The 2016 NFL regular season is now in the books. As we approach the divisional round of the Playoffs this weekend, let's evaluate all the highs, the lows, the surprises, the inter-human-kicking-net-relationships, the unexpected lads on boat trips, and the new beginnings of the past three months.
Here are the winners and losers of the 2016 NFL season.
WINNERS
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JAY AJAYI
Jay Ajayi is a runningback for the Miami Dolphins, who were sadly dumped out of the playoffs in last week's Wild Card round. But let's forget that for a minute, because Jay was an extremely bright spot in an uncharacteristically bright season for the south Florida team, who have struggled over the past decade. Ajayi amassed over 1,200 yards on the ground and scored eight touchdowns over the regular season, securing him a spot in the upcoming Pro Bowl All Star game and cementing himself as one of the league's finest
Best of all, Jay is originally from London, so he's flying the flag for the few Brits plying their trade in the NFL. Much like scotch eggs, a stirring rendition of Jerusalem, or that event where people chase a wheel of cheese down a big hill, hearing Jay speak in his soft London accent makes you proud to be British. Sadly, he's a Gooner, but I guess we can let him off for now.
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TOM BRADY
The Patriots quarterback Ken-doll was banned for the first month of the season after his involvement in last season's Deflategate scandal (for the unaware, it involved balls, a lack of inflation, and accusations of cheating. Best to google it). The scandal would've ruined the reputation of most players, and, more importantly, thrown them off their game. But not Brady. He returned straight to the lineup and put together an MVP-worthy season, leading the Patriots to the playoffs. Again. And the Patriots could easily win the Super Bowl. Again.
As much as it pains any non-Patriot fan to say it, Brady is the definition of a winner.
THE RAIDERS
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The Oakland Raiders have been Gridiron garbage for the best part of two decades. Yet thanks to the play of youthful offensive Quarterback-Wide Receiver duo Derek Carr and Amari Cooper, the Silver and Black torched the opposition in 2016. Their defense was also stout, largely due to the destructive efforts of linebackers Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin, who spent most of 2016 burying QBs in the turf.
In the last week of the regular season, the playoff bound Raiders lost Carr to a broken leg, effectively crushing their post-season hopes. As expected, the depleted team were knocked out by Houston in the Wild Card round. Still, Carr is young - as are most of the team - meaning the future looks bright in the Bay Area.
LONDON
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During the 2016 season, London played host to three regular season NFL games. While there were memorable moments in all of them (the tie between the Redskins and Bengals was fittingly British), few will forget a spectacular play by Giants Safety Landon Collins against the Rams.
Following a deflection, Collins picked off the ball, danced around nearly every player on the Rams roster, then, with a little help from his mates, willed himself into the endzone:
Here's to plays like this, and fingers crossed that even more of them will happen in London next season.
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ODELL BECKHAM JR
It would be easy to envision Odell as a one-season wonder: The promising rookie who made that catch then faded into obscurity when the rigours of the pros overwhelmed him. Instead, Odell has only got louder, brasher, blonder and better. The numbers back it up, too. He was third in receiving yards this season.
On top of this, he plays with the passion of someone who does it for love not money. You don't really expect a man who takes home a paycheck - win or lose - to cry when his team chalk up an L, but OBJ let the tears flow following a loss to the Redskins near the start of the season. He also went through a fraught relationship with a kicking net, which concluded with the Giants receiver proposing to the inanimate object.
No word on whether they're still going strong.
LOSERS
ODELL BECKHAM JR
It's harsh to include OBJ in both categories, but this is too hilarious to pass up. In the week prior to their playoff game with the Packers, Odell and his fellow Giants Wide Receivers went on a trip to Miami, where they took their shirts off on a yacht and snapped a few pics for the 'Gram.
While I doubt Odell and co. acted like Paul Gascoigne on a post-Italia '90 piss-up, haters were quick to blame his poor performance - and the Giants' loss to the Packers - on the impromptu Florida staycation.
Would it have been better for Odell to not have gone on a lads on tour trip prior to his first playoff game? Maybe. Would it have meant the Giants winning the game? Unlikely. The Packers destroyed them 38-13.
LA RAMS
After a tough two decades in St.Louis, Missouri, the Rams packed up their bags and headed home to Los Angeles for the start of the 2016 season. And, good Lord, they were terrible. Rookie QB Jared Goff spent most of the season suffering the consequences of a porous offensive line, which is a polite way of saying 'getting his shit handed to him.' Worse still, second year running back Todd Gurley, who was supposed to tear it up after a fantastic rookie year, struggled to get anything going.
Despite the 2016 setback, the team have a solid defensive unit, and Goff and Gurley should grow out of their current issues. But, for now, they really are losers. Sorry Los Angeles.
THE PANTHERS
Speaking of losers, the Carolina Panthers lost the Super Bowl last year, then went on to lose 10 games in the 2016 season. They also lost Luke Kuechly, their star linebacker, to injury. One of the best things about the NFL is how a losing team can become a winning team in the space of one season. Sadly for Panthers fans, the opposite is also true.
BROCK OSWEILER
This is slightly unfair, because Brock Osweiler and the Houston Texans are still in the playoffs at the time of writing. Unfortunately for the Quarterback, this is largely due to the good work of others. Now, usually an underperforming QB on a winning team isn't too big a deal. However, Osweiler signed a four-year, $72 million contract ($37 million guaranteed) with the Texans prior to the start of the 2016 season.
That's All-Star money. It's definitely not benched-for-the-no-name-backup money, which is something Osweiler experienced in week 15 after throwing two successive interceptions. Despite his struggles, Osweiler is back in the starting lineup for the Texans' playoff run - because the backup got injured (his name's Tom Savage BTW. Shouts to Tom!).
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS FANS
Who's your football team? Arsenal? Chelsea? Faversham Town FC? Whatever the case, imagine if you woke up one morning to find that your club had posted this on their official Twitter account:
A letter from Dean Spanos
Obviously, relocating sports teams is a uniquely American phenomenon, but even so, you've got to feel for San Diego Chargers fans. This is particularly harsh, because the Chargers were in San Diego for 56 years (!)
Like every American sports team relocation tale, this one is about money. Lots of money. Unimpressed by the NFL's offer of $300million to build a new stadium in San Diego, Chargers owner Dean Spanos instead opted to fork out the $650million relocation fee
required to head upstate. Why? It's probably because Los Angeles is considered a more lucrative market in the long run.
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