20. Dallas Cowboys
If the Dallas Cowboys didn’t have one of the worst defenses any of us has ever seen, they might actually be a dangerous team in the playoffs. Even in the loaded NFC, there are few offenses with the ability to be as dynamic and explosive as the Cowboys. And they’ll be watching the playoffs just like the rest of us – from our couches.
The Cowboys annihilated the Commanders on Christmas Day, and that was likely a satisfying win for the Dallas fan base, but it was pointless in the long run. Maybe not completely pointless, but a reminder of what the Cowboys really missed out on this year.
Even with a competent defense. Even with a defense that ranked 25th in the NFL in points allowed, this team probably would have been able to do some damage in the playoffs. But it wasn’t meant to be.
19. Cincinnati Bengals
We need a bracket featuring the Lions, Bengals, Cowboys, and maybe a couple of other teams when the season is over. If ever there was a year that a consolation bracket would be must-see TV, it might be this season.
The Cincinnati Bengals obviously haven’t had Joe Burrow for the majority of this season, which means the AFC likely missed out on one of the best quarterbacks in the game in the playoffs. Maybe that Bengals defense wouldn’t have been able to hold up regardless of what they did offensively (like last season), but the way Burrow has played since coming back from the injury it makes you wonder.
Of course, we’re getting close to writing official post-mortems for all of these non-playoff teams, but the Bengals will be one of the toughest “what if” stories to think about. They could have easily been a contender in the AFC North with the way the Steelers and Ravens played this season. It wasn’t meant to be.