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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) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 05: NFC players Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions, Geno Smith #7 of the Seattle Seahawks and Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings are introduced during the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games at Allegiant Stadium on February 05, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

NFL team that won’t return to the playoffs in 2023: Seahawks

This one is tough. I don’t want to say it. I want to continue to see Geno Smith not writing back to those who had written him off.

Maybe he will do just that.

The Seattle Seahawks were a team that, in 2022, I think it’s safe to say “overachieved”. People thought this team was in dire straits after the Russell Wilson trade, given the fact they were having a competition last year in training camp between Drew Lock and Geno Smith for the starting job. And based on what we had seen in preseason play and what people were saying at Seahawks camp, it sounded like Lock may have been on his way to earning the job, and then this happened…

Seattle rolled with Geno Smith, never looked back, and they won quite a few games with Smith leading the charge. The team galvanized around the NFL comeback player of the year. A hot start to the 2022 season had the Seahawks sitting nicely with a 6-3 record. Over the final nine games of the season, including a playoff matchup against the 49ers, the Seahawks went 3-6.

Their three wins:

  • 27-23 @ Rams
  • 23-6 vs. Jets
  • 19-16 (OT) vs. Rams

Two of those three wins in a two-month span came against the hapless and very injured Rams. One came against Mike White, Ty Johnson, and the Jets.

Not to diminish what the Seahawks did all throughout the season, but the second half of last season showed the team that many thought we were going to see all year. Did they get better this offseason? I would say so, but if this team only wins 7 or 8 games, don’t be shocked.

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