The Seven Most Surprising Things About This NFL Season

We're only two-thirds of the way into the regular season and this has already been one of the most bizarre, most ludicrous seasons on record. Read why.

By Peter Schrager

[more from this author]

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What a long, strange NFL season it's been -- and there are still six weeks left. It's been a three-eyed fish of a season. This is the year where Spenser Larsen became the first player in Denver Bronco history to start on both sides of the ball, The Fixx made an inexplicable comeback in a Toyota commercial, and Al Davis escaped from his sarcophagus to hold a press conference where he called his coach a "liar." And as odd as those things are -- they're not even close to making this list of the seven most unusual things we've seen this year.

#7. The officiating is so bad, the referees are writing apology letters.

After completely blowing a call during the Chargers-Broncos Week Two shootout, Ed Hochuli felt so terrible he actually wrote an apology letter, telling fans, "I failed miserably. Although it does no good to say it, I am very, very sorry." And he might not be the only one to issue a mea culpa this year. In Week 10, the zebras blew a call in the Packers-Vikings game, then another one at the end of Week 11's Steelers-Chargers game. Consider this: Pittsburgh was called for 13 penalties in last Sunday's game, while San Diego was called for just two. Toss in the spread being four-and-a-half points, the overruling of an apparent Pittsburgh touchdown at the end of regulation, and an 11-10 final score... Let's just say some folks lingering around the Vegas sports books were none too pleased about that one. Never before has the officiating -- or lack thereof -- been such a part of the weekly NFL discussion.

#6. A recovering alcoholic who was labeled a racist is the veteran leader of the NFL's dominant team.

People are calling Kerry Collins' emergence as the starting quarterback for the 10-0 Tennessee Titans a "comeback." But in truth, this is actually the second so-called "comeback" of Kerry Collins' career. In 1997-98, he apparently called Muhsin Muhammad a racial slur while drinking with teammates at a bar, had his jaw shattered by an illegal hit from Bill Romanowski, and got rung up on drunk driving charges. Collins was basically out of the league by 1999 -- an unrestricted free agent with few suitors. The Giants gave the former first round pick a second chance, and in 2000, he led them to a Super Bowl berth -- ushering in his first official comeback. But after New York drafted Eli Manning in the 2003 NFL Draft, Collins was on the chopping block again. A league vagabond, he then hopped from New York to Oakland to Tennessee, compiling a not so impressive sub-.500 record as a middling starter and backup. Now, in 2008, his fourteenth year in the league, the 35-year-old is having his best season ever. This isn't a comeback. We've heard that story before. This is fascinating -- a comeback after a comeback.

#5. Seventh-round fantasy draft picks are easily outplaying everyone drafted in the first round.

Go through the list. Unless you drafted Clinton Portis and Adrian Peterson, just about every other 2008 first round fantasy football draft selection has been putrid. LaDainian Tomlinson is 13th in the league in rushing, Brian Westbrook is 23rd, and Joseph Addai's nowhere to be found. Marshawn Lynch is losing touches to a guy who went to Coe College, and Tony Romo, Tom Brady, and Steven Jackson have all been sidelined with injuries. The big receivers -- Randy Moss, Braylon Edwards, and Terrell Owens -- are ranked 23rd, 29th, and 39th respectively in receptions. Both Larry and Chad Johnson have been AWOL for most of the season. Your best fantasy bet this year? Drafting the Tennessee Titans defense, a bunch of rookies at running back, and a decent kicker. Or just taking Kurt Warner.

#4. Two guys who usually carry luggage for the veterans are carrying their teams to the playoffs instead.

Go through the annals of NFL history and you'll find only a few rare occasions in which a first-year quarterback has led a team to the postseason. Ben Roethlisberger guided the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers to a 15-1 record and a postseason berth, but even he only got the nod after veteran quarterback Tommy Maddox went down with an injury. Current ESPN analyst Shaun King led the 1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the NFC Championship Game, but prior to King, no rookie quarterback had started an NFL playoff game since 1991 (Todd Marinovich, Oakland). Yet, this year, we not only have one rookie quarterback steering a team towards the postseason -- but two. Both Baltimore's Joe Flacco and Atlanta's Matt Ryan have started every game for their respective teams, and both are playing at an All-Pro level for squads with records better than .500. That's not supposed to happen.

#3. Twenty-five percent of the NFL's starting quarterbacks are over the age of thirty.

Though Flacco and Ryan may be having great success in their first NFL seasons, the real quarterback-related story in 2008 has been how many old farts are playing the position for competitive teams. Scan the league standings and way too many dudes over 30 -- let alone guys over 35 -- are starting at quarterback for good squads. Jeff Garcia (38), Brett Favre (39), Kurt Warner (37), Jake Delhomme (33), Gus Frerotte (37), Kerry Collins (35), Chad Pennington (32), and Peyton Manning (32) are all the signal callers for potential playoff teams. Early bird specials, stealing sugar packets from diners, and the NFL playoffs -- it's all the rage in Boca Raton these days.

#2. The Arizona Cardinals are going to host a home game in the playoffs. No, seriously.

With a win over the New York Giants on Sunday and losses from the Seahawks and 49ers, the Arizona Cardinals can clinch their first ever NFC West title -- in Week 12. The Cards haven't won a division title since 1975 and have only made the playoffs six times since 1946. The franchise, considered by many as the least successful team of all the four major American professional sports leagues, has just a 2-5 record in playoff games during that 62-year-span. Imagine being a fan of a team that's won 2 playoff games in six decades? (We're looking at you, Will Leitch.)

Well, good times are here. 38-year-old quarterback Kurt Warner is having an MVP-caliber season, a rookie from Richmond is starring at running back, and a host of unsung role players are anchoring the league's 11th ranked defense. The Cardinals can smell the playoffs, and that's just plain weird.

#1. We're seeing scores never-before-seen in the history of the NFL.

Last Sunday's controversial 11-10 Steelers-Chargers finish marked the first time in 12,837 NFL games there was such a final score. It was the first 11-10 game ever.

C’mon, folks. That’s full moon stuff.

It's been a bizarre season. A bizarre season, indeed.

Of course, the Lions are still winless.

I guess it's good to know at least some things are still somewhat normal.