Buffalo Bills: Can Josh Allen lead this team to the Super Bowl?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe Bills drafted Josh Allen with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he has been a massive piece of the franchise\u2019s turnaround into a perennial playoff team. The Bills have achieved three-straight AFC East titles, made four playoff appearances in a row, and won four playoff games since 2020. But so far, Allen and his team have not been able to take the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/articles.runyourpool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/APTOPIX_Bengals_Bills_Football_23022827616112.jpg\")
AP Photo\/Seth Wenig<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThis weekend, the Bills lost decisively<\/a> to the Bengals, 27-10. Even with home-field advantage, snow, and Damar Hamlin\u2019s story to fight for, Buffalo was never in the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe narrative for a couple of years now has been that the AFC belongs to Allen and Patrick Mahomes, but can that be true when Allen and the Bills have not reached the Super Bowl and the Bengals and Joe Burrow have fully arrived? Perhaps 2023 will be the season it finally happens, but the clock is ticking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jacksonville Jaguars: Can this momentum be continued?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe Jaguars won five-straight games to close the regular season, just enough to clinch the AFC South crown and get into the playoffs after a 3-7 start to the campaign. Then, Jacksonville completed one of the greatest comebacks<\/a> in NFL Playoff history in the Wild Card Round and gave Kansas City, one of the favorites for the Super Bowl, a serious run<\/a> for its money on the road. You can\u2019t be upset with how this season ended if you\u2019re a Jacksonville fan. But now what?<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe last time the Jags made the playoffs, they narrowly missed out on the Super Bowl. They proceeded to win 15 games over the next four seasons. They must figure out a way to avoid this from happening again and use what they accomplished this season to build for the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trevor Lawrence is receiving snaps, Super Bowl champion Doug Pederson is calling the shots, and Jacksonville\u2019s division isn\u2019t exactly filled with the toughest competition. The future appears bright, but we\u2019ll have to see if the Jaguars can put together something similar again, or if this run was a flash in the pan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New York Giants: What\u2019s the next step in the rebuild?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBefore the first snap of this season, nobody expected the Giants to be here. They were supposed to go something like 6-11, lick their wounds, and maybe improve for 2023. Instead, they made the playoffs for the first time in six years<\/a> and won a road playoff game. Of course, New York would prefer not to lose to a division rival by 31 points in the playoffs, but given the context, there\u2019s only so much negativity the defeat in the Divisional Round can garner. You really can\u2019t feel bad about this season<\/a> if you\u2019re a Giants fan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/articles.runyourpool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Giants_Eagles_Football_23022823445194.jpg\")
AP Photo\/Chris Szagola<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSo, what\u2019s next? Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, and a host of other impact players have expiring contracts that will have to be dealt with. Barkley in particular is a big decision \u2013 do the Giants shell out the money he will rightly demand, or is it time to move on and save that money for elsewhere in the team?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This season was a great foundation for the Giants\u2019 rebuild, but the 38-7 scoreline from this past weekend is a firm indicator that there is still a long way this team has to go before it\u2019s a serious contender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dallas Cowboys: Is it ever going to happen?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s now 27 years since the Cowboys made it out of the Divisional Round, let alone appeared in or won the Super Bowl. This is currently the fifth-longest<\/a> AFC\/NFC Championship Game drought in the NFL. Ouch.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnother year, another failure for a franchise that doesn\u2019t care much for moral victories<\/a>. It feels like it really is never going to happen again for the Cowboys. Obviously, this is not true \u2013 if the Bengals, I repeat, the Bengals<\/em>, can end their drought and become a force within the NFL, then surely Dallas will do it again someday.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBut what has to change? Since 1995, Dallas has gone through seven head coaches and a handful of different quarterback eras, and while some of those times produced better results than others, none of them brought the team close to the heights previously reached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps moving on from Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and this current core is the right decision. Maybe this organization needs a rebuild. Or maybe, five one-possession playoff losses in a row is a sign of poor luck, and going again without many changes could yield results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This still brings us back to the original question: is it ever going to happen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NFL Divisional Round Winners: One Question<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nCincinnati Bengals: Are the Bengals a regular AFC contender now?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThis is now two AFC Championship Games in a row for the Bengals, and they look as good as ever right now after totally controlling the Bills in Buffalo. The Chiefs are far from pushovers, but Cincinnati<\/a> has a positive track record against them recently, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRegardless of what happens this weekend, the big question surrounding the Bengals is if they\u2019re now in the conference\u2019s upper echelon. Joe Burrow has, as quietly as possible, forced himself into the conversation for the best quarterback in the NFL. Their defense is an absolute force. There are so many weapons around Burrow for him to utilize, from Joe Mixon to Ja\u2019Marr Chase and more. And to top it off, some of Cincinnati\u2019s best, most important players are early in their NFL careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/articles.runyourpool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Bengals_Bills_Football_23022850576749.jpg\")
AP Photo\/Matt Durisko<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThis looks like a team that can contend for the next half-decade. Of course, a lot has to go right for that to happen. But you can\u2019t consider the Bengals to be a fluke any longer. The question now is about whether or not this success can become reliable and if it can be harnessed into the franchise\u2019s first-ever Super Bowl victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kansas City Chiefs: Are the Bengals KC\u2019s Boogieman Team?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nOne of the big storylines of this weekend\u2019s game against Cincinnati will be Kansas City\u2019s unflattering record against the Bengals in recent history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Chiefs and Bengals played three times in the 2022 calendar year, including in last season\u2019s AFC Championship Game, and Cincinnati left the field smiling all three times. Now, each game was also decided by three points, so it\u2019s not as though the Bengals have been steamrolling the Chiefs, but you know this narrative<\/a> will not go unsaid in the moments before Sunday\u2019s kickoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSo, does Cincinnati have Kansas City\u2019s number? Patrick Mahomes might be hobbled for this one after suffering a knock against the Jaguars in the Divisional Round, which could play a role in the outcome of the contest. He is one of the premier performers in the entire league, but the Chiefs wouldn\u2019t be in this position if they didn\u2019t have a very strong team otherwise. Even if he can\u2019t play or isn\u2019t his usual self, there will still be plenty of pressure on the AFC\u2019s No. 1 seed to make its third Super Bowl appearance in four years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the Chiefs extend their losing streak against the Bengals to four, the narrative that Cincinnati is KC\u2019s kryptonite will become deafening. Or, that could be put to bed this weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Philadelphia Eagles: Can the Eagles stop Christian McCaffrey?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn the time since the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2018, they\u2019ve successfully torn it all down, rebuilt, and returned back to prominence. The question now remains, can they fully complete the rebuild and get it done?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brock Purdy is the one getting most of the attention out of San Francisco, and for a good reason. But the introduction of Christian McCaffrey via trade in the middle of the season marked the beginning of the 49ers\u2019 rise to the forefront of the NFC. He gives San Francisco another dimension, and what he can do on the ground can seriously drain valuable clock Philadelphia needs for its offense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/articles.runyourpool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Giants_Eagles_Football_23022823664160.jpg\")
AP Photo\/Chris Szagola<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Eagles have one of the strongest defensive units<\/a> in the NFL. Philadelphia held teams to the second-fewest yards per game (coincidentally, behind only San Francisco) and the least passing yards per contest during the regular season. But if there is a weakness on that side of the ball, it\u2019s against the run. The Eagles usually allow more than 120 rushing yards, and it\u2019s been almost two months since they held an opponent to below 100 yards on the ground. Now, they have to face one of the best and hottest running backs in the league to get to the Super Bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf the Eagles are unable to slow down McCaffrey and cede San Francisco the time-of-possession battle, that could spell some serious trouble. You have to assume the secondary will do its thing as it has all year, but will the front seven be up for the task?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
San Francisco 49ers: Is Brock Purdy the guy in San Francisco?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBrock Purdy started the season as San Francisco\u2019s third-string quarterback. Now, he\u2019s undefeated since having to fill in for the injured duo of Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, and he is one of four rookie quarterbacks to ever take their team<\/a> to a conference championship game.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf he can lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl, and maybe even a victory in the biggest game, it will only add to this already-incredible story. But regardless, a huge question has now presented itself to San Francisco: who starts in Week 1 in September?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This weekend, the Bills lost decisively<\/a> to the Bengals, 27-10. Even with home-field advantage, snow, and Damar Hamlin\u2019s story to fight for, Buffalo was never in the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The narrative for a couple of years now has been that the AFC belongs to Allen and Patrick Mahomes, but can that be true when Allen and the Bills have not reached the Super Bowl and the Bengals and Joe Burrow have fully arrived? Perhaps 2023 will be the season it finally happens, but the clock is ticking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Jaguars won five-straight games to close the regular season, just enough to clinch the AFC South crown and get into the playoffs after a 3-7 start to the campaign. Then, Jacksonville completed one of the greatest comebacks<\/a> in NFL Playoff history in the Wild Card Round and gave Kansas City, one of the favorites for the Super Bowl, a serious run<\/a> for its money on the road. You can\u2019t be upset with how this season ended if you\u2019re a Jacksonville fan. But now what?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The last time the Jags made the playoffs, they narrowly missed out on the Super Bowl. They proceeded to win 15 games over the next four seasons. They must figure out a way to avoid this from happening again and use what they accomplished this season to build for the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trevor Lawrence is receiving snaps, Super Bowl champion Doug Pederson is calling the shots, and Jacksonville\u2019s division isn\u2019t exactly filled with the toughest competition. The future appears bright, but we\u2019ll have to see if the Jaguars can put together something similar again, or if this run was a flash in the pan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before the first snap of this season, nobody expected the Giants to be here. They were supposed to go something like 6-11, lick their wounds, and maybe improve for 2023. Instead, they made the playoffs for the first time in six years<\/a> and won a road playoff game. Of course, New York would prefer not to lose to a division rival by 31 points in the playoffs, but given the context, there\u2019s only so much negativity the defeat in the Divisional Round can garner. You really can\u2019t feel bad about this season<\/a> if you\u2019re a Giants fan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, what\u2019s next? Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, and a host of other impact players have expiring contracts that will have to be dealt with. Barkley in particular is a big decision \u2013 do the Giants shell out the money he will rightly demand, or is it time to move on and save that money for elsewhere in the team?<\/p>\n\n\n\n This season was a great foundation for the Giants\u2019 rebuild, but the 38-7 scoreline from this past weekend is a firm indicator that there is still a long way this team has to go before it\u2019s a serious contender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s now 27 years since the Cowboys made it out of the Divisional Round, let alone appeared in or won the Super Bowl. This is currently the fifth-longest<\/a> AFC\/NFC Championship Game drought in the NFL. Ouch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another year, another failure for a franchise that doesn\u2019t care much for moral victories<\/a>. It feels like it really is never going to happen again for the Cowboys. Obviously, this is not true \u2013 if the Bengals, I repeat, the Bengals<\/em>, can end their drought and become a force within the NFL, then surely Dallas will do it again someday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But what has to change? Since 1995, Dallas has gone through seven head coaches and a handful of different quarterback eras, and while some of those times produced better results than others, none of them brought the team close to the heights previously reached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps moving on from Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and this current core is the right decision. Maybe this organization needs a rebuild. Or maybe, five one-possession playoff losses in a row is a sign of poor luck, and going again without many changes could yield results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This still brings us back to the original question: is it ever going to happen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is now two AFC Championship Games in a row for the Bengals, and they look as good as ever right now after totally controlling the Bills in Buffalo. The Chiefs are far from pushovers, but Cincinnati<\/a> has a positive track record against them recently, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of what happens this weekend, the big question surrounding the Bengals is if they\u2019re now in the conference\u2019s upper echelon. Joe Burrow has, as quietly as possible, forced himself into the conversation for the best quarterback in the NFL. Their defense is an absolute force. There are so many weapons around Burrow for him to utilize, from Joe Mixon to Ja\u2019Marr Chase and more. And to top it off, some of Cincinnati\u2019s best, most important players are early in their NFL careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This looks like a team that can contend for the next half-decade. Of course, a lot has to go right for that to happen. But you can\u2019t consider the Bengals to be a fluke any longer. The question now is about whether or not this success can become reliable and if it can be harnessed into the franchise\u2019s first-ever Super Bowl victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the big storylines of this weekend\u2019s game against Cincinnati will be Kansas City\u2019s unflattering record against the Bengals in recent history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Chiefs and Bengals played three times in the 2022 calendar year, including in last season\u2019s AFC Championship Game, and Cincinnati left the field smiling all three times. Now, each game was also decided by three points, so it\u2019s not as though the Bengals have been steamrolling the Chiefs, but you know this narrative<\/a> will not go unsaid in the moments before Sunday\u2019s kickoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, does Cincinnati have Kansas City\u2019s number? Patrick Mahomes might be hobbled for this one after suffering a knock against the Jaguars in the Divisional Round, which could play a role in the outcome of the contest. He is one of the premier performers in the entire league, but the Chiefs wouldn\u2019t be in this position if they didn\u2019t have a very strong team otherwise. Even if he can\u2019t play or isn\u2019t his usual self, there will still be plenty of pressure on the AFC\u2019s No. 1 seed to make its third Super Bowl appearance in four years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the Chiefs extend their losing streak against the Bengals to four, the narrative that Cincinnati is KC\u2019s kryptonite will become deafening. Or, that could be put to bed this weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the time since the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2018, they\u2019ve successfully torn it all down, rebuilt, and returned back to prominence. The question now remains, can they fully complete the rebuild and get it done?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brock Purdy is the one getting most of the attention out of San Francisco, and for a good reason. But the introduction of Christian McCaffrey via trade in the middle of the season marked the beginning of the 49ers\u2019 rise to the forefront of the NFC. He gives San Francisco another dimension, and what he can do on the ground can seriously drain valuable clock Philadelphia needs for its offense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Eagles have one of the strongest defensive units<\/a> in the NFL. Philadelphia held teams to the second-fewest yards per game (coincidentally, behind only San Francisco) and the least passing yards per contest during the regular season. But if there is a weakness on that side of the ball, it\u2019s against the run. The Eagles usually allow more than 120 rushing yards, and it\u2019s been almost two months since they held an opponent to below 100 yards on the ground. Now, they have to face one of the best and hottest running backs in the league to get to the Super Bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the Eagles are unable to slow down McCaffrey and cede San Francisco the time-of-possession battle, that could spell some serious trouble. You have to assume the secondary will do its thing as it has all year, but will the front seven be up for the task?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brock Purdy started the season as San Francisco\u2019s third-string quarterback. Now, he\u2019s undefeated since having to fill in for the injured duo of Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, and he is one of four rookie quarterbacks to ever take their team<\/a> to a conference championship game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If he can lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl, and maybe even a victory in the biggest game, it will only add to this already-incredible story. But regardless, a huge question has now presented itself to San Francisco: who starts in Week 1 in September?<\/p>\n\n\n\nJacksonville Jaguars: Can this momentum be continued?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
New York Giants: What\u2019s the next step in the rebuild?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Dallas Cowboys: Is it ever going to happen?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
NFL Divisional Round Winners: One Question<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cincinnati Bengals: Are the Bengals a regular AFC contender now?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Kansas City Chiefs: Are the Bengals KC\u2019s Boogieman Team?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Philadelphia Eagles: Can the Eagles stop Christian McCaffrey?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
San Francisco 49ers: Is Brock Purdy the guy in San Francisco?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n