Which last place team will make the 2015 NFL playoffs?
By Ryan Ratty
Which NFL team can go from worst in their division to making next season’s playoffs?
Each year, eight teams end the season in the dungeon of their divisions and although building a successful franchise is not a feat that happens overnight, each last-place team from 2014 will be looking to rebuild this offseason. In the NFL, becoming a successful franchise under the salary cap rules is extremely difficult, but by finding the right talent through the draft and choosing the right free agents, teams can actually make that transition from a last-place team to a first-place team. Out of all of these teams, there could be one last-place team who makes the 2015 Playoffs. By reading this article, you will find out which last-place team can make the 2015 Playoffs.
Let’s start with the AFC East. In a division with the duo of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots are always going to make it difficult. Add in the fact that the Miami Dolphins are improving on both sides of the football and the Buffalo Bills are a quarterback away from being a playoff team, and it is easy to see why the New York Jets are going to have trouble coming out of this division next season.
In the AFC North, you have one of the toughest divisions in the league as three teams made the playoffs. The Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the league’s best offenses in 2014 and with the draft and free agency around the corner, expect them to improve their defense as well. The Baltimore Ravens are only going to get better as they look to stock up and prepare for a Super Bowl run in 2015. The Cincinnati Bengals are really in the middle of mediocrity, but they still have found their way into the playoffs for four straight seasons. That being said, with an experienced quarterback in Johnny Manziel as well as a lack of talent on the offense as a whole, the Cleveland Browns will struggle against their division in 2015.
In the AFC South, you have probably the least competitive division in all of football. The Indianapolis Colts are led by one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Andrew Luck and although they didn’t make the playoffs this past season, the Houston Texans made excellent strides, going 9-7 in Bill O’Brien’s first year as head coach. The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans are really in the same predicament considering they both finished the season with no more than three wins. The Colts are only going to improve in 2015 and there really is no chance they don’t finish in first place next year, that is, however, unless the Texans overtake first place.
In the AFC West, the Oakland Raiders are a few years away and regardless of how the Denver Broncos, the San Diego Chargers, or the Kansas City Chiefs play in 2015, they will likely all finish ahead of the Raiders. However, that doesnt mean the future is dull in Oakland. Around 2017, if the organization continues to draft they way they did last season, the Raiders are going to be a fun team to watch in 2015.
Let’s switch over to the NFC. In the east, the Dallas Cowboys enjoyed an excellent season in 2014 and the majority of the reasoning why was because of their offensive line. Going forward, that will likely change as they will only improve with their chemistry going up. Another thing is that the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants are a few pieces away from being playoff teams. The Washington Redskins are really a mess right now. They have needs on both sides of the ball and they really haven’t found their long-term answer at quarterback. That’s why the Redskins will likely not be in the 2015 Playoffs.
In the NFC North, Aaron Rodgers is the Green Bay Packers‘ quarterback and by that reasoning alone, the Chicago Bears will not win the division. The Bears have talent but they also have a playoff team in their division in the Detroit Lions as well as a team that has lot of potential in the Minnesota Vikings. If they can rebuild their defense, Chicago’s chances of making the playoffs do go up however.
The NFC South was the worst division in football last year. Although they won a game in the playoffs, the Carolina Panthers were just 7-9 in 2014 and the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints really were abysmal in 2014. That being said, with the top overall pick as well as some talent on their roster, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could actually be in the playoffs next year.
Out in the west, the chances of making the 2015 Playoffs for the St. Louis Rams are extremely thin. The Rams play in the hardest division in football with the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals. Although they finished below expectation in 2014, the San Francisco 49ers have a ton of talent as well and they cannot be taken lightly.
Given their weak division, the Buccaneers seem like the team who could make the jump from last place to first place. Whether it’s Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota, the Bucs are going to draft a quarterback that will immediately jumpstart this offseason. With players like Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson, Doug Martin, Logan Mankins, Lavonte David, Michael Johnson, and Alterraun Verner, the Bucs have talent on their roster and with a good draft as well as some solid, cheap additions in free agency, the Bucs could very well come out of the NFC South next season.