2012 NFL Regular Season Recap

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The%20Pittsburgh%20Steelers%20once%20again%20had%20the%20best%20defense%20in%20the%20NFL%2C%20ranking%201st%20in%20passing%20defense%20and%202nd%20in%20rushing%20defense.%20But%20Ben%20Roethlisberger%20continued%20to%20be%20the%20story%20in%20Pittsburgh.%20Roethlisberger%20suffered%20a%20rib%20injury%20that%20sidelined%20him%20for%20three%20games%2C%20two%20of%20which%20the%20Steelers%20lost.%20In%20week%2015%20and%2016%20Roethlisberger%20threw%20two%20late%20interceptions%2C%20giving%20up%20the%20game%20and%20dropping%20the%20Steelers%20to%20a%20.500%20season.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jared%20Wickerham%2FGetty%20Images%29

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All%20the%20talk%20this%20past%20offseason%20was%20about%20whether%20running%20back%20Chris%20Johnson%20would%20come%20back%20to%20play%20with%20the%20Titans.%20He%20finally%20signed%20a%20contract%20extension%20worth%20%2453.5%20million.%20But%20the%20signing%20didn%26%238217%3Bt%20pay%20off%20too%20well%20as%20Johnson%20proved%20very%20inconsistent.%20The%20Titans%20defense%20gave%20up%20an%20average%20of%20127%20yards%20rushing%20and%20247%20yards%20passing%20per%20game.%20The%20team%20heads%20into%20the%20offseason%20looking%20to%20make%20improvements%20on%20both%20sides%20of%20the%20ball.%20%28Photo%20by%20Andy%20Lyons%2FGetty%20Images%29

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Carson%20Palmer%20and%20the%20Oakland%20Raiders%20were%20hoping%20to%20get%20back%20to%20the%20playoffs%20after%20a%2010-year%20drought.%20Those%20hopes%20were%20quickly%20dashed%20with%20four%20losses%20in%20the%20first%20six%20weeks.%20Palmer%20put%20up%20some%20respectable%20passing%20numbers%20this%20season%2C%20but%20the%20Raiders%20had%20no%20ground%20game%20to%20compliment%20his%20aerial%20attack.%20At%20the%20end%20of%20the%20season%2C%20the%20Raiders%20fired%20the%20offensive%20coordinators%20and%20three%20other%20assistant%20coaches.%20%28Photo%20by%20Ezra%20Shaw%2FGetty%20Images%29

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The%20Washington%20Redskins%20selected%20Robert%20Griffin%20III%20as%20the%20No.%202%20pick%20in%20the%202012%20NFL%20Draft%2C%20trading%20away%20multiple%20future%20draft%20picks%20to%20do%20so.%20Questioned%20by%20some%2C%20this%20move%20has%20revitalized%20the%20team%2C%20the%20organization%20and%20the%20fanbase.%20Griffin%20proved%20he%20can%20win%20games%20with%20his%20arm%20and%20his%20legs%2C%20making%20smart%20decisions%20in%20the%20process.%20He%20led%20the%20Redskins%20back%20to%20the%20NFL%20Playoffs%20after%20a%2013-year%20drought.%20%28Photo%20by%20Patrick%20McDermott%2FGetty%20Images%29

After%20winning%20the%20Super%20Bowl%20last%20year%2C%20the%20Giants%20lost%20some%20key%20players%20to%20free%20agency.%20Still%20they%20started%20their%20season%20%286-2%29%20and%20enjoyed%20a%20two-game%20advantage%20in%20the%20NFC%20East.%20But%20that%20lead%20evaporated%20in%20the%20second%20half%20of%20the%20season.%20The%20team%20was%20particularly%20inconsistent%2C%20blowing%20out%20playoff%20contenders%20one%20week%20and%20losing%20to%20mediocre%20teams%20the%20next.%20Ultimately%20it%26%238217%3Bs%20this%20inconsistency%20that%20has%20the%20Giants%20staying%20home%20during%20the%20playoffs.%20%28Photo%20by%20Rob%20Carr%2FGetty%20Images%29

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Eagles%20owner%20Jeff%20Lurie%20said%20before%20the%20season%20started%20that%20he%20wanted%20to%20see%20an%20improvement%20or%20he%20would%20make%20some%20changes.%20The%20Eagles%20started%20the%20season%20with%20three%20wins%20in%20the%20first%20four%20weeks%2C%20then%20went%20on%20an%20eight-game%20losing%20streak.%20That%20sealed%20Andy%20Reid%26%238217%3Bs%20fate.%20After%2014%20years%20on%20the%20Eagles%20sideline%2C%20Reid%20was%20fired%2C%20and%20the%20Eagles%20will%20start%20a%20new%20era.%20%28Photo%20by%20Rich%20Schultz%2FGetty%20Images%29

After%20a%20%2815-1%29%20record%20last%20season%2C%20Aaron%20Rodgers%20and%20the%20Green%20Bay%20Packers%20came%20back%20down%20to%20earth%20in%20the%202012%20season.%20They%20did%20pick%20up%20another%20NFC%20North%20title.%20And%20Rodgers%20did%20finish%20the%20season%20with%204%2C295%20yards%20and%2039%20touchdowns%2C%20well%20below%20his%202011%20MVP%20numbers.%20The%20Packers%20earned%20the%20No.%203%20seed%20and%20will%20host%20their%20division%20rival%20the%20Minnesota%20Vikings%20in%20the%20wild%20card%20round%20of%20the%20playoffs.%20%28Photo%20by%20Tom%20Lynn%20%2FGetty%20Images%29

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