Rude Awakening

My brother in-law and I were arguing about which NFL team will have the biggest rude awakening this season, i.e. largest drop in their win total.

He argues NE because they actually play an NFL average schedule this season. I think it's DEN. They won a lot of close games last season and those are tough to repeat, especially in that division with Mahomes coming back and LAC becoming respectable. My runner up is CHI. Williams won't repeat those late game heroics, will he?

Which team will have the biggest rude awakening in 2026?

 

as long as it isn't the steelers.

 

For me it is a tie between Jacksonville and New England. The former having one off-season they would love to forget and the former not doing enough replacing two of their best skill position players. Classic case of six of one; half dozen in the other.

 

I hadn't even considered JAX. Losing Lloyd changes what that defense looks like.

 

We are doomed.

 

If New England gets AJ Brown, I think they will be in the mix for the playoffs.

 

Well, I hope it's New England. No other team deserves some rude awakenings and playoff droughts more than they do! IMO

Next up, the RATS. Every talking head seems to want this team to get over the hump with Lamar. I wish that team nothing but the worst! LOL

 

Im going to say the Ravens as it will be squarely on Jackson's shoulders if they fail. They can't lay it at Harbaugh's feet this time.

 

We will see what they lose replacing Harbaugh with an inexperienced head coach. Also, losing Linderbaum in the middle of that offensive line should hurt.

 

• NYJ went the inexperienced route and it looked ugly last season.
• NE went the experienced route and ... SB!
• CHI looked respectable with inexperience
• JAX's inexperienced HC looked good
• DAL went with inexperience and it was meh....

 

I stole this from Reddit so I have no idea if it is accurate....but that has to be list? One score wins?

 

I'm going with NE, and Chicago, 1st and Jacksonville, and Denver my close seconds. The only reason I don't put Denver in the 1st category is their D, and if You are a smart HC you can win a bunch of games with just that.

 

You must have never watched Williams in college. He may not make all the throws but he is like Mahomes when it comes to unbelievable throws late in games.

I also think the more he plays the more he will make the earlier throws so he won't have to be a magician.

 

That's like saying.. "you can't blame Tomlin if we lose now" The people who blame HC's will just blame White Mike or Omar or Rooney.
Same in Bmore. They will blame the new HC or owner for losses.

People will blame who they always blame for losses regardless if its warranted. The one's who blame the HC's or owners aren't going to start blaming the players now that the coach has changed.

 

People may be understanding the Vrabel situation. I think it’s going to affect him more than people think.

 

Their schedule will do more damage than the HC's drama....

The opening month does Vrabel and the Patriots no favors. The schedule begins with a gauntlet against the Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Buffalo Bills: teams that finished last season with records of 14-3, 10-7, 13-4, and 12-5. Seattle alone matched New England’s own 14-3 finish, making the stretch feel brutal right out of the gate. Altogether, those first four opponents combined for a staggering .721 winning percentage, showing just how unforgiving the Patriots’ start could be.
“That’s the highest any team has faced in the first four weeks in 40 years,” CBS Sports noted in an Instagram post.

 

Of the 14 playoff teams in 2025, I think New England was incredibly lucky. Their coach has issues too. Their win total will drop.

In the NFC San Fran is top heavy and relies on older veterans and a injuries injury history a bit too much.


https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoff-bracket

 

I blame Cowher for the 2008 Steelers Super Bowl victory.