5 NFL Teams Whose Fans Should Panic After Week 16
Week 16 of the NFL put a lot of playoff pressure on teams going into week 17. Who should be in panic mode?
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals aren’t out of the NFL playoffs just yet, but they’re close. If they win, they’re in. If not, there was a whole lot of success this season to finish in the middle of the pack. To make matters worse quarterback Kyler Murray did go down with an injury. While his status for week 17 is up in the air, a lingering leg injury going into the playoffs for a mobile QB is reason to be concerned about their playoff future.
Cleveland Browns
The Jets have won one game. One. The Cleveland Browns are supposed to be a playoff-ready team. Even if you throw in the almost-win against the Raiders, New York would still only come in with 2 wins. Arguing their covid related struggles is a moot point. The Jets have the 31st ranked passing offense, 23rd ranked rushing offense, and 32nd ranked total offense in the NFL. Defensively the Jets should’ve never been up against a playoff-caliber team. If you can’t control the worst offense in the NFL, you don’t deserve to be in the playoffs.
MORE NFL: NFL Panic Mode After Week 15
Kansas City Chiefs
Maybe the Chiefs wanted to take it easy in week 16 or they are starting to slow down. Kansas City has been at a 10 since Patrick Mahomes took over and with the explosiveness of their offense, you have to wonder if it’s catching up to them. The Falcons have beat some good teams this year, but they’re not exactly competitors. A high-powered offense that can only score 17 against a 4-win team is suspect. Right now it looks like they’ll have to keep pace with the Bills in the AFC and the Saints and Packers in the NFC. Colder weather slows teams down but there’s where the rest of the NFL can catch up.
Indianapolis Colts
Pittsburgh at one point was undefeated but then would go on to lose three in a row. The Colts got up big against these same Steelers and surrendered their big lead. The line is drawn at that moment. Indy showed they were on the run they needed to be to make the playoffs but would fall apart against a struggling team. The division and playoffs hang in the balance and now to win to get in in week 17.
More Football: Flores Makes Tough Right Call for Dolphins
Tennessee Titans
While losing to the Green Bay Packers, who are red hot this year, isn’t a big deal getting blown out by them is. The Titans needed momentum going into the playoffs didn’t get it from week 16. At the very best, they’re in recovery mode going into week 17 against a weak Titans team. Making a stand against a tough team should have kept the momentum up, now they have to hope to come off a win against a 4-win team will be their spark. The AFC is stacked with competitive teams so Tennessee will need everything they’ve got to make a run.
The playoffs are on the line the last week of the season. Could the 2020 NFL season get any crazier?
Rick ODonnell aka Caveman Rick has many years covering the Miami Dolphins, Sports, and all sorts of movies and television.
