NFL 2011 a Wild Year

     I for one have to admit this was a particularly exciting year though admittedly I think that every year. But this year you had something that I enjoy more than anything-lots of high octane offense. Lots of points scored and yards gained.

     This was a record setting year for teams and QBs. Marino's 1984 record was challenged by about 5 different QBs-Drew Brees ended up smashing the record. On Sunday, the Green Bay Packers beat the Detroit Lions in a record setting game for both teams. This with Aaron Rogers on the bench. The backup Matt Flyn came in and threw for 6 TD passes and no picks, truly an astounding performance.

     What's interesting is that most of the really great offensive juggernauts this year were in the NFC. The days when the NFC meant defense and the AFC meant offense is long gone. Of the big three, two, the Packers and Saints are NFC teams. Only the Pats are AFC-all three teams scored way over 500 points.

      There are some teams that still do it the old fashioned way-defense first-the 49ers, Steelers and Ravens. The Steelers though tied with the Ravens at 12-4 have to settle for a wild card having been swept in the season series.

       The offensive feast didn't touch everyone. The Colts without Peyton Manning scored only 243 points, St. Louis scored less than 200

        My Giants who couldn't have given me a better New Years present in beating Dallas for the division-after knocking off the big mouth Jets the week before-were in the top third of offense scored 394 points but gave up 400.

        This was an unusual Giants team as they were not impressive on defense but in this they are like the league juggernauts-Pats, Packers and Saints. For the statistical analysis that argues that point differential is an important indicator of team quality the Giant's small deficit  of 6 points is not impressive.

         Based on point differential, the Eagles were far and away the best in the NFC East, and the Chargers were far and away the best in the AFC West. Yet both teams are out of the playoffs. The one positive gloss we can put on this is that in the Giants super bowl season of 2007 their point differential wasn't very impressive either, scoring 373 points and giving up 351 with a 10-6 record.