The 2024 NFL season has brought us another year of football with both predictable and unpredictable team performances. Increasing cases of debilitating injuries have plagued the league each year, and this season is certainly no exception. However, each season presents its own unique story that preserves football as one the most invigorating and entertaining sports to watch and follow. And each year, the league evolves into something no one can perfectly predict.
The San Francisco 49ers, the team that seemed to captivate the whole country last year, has faced brutal injury after injury, contributing to their underwhelming record. With stars like Christian Mccaffrey missing the first nine weeks of the season and other players being out for extended periods of time like George Kittle, Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Jauan Jennings, Deebo Samuel, Trent Williams, Nick Bosa, and Jake Moody, everyone is concerned for the future and their ability to perform down the stretch. Brandon Aiyuk’s season ending ACL tear only adds to this uncertainty as the wide-receiver room has completely changed for the team. The team still has a chance to make the playoffs, but how they stack up against other teams in the rapidly approaching postseason is an area of great concern.
Now for the Kansas City Chiefs. As reigning back to back Super Bowl Champions and the formerly undefeated team at 9-0, the team appears practically invincible. Their success, however, is sort of a mystery as their star player and quarterback Patrick Mahomes has not exhibited stats on par with last season, Travis Kelce hasn’t been as big as a factor as he’s been in the past, Rashee Rice is out for the season, and Isaiah Pacheco Pacheco has missed most of the season. Their defense and offense (somehow) has been above average as usual, but it seems that every single game they have won has been very close, prompting many to call the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs one of the worst 9-0 teams in NFL history. Many fans are tired of the Chiefs domination in the league over the past 6 years, but with the Chiefs loss on Sunday against the Bills, we now have hope for their downfall.
Many season ending injuries have also struck the league this year, like the Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson, the Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, the Browns QB Deshaun Watson, the Jaguars WR Christian Kirk, and the Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin. Season ending injuries are nothing new and they continue to plague the league each year, and as many different players get injuries on many different teams, the impact, depending on the player, can alter teams’ entire seasons. For example, with Dak Prescott’s recent hamstring injury, it is now very unlikely that the Cowboy’s can come back from their 3-6 record and make the playoffs with a wildcard spot.
The NFL trade deadline recently passed on November 5th, encouraging many teams to fit in one final trade to enhance their season. The most notable trade that occurred was the Jets trade for WR Davante Adams, reuniting him with his former Quarterback in Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers. Other important trades include the Steelers landing WR Mike Williams, the Lions adding edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, and the Commanders picking up CB Marshon Lattimore.
The playoff picture this year includes many predictable divisional dominations as usual, as well as competitiveness and upsets that have changed the landscapes of entire divisions. In the AFC, the Bills have practically already won the East and face no competition due to a disoriented and crumbling Dolphins team. Most of the competitiveness in the AFC lies in the North, where the Steelers and Ravens are fighting for the division title and the Bengals are hoping to clinch a wildcard spot. After yesterday’s game however, a Steelers division title is looking more likely than ever. In the South, the Texans have practically clinched the division and in the West the Chiefs have practically clinched their division as well. For the NFC, the Eagles and Commanders will be battling for the division title in the East and the Lions and the Vikings will be battling for the division title in the North. The Falcons are very likely to win the South, unless the Buccaneers can relight the spark they had at the beginning of the season. In the league’s most competitive division this year, the NFC West, every team has a shot at the division title. For my take, I believe the Rams are going to surprise everyone and win the division and the 49ers will grab a wildcard spot.
Each year the league offers a unique competitive landscape that keeps football as one of the best sports to watch and follow. The postseason seems to approach faster each year and the whole country can’t wait for this year’s playoff matchups (can anyone but the Chiefs please win the Superbowl this year).