Dec 29th 2008 1:30PM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: Broncos, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Jaguars, Jets, Packers, Patriots, Redskins, NFL PlayoffsWe all know the 12 teams that will be in the NFL playoffs, all of whom (mostly) deserve to be there.

The bigger story may be who won’t be in the playoffs. There were several teams that came into the season with big dreams while others had a nice start to the season. Yet they still didn’t make it.

In the 2000s, only one team lost a Super Bowl and made the playoffs the next season. We love pointing that out, but never imagined that could happen to these Patriots. New England just came off an undefeated regular season and lost the Super Bowl in the game’s final moments. But all it took was an injury to Tom Brady to put the season in doubt. Matt Cassel did a great job filling in, but injuries to the stable of running backs and a defense that, at times, looked its age forced New England slip up just enough to miss the playoffs.

They will be only the second team with 11 victories to not make the playoffs. To many, it is justice to see the Pats not in the postseason despite having a better record than four teams that will be.Continue Reading