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Four NFL teams that could be surprise contenders in 2023
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Four NFL teams that could be surprise playoff contenders in 2023

The rate of repeat playoff teams has been on the decline over the last two seasons, and that trend could continue this year.

Here are the four likeliest teams — two for each conference — that just missed out on the playoffs last season but could get in this year:

Detroit Lions

After finishing with a 9-8 record and the franchise’s first winning season since 2017, the Lions narrowly missed out on the playoffs after losing a tiebreaker with the Seattle Seahawks based on head-to-head win percentage.

Despite flirting with head coaching jobs, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is back. As is most of the No. 4 offense in the NFL with a few additions. 

The Lions backfield arguably got better with the additions of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Second-round pick Sam LaPorta should step right in and fill the void at tight end left with T.J. Hockenson’s departure, and Marvin Jones Jr. should help plug the hole left by Jameson Williams’ suspension long enough for the 2022 first-round pick to return and make the Lions’ passing attack all the more dangerous.

Detroit’s last-ranked defense also got a facelift and should be much-improved with the additions of cornerbacks Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley, safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Brian Branch and linebacker Jack Campbell.


New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen, chief executive officer Gayle Benson, quarterback Derek Carr and general manager Mickey Loomis pose at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans Saints

Derek Carr should provide some stability at quarterback for a team that cycled through Andy Dalton, Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill last season and averaged just 217.2 passing yards per game. Carr will have plenty of options to throw to in Chris Olave plus rookie receiver A.T. Perry and Michael Thomas, who appears to be fully healthy for the first time since 2019.

Jamaal Williams, who rushed for 1,066 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, and third-round pick Kendre Miller will help bolster the running back group should Alvin Kamara face a suspension from the pending battery charges he’s facing. The offense should be more dynamic than the one that ranked 19th last season and averaged just 333.8 yards per game. 

New Orleans finished 7-10 last year with four wins by four points or fewer. The addition of Carr alone could sway those results the other way. The Saints also have the easiest strength of schedule of any team in 2023.


New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh speaks at a press conference at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

New York Jets

This simply comes down to how much Aaron Rodgers have left in the tank. And if you ask those close to the Jets, they believe it’s still quite a bit. A healthy Breece Hall coupled with a motivated Michael Carter could give New York one of the more underrated backfield tandems in the NFL. 

Adding Allen Lazard and Mecole Hardman to a receiver group that already includes Garrett Wilson and Corey Davis plus tight ends C.J. Uzomah, Ty Conklin and Jeremy Ruckert, and suddenly the Jets passing offense is much more formidable than last year’s group, which ranked 15th and averaged just 219 yards per game and ranked 31st with only 15 touchdown passes. 

Everyone already knows what Robert Saleh is capable of doing on defense, as evidenced by last year’s unit that ranked No. 4 in total defense and scoring defense, and if the offense catches up, New York could be dangerous come January.


Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin walks on the field before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Jessica Rapfogel-USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers

The 9-8 Steelers were the first team out of the playoff picture last season, and had Kenny Pickett started from Day 1, they could have gotten in. Losing six of the first eight games didn’t help their case, but once Pickett settled into the offense, Pittsburgh won seven of its last nine games and he only threw one interception from November on.

The Steelers gave Pickett some more help, adding former Pro Bowl receiver Allen Robinson and rookie tight end Darnell Washington, and the expectation is to finish better than 23rd in total offense like last season. 

Some tweaks were made to the defense, which finished ranked 13th, and rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and defensive tackle Keeanu Benton could be instant starters.

There’s as many as 12 to 14 winnable games on Pittsburgh’s schedule next season, so unless Pickett regresses, the Steelers should be postseason bound.

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