The NFL playoffs are in full swing. We are now heading into the Conference Championship games after an exciting Wild Card and Divisional Round. Here are the NFL teams eliminated from the playoffs so far.
Below are the NFL teams eliminated from the Wild Card and Divisional Round of the playoffs. This list is up to date as of Jan. 29, 2023, at 22:10 p.m. ET.
NFL Teams Eliminated From Playoffs
Cincinnati Bengals
Eliminated in Conference Championship
The Bengals had quite the season. After being written off early because of inconsistent play and a losing record, they rattled off a whopping 10 straight victories, bringing them all the way to the Conference Championship game.
Unfortunately, they ran into the Kansas City Chiefs, a team with revenge on the mind after they lost to this same Bengals squad last year in the Conference Championship. This time around, thanks to strong defensive play and an ill-timed 15-yard penalty by the Bengals, the Chiefs bested Cincinnati to make it to Super Bowl 57.
Now, the Bengals head into the offseason with one massive objective – sign Joe Burrow to a contract extension. It won’t be cheap, considering how far he has taken this team when healthy. But they will have no choice but to open the checkbook for their franchise QB.
San Francisco 49ers
Eliminated in Conference Championship
What a roller coaster of a game the San Francisco 49ers played in the Conference Championship round. Brock Purdy, who was already the third QB to play for the 49ers this season, was injured in the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles. That forced fourth-string option Josh Johnson into the starting role.
Johnson did his best, but the Eagles’ elite defense was already a lot for even the best of the best to handle. He also left the game with an injury, which forced Purdy back into the game. Unfortunately, he was far from 100%.
Now, the 49ers head into the offseason with one major question staring them in the face. Who is going to be their starting QB next year? Jimmy Garoppolo is a free agent. The team gave up a ton of draft capital to acquire Trey Lance, but he is coming off a major injury. Is Mr. Irrelevant, the last pick in last year’s draft, the answer next year?
Who knows. However, the 49ers can take solace in the fact that they still have an elite offensive line and defense.
Dallas Cowboys
Eliminated in Divisional Round
The Dallas Cowboys gave it their all, but ultimately, the 49ers and the legend of rookie Brock Purdy were just too much. In a defensive battle, Dak Prescott’s turnovers and mistakes were just too much to overcome what the 49ers could do offensively. Purdy was efficient, and George Kittle came up clutch when it mattered most.
Now, Dallas looks to an offseason with a ton of questions. What will they do with pending free agent Tony Pollard? Will Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott’s contracts force the team to let go of more talent? Will the team make a run at Sean Payton to replace Mike McCarthy? Will they lose offensive and defensive coordinators Dan Quinn and Kellen Moore?
The NFC East is the toughest division in football, and Dallas will need to figure things out if they want to continue to compete.
Buffalo Bills
Eliminated in Divisional Round
The Buffalo Bills suffered a devastating loss at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals during the Divisional Round. Now, after aspirations of a potential Super Bowl, the Bills have been eliminated from the playoffs.
Buffalo’s season can be summed up with one word, inconsistent. At times, they looked like the best offense and even team in football. However, especially in the second half of the year, they suffered from turnovers, bad defensive play, injuries, and strange coaching decisions. After barely hanging on to beat the Miami Dolphins and their third-string QB in the Wild Card Round, Joe Burrow and this surging Bengals team were too much for the Bills.
Buffalo had everything on their side, including a raucous home-field advantage and an intense snowstorm. There was no reason for them to lose this game. Now, they head into the offseason with some questions. Can Josh Allen return to form even without Brian Daboll? Can he fix his suddenly reappearing turnover issues?
Buffalo has the pieces to compete, but they will only go as far as their QB will take them.
New York Giants
Eliminated in Divisional Round
After an impressive win in the Wild Card Round, the New York Giants’ surprising season came to an end at the hands of their NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants made a ton of progress this season, and behind head coach Brian Daboll, they look to be legit contenders in their division.
Now, heading into the offseason, the team will have some questions they need to answer. Will they extend QB Daniel Jones after his impressive season? What will they do at the WR position? What is the long-term plan with Saquon Barkley?
We answer some of this in our Giants offseason preview. But, after competing in one of the toughest divisions in football, things are looking up.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Eliminated in Divisional Round
The Jaguars had an impressive season. After basically being written off by everyone after a tough start to the season, they turned things around to make it to the playoffs. Then, against the Chargers, they went down 27-7 in the first half.
They stormed back with the third-biggest playoff comeback in history to win that game. Unfortunately, they needed to then head to Arrowhead to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. They lost 27-20 to a hobbled Patrick Mahomes.
Now, the Jaguars look towards the offseason. With a young core and a ton of talent, things are looking up for Jacksonville. Doug Pederson has this team playing hard, and with a lot of draft capital in 2023, they will likely continue to compete in the weak AFC South.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Eliminated in Wild Card Round
Tom Brady and the Buccaneers finally lost a game that mattered. The Dallas Cowboys, behind an impressive performance from Dak Prescott, defeated Tom Brady and this loaded Buccaneers offense.
Much was made about Brady and his undefeated 7-0 record against the Cowboys heading into this matchup. However, at 45 years old, time seemed to finally catch up the to future Hall of Famer as he was uncharacteristically awful in this one. The Cowboys’ defense created constant pressure, and Brady never seemed comfortable in the pocket.
Now, the Buccaneers head into the offseason with a ton of questions about their QB position. Will Brady be back next year, or will this team need to look to the draft to start a rebuild?
Baltimore Ravens
Eliminated in Wild Card Round
Even though they have officially been eliminated from the NFL playoffs, the Baltimore Ravens put up quite the fight against the Cincinnati Bengals. In their second game in two weeks, the Ravens took the Bengals right down to the wire with a failed hail mary putting the final nail in the coffin of the Ravens’ season.
As 8.5-point underdogs, no one expected the Ravens to be that competitive in this one. Right up until the inactives were announced, we didn’t even know who would be starting at QB for Baltimore. With Lamar Jackson having already been ruled out, the question remained as to whether it would be Tyler Huntley or Anthony Brown.
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Ultimately, Huntley was able to play, and he did all he could to get the win. Unfortunately, a costly fumble at the goal line not only set a new NFL record but also all but guaranteed a Bengals win.
Now, the Ravens head into the offseason with a ton of questions. But the most important will be surrounding the quarterback position. Will they finally give Jackson the contract extension he has been waiting for? Or could their star QB be on a new team next year?
Minnesota Vikings
Eliminated in Wild Card Round
After a season where they were constantly labeled as frauds, the Minnesota Vikings were ultimately eliminated in the Wild Card Round. They fell to the New York Giants as the NFC’s three seed, 31-24. Although Kirk Cousins played well, ultimately, he was outdueled by Daniel Jones, who was starting his first-ever playoff game. Jones threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception, something that has plagued his career so far.
Jones also led New York in rushing, running for 78 yards on 17 carries. But don’t worry, Saquon Barkley still did a ton to help his team win, scoring two touchdowns.
The Vikings had one of the oddest seasons in the NFL. They won a ton of close games and even completed the biggest comeback in NFL history against the Indianapolis Colts. And even though they had one of the best offenses in the league, thanks in part to another excellent season from Justin Jefferson, their defense could not do its part — particularly on Sunday vs. the Giants.
The pieces seem to all be there for Minnesota, but they must address their defense during the offseason.
Miami Dolphins
Eliminated in Wild Card Round
Miami’s roller coaster of a season has mercifully come to an end at the hands of the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round. The Dolphins’ season started off with so much promise. Tua Tagovailoa was in the MVP conversation. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle looked like the best WR tandem in the NFL. Head coach Mike McDaniel was being praised as the next big thing in coaching.
Then, it all fell apart. Tua went down with multiple concussions throughout the season. This forced Teddy Bridgewater into the starting role, who also missed time due to injury. Third-string rookie Skylar Thompson took over as the starter. The once 8-3 Dolphins suffered five straight losses, ultimately slipping into the playoffs with a Week 18 win over the New York Jets with a 9-8 record.
Unfortunately, even though they made the playoffs, they needed to rely on Thompson to start a road playoff game at Buffalo. It was an impossible situation for the rookie, and, ultimately, the Bills were too much for the Dolphins to overcome.
Now, the team can look to continue to build for the future. They do not have a ton of draft capital heading into 2023, especially after they lost their first-round draft pick due to illegal tampering by their owner. Reports indicate that the team believes Tua will be their QB next year, so now they simply need to continue to build around him.
Los Angeles Chargers
Eliminated in Wild Card Round
Well, there’s not much to say after what we just witnessed as the Los Angeles Chargers were eliminated from the NFL playoffs. After going up 27-0 against the Jacksonville Jaguars thanks to four first-half interceptions from Trevor Lawrence, the Chargers simply forgot how to play football.
Jacksonville stormed back and won the game 31-30, ending what was another promising season for Los Angeles.
Now, the Chargers need to re-evaluate everything. They had a QB on a rookie deal with a ton of talent surrounding him on both sides of the ball, and still, they failed to win a single playoff game. There is just no excuse for what this organization has done with a guy like Justin Herbert under center.
The Chargers will now face a long flight home where they will need to make some tough decisions heading into the 2023 season. is Brandon Staley really the guy for the job at the head coach position? Should they make wholesale changes?
Only time will tell, but this loss stings for a franchise desperate to find an iota of success.
Seattle Seahawks
Eliminated in Wild Card Round
The Cinderella story season for the Seattle Seahawks has come to an end. However, the team and its fans can be proud of what this squad accomplished this year. Although they fell to the juggernaut that is the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card Round, no one had pegged Seattle as a playoff team to start the year.
When the organization made the decision to trade Russell Wilson and head into 2022 with Geno Smith at QB, the thought was that they were heading for a full rebuild. Instead, Smith played better than anyone expected, and this young offense made waves early on. They fell back down to Earth later in the year, but thanks to a win over the Rams and some luck in Green Bay, the Seahawks snuck into the playoffs as the NFC’s seventh seed.
Although they are the first NFL team officially eliminated from the playoffs, the Seahawks have a ton to look forward to next year. Rookie RB Kenneth Walker III rushed for 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns in just 15 games, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf continue to impress, and the defense made strides as the season wore on.
With another strong draft, Seattle should be able to compete in the NFC West next season. Unfortunately for them, it seems the 49ers have once again hit the jackpot at the QB position.
NFL Teams Eliminated From Playoff Contention in 2022
Houston Texans
Record When Eliminated: 1-10-1
The Houston Texans were the first NFL team to be eliminated from playoff contention in 2022. Expectations were not very high for this Texans team when the season started. Before Davis Mills could even take his first snap under center this year, oddsmakers gave Houston the lowest win total on the board at 4.5 in most places. With only one win on the year so far, their chances of going over that number are nearly nonexistent.
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Although most people had little faith in this team, they did try to prove everyone wrong with a competitive start. They managed to finish their first game with a tie against the Indianapolis Colts, 20-20. They remained competitive in their next three games, although they all ended in losses. Then, in Week 5, they finally managed to get their first win by defeating their NFC South rivals, the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Unfortunately for Texans fans, they lost every game after that Jaguars win.
Chicago Bears
Record When Eliminated: 3-10
Another team coming into the year with very few expectations was the Chicago Bears. With a new head coach and regime installed, this year was widely regarded as a “let’s see what we have” opportunity. QB Justin Fields had shown flashes the season before, but there were still a ton of questions surrounding the young signal-caller.
As the season progressed, it was obvious that the Bears were already looking ahead to next year. They sold off some pieces ahead of the deadline, including Roquan Smith, who was an integral part of the defense. However, on the bright side, they do seem to have figured out the QB situation for the future.
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Although Fields struggled to start the season, he has gotten significantly better as the weeks progressed. He has shown that he can be a threat with both his arm and legs. Fields has rushed for over 75 yards five times this year, including two games with over 150 yards.
And although their record might not indicate it, Fields has kept this team competitive. Unfortunately, at 3-10, their playoff chances are officially no more. Yes, they were already on life support, but their Week 13 loss to the Green Bay Packers 28-19 was their final nail in the coffin.
It is a tough loss for Bears fans. Not only did Aaron Rodgers continue his infamous “dominance” over this Chicago squad, but the Packers actually overtook the Bears as the winningest NFL team of all time. The Packers now have 787 wins in franchise history, while the Bears have 786. As recently as 1991, Chicago had 85 more wins than Green Bay.
Denver Broncos
Record When Eliminated: 3-10
Well, the first year of Russell Wilson in Denver ended with a whimper this week. It took only until Week 14 for this Broncos team to mathematically be eliminated from the NFL playoffs.
It was a disappointing first season for Wilson, with the team averaging under 14 points per game. That was in large part thanks to Wilson’s inability to move the ball downfield, combined with his struggles in the red zone. Needless to say, this was not necessarily what the organization hoped for when they basically mortgaged their future to acquire the QB during the offseason.
On the plus side, Denver’s defense has been elite this year and should give hope to their fans for the future. They have surrendered the second-fewest points per game (17.0) in the league and gave up the fewest yards per completion (5.9).
There are going to be a ton of questions surrounding this team during the offseason, including what they should do with first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett. Hackett has clearly struggled this season, and it will be a surprise if he returns as Denver’s coach next year.
Arizona Cardinals
Record When Eliminated: 4-10
The Cardinals have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. It has been a difficult year for the NFC West squad, with the offense struggling to find any sort of consistency. WR1 DeAndre Hopkins missed the first six games due to a suspension. The rest of the WR core missed time as well, and the final nail in the coffin was the season-ending injury to QB Kyler Murray.
Now, the team will need to regroup and reevaluate for next season. There have already been murmurs that head coach Kliff Kingsbury was on the hot seat before the team was officially eliminated. With Kingsbury being considered an offensive “genius,” the lack of success the team has had during his tenure makes it hard to imagine a world where he is still in Arizona next season.
But this is not all on the offense. The defense also struggled, and with everyone on the roster getting one year older, including star J.J. Watt, the team will need to look to the draft to try and fill some holes.
Los Angeles Rams
Record When Eliminated: 4-10
The NFC West become much more clear after this week, with both the Rams and Cardinals officially being eliminated from playoff contention. The Rams had an eerily similar season to the Cardinals. They suffered from a ton of injuries throughout the year and lost their starting QB Matthew Stafford to injury. Their rotating door of starting QBs finally led to free agent Baker Mayfield taking over the reins.
The Rams have showcased one of the worst cases of the Super Bowl hangover in NFL history. The dropoff from last year to this year has been unbelievable, and now, there are questions surrounding the entire aging roster. There were rumors of a potential retirement for both star Aaron Donald and head coach Sean McVay before the season even started.
Will those guys both look to walk away from the game after this terrible season? Maybe. What makes things even worse for the team is the fact that they have basically mortgaged their future for the Super Bowl they won last season. With very little draft capital moving forward, a complete reset is going to be tough to accomplish.
Indianapolis Colts
Record When Eliminated: 4-9-1
Although they put up a heck of a fight, the Indianapolis Colts have ultimately been eliminated from playoff contention. After giving up a 33-point lead to the Minnesota Vikings, the Colts could do nothing but watch as their playoff hopes diminished Thursday night when the Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the New York Jets in Week 16.
It has been a year to forget in Indianapolis. After bringing in Matt Ryan during the offseason, expectations were high as the team tried to replicate the success they found when they brought in an aging Philip Rivers. Unfortunately, they could not catch lighting in a bottle twice.
Ryan has been disappointing. But it is not all his fault. He has had little help from what was once an elite offensive line, and the rushing attack has taken some significant steps backward. Regardless, ahead of their matchup this week, it was announced that Ryan would once again be benched and Nick Foles would take over as the starter for the remainder of the year.
The team fired their head coach Frank Reich in the middle of the season and then shocked the world by bringing in Jeff Saturday to replace him. Although Saturday did a better job than many expected, it wasn’t enough to make this team competitive. Who will be calling the plays next year? Who will be under center? Can Jonathan Taylor return to form? These are all questions that the Colts will have to address in the offseason.
Cleveland Browns
Record When Eliminated: 6-9
What to say about the Cleveland Browns this year? With all of the offseason drama surrounding the organization after the acquisition of QB Deshaun Watson behind them, the team moved forward with Jacoby Brissett at the helm for the first 11 games of the year. He played well enough to keep the team alive, but ultimately, the Browns were eliminated from the playoffs in Week 16, regardless.
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The Browns kept their identity for a good chunk of the year, running the ball well and playing good defense. However, it wasn’t enough to keep them competitive with some of the high-power offenses they faced in the AFC.
When Watson did finally return from his suspension, he clearly had a ton of rust to shake off. He missed on easy five-yard slants, and the offense was stagnant with him under center. Now, the team will look to next season and try to build around Watson.
Atlanta Falcons
Record When Eliminated: 5-10
It’s been an interesting season for the Atlanta Falcons. After trading away Matt Ryan during the offseason, the organization brought in Marcus Mariota in free agency and drafted Desmond Ridder in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Mariota was always meant to be an experiment, and after a good start, the experiment eventually failed.
Making the switch to Ridder didn’t do all that much to ignite the offense, and ultimately, the team was eliminated from playoff contention in Week 16. However, this season was always meant to be a rebuilding year. With a ton of young talent in Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta has the building blocks in place for the future.
Carolina Panthers
Record When Eliminated: 6-10
After an up-and-down season that kept them in the playoff hunt right up until Week 17, the Carolina Panthers are now officially eliminated from playoff contention. The NFC South was a bit of a dumpster fire this season, with all four teams competing due to losing records across the board. However, even though they tried to keep things interesting, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ultimately eliminated the Panthers and clinched the NFC South.
After an offseason move to acquire QB Baker Mayfield brought some optimism to the Panthers, early struggles combined with the firing of head coach Matt Rhule forced the organization to start the fire sale. They traded away superstar running back Christian McCaffrey for a treasure trove of draft picks and immediately started the rebuild.
That was until Sam Darnold came back in at QB and reignited the team. They then won four of six and started to play hard for interim coach Steve Wilks. Their late-season heroics came to an end in Tampa Bay, but they might have done just enough to get Wilks hired next year.
With an eye to the draft, this squad is going to need to figure out what to do at the QB position. Their defense played up to their potential, but there are still a ton of holes on this roster.
Las Vegas Raiders
Record When Eliminated: 6-10
The Las Vegas Raiders started the season off 2-7. They were basically written off at that point but started to stack wins to give them a small chance of making the playoffs. Unfortunately, playing in the strong AFC and even stronger AFC West made their chances of moving forward impossible.
The biggest question this team will now need to face is going to be around QB Derek Carr. Is he the continued answer at the position, or will they need to target a replacement either in the draft or free agency? If they move on from Carr, how will that impact Davante Adams, who they brought in during the offseason to pair with his college QB?
After benching Carr for the last two games of the season, it is pretty clear that they will be moving on. It will be another interesting offseason for the team, especially will all the Tom Brady rumors already swirling.
Washington Commanders
Record When Eliminated: 7-8-1
After a tough loss to the Cleveland Browns this week, the Washington Commanders were holding on by a string. Then, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers decided to put an end to any playoff aspirations by handily beating the Minnesota Vikings. The wild card spot in the NFC slipped away, and now the Commanders face an offseason full of questions.
To start, who is going to be the quarterback next season? Carson Wentz was brought in during the offseason to be the next franchise quarterback for Washington. This year was lackluster, to say the least. Not only did Wentz not play well when he was healthy, but he also missed a good portion of the year due to injury and nearly lost his starting job to Taylor Heinicke.
The NFC East is quickly turning into a powerhouse division and Washington is going to need to find a way to keep up if they want to compete. With Philadelphia, Dallas, and New York all making the playoffs this season, Washington is the only team on the outside looking in. Will they make a coaching change ahead of the 2023 NFL season? Will they bring in a QB in the draft?
All questions that this team will need to figure out fast.
New Orleans Saints
Record When Eliminated: 7-9
Similiar to the Washington Commanders, the New Orleans Saints were knocked out of playoff contention due to the Packers’ late-season surge. After defeating the Philadelphia Eagles, the Saints were looking to make an impact in the NFC South. Unfortunately, the Buccaneers also got a win and clinched the division. The Saints then needed help to remain alive and did not get it.
Now, the Saints also need to figure out what they are going to do at the QB position. They started the year with Jameis Winston, but after he was injured, Andy Dalton took over. Dalton performed adequately and somehow secured the starting role, much to the chagrin of Winston.
Michael Thomas once again missed time due to injury, and Alvin Kamara underperformed due to a weaker-than-usual offensive line. The NFC South should be wide open next season with Tom Brady likely out of Tampa Bay. The Saints are only a few pieces away from competing, and if they can reload in certain spots while also manipulating their tough salary cap situation, they could possibly make a run next year.
New York Jets
Record When Eliminated: 7-9
The New York Jets have had one of the more tumultuous regular seasons in recent memory. They went into the year with a ton of upside and potential with huge draft acquisitions and a talented young core. Unfortunately, the Zach Wilson experiment failed miserably.
Not only did the young QB not play well, but he also put his foot in his mouth on multiple occasions. After losing the confidence of his head coach and possibly the locker room, he was benched for Mike White. White, a local hero, played well enough to earn the starting job up until he was injured.
The Jets, at one point, were not only competing for the AFC East but also the top seed in the AFC. Their collapse was sudden, but there is a ton to look forward to for next year. With one of the best defenses in the league and some legit weapons on the offense, this team is one QB away from being contenders. There will be some interesting options available in free agency this year, and the Jets should consider making a splash to get one.
Tennesee Titans
Record When Eliminated: 7-10
The Titans suffered one of the biggest collapses in NFL history to not only lose the AFC South crown but also be eliminated from playoff contention in the last week of the NFL season. After starting the year 7-3, injuries plagued this team and ultimately caused them to lose seven straight games to finish the year.
QB Ryan Tannehill missed time due to injury, forcing rookie Malik Willis to start way earlier than he should have. In the end, he was benched for third-string QB Joshua Dobbs, who played in their win and get in game against the Jaguars. Although he performed admirably, the Jaguars’ defense did just enough to get them the win.
Now, head coach Mike Vrabel will need to regroup with his squad to see what they are going to do next year. Running back Derrick Henry had another excellent season, but the organization will need to provide more weapons to Tannehill if they expect him to be their QB moving forward. It will be an interesting offseason for the Titans.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Record When Eliminated: 9-8
Stop me if you have heard this one before, but Mike Tomlin found a way to finish the season above .500 again. Unfortunately, at just 9-8 on the season, it wasn’t enough for them to make the playoffs. Although they were in contention for the final Wild Card spot right up until the last week of the season, Miami getting the win over the Jets was enough to knock them out.
However, Pittsburgh has a lot to look forward to moving forward. They have found their answer at QB, with rookie Kenny Pickett coming in and performing well enough for a first-time signal-caller. They have young weapons surrounding him like George Pickens and Najee Harris, and a defense that was near the top of a number of metrics this year.
They will likely look to the draft to continue to build around Pickett, but things are looking up for the Steelers, even in a very tough AFC North division.
New England Patriots
Record When Eliminated: 8-9
The New England Patriots have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. Although they fought right until the end, their AFC East rival Buffalo Bills put the final nail in their coffin to end their season.
It was an up-and-down year for this team. Although they had some games where their offense looked competent, including the season finale against the Bills, for most of the year, they were one of the worst offenses in the league. QB Mac Jones showed some signs of improvement but also made some costly mistakes when it mattered most.
Is Bill Belichick close to retirement? Will this team bring in a real offensive coordinator to work with Jones? Will the organization finally bring in some legit weapons in the NFL draft to help this offense compete in the high-flying AFC East? These are all questions this squad will need to answer in the offseason.
Detroit Lions
Record When Eliminated: 8-8
The Detroit Lions had one of the most exciting seasons in the NFL. They started off terribly, beginning the year 1-7. After being completely written off, Dan Campbell rallied the troops, and Detroit won seven of their next nine games. They managed to put themselves into playoff contention right up until the last game of the season.
Unfortunately, a victory by the Seattle Seahawks knocked Detroit out of a possible playoff spot. Now, the team will need to ride the momentum of their late-season surge into next year. Jared Goff has probably done enough to keep his starting QB job, and this team has a ton of young talent surrounding him.
However, in the offseason, they are going to need to address their defense. The offense was one of the most explosive in the NFL, but their defense couldn’t stop anyone. If they can fix that unit, this Lions team would be poised to make some noise next year.
Green Bay Packers
Record When Eliminated: 8-9
Well, the Green Bay Packers season came down to a win-and-get-in situation at home in Lambeau against the Detroit Lions. All they needed to do was win at home against Jared Goff. Unfortunately, the Lions’ defense, which was somewhat nonexistent for most of the year, showed up and completely shut this Green Bay offense down.
Turnovers, mistakes, and just general bad decisions sealed the Packers’ fate as they were officially eliminated from playoff contention in front of their home fans. It had been an interesting year for the team to say the least. After going 4-8 and being counted out, Aaron Rodgers made it clear that he wasn’t going to stop until the team was statistically eliminated.
He then led the Packers to four straight wins to put themselves into playoff contention. They fell just short, but it was fun while it lasted. Now, the Packers head into the offseason with an aging QB, questions on the offensive line, and some key free agents. The defense is still elite, so that should at least relieve some of the pressure on the front office in the draft.