Concerning trends for 14 NFL teams on playoff race bubble

The 2023 NFL regular season is winding down, with the playoffs kicking off next month. We know that no NFL team is without weaknesses. Even the 10-3 San Francisco 49ers, generally regarded as the best team in the league, are not perfect at every position. But weaknesses can be a bigger problem for teams on the playoff bubble still hoping to extend their season, and they can be the difference between being in … or out. Every win matters for these teams, and you don’t want your team’s biggest problem rearing its ugly head in the most important games of the season.

There are 14 teams with chances of making the playoffs between 15% to 85%, per ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI). For each of those teams, we’re picking one concerning trend that needs to be fixed to make the playoffs — and then make a deep run toward the Super Bowl. Let’s start with the team that has the best odds of the AFC group.

Jump to a team:
ATL | BUF | CIN | CLE | DEN
GB | HOU | IND | LAR | MIN
NO | PIT | SEA | TB

AFC

FPI chances to make the playoffs: 80.8%
FPI chances to win the AFC North: 9.0%