Spring Break
The Pro side: Dissappointing NFL Teams
Mike Mauro
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: Sports
Everyone in the NFL has played 10 games so far this season and, just like every year, several teams have underperformed their preseason prognostication. Here are the three biggest disappointments in the NFL season.
3. Seattle Seahawks (2-8)
Labeled a potential Super Bowl team before the season began, the Seahawks have been decimated by injuries beginning with their leader, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. In this, Mike Holmgren's last season, nothing has gone right for Seattle. Now that Hasselbeck is back in the fold, Seattle will be a much more dangerous team, but help comes a little too late as the Seahawks' postseason hopes are long gone.
2. Cincinnati Bengals (1-8-1)
Expected to take the next step this season and potentially push for a playoff spot, the Bengals got off to a putrid start to the season and an elbow injury to franchise quarterback Carson Palmer has forced Harvard grad Ryan Fitzpatrick into the starting role. While Fitzpatrick hasn't done a dreadful job, he isn't able to get the ball to stud receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh nearly as well as Palmer can. If the Bengals don't show more spark or get more wins in their last six games, head coach Marvin Lewis should be preparing his resume for his next job.
1. San Diego Chargers (4-6)
No question, they are the biggest disappointment in the NFL this season. Coming off a trip to the AFC Championship game with a flourishing young quarterback and still one the league's best backs in LaDainian Tomlinson, the Chargers were picked by many experts to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Apparently those people forgot Norv Turner was their head coach. Turner is a great offensive mind but a lousy head coach. Combine that with the regression of Tomlinson, injury to Shawne Merriman and lack of team cohesion and San Diego is on the outside looking in on the playoffs. Fortunately for them, they play in the AFC West and only trail the 6-4 Denver Broncos. But if the Chargers keep playing the way they have the rest of this season, they aren't going anywhere.
3. Seattle Seahawks (2-8)
Labeled a potential Super Bowl team before the season began, the Seahawks have been decimated by injuries beginning with their leader, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. In this, Mike Holmgren's last season, nothing has gone right for Seattle. Now that Hasselbeck is back in the fold, Seattle will be a much more dangerous team, but help comes a little too late as the Seahawks' postseason hopes are long gone.
2. Cincinnati Bengals (1-8-1)
Expected to take the next step this season and potentially push for a playoff spot, the Bengals got off to a putrid start to the season and an elbow injury to franchise quarterback Carson Palmer has forced Harvard grad Ryan Fitzpatrick into the starting role. While Fitzpatrick hasn't done a dreadful job, he isn't able to get the ball to stud receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh nearly as well as Palmer can. If the Bengals don't show more spark or get more wins in their last six games, head coach Marvin Lewis should be preparing his resume for his next job.
1. San Diego Chargers (4-6)
No question, they are the biggest disappointment in the NFL this season. Coming off a trip to the AFC Championship game with a flourishing young quarterback and still one the league's best backs in LaDainian Tomlinson, the Chargers were picked by many experts to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Apparently those people forgot Norv Turner was their head coach. Turner is a great offensive mind but a lousy head coach. Combine that with the regression of Tomlinson, injury to Shawne Merriman and lack of team cohesion and San Diego is on the outside looking in on the playoffs. Fortunately for them, they play in the AFC West and only trail the 6-4 Denver Broncos. But if the Chargers keep playing the way they have the rest of this season, they aren't going anywhere.
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