The 2023 NFL regular season ended on Sunday night. For some fans, it’s a merciful end to a disastrous season. For other fans, they’re experiencing heartbreak after seeing their teams miss out on the playoffs. In this article, I’m going to diagnose in what week when it all went wrong for each of the teams who were left out of the playoffs. Today’s article will feature the AFC.
Cincinnati Bengals
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 11 vs. Baltimore.
The Bengals started 0-2 before rebounding and winning five of their next six games, including a decisive win in San Francisco. After a tough loss against Houston, they faced the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night in Week 11. The peculiar thing was: quarterback Joe Burrow was spotted what appeared to be a wrap on his right wrist as he entered M&T Bank Stadium before the game.
Here is the video of QB Joe Burrow with a wrist wrap/brace prior to tonight’s game.
— krazzie (@yoennalcides) November 17, 2023
The #Bengals did not list him in the injury reports but something was definitely wrong. pic.twitter.com/yEmMOa0ROI
Burrow left the game in the second quarter. He would miss the rest of the season with a torn ligament in his throwing wrist. With that went the hopes of the Bengals making the playoffs went with him. The Bengals still finished 9-8, but Burrow’s injury left fans thinking of what might have been if he remained healthy.
Denver Broncos
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 15 vs. Detroit.
During the offseason, the Broncos made a splash with the addition of head coach Sean Payton. Expectations were moderately high in the Mile High City entering 2023. The team and their fans rode a wave of emotions between having a 70 Burger laid on them by Miami in Week 3 to finally vanquishing Kansas City in Week 8. At one point, they were only a game back for the AFC West lead. Things were looking up for the Broncos – until they ran into a very angry Detroit Lions team in Week 15. The 42-17 beatdown on a Saturday night would trickle down into a poor performance on Christmas Eve against New England. After said game, Payton determined that quarterback Russell Wilson was no longer “The Guy” in Denver and shut him down for the rest of the season.
Indianapolis Colts
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 16 vs. Atlanta.
To be fair, I really hate that the Colts are on this list. This team – under first year head coach Shane Steichen – was in the discussion for the playoffs as well as the AFC South all season. One could argue that when it went wrong for the Colts was when fourth string running back Tyler Goodson dropped a Gardner Minshew pass on fourth and short in Saturday’s game against Houston. Wrong! It was the giant egg the Colts laid two weeks earlier in Atlanta. Coming into that game, the Colts won five of their last six games, including a beating of Pittsburgh the previous Saturday. But the Colts gave up six sacks to the Falcons defense as a desperate Atlanta squad shocked Indianapolis by 19 points.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 10 vs. San Francisco.
The Jaguars were 6-2 and coming off a bye week entering this game. The 49ers were also coming off a bye week as well – but they were also coming off a three-game losing streak and were angry. They had also acquired Chase Young before the trade deadline to bolster their already ferocious pass rush. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence was sacked five times by the 49ers’ defense. The defense gave up touchdowns on three long plays to the 49ers’ offense in the second half and the Jaguars were routed at home, 34-3. They would go on to lose six of their final eight games and blow a win-and-you’re in game in Tennessee. This is hilarious because they beat the Titans in a win-and-you’re in game in Week 18 last season.
Las Vegas Raiders
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 7 vs. Chicago.
While the Raiders’ 2023 season ended on a good note, the beginning of the season didn’t start that way. Entering Week 7 in Chicago, the Raiders were 3-3 and facing rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent. (Bagent was playing for the injured Justin Fields.) This game should’ve been a slam dunk, but because this team is was coached by Josh McDaniels (more on him in a moment), this would not be the case. Bagent lead the Bears to a 30-12 trouncing of the Raiders. The Bears outgained the Raiders’ offense by nearly 100 yards and the defense forced three turnovers, including a TAINT (Touchdown And INT) by Bears defensive back Jaylon Johnson. Following a loss to Detroit the next week, it was the end of the Josh McDaniels Era in Las Vegas.
San Diego Los Angeles Chargers
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When It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 15 vs. Las Vegas.
You knew it. I knew it. We all knew the fact that Brandon Staley was a dead man walking into this Thursday Night Football game. (Or as I like to call it, Turds-day Night Football.) The Chargers were coming off a deflating 24-7 defeat to division rival Denver at home. They were also missing quarterback Justin Herbert, who was lost for the season in the same game with a broken finger. This game should have been a win as the Raiders lost 3-0 against Minnesota the week prior. The Chargers fell behind 42-0 at the half TO A TEAM THAT DID NOT SCORE FOUR DAYS PRIOR. Staley was mercifully relieved of his duties the next day and the Chargers lost their last three games to finish 5-12.
New England Patriots
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 5 vs. New Orleans.
Not much was expected out of the Patriots coming into the 2023 season. After a 38-3 drubbing in Week 4 at the hands of Dallas – the worst loss in the Bill Belichick Era in New England – the Patriots would face New Orleans. The thing with the Saints in 2023 was you didn’t know what Saints team you were going to get. Unfortunately, the good Saints team showed up in New England – and boy, howdy did they show up. Tyrann Mathieu committed a TAINT on Mac Jones and the Saints never looked back. How bad did it get for the Patriots? A week after the worst loss in the Belichick Era, the Saints handed the Patriots the SECOND worst loss in the Belichick Era.
New York Jets
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 9 vs. San Diego Los Angeles Chargers.
You might think Aaron Rodgers’ injury four plays into the season would be my pick. But the pain of Jets fandom grows deeper – and darker – as the season rolls along. Coming into Week 9 on Monday night, the Jets were 4-3 and facing a Chargers team in flux. The Jets’ offense outgained – OUTGAINED – the Chargers’ offense by 69 yards (nice). The Jets’ defense allowed only 107 net passing yards and sacked Justin Herbert five times. Unfortunately, the search party for the Jets’ scoring offense continued as they lost 27-6 at home on national television. This game was the first of three consecutive games where the Jets would not score a touchdown. It also jumpstarted a five-game losing streak which would lead to the Jets missing the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season.
Tennessee Titans
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 9 vs. Pittsburgh.
Head coach Mike Vrabel handed the keys to the Titans’ offense to rookie quarterback Will Levis in Week 8. Levis – in the Columbia Blue (Fake) Oilers uniforms – threw four touchdown passes in a 26-23 win over Atlanta. Would the momentum carry into the next week? Nay-nay – they ran into a tough Steelers defense in Pittsburgh at Heinz Acrisure Field. Granted, the Titans’ defense played well against an at-the-time putrid Steelers offense. In fact, the Titans took the lead late in the third quarter. However, the Titans’ offense disappeared in the fourth quarter and the Steelers scored a touchdown with 4:02 remaining to steal a win. The Titans would go on to lose six of their remaining nine games.
