With six weeks of the 2024 NFL season nearly in the books, plenty of teams have already established themselves as legitimate contenders. Think the Detroit Lions, who demolished the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Or the Baltimore Ravens, who’ve enjoyed another MVP-level season from Lamar Jackson while staying atop a crowded AFC North. Plenty of others, however, have been mired in mediocrity.
Fortunately, there’s still a lot of season to be played. With that in mind, here are some of the sub-.500 teams that could still make noise as playoff contenders, with top reasons for hope moving forward:
Note: Playoff projections courtesy of SportsLine
Projected playoff chances: 24.1%
Remember before the season, when everyone figured that as long as Joe Burrow were healthy, the Bengals would be a powerhouse? Well, Burrow’s been upright — and even playing at an All-Pro level — but Cincinnati’s had a rough go of it. Even so, it’s that offensive production that should keep them relevant into the late fall. They currently rank 10th in scoring and 12th in yards per game, and those marks are despite Tee Higgins missing multiple contests. If the defense can just slightly build off its better showing against the New York Giants, they should be able to chase the rival Pittsburgh Steelers down the stretch.
USATSI
Projected playoff chances: 7.3%
As always, it all comes down to Tua Tagovailoa’s health. It may or may not be wise for the Pro Bowl quarterback to take the field again after his latest extended absence due to head trauma, but with Mike McDaniel now publicly anticipating the signal-caller’s return, there’s a relatively clear path toward a reverse of fortunes in Miami. Their electric perimeter weapons in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle have both proven more impactful when…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/case-for-sub-500-teams-to-make-nfl-playoffs-bengals-dolphins-could-still-emerge-as-postseason-contenders/
Author : Cody Benjamin
Publish date : 2024-10-14 20:11:48
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