It’s hard to find a single spot on offense where Pittsburgh shouldn’t improve, while the Packers need much more at the “attack” positions on both sides of the ball.
Sadly, five NFL teams were hit with the loser game show sound during their brief quest for immortality this postseason. Getting to the playoffs is an achievement, but being a one-and-done team means that there’s clearly a lot of work to do before launching into the upper echelon of the league.
Here’s what each loser from the weekend needs to work on this offseason to have a realistic shot at a Lombardi Trophy in the near future.
Pittsburgh Steelers
A whole lot on offense
The Steelers’ season ended in predictable fashion based on their final month of the regular season. Over their final four games prior to the playoffs, they went 0-4 and averaged only 14.3 points per game, right in line with what they mustered against Baltimore. Outside of a few explosives, the Steelers never got into a long enough groove offensively to seriously threaten the Ravens. This is the biggest problem they face as they head into the offseason — and it was their biggest problem coming into the season.
Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are both free agents, and Pittsburgh needs to find and upgrade at quarterback regardless if either player returns. Beyond a QB, the Steelers need an influx of talent at wide receiver and running back. Running backs Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris both have contract expirations that need to be figured out and they desperately need to find another wide receiver outside of George Pickens to boost the passing game.
Right now, the Steelers just don’t have enough Joes to consistently threaten NFL defenses throughout the course of a season. They might have a couple pieces on the offensive line, but this team has massive question marks on just about every portion of their offense. For a team that has never bottomed out under head coach Mike Tomlin, the Steelers’ offseason and decision making are going to be fascinating.
Los Angeles Chargers
Patience (and interior linemen)
The Chargers’ 32-12 loss at the hands of the Texans was a stark reminder of the fact that this team launched a rebuild less than a year ago. Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert helped flip the script on this team in a short amount of time, going from 5-12 to 11-6 and a wild-card appearance. Their dismantling showed some of that 5-12 is still in there despite being ahead of schedule with their performance this season.
Some interior offensive line help would be a good place to start. Rashawn Slater and rookie Joe Alt were a good tackle duo, and will be great moving forward. The guys in between were a huge hindrance to the Chargers’ offense. Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman are always going to lean run-heavy, with or without the personnel up front to make that feasible. If they’re going to run what they run, they need to get better production out of the offensive line so they aren’t living in third-and-long situations. The framework for a good team is here, the Chargers just need to keep building in alignment with their identity (and maybe go spend on a pass-catcher or two).
The free-agent offensive line class doesn’t appear to be deep, but maybe they can grab a veteran to start for a year and also take advantage of what looks to be a talented interior linemen class in the upcoming draft.
Denver Broncos
Some beef on defense
Denver has some clear room to improve after its blowout loss against Buffalo on Sunday. The Broncos’ offense is still figuring out a path to consistent, down-to-down production, but Denver’s defense is very close to being a true stalwart unit. Its pass defense, particularly when cornerback Riley Moss is healthy, is an elite unit. The run defense had good metrics for the majority of the season, but when defenders ran into dominant run games like Baltimore and Buffalo, they were easily pushed aside, which essentially neutered their passing defense.
Getting heavier in the interior would do wonders for Denver — and it’s not that expensive to find a run-stuffing nose tackle. If the Broncos find someone to help them keep their linebackers clean, that would go a long way. They have the penetrators, but they need to get more stout. They could also use an upgrade at linebacker, but those players seem harder to find these days.
Green Bay Packers
Creators on both side of the ball
Green Bay’s season ended in embarrassing fashion as the Packers couldn’t get out of their own way in a wild-card loss to the Eagles. Just about every single player who dressed for the Packers had some mistake that contributed to the loss and it’s unlikely they would play that poorly again if the game was replayed today. It was that bad.
One aspect of this Packers roster that they need to fix is very clear: They don’t have enough guys who can create havoc for the other team, particularly at “attacking” positions, like wide receiver and pass rusher, where a lot of the success falls on the player to win his matchup. They didn’t do much of any of that versus the Eagles. Jalen Hurts had all day to throw when facing the Packers, and Green Bay’s wide receivers were disorganized and non-threatening when trying to get downfield. Jordan Love playing arguably the worst game of his career didn’t help matters, but the Packers definitely need to find some more explosive playmakers to help them get out of ruts.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Defensive reinforcements
The Buccaneers’ defense, like most teams that faced the Commanders this season, could not get off the field on third and fourth downs, helping lead to a loss. The unit that helped the Bucs win the Super Bowl a few years ago has gotten older and gone through the normal attrition and turnover of several offseasons. Tampa isn’t quite where it used to be, and it’s been felt this season. The Buccaneers still have a handful of good players that will make their big plays and keep them competitive, but the overall talent has slipped in recent years.
Longtime linebacker Lavonte David may be walking away from football this offseason following a decorated career. Even if he doesn’t, the Bucs need more youth and speed at linebacker. They also need cornerback help as they were unable to find a consistent option across from Zyon McCollum after trading away Carlton Davis to the Detroit Lions prior to the season.
Tampa’s offense should be in good shape next season as long as the offensive line stays healthy, giving them the space to devote resources to the other side of the ball.
