Part 1 - A Look Ahead for the 20 non-Playoff teams
32.) Washington Redskins (3-13 = 266-435)
Biggest Focus point for 2020: Let someone else run the show. They've already started this by not just reassigning Bruce Allen but letting him go outright. That's a good first step. Apparently, they are all set on hiring Ron Rivera, which to me is a great move, but it will be a huge challenge to see if Rivera can bring some stability back, and how long it will last. The last time they went the veteran old coach was when they brought in Mike Shanahan. It was probably the most professional years for the franchise but even then Snyder and his cronies meddled. Let Rivera run the show. Let him get in a good OC to improve Haskins.
31.) Cincinnati Bengals (2-14 = 279-420)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Draft Joe Burrow and let him cook. Honestly, they may as well start negotiating a contract with Burrow on Tuesday, January 14th, the day after his LSU team plays in the National Championship. There are warning signs - mainly his lack of elite production prior to this season, but he is the most clear-cut a #1 I can remember. Hopefully AJ Green will be back which will give Burrow a solid top weapon to work with. The Bengals if anything have great timing. They've rarely bottomed out like this, but when they have, after their 2-14 season in 2002 they got Carson Palmer, and after the 4-12 season in 2010 got AJ Green.
30.) New York Giants (4-12 = 341-451)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Make sure the new coach/OC combo works with Daniel Jones. Honestly, I am fearful the new guy may want his own guy, especially if the new coach is a Matt Ruhle type. Daniel Jones was erratic but few rookie QBs have ever had so many good games, including three with 4 or more TDs and no picks. Again, no rookie had done that before. He has decent weapons around him like a breakout in Darius Slayton as well. There's something here, just have to hope the new coach doesn't try to reset too soon.
29.) Detroit Lions (3-12-1 = 341-423)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Go back on your decision to keep Matt Patricia. Honestly, what has Matt Patricia done to deserve another season. He inherited a decent roster and a team that went 9-7 in back to back seasons (the first time the Lions have been >.500 in two straight years in like decades) and then proceed to take them to 9-22-1 over two seasons. Sure, he had to deal with Matthew Stafford getting injured, but outside of that they were fairly healthy over the course of the season. Out of all the Belichick protoges, honestly Patricia may be the worst.
28.) Carolina Panthers (5-11 = 340-470)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Don't get too cute, though they probably will. Getting these young 'masterminds' that knew Sean McVay once or coached a dynamic team in college jsut isn't a guaranteed recipe to success. It just isn't. You just know the team owned by the hedge-fund guy is going to think this is all the rave and pick up some wunderkind. As it is the Panthers were comically bad the second they fired Ron Rivera. Like truly awful. It may not get better just because they go with an offensive mind instead of a steady hand like Rivera.
27.) Miami Dolphins (5-11 = 306-494)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Draft Tua or Herbert, trade up if you have to. The one thing this team is missing is a solid long-term QB option. They have a nice mid-tier option in Fitzy, but that may actually be a great blessing with Tua maybe needing a redshirt season recovering from his brutal injury. This is a reasonably talented team with tons of cap space and draft picks. They seemingly have their coach. They need a QB, and of course a lot of defensive help, but the amount of defensive help you need lessens a whole lot if Tua works out.
26.) New York Jets (7-9 = 276-359)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Cut bait quick if Gase can't improve the offense. Look, they're already deciding to give Adam Gase another go at it. Not sure why. That team stumbled to respectability mainly because of a defense that improved and Darnold overcompensating for the limited, boring, abjectly poor offensive style. The only thing keeping Adam Gase employed really is the Jets not wanting to look foolish and the fact Manning helped him get to 55 TDs in 2013.
25.) Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10 = 300-397)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Start over from a mentality side. The Jaguars built something pretty cool in 2017, and probably deserved to go to the Super Bowl if one of a few things doesn't happen in their AFC Title Game loss to New England. They tore it down so quick, starting from the second they gave Blake Bortles money, compounding it by giving Nick Foles a ton of money, and letting a dominant defense beef and fester its way away to madness. They still have talent, but need a completely different management style.
24.) Oakland Raiders (7-9 = 313-419)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Just settle on a QB. I know this is something that is against everything that Jon Gruden stands for. Tinkering with his QBs is basically what Jon Gruden is most known for. Anyway, if Derek Carr isn't his guy, then fine. But pick someone. The team has a good allotment of young talent, but stability at QB is imperitive for them to take their next step in an upward progression.
23.) Arizona Cardinals (5-10-1 = 361-442)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Grow that defense. Kyler will improve. Sure, teh OL needs work but the weaponry and the brains behidn that are settled. The defense needs a whole lot of work though - even if like their coordinator. They have some draft capital, are probably a potential trade down candidate, and can really invest on that side of the ball.
22.) Cleveland Browns (6-10 = 335-393)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Grow the eff up. Seriously now. They still have a lot of talent. Yes, the central figure in that 'talent' of Baker Mayfield has to improve, but the player who was so good in 2018 is still there somewhere. The real key factor is professionalism, especially on defense. Way too many penalties. Way too much buying into your own talent. Myles Garrett needs to calm down, as do so many others. A new coach will help, or should but I do question their hiring practices under Jimmy Haslam.
21.) Los Angeles Chargers (5-11 = 337-345)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Find a new QB, cut the cord. Philip Rivers was a great QB, but at this point, after his 20 INT campaign, there is a major emphasis on 'was'. His style of throwing has not allowed him to age well at all. It is OK though. This team is one year removed from a 12-4 season, and its underlying numbers are more of an 8-8 team. They can get there, but the choice at QB will be an interesting one. I just know it isn't Philip Rivers.
20.) Indianapolis Colts (7-9 = 361-373)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Don't pat yourselves on the back too much. The fact this team went 7-9, were nearly 8-8 on underlying stats, despite losing Andrew Luck preseason. Yes, that is a good end result, and it is a credit to Ballard and Reich. What is not a credit to Ballard and Reich? Jacoby Brissett not developing much. They overcame his flaws to start 5-3, and fell into them late into the season. Brisset is not the answer, no matter how many people like him. He's a fine backup, but they need to realize 7-9 still isn't great and the path forward has to be with someone else.
19.) Chicago Bears (8-8 = 280-298)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Make sure this is Trubisky's last chance. Yes, you drafted him #2 and gave up a lot to get him. But you also gave up a lot to Khalil Mack and then paid him. The team is in win-now mode aside from a QB that is holding them back and didn't improve at all after their 12-4 season last year. Some of this is on Matt Nagy, but a lot needs o be on Trubisky as well.
18.) Atlanta Falcons (7-9 = 381-399)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Improve organically isntead of keeping on waiting for the year everyone stays healthy. For three years now since their close Super Bowl loss, the Falcons have been waiting for their talented roster of defenisve players to not all get injured. It hasn't happened. Three years later, they need to start improving the team rather than hoping guys stay healthy especially now when they are older.
17.) Denver Broncos (7-9 = 282-316)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Work with Drew Lock. He brought some excitement to the late season for the Broncos. Their defense remains solid, if not a Top-10 type unit. Lock can go in so many directions, but the Broncos need to put him in a better position to win, be it coaching, or playmakers, or more control of the offense. He should end up way better than Osweiler, but the infrastructure around him hasn't improved much since the Osweiler / Semien days.
16.) Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8 = 289-303)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Have a plan B in case Roethlisberger doesn't come back 100%. There's an easy line for the Steelers to take right now, pairing a great defense with a returning HOF QB, but there is a noin-zero chance a late-30's, recently injured Roethlisberger is not the solution. For sure he'll be better than Duck Hodges or whatever, but to me the bigger risk is that he gets hurt again. Even if Roethlisberger is healthy, he probably doesn't have more than a couple years left. A plan B is needed at some point, and may be 2020 itself.
15.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9 = 458-449)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Get Jameis back on a smart contract. Clearly, Mr 30/30 wasn't good enough to get a huge deal, and there's no real value in bringing him back on a 1-year deal. Why don't you take the opportunity to bring him back on a two or three-year deal at mid-market value. The talent is still there, as to 5,000 yards and 33 TDs attest. Of cousre the 30 INTs point ot the lack of decision making, but Bruce Arians has done wonders corralling gunslinger types in the past. Maybe not to this exent, but he can get early 2010s Roethlisberger production, maybe not 2015 Palmer production.
14.) Los Angeles Rams (9-7 = 394-364)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Let Goff get some credit. Look maybe Jared Goff's strong 2017 and 2018 seasons were purely products of McVay. But assuming they aren't, if they are going to be great in 2020 they need Goff to be good enough to get some of the credit himself. Statistically, Goff still had a great season, but too many screens and check-downs and stuff that seem force-fed from McVay to less success in 2019. The Rams have been built to win in 2020-2021, and to that, they need a true franchise QB that is allowed to play like one.
13.) Dallas Cowboys (8-8 = 434-321)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Get an established coach. It seems like Jason Garrett is finally done for this world. It's about time. What it also seems like is that the Cowboys may want to go the boy-wonder approach. Maybe that does work, but in reality, it isn't playcalling or system that is the issue here. It's game and situational management. And that is where a lot of boy-wonder types struggle. The Cowboys have everything but a smart coach who can adjust to game situations. For that, getting someone experience (Ron Rivera, but alas) is the key.
32.) Washington Redskins (3-13 = 266-435)
Biggest Focus point for 2020: Let someone else run the show. They've already started this by not just reassigning Bruce Allen but letting him go outright. That's a good first step. Apparently, they are all set on hiring Ron Rivera, which to me is a great move, but it will be a huge challenge to see if Rivera can bring some stability back, and how long it will last. The last time they went the veteran old coach was when they brought in Mike Shanahan. It was probably the most professional years for the franchise but even then Snyder and his cronies meddled. Let Rivera run the show. Let him get in a good OC to improve Haskins.
31.) Cincinnati Bengals (2-14 = 279-420)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Draft Joe Burrow and let him cook. Honestly, they may as well start negotiating a contract with Burrow on Tuesday, January 14th, the day after his LSU team plays in the National Championship. There are warning signs - mainly his lack of elite production prior to this season, but he is the most clear-cut a #1 I can remember. Hopefully AJ Green will be back which will give Burrow a solid top weapon to work with. The Bengals if anything have great timing. They've rarely bottomed out like this, but when they have, after their 2-14 season in 2002 they got Carson Palmer, and after the 4-12 season in 2010 got AJ Green.
30.) New York Giants (4-12 = 341-451)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Make sure the new coach/OC combo works with Daniel Jones. Honestly, I am fearful the new guy may want his own guy, especially if the new coach is a Matt Ruhle type. Daniel Jones was erratic but few rookie QBs have ever had so many good games, including three with 4 or more TDs and no picks. Again, no rookie had done that before. He has decent weapons around him like a breakout in Darius Slayton as well. There's something here, just have to hope the new coach doesn't try to reset too soon.
29.) Detroit Lions (3-12-1 = 341-423)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Go back on your decision to keep Matt Patricia. Honestly, what has Matt Patricia done to deserve another season. He inherited a decent roster and a team that went 9-7 in back to back seasons (the first time the Lions have been >.500 in two straight years in like decades) and then proceed to take them to 9-22-1 over two seasons. Sure, he had to deal with Matthew Stafford getting injured, but outside of that they were fairly healthy over the course of the season. Out of all the Belichick protoges, honestly Patricia may be the worst.
28.) Carolina Panthers (5-11 = 340-470)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Don't get too cute, though they probably will. Getting these young 'masterminds' that knew Sean McVay once or coached a dynamic team in college jsut isn't a guaranteed recipe to success. It just isn't. You just know the team owned by the hedge-fund guy is going to think this is all the rave and pick up some wunderkind. As it is the Panthers were comically bad the second they fired Ron Rivera. Like truly awful. It may not get better just because they go with an offensive mind instead of a steady hand like Rivera.
27.) Miami Dolphins (5-11 = 306-494)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Draft Tua or Herbert, trade up if you have to. The one thing this team is missing is a solid long-term QB option. They have a nice mid-tier option in Fitzy, but that may actually be a great blessing with Tua maybe needing a redshirt season recovering from his brutal injury. This is a reasonably talented team with tons of cap space and draft picks. They seemingly have their coach. They need a QB, and of course a lot of defensive help, but the amount of defensive help you need lessens a whole lot if Tua works out.
26.) New York Jets (7-9 = 276-359)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Cut bait quick if Gase can't improve the offense. Look, they're already deciding to give Adam Gase another go at it. Not sure why. That team stumbled to respectability mainly because of a defense that improved and Darnold overcompensating for the limited, boring, abjectly poor offensive style. The only thing keeping Adam Gase employed really is the Jets not wanting to look foolish and the fact Manning helped him get to 55 TDs in 2013.
25.) Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10 = 300-397)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Start over from a mentality side. The Jaguars built something pretty cool in 2017, and probably deserved to go to the Super Bowl if one of a few things doesn't happen in their AFC Title Game loss to New England. They tore it down so quick, starting from the second they gave Blake Bortles money, compounding it by giving Nick Foles a ton of money, and letting a dominant defense beef and fester its way away to madness. They still have talent, but need a completely different management style.
24.) Oakland Raiders (7-9 = 313-419)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Just settle on a QB. I know this is something that is against everything that Jon Gruden stands for. Tinkering with his QBs is basically what Jon Gruden is most known for. Anyway, if Derek Carr isn't his guy, then fine. But pick someone. The team has a good allotment of young talent, but stability at QB is imperitive for them to take their next step in an upward progression.
23.) Arizona Cardinals (5-10-1 = 361-442)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Grow that defense. Kyler will improve. Sure, teh OL needs work but the weaponry and the brains behidn that are settled. The defense needs a whole lot of work though - even if like their coordinator. They have some draft capital, are probably a potential trade down candidate, and can really invest on that side of the ball.
22.) Cleveland Browns (6-10 = 335-393)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Grow the eff up. Seriously now. They still have a lot of talent. Yes, the central figure in that 'talent' of Baker Mayfield has to improve, but the player who was so good in 2018 is still there somewhere. The real key factor is professionalism, especially on defense. Way too many penalties. Way too much buying into your own talent. Myles Garrett needs to calm down, as do so many others. A new coach will help, or should but I do question their hiring practices under Jimmy Haslam.
21.) Los Angeles Chargers (5-11 = 337-345)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Find a new QB, cut the cord. Philip Rivers was a great QB, but at this point, after his 20 INT campaign, there is a major emphasis on 'was'. His style of throwing has not allowed him to age well at all. It is OK though. This team is one year removed from a 12-4 season, and its underlying numbers are more of an 8-8 team. They can get there, but the choice at QB will be an interesting one. I just know it isn't Philip Rivers.
20.) Indianapolis Colts (7-9 = 361-373)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Don't pat yourselves on the back too much. The fact this team went 7-9, were nearly 8-8 on underlying stats, despite losing Andrew Luck preseason. Yes, that is a good end result, and it is a credit to Ballard and Reich. What is not a credit to Ballard and Reich? Jacoby Brissett not developing much. They overcame his flaws to start 5-3, and fell into them late into the season. Brisset is not the answer, no matter how many people like him. He's a fine backup, but they need to realize 7-9 still isn't great and the path forward has to be with someone else.
19.) Chicago Bears (8-8 = 280-298)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Make sure this is Trubisky's last chance. Yes, you drafted him #2 and gave up a lot to get him. But you also gave up a lot to Khalil Mack and then paid him. The team is in win-now mode aside from a QB that is holding them back and didn't improve at all after their 12-4 season last year. Some of this is on Matt Nagy, but a lot needs o be on Trubisky as well.
18.) Atlanta Falcons (7-9 = 381-399)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Improve organically isntead of keeping on waiting for the year everyone stays healthy. For three years now since their close Super Bowl loss, the Falcons have been waiting for their talented roster of defenisve players to not all get injured. It hasn't happened. Three years later, they need to start improving the team rather than hoping guys stay healthy especially now when they are older.
17.) Denver Broncos (7-9 = 282-316)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Work with Drew Lock. He brought some excitement to the late season for the Broncos. Their defense remains solid, if not a Top-10 type unit. Lock can go in so many directions, but the Broncos need to put him in a better position to win, be it coaching, or playmakers, or more control of the offense. He should end up way better than Osweiler, but the infrastructure around him hasn't improved much since the Osweiler / Semien days.
16.) Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8 = 289-303)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Have a plan B in case Roethlisberger doesn't come back 100%. There's an easy line for the Steelers to take right now, pairing a great defense with a returning HOF QB, but there is a noin-zero chance a late-30's, recently injured Roethlisberger is not the solution. For sure he'll be better than Duck Hodges or whatever, but to me the bigger risk is that he gets hurt again. Even if Roethlisberger is healthy, he probably doesn't have more than a couple years left. A plan B is needed at some point, and may be 2020 itself.
15.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9 = 458-449)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Get Jameis back on a smart contract. Clearly, Mr 30/30 wasn't good enough to get a huge deal, and there's no real value in bringing him back on a 1-year deal. Why don't you take the opportunity to bring him back on a two or three-year deal at mid-market value. The talent is still there, as to 5,000 yards and 33 TDs attest. Of cousre the 30 INTs point ot the lack of decision making, but Bruce Arians has done wonders corralling gunslinger types in the past. Maybe not to this exent, but he can get early 2010s Roethlisberger production, maybe not 2015 Palmer production.
14.) Los Angeles Rams (9-7 = 394-364)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Let Goff get some credit. Look maybe Jared Goff's strong 2017 and 2018 seasons were purely products of McVay. But assuming they aren't, if they are going to be great in 2020 they need Goff to be good enough to get some of the credit himself. Statistically, Goff still had a great season, but too many screens and check-downs and stuff that seem force-fed from McVay to less success in 2019. The Rams have been built to win in 2020-2021, and to that, they need a true franchise QB that is allowed to play like one.
13.) Dallas Cowboys (8-8 = 434-321)
Biggest Focus Point for 2020: Get an established coach. It seems like Jason Garrett is finally done for this world. It's about time. What it also seems like is that the Cowboys may want to go the boy-wonder approach. Maybe that does work, but in reality, it isn't playcalling or system that is the issue here. It's game and situational management. And that is where a lot of boy-wonder types struggle. The Cowboys have everything but a smart coach who can adjust to game situations. For that, getting someone experience (Ron Rivera, but alas) is the key.
