Play.
Rex Ryan is confident that teams will hire Vic Fangio.
After being fired by the Broncos, Vic Fangio will not have any issues getting another coaching job in the NFL. 1:06
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The first season in which each team plays 17 regular-season games comes to a close on Sunday. The Green Bay Packers will be the top seed in the playoffs, while the Tennessee Titans will be the top seed in the playoffs.
It was an unusual year. The league was disrupted by the coronaviruses for the second year in a row. More than 20 players on several teams were affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.
Rodgers and Brady are favorites for the award after helping their teams reach the playoffs again. T.J. Watt is the favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year.
The teams that didn't make the playoffs are wondering what to do next. The National Football League Nation digs in.
AFC North.
The Baltimore Ravens are in the 4th place of the AFC North.
Injuries went wrong. Lots of them. J.K. Dobbins suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason finale. Lamar Jackson missed the last four games of the season with an ankle injury. The Ravens started 45 players in at least one game and suited up a franchise-high 75 players. Three of the four highest-paid players on the team were out for the year by the middle of the year. "Squid Game" is a Korean survival horror-drama series, according to Don "Wink" Martindale. Baltimore had the best record in the conference six weeks ago. The Ravens didn't have enough to win those close games.
When will the Ravens sign Jackson to an extension? It has never been a question of if Baltimore will sign the quarterback to a long-term deal. Both sides want to get a deal done. It's a matter of when and how much. The Ravens don't have to sign Jackson to an extension now because he can play under his fifth-year option in 2022, when his salary jumps from $1.771 million to $23.016 million. Baltimore has to consider whether waiting could upset Jackson and tarnish a strong relationship. The worst season of Jackson's four-year career ended with him being the NFL's Most Valuable Player. He had an injury for the first time. He threw an uncharacteristic number of picks up, getting picked off 13 times in 12 games. Jackson is the future of the franchise. The question is if the Ravens sign Jackson to a new deal this year or next.
The Cleveland Browns are in the 4th place of the AFC North.
The Cleveland passing offense was never the same after quarterback Baker Mayfield tore a labrum in his left shoulder in Week 2. The quarterback missed the finale against Cincinnati to have surgery on his shoulder.
Who will be Cleveland's starting quarterback in 2022? It seems like the obvious answer since he is under contract for almost $19 million. If the Browns make a run at another quarterback, they might be willing to reexamine how much they want to keep him in Cleveland.
The football team from the South.
The Houston Texans are in the 3rd place of the AFC South.
It was clear this off-season that this would be the start of a rebuild for the Texans, after they faced 22 civil lawsuits with accusations of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior, and after Deshaun Watson requested a trade in January. J.J. Watt asked for his release after the trade request. There was a lot of turnover with a new front office and coaching staff. Veteran players were mostly signed to one- or two-year contracts by Nick Caserio. The Texans started off on a high note under Culley, but lost eight in a row and 11 of 12. In the first game, Tyrod Taylor played well before he injured his leg. Culley benched Taylor for Mills after the veteran struggled to return from injury. The Texans won two games in a row late in the season, but they showed they have a lot of work to do before they can contend for the title again.
What's next at quarterback? He was paid because he was on Houston's active roster. He had a base salary of $10.54 million in 2021. It's not a long-term solution to keep him on the roster, and while any team that wants to trade for him may prefer to wait until there is clarity around criminal charges and the lawsuits, it seems likely a move is made before the start of next season. Caserio has been clear to teams that he's not willing to trade for what he sees as less than the quarterback's market value, but at some point he may have to prioritize moving on from him. Houston got an even longer look at the third-round pick after benching Taylor for Mills. Caserio should have a shot at the starting role in 2022, but did Mills do enough to convince him? Houston will be looking for a veteran quarterback this year.
The Indianapolis Colts are in the 2nd division.
It was only fitting that the Colts were eliminated from the playoffs by losing. Indianapolis hasn't won in Jacksonville in over a year. Frank Reich's Colts have a slow start every season, and this year they opened with an 0-3 record. The Colts couldn't overcome their start to make the playoffs. The start of the season was big for the Colts, and they'll be thinking about their inability to hold leads in the off season. Indianapolis lost games after blowing double-digit leads against Baltimore, Tennessee and Tampa Bay, with the latter two teams making the playoffs. Legitimate playoff teams know how to close out games. The Colts lost at home to Las Vegas in Week 17 when they could have made the playoffs.
The biggest question going into the season is still the quarterback, and it's still the biggest question of the summer. It looks like he had a great first season with the team. They can't say for sure he's the long-term answer. From Philadelphia to Indianapolis, he brought his questionable decision-making, including a number of attempted left-handed passes. The quarterback won it for the Colts in the fourth quarter against Arizona on Christmas night. The Colts need that if they want to make it to the Super Bowl. Jonathan Taylor could use some help at the other skill positions. The only legitimate threat in the passing game was Michael Pittman Jr., the first Colts receiver not named T.Y. Hilton to have 1,000 receiving yards in a season since 2012. Jack and Hilton are considering retirement. The weak link on the offensive line was Eric Fisher.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are 3-14.
Everything went wrong. Meyer was fired in mid-December after reports of mistreatment of assistant coaches and players. Some of the players who would have helped got injured, because Meyer and Trent Baalke didn't give rookies a good supporting cast. Meyer and Bevell weren't on the same page, and the Jags were on the verge of having the worst scoring average in franchise history. The defense had stretches when it stopped the run, but it didn't force turnovers. The roster is one of the worst in the league. It has been a complete disaster.
Will Khan do what he hasn't done in his 10 years as owner and get the head-coaching hire right? He's whiffed four times, and his statement of "this time I got it right" when he hired Meyer makes him look foolish. The franchise needs a leader who can be consistent, who understands the importance of Lawrence and who has the players' respect. Will he make the right decision with Baalke? A recent report that Khan planned to retain Baalke caused a segment of the fan base to change their account to a clown with a mustache.
The area of the AFC West.
The Denver Broncos are in the 4th place in the AFC West.
The mess on the offense is the reason for the sixth consecutive playoff miss. The Broncos scored 14 or fewer points in seven of their losses. They kept clinging to the idea that they could do their best work out of open formations and three-wide receiver sets, even though they couldn't protect their quarterbacks well enough. The attempts to smash the square peg into the round hole cratered the season. Coach Fangio was fired because he didn't demand enough change loudly enough on that side of the ball. The Broncos wasted a playoff-worthy effort on defense when they added a special teams unit that often threw in a game-changing mistake.
What is the plan at quarterback is the biggest question of the off-season. They've been through 10 starting players since the midway point of the 2016 season, and Phillip Lindsay's start in the no-quarterback game of 2020 is the 11th. George Paton is facing a ho-hum class in free agency at the position and a draft class that may not hold a quick answer to their offensive problems. Competition to trade for quarterbacks will be fierce given the draft and free-agency options.
The NFC EAST.
The New York Giants are in the 4th place in the NFC East.
Everything went wrong. "Things haven't been great this year," said running back Saquon Barkley recently. It began when the Giants' top players were injured. That was a sign of things to come. Quarterback Daniel Jones, wide receiver Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, and others missed at least three games this season. Another miserable season was produced by the injuries and offensive line. The Jacksonville Jaguars scored less points. In Week 2, we should have known that the field goal attempt in Washington was going to be a mess.
Who will fix this mess? Dave Gettleman will be fired. It's a question of whether the new GM is okay with Jones getting at least one more season. This year was a step backwards for Judge, who was saddled with an insufficient roster. Jones has been a victim of the lack of talent around him, but the concerns about his injury history are real. New York has some important decisions to make.
The Washington Football Team is in the 3rd place in theNFC East.
In the past month, Washington lost too many key players, whether to injury or illness, and more than half the roster has spent time on the reserve/CO. A team with a ceiling of nine or 10 wins was impacted. A lack of dynamic play from ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat, poor secondary coverage, and inconsistent LB play are some of the reasons why the defense underachieved. In the first six games Washington was last in the league in points allowed and yards allowed. There are more issues on the list. The running game became a focal point too late, there was inconsistent quarterback play and little production from multiple high-end offseason acquisitions.
Here's how the playoffs looks at the moment and what might happen in the future.
The picture of the playoffs is projected.
There are scenarios for Week 18.
The interactive NFL Playoff Machine was created by ESPN.
The Football Power Index is a measure of standings.
How will they find their quarterback? Taylor Heinicke can help them in the future as a high-end backup. It's hard to imagine Washington landing either Rodgers or Wilson. Even if his legal issues are resolved, it's highly unlikely that he would waive his no-trade clause to come here. If Carr becomes available, Washington could try to sign him, but it would take a lot of money and a lot of draft picks. The draft class is not considered strong or deep, so it might be hard for the team to find one they like. There will be free agents who could be used as rookies. Since it last won the Super Bowl in 1991, the franchise has started 33 different quarterbacks.
The north is called the NFC North.
The Chicago Bears are in the 3rd place in the NFC North.
The offense never got into gear with or without Fields behind center. Bears coach Matt Nagy probably felt pressure to start Fields after just a couple of games because it was probably better with Andy Dalton running things. Fields has shown improvement, though the results weren't very good. The offense averaged 18 points per game in Nagy's fourth year as the head coach, but if this was Year 1 it might be enough. It's not the worst in the league but it's close enough to cost Nagy his job. There is something missing from his offense or his coaching.
Can the Bears find a head coach who will bring out the best in Fields? Chicago has never been known as a place where quarterbacks go to succeed and Fields is its latest attempt at employing an elite talent at the position. Nagy failed with Trubisky and didn't turn heads with Fields in his first year, so it's likely on to the next coach. Greg Roman of the Ravens is a good example of a run-pass option expert. The Bears have talent and are deep at running back so maximizing that area would be a good start. The sooner the offense learns a new system, the better.
The Detroit Lions are in the 4th place of the NFC North.
The 2021 season has been disappointing for fans. Dan Campbell and his staff have laid the foundation for a hard-nosed team that competes until the end. During Week 1 of the season, the Lions suffered a couple of injuries, notably when Jeff Okudah, the team's No. 3 overall pick from 2020, suffered an injury. Frank Ragnow and Okwara were both injured and are out for the season. Early in the season, there was poor play from the quarterback. Three walk-off field goals were part of the heartbreaking defeats the Lions received. It happened against the Ravens in Week 3, the Vikings in Week 5, and the Bears in Thanksgiving.
Each of Tom Brady's Super Bowl appearances has been given a first-hand account. Man in the Arena: Tom Brady will be broadcasted on the Disney Channel.
The Lions have to get it right in the upcoming draft, not just with the top pick. They might choose between the top two edge rushers, Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson and Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux, with the second pick. They need a wide receiver. Amon-Ra St. Brown came on strong at the end of the season, but they still have other threats. They need to make a decision on where they want to head at quarterback. Campbell has insisted that they have a guy, but they need to bring in more depth.
The Minnesota Vikings are in the 2nd division.
Minnesota had one of the most talented rosters in theNFC and underachieved. The Vikings played in 14 one-possession games this season, tied for the most in NFL history. The Vikings missed the playoffs in back-to-back years because they lost eight of those. The offense would struggle to build a lead if the defense blew a lead. The team lost tight end Irv Smith Jr. before the season started, along with nose tackle Michael Pierce. Danielle Hunter, Everson Griffen, and Adam Thielen missed time. The Vikings entered Week 18 with the worst two-minute defense in the history of the league, allowing 120 points in the final two minutes of the first half and the final two minutes of the second. Kirk Cousins had one of the best seasons of his career, but he couldn't get the Vikings over the hump when other parts of the roster struggled. It was the worst-case scenario for coach Mike Zimmer, who had talked about how that could happen for unvaccinated players when training camp started.
Who stays or who goes? The Vikings have a losing record since 2019. The Wilf's want to keep this group together, but do they want to give up their seats on the board? It feels like Minnesota would benefit from a clean slate. Even though he's under contract through the 2022 season, that could mean moving on from him. It is impossible to cut him because of his contract, which has a cap hit in the final year. If the Vikings want to go the route of a full rebuild and have the finances and draft capital to do so, they could look to trade for Cousins.
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