Why each of the 4 NFL Wild Card losers should feel hopeful about the future

Every single team in the NFL had one goal when the season started: get to the playoffs. Of the 12 teams that realized their dream, four watched it quickly slip away on the first weekend of the playoffs. The Texans, Seahawks, Ravens, and Bears all saw their season end in the Wild Card Round.

Three of the those games were close, but all four of the teams that lost this past weekend have something to feel good about. They’re on the right track.

Sure, the Texans disappointed with a 21-7 dud at home against the Colts. And the No. 3 seeded Bears were expected to be the strongest team playing in the Wild Card Round, but were ousted by the underdog Eagles by the thinnest — the tip of a finger! — of margins.

But there is room for optimism for all of them going forward. Here’s why.

When NFL rosters were first cut down to 53 players this season, the Texans were the seventh-youngest team in the league, with an average age of just 25.6. But it’s all centered around quarterback Deshaun Watson, a player who improved in his second year, despite coming off an injury.

Watson completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 4,165 yards, 26 touchdowns, and just nine interceptions. He also rushed for 551 yards and five touchdowns. Even when the Texans were down three touchdowns to the Colts, fans still felt good about the team, and it’s largely because of Watson.

He’s also on his rookie contract, which can help the Texans surround him with more talent. More protection on the offensive line would give Houston a real boost on offense. So would a full arsenal of weapons for Watson. DeAndre Hopkins continues to be one of the best receivers in the league. Rookie receiver Keke Coutee was banged up and only played in six games, but he showed enough to be considered an up-and-comer. Third-year receiver Will Fuller was also injured for much of the season, but if he and Coutee are both healthy, the Texans could field one of the top groups of receivers in the league.

Defensively, they have some aging players, but J.J. Watt was back and healthy this season and just as effective as ever. Then there is Jadeveon Clowney, who likely won’t be going anywhere this offseason, even if Houston has to place the franchise tag on him.

Finally, the Texans have their own first-round pick, in addition to two second-rounders, so it seems likely they’ll be able to draft a couple difference-makers, especially on the offensive line. In Dan Kadar’s most recent mock draft for SB Nation, he has the Texans going with a cornerback, and that’s probably a good idea, too.

The Seahawks parted ways with a number of high-profile players this past offseason, including cornerback Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett. It was the end of an era. As a result, the Seahawks seemed destined for a rebuilding year.

Except someone forget to tell Pete Carroll’s team that. They went ahead and made the playoffs anyway. Russell Wilson was as great as ever, posting the highest passer rating of his career. Chris Carson emerged as a surprisingly effective rusher on an offense hell-bent on establishing the run.

Bobby Wagner, who has legitimate claim to being the best linebacker in the league, played lights out and earned his fourth first-team All-Pro selection. Jarran Reed and Frank Clark really come into their own as pass rushers. Clark totaled 13 sacks in the regular season, and Seattle likely won’t let him walk in free agency. Reed had 10.5 sacks and along with Shaquill Griffin at cornerback, they help form a strong, youthful core that doesn’t look like it will regress.

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Seahawks still made it back to the postseason when they weren’t supposed to. Another offseason should make them even better in 2019.

Throughout their game against the Chargers, Lamar Jackson was not playing well. At one point in the third quarter, the Ravens had -2 yards passing. At the start of the fourth quarter, Jackson had completed just 3 of 9 passes for 25 yards. Fans were booing. The announcers were openly talking about Jackson being benched for Joe Flacco. Head coach John Harbaugh even said afterward that it had been considered.

But what happened after that should give everyone confidence about Jackson’s future. He helped the Ravens battle back to turn what had been a blowout into a game. In the 23-17 loss, he finished 14-of-29 passing for 194 yards and two touchdowns while also leading his team in rushing with 54 yards. Despite an interception, as well as a fumble on the last drive, Jackson showed resiliency. And Harbaugh allowing Jackson to finish out such an important playoff game is as encouraging a move as they get.

With Flacco likely headed elsewhere this offseason, it’s clear that the team is Jackson’s. After the game, his teammates had nothing but praise for what his future holds. He can’t do it by himself, though.

The Ravens could still use some help at running back and along the offensive line, but they continue to have a competent group of receiving targets and a stout defense that ranked first in the league in yards allowed. They have some aging defenders, including Eric Weddle and Terrell Suggs, but still maintain a roster that ranks around the middle of the league in average age.

Mitchell Trubisky got off to an uneven start in his rookie year, with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions, but he improved a lot in his second season. His completion percentage jumped from 59.4 percent to 66.6 percent, and he threw 24 touchdowns against 12 interceptions.

More importantly, Trubisky looked great in the back half of their playoff loss to Philadelphia, making some incredible throws to get his team in position to win it. Unfortunately, Cody Parkey missed the game-winning field goal, so Trubisky’s heroics were for naught, but it was still an impressive performance overall.

The Bears are sound elsewhere on offense. There’s Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen, an explosive combination of running back, and a solid receiving corps that includes Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, and Anthony Miller. First-year head coach Matt Nagy is an innovative playcaller and also a legitimate candidate for NFL Coach of the Year.

Oh, and the Bears still have Khalil Mack, one of the best defenders in the NFL (even if he means they don’t have first- or second-round picks in the upcoming draft). Roquan Smith looks like a star after the Bears took him in the first round in 2018. Eddie Jackson, Eddie Goldman, Akiem Hicks, and Kyle Fuller make life tough for opposing offenses while Mack does his thing — being extremely good at mauling quarterbacks.

Before the season, not many expected this kind of season for Chicago: a 12-4 record with an NFC North title. Despite the early playoff exit, this should be just the beginning. The Bears are one of the most complete teams in the NFL, and they aren’t going anywhere.