engage in their rematch. Tell you what — I thought I had a pretty good read on their first Super Bowl matchup. I picked the Patriots to win the AFC and the Super Bowl during a trek to Vegas before training camp started.

And it looked pretty good until David Tyree pinned that miracle catch to his helmet, ultimately helping cost me a nice payday.

I was pretty confident in the Patriots that season. I feel less strongly about either of the participants this year. The Giants are playing the more well-rounded football right now. But the Patriots offense can come together and outscore anyone when they are on.

I picked the Patriots to win straight-up in our other post, but I don’t feel strongly about it. So what would I do if I was in Vegas this time around?

New England (-3) vs New York Giants — Ultimately this game feels to me like a toss-up. I don’t really have any idea who is going to win or by how much. It sounds like Bill Belichick has been more relaxed than normal in the week leading up to the game. And as my brother mentioned in our pick post the other day, that makes me suspicious that he has found something.

But ultimately this bet comes down to this: at the casinos where you can get the Patriots at -3 right now, you’re generally getting them at +100 or even +105 as opposed to the standard -110 for the Giants at +3. So if I’m going to flip a coin to decide which team to bet on I might as well get the better payoff if I win.

New England vs New York Giants: Under 54 — I actually feel a little bit better about this pick than the other one. The Giants have only given up 39 points in three playoff games, including holding explosive Green Bay to 20 points, 14 of which could be directly attributed to questionable officiating calls. And while the Patriots have been abysmal defensively all season long, they’ve given up just 30 points in two playoff games.

Plus, I like Bill Belichick’s chances of coming up with some clever way to limit Tom Coughlin, Eli Manning, Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, et al.
I’m not necessarily expecting this to be a low-scoring game. The offenses are too good. But I expect a game much like many of the Vegas experts cited in the linked piece do — close until the end with the teams ultimately scoring somewhere in the mid-20s. How about 28-24 Patriots?

Works for me.

The Chiefs came back to Earth in 2011, however, as injuries combined with a tougher schedule to ruin expectations, ultimately costing Todd Haley his head coaching position.

It’s an important off-season, with several important players returning from injuries (Jamaal Charles, Matt Cassel, Tony Moeaki, Eric Berry to name a few) and more up for free agency (Dwayne Bowe). Lifelong Chiefs fan Patrick Allen is the senior editor of the Arrowhead Addict blog. He gave us some thoughts on how 2011 went and what’s in store for 2012.

Zoneblitz: What went wrong in 2011 after such a positive 2010 season?

Patrick Allen: What didn’t go wrong? Primarily, the Chiefs suffered from injuries they just couldn’t overcome. I know all team’s go through injuries but KC just wasn’t deep enough to deal with it. The 2010 team had no major injuries, which was remarkable. In 2011, the team lost their starting safety, RB, QB and TE. The first three were Pro Bowlers in 2012.

The fact that they still finished 7-9, with a tough schedule, is actually kind of impressive in my book.

Zoneblitz: The Chiefs had a lot of injuries but still started playing better as the season went along. Do you agree with the firing of Todd Haley?

Allen: Yes. Todd just made too many questionable decisions during his tenure. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt but I just couldn’t support him after he started Tyler Palko for four games. He also continued to let Barry Richardson play right tackle (he’s the worst tackle in the NFL) while keeping Jared Gaither on the bench. Gaither was later cut and went on to join the Chargers where he played REALLY well. Those mistakes, along with his other antics, were just too much for me.

Zoneblitz: What do you think of the hiring of Romeo Crennel?

Allen: I think it is a great hire. KC’s strength is on defense and it was essential that Romeo be kept around. He’ll be a solid coach that if given enough talent, could lead the Chiefs to a championship.

Zoneblitz: So what is the more accurate snapshot of where the Chiefs are at, 2010 or 2011? Will they return to the top of the division in 2012?

Allen: The NFL is so crazy you can never tell. That being said, I think that if their injury luck changes, they’ll have a strong case to be the division favorite. They’ll need another strong draft and free agency period to get there though. The team must add quality depth.

Zoneblitz: What is the word on the recoveries of Jamaal Charles, Tony Moeaki and Eric Berry?

Allen: They were all injured a week apart and they are rehabbing together. They should all be back in time for offseason workouts. Whether or not they will have lost any explosiveness remains to be seen.

Zoneblitz: With the new coaching staff do you expect Charles to get a heavier workload or will there still be a timeshare?

Allen: I think he’ll be treated with care. The Chiefs will likely bring in another quality back to pair with him so you won’t notice his absence on the field as much. In the clutch though, I think they’ll go to Jamaal so I could see his carries increasing a bit. A smart offensive coordinator will use him more often in the short passing game.

Zoneblitz: What are your thoughts on Matt Cassel’s development as the starter in Kansas City?

Allen: I think Matt Cassel is about as good as he is ever going to get. I think the situation around him could improve enough for him to win a playoff game. I think the season Alex Smith had this year is evidence of that. But I am still not sold that he can win it all.

Zoneblitz: Will Dwayne Bowe return?

Allen: He’d better. I think the Chiefs will franchise him at the very least.

Zoneblitz: What would you like to see the Chiefs do in the draft and free agency?

Allen: I would like to see them do what it takes to trade up and select Robert Griffin but they’ll never do it. I think if the Chiefs keep dragging their feet on selecting a franchise quarterback they will miss their window.

Otherwise, they need to add a starting right tackle and depth along their offensive line. They could use one more veteran receiver and two more tight ends. On defense they are okay but they need depth at safety.

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Previous In Depth: Buffalo Bills
Next In Depth: Seattle Seahawks

Before we get to our Super Bowl predictions, here’s a quick recap of our picks for the season.

I won the regular season competition with my brother, hitting a fairly solid 172-84 mark, three games ahead of Tony.

Those results have flip-flopped in the playoffs. I have been terrible, missing both Championship Weekend games and dropping to 3-7. Tony hit both of those games, moving his mark to 7-3. This has been an ugly turn of events.

And I’m not sure I have a real good read on the Super Bowl either, but we’ll give it a go anyway.

Andy:

New England vs New York Giants:

People have been calling this a rematch of the 2008 Super Bowl, but other than the jerseys, that’s really not the case. There are only something like 22 players remaining from the teams that met the evening New York thwarted New England’s efforts to go 18-0 (which also thwarted my efforts to cash in on a preseason bet I made in Las Vegas that New England would win the Super Bowl).

Just 24 players in total remain on the rosters from that game.

But the head coaches and the basic philosophies are still largely the same. The Patriots will try to throw the ball all over the place. The Giants also will wing the ball around while trying on defense to counteract the passing game with a rotating set of defensive linemen bringing a ferocious pass rush.

It’ll be fun to again watch two of the game’s best coaches, Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin, match wits.

Where in 2008 the Patriots came in the heavy favorite, this year the Giants seem to be the popular pick, despite a point spread favoring New England. New England’s defense has been a sieve, particularly in the pass game. So Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz could be up for big games.

The Giants still have the heavy rushers that caused Tom Brady problems in the 2008 game, but New England has a different collection of weapons in Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski this time around.

I think the loss that ended New England’s perfect season has stuck in Belichick’s craw for nearly four years. And I think he is going to come out with some kind of wrinkle that will turn the game the way of the Patriots. This wasn’t the Super Bowl matchup I expected when the playoffs started and it wasn’t the game I was hoping for when the Championship games kicked off a week-and-change ago. But I do think the chess match between Belichick and Coughlin will make this a game worth tuning in to see.

Winner: New England

Tony:

New England vs New York Giants:

In 2008, following a perfect 16-0 regular season, the underdog New York Giants provided not only the blueprint for how teams could beat the New England Patriots, but how four years later they would knock the odds-on-favorite Green Bay Packers out of the playoffs in the divisional round.

The keys:

• Generate a pass rush with four down linemen, allowing for seven in coverage- Take the deep threat out of the game (as much as possible) by being aggressive with Randy Moss off the line of scrimmage.
• Limit YAC on underneath passes to Wes Welker with sure tackling.
• Limit the rushing attack.
• Force the run, even if it is not 100 percent effective, to take time off the clock and limit scoring chances.

The Giants have continued to use this formula well in 2011, and will presumably try to utilize it again on Sunday.

However, I think Bill Belichick has been scheming for this matchup – not specifically the Giants, but someone who would use this formula since the loss in 2008. Specifically, getting rid of Randy Moss and adding two talented tight ends (in the same draft), and adding a first round offensive tackle and two early round running backs in this season’s draft.

Instead of relying heavily on the vertical passing threat of Moss, the Patriots can utilize Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez in multiple ways – screens, short to intermediate passes, deeper threats when need be, and in the case of Hernandez, even in the running game, in recent weeks.  With Welker still in the mix, that provides three serious threats that the Giants have to cover, rather than just two–and the Giants have struggled mightily against top tier TE this season. They also have a better 4th option this year (Deion Branch), and assuming he is active, I wouldn’t overlook Chad Ochocinco as a vertical threat–he didn’t play much or well during the season, but it would be just like Bill Belichick to break out an unexpected weapon in the Super Bowl.

At the end of the day, I just don’t think that the Giants have enough on defense to match their 2008 feat–I do think it will be a decent game, but I’m picking the Patriots to prevail.

Winner: New England

*** As a side prediction: I don’t have any insider knowledge into this, but I wouldn’t be totally surprised if this was Bill Belichick’s last game as head coach of the Patriots, especially if they win.  Between actually allowing NFL Network unprecedented access to a season of football with him last year, to probably realizing that core players like Tom Brady are starting to show some signs of age and his defense being held together with smoke and mirrors, I could see him hanging it up and riding into the sunset.