NFL Report Cards (Weeks 15-18 + Playoffs)

NFC North

• Packers: The Packers finished the regular season somewhat strong, except for the horrid loss to the Lions which kicked them out of the playoffs. Aaron Rodgers is once again potentially on the move, but even if he stays in Green Bay, if he struggles next year we could see more of Jordan Love, which will definitely be interesting when it happens. B-
• Vikings: The Vikings were a joy to watch this year, especially when they made the largest comeback in NFL history against the Colts in week fifteen. But Kirk Cousins once again went AWOL in the playoffs, losing at home to the Giants in the Wild Card. Justin Jefferson is still elite despite his quarterback’s repeated troubles in big moments, but the ceiling of this team is a first-round exit as long as the defense stays terrible. B-
• Bears: The Bears completely lost it the last few weeks of the season, missing the playoffs as expected even before the season started. But they have secured the first overall pick, and some prospects such as Will Anderson Jr., Jalen Carter and Paris Johnson are enticing for this rebuilding franchise. D
• Lions: The Lions are quietly turning around. Giving their division rivals a run for their money several times this year as well as barely missing the playoffs are all great signs. A few more kneecaps need to be bitten, but within a few years, the Lions could be sitting pretty after winning the conference championship. A-

NFC East

• Giants: The Giants still need work. Brian Daboll is the right answer, but there are still plenty of holes all over the team, which were exploited by the Eagles during the Divisional Round. The Giants are not horrible, but will need some major improvements on both sides of the ball if they want to become a true title contender. D
• Eagles: The Eagles are one of the best teams in the league. Jalen Hurts is elite, and the offensive duo of AJ Brown and Devonta Smith is just as promising as the defensive duo of Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham. The Eagles are also going to the Super Bowl, and definitely have a shot at winning the Lombardi Trophy. A+
• Commanders: The Commanders finished the season with a shocking win over the Cowboys, but don’t let that fool you. While Sam Howell could potentially be the long-term answer, many, many weaknesses, including Dan Snyder, continue to dog this team. The Commanders will not be relevant for a few years at least, but they still have the potential to ruin the fun for other teams going forward. C
• Cowboys: The Cowboys blew it in the playoffs just like everyone knew all along. Don’t let that win over a Florida dinosaur named Tom fool you, the lack of a reliable kicker and Dak failing to play well in any capacity is what did this squad in against the 49ers. Mike McCarthy still has a job for some reason, and as long as he is still in Jerry’s World, the Cowboys will continue to prove why they are not worthy of the “America’s Team” reputation. B+

NFC South

• Panthers: The Panthers finished the year 7-10, and Frank Reich is now leading the charge for next season. Moving forward, their biggest needs are at quarterback, and with a solid draft class, the Panthers future is relatively bright. C
• Falcons: The Falcons also finished the year 7-10, but their future is not as bright as their Carolina rivals. The offense still needs plenty of work, as does the front seven. This draft class is loaded overall, so the Falcons definitely have options for the future of the franchise. C+
• Saints: Surprise, surprise, the Saints also finished 7-10. The future of Jameis Winston is in doubt, but considering the most obvious replacement is Andy Dalton, Famous Jameis could still hang around. The defense is still solid, and the somewhat-young receiving corps is doing well, but questions loom in terms of passers and coaching. C
• Buccaneers: The Buccaneers won the NFC South with a stunning record of 8-9, but got horrendously beaten by the Cowboys in the Wild Card. Tom Brady is finally retired, and with Blaine Gabbert set to be a free agent, Kyle Trask is the only quarterback under contract for next year. With a few solid prospects in this year’s draft, the future of the Buccaneers is certainly interesting. C

NFC West

• Cardinals: The Cardinals lost all of their last seven games and finished the year 4-13. Kliff Kingsbury is gone and off to Thailand for the winter (literally). The Cardinals have yet to find his replacement, but whoever it is, hopefully they can accelerate Kyler Murray to a level that matches his massive contract. D-
• Rams: The Rams finished the season quite horribly, except for the thrashing of the Broncos on Christmas Day. Matthew Stafford looks washed, and Cooper Kupp was the only thing keeping the team relevant. The future of the recent league champs is confusing, but there is some hope. B-
• 49ers: The 49ers won the division with Brock “Mr. Irrelevant” Purdy leading the charge. The Wild Card and Divisional wins were impressive, but a thrashing in the NFC Championship ended their season. Brock Purdy could be the long-term answer, and draft capital could come back to San Francisco for Trey Lance if the 49ers are feeling lucky. A-
• Seahawks: The Seahawks snuck into the Wild Card and got throttled by the 49ers. Geno Smith could still be the post-Russell-Wilson Russell Wilson, but changes need to be made to the offensive line and defense if the team wants to take the next step. B-

AFC North

• Bengals: The Bengals won the AFC North and went to the AFC Championship, where Joe Burrow failed to display his ownership of Patrick Mahomes. Going forward, the Bengals need to be more disciplined on both sides of the ball, as well as improving the defense. A-
• Browns: The Browns finished the year as one of the most mediocre teams in the league. Deshaun Watson still looks rusty [Ed. Note—good] and the team does not perform well when the elements are not in their favor. Questions remain, but the Browns still look set to be mediocre again next year. C-
• Steelers: The Steelers finished with a winning record but missed the playoffs for the first time in forever. Going forward, the offensive line continues to need work, and Kenny Pickett needs to develop. But both of those things could come soon enough. B
• Ravens: The Ravens NEED to pay Lamar Jackson. Of course the extension of Roquan Smith doesn’t help, but Tyler Huntley cannot hold down the fort with mediocre receivers if Jackson walks. The future has many concerns, and it isn’t even that bright considering the competition in Cincinnati.  C+

AFC East

• Bills: The Bills finished the regular season with motivation to play well for Damar Hamlin after his near-death experience in Cincinnati. They then steamrolled the Patriots to finish the regular season, but barely squeaked past the Dolphins and lost to the Bengals in the playoffs. The defense needs work and better communication between Josh Allen and his receivers would be an added bonus. B-
• Patriots: The Patriots just flat out suck. Mac Jones isn’t playing well, and with the exception of Matt Judon, the roster is overall mediocre. Major changes need to be made in free agency if a new dynasty is to start in New England. C+
• Jets: The Jets have reverted to terrible. Zach Wilson is not living up to expectations, and even Robert Saleh might have his job on the line if things don’t improve soon. C-
• Dolphins: The Dolphins are on the verge of greatness. Tua’s repeated injuries doomed this season, and Teddy Bridgewater and Skylar Thompson clearly cannot replace him under center. The future is bright in Miami, however, so next season with a healthy Tua should produce results. B

AFC South

• Colts: The Colts are terrible. Matt Ryan broke his previous record for the biggest choke in NFL history against the Vikings, and then proceeded to lose all of their remaining games, including a beatdown by the Texans. Jeff Saturday should not be in the running for the head coach job, and his skills (or lack thereof) show this. D
• Titans: The Titans have regressed. The quarterback debate between Ryan Tannehill and Malik Willis continues, all while Derrick Henry’s prime is being wasted. The future is in doubt, and don’t expect a lot of improvement this offseason. C-
• Jaguars: The Jaguars have a very bright future. They won the division and a Wild Card thriller, only to lose to the Chiefs in the divisional. Trevor Lawrence has turned into a near top-10 quarterback, and the only real offseason work needs to be done with the offensive line and defense. B+
• Texans: The Texans are the Texans. (If you know, you know.) They were in perfect position to lock up the first overall pick, but when their coaching staff found out how many of them were on the firing line, they decided to actually play like a professional football team and lost the pick to the Bears. Davis Mills needs to go, but with DeMeco Ryans having replaced Lovie Smith, the future could be better than anticipated C-

AFC West

• Chiefs: The Chiefs keep on winning . . . and as a Broncos fan, I hate it. The Chiefs locked up the #1 seed, killed the Jaguars and Bengals in the playoffs, and are now sitting ready to win the Lombardi Trophy. Patrick Mahomes is still playing elite, but if anything will stop them from winning, it will be the paper tiger defense. A+
• Broncos: Broncos Country can finally breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Nathaniel “Can’t” Hackett is gone and has been replaced by Sean Payton. The future is all of a sudden brighter in Denver, and if we’re being honest, Roger Goodell might as well just give us the Lombardi Trophy right now, and not risk injuring any players next year. (For legal reasons, this is a joke.) B-
• Raiders: The Raiders have moved on from Derek Carr and could potentially acquire Aaron Rodgers, although in all honesty, Josh McDaniels should be sitting on the curb right now. The Raiders don’t really have much of a future, and the only future they do have is one with Jimmy Garoppolo. C-
• Chargers: The Chargers need to fire Brandon Staley. Justin Herbert’s elite talent is being wasted, and in the same division as Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson, a competent head coach is a must. The future is not all that bright, and don’t expect things to change soon. C-