The NFL had a good amount of surprises in 2024, starting with the Vakings of the Minnesot Aaron Rodgers and New York Jet collapsed five victories and the 49ers of San Francisco who go from the conference champions to six victories.
What teams appear for a free fall in 2025? These are the teams that surpassed last year, or were on the verge of collapse depending on how it ended last season. The 2025 calendar of opponents is also a determining factor on how the team will work in 2025, with free agency and draft that do not even come to happen yet.
Minnesota Vikings (14-3)
The biggest surprise in the NFL last season seems to be prepared for a fall. While Minnesota won 14 games last season, the Vikings lost their last two games for 40 combined points. This includes the loss of playoffs of the wild card against the Los Angeles Rams, which had a negative point differential last season.
Minnesota needs to discover the situation of Mariscal de Campo, since Sam Darnold is a free agent and JJ McCarthy is waiting on the wings as the first round of the team of a season ago. If the Vikings go with McCarthy, difficult to understand, it will help this team win 14 games in the year 1 as a starter that comes from LCA surgery.
There is talent in this Minnesota team, but NFC North has strong teams and the conference has too many teams that can win two -digit games. This is the team prepared for a fall, even if it is light.
Five NFL teams ready to jump in 2025: Panthers, the Patriots could surprise; 49ers due to the return year
Jeff Kerr
Washington commanders (12-5)
The year 1 under Jayden Daniels was better than anything that the commanders anticipated. Washington won 12 games in the first season of Daniels, including the only team that defeated the Super Bowl champion, Philadelphia Eagles since October began, which won consecutive playoff games on the road and reached the NFC championship game.
The commanders are a conference title contender and have a franchise field marshal in Daniels, but it will be difficult to replicate the success of last season. The Eagles still have to play twice and have the Detroit Lions on the calendar, while playing five teams that won two -digit games on their road list.
Even if Daniels plays well, it is difficult to win 12 games and go to the conference championship game. The commanders can have a better list in 2025, and have $ 75.2 million in capitalization space to improve it, but still not to replicate what they achieved this season.
Every year, Steelers seem to make this list, and every year they find a way to have a winning season. Taking a Mike Tomlin team is a bad idea, but the Steelers were one of the worst teams in the League to close the 2024 season (and they arrived at the playoffs).
The Steelers were the first team of 10 wins in the history of the NFL in finishing the season on a losing streak of more than 5 games, which includes the defeat in the playoffs of the wild card against the Baltimore Ravens. They averaged 14.2 points per game and allowed 24.7 in the last five games, since Pittsburgh could not find a way to score the points consistently. Four of those five games were against more than 10 teams of victories and the Steelers were surpassed by 64 points in those games.
Either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, Steelers do not have a response consisting of quarterback. They also have problems with the open receiver and an inconsistent game in the offensive line. Steelers need to alter the offensive and expect not to stop in December as it did in 2024.
The AFC North is a good division and the steelers have many problems to solve. They can still end with a winning record anyway, but a tail tail has to arrive at some point.
The Broncos deserve all the credit in the world for winning 10 games and reaching the playoffs with a rooky field marshal in Bo Nix. The fall of the last season never happened, since Denver retained a late Cincinnati position to reach the playoffs, breaking a drought of eight -season playoffs. Nix protected football throughout the year while showing the ability to play with his arm, especially at the end of the year.
So why would Denver immerse himself in 2025, even if he is small? Replicating Pasa’s race No. 1 last season will be very difficult, especially a team that ended 63 captures and five players who had more than 5 catches last season. Broncos need more production of their runners and a better in advance to remove Nix pressure as well.
The Broncos do not have a brutal board (.505 strength), but they will face the Texans of Houston, Filadelfia Eagles and the Washington commanders along the way. The Kansas City and Los Angeles chargers are also in their division.
Winning 10 games is possible for Denver, but it will be difficult for the Broncos to match that total earnings and return to the playoffs.
Colts are in a state of change at this time, since Chief coach Shane Steichen is training for his work next year. Indianapolis decided Banking Anthony Richardson in his second season, without obtaining the response that the franchise was looking for Joe Flacco, 40. Richardson was the most inaccurate seafood of the league last season, and did not seem to improve his death on his return from his bank.
The Colts made a change in the defensive coordinator, shooting Gus Bradley and hiring Lou Anarumo. The defense should improve, but the colts need more talent in a unit that ended in the lower 10 at points per game allowed in each of the last three seasons.
This team has the talent to win football games, and it should be better. General Manager Chris Ballard struggles to build a competent list and the Colts have not won a division title in eight seasons under it. They also play in too many games of a score that affect their ability to win consistently (played in 13 of them last year).
If Richardson does not improve, the Colts could be in a long season of 2025, even with the South AFC with two reconstruction teams such as Jacksonville and Tennessee.
