With the 2022/23 NFL regular season now over, 18 of the teams in the league now have an extended break until the new campaign begins. With no playoffs to take part in, they must reflect on where it went wrong for their team in 2022.
Here is a look back at the The NFL’s Biggest four biggest flops from the latest season in the NFL.
Russell Wilson
Denver Broncos gave up two first-round picks and two selection-round selections to sign Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks. They were hoping the former Super Bowl winner could help lead them to Vince Lombardi Trophy success. Unfortunately for the AFC West team, they look like they have created a big mess for themselves.
Wilson had a disappointing season by his standards. He scored just 16 passing touchdowns, the lowest total he has recorded since arriving in the league in 2012. His accuracy was also much lower than he usually produces.
The 34-year-old has a contract in Denver until 2028. They are unlikely to find another franchise that will pick up his salary which includes $165 million in guaranteed money; therefore, they must stick with him.
Geno Smith has officially set the Seahawks’ single-season passing yards record, surpassing Russell Wilson ???? pic.twitter.com/G8RB0oCXbF
— ESPN (@espn) January 8, 2023
Seattle has performed well without Wilson this season. Geno Smith stepped into the quarterback position, and he led them back into the playoffs with a strong campaign.
Los Angeles Rams: The NFL Defending Champions
After winning Super Bowl LVI with an excellent performance against the Cincinnati Bengals, many people expected the LA Rams to become one of the most dominant teams in the NFL for years to come. However, they soon lost their grip on the trophy in 2022.
It is the runners-up, the Bengals, who look to have the best future of the two teams from last season’s Super Bowl. They remain in the playoffs this season and, as of January 16, they are the sports betting favorite to lift the trophy this year.
The Rams have had several injuries this season, most notably Matthew Stafford. The quarterback played just nine games for the Super Bowl LVI winners. Their leading defensive player, Aaron Donald, also missed a large chunk of the action. They also looked to miss Odell Beckham Jr, the star WR they signed last season.
It was following their bye week that it all fell apart for the Rams. They lost six consecutive matches, with defeats coming against the San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, and Seattle Seahawks. They would have won many of those matches with ease in 2021, but they lacked a winning mentality last year.
Chicago Bears Defense
No team conceded more points in the 2022/23 regular season than the Chicago Bears. They gave up 463 points. Quarterback Justin Fields showed signs of developing into a top-tier player in the league, but he was given no help last year by his defense.
When you think of the great Chicago Bears teams over the years, each of them was known for being one of the best defenses of all time. This latest team could not be any further away from that greatness.
Chicago needs a reset this year to improve on that side of the ball. They know they have a QB who they can trust now. To give him the best chance of success, they must get him on the field more by shutting down the opposition.
Mac Jones: The Most Mysterious Question Mark of the NFL
Former first-round draft pick Mac Jones gave New England Patriots fans a lot to be excited about following his rookie season in the NFL. Unfortunately for the Alabama player, he went backward in 2022, and his future in Massachusetts could now be in doubt.
So far today:
— NFL on CBS ???? (@NFLonCBS) September 19, 2021
Mac Jones: 4 incompletions
Zach Wilson: 3 interceptions pic.twitter.com/q2wDJWAqhW
Jones finished the campaign with a 6-8 record for the Patriots. He had almost as many interceptions as passing touchdowns, which is a worrying stat for the QB. The man who made the Pro Bowl in 2021 will need to look back at as much tape to identify the mistakes he made.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has not decided which direction he wants to go next season. He will sit down with owner Robert Kraft in March to put a plan in place for 2023.
Jones could still be a big success in the NFL. However, if he is to be the man who leads his franchise back to the Super Bowl, he must cut out the errors and protect the ball better.
All four of the above will be hoping to perform much better in the 2023/24 season which begins on September 7 with the NFL Kickoff Game involving the Super Bowl winners.
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