When the 2011 NFL regular season ended a couple weeks ago, many were left wondering what to make of the months of football they had just witnessed. To some, it had been one of the most exciting years in memory, as offenses frequently torched defenses through the air, leaving record numbers in their wake. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees shattered Dan Marino’s single season record for passing yards, eclipsing the Hall of Famer by 392 yards. Calvin Johnson, the 6 foot 5 Detroit Lions wide receiver, caught 8 touchdowns in his first 4 games, despite playing against defenses designed to stop him. 
Even with their marvelous seasons, Brees and Johnson’s efforts paled in comparison to MVP frontrunner Aaron Rodgers. The Green Bay Packers’ quarterback threw 45 touchdown passes with only 6 interceptions, setting a single season record with a 122.5 passer rating, while leading his team to a 15-1 regular season record. Although these broken records imply that the season must have been exciting, many fans are still left with a feeling of emptiness.
First, these records were broken in a new era in the NFL, where player safety limits the defense’s ability to stop the passing game. No longer can safeties roam the field and deliver punishing hits to receivers who dare to run a drag or post route across the middle. It seemed like Pittsburg Steelers linebacker James Harrison was fined every other week and constantly blasted by the media for his “dirty” hits. How would they have reacted to the great Ronnie Lott’s ferocious style if he had played in this era? That Hall of Fame safety instilled fear in every receiver he faced during the 49ers reign of supremacy in the 1980s and 1990s with his brutal hits. However, he probably would have to alter his style if he played in the modern era.
Second, the league’s poster boy was switched from Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning to Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. When the NFL lost Manning, its most marketable superstar, to a neck injury this summer, it had a ripple effect. For years, Manning had been the consummate professional both on the field and off the field. During the 2000s, he took the league by storm, earning a record 4 MVP awards and appearing in more commercials than any other NFL player. Although NFL players might have resented the media’s obsession with Manning, they all respected his dominance on the field. This year, ESPN and other media outlets shifted their focus towards Tebow. The 
young quarterback became a media sensation as he won close games in miraculous fashion and led his team to the playoffs. He reached a level of media attention that Manning, even at his peak, never attained.
However, Tebow’s numbers were unimpressive throughout the season and he never played at the same level as the elite NFL quarterbacks. His appeal was largely a result of his much-publicized faith rather than his play. This isn’t a knock on Tebow, whom I greatly admire for his character and hard work. Who knows, he may prove the critics wrong and end up being a great NFL passer. The point is that he was not a great quarterback this year. He was far from it. Yet, since Tebow took over at quarterback, ESPN has been obsessed with him, showering him with praise or criticism. For everyone’s sake, lets hope the media changes its approach next season and directs its attention away from Tebow.
The final factor that contributed to this disappointing season was the lack of good rivalry games. This had a lot to do with key injuries to the participating teams. For the past decade, fans have anxiously awaited the Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots annual regular season showdown. The game featured the two best quarterbacks of their generation, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, usually dueling for the top spot in the AFC, as well as the MVP award. With Manning out, this year’s game featured Brady’s Patriots matched up against a winless Colts team. Other classic rivalry games lacked their normal allure. The two Patriots vs. New York Jets games were boring, as Rex Ryan failed to inspire his diva quarterback and the rest of his team. The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers first game was exciting, but the second game lost its promise following Jay Cutler’s season ending injury. The only good rivalry of the season was Pittsburg Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens, with the Ravens winning both games. However, injuries plagued the Steelers throughout the season, culminating in their disastrous loss to Tim Tebow’s Broncos.
I want to be clear that this article is not an attack on the NFL, Tim Tebow, or anyone else. I happened to really enjoy this past season. I’ll even admit that my friends and I bought into Tebow Mania. We patiently waited while Tebow and his teammates failed to generate any offense for three quarters, and then erupted late in the fourth quarter to win the game in the closing seconds. It was fun for a while, but we quickly grew annoyed with the constant media debate over Tebow. He’s an exceptional person, great leader, and proven winner, but those reasons alone don’t warrant the type of media coverage thrown his way. By the Patriots game, we had lost our interest in Tebow.
The purpose of this article is to remind my fellow football fans that, despite the buzz and excitement generated around this year’s regular season, it lacked certain elements that had played an important role in past seasons. I am completely behind the new rules for player safety, which protect players in defenseless positions from being injured. However, I will admit that these new rules take away from the defenses ability to defend against the pass and that they have contributed to the huge leap in passing yards generated by offenses all across the league. The transition from Manning to Tebow also brought a negative aspect to the season. By focusing on Tebow, the media failed to cover more important stories, like Jared Allen falling half a sack short of Michael Strahan’s single season sack record. As has been a recent trend, I believe that the excitement generated by the media outweighed the actual season itself. It was a good season, just not a great one.
-Zander Mrlik
This was a guest post brought to you by Alexander Mrlik. We look forward to many more posts from Zander coming up as he’s got a lot to say and finally a medium through which to say it. Good job Z.
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