Brilliant, electrifying, spectacular, and mesmerizing are some words we could use to describe the divisional round over the weekend. Unlike wild-card weekend which featured several blowouts, all four games were within one score at halftime, and 3 of 4 matchups were decided late in the fourth quarter. The best game of the round was the duel between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, with Mahomes prevailing over the Bills for the third time in four years. The Lions, 49ers, Ravens, and Chiefs will be intensely preparing for Championship Sunday. However, the Texans, Packers, Buccaneers, and Bills will be assessing their seasons, and identifying their offseason needs. In this article, we will analyze their seasons and determining their biggest need to get closer to the Lombardi next season.
1. Houston Texans- the Texans finished the season with a 10-7 record, won the AFC South division, and exited the playoffs with a loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Texans exceeded expectations this season, and although the loss was a blowout, the game was tied at halftime. The future looks bright in Houston because quarterback CJ Stroud looks like the franchise quarterback who can remain the focal point in Bayou City. Stroud completed 63.9% of his passes for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Stroud commanded the offense this season, showed poise, and proved to be a true leader on the team. The franchise made the right decision in hiring rookie Head Coach DeMeco Ryan. Ryan’s presence led to consistent improvements in the defense and eased the pressure on his young quarterback. The Texans can contend for the Lombardi by adding an an elite weapon at the Wide Receiver spot. Rookie Tank Dell appears to be a solid number 2 wide receiver after tallying 47 catches, 709 in 11 games before suffering a season-ending injury. However, the team needs an elite wide receiver like Mike Evans, Odell Beckham, Tee Higgins, Odell Beckham Jr., and Michael Pittman Jr who are the top free agents at the position. If Stroud gets one of these top players, the sky is the limit on what this young team could achieve.
2. Green Bay Packers-Jordan Love was under immense pressure at the start of the season to prove he would be the new franchise quarterback and replace the legend known as Aaron Rodgers. It appeared the weight and expectations were too much for the quarterback because the Packers were 3-6 at the midseason point and looking like a team falling into a high draft pick. However, Love rebounded in the second half by winning 6 of the last eight games to sneak into the playoffs with a 9-8 and the seventh seed. It meant that the Packers were heavy underdogs when they made the trip to Dallas and a team that was undefeated at home this season. Love and the Packers relished the challenge by dominating the Cowboys in their home building by winning by a margin of 48-32. The Packers followed this trip by heading to San Franciso and playing a tough game against the 49ers. Unfortunately, Brock Purdy delivered on his final drive to give the 49ers the win, while Love threw two costly interceptions. Although the Aggies product did not play well, Green Bay would have seen enough to believe they can build around Jordan in the offseason. The biggest need for the team is in the safety position. Darnell Savage was a former first-round pick but has proven to be an inconsistent player or even a liability during his five seasons in the league. Strong safeties Anthony Johnson Jr and Jonathan Owens are good backup players but not seen as reliable starters. Therefore, look for the Packers to help Love by reinforcing the secondary with a stud.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jordan Love followed a legend, and Baker Mayfield had to be the player to replace the Greatest Quarterback of All Time, Tom Brady. The odds were stacked against Mayfield playing for his fourth team in two years. Yet, Baker earned the trust of his teammates, displayed leadership, and proved to be a winner in Tampa Bay. The Bucs finished 9-8, won the AFC South, and trounced the Eagles in the wild-card round. The team was competitive in their divisional round matchup but were defeated by the more talented Detroit Lions squad. The biggest need for this and the no-brainers is to lock up Mayfield and Mike Evans in free agency. Baker proved he is a top-10 quarterback after completing 64.3% of his passes for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns, and ten interceptions. Evans was disgruntled about not being reward with a big contract but proved the organization wrong by playing 17 games, grabbing 79 receptions for 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns. Mike extended his record to 10 seasons of 1000-plus receiving yards to start a career. Aside from those two pillars, they should look to sign a top young cornerback like Jaylon Johnson or L’Jarius Sneed. If the play Bucs play their cards right, then they should be the favorites to win the NFC South division again.
4. Buffalo Bills- Wide right! The words that Bills Mafia dreaded came back to haunt them after Tyler Bass missed a 44-yard kick that could have tied the divisional round battle against the Chiefs. It was a crushing loss for a team that might feel the Chiefs are their kryptonite. Yet, there are positives that fans can take away from the season. The Bills were 5-5, and things looked dire in upstate New York. However, Josh Allen and company rallied behind new Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady in six of the last seven games to win the AFC East and home-field advantage in the second round to host the Chiefs. Despite the missed kick, and drops on the offensive sides, I think this team lost this matchup because the defense was either ineffective or had too many injuries. The unit failed to register a sack on Patrick Mahomes, and you will lose games when you can’t pressure a quarterback that talented. The Bills need to get younger and cheaper since they will face the crunch of the cap this offseason. I think they need to look in the draft for a premium pass rusher that will close games to fill the gap Vonn Miller brought to the team pre-injury in 2022. It remains to be seen what changes will be made in the organization and whether their championship window is still open.