Every single season in the NFL, there are teams that shock the world and win a lot more than many thought, and other teams that simply win a lot less. In 2025, we saw the New England Patriots shock the world and win 14 games, proving to be a breakout team.
Kansas City, on the other hand, won nine fewer games than the previous season and missed the playoffs for the first time in years. This proves just how much parity exists in the NFL, and this type of momentum is going to continue into the 2026 campaign and beyond.
Here, we outlined four teams that are primed to disappoint when the regular season begins.
These teams are going to be in a position to disappoint and underachieve in 2026
4. Carolina Panthers
It's hard to imagine that the Carolina Panthers can win the NFC South again in 2026 with another 8-9 record. This team sported the 27th-ranked scoring offense and 15th-ranked scoring defense, so this was not a good football team. Furthermore, the Panthers have seven games against teams that made the playoffs, including a matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Carolina, of note, also plays Denver, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, and Detroit. Not only that, but quarterback Bryce Young appears to be a functional passer, at best. It should be another losing season for the Panthers in 2026.
3. New England Patriots
The Patriots did make it to the Super Bowl in 2025, but this team did benefit from one of the easiest NFL schedules of the 21st century. That type of schedule just is not going to happen for quite some time, and while the Pats do have a good roster, a great head coach, and a great quarterback, year-over-year success of this magnitude just does not happen in the NFL unless you have truly generational people on the coaching staff or on the roster.
While New England should still be looked at as a playoff team, the schedule getting tougher is going to hurt this team, so dropping several wins is on the table.