2024 NFL Disappointments: Three Teams That Have Fallen Flat This Season

Photo From sportskeeda.com

Week 13 of the 2024 NFL season will wrap up tonight when the Cleveland Browns head to the Mile High City to take on the Denver Broncos for Monday Night Football. With five weeks remaining in the regular season, we have a pretty clear outlook on teams that are definitely making the playoffs, teams that have a high probability of making the playoffs, teams that are right in the thick of the playoff battle, and teams that are not making the playoffs.

When I look over the standings at this point in the season, there are three teams that I anticipated would make deep playoff runs and maybe even a trip to the Super Bowl, and man, do I feel like an idiot now that I know how their season has played out so far. Let’s examine these three teams and see why their season turned out to be a disappointment.

Cincinnati Bengals
Record: 4-8
Divisional Standing: 3rd in the AFC North
Reason for disappointing season: Defense

The 2024 Cincinnati Bengals are the perfect example of how crucial it is to be a well-balanced football team. Offense is not the issue at all for the Bengals. In fact, they have played well above league average, currently ranked ninth in yards per game and fifth in points per game. A majority of this credit can be given to Joe Burrow, who is arguably the best statistical quarterback in football this year. Burrow leads the league in total yards, yards per game, and touchdown passes and ranks fourth in quarterback rating. The Bengals have scored 335 points this season, which is tied for fifth-best in the league.

So how can a team only have four wins through 13 weeks when they have been so consistently successful offensively? Having a really, really, really bad defense. The Bengals defensive unit ranks eighth in most yards given up this season and sixth in most yards given up per game. They rank second in most points given up on the season and most points given up per game. They can’t stop the run, they can’t stop the pass, and they have given up way too many big plays.

The Bengals' defense has given up 30 or more points in six of the 12 games they have played in this season. In four of those instances, the Bengals themselves scored over 30 points and still lost. That pretty much sums up their entire season.

New York Jets
Record: 3-8
Divisional Standing: 3rd in the AFC East
Reason for Disappointing Season: Father Time

Like many NFL fans, the Jets were a team that had very high expectations entering the 2024 season. After only playing four snaps in 2023, Aaron Rodgers was back and 100% healthy. Also, the Jets have two young offensive studs in running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson who were both projected to have breakout seasons with Rodgers under center. 

Father Time catches up to all of us; it’s just a matter of when. That seems to be what is happening to Aaron Rodgers, who actually just turned 41 years old today. Rodgers has been a top-five quarterback in the league for over a decade, and when it is all said and done, he will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. However, we can’t live in the past and must focus on the present. Currently, at this stage in his career, Rodgers does not have the throwing power, accuracy, or timing that he did in his prime. Rodgers currently ranks 17th in yards per game, 25th in QBR, and 23rd in quarterback rating. How has that translated to the Jets overall offensive output? They are 31st in yards per game and 26th in points per game. Meanwhile, Hall and Wilson fail to rank among the top 15 in any major statistical category for their respective positions.

San Francisco 49ers
Record: 5-7
Divisional Standing: 4th in the NFC West
Reason for Disappointing Season: Injuries

Unlike the other two teams mentioned in this blog, the 49ers still have a shot at making the playoffs. Not because they are playing high-level football, but because the NFC West is weak this season. The Seattle Seahawks (7-5) are in first place and only hold a two-game lead against the 49ers; however, the 49ers are 1-3 against the division this year, which could be a major reason why they miss the playoffs.

The expectation for the 49ers entering this season was Super Bowl or bust, and for good reason. Since 2019, the 49ers have missed the playoffs once, which was during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. In those four playoff appearances, they have made two NFC championship appearances and two Super Bowl appearances, including last year, when they lost 25-22 in OT against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The 2024 season for the 49ers has been defined by injuries. Here was the list of inactive players for the 49ers in yesterday's Sunday Night Matchup against the Bills: Brandon Allen, Trent Williams, Nick Bosa, Jordan Elliott, Aaron Banks, Deommodore Lenoir, and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. In addition to the key players mentioned, San Francisco is also without Brandon Aiyuk, Dre Greenlaw, Javon Hargrave, and Talanoa Hufanga, who are all on injured reserve.

Together, these players contributed a combined total of 5,471 snaps during the 2023 season. Their absence is a significant blow to both San Francisco’s offense and defense. 

While injuries are uncontrollable, they have been and will always remain a factor in this game that teams need to account for. Perhaps the 49ers should be reevaluating their strength and conditioning staff this offseason.

Which of these three teams has had the most disappointing season? Comment below.