These three teams made the NFL playoffs last year but may fall short this season.
The parity in the NFL is unlike any other league; every season, 32 teams battle it out to make the playoffs with hopes of hoisting the Lombardi trophy. Only 14 of the 32 teams make the playoffs each season with seven teams from the AFC and NFC. Some teams make the playoffs almost every year, but on average, six new teams make it every season. These are three playoff teams from last year that may enjoy an early vacation this year, and miss the 2024 NFL Playoffs.
Miami Dolphins
There’s no doubt that Miami had a great year last year. Tua Tagovailoa was slinging the ball and they were torching defenses on the ground. They saw success early last season when they finished their first 12 games at 9-3 with a commanding lead in the division. Dolphins fans were feeling good at that point, but then reality set in. They fumbled the second half of the season and finished with an 11-6 record while losing the final game of the regular season to the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo would become AFC East champions with the win. That loss dropped the Dolphins down to the sixth seed where they would have to travel to Kansas City for a Wild Card game. We all know how that panned out.
Why won’t they make it to the 2024 NFL Playoffs? For starters, they play in an incredibly difficult division. The AFC East is no longer being tormented by the New England Patriots, but there are still good teams within the division. The New York Jets are getting star quarterback Aaron Rodgers back this season and the Bills have been good the past few years. Another issue for the Dolphins is their schedule.
Their last two games are on the road against cold-weather teams, and until they can prove otherwise, the Dolphins are not a cold-weather team. The team also struggled against opponents with a winning record last season. For a team that lit up the scoreboard every week, they struggled mightily against playoff teams where they averaged just 12 points a game. It could be the scheme, the quarterback, or their defense, but from what I saw last season, don’t expect the Dolphins in the playoffs this year.
Record Prediction: 8-9
Pittsburgh Steelers
“Consistency is key” is a phrase that rings true for many aspects of life. The Steelers are the definition of consistency under head coach Mike Tomlin. Come to think of it, I can’t remember a time the Steelers were bad. Their brand of ball keeps them in every game it feels like. Under Tomlin, The Steelers have never finished with a losing record. That’s incredibly admirable in today’s game where the league is constantly changing. I expect Tomlin and the Steelers to be competitive as always but ultimately miss out on the playoffs this year.
The defense, led by superstar TJ Watt, carried the offense last year for Pittsburgh. As the offense fluttered during the season, the defense allowed them to be competitive and make the playoffs. Their offense will be better this year after they traded for Russell Wilson during the off-season. Their defense should be better as well after the addition of Patrick Queen in free agency. So why would they miss the playoffs?
The second half of their schedule is brutal. They play all of their divisional games from week 11 on. If the Steelers lose a few games at the start of the year, things could unravel quickly for them. They’ve been prone to losing to bad teams as well. Last season they lost three straight games to the Cardinals, Patriots, and Colts. They rallied to finish the year with three straight wins, but if they have that type of streak in 2024, their season will be over. In fact, losing three straight games is something they have done since 2018. That just can’t happen in a loaded AFC this year. Mike Tomlin’s teams are always competitive, but I just don’t see them dancing into the 2024 NFL Playoffs this year.
Record Prediction: 9-8 (Tomlin keeps it going)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay was a sleeper team last year that surprised us when they made the playoffs. Baker Mayfield had a great season and with that, earned a nice extension. He threw for a career-best 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns while leading the Buccaneers to a 9-8 record. After a successful regular season in which they won the AFC South, they dismantled the Eagles in the Wild Card Game where Mayfield played a huge part. They eventually lost in the Divisional game against the Lions where they scored three touchdowns, but couldn’t overcome Baker’s two interceptions. The NFC South is still a coin-flip division for me, but if they don’t win it this year, the playoffs are probably out of reach.
It’s going to be interesting to see how the NFC South plays out, but ultimately I don’t foresee the Buccaneers finishing at the top. The team had a decent off-season with the extension of Mike Evans and Baker, but they have a new offensive coordinator and rookie starting center. I expect their offense to have some hiccups at the beginning of the season and by the time they figure it out, it could be too late. That being said, Mayfield briefly worked with new offensive coordinator Liam Coen in Los Angeles.
It could be an up-and-down season for the offense and looking at their schedule, that’s not going to result in very many wins. The team has difficult matchups in the middle of their schedule, most notably the Chiefs and 49ers back to back. The NFC is still a weak conference so anything can happen, but Buccaneers fans shouldn’t expect the same magic as last season.
Record Prediction: 7-10
Recap
We all know the term “any given Sunday,” and it’s true. A lot of teams float around the middle of the pack with few being really good or awful. Upsets happen all the time and some teams come out of nowhere and surprise us. This year should be no different. I don’t think these three teams have what it takes to get back to the NFL playoffs in 2024, but you never know.
Cody Henderson
I root for teams that only let me down. Talking all things Las Vegas Raiders and Cal Bears football. Follow me on X where I post my dramatic takes.