The 2024 regular season is now in the books, and the playoffs loom for the 14 teams contending for the Lombardi trophy. It means the other 18 franchises failed to make the playoffs, and a long off-season awaits them. However, the failures of some teams outweigh others because of the expectations at the start of the season. In this article, we will discuss the top 5 most disappointing teams in the NFL regular season.
5. Cincinnati Bengals- Cincinnati finished with a 9-8 record, which is the best record on this list and the second-best record of the teams that did not make the playoffs. However, this team should have enjoyed more than a winning record because there were legitimate expectations of Super Bowl contention. The Bengals were 3-8 after their first 11 games and won their last six games to give themselves a chance of sneaking into their wild-card round. However, the Broncos stomped the Chiefs’ backup players to claim the 7th seed in the AFC to wipe away Cincinnati’s chances. The Bengals will regret the opening loss to the New England Patriots, and the defense struggled for most of the season. On Black Monday, the team fired Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo, who ranked 25th in the league. Despite the disappointment, Joe Burrow played like an MVP candidate in keeping his team alive, but the team will have plenty to address this offseason.
4. San Francisco 49ers- the 49ers are the reigning NFC Champions and lost a thriller in Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs. It appears the Bay Area team suffered from the hangover all season. The team suffered injuries throughout the season and lacked chemistry on defense and offense. The struggles of Brock Purdy will particularly be a concern given he threw for only 3,864 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, which are worse statistically compared to his previous season. Purdy is now eligible for a contract extension and is in the last year of his rookie deal with a base salary of $1.1 million. The 49ers had one of the most talented teams in the past five seasons, which led to two Super Bowl appearances, but the decline was steep, especially on defense. The 49ers were ranked 27th in the league by allowing 25.6 points per game. I think the 49ers’ brass will make the tweaks necessary, and with a healthier season, they will contend in 2025.
3. Chicago Bears- the Bears fan base was hyped up after grabbing the number one draft pick, Caleb Williams. The team started 4-2 and was atop the NFC North division with a fan base thinking about playing in the Super Bowl. However, former Coach Matt Eberflus failed to coach his team in late-game situations including a Hail Mary against the Washington Commanders and the Thanksgiving thriller against the Green Bay Packers. The team snapped a 10-game losing streak in its finale against the Packers. However, the cloud still remains over the franchise, whether Caleb can succeed in the NFL and who the team will hire as Head Coach. It is hard to predict whether this team will contend without seeing the changes, but it was definitely a disappointing season.
2. Dallas Cowboys- the Cowboys are universally called “America’s Team”. The team struggled this season by losing matchups against the Saints and Lions by almost 63 points. The Lions’ loss was so bad that they began using offensive linemen catching touchdowns and running Wide Receiver plays. The team suffered key injuries to DeMarcus Lawrence, Micah Parson, and Dak Prescott for the rest of the season. The Cowboys were under pressure to excel this season, having failed to win the Super Bowl in three decades. Despite a few wins late in the season, it would be a weak move to retain this roster and stand pat for next season. The Cowboys won the NFC East division last season and are now surpassed by the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commander. To make matters worse, the coaching staff appears to be safe, and that will be a disastrous decision for any Cowboys fan.
1. New York Jets- the Jets entered the season under the most pressure to win this season. Their quarterback Aaron Rodgers was coming off an Achilles injury, and at age 40, it was a make-or-break season for the 4-time MVP awardee. The team became a constant soap opera, starting with Rodgers missing a mandatory mini-camp. The team had a rocky start with a 2-3 record after losing across the pond in London to the Minnesota Vikings. Owner Wood Johnson took the drastic step of firing Head Coach Robert Saleh and trading for Wide Receiver Devontae Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders. The team won only 3 of their last nine games to finish the season 5-12. It is a worse situation than the Cowboys because they will need to find a new franchise quarterback while the younger Dak Prescott will return next year. The Jets’ wait for another championship since 1969 seems very far based on the disastrous season in the Big Apple.