What Makes a Season Successful?

I think an interesting question is what makes a season a success. Obviously, every team's goal is to win the Super Bowl. But for 31 teams each year, that doesn't happen. So is it possible to have a successful season even if you don't win the ultimate prize?

For some people, probably not. I think most New England Patriots fans would say it's not a successful season without a ring at the end, because they have such a good team (it hurts to say this) every year that anything less is not equaling their talent.

But for most other teams, I'd say the answer is yes. Some teams are just happy to make the playoffs and win a game. I have no doubt that fans of the Kansas City Chiefs are thrilled they finally broke their playoff victory drought. The Buffalo Bills haven't made the playoffs in this millennium, so that in itself would be a huge accomplishment for them.

Finally, there are teams that just want to see improvement. I'm talking about the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, and yes, the New York Jets after last year's 4-12 season. If the team actually looks competent and makes real strides in their organization, it's a win for them.

The way the Jets season ended put a damper on what was a very enjoyable season. Even if the team hadn't made the playoffs (but did it in a less frustrating way) we would be able to celebrate a huge improvement on the previous season. It's difficult under the circumstances, but that doesn't necessarily mean the season is a failure. What do you think?