NFL Power Rankings: 6-4
Off a 6-10 mark and a last place finish in the NFC West, the 49ers won their first two games but owned a 3-5 record at the midway point of this season. But Kyle Shanahan’s club slowly but surely gained momentum.
They wrapped up a playoff berth in Week 18 and followed that up with road upsets of the Cowboys and Packers before falling in the NFC title game. A healthy Nick Bosa made a big difference, as did versatile All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
The Bills have now reached the playoffs four of these last five years. But the Bills still haven’t gotten back to the Super Bowl since 1993. Josh Allen continued his meteoric rise. Buffalo gave up an NFL-low 289 points and was ranked first in the league in fewest yards allowed.
But this unit didn’t always play up to that loft billing – witness the 42-36 overtime loss in the playoffs to the Chiefs in which Shawn McDermott’s club gave up 552 total yards.
A year after finishing an NFL-best 14-2 and reaching the Super Bowl for the second straight year, Andy Reid’s team four of its first seven games and couldn’t protect the football. Eventually things turned around and a struggling defense found its niche.
But quarterback Patrick Mahomes had his issues with turnovers throughout the season. And Reid’s club tied a championship-round record by blowing an 18-point lead in an overtime loss to the Bengals.