\n<\/p>\n
Because these words aren\u2019t being spoken on an ESPN \u201ctalk\u201d show, we are not contractually obliged to name-drop Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson in the first paragraph and imply they shall be known as bad quarterbacks and worse humans if they don\u2019t finally win a Super Bowl on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.<\/p>\n
Yes, history is written by the winners\u2014and that\u2019s why Patrick Mahomes gets to be regarded as this era\u2019s Stephen King while Allen and Jackson are treated like they\u2019ve been caught shoving Crayolas up their nostrils during the playoffs.<\/p>\n
But reputations, resumes, and career arcs can change over the next four weeks\u2014for quarterbacks, coaches and franchises alike. It\u2019s our mission to declare which NFL team is under the most pressure as Wild Card Weekend kicks off this postseason.<\/p>\n
Is it the Washington Commanders or the Denver Broncos? Heck, no. These squads are playing with free money\u00a0because\u00a0the Broncos haven\u2019t been in the playoffs since\u00a02015\u00a0and the Commanders haven\u2019t won a playoff game since\u00a0Jan. 7,\u00a02006. Moreover, each postseason snap that rookie quarterbacks Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix get is a bonus. If they\u2019re lucky (or not),\u00a0they\u2019ll progress enough over the next\u00a0five years\u00a0that\u00a0they can replace Allen and Jackson in the ridiculous talk-show discussions.<\/p>\n
Do the\u00a0Green Bay\u00a0Packers\u00a0or Houston\u00a0Texans\u00a0face the most pressure? Nah. While the Packers\u2019 Jordan Love and CJ Stroud have dealt with heightened expectations all year, they\u00a0both\u00a0enter the playoffs without a key wideout due to injury. Both are expected to lose this weekend, so any wins will be a thrill\u00a0and clinch a successful season.<\/p>\n
Is it LA (the Chargers) or LA (the Rams)? No chance. Even if Los Angeles was an NFL hotbed, the unprecedented wildfires ruining large swathes of Southern California are monopolizing everyone\u2019s attention. If either team wins this weekend\u2014and the Chargers are favored to win at Houston\u2014it\u2019ll register just slightly more than if they lose.<\/p>\n
Tampa Bay? That fan base should be among the happiest in the NFL. They win the division every year. They scored a\u00a0bleeptonof points this season and were fun to watch. No reason to be agitated by anything that happens this weekend or next.<\/p>\n
Kansas City? Please. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Andy Reid and Co. have already cast their legacies in Canton stone. Short of forfeiting in the Divisional Round or doing a live All-State commercial when they should be conducting a two-minute drill, does any fan have a right to complain if the Chiefs don\u2019t win a third straight Super Bowl<\/a>?<\/p>\n The Minnesota Vikings are probably the most out-of-nowhere 14-win team in NFL history.\u00a0They\u2019re a feel-good story, but the Detroit Lions deflated any serious postseason\u00a0expectations with Sunday night\u2019s whipping in the Motor City. On the plus side, that makes the Vikings a plucky upstart story again.<\/p>\n The Pittsburgh Steelers? Now we\u2019re getting warmer. Mike Tomlin has led this proud franchise to 12 playoff appearances in 18 years\u2014including a Super Bowl title\u2014but the Steelers haven\u2019t won a postseason game in eight seasons.<\/a><\/p>\n Are the Ravens and Bills under a little extra pressure? Of course. They\u2019re teams that have been playing at a high level since 2019\u2014due in large part to their MVP-level quarterbacks\u2014but neither has reached the Super Bowl. So, yeah, the pressure is building, but it\u2019s not like either team is the betting favorite to win it all. Fun fact: The Ravens and the Bills both finished with a plus-157 point differential.<\/p>\n By virtue of calling Philadelphia home, the Eagles are always under more pressure than the normal franchise. And, considering the home team hasn\u2019t played in a Super Bowl in 23 months and hasn\u2019t won one in seven seasons, Eagles fans are probably owed another title in four weeks. But, no, they\u2019re not the NFL team under the most pressure.<\/p>\n This might seem a little counterintuitive, but the franchise that has never won a Super Bowl\u2014the Detroit Lions\u2014is the one with the most to lose by not winning Super Bowl LIX.<\/p>\n Yes, the Lions are easy to enjoy. They score touchdowns by the bushel; they let their offensive linemen catch and throw passes and Dan Campbell seems like the most NFL-likeable head coach in a couple generations.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s the deal: The Lions should have played in last year\u2019s Super Bowl, but a few less-than-stellar decisions by Campbell<\/a>\u2014inspired by his unique brand of Danalytics\u2014helped the Lions blow their 24-7 halftime lead against San Francisco.<\/p>\n If the best team in the NFC somehow finds another way not to get to this Super Bowl, too, it\u2019s going to change how the Lions and Campbell are viewed. And he\u2019ll get to become top-of-show grist for the sports morning shows until he finds a way to lead them to the top.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n