Change occurs in the NFL. Like clockwork. The postseason starts in a couple of hours, and half of the 12 teams that made the playoffs last year are watching at home. And that’s how it always tends to play out.
In this century (17 seasons), at least a third of the playoff teams have been new every season. Only twice, in fact, have there been as few as only four new playoff teams. More commonly it’s half (or more) of the playoff spots being grabbed by teams that weren’t there the previous season.
So as we watch these playoff games, let’s keep in mind that most likely half of these teams won’t be back next season.
Lions, Texans and Dolphins stand out as obvious candidates, but there will be more.
Pittsburgh is always in a rotating scrum with the Bengals and Ravens. Since 2002, only twice has a team repeated in that division. It’s similar in the NFC East, where nobody has repeated since 2004.
Atlanta was very solid this year, but it will have issues to address. The defense isn’t good enough, and they might miss offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. The NFC South tends to be a very open division, with all of the teams having playoff potential. And it’s really not much different in the AFC West.
| NEW TEAMS IN PLAYOFFS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | No | New playoff teams |
| 2000 | 6 | Balt., Den., N.O., NYG, Oak., Phil. |
| 2001 | 6 | Chi., G.B., N.E., NYJ, Pitt., S.F. |
| 2002 | 5 | Atl., Clev., Ind., NYG, Ten. |
| 2003 | 8 | Balt., Car., Dall., Den., K.C., N.E., St.L., Sea. |
| 2004 | 5 | Atl., Min., NYJ, Pitt., S.D. |
| 2005 | 7 | Car., Chi., Cin., Jac., NYG, T.B., Was. |
| 2006 | 7 | Balt., Dall., K.C., N.O., NYJ, Phil., S.D. |
| 2007 | 6 | G.B., Jac., Pitt., T.B., Ten., Was. |
| 2008 | 7 | Ariz., Atl., Balt., Car., Mia., Min., Phil. |
| 2009 | 6 | Cin., Dall., G.B., N.E., N.O., NYJ |
| 2010 | 5 | Atl., Chi., K.C., Pitt., Sea. |
| 2011 | 6 | Cin., Den., Det., Hou., NYG, S.F. |
| 2012 | 4 | Ind., Min., Sea., Was. |
| 2013 | 5 | Car., K.C., N.O., Phil., S.D. |
| 2014 | 5 | Ariz., Balt., Dall., Det., Pitt. |
| 2015 | 4 | Hou., K.C., Min., Was. |
| 2016 | 6 | Atl., Dall., Det., Mia., NYG, Oak. |
—Ian Allan