NFL · 1 year ago

Ranking the Future Outlook of the 6 Wild Card Weekend Losers

Ben DiGiacomo

Host · Writer

1. Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles collapse since the beginning of December was one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen on a football field. The offense was clueless, the defense legitimately could not tackle, and the team showed no fight. What will happen with Nick Sirianni remains to be seen, but significant personnel changes in the locker room and the coaching staff appear imminent. Still, this team was in the Super Bowl 11 months ago and came close to winning it. For now, they deserve the benefit of the doubt of being capable of getting back to that point. Jalen Hurts is one of the best quarterbacks when at his best. AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith are among the league’s best wide receiver tandems. The offensive line will still be elite even if Jason Kelce retires, and it appears a lot of resources will be spent this offseason overhauling the defense. Don’t forget that this team was favored to win it all heading into December, so there is more than enough in Philly to hope for a quick turnaround.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
I understand that Mike Tomlin is back for another season, but what is there to be excited about with the Pittsburgh Steelers unless there is a massive personnel shift? Tomlin may not have a losing season on record, but he hasn't accomplished anything meaningful since his Super Bowl victory 15 seasons ago. He's had many winning seasons, but what was the result? Nothing! This version of the Steelers is not even close to being good enough to compete in the AFC North, let alone the AFC, so a gamechanger at quarterback, more offensive firepower, and another critical defensive piece are all needed for the Steelers to be taken seriously in the postseason. However, none of those upgrades appear to be on the horizon.
5. Miami Dolphins
I can’t take the Miami Dolphins seriously. Tua Tagovailoa has revealed that he is not a championship-caliber quarterback despite some regular season flashes. Tyreek Hill may be a one-man wrecking machine, creating a dynamic offensive attack, but at the end of the day, with their defense being as bad as it is, this team isn’t going anywhere meaningful. I won’t rule out that they could win a playoff game with some injury luck in their favor, but do we think Tua can outduel someone like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, or even CJ Stroud in the postseason? I don’t.
4. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams came alive in the second half of the season, winning seven of their final eight games before their eventual loss to the Detroit Lions in the postseason, but I still believe this Los Angeles Rams team can be dangerous next season. Matthew Stafford has an elite trio of Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Kyren Williams that rivals any offense, and we know Sean McVay remains one of the league's best head coaches. Defensively, a lot of help is needed. Still, a young and inexperienced group showed a lot of growth throughout the season that will only lead to a lot of improvement heading into next season, assuming they add a crucial piece or two into the fold. Hopefully, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will not be hired for a head coaching job elsewhere for the defense's sake.
3. Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns got flat-out embarrassed by CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round, but there was a lot that Browns fans can get excited about heading into next season. Defensively, if we take away their postseason no-show, this was one of the best units in the regular season and won’t have any of their key pieces leaving. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that they’ll be much more prepared to live up to the challenge next postseason. The offense held its own despite constant quarterback turnover, so imagine if we get a consistent version of Deshaun Watson next year alongside the return of Nick Chubb. There were points before he got injured where Watson looked pretty good, so over a 17-game season, he can position this team into legitimate postseason success.
2. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys, what else is there to say? Year in and year out, they raise expectations with dominant regular season showings but fall flat on their faces in the postseason. They fell on their faces this time against the Green Bay Packers. Despite the constant reminder that the Cowboys are a playoff choker, this remains one of the most talented teams in the league. Dak Prescott was one of the best quarterbacks in the regular season, CeeDee Lamb broke out monstrously, and Jake Ferguson came along as one of the league’s most lethal tight ends. The defense remains to be seen, mainly due to the future employment of Dan Quinn, but with Micah Parsons, they’ll always be a solid unit. It’s hard to be hopeful of a postseason turnaround for the Cowboys next season with Mike McCarthy returning, but you never know what can happen in this league.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles collapse since the beginning of December was one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen on a football field. The offense was clueless, the defense legitimately could not tackle, and the team showed no fight. What will happen with Nick Sirianni remains to be seen, but significant personnel changes in the locker room and the coaching staff appear imminent. Still, this team was in the Super Bowl 11 months ago and came close to winning it. For now, they deserve the benefit of the doubt of being capable of getting back to that point. Jalen Hurts is one of the best quarterbacks when at his best. AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith are among the league’s best wide receiver tandems. The offensive line will still be elite even if Jason Kelce retires, and it appears a lot of resources will be spent this offseason overhauling the defense. Don’t forget that this team was favored to win it all heading into December, so there is more than enough in Philly to hope for a quick turnaround.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
I understand that Mike Tomlin is back for another season, but what is there to be excited about with the Pittsburgh Steelers unless there is a massive personnel shift? Tomlin may not have a losing season on record, but he hasn't accomplished anything meaningful since his Super Bowl victory 15 seasons ago. He's had many winning seasons, but what was the result? Nothing! This version of the Steelers is not even close to being good enough to compete in the AFC North, let alone the AFC, so a gamechanger at quarterback, more offensive firepower, and another critical defensive piece are all needed for the Steelers to be taken seriously in the postseason. However, none of those upgrades appear to be on the horizon.

Ranking the Future Outlook of the 6 Wild Card Weekend Losers

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