Total BS: New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons have best playoff chances of losing teams?
Russell S. Baxter and I have started a new series on the site called “Total BS” (a play on the fact that our last names are “Baxter” and “Soriano”), with our first installment taking a look at the teams that have the best chance at making the playoffs after posting a losing record in 2014.
Russell went with the New York Jets- who have put together a strong offseason with the additions of Darrelle Revis, Brandon Marshall, Antonio Cromartie, and Leonard Williams as headliners- while I decided to take the Atlanta Falcons (unfortunately causing me to snub the Minnesota Vikings, who are the better team overall).
One thing both of these teams have in common? New coaches who were elite defensive coordinators for playoff teams in the NFC West last year.
So sit back and enjoy, and be sure to chime in with your thoughts. If you’d like us to tackle a specific topic or answer a pressing question in next week’s edition, then please drop us a line in the comments.
Which losing team in 2014 has the best chance at making the playoffs this season?
Dec 28, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver
Julio Jones(11) runs with the ball against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at the Georgia Dome. The Panthers defeated the Falcons 34-3. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Soriano says…
I think there are four teams that had a losing record in 2014 with a really good shot at making the postseason in 2015, and all three of them are in the NFC (and in different divisions). The Minnesota Vikings might have the most well-rounded roster of the three, but it’s awfully hard to crack the playoffs with the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions in the same division; plus, the Chicago Bears won’t be half-bad if Jay Cutler plays more like he did in 2013.
More from NFL
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Chicago Bears HC Matt Eberflus speaks on a number of team issues
- Ranking the top 5 Most Impressive Winning Streaks in NFL History
- Roschon Johnson showing he can be Chicago Bears RB1
- 10 current players bound for the Pro Football Hall of Fame on first ballot
The New York Giants are too good to go 6-10 again, though they also have a tough division. Same “tough division” story for the St. Louis Rams, and they also have an added drawback with a less certain quarterback situation with Nick Foles at the helm.
The Atlanta Falcons have the most uneven roster of these teams, but they have the best quarterback and the easiest division of these teams. Although the New Orleans Saints should be better next season even after trading away Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills and the Carolina Panthers are a threat, neither of those two teams had a winning record last year despite the fact that the Panthers made it into the playoffs.
As for the Falcons, they will have one of the NFL’s best coaching staffs in 2015 after hiring Dan Quinn and Kyle Shanahan, and that could make a massive difference. These are arguably the best specialists in their fields on either side of the ball, and they could elevate the talent that is currently on the roster. I have big questions about the secondary, especially since Jalen Collins could be too raw to make a difference, but at least they added another possible game-changing talent to the roster in Vic Beasley (they only had one of those guys last year in elite corner Desmond Trufant).
Other worries for the Falcons include the offensive line if Jake Matthews doesn’t improve significantly, but he’ll almost certainly make some improvements from his rookie year. Plus, they did upgrade one spot by signing Chris Chester and should have a full season of quality play from Ryan Schraeder, who showed enough last season to be a potential diamond-in-the-rough.
A lot hinges on how much certain players can improve under the new coaching staff, and I especially want to see what Quinn can do with talented guys like Adrian Clayborn and Ra’Shede Hagemen, who are malleable piece for the former Seattle Seahawks ace defensive coordinator to work with. They are coming off of one of the best drafts of any team, as Justin Hardy, Kevin White, running back Tevin Coleman, and everyone’s favorite sleeper Grady Jarrett are all players worth watching closely next season.
However, the Falcons are very much a boom-or-bust team, because a key injury to a transcendent player like Julio Jones (we’ve seen it before, after all) or Trufant could wreck their season completely, since they rely on their superstar players, especially their mildly under-appreciated and always-unfazed quarterback, quite a bit.
Of course, the running game could be much better with the explosive Coleman combining with Devonta Freeman in the backfield, and we’ve all seen how good Shanahan is at getting the most out of the running game. He’s the best OC in the league in my view, and he’s gotten the most out of the talent at his disposal at every team he’s been on. This offense looks exciting on paper, though we’ll have to see if Roddy White bounces back and if the tight ends are game.
Basically, the Falcons aren’t really as good as the Vikings, Giants, or Rams when looking at their entire roster, but they have the easiest road to the postseason (even with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lurking as a legit worst-to-first candidate), an amazing QB, and a coaching staff that is much better (Dirk Koetter was the only head coach or coordinator that I liked on the previous regime).
May 27, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets head coach
Todd Bowlesspeaks to the media after the organized team activities at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Baxter says…
Joe, you ignorant sl…writer.
All kidding aside, there always seems to be one team that rises from a horrible season to reach the playoffs. In 2012, the Indianapolis Colts finished 11-5 after a 2-14 campaign and grabbed a wild card berth. In 2013, the Kansas City Chiefs managed the same feat and their 11-5 finish was also good enough to earn a playoff invitation. This past season, the Houston Texans won seven more game than they did in 2013 and just missed out on a postseason invite.
As for my choice, how about the New York Jets. Since reaching the AFC title game in both 2009 and 2010, they have missed out on the playoffs four straight years but might be ready for a return. New general manager Mike Maccagnan has seemingly done a terrific job reworking the roster and fortifying some big weaknesses, the biggest being at cornerback. A team that allowed 31 touchdown passes and totaled a mere six interceptions added Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine to its secondary.
When the Jets’ turn came up on the first day/night of the 2015 NFL draft, they added to an already-talented defensive front (featuring Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson), they took USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams and made a strong group even more formidable.
There’s a new head coach in Todd Bowles, the NFL Assistant Coach of the Year in 2014, and what’s apparent is that he and Maccagnan are on the same page. The Jets have third-year quarterback Geno Smith some help in veteran wideout Brandon Marshall via a trade with the Chicago Bears. The league’s third-ranked ground attack returns Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell and has added Stevan Ridley and Zac Stacy.
With the exception of the New England Patriots, who only happen to be defending Super Bowl champions, the Jets, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills all looked very improved in the AFC East. That actually works to all four teams’ advantage as the caliber of competition makes for a better division. The Patriots have won the AFC East six straight years but that streak will surely be tested in 2015.
Don’t be surprised if the biggest of the tests turns out to be the Jets, who will bounce back in a big way in arguably the NFL’s most-improved division this offseason.
Next: Ranking Every Franchise By All-Time Greatness
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens