8. San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers really did not stand a chance against the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round, so this loss should not come as a surprise. The Niners dealt with injuries all year, and it seems like it’s a yearly thing at this point. In the offseason, much of what the Niners will do is simply focus on getting healthy.
The fact that they got into the second round of the playoffs is a testament to just how good this team can be if the key players stay healthy. This was largely a very successful season given the circumstances.
Kyle Shanahan is a top-tier head coach and should get some Coach of the Year votes, but this team just did not have much steam in the end and got overwhelmed. San Francisco is no. 8 in our updated NFL power rankings after the Divisional Round.
7. Buffalo Bills
It’s another massive playoff disappointment from the Buffalo Bills, and it happened in the most Bills fashion you could possibly think of. Josh Allen was simply not good for the Bills - he threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in the second half that gifted the Denver Broncos three points.
No matter how you slice it, the Bills blew it, and no, the officiating was not the reason. Buffalo did come into this game pretty banged up, but they still had one of the top-3 offensive lines in the NFL, the best run game, and the league’s best passing defense.
It’s hard to say that this team was truly depleted, and they really should have won this game. They held a lead late in the fourth quarter. There has to be some form of change for this team in the offseason. Moving on from Sean McDermott as the head coach might sound insane, but both John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin are no longer coaching the Ravens and Steelers.
A bold coaching move could kickstart this team into a new era.