It’s Finally Time To Put “If the Season Ended Today” To Rest

It ain’t over until it’s over. It’s not over until the fat lady sings…

Yes, those are some popular sports clichés that have obviously held up over time. And they were a reality when it came to NFL 2020, where three teams got off to strong starts and faded late and also failed to win a postseason game.

The eventual AFC North champion Pittsburgh Steelers were 11-0, dropped four of their last five contests and were humbled at home in the wild card round by the Cleveland Browns.

The Tennessee Titans were 5-0, finished 11-5 and managed to win the AFC South. But they were ousted at home by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round.

The Seattle Seahawks were 5-0 and there was MVP talk surrounding quarterback Russell Wilson. Despite an NFC West title and a 12-4 record, they hosted the division-rival Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs and saw their season end.

After six weeks of play this past season, the Steelers, Titans and Seahawks sat atop their divisions with 5-0 ledgers. As for the other five top spots, the Buffalo Bills (4-2), Kansas City Chiefs (5-1), Dallas Cowboys (2-4), Chicago Bears (5-1) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2). Now it’s worth noting that the eventual NFC North champion Packers had played one less game (4-1) as did the eventual NFC South champion Saints (3-2) after six weeks. It’s also worth noting that the Washington Football Team was 1-5 after six weeks before winning six of their final 10 contests on the way to capturing the NFC East.

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Speaking of the Bucs, Bruce Arians’ squad dropped three out of four games during the second half of 2020 and owned a 7-5 record with four weeks to play. Their playoff chances were far from a guarantee. But Tom Brady and that aggressive defense keyed eight consecutive wins and a Super Bowl title.

In 2021, the National Football League will embark on its 102nd season and its first with 17 regular-season games. History tells us that it is how you finish and not how you start. So when someone utters that dreaded phrase “if the season ended today” followed by a playoff explanation, an eye-roll would be an appropriate response.