The 2024 NFL playoffs are set to get underway with fantastic matchups in both conferences, and one of the most intriguing aspects of the playoffs each year is the possibility of a team winning the Super Bowl for the very first time in franchise history.
This year in the playoffs, there are four such teams among the 14 that qualified for postseason play. On top of the number of teams with a chance to win their first-ever Super Bowl, there are a number of the most successful teams in NFL history back in the dance this year with a chance to add to their legacy. Teams like the 49ers, Cowboys, Steelers, Chiefs, and Packers are looking to add to already impressive trophy cases.
Which teams are going to try and spoil that by winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history this year?
1. Houston Texans
This year's Houston Texans team has been a lot of fun, thanks to the coaching of DeMeco Ryans and the emergence of rookie quarterback CJ Stroud, undoubtedly soon to be named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Behind Ryans and Stroud, the Texans have taken a massive leap forward in the 2023 season and they went from worst to first in the AFC South, just like the Jacksonville Jaguars did in 2022. The Texans will play host in the Wild Card round to another team on this list -- the Cleveland Browns -- and you can bet that place is going to be absolutely rocking.
This Texans team has been through a lot in recent years. So many off-field issues and uncertainty, especially surrounding former franchise QB Deshaun Watson. It looked like Watson was going to be the one to lead the Texans to the promised land, but that train went completely off the rails. The Texans used the haul they received in the Watson trade with Cleveland to build the core that will take the field against the Browns this coming weekend, and you can't help but feel like they've got a good shot at winning that playoff game.
Can they win the first Super Bowl in franchise history, though? Crazy stuff can happen in the playoffs, but I don't know if Houston can run the table with the gauntlet in front of them.
2. Detroit Lions
I am extremely high on the Detroit Lions. I've been saying it for a couple of years now on this website, in case you've been reading for that long, but I have always been buying what Dan Campbell is selling. I didn't love the Matthew Stafford trade for the Lions because I felt like they got absolutely fleeced by the Rams, but it appears as though Lions GM Brad Holmes knew what he was doing.
Remember, at the time, Holmes came to Detroit from the Rams' organization. The Stafford trade felt very prematurely planned and Holmes's willingness to take on Jared Goff in the trade was something that many people -- myself included -- felt was a completely unnecessary way to hold that franchise back.
Well, I think Holmes and Jared Goff have proven any doubters wrong. The Lions have become a legitimate contender in the NFC with playmakers all over the place offensively, and as the third overall seed in the NFC, they are going to be a tough out for anyone.
This team is battle-tested. They are tough. They can win low-scoring games. They can win shootouts.
I personally feel like the Lions have a real shot at winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history this year. Not to get anyone's hopes too high, but this is a special team that has shown tremendous growth year over year under head coach Dan Campbell.
3. Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns in 2023 are like that one pair of sunglasses you can't believe you still have in your collection. It's not your most expensive pair, but it's a good one, and for whatever reason, they're the only sunglasses that have endured despite the fact that you've bought other -- more expensive -- pairs in recent years.
Okay, maybe that's not the best analogy. The point is, the Browns cycled through quarterback after quarterback this season. They lost their best player on offense -- Nick Chubb -- very early in the season. They lost starting tackle Jack Conklin. They've endured so many injuries on both sides of the ball, and somehow got better after adding veteran journeyman Joe Flacco.
Wait. Joe Flacco?
That's right. The guy who once won a Super Bowl as a member of the Baltimore Ravens now has the chance to help one of his old division rivals win its first Super Bowl in 2024. The resurgence of Flacco has been nothing short of miraculous, but it's the Cleveland defense that could really get this team over the top.
The Browns have already proven throughout the course of this season that they can beat the NFL's best teams. They've got wins over both the Ravens and 49ers. Cleveland fans should be excited about this team's potential if Joe Flacco can stay on his heater.
4. Buffalo Bills
I don't think anyone is going to want to play the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs.
This team is on fire. Although the Bills were one of the weirdest teams to try and figure out for the first 13 weeks of the season, this team hasn't lost a game since a brutal ending at home against the Denver Broncos to send them to 6-6.
They've showed some incredible resilience since that time, beating some really good teams and earning their way not only to the AFC East title, but all the way up to the 2nd seed in the conference. How is that even possible for a team that was 6-6?
The Bills made it happen by winning games. This team was the 11th overall seed a month ago. It looked like they were bordering on being eliminated from contention week after week.
When it comes to the postseason, the Buffalo Bills are a franchise with a history of absolute heartbreak. Nobody needs to rehash what this fan base has been through over the decades, but even in recent years, they have experienced some brutal endings to the season. This year, it looks like the Bills have really flipped the proverbial switch.
I think you can pencil this team in for the Conference Championship round, and they may be the "team of destiny" in the AFC this season.