So, here we are at the conclusion of another stunning year of gridiron action. We know the victors and also-rans, we’ve seen the Super Bowl odds and picks come good, and we’re now left to sweep up the confetti and congratulate the Rams on their hard-fought 23-20 victory over the Bengals. The win will come as vindication for the side that has shown it has what it takes to scrap its way right to the top flight of the game following their Super Bowl loss to New England in 2018-19 and promising Divisional Round knock-out at the hands of the Packers in 2020-21.
When looking at the final standings of this year’s playoff picture, it’s reasonable to ask what it can tell us about which sides are joining the Rams as rising stars in the pantheon of great teams, and which ones are falling from grace or experiencing ongoing challenges to their legacy.
Below, we take a look at the noteworthy runners-up this year and attempt to chart their potential trajectory going into the 2022 season. We will also spare a thought for the teams conspicuous by their absence, and explore whether we can expect them to lift the Vince Lombardi again any time soon.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
This year’s illustrious finalists, the Bengals, defied expectations in making it to Super Bowl LVI. They haven’t been to a Super Bowl since 1988, and have never walked away with the trophy. In spite of this, the Bengals looked to be a growing side during the first part of the 2010s and managed an impressive streak of five seasons in which they made it to various stages of the playoffs. Since then there’s been little to write home about, but their performance against, and near loss to, the Rams will have analysts wondering whether the tigers still have some bite left to them. The team is ascending with a young core of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Joe Burrow, and Tee Higgins.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The Chiefs currently lead the pack when it comes to current playoff streaks. The 2021-22 season marked their seventh consecutive playoff appearance. They’re also the most recent team to put in multiple consecutive appearances at the Super Bowl itself across LIV, which they won, and LV. Behind the Patriots, a strong case could be made that the Chiefs are the most consistently effective team in the NFL at present. Never count out a team that is led by Patrick Mahomes.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
The Packers have been the most consistent team to make the playoffs behind the Patriots this side of the millennium. The team made the playoffs in eight straight seasons until 2016. Though the squad hasn’t made it to a Super Bowl since their 2010 win, the recent consistent run of finishes could signal good things to come, with two NFL Championship Game appearances in 2019–20 and 2020–21 preceding this year’s Divisional Round loss to the 49ers. Any team that is consistently making it to the finals is going to have eyes on them coming into 2022-23. However, it will depend on what Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams decide to do this offseason.
TENNESSEE TITANS
Tennessee is new to the limelight and is considered to be one of the brightest new teams forging a path for themselves in the top flight of the sport. 2021-22 marks the third time in a row the Titans have placed in the playoffs, with the 2019–20’s AFC Championship bout against Kansas City being their highest ranking yet. The Titans have only been to a single Super Bowl before, back in 1999. As long as Derrick Henry is healthy and reigning Coach of the Year, Mike Vrabel is leading the charge, the Titans will contend in the AFC.
BUFFALO BILLS
The Bills are experiencing a similar trajectory to the Titans. Like the Titans, they have seemingly come out of nowhere to finish in the playoffs for the third year in a row. While the Bills have made it to the Super Bowl a total of four times, they’ve never taken the Vince Lombardi home. This year, the Bills got knocked out in an all-time classic against the Chiefs in the Divisional Round, but their highest finish recently was in 2020-21 where they made it all the way to the AFC Championship before losing out to the Mahomes. The team will continue to get better behind Josh Allen and a tough defense.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Of course the one team nobody is prepared to discount at the moment is the New England Patriots. Even after having to say goodbye to Tom Brady, the squad is looking strong and their sub-par performance at this year’s playoffs is just a minor bump in the road. The team has begun a new run of playoff appearances after their failure to qualify in 2020–21 brought their historic 11 season streak to an abrupt end. The Patriots have made it to the Super Bowl five times in the past 10 years, and have won three of those. It’s unlikely that kind of momentum will slow any time soon with Mac Jones under center and Bill Belichick calling the shots.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
One of the rising stars of the past few years, the Saints have come out of nowhere to make the playoffs four times between 2017–18 and 2020-21 after several years out in the cold following their 2009 Super Bowl win. The Saints failed to make the playoffs this season, but only a fool would count them out of the running for the coming years — this is a side to watch with a new head coach and a very strong defense.
DENVER BRONCOS
The Broncos were at the top of their game between 2011-12 and 2015-16 with Peyton Manning, a period of time that saw them battle their way into the playoffs five times before grasping the Vince Lombardi in Super Bowl 50. Since then, the Broncos have failed to put together a side capable of making it to the finals. But, they are a rumored landing spot for Aaron Rodgers.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Once one of the most dominant teams in the modern NFL, the Seahawks enjoyed a streak of five consecutive runs into the playoffs between 2012-13 & 2016-18, including winning the Super Bowl in 2013 and making it to the final bout before losing to the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX. With a fifth season now in conclusion in which the Seahawks have failed to make it to the playoffs, it may be safe to say their time in the sun is over for the time being. Still, they could contend with a healthy Russell Wilson next season.
