NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

6 NFL teams that won’t return to the playoffs in 2023

By Sayre Bedinger

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Head coach Mike McDaniel of the Miami Dolphins reacts during the second half of the game against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card playoff game at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Head coach Mike McDaniel of the Miami Dolphins reacts during the second half of the game against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card playoff game at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
NFL
Jan 14, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley reacts against the Jacksonville Jaguars during a wild card playoff game at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

NFL team not returning to the playoffs in 2023: Chargers

Alright, we’ve done some picking on the NFC, let’s move over to the AFC for a moment. The Los Angeles Chargers are coming off of a monumentally disappointing finish to last season despite actually being one of the league’s “new” playoff teams in 2022. Justin Herbert and the boys finally found their way into the postseason. They not only made it in, but they mounted a massive first-half lead over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card round.

That lead disappeared as quickly as it appeared in the first place, and the Chargers blew a 27-0 playoff lead. People make fun of the Atlanta Falcons so much because 28-3 happened in the Super Bowl, but 27-0 is one of the most embarrassing leads to ever be blown in NFL playoff history. Then you had Joey Bosa blaming the officials while simultaneously letting his emotions cost his team.

Following that historic loss, most people didn’t think Brandon Staley was going to make it through the night. The photoshop work had already been done to make Sean Payton the Chargers’ next head coach by many fans on Twitter, but the Chargers stuck with Staley.

They stuck with Staley and hired Kellen Moore to be their next offensive coordinator.

This is a team that has Justin Herbert leading the way at quarterback, but it’s possible that in the first four years of Herbert’s NFL career, the Chargers will have only made the playoffs one time. And for that reason, I think Brandon Staley will get canned at the end of the year.

If we’ve got to replace six total playoff teams, a few have to come from the AFC, right? I think the Chargers, out of any team in the AFC, have the worst coach. For that reason, I’m taking them to be the first AFC team getting replaced.

Home/NFL