The Top 7 Events of the 2022 NFL Regular Season: Thrills, Emotions, and Upsets
The NFL regular season has officially come to an end. The 2022 season was filled with thrills and emotions. The season kicked off on September 9, 2022, with a match-up between the Rams and Bills. The Bills defeated the defending Super Bowl champion, the Rams, by a score of 31-10.
This set the tone for what would be a 2022 season filled with thrilling events. Here are some of the top 7 events that occurred throughout the season:
1. Tua's Injury-filled Season
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a season filled with injuries and health concerns in 2022. In Week 3, he suffered a back injury that was initially announced as a head injury by the team. Then, in Week 4, Tagovailoa sustained a concussion that kept him out for a few weeks.
In Week 13 against the 49ers, he had an ankle injury scare but was cleared to play in Week 14. In Week 16, Tagovailoa ended the game with a concussion. Despite these setbacks, he finished the season with 25 touchdowns, 3,548 passing yards, and 8 interceptions.
2. The Wilson-Hackett Experiment: A Failed Marriage
The Broncos signed Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to a four-year deal as head coach in 2022. They also traded former Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks, giving up two first-round picks and other draft picks and personnel. They extended his contract for five years for $245 million, with $165 million guaranteed.
However, it proved to be a bad marriage, with signs showing from week one, when Hackett decided on a 64-yard field goal rather than giving the ball to his high-priced QB. This was the foundation for a season filled with bad decisions and outright bad luck.
Denver ended the 2022 season with a losing record of 5-12. Wilson had 16 touchdowns, 3524 passing yards, and 11 interceptions. He was also sacked a whopping 55 times. It was a below-par season.
3. 2022 High-Scoring Affair
In NFL history, there have been 24 games where 90 or more points were scored. If you exclude games that went into overtime, that number drops to 22. In Week 4 of the 2022 NFL season, the Detroit Lions hosted the Seattle Seahawks at home in a thrilling game that saw both teams score above 40 points each.
This game ranked 9th on the all-time list for most points (93) scored in a regular season NFL game. The final score of the game was a 48-45 victory for the Seahawks. Seattle QB Geno Smith threw for 320 yards, 2 passing touchdowns, and 1 rushing touchdown, while Detroit QB Jared Goff threw for 378 yards and 4 passing touchdowns.
4. Unpatriotic End
The New England Patriots have been a force to be reckoned with in the NFL for over a decade, appearing in every playoff and winning 3 Super Bowls from 2008 to 2019. However, since then, they have missed the playoffs twice. Despite their efforts, the Patriots were unable to secure a spot this season, finishing the campaign with a 8-9 losing record.
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The team may need to make changes in performance and personnel, probably at the quarterback position, where Mac Jones threw for 2997 yards, 14 touchdowns (ranked 23rd), and 11 interceptions (tied for 5th). With the playoffs out of reach, the Patriots will have to wait until next year to make another appearance and work hard to improve on their performance.
5. Constant Change, Constant Success
Trey Lance was given the nod as the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers but suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2 against the Seahawks. Jimmy Garoppolo took over as the starting quarterback but also got injured in Week 13 against the Dolphins.
Brock Purdy, the 3rd choice quarterback, who was tagged as "Mr. Irrelevant," took over and played the rest of the season. Despite the injury woes at the quarterback position, the 49ers still finished the league with the 3rd best winning record. They also had the best points differential of +173 and allowed the lowest points per game (16.3). A dominant display by the team.
6. Top Seeds
For the third consecutive season, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are the 2022 top seeds in the AFC with an impressive 14-3 record. The team's dominance has earned them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, with the exception of a potential matchup against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Conference Championship, as well as a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Additionally, the Philadelphia Eagles also ended the 2022 season with an impressive 14-3 record, earning them the top seed in the NFC. The team had a historic 13-1 run before the injury to their quarterback, Jalen Hurts, leading to a 1-2 finish. Both teams will definitely have their sights set on the Super Bowl in order to crown their efforts.
7. Injury halts Bills-Bengals matchup
Arguably the most shocking event of the 2022 NFL season occurred in a game slated to be the biggest in the AFC between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. Damar Hamlin of the Bills had a life-threatening incident during the match-up against the Bengals.
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The game had to be halted, and Damar was rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he responded to treatment and has since been transferred to a Buffalo hospital. Prayers are still up for Damar's full recovery, and the entire NFL community, staff, players, and fans, is in solidarity with Damar and his family.