3 NFL teams that will make the playoffs after missing out in 2021
Even with the NFL adding an extra playoff slot to both the AFC and NFC brackets, making the postseason is incredibly difficult. Several teams that fancied themselves as playoff contenders missed out in 2021 and will be determined in 2022.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers appeared to have an impossible time returning to the playoffs once Tom Brady announced his retirement. But after changing his mind the Buccaneers are almost a nailed-on certainty to be part of the post-season.
In addition to the Buccaneers, you’ll always have your usual playoff suspects. The Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Green Bay Packers will all likely make their return trips next season too. While the competition will be through the roof, we expect a few new faces to make their way to the playoff party this year.
During the offseason, several teams have placed their money where their mouths are and upgraded their rosters. Still, will those upgrades be enough to push a playoff no-hoper over the finish line?
Here are three teams that didn’t make the postseason last year who will break that curse in 2022.
#1 Miami Dolphins
Let’s make this clear, Tua Tagovailoa needs to make the playoffs this upcoming season, nothing less will be tolerated.
Since grabbing Tua with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, question marks surrounding him have remained. Overall, Tua has been solid, racking up consecutive winning seasons while on average proving to be accurate. Last season, in his sophomore campaign, Tua completed 67.8% of his passes. Ultimately, the issue with Tagovailoa is his unwillingness to push the ball down the field. Because of this, he ranked 25th in yards per attempt last season.
Seemingly low on offensive talent, the Dolphins have given Tua arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, or at least someone rated universally in the top five in Tyreek Hill.
THIS ROUTE🔥
#Chiefs #TyreekHill #PatrickMahomes #NFL #football #sportscenter #sports https://t.co/3ZMnoA4SOk
Over the past two seasons, the Dolphins have been on the doorstep of making a playoff run, winning 10 and 9 games respectively. With the addition of Hill and the desperation of Tua to prove that he belongs, expect Miami to break through the playoff barrier.
#2 Denver Broncos
This one is a no-brainer. For a number of years now, the Denver Broncos have been viewed as a team with a terrific defense, headlined by Patrick Surtain. Offensively, Denver wasn’t short on talent either.
Running backs Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams rushed for over 900 yards apiece last season, while wide receivers Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick had well over 700 receiving yards on the year. The only missing piece for Denver just so happened to be the most important, the quarterback.
#Broncos QB #RussellWilson, sadly, is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career.
In 2021 with the #Seahawks, he finished ranked 4th in the #NFL in PR (103.1), 5th in YPA (7.8) and 4th in Y/C (12.0). https://t.co/SIpo45qhGa
Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock, a pair of signal-callers the Broncos have depended on over the past few years, simply aren’t game changers. Now, with the franchise getting their hands on Russell Wilson, a playoff berth is essentially guaranteed.
In 10 full seasons in the NFL, Russell has been named to nine Pro Bowls and has led his team to the playoffs eight times.
Since entering the league in 2012, Wilson has racked up the second-most wins,104, during that stretch. If Denver doesn’t make the postseason this year, this will be one of the biggest failures in NFL history.
#3 Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts believed they solved their quarterback woes during the 2021 NFL offseason. Back then they quietly and shrewdly picked up Carson Wentz in what appeared to be a reclamation project. While they had moments, the Colts played poorly when it mattered most. This was only exacerbated by Wentz.
Needing to win just one of their final two games to sneak into the postseason, Wentz completely dropped the ball. He threw for just 139.5 yards while giving the ball to the opposition more times than we can remember.
Quick, fast, and in a hurry, the Colts got rid of him. Just a few months later, the Colts grabbed former regular-season MVP Matt Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons. At the not-so-young age of 37, Ryan appears to have enough left in the tank. Ryan should be an upgrade over Wentz this upcoming season.
- Matt Ryan 2021 stats: 3,968 passing yards, 67% completion percentage, 20 touchdowns
- Carson Wentz 2021 stats: 3,563 passing yards, 62.4% completion percentage, 27 touchdowns
More than anything, the Colts have a terrific overall team, headlined by arguably the best running back in the NFL and this past season's rushing leader, Jonathan Taylor.
With a former NFL MVP on their roster, the Colts postseason tickets should be punched next season.