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 NFC.
(If you would like to see when it wrong for the AFC teams that didn’t make the playoffs, click here.)
Arizona Cardinals
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 2 vs. NY Giants.
With a first-year head coach and quarterback Kyler Murray not available until well into 2023, the expectation was the Cardinals would tank the season. They looked scrappy in a four-point loss in Washington in Week 1. In Week 2, the Cardinals raced out to a 28-7 lead on a listless New York Giants team that had been motorboated by Dallas the previous week. And then, the bottom fell out. The Giants stormed back with 24 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarters. Two of those touchdowns were scored by running back Saquon Barkley. Graham Gano sealed the win with a late field goal. Yes, the Cardinals would upset Dallas the following week, but this loss encapsulated what would be many of them this season. At least Kyler Murray is back in 2024.
Atlanta Falcons
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 15 vs. Carolina.
The Falcons were a mystery throughout the 2023 season. They boasted a surprisingly good defense thanks to some pickups during free agency. But what many fans couldn’t understand was head coach Arthur Smith’s failure to utilize the wealth of talent on offense such as draft picks Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson. This failure left many Falcons fans – and fantasy football owners alike – scratching their heads. Entering their Week 15 contest in Carolina, the Falcons were in first place in the NFC South facing a Panthers squad with ONE WIN. The defense held their end of the bargain, but the offense did not, and the Panthers knocked the Falcons out of first place in the division. The Falcons won one of their final three games of the season and Smith was dismissed at 12:01am on Black Monday.
Carolina Panthers
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 6 vs. Miami.
Carolina was not expected to do much during the 2023 season and as (almost) scripted, the Panthers began the season winless. They traveled to Miami in Week 6. After being socked in the mouth in Buffalo, the Dolphins were expected to drop a train on a bad Panthers squad. Shockingly, the Panthers jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. They were on their way to the biggest upset of the young 2023 season. But the Dolphins woke up… and chose violence. The Panthers’ offense dissolved in the South Florida sun and the defense couldn’t contain the Dolphins’ offense. Miami scored 28 unanswered points en route to a 42-21 defeat. In the weeks ahead, head coach Frank Reich would be fired and owner David Tepper threw a drink at a Jaguars fan in Jacksonville. At least they have the #1 pick in the draft.
(Oh, wait.)
The Chicago Bears Trade The Number 1 Overall Pick In The 2023 NFL Draft To The Carolina Panthers
— Tyree Holland (@TyreeLHolland) March 10, 2023
The Chicago Bears Acquire WR DJ Moore, 2023 Number 9 Overall Pick, 2023 Second-Round Pick, 2024 First Round Pick And A 2025 Second Round Pick@ChicagoBears 🤝 @Panthers
🐻Da Bears pic.twitter.com/6r7ZuZo7cY
Chicago Bears
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 4 vs. Denver.
Following an 0-3 start, including a 31-point humiliation in Kansas City, the Bears took on Denver in Week 4. Quarterback Justin Fields threw four touchdown passes – three in the second quarter – as the Bears raced out to a 28-7 lead on Denver. And then, the Broncos rallied: Russell Wilson threw two touchdowns and linebacker Jonathon Cooper tied the game at 28 with a scoop-and-score following a sack. The Bears drove down the field to try to take back the lead, but were stopped on fourth and short at Denver’s 18-yard line. Wilson guided the Broncos down the field in just over a minute to set up the game-winning field goal by Wil Lutz. A sure win for the Bears turned into a 31-28 meltdown loss. Surprisingly, the Bears remained in the NFC playoff picture through Week 17, but it’s telling of how bad the NFC was this season.
Minnesota Vikings
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 12 vs. Chicago.
In 2022, the Vikings were considered the worst 13-4 team in the NFL. How would they follow that act in 2023? The Vikings started the season 4-4 until quarterback Kirk Cousins suffered a torn Achilles in Green Bay. They brought in Joshua Dobbs from Arizona and he guided them to a win in Atlanta while BARELY knowing the playbook. They split the following two games heading into a Monday night affair at home against Chicago. In one of the ugliest games of the season, Dobbs threw four interceptions. Remarkably, the Vikings were up 10-9 with 5:54 remaining in the game. But after the Vikings weren’t able to capitalize on a fumble recovery, the Bears drove down the field and Cairo Santos’ 30-yard field goal with 10 seconds left sealed the win. Head coach Kevin O’Connell benched Dobbs and rolled with Nick Mullens the remainder of the season.
New York Giants
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 8 vs. NY Jets.
The Giants had so much hope coming into it after an unexpectedly good 2022 season. However, they stumbled out of the gates to a 2-5 record. Hopes of a turnaround came in Week 8 when the crosstown rival Jets – coming off a bye week – showed up. In the Robert Saleh Era, the Jets have been especially execrable after bye weeks and the trend continued in this game. Edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux had three sacks in a breakout game. Offensively, the Giants ran for 203 yards… and passed for -9 yards between Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito. After Graham Gano missed a chip shot field goal to put the GIants up six with 28 seconds remaining, Wilson drove the Jets down for the field goal that took the game to overtime. Greg Zuerlein kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime and the Giants dropped to 2-5. They would finish 6-11.
Seattle Seahawks
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 17 vs. Pittsburgh
In 2022, the Seahawks scratched and clawed their way to a Wild Card. The 2023 season was trending in the same direction until they suffered four consecutive losses. Hopes for the playoffs were alive after two consecutive wins. In Week 17, they could have furthered those hopes with a win over Pittsburgh. The ghosts of Super Bowl XL came back to haunt the Seahawks laid an egg. (Pun intended.) Their defense was unable to stop the run as the Steelers offense racked up 202 yards rushing. A strip sack on Geno Smith lead to a field goal to put the Steelers up 10 with 4:31 remaining. Seattle scored a late touchdown to keep it close, but by then, it was fait accompli. The brutal loss just about knocked the Seahawks out of the playoff picture.
Washington Commanders
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen It Went Wrong in 2023: Week 11 vs. NY Giants.
Optimism was high in 2023 for the Commanders with the addition of Eric Bienemy to boost the offense. Atfer a 2-0 start to the season, everything was starting to look up at the Nation’s Capital. They went through their collective ups and downs through Week 11. After a gutwrenching loss in Seattle, Washington had a chance to stay in the playoff conversation when a struggling New York Giants team rolled into town. The Commanders were down as many as 12, but rallied to get within five. Would Washington pull off the win? No; quarterback Sam Howell threw a TAINT to Giants linebacker Isaiah Simmons to seal a 31-19 loss for the Commanders. Washington went on to lose their next six games and Rivera would be dismissed from his coaching duties after Week 18. Another painful season for the burgundy and gold.
