NFL Computerized Power Ranks: Final

Another NFL season is in the books, and unfortunately my randomly picking dog got the outcome of the Super Bowl right, and the power ranks got it wrong. However, the power rank formula at least worked well enough to put the Packers on top to end the season, while the Steelers moved back to #3 and the Patriots got bumped up to #2. Everyone from #4 down stayed put.

There isn't much else to discuss with this season's final power ranks (other than if I will need to change my formula to adjust for a lockout next year) so let's take a closer look at the end of this NFL season. I think there were some bizarre things that happened over the past few weeks and playoffs...

First, I think these 2 scenarios have been brought up other places, but it is interesting to think about 2 seemingly random games that could have had an impact on the Super Bowl matchup. First, remember when Steve Johnson dropped that game winning pass in OT and then blamed God for it? That was against the Steelers. If he catches that pass, the Steelers would have been the 6 seed playing on the road in Indy and the Ravens would have had the bye. Let's assume the Steelers beat the Colts and the Jets beat the Chiefs. The Jets would have gone to Baltimore instead of New England and the Steelers would have gone to New England. The other key to the Super Bowl matchup was the Lions. Yes, the Lions. In Week 15, they won their first road game since October 2007 as part of an impressive 4 game win streak to end the season. In that game, they beat Tampa. If Tampa just would have beaten the Lions at home, they would have been the final wild card and the Packers would have been out of the playoffs.

Now, let's look at some odd playoff scenarios. Of course, we had the 7-9 Seahawks beat the defending Super Bowl Champs in the first round, but that has been discussed to death. An interesting side note to this is at that point, it was pretty much inevitable that the Packers would beat the Eagles, allowing the Bears to play Seattle in the 2nd round. The Bears seemed like one of the most undeserving #2 seeds in NFL history, mostly because of Cutler's moping, the Packers' injuries, and their very unimpressive way of winning games all season. It just seemed to make sense that they only needed to beat a 7-9 team at home in the snow to get to the NFC Championship game. Another interesting thing that happened this year is that both #1 seeds were ousted in the first round by the #6 seed that they beat earlier in the season. For the Falcons, they barely got past the Packers in Atlanta and the Packers answered by destroying them. For the Patriots, they absolutely embarrassed the Jets late in the season (the Jets beat them early on), the Jets spent all week trash talking, and somehow, someway, they go into Foxboro and knock out the clear favorite to win the Super Bowl heading into the playoffs.

Now, let's talk a little more about the Super Bowl Champs. The Packers had a very odd journey this year, plagued by injuries and disappointing losses. They were an early season Super Bowl favorite (Ryan and I both picked them to at least make it there), but they trailed the Bears in the NFC North almost all season. They also had 3 losses over the last 6 weeks (to #1 seeds Atlanta and New England and an awful Aaron Rodgers-less loss to the Lions) but won when it counted, beating the Giants and Bears to get into the playoffs with a 10-6 record. Since they were a preseason darling and won those last 2 clutch games, the Packers were given the "sleeper" benefit-of-the-doubt tag heading into the playoffs. Their matchup with Philly was seen as being able to go either way, partly because they beat the Eagles (with Kevin Kolb) in week 1. Heading into Atlanta, I think the Falcons' history was working against them and again, the Packers were perceived as having a mediocre to good chance at winning. I think the general consensus was with the Pack heading into the NFC Championship as well, because of all that was said about the Bears above. So incredibly (at least to me) the Packers were the favorite heading into the Super Bowl, despite being a 6 seed playing a 2 seed, having a 10-6 record, loaded with injuries, playing a team with 2 recent Super Bowl wins, and getting there by beating a bunch of NFC teams that laid down and died for them. And guess what? They won. And with that win, they tied the record for worst W-L record to win the Super Bowl, with the 1988 49ers, who also had a lot of injuries early in the season but got healthy late.

Speaking of those 1988 49ers, I found it pretty funny how undramatic the final drive by the Steelers in the Super Bowl was. If you can remember all the way back to Super Bowl XXIII, Joe Montana led the Niners on a 92 yard TD drive (when he only needed a field goal) with 34 seconds left to win the game. Ben Roethlisberger is no Montana, but the feeling in the stadium and by the announcers seemed pretty hopeless when the Steelers got the ball, needing a TD to win with 2 minutes to go. Sure, he had less time than Montana did, but even though I just said he is no Montana, just 2 years ago he led the Steelers to a win in Super Bowl XLIII with a game winning TD drive. Big Ben didn't disappoint the announcers or fans though, and before you knew it, Rodgers was taking his knee.

Here are the final power ranks:
1. Packers - 79.87
2. Patriots - 78.53
3. Steelers - 73.15
4. Ravens - 70.83
5. Jets - 69.93
6. Falcons - 69.71
7. Buccaneers - 64.42
8. Chargers - 61.31
9. Bears - 59.91
10. Lions - 58.82
11. Colts - 58.27
12. Giants - 54.90
13. Chiefs - 54.33
14. Eagles - 53.20
15. Saints - 52.46
16. Raiders - 51.67
17. Cowboys - 45.06
18. 49ers - 42.65
19. Rams - 42.01
20. Titans - 40.13
21. Texans - 39.63
22. Seahawks - 38.72
23. Dolphins - 37.15
24. Bengals - 36.25
25. Jaguars - 35.93
26. Redskins - 35.60
27. Vikings - 33.76
28. Cardinals - 33.09
29. Browns - 32.52
30. Bills - 32.05
31. Broncos - 27.69
32. Panthers - 24.58