WE’RE NOW JUST a week away from the start of the 2015 NFL season and though everyone starts the year full of hope, expectation levels may be quite different depending on which team you support.
Here we take a look at four teams who had various levels of success last season but none of whom made the playoffs. This year, they may not be as bad as people expect.
And don’t worry if your team’s not here, we’ll have a full preview of both the AFC and NFC in the next week.
Atlanta Falcons
2014: 6-10 – 3rd in NFC South
It seems strange to suggest a team that went into week 17 knowing a win would see them into the playoffs could improve but perhaps missing out on the post-season is the best thing to happen the Atlanta Falcons.
It’s not inconceivable to imagine that, had they beaten the Panthers in the final week of last season and reached the postseason, the Falcons would have given long-term head coach Mike Smith another year to prove how distinctly average his is.
Instead, we get to see what former Seahawks’ defensive co-ordinator Dan Quinn can do with an entire team under his control. We know the Falcons will be better on defence where they gave up 26.1 points per game (PPG) last season, not just because of Quinn but by the addition of Vic Beasley who could easily have been a top five pick this year.
Projection: 9-7 season – 1st in the NFC South
Minnesota Vikings
2014: 7-9 – 3rd in NFC North
After losing the likes of Jared Allen and Kevin Williams on defence last season, the Vikings were expected to regress. Instead, they went from conceding 30 ppg in 2013 to just 21.4 last season. However, Despite Teddy Bridgewater proving most of the doubters wrong on offence they were missing an x-factor last season.
Actually, that should probably be an AP factor and Peterson’s return to the Minnesota starting line-up should improve things considerably as defences will be forced to respect both the pass and run game.
Another factor in Minnesota’s probable improvement this season are moves made on the offensive line — particularly replacing Charlie Johnson with Brandon Fusco – that should help both the run and pass game, though a lot will hinge on left tackle Matt Kalil not being as woeful as he was last year
Projection: 10-6 — 2nd in NFC North (playoff wildcard spot)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2014: 2-14 – 4th in NFC South
If their schedule counts against the Raiders doing even better than six wins, the Bucs have the perfect opportunity to bounce back early from a season that saw them finish with the worst record in the NFL.
With the exception of the Carolina Panthers — who finished with a losing record — they don’t play another 2014 playoff team until week 10 when they face the Cowboys in Tampa.
The Bucs didn’t win a single game at Raymond James Stadium last year and will hope the addition of franchise quarterback Jameis Winston — who has all the potential in the world — is a significant upgrade on an offence that barely scored two touchdowns a game (15.6 ppg) last season.
Projection: 6-10 — 4th in the NFC South
Oakland Raiders
2014: 3-13 – 4th in AFC West
What happens when you combine an improving young quarterback with an exciting rookie wide receiver? Well, maybe not a lot this season but the years of the Raiders being the laughing stock of the NFL — a position now held by Washington — appear to be over.
If you haven’t seen it yet, this is what Amari Cooper — Oakland’s first round pick — did to Pro-Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson this week:
https://vine.co/v/eIdtFLQvOdw
On defence, last year’s first round pick Khalil Mack has already shown glimpses he can be one of the all-time greats and should improve again under defensive-minded new head coach Jack Del Rio.
Losing is a habit the Raiders need to break soon and getting to six wins this season would be a massive leap forward ahead of becoming genuine contenders in the wild AFC West from 2016 on.
Projection: 6-10 — 4th in the AFC West (this is genuinely a big leap forward)
