The NFL is fickle. Every team deals with injuries, coaching changes, or just plain old luck ... just a shot away from glory or a lost season.
The NFL playoffs could look a lot different this year
Right now, eight of the 12 teams that qualify for the postseason missed out last year, something that hasn’t happened since 2003.
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
Those factors shake things up for the postseason every year. If the 2017 season ended today, eight teams that weren’t in the mix last year would land in the playoffs. The last time there was that much playoff turnover was way back in 2003.
A few of the favorites to make the playoffs this year have slipped out of contention. The Falcons are deep in the throes of a Super Bowl hangover. The Packers, Texans, and Dolphins all lost their starting quarterbacks to injury, and they’re not the same teams without Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, or Ryan Tannehill. The Seahawks, Raiders, Giants, and Lions have all regressed.
Right now, the Steelers and Patriots are on top of the AFC, and the Eagles and Saints — who both missed the playoffs last year — lead the NFC. The Chiefs and Cowboys would repeat their playoff appearances from last year. The Bills, Jaguars, Titans, Vikings, Panthers, and Rams all have tentative holds on playoff spots right now. None of these teams made the cut last year.
The Jaguars, tied with the Titans atop the AFC South, haven’t been the postseason in nine years. It’s been 12 years for the Rams, currently leading the NFC West. And the Buffalo Bills could be on the verge of snapping the longest post season drought in the NFL, 17 years.
The 2003 season was a similar situation. The Ravens, Broncos, Patriots, Chiefs, Cowboys, Panthers, Seahawks, and Rams locked up playoff spots after missing out following the 2002 season.
Here’s what else was going on in 2003:
- The Buccaneers were reigning Super Bowl champions. They were one of the teams that missed the 2003 playoffs. They’re probably going to miss them again this year.
- The Marlins won the World Series that year. They haven’t made the postseason since.
- Roger Federer won Wimbledon and Serena Williams won the Australian Open. Hey, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
- Britney Spears and Madonna kissed at the VMAs.
- It was a terrific year for movies. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Elf, and Finding Nemo all came out in 2003.
- It was also a terrible year for movies. The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, and that terrible Ang Lee version of Hulk were all released.
- “Hey Ya” by Outkast was the No. 1 song.
- Jessica Simpson asked one of life’s most pressing questions on her reality show Newlyweds: “Do buffalo wings come from chickens or buffaloes?”
- The Eagles finished the season 12-4 and won the NFC East. That seems doable for Carson Wentz and company, too.
- The Saints missed the playoffs thanks to Week 16 loss to the Jaguars. It came down to the final play, forever known as the River City Relay. They were trailing the Jaguars 20-13 with seven seconds to play. Aaron Brooks completed a 42-yard pass to Donte Stallworth, who lateraled to Michael Lewis, who lateraled to Deuce McAlister, who lateraled to Jerome Pathon, who got in the end zone. John Carney, who hadn’t missed a PAT in a decade, missed the extra point. The Saints finished 8-8. It was one of just five wins for the Jaguars that season.
- The Bills missed the playoffs for the fourth season in a row.
- The Panthers made it all the way to the Super Bowl, only to suffer a crushingly close 32-29 loss to the Patriots.
- That Super Bowl following the 2003 season was Tom Brady’s second win.
Brady is almost certainly heading back to the playoffs this year. But maybe a team that missed the playoffs last year will qualify this season and actually take the Patriots down for a change.
See More:
