What Did We Learn this NFL Season?
By Daniel Holzhauer
It is that time of the year again, when the football equipment is packed away along with the pom-poms and face paint. Football jerseys are replaced by hockey sweaters and we go from hard hits to the hard court. But before we move on, let's take a minute to look back at the things we learned in 2012.
The Importance of Coaching is Underrated
Look no further than the Super Bowl, where Jim Harbaugh led the 49ers to the title game in his second year as head coach after going to the AFC Championship in his first year. Before Harbaugh came to town, the 49ers were 18-22 under Mike Singletary and the core of the roster has changed little.
“Cannot play with them. Cannot win with them. Cannot coach with them,” Singletary said when asked about a confrontation with TE Vernon Davis in 2008, “Can't do it. I want winners. I want people that want to win.”
And if you need more evidence, look at the New Orleans Saints. A perennial powerhouse with double-digit wins in three straight seasons and an elite quarterback, they fell to 7-9 thanks to the 'bountygate' scandal. But with all the arguing and media attention, it was Sean Payton and the coaching staff, not any players, that missed time.
The Importance of Regular Season Stats are Overrated
A player can put up all the stats he can, and fantasy owners will love him for that, but the slate is always wiped clean after week 17. Adrian Peterson may have the healing ability of Wolverine, but his 2,000 rushing yards couldn't carry the Vikings past the wild card round.
Peyton Manning joined Peterson in crushing preseason expectations, but Tim Tebow still has more playoff wins in a Broncos jersey than the 4x MVP Manning.
Joe Flacco didn't throw for 4,000 yards or 30 touchdowns, but he’s ‘going to Disney World.’
When Flacco followed Eli Manning and proclaimed himself elite, everyone laughed. Flacco still isn't in the same class as quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady, but throwing 11 touchdowns in the playoffs without an interception and winning the Super Bowl MVP will forever etch his name in history.
The Game is Still Evolving
Ever since Walter Camp began to Americanize the rules of rugby and created football in the 1800s, the game has always been in a state of change. Today's changes are not as big as moving from 15 players to 11 or legalizing the forward pass, but the change is obvious.
It was once common knowledge that 'Defense Wins Championships,' but now quarterbacks rule the league. And NFL defenders are too fast for the read option or the spread offense, but are they faster than Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III?
As defenses are forced to change their tactics to avoid contact and adjust their tackling to avoid head contact, offenses are playing full speed ahead. Defensive backs must be prepared to cover monsters like Rob Gronkowski and Calvin Johnson.
The only thing to be sure of is that when one coach thinks he has figured it out, another will come to raise the bar.
Football is Still King
What happens when the lights go out right when the Super Bowl appears to be out of hand? More people tune in, of course. The game was delayed by more than 30 minutes and the broadcast booth, which was also hit by the blackout, could do little to fill the time, but people stayed glued to their televisions.
Even as prominent members of society, like President Obama, pontificate over the future of the sport, the country continues to tune in. Football is a truly American game that reflects our passion, commitment and strategic mindset.
More than 48% of all TVs in the country were set to the Super Bowl and we all sat around them with our friends and family to continue the greatest tradition in sports.
