Because the word is not mentioned on ESPN “talk” shows, it is contractually obligated to mention Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson by name in the first paragraph, implying that otherwise they will be known as bad quarterbacks and worse human beings. We can’t finally win the Super Bowl on February 9th in New Orleans.
Yes. History is written by the winners. That’s why Patrick Mahomes is considered the Stephen King of this era, while Allen and Jackson are treated like they shoved the Crayolas up their nostrils during the playoffs.
But reputations, resumes and career arcs could change over the next four weeks for quarterbacks, coaches and franchises alike. As this postseason begins, it’s our job to declare which NFL teams are under the most pressure heading into Wild Card Weekend.
Washington Commanders or Denver Broncos? Heck, no. The Broncos haven’t made the playoffs since 2015 and the Commanders haven’t won a playoff game since Jan. 7, 2006, so these teams are playing with free money. Additionally, each postseason snap rookie quarterbacks Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix get is a bonus. If they’re lucky (or not), they’ll evolve enough to replace Allen and Jackson in outrageous talk show debates over the next five years.
Are the Green Bay Packers or Houston Texans under the greatest pressure? no. The Packers’ Jordan Love and CJ Stroud had high expectations all year, but both entered the playoffs without major outings due to injury. Both are expected to lose this weekend, so any win would cap off a thrilling and successful season.
LA (Chargers) or LA (Rams)? No chance. Even though Los Angeles is a hotbed for the NFL, the unprecedented wildfires sweeping large swathes of Southern California are monopolizing everyone’s attention. If both teams win this weekend and the Chargers are favored to win in Houston, they will end up with slightly more on their record than if they lose.
Tampa Bay? That fan base might be one of the happiest in the NFL. They win their division every year. They have scored a ton of goals this season and have been fun to watch. There is no reason to be upset about what happens this weekend or next.
Kansas City? please. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Andy Reid and Co. have already left legacies at Canton Stone. If the Chiefs don’t win their third straight Super Bowl when they don’t have a live Allstate commercial or a forfeit in the divisional round or a two-minute drill, what right does any fan have to complain?
The Minnesota Vikings may be the most unusual 14-win team in NFL history. It’s a feel-good story, but the Detroit Lions suffered a huge blow in the Motor City on Sunday night, dashing any serious postseason hopes. The good thing is that it makes Vikings a story of brave upstarts again.
Pittsburgh Steelers? Now we are getting warmer. Mike Tomlin has led this proud franchise to 12 playoff appearances (including a Super Bowl title) in 18 years, but the Steelers haven’t won a postseason in eight seasons.
Are the Ravens and Bills getting a little extra pressure? of course. These are teams that have been playing at a high level since 2019 thanks to MVP-caliber quarterbacks, but neither has reached the Super Bowl. Yes, the pressure is on, but no team seems like a betting favorite to win it all. Fun fact: The Ravens and Bills both finished with a +157 point differential.
Because they call Philadelphia home, the Eagles are always under more pressure than the average franchise. And considering the home team hasn’t played in a Super Bowl in 23 months and hasn’t won a championship in seven seasons, Eagles fans probably need another championship in four weeks. But no, they are not the NFL team under the most pressure.
This may seem a bit counterintuitive, but as a franchise that has never won a Super Bowl, the Detroit Lions are the team with the most to lose by not winning Super Bowl LIX.
Yes, Lions are easy to enjoy. They score touchdowns by the bushel. They allow their offensive linemen to catch and throw passes, and Dan Campbell looks like the most NFL-loving coach in generations.
But here’s the deal: The Lions should have been in the Super Bowl last year, but a few not-so-good decisions inspired by Campbell’s unique brand of Danalytics caused the Lions to blow a 24-7 halftime lead against San Francisco.
If the best team in the NFC somehow finds another way to not make it to this Super Bowl, it will change how we view the Lions and Campbell. And he’ll be the number one show grist until he finds a way to take the sports morning show to the top.
