Three teams that missed the postseason in 2024 are our best bets to end up making a run for that elusive playoff berth for the 2025 season.
In the NFC, Arizona and Atlanta did all the right things this offseason to put themselves in contention, while the Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel era is here, and with a favorable schedule, could result in some extended winter football.
At nearly +400 odds in one of the easiest divisions in football, Atlanta has a real shot to make it past the divisional round. While it might be too soon to really think about the Falcons becoming a top-eight football team, they have a favorable schedule and some additional defensive pieces that will give them an edge that they lacked last season.
The emergence of Michael Penix is a true what-if, but if Atlanta’s last two games of the regular season under Penix, which resulted in high-scoring overtime losses, we might be having a different conversation as we enter the 2025 league year.
As much as I am not a true Kyler Murray believer, the Arizona Cardinals' combination of an easy start to the 2025 season, a new and improved defensive core, and some offensive players developing into more consistent threats should bring them some victories this year that were normally losing efforts in 2024.
Entering the bye week 6-4, Arizona took their foot off the gas, losing five of their next six games, including an OT loss to Carolina that knocked them out of playoff contention.
With Kyler playing a very mediocre season and the defense lacking the depth that it gained this offseason, the Cards are in a great spot to potentially sneak in as a wild card team, but don’t have the high-end talent to go anywhere from there.
The writing is on the wall for New England to have a breakthrough year. A second-year QB that turned it up a notch to end his rookie season, an improved defense and receiving core, and a positive-energy guy leading the charge at head coach - everything is slowly coming together in Foxborough.
New England has the 3rd-easiest schedule this season, with their opponents combining for a 42.9%-win percentage last season. With some incredible young talent already blossoming and a hidden gem in wideout Kyle Williams ready to develop what I think will become a special connection with Drake Maye, take New England to shock some AFC squads and make the playoffs by the skin of their teeth with 9 or 10 victories on the year.