As much as we all love the CFL at TAD, another exciting NFL season is right around the corner. Every team has pressure to be better. No one wants to be known as a bad team. However, these are the five teams carrying the most pressure heading into the NFL season.
1. Dallas Cowboys: Can They Rebound This Season?
The expectations are always Super Bowl or bust. A team that seems to always underperform in the playoffs could not even get it done in the regular season last year, finishing 7-9-1 and third in the NFC East. They missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
When the team traded All-Star Micah Parsons, fans were already upset, and missing the playoffs added insult to injury. Plus, everyone is waiting for Dak Prescott to take that next step. He is a quarterback who normally puts up great regular-season numbers but cannot seem to get it done in the playoffs.
To say this team, coaching staff and ownership are on the hot seat might be the understatement of the year.
2. Buffalo Bills: Super Bowl or Another Disappointing Season?
This is a team that keeps finding new ways to lose in the playoffs: missed field goals, blowout losses, 13-second opposing-team drives and an old overtime format that made a coin toss feel like the most important thing in sports.
The Bills have Josh Allen, one of the best quarterbacks in the world, and they still seem to fall short every year. To his defence, this receiving group is not exactly elite. Adding D.J. Moore should help, but I am just not sure it will be enough. Fans are sick of hearing about front-office drama and just want a Super Bowl.
Josh Allen’s Weapons Last NFL Season
- D.J. Moore — 50 REC | 682 YDS | 6 TD
- Khalil Shakir — 72 REC | 719 YDS | 4 TD
- Keon Coleman — 38 REC | 404 YDS | 4 TD
- Joshua Palmer — 22 REC | 303 YDS
- Dalton Kincaid — 39 REC | 571 YDS | 5 TD
- Dawson Knox — 36 REC | 417 YDS | 4 TD
At the end of the day, fans do not want to hear excuses. They just want to win. This truly could be a make-or-break season for the Bills. Anything less than a Super Bowl would be considered a failure in most people’s eyes.
3. Cincinnati Bengals: Can Joe Burrow Stay Healthy?
Last season for the Bengals was basically a wash once Joe Burrow got injured. He should be healthy heading into the season, and fans expect this team to once again be fighting for a title. However, is having Burrow back behind an offensive line that cannot protect him enough to make this team more than average?
They have a lot of top-end talent, including Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown. However, if Burrow keeps taking big hits, can he get his guys the ball and stay healthy for a full season?
At first glance, this team looks like it can win it all: an All-Star quarterback, high-end wide receivers, a great running back and a pretty strong defence. But with that offensive line, I am just not sure this team will live up to the hype.
4. Detroit Lions: Can They Bounce Back?
The rebuild is over, plain and simple. This team is expected to compete for a title. However, last year they could not even make the playoffs.
Dan Campbell has found a way to make this team work while playing an exciting brand of football. But do not let that statement confuse you: this team is stacked with talent.
Lions Top Players Last NFL Season
Jared Goff (QB)
- 4,564 Passing Yards
- 34 TD
Jahmyr Gibbs (RB)
- 1,223 Rushing Yards
- 13 Rushing TD
David Montgomery (RB)
- 741 Rushing Yards
- 8 Rushing TD
Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR)
- 117 Receptions
- 1,401 Receiving Yards
- 11 TD
Jameson Williams (WR)
- 67 Receptions
- 1,087 Receiving Yards
- 9 TD
Aidan Hutchinson (DE)
- Team’s premier pass rusher
- Second-Team All-Pro in 2025
Jack Campbell (LB)
- 176 Tackles
- First-Team All-Pro in 2025
Kerby Joseph (S)
- 3 Interceptions
- Leader of Detroit’s secondary
But is this team just too risky? We saw that two seasons ago in the playoffs when Dan Campbell went for it on fourth down twice, did not get it, and his defence could not hold up its end. That gave away easy points and ended up costing them the game.
Can this team find the right balance of risky and situational football and get back to being a real contender like it was two seasons ago? Or will this team once again fall flat on its face?
5. New England Patriots: Was Last Year a Fluke?
Mike Vrabel was brought in to change the culture, and Drake Maye has entered the chat. A good coach, a young quarterback and one of the best defences in football can carry a team a long way. But a lot of people, myself included, felt last year was a glitch in the matrix. They faced backup quarterbacks while scoring less than 17 points a game. That is not a recipe for success in the long run, and we saw that in the finals when they got blown out by the Seahawks 29-13.
Can this team get back into the playoffs and show that they are the real deal? Or will they be right back where they were a few years ago: a team that looked lost with little to no passing game?
Final Thoughts for the Next NFL Season
Every NFL team enters the season with pressure, but these five teams are carrying more than anyone else. Whether it is finally getting over the playoff hump, proving last year was not a fluke or living up to Super Bowl expectations, excuses are running out.
The Cowboys need to prove they can win when it matters. The Bills need to finally finish the job. The Bengals need to keep Joe Burrow healthy. The Lions have to turn one of the NFL’s most talented rosters into a championship contender. And the Patriots need to prove last season was not just a one-year miracle.
By the end of the season, one or two of these teams will probably silence the critics. The others will be answering some very tough questions all offseason. One thing is for sure: this NFL season is going to be must-watch football.
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