Three NFL Teams That Will Return To The Playoffs In 2024

Every year in the NFL, a few teams that made the playoffs the previous year end up missing the playoffs entirely the next season.

With many offseason changes, the NFL Draft, and injuries, no team that made the playoffs the previous year is guaranteed to get in the next year.

The only team that can almost be guaranteed to get in the playoffs barring a season-ending injury to Pateick Mahomes is the Kansas City Chiefs.

There have been many moves in the offseason that have changed a team’s outlook.

For instance, the Atlanta Falcons got a big upgrade at quarterback when they signed Kirk Cousins.

Last year, Joe Burrow’s season was derailed by injuries all year and his season ended in mid-November.

The Bengals will be much better if Burrow can stay healthy and they will have a legit chance at winning the AFC North with Burrow under center all season.

The NFL season is unpredictable with injuries and other factors.

Below, we look at three NFL teams that made the playoffs last year but are in danger of missing the playoffs this upcoming season and three teams that missed the playoffs last year but will make the playoffs this upcoming NFL season.

Three Teams That Made The NFL Playoffs Last Year That Won’t This Season

Each NFL season, we see turnover in teams that made the playoffs.

Whether it is because of injuries or losing key players in the offseason, no team is certain to make the playoffs because they did the previous year.

Below are three NFL teams that made the playoffs last year but are in danger of missing the playoffs this upcoming season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC South last year with a record of 9-8.

They took advantage of the worst division in the NFL.

New Orleans also finished 9-8 but the Bucs had the tiebreaker over them.

The Bucs went 4-2 against the weak NFC South last year.

Baker Mayfield had his best season of his career as a starter last year with the Bucs.

However, this year will be different for Tampa Bay.

Teams will be more aware of Baker and will not take him lightly.

The division got better, specifically the Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta signed QB Kirk Cousins to be their new starting QB and he is a massive upgrade at the position.

Carolina will be improved as Bryce Young enters his second year in the league.

New Orleans will be a tough team to face as well.

Going 4-2 in the division may not occur this year for the Bucs as the entire division improved.

The Bucs were fortunate last year that the division was as weak as it was.

That will not happen again this year.

The Bucs need to win the division once again because getting a wild card spot will be tough.

They will not get a wild card spot over teams in the NFC like the Cowboys, Eagles, Packers, Lions, Bears, 49ers, Rams, or Seahawks.

Tampa Bay is in serious jeopardy of missing the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers were the luckiest team to make the playoffs last year.

They got in because the Jags lost in week 18 and faltered down the stretch of the season.

Injuries to QBs like Joe Burrow and Aaron Rodgers, the Chargers failing to live up to expectations and dealing with numerous injuries, and the Jags falling apart all helped lead to the Steelers making the playoffs last year.

The offense was absurdly poor for Pittsburgh and they did not stand a chance against Buffalo in the Wild Card round.

This year, the Steelers improved their offense but they still have the weakest QB in the AFC North.

Russell Wilson is an upgrade over Kenny Pickett but in the AFC North, he is still the fourth-best QB in the division.

The Steelers have a brutal schedule this year.

Pittsburgh will once again need to get very fortunate to make the postseason.

That will not happen again.

Burrow and Rodgers will stay healthy, the Chargers will be better with Jim Harbaugh as the new head coach, and the Jags will not fall apart like they did last year.

Despite making a ton of offseason moves and improving the roster, the Steelers will wind up missing the playoffs in a very tough AFC.

Buffalo Bills

This may be a surprise to many as the Bills finished second in the AFC last season and have a star QB in Josh Allen.

However, for most of the season, the Bills were a wild-card team and were not guaranteed to even make the postseason.

Stefon Diggs left Buffalo for Houston, leaving a big hole at WR.

Buffalo drafted WR Keon Coleman in early round two but it will take time for him to become a trusted weapon for Allen.

The Bills won a playoff game but once again lost to the Chiefs, in the divisional round.

This could end up being a somewhat down year for Buffalo.

The locker room seems to not be 100% bought into Sean McDermott.

Stefon Diggs voiced his displeasure several times when he was with Buffalo.

Aaron Rodgers will return and the Jets will be much improved with him under center.

This could be a down year for the Bills, especially with the AFC getting much better with Rodgers and Burrow returning from injuries.

Buffalo is in danger of missing the postseason.

Three Teams That Did Not Make The NFL Playoffs Last Year That Will This Season

Certain teams improve greatly in the offseason, whether via free agency, the NFL Draft, or simply getting key players back from injuries.

Below are three NFL teams that did not make the playoffs last year but will this upcoming season.

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons significantly improved their offense by signing QB Kirk Cousins.

Atlanta finished with a 7-10 record last year and third in the NFC South.

Their defense improved last year but they could not get to the QB.

They also received horrendous QB play all year.

Atlanta does have a talented offense.

RB Bijan Robinson, WR Drake London, and TE Kyle Pitts are an excellent trio of weapons.

Kirk Cousins is coming off a major Achilles injury but he will enjoy the weapons at his disposal in Atlanta.

The Falcons have a good offensive line that will be crucial to keeping Cousins healthy.

The NFC South is still the weakest division in the NFL.

Atlanta will take full advantage of their division and they will have the best offense in the NFC South.

The Falcons will win the NFC South and return to the postseason.

Cincinnati Bengals

The only reason the Bengals finished 9-8, last in the AFC North, and missed the playoffs last year was because Joe Burrow dealt with injuries all year and his season ended in mid-November.

When Burrow is healthy, the Bengals are a Super Bowl favorite.

Two years ago, they lost in the AFC Championship game against the Chiefs.

Cincinnati made it to the Super Bowl three years ago but lost to the LA Rams.

The point is when Burrow is healthy, the Bengals are one of the best teams in the league.

Burrow will return and hopes he can stay healthy all year and if he can, the Bengals will return to being a top team.

He is arguably the second-best QB in the league after Patrick Mahomes and besides Tom Brady, Burrow is the only QB to ever beat Mahomes in the playoffs.

Cincinnati has a lot of work to do with contracts.

Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins need to be signed and chances are Higgins will not be.

Higgins was franchise tagged but the Bengals will prioritize Chase over Higgins.

Chase has reported to mandatory minicamps but Higgins has not.

Barring Higgins sitting out games, the Bengals will have both Chase and Higgins for one more year before Higgins in all likelihood leaves.

This is a very talented Bengals squad, led by one of the best QBs in the league.

With Burrow under center, the Bengals will return to the playoffs and be a Super Bowl contender.

New York Jets

No team had more hype in the offseason last year than the New York Jets.

This was because they acquired future HOF QB Aaron Rodgers.

The hype lasted for four plays before Rodgers went down with a season-ending Achilles injury.

This offseason is different with not nearly as much hype for the Jets.

It might be a good thing for the Jets to have the pressure not nearly as high as last year.

The Jets finished last year with a 7-10 record with arguably the worst QB play in the league.

New York has a very good defense and they have weapons on offense.

RB Breece Hall and WR Garrett Wilson are excellent weapons for Rodgers.

If the Jets had average QB play last year, they would have likely made the postseason.

Rodgers may not be what he was in his prime but if he is 70% of his prime version, the Jets will be a scary team.

New York is going to be significantly improved with Rodgers and they will return to the playoffs this upcoming NFL season.