Disappointments so far this NFL season

ARLINGTON – The Dallas Cowboys won their third straight game, second at home, and clinched a winning record in 2022, when they’ve played just 12 regular-season games.

Few would have guessed that the Cowboys would go 9-3; much less after watching the first game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which ended in defeat and injury to their quarterback dak prescott.

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The 49ers defense answers the call against the Dolphins and the Bengals also use their defense to beat the Chiefs again.

If it weren’t for the least expected season yet for the Philadelphia Eagles (11-1), the Cowboys would be almost qualified for the playoffs.

But unlike teams like Philadelphia, Dallas and the Minnesota Vikings (10-2), which are very close to clinching the division title, just as many clubs have fallen short of expectations.

There are different reasons, but those clubs have missed the forecasts, when after Monday Night’s game between the New Orleans Saints and the Buccaneers there will only be five weeks left of the regular season. Let’s take a look at the teams that have disappointed in this 2022 season.

6.- Green Bay Packers

After three straight seasons under Matt LeFleur and the NFL MVP leadership for the past two years, Aaron Rodgersit was hard to imagine that the Packers were practically eliminated from the playoffs.

In fact, many anticipated that they would repeat in the North championship of the National Conference, which they had made their kingdom, despite the receiver’s room davante adams.

Much less was it expected that Aaron Rodgers would have had the worst first half of the season since he became the starting quarterback at Green Bay (5-8).

5.- Los Angeles Chargers

It already seems chronic that the Chargers have one of the best rosters in the NFL, they are anticipated as a team that will compete in the American Conference and in the end nothing reaches them.

The Chargers have a 6-6 record and after 12 games they barely scratch one of the last positions that give a ticket to the playoffs and each time they are further away from fighting for the Western Division of the Conference.

Injuries are an annual constant on both sides of the ball. On offense the tackle Rashawn Slater, drafted in the first round last year is on injured reserve; the receptor Keenan Allen He has also had health problems and running back Austin Ekeller forgot to score; the Chargers’ average per carry isn’t even three yards.

In defense, Joey Bosa is hurt and cornerback CJ Jackson has an ankle injury. And they are the third worst (30) in points allowed in the NFL. This is how it is difficult to meet expectations and that is when disappointments begin to arrive.

4.- Arizona Cardinals

to quarterback Kyler Murray he was given his long-term contract, after only three patchy NFL seasons; they got their favorite receiver in college, Marquis Brown, and running back James Conner He came from a great season.

But the Arizona Cardinals have regressed rather than advanced as well as the third season of coach Cliff Kingsbury.

A lot had to do with the catcher’s six-game suspension Andre Hopkins so that his offense is mid-table in total yards, passing, rushing and points scored.

But the worst problem is that they are 31 of 32 teams in points allowed. Thus in the NFL it is difficult to win games and with a 4-8 record it is likely that the official postseason elimination will arrive soon.

3.- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tom Brady He returned to play the 2022 season after threatening to retire for a few days and automatically, in August the Buccaneers once again placed themselves among the favorites to reach the Super Bowl, as they did in 2020, especially if you remember how they closed 2021, seconds away from defeating the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional round of playoffs.

But if it weren’t for the fact that they are in one of the worst divisions in the NFL, they would already be almost eliminated in the worst season as a starter for Tom Brady, who now seems to be getting over the years.

Combine that with the game per rush being a nightmare (3.5 yards per carry, franchise worst since 1993) and things aren’t rosy either. If it weren’t for the defense allowing few points (18.5 per game, fifth in the NFL) their playoff hopes would have been rickety for a long time.

To their advantage, this Monday Night they will arrive in first place in a bad South Division, despite the fact that they have a losing record (5-6), but they will face a rival that has its own problems, the New Orleans Saints (4- 8), who could also be among the disappointments, but it was difficult to expect much more from them since the start of the season.

The upside to their fans is that the Buccaneers can still bounce back if they make the postseason, regardless of their regular-season record. The playoffs are another story…

2.- Denver Broncos

Many believed the Broncos were one quarterback away from being an NFL championship contender, as they were the last time they were crowned, in Super Bowl 50, when Peyton Manning made the big difference.

But this year, neither with Russell Wilsonwho lives a total disappointment among fans in Denver and the rest of the league, with one of his worst seasons as a professional in almost every important statistic, incapable of being explosive.

Also helping his cause is a rookie coach, Nathaniel Hackett, with whom Wilson at first glance seems to have little in common or just conviction. Much less, that the defense is far from being as dominant as the one that led Manning and the Broncos to the crown in the 49ers stadium.

To top it off, new owner Rob Walton says no one can blame him because he didn’t bring either Hackett and Wilson to Denver because they were already there when he acquired the team.

The problem is that, at least in Wilson’s case, they committed a good part of their future human capital to the Seattle Seahawks.

1.- Los Angeles Rams

True, it’s hard to repeat NFL championships, unless you’re the New England Patriots of Tom Brady’s heyday with Bill Belichick.

But the collapse that the reigning NFL champion has experienced has gone beyond what anyone could have imagined.

“I’m proud to be rolling through this with this group. I’m proud to be battling through adversity with them.” pic.twitter.com/HTvA4GRMBN

—Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 5, 2022

The Rams lost at home to the Seahawks on Sunday for their sixth straight loss and a 3-9 record in a season that seemed like a long time ago they threw in the towel.

It’s hard to think that their best offensive player, perhaps the only productive one this year, Cooper KuppI’m going to be on the field again this season and maybe neither will the quarterback Matthew Stafford. Both are hurt for an offense that is alarming in its lack of talent and production.

Their defensive strength has collapsed and they only stop the run; not even the pass like they used to.

And while the last two-time NFL champions were the Patriots in 2004-05, many pundits and punters ranked the Rams among the NFC Super Bowl favorites early in the season.

Now it is almost impossible to give them favorites to win again this season.