The Absolutely Worst of the NFL, Week 15 Edition

Remember "Opposite Day?" It's the first form of sarcasm most kids learn. You set your target up with a nice compliment or a promised reward, and then go "Oh, but it's opposite day," and wait for your victim to figure out the devastating implications.

Fighting back the embarrassment of getting burned, the victim says "No, it isn't!" and you grin wickedly and say "that means you just said it IS." The trap sprung, the victim is reduced to a bawling mess, and you gloat in your flawless victory.

Week 15 was Opposite Day in the NFL. The worst reigned in triumph, and the absolute best team in the NFL joined the ranks of The Absolutely Worst.

 

The Absolutely Worst Undefeated Season: Green Bay Packers

The undefeated Green Bay Packers entered Arrowhead Stadium with visions of history dancing in their heads. At 13-0, it seemed like nothing could stop Aaron Rodgers' near-superhuman season. Turns out, all it would take was a 5-8 team that fired head coach Todd Haley the week before.

With deposed Cleveland Browns skipper Romeo Crennel at the helm, the Kansas City Chiefs engaged the Packers in a wretched duel of attrition, with DE Tamba Hali's three sacks allowing kicker Ryan Succop to kill them with a thousand cuts (OK, four field goals).

At the end, former Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton's first start for the Chiefs saw him out-duel the NFL's No. 1 gunslinger.

 

The Absolutely Worst Playoff Contender: Tennessee Titans

After firing head coach Jeff Fisher and drafting quarterback Jake Locker in the first round, it seemed as though the Titans had officially waved the "rebuilding" flag on this season before it even started. Yet, the Titans entered Week 15 at 7-6, right in the thick of the AFC Wild Card race. All they had to do to keep pace was show up in Indianapolis and collect their sure victory over Dan Orlovsky and the 0-13 Colts.

They just didn't realize it was opposite day.

Former first-round disappointment Donald Brown ran 16 times for a whopping 161 yards and a touchdown. Orlovsky, who started for the Detroit Lions during their 0-16 run, completed 11 of 17 passes for 87 yards and another score. The Colts defense added a pick-six.

By the end of the day, the Titans had slid off the AFC playoff bubble, and the winless Colts had won.

 

The Absolutely Worst Dropped Pass: Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants

In the first quarter of a critical division game against the Washington Redskins, Eli Manning was facing 3rd-and-7 on his own side of the 50. He dropped back and must have been overjoyed to see talented wideout Hakeem Nicks racing down the seam, two steps behind the defense.

Manning uncorked a beautiful deep ball, hitting Nicks in stride for the most egregious incompletion I've seen in years.

Wait, what?

Manning's perfect rainbow should have been right in Nicks' breadbasket. Instead, it bounced off Nicks's hands and facemask, and a sure touchdown went unscored. Instead of the Giants leading 7-3, the Redskins opened up a 10-0 lead in the second quarter and went on to win 24-10.

This loss might be the one that keeps the Giants out of the playoffs; Nicks' unforgivable drop arguably kept them out of this game.

 

The Absolutely Worst All-Star Game: Pro Bowl, NFL

Voting players into an All-Star game in the middle of the year makes sense for baseball, basketball and hockey; their All-Star Games happen in the middle of the year. But Pro Bowl voting starts in the middle of the football season, when barely a handful of games have been played—and it ends after Week 15, with two games left on the schedule.

If all regular season awards were decided when Pro Bowl voting starts, Chan Gailey would be coach of the year, Cam Newton would have a strong case for MVP and Pete Carroll would be fired. Meanwhile, how many of the best—and absolutely worst—performances will happen in the last two weeks?

The NFL has to figure out where the Pro Bowl fits in to the season—and if voting is going to happen in the middle of it, the game should happen in the middle of it, too.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/987952-the-absolutely-worst-of-the-nfl-week-15-edition

Colin Curtis Kevin Russo Curtis Granderson Nick Johnson Javier Lopez Alex Hinshaw