NFL Grades: Week 17

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Giving out grades is what we do here each week, usually weekly grades.

But I want to grade a handful of things for the entire season -- given all that's happened -- to top our CBSSports.com Weekly Grades.

So here goes:

More on NFL Week 17

Analysis

Clark Judge Judgements: Lions' loss means Falcons luck out with fifth seed Mike Freeman Broncos in playoffs with offense that has more questions than answers

Related links

Playoffs: Schedule | Bracket Brinson: Brees for MVP? Flynn has record-breaking day for Packers Casserly: Fisher will choose a quality job over big bucks

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Philadelphia Eagles: D-

New York Jets: D

AFC North: A+

AFC West: F

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: F

Cincinnati Bengals: A+

Oakland Raiders defense: F

Passing offenses: A+

Quarterback play: A

Read-option offense: F

Safety play: D

Suck for Luck Talk: F

Rookie class: A

It's been a great season. All the talk about how the lockout would impact the season, how the play wouldn't be as good, was nothing but Rex Ryan-like hot air. The play was better than ever, the drama more than ever.

If the playoffs come close to the drama we had all season, there's only one grade we can give the 2011 NFL season.

Yep a big, fat, giant, bold "A."

Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012
Team	Grade	GPA	Green Bay Packers 45, Detroit Lions 41
	A-	3.09	Packers: Aaron who? With MVP frontrunner Aaron Rodgers inactive, backup Matt Flynn came in and passed for more yards and TDs than any Packer QB ever had before. Flynn’s record day, 480 yards and six TDs, powered the Packers offense, which put up 45 points in a win over the Lions despite not having four of its top weapons active. The defense, playing without two Pro Bowlers, allowed 41 points, but also forced four turnovers, including the clinching interception. -- James Carlton, RapidReports Correspondent
	C	2.68	Lions: They’re going to the playoffs for the first time since 1999, but in the most deflating way imaginable. The Lions lost, 45-41, to a Packers team that sat four Pro Bowlers, including QB Aaron Rodgers, and had nothing to play for but pride. Detroit gained 575 yards but allowed 550, including a Packers-record 480 to backup QB Matt Flynn. WR Calvin Johnson was megatronic, but the rest of the team badly needs some repairs. -- James Carlton, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	Tennessee Titans 23, Houston Texans 22
	B+	2.63	Titans: With their playoff destiny at stake, the Titans rose up and delivered. QB Matt Hasselbeck was pounded much of the afternoon, yet stayed upright long enough to throw for 297 yards and a pair of scores. Even though the Texans sat most of their offensive starters, the defense shook off an opening scoring punch and kept Houston out of the end zone until the game's final 14 seconds. P Brett Kern was an unsung hero with his placements deep in Texans territory. -- Brandon Williams, RapidReports Correspondent
	C-	2.76	Texans: The team played it close to the vest by either pulling or sitting out starters, but going into their first postseason with a three-game losing streak is the last thing coach Gary Kubiak wanted. While QB T.J. Yates' status remains a concern, two bigger issues are 1) an offense that has scored just three touchdowns in the last 12 quarters and 2) a defense which has lost its game-changing spark, forcing only two turnovers in the same span. -- Brandon Williams, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	Jacksonville Jaguars 19, Indianapolis Colts 13
	B	2.12	Jaguars: The Jaguars beat the Colts by using the formula that worked for them when they were successful this season. They ran RB Maurice Jones-Drew and played solid defense. Jones-Drew set the single-season record for rushing yards and ran for more yards than he had in any game this season, and the Jaguars limited a Colts offense that had been hot in recent weeks to a late fourth-quarter touchdown. -- John Oesher, RapidReports Correspondent
	C-	1.94	Colts: The Colts couldn’t quite maintain their season-ending momentum. The offensive line allowed the Jaguars’ defensive front too much penetration and Jaguars DE Jeremy Mincey harassed Colts QB Dan Orlovsky with 2.5 sacks. The Colts’ defense allowed Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew and the Jaguars’ rushing offense to control momentum and the Colts’ winning streak ended at two. -- John Oesher, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	Miami Dolphins 19, NY Jets 17
	B-	2.24	Dolphins: New York didn't play terribly, but it didn't play well. The Jets needed to play well. Playoff hopes were on the line. The three INTs were bad, but what's worse is two were by DL Randy Starks. And Miami was without its best players -- LT Jake Long and RB Reggie Bush. Pititful. -- Chris Perkins, RapidReports Correspondent
	D	2.09	Jets: New York didn't play terribly, but it didn't play well. The Jets needed to play well. Playoff hopes were on the line. The three INTs were bad, but what's worse is two were by DL Randy Starks. And Miami was without its best players -- LT Jake Long and RB Reggie Bush. Pititful. -- Chris Perkins, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	Chicago Bears 17, Minnesota Vikings 13
	C	2.30	Bears: The game plan gave way too much credit to T J'Marcus Webb for being able to block Jared Allen, which he couldn't do. QB Josh McCown and RB Kahlil Bell could have locked up roster spots for next year but both had turnover troubles. The defense came up big at the end after struggling early. The win has to be tempered by the fact Minnesota has only three wins and didn't have Adrian Peterson. -- Gene Chamberlain, RapidReports Correspondent
	C-	1.65	Vikings: The Vikings built an early lead, scoring off of two Bears turnovers, but they gave a TD right back on a QB Christian Ponder pick-six and could never regain the lead. While DE Jared Allen battled for the NFL single-season sack record (ending just one half short), the Bears went for the win and mercifully ended this long, disappointing Vikings season. -- Joe Oberle, Rapid Reports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	New England Patriots 49, Buffalo Bills 21
	B	2.51	Patriots: Despite scoring 49 unanswered points, it's difficult to forget that the Patriots fell behind 21-0, marking the third big early deficit the team had to overcome in consecutive games. If the Patriots do that against playoff teams, they're going to lose. The Patriots threw in some new adjustments -- CB Devin McCourty to S and more man coverage -- which could help in the playoffs. TE Aaron Hernandez (138 yards) and RB Stevan Ridley (81 on 15 carries) continued to show promise heading into the postseason. -- Greg Bedard, RapidReports Correspondent
	D-	1.99	Bills: The Bills had the Patriots exactly where they wanted them with a 21-0 lead, and then allowed the Patriots to score the game's final 49 points. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a season-high four interceptions. The Bills were left shorthanded when WR Steve Johnson was benched for the final three-plus quarters for getting a TD celebration penalty. The defense allowed 480 total yards by the Patriots. -- Greg Bedard, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	New Orleans Saints 45, Carolina Panthers 17
	A	3.00	Saints: The Saints broke just about every offensive record imaginable Sunday vs. the Panthers. So the offense was obviously clicking. The defense allowed a ton of yardage on the ground, but Cam Newton didn’t do too much damage. The Saints have won eight in a row and no one wants to play the Saints in the postseason. -- Larry Holder, RapidReports Correspondent
	D	2.38	Panthers: Not exactly the way coach Ron Rivera wanted to end his rookie coaching campaign, especially the Panthers having won four of their last five games. Carolina’s defense barely showed up (Drew Brees and the Saints have that effect) and Cam Newton couldn’t get anything going. There’s hope for next year, though, with Newton’s stellar rookie season. -- Larry Holder, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	Philadelphia Eagles 34, Washington Redskins 10
	C+	2.04	Eagles: They did what they were supposed to do, playing at home vs. a bad Redskins team, but they didn’t look real good while doing it. QB Michael Vick wasn’t sharp for most of the game and the running game, without RB LeSean McCoy (ankle), was awful. The defense didn’t give up a lot of points, but that was due more to the Redskins’ poor play than the Eagles’ good play. A mediocre game to end a mediocre season.
	D+	2.28	Redskins: It was an all-around debacle for Washington Sunday as each unit played a role in the Redskins worst loss of the season. The special teams had a kick blocked. The offense could only manage 10 points despite moving the ball well and the defense allowed 34 points, marking the fourth time in the last five games that they had surrendered at least 30 points. They were in the game, yet couldn't capitalize and blew it in the fourth.
Team	Grade	GPA	San Francisco 49ers 34, St. Louis Rams 27
	B-	2.92	49ers: The defense allowed the second-most points of the season and the 49ers allowed the Rams to recover an onside kick. But the defense also added to its league lead with two more takeaways and San Francisco had its second-highest point total of the season. -- Ron Clements, RapidReports Correspondent
	D	1.18	Rams: The defense gave up too many big plays and the Rams were embarrassed when San Francisco scored a TD on a fake FG. The offense showed some life but was burned by too many drive-stalling miscues. Outside of recovering an onside kick, the special teams units were inconsistent. -- Ron Clements, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	Atlanta Falcons 45, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24
	A	2.39	Falcons: The Falcons did exactly what was needed to prepare for the playoffs and erase the memory of last week’s debacle; score lots of points with relative ease. The main goal for Atlanta, which had already clinched a playoff spot, was to gain a little speed for its impending playoff appearance. Mission accomplished. -- Knox Bardeen, RapidReports Correspondent
	D	1.69	Buccaneers: The Buccaneers played the first half like a team that had given up on its season and its coach. While that may have been the case, Tampa Bay’s second-half comeback attempt -- even though it was against a lot of Atlanta non-starters -- showed a little of the spirit that was around in the beginning of the season. But, it wasn’t nearly enough. -- Knox Bardeen, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	Baltimore Ravens 24, Cincinnati Bengals 16
	A-	3.03	Ravens: Baltimore made big plays when needed, thanks to Ray Rice's two long touchdowns runs (70, 51). They didn't need to be much more, though, with QB Joe Flacco not making the mistakes that have traditionally doomed him against the Bengals. In the end, Baltimore didn't turn the ball over in a conservative approach and that was the difference in the game. -- Paul Dehner, RapidReports Correspondent
	B	2.56	Bengals: The Bengals inability to put together a complete game continues to doom them as they finish the regular season 1-7 against teams with winning records. However, at the end of the day, none of what happened at Paul Brown Stadium mattered as Cincinnati made the playoffs anyway. Regardless of how, for the youngest team in the AFC that opened the year with zero expectations to be playing in the postseason overshadows any disappointment on Sunday. -- Paul Dehner, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	Pittsburgh Steelers 13, Cleveland Browns 9
	C	2.62	Steelers: C is the mark for average, which the Steelers were on offense, defense and special teams -– if that -- against a 4-11 bunch. C also is for c-c-c-cold, which the blowing wind made Cleveland Browns Stadium. And C is for charter, because the Steelers will be the No. 5 seed and road-bound. -- Marty Gitlin, RapidReports Correspondent
	C-	2.01	Browns: The offense flunked until the last-ditch drive. QB Seneca Wallace claims he's worthy of starting, but performed poorly. Two critical drops by WR Mohamed Massaquoi illustrated why the Browns are desperate for help at that position. Simply, the Browns never learned how to finish this season. -- Marty Gitlin, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	Seattle Seahawks 20, Arizona Cardinals 23
	B-	2.38	Seahawks: Seattle got a 48-yard TD run from Leon Washington, a 61-yard, fourth-quarter TD catch from WR Ricardo Lockette and a steady effort from RB Marshawn Lynch, but a red-zone INT proved costly, so did a blocked FG. QB Tarvaris Jackson's inability to lead his team to a late victory showed up again as well. Seattle's defense was decent statistically, but it couldn't sustain pressure on QB John Skelton and it allowed Arizona a 131-yard rushing day despite the absence of RB Beanie Wells. -- Craig Morgan, RapidReports Correspondent
	C+	1.99	Cardinals: Arizona's offense sputtered again, making numerous mistakes with backup QB John Skelton at the helm, including a costly, fourth-quarter INT that helped Seattle rally from a 10-point deficit. The defense, which played so well over the second half, gave up several big plays, including RB Leon Washington's 48-yard TD run and Ricardo Lockette's 61-yard TD catch. Thank goodness for a special teams unit that blocked its fifth FG of the season and the unmatched talents of WR Larry Fitzgerald (32nd career 100-yard game). -- Craig Morgan, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	Kansas City Chiefs 7, Denver Broncos 3
	B-	1.79	Chiefs: The only demerit is on style points, because the 7-3 decision over Denver was as ugly as it gets. QB Kyle Orton got his revenge, sort of, on the team that dumped him. He led the Chiefs to one single touchdown and a victory but his ex-teammates still slipped into the postseason. The Chiefs, especially defensively, played like a team that wants to keep Romeo Crennel as head coach. And after wins over previously unbeaten Green Bay and playoff-hungry Denver, he's got a true shot at the full-time gig. -- Lee Rasizer, RapidReports Correspondent
	C-	2.25	Broncos: This very easily could have been the fourth collapse in six years. Denver scored only three points -- the lowest total in the series with Kansas City since 1971 -- as QB Tim Tebow completed just six passes for 60 yards. The defense held up its end, with Dexter McCluster's TD the only scoring. But in the end, the Broncos are the AFC West champions, rallying from a 1-4 start to do it, because San Diego put a hurt on Oakland to let the Broncos in the back door and into the playoffs for the first time since 2005. -- Lee Rasizer, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	San Diego Chargers 38, Oakland Raiders 26
	A	2.18	Chargers: The Chargers were out of the playoff race, but they relished the role of spoiler. Quarterback Philip Rivers carved the Raiders secondary apart, throwing for 310 yards and 3 TDs. Wide receiver Malcom Floyd had a huge day, catching seven passes for 127 yards. -- Eric Gilmore, RapidReports Correspondent
	D	2.36	Raiders: The Raiders could have won the AFC West and made the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Instead, they imploded on defense, lost to the Chargers and finished 8-8 for the second straight year. The Raiders’ offense deserved better. -- Eric Gilmore, RapidReports Correspondent
Team	Grade	GPA	NY Giants 31, Dallas Cowboys 14
	B+	2.44	Giants: Special teams didn't deliver as the coaching staff had hoped (one missed field goal, one penalty, one mishandled punt return) but the offense and defense finally played well in the same game. Outside of the third quarter, the Giants were dominant and QB Eli Manning halted his two-game slump with a 24-for-33, 346-yard, three-TD performance. -- Alex Raskin, RapidReports Correspondent
	F	2.31	Cowboys: Because of their mishaps this month, the Cowboys created a winner-take-all situation and they simply failed. They showed how average they were this year, and 8-8 is the final result. The secondary was awful with CB Terence Newman playing his worst in what could be his final game with the club. QB Tony Romo had more problems with the Giants pass rush than his bruised right hand. The Cowboys had the chance to make the playoffs but lost four of their last five games. -- Nick Eatman, Rapid Reports Correspondent