The focus the last few weeks has been on the fourteen teams that did make the playoffs. But, this is why the eighteen teams who didn’t make it fell short.
Brett Davis - Imagn Images
The focus the last few weeks has been on the fourteen teams that did make the playoffs. But, what went wrong for the eighteen teams who didn’t make the postseason? This slideshow will go through each team and name the biggest reason why they didn’t make the postseason.
Yes, we could’ve said quarterback play for more teams, but we wanted to save it for the most egregious examples. And, some of these teams had more than one big thing that held them back, but we could only pick one.
Tennessee Titans: Will Levis Regressed
Steve Roberts - Imagn Images
While he was far from a finished product, Will Levis showed some promising signs in his rookie season in 2023. But, he was absolutely terrible in 2024, and a team that needs serious talent upgrades at a ton of spots couldn’t overcome poor quarterback play, too.
Cleveland Browns: The Deshaun Watson Contract Ended The Season Before It Even Started
Eric Hartline - Imagn Images
Let’s face it, even before he tore his Achilles midseason, Deshaun Watson looked awful. Browns management felt compelled to play him because of the fully-guaranteed mega-deal they gave Watson prior to the 2023 season. The sooner they just accept the sunk cost, the better off the franchise will be.
New York Giants: Poor Offensive Line Play
Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images
The Giants have been trying to fix the offensive line for a better part of a decade. They still haven’t figured it out. Yes, Daniel Jones was not good, but the offensive line makes everything worse on offense. They absolutely have to fix it.
New England Patriots: Poor Skill Position Players On Offense
Mark J. Rebilas - Imagn Images
The entire supporting cast around Drake Maye on offense isn’t very good, as the line is well-below-average. But, the skill-position players were absolutely awful all season long. Drake Maye could’ve won the Patriots a few more games had he had an NFL-caliber receiving corps.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Awful Defense
Denny Simmons - Imagn Images
The Jaguars defense wasn’t good at anything other than rushing the passer. They were soft, blew assignments, and lacked team speed on the back-end.
Las Vegas Raiders: A Head Coach In Over His Head
Charles Leclaire - Imagn Images
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce was not very good at his job, as the Raiders were frequently unprepared and hampered by poor game management. He was fired after just one full season for a reason.
New York Jets: Poor Offensive Line Play
Kirby Lee - Imagn Images
Like the Giants, the Jets have been trying to fix the offensive line for years. Once again, it wasn’t any good.
Carolina Panthers: Poor Pass Rush
Jim Dedmon - Imagn Images
The Panthers offense got a bit better as the season went on. But, the defense was hampered by an atrocious pass rush that allowed quarterbacks to pick them apart.
New Orleans Saints: Poor Run Defense
Stephen Lew - Imagn Images
New Orleans’ run defense was terrible, especially in the middle of the defense. The defensive tackles played the run as poorly as any goup in the league.
Chicago Bears: Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron Was Atrocious
Kirby Lee - Imagn Images
No team had consistently worse offensive game plans than the Chicago Bears under Shane Waldron. He pretty much ruined Caleb Williams’ rookie seasons with nonsensical game plans and playcalling.
San Francisco 49ers: Injuries To Star Players
Gregory Fisher - Imagn Images
Nearly every star player missed time for the San Francisco 49ers, as the preseason NFC favorites never really hit their stride.
Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott's Injury
Brett Davis - Imagn Images
The Cowboys weren’t playing great prior to Dak Prescott’s injury. But, When he was lost for the season after eight games, their playoff hopes pretty much evaporated.
Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa's Concussion
Jasen Vinlove - Imagn Images
The Dolphins ended up pretty close to making the playoffs, being in the hunt until the final week of the season. Ultimately, the winnable games the team lost early in the season while Tua Tagovailoa recovered from a Week 2 concussion doomed them.
Indianapolis Colts: Poor Quarterback Play
Ron Chenoy - Imagn Images
Whether it was Anthony Richardson or Joe Flacco, the Colts simply did not get enough out of the quarterback position to get into the playoffs.
Atlanta Falcons: Awful Defense
Jamie Sabau - Imagn Images
The Atlanta Falcons made some pretty big upgrades on the defensive side in the ball. They didn’t pay off, as they were once again one of the NFL’s worst defenses.
Arizona Cardinals: Poor Pass Rush
Mark J. Rebilas - Imagn Images
The Arizona Cardinals were a much-improved team from 2023. But, in a league that demands teams be able to get after the quarterback, they didn’t have a player with more than five sacks. They had to blitz to get home. leaving them vulnerable on the back end.
Cincinnati Bengals: Awful Defense
Sam Greene- - Imagn Images
The Bengals defense consistently found ways to lose games for Joe Burrow and an exceptional offense. It was stunning how bad they were, especially in the clutch.
Seattle Seahawks: Poor Offensive Line Play
Steven Bisig - Imagn Images
Seattle’s offensive line was absolutely dreadful all year long. Had it been a bit better, the 10-7 Seahawks could’ve squeaked out another win and made the playoffs.