We brought Dalton back to recognize his outstanding season. His first six weeks tops any run that players like Rivers and Brees had all year. ... Rodgers' September should not be forgotten. He pulled off more outrageous throws in tough spots in consecutive weeks than we've ever seen. When the rest of the league realized the Packers could only improvise, the magic ran out. There are a lot of reasons for Rodgers' downturn, but he should be held responsible for not figuring out a way to stop the bleeding. For all the rightful talk of receivers not being open, there were often throws available that Rodgers didn't see or didn't make. He's looked scrambled mentally at times. ... Rivers, like Roethlisberger, had to be watched weekly to appreciate. For most of the year, he did an extraordinary job overcoming awful protection. Few quarterbacks would have held up so well. ... The year started with Drew Brees looking mortal. After a surprisingly brief shoulder scare, Brees wound up looking like the same old Brees in the second half of the season. That's why trying to squeeze one more playoff run out of Brees and Sean Payton together makes sense.