Parity in the NFL is a wonderful thing.
It may also be exactly why the San Francisco 49ers will have an especially long time to ponder just what could have been had they won the NFC Championship in 2012.
The 2011 season for the storied franchise was one of exceeded expectations. Every time the sports nation doubted them, they fought back against the grain and managed to overcome adversity.
Until the 2012 NFC Championship game, that is.
That’s when their world came crashing down in agonizing defeat after a 20-17 loss to the New York Giants. Though the Giants came in as perhaps the hottest team left in the playoffs, San Francisco did plenty to win the game and essentially out-played their opponents.
That’s when Kyle Williams gave two possessions away on kick returns and gifted the Giants with outstanding field position, resulting in 10 relatively easy, yet valuable points in a game where they were otherwise very hard to come by.
The NFL is the envy of American professional sports leagues in the United States. One of the biggest reasons is because virtually every team has a chance to win in any given season. The 49ers were certainly a surprise team, but the story of this team was their play in 2011, not their Cinderella story.
That is exactly what’s to love about the league from a fan perspective.
In the 2010 season, the Green Bay Packers captured the Super Bowl after going 10-6 and making the playoffs as the NFC’s wild card team. The Seattle Seahawks, who were laughably division winners at 7-9, were also a team that surprised many by defeating the New Orleans Saints and their high-powered offense.
In the 2012 postseason, the New York Giants have the opportunity to further validate the benefit of the wild card slots and demonstrate parity after routing the heavily-favored Green Bay Packers.
The 49ers now have to start from scratch once again, and that’s how it should be.
Consider the fact that the St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and Arizona Cardinals each were .500 or below and will have relatively high draft picks in the upcoming NFL draft. The 49ers will have their work cut out for them in 2012 as they attempt to build on their success.
One saving grace for the team, however, is the defense, which is young. Their core group includes players either in their prime or yet to even realize their full potential. Patrick Willis, Aldous Smith, Carlos Rogers, and Dashon Goldson are names that fans in the Bay Area can get used to repeating.
Who would have thought “Super Bowl or bust” would be the mantra in San Francisco in 2012? No one can argue that they don’t have a real shot at it.
This is exactly why the NFL is the model of professional sports.
Michael C. Jones is a Yahoo! Featured Contributor in Sports and follows all developments across the NFL, especially when it comes to the San Francisco 49ers.
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Source:
Pro-Football-Reference.com