Super Bowl 55 is set and while it’s exciting for the rest of us, two NFL teams have begun their offseason in disappointing fashion.
For the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills, there’s always next year. These two teams came oh so close to punching their ticket to Super Bowl LV in Tampa Bay but couldn’t quite get over the hump.
Even though losing is never fun, both NFL teams have a lot to look forward to in 2021 and beyond. They might not have made it to the Super Bowl this year, but it wouldn’t be shocking if either squad were in the big game a year from now.
Here’s one reason why both the Packers fan base and Bills fan base should be optimistic about where their franchises are headed.
Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers had a career year
The storyline of the Packers’ offseason was how they traded up to draft Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. They could have used this pick on a wide receiver or a defensive player, but instead, the Packers took it upon themselves to draft Rodgers’ successor. Knowing Rodgers’ personality, that didn’t sit well with him and he proved to his long-time team that he’s not worth replacing just yet.
Rodgers threw for 4,299 yards, 48 touchdowns and five interceptions in the regular season this year and, more than likely, will be on his way to his third MVP title. No one predicted that prior to the 2020 season, but Rodgers proved that he’s still got that wow factor.
The Packers are probably wishing they had drafted a wide receiver or some kind of weapon for Rodgers to play with or a defensive playmaker, as that’d have definitely helped them more in the NFC Championship Game than Love, who didn’t even suit up.
Despite the drama surrounding some comments Rodgers made following the loss to the Buccaneers, he’ll be back in Green Bay in 2021 and more motivated than ever.
Buffalo Bills: Best season since 1993
There wasn’t a fan base more arrogant than that of Bills Mafia heading into the playoffs and for good reason. Buffalo was dominant at the end of the regular season and made it to their first AFC Championship Game since the 1993 season.
Unfortunately for the Bills, they couldn’t quite get the job done against the Chiefs in the AFC title game and were definitely humbled at Arrowhead. While simply making the AFC Championship Game should be a big enough accomplishment for Bills fans, they won’t look at it that way.
This season had the makings of what really seemed like it’d end in a Super Bowl appearance for the Bills. They got hot at the right time and it didn’t appear that they’d ever lose a game again. Josh Allen proved he’s the future of the Bills organization while Stefon Diggs showed he was worthy of the trade that brought him to Buffalo.
Now the Bills know what they need to work on and you better believe they’ll come back stronger than ever next season. They’ll be a force to be reckoned with in 2021 and for the foreseeable future.