For many teams, expectations of the upcoming season are based on preseason projections. For others, the shocking disappointment of a season comes from a collapse or running into a slump, that destroys everything. When you fall into the trap that it's safe to assume your team is heading into a pit. Something goes wrong, and your season is suddenly lost.

It never fails. During the off season, and we wait for the NFL season to begin, analysts and fans begin talking potential playoffs teams. And of course, possible first round byes. And everything thereafter. Let's take a look at VTDs top 3 nominees for the biggest disappointment in the NFL in 2015. Some could also say there wasn't a bigger disappointment during the preseason, than the love of the Saints. All the talk about the improved Saints and the developed skills of Brandin Cooks. Who has been a backended WR this season, he really didn't come on for the Saints until the last 6 games. Even with a future hall of fame, QB, they ended the season with a losing record. The Saints were sleeper favorites to possibly even win the NFC South definitely ahead of the very young, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. New Orleans simply put, were not good, the Saints were one of the worst total defensive teams in the NFL. They abandoned their running game with essentially no explosive RB plays before the season ended, and now the best thing for their fans is that the Saints get a top half draft pick in 2016.

RB Mark Ingram was the only consistent thing on this Saints team. Speedy WR Brandin Cooks had been a huge letdown, after many were thinking he could be a 1200 YD guy making opponents nervous, but it just never came together. Nobody saw the Saints offensive decline, a team that has always been known to score lots of points. The Saints Sean Payton went from a borderline ingenious play caller to an idiot, who forgot how to put points on the board. A team that for so many seasons was scoring in droves, now have struggled to score 20 or more 5 times on the season, all losses.

For the Saints, their talent was there, with Ingram and Brees, but the execution just wasn't. With the Dolphins, maybe there shouldn't have been the high expectations of that team coming in. With an inconsistent QB, Ryan Tannehill has always been nothing more than average to decent, and honestly, WR Jarvis Landry is just ok. The Dolphins ended as dumpster fire, more so than a team with potential. Especially after the way the Phins finished last year, going 8-8. And stringing together some nice runs, winning 4 of 5 during the middle of the season. The Dolphins were a surprisingly decent team in 2014, when Tannehill played really well, with his 66% completion, and 4k YDs. The thought of them finishing with anything less than 9 wins, as of thought, was terrible, but 6-10 was the final tally. Many analysts actually had the Dolphins possibly even taking the division or in the least, nabbing a wildcard spot.

Dolphins had their receivers suddenly forget how to get open, get separation, or score TDs. That's not a winning formula. The Phins have always been a team that's more likely to finish at the bottom with 6-7 Ws than 10 or more. The Dolphins weren't really the biggest disappointment. But, when you're expected to be in the playoff picture, maybe fighting for even divisional champion. But now are staring top 7 draft pick down the barrel, you have to be considered a huge letdown.

The Colts fans were optimistic about this year, because they knew they had enough talent to make a legitimate playoff run, but they got burned with bad coaching and injuries. For the Colts and their fans, it's been a pitiful season, watching them score only 20 points a game, and allowing 26+. Nothing feels good about that team. From top to bottom. The Colts offense was considered one of the better ones in the NFL, but they have not been capable of putting up pts consistently. Their defense is far from good. Giving up 270 in the air and another 120 on the ground. Nothing was adding up. The Indianapolis Colts are undoubtedly our first, especially with all the pre-ordaining them as SB Champs. The Colts were expected to make that next step and make them a very real SB contender. Last season, they were 11-5 and lost in the AFC Conference game, the Colts were being hailed as the next big thing.

The Colts have a talented and skilled roster, but the holes in that team are scary, and it's been then advantage of. They cannot stop teams in the air and they struggled running the ball with their shabby Oline and and aging Frank Gore. Andrew Luck threw 12 interceptions, and was very susceptible to forcing the ball downfield too often. Gore was supposed to bring something strong to the running game, instead he brought under 4YPC. Playing in the AFC South, and not a lot being expected from the Texans or Jags, the Colts were thought to be the team that would be catching a lot of attention. Every season there are a teams that never quite live up to their talent, and somehow end up missing the playoffs. Going that next season, it will come together. When you place expectations on a team, you lay down a gauntlet. Some take it and run with it, others fold.

Written by Tony Karpinski of 10StarPicks
 

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