SPORT NEWS: The Biggest Gift Each NFL Playoff Team Received in 2024.giang

Only two weeks remain in the 2024 NFL regular season, and the holiday spirit is alive and well for over half of the league.

Entering Week 17, only 13 teams have already been eliminated from playoff contention. Five teams can play their way into the postseason, while another five are mathematically alive but need help to reach the postseason. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for example, need to win out and receive the gift of an Atlanta Falcons loss to claim the NFC South.

Nine franchises have already punched their tickets to the playoffs. While these teams have gotten here with strong play, great coaching and top-tier talent, they’ve received gifts of their own in 2024 that have helped them tremendously.

We’re talking about offseason developments or player acquisitions that have made each of these playoff-bound teams better than they were a year ago.

Some of these gits were presented with fanfare, while others may have landed under the radar. Each of them, however, has had a tremendous impact on the season thus far and can play a pivotal role in the upcoming postseason tournament.

The Baltimore Ravens always felt like an ideal landing spot for longtime Tennessee Titans star Derrick Henry. When Henry entered the open market back in March, however, it felt like landing Henry was a long shot.

Entering free agency, the Ravens had just $14.7 million in cap space. They had other needs that easily could have prevented them from spending big on a 30-year-old running back. Yet, Baltimore was able to land Henry on a two-year, $16 million deal. That’s far from a top-of-the-market price point but still fairly significant for an aging ball carrier.

Other teams wouldn’t justify paying Henry $8 million per season.

“Bottom line is we couldn’t afford Derrick Henry,” Dallas Cowboys franchise owner Jerry Jones said in September, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.

The Ravens’ agreement with Henry now looks like a major bargain. He’s already rushed for 1,636 yards and 13 touchdowns while giving Baltimore the sort of consistent, physical rushing attack it lacked in 2023. While the Ravens had the league’s top-ranked rushing offense last year too, the way they run is different.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson is no longer expected to carry the offense with his arm and his legs week in and week out. Jackson, in turn, is having an even better campaign than he had in 2023 when he won his second NFL MVP award.

Having Henry in the fold makes Baltimore a serious Super Bowl threat in the AFC. He can take pressure off of Jackson in the playoffs, wear down opposing defenses, help provide rest for his own defense—which ranks 31st in passing yards allowed—by sustaining drives, and help give Baltimore a plan of attack for any potential bad-weather games.

Just as opposing defenders are never eager to tackle Henry, AFC teams won’t want to see Baltimore in the postseason, in large part, because of his presence.

During the 2023 regular season, the Buffalo Bills fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and promoted Joe Brady on an interim basis. Early in the offseason, Buffalo gave Brady the job permanently.

The Bills rank ninth in rushing, ninth in passing, seventh in total yards and second in scoring. They had a terrific offense in 2023 too (fourth overall, sixth in scoring), but their success in 2024 was never guaranteed.

Buffalo, after all, parted with top receiver Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis during the offseason.

However, Brady has made the passing game work with players like Khali Shakir, Mack Hollins, Amari Cooper, Dalton Kincaid and rookie Keon Coleman. He’s also fielded a dynamic backfield centered around James Cook, Ty Johnson and rookie Ray Davis.

Brady’s plan, all along, was to build around quarterback Josh Allen and allow everything else to fall into place.

“At the end of the day, this is Josh Allen’s offense,” Brady said back in May, per ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg. “…tell me who we have on our football team and the guys and what they can do well and we’re going to do that.”

Allen’s supporting cast might not be loaded with stars, but it’s been an incredibly effective unit under Brady’s guidance. Brady’s approach has also made Allen more efficient, and the MVP candidate has thrown just six interceptions after tossing 18 a year ago.

The Bills didn’t have to hire Brady on a full-time basis. However, they saw enough from his philosophy down the stretch in 2023 that they did, and their decision has made Buffalo one of the top contenders in the AFC.

Brady’s plan revolves around allowing Allen to simply find the open receiver or hand to the hot ball carrier instead of focusing on feeding any one player. That’ll make the offense extremely difficult to defend in the postseason.

The Detroit Lions were one of the NFL’s best stories in 2023. They hadn’t even won a playoff game since 1991 but made it to the NFC title game, falling just short against the San Francisco 49ers.

Unsurprisingly, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn both received head-coaching interviews in the offseason. Ultimately, though, both decided to return to Detroit for another run.

As Johnson explained, the Lions were building something special and had created an environment that was difficult to leave.

“I like the sunshine,” he told reporters in May. “I like what we’ve built here, starting with ownership, the head coach, the GM on down.”

Of course, the allure of landing one of only 32 head-coaching jobs is significant. The Lions are very fortunate that Johnson and Glenn both chose to return. The coaching continuity Detroit kept under Dan Campbell has been pivotal during an injury-plagued campaign.

Players who are on injured reserve or who have missed significant time for the Lions in 2024 include Aidan Hutchinson, David Montgomery, Carlton Davis, Alex Anzalone, Marcus Davenport, Alim McNeill and Michael Badgley.

Yet, strong coaching has allowed the Lions to push through adversity. In Week 14, for example, the Lions outlasted the rival Green Bay Packers despite missing 15 defensive players. Detroit is now a win and a Minnesota Vikings loss away from clinching the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

The coaching triumvirate of Campbell, Johnson and Glenn gives Detroit a legitimate shot to continue battling through injuries and find success in the postseason. Having players like Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs and Brian Branch certainly helps. However, the Lions remain title contenders because of their ability to plug in players, coach them up quickly and get positive results.

The Packers certainly got a gift when they signed free-agent running back Josh Jacobs. The 26-year-old has been an elite dual-threat in Green Bay’s backfield and has helped the Packers work through Jordan Love’s early-season injury and mid-season turnover issues.

However, Green Bay got an even bigger gift when it fired defensive coordinator Joe Barry and landed former Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley to replace him. Hefley’s influence on the defense has made Green Bay a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Jacobs joined an offense that already featured Love, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Tucker Kraft and numerous other playmakers. The former Las Vegas Raiders star has been great in Green Bay, but the Packers offense was also potent when running back Aaron Jones was healthy last year.

In 2023, though, the offense often had to make up for an inconsistent defense (17th overall) that was often a liability against the run (28th in rushing yards allowed). This year, the defense has become a team strength and has proven itself capable of overcoming key injuries.

On Monday night, for example, the Packers were without safeties Javon Bullard and Evan Williams, along with cornerback Jaire Alexander. They still pitched a shutout against the New Orleans Saints.

For the season, Green Bay ranks seventh against the run, eighth against the pass, seventh overall and sixth in points allowed. Hafley has helped build the most cohesive defense the Packers have fielded in some time.

“We’re all working together, and we’ve just got some nice playmakers,” rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper said,” per Steve Megargee of the Associated Press.

“We’ve noticed all along that the defense is a lot different this year, and they’ve been making some big-time plays all along,” Love added, per Megargee.

Hafley’s defense has helped put Green Bay in the playoffs with two games to play in the regular season. It’ll also give the Packers a chance to win postseason games if Love and the offense don’t run wild.

The Houston Texans haven’t been as efficient offensively as they were a year ago, and there are several reasons for this. Their offensive line has struggled, and injuries have often left the offense without top playmakers.

Stefon Diggs was lost to a torn ACL after only eight games. No. 1 receiver Nico Collins missed five games with a hamstring injury, and receiver Tank Dell was just lost to a torn ACL and dislocated kneecap.

The Texans also spent three games without starting running back and prized trade acquisition Joe Mixon.

However, the Texans are back in the playoffs as NFC South champions because they’ve often been able to lean on their defense. That wasn’t usually an option in 2023, as Houston ranked 23rd against the pass and 14th in yards allowed. This year, the Texans rank sixth in passing defense and fourth in yards allowed.

A few players have helped with the turnaround, including rookie safety Calen Bullock and rookie corner Kamari Lassiter. Free-agent addition Danielle Hunter, however, has been the defense’s biggest gift.

Hunter, who signed a two-year, $49 million deal in free agency, has already tallied 12 sacks and 33 quarterback pressures. He’s also helped to unlock second-year edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr. who already has 3.5 sacks more than he had as a rookie (7.0).

Hunter has helped the defense record 46 sacks to this point and has helped create a unit that plays, first and foremost, as a team.

“It’s all about rushing as a unit, rushing very unselfish,” Hunter said in September, per Michael Shapiro of the Houston Chronicle.

Hunter and the Texans’ pass-rush has helped Houston clinch back-to-back division titles. They’ll also give the Texans a chance to make noise in the postseason, even if the offense isn’t at full strength in January.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ ability to sign running back Kareem Hunt off the couch deserves an honorable mention here. He not only filled in for an injured Isiah Pacheco admirably, but he’s also given Kansas City a formidable backfield committee with Pacheco back in the lineup.

As far as gifts go, though, the Chiefs have to be thankful for Buffalo’s decision to trade away the 28th overall pick in the draft. Kansas City used the selection on Texas receiver Xavier Worthy, who has given the offense a major boost.

Worthy, a speedy and versatile offensive threat, has made plays on both a runner and a receiver. He’s recorded 653 scrimmage yards, three rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns. While those might not seem like impressive numbers, the rookie has become a major part of Kansas City’s game plan.

“As a quarterback, you can feel how he’s running a route, how he’s setting up, he’s running it and getting himself open and that gives you confidence to make throws,” Patrick Mahomes said of Worthy, per Harold Kuntz of Fox 4 Kansas City.

Worthy hasn’t just been a nice addition to the offense, he’s been a necessary piece of the puzzle. Kansas City lost top receiver Rashee Rice to a torn LCL after only four games, and Worthy has emerged as the Chiefs’ most explosive threat at receiver.

Only tight end Travis Kelce has more receptions or receiving yards than the rookie.

Kansas City has other talented pass-catchers, of course. They added DeAndre Hopkins at the trade deadline and recently activated Marquise Brown from injured reserve. However, Worthy is the top big-play threat on the roster, and he’s helped the Chiefs achieve a league-best 14-1 record.

Worthy will continue to have an impact in the postseason because he has returned the breakaway threat to Kansas City’s offense. He’ll alter how opposing teams need to play defensively, and he can break open games on any given play.

Thanks, Bills.

No one saw Sam Darnold’s breakout 2024 campaign coming. If they had, the Vikings wouldn’t have been able to land him on a modest one-year, $10 million contract. Minnesota didn’t even expect this from the former New York Jets draft bust, or they probably wouldn’t have used a first-round pick on Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Darnold was supposed to be the bridge quarterback only until McCarthy was ready. However, the rookie suffered a season-ending knee injury before Week 1, and the QB1 role has been Darnold’s ever since.

The USC product exceeded expectations on every level. Darnold has thrown for 3,776 yards with 32 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 105.4 passer rating. Most importantly, he has Minnesota in the postseason with a chance of securing the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

Has Darnold benefited from having a quarterback-friendly head coach in Kevin O’Connell and a superb receiving corps headlined by Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson? Absolutely, but last season’s quarterback shuffle showed that Minnesota can’t simply plug any signal-caller into its offense and find success.

Darnold has always had the physical talent to be special, but in the past, he’s struggled with progressions, pocket management and defensive recognition. He’s been far better in all areas this season.

“Lights-out as a decision maker,” O’Connell said, per Rob Kleifield of the team’s official website.

The 13-2 Vikings can win the NFC North and claim a first-round bye by winning their final two games. Regardless of how they enter the postseason, though, they’re fully capable of riding their current wave into Super Bowl LIX.

Minnesota has an opportunistic defense, a terrific head coach, a room full of offensive playmakers and, unexpectedly, a quarterback playing at an elite level. That is a recipe for a championship.

The Philadelphia Eagles got a significant boost when they hired offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio in the offseason. The Eagles have been more productive and more consistent on both sides of the ball than they were a year ago.

However, Philly’s biggest gift came when the rival New York Giants opted not to extend running back Saquon Barkley before the start of free agency.

Unlike Darnold’s emergence, everyone saw this one coming, even Giants franchise owner John Mara.

“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia,” Mara told general manager Joe Schoen on HBO’s Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants (h/t Joel Corry of CBS Sports).

Barkley indeed signed with Philly on a three-year, $37.8 million contract. He’s already rewarded the Eagles for their investment with 1,838 rushing yards, 276 receiving yards and 15 combined touchdowns.

Having Barkley has added a new dimension to the Eagles offense and helped it overcome injuries to pass-catchers A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert. The offense is obviously better when the receiving corps—and quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is currently dealing with a concussion—are healthy. However, Barkley can carry the load when necessary.

Barkley gives the 12-3 Eagles a chance to win their final two regular-season games, even as quarterback uncertainty looms.

“Jalen is in the concussion protocol,” head coach Sirianni said on Monday, per Dave Spadaro of the team’s official website. “When that happens, we just lean on the doctors to let us know on a daily basis where he is.”

Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett also suffered a rib injury in Week 16. The Eagles could be down to third-stringer Tanner McKee in Week 16.

In the postseason, Barkley promises to be one of the hardest players in the entire NFC field to corral. Ideally, the rest of Philadelphia’s offense will also be available, but Barkley might be the one player capable of carrying a team to the Super Bowl.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were a playoff team in 2023, but they never felt like legitimate contenders. Pickett struggled as the starter, and late-season replacement Mason Rudolph was only marginally better.

This year, though, the Steelers have a legitimate chance to make a deep run because they finally have an above-average signal-caller.

Russell Wilson didn’t open the year as the starter because of a calf injury. Trade acquisition Justin Fields played well enough to deliver a 4-2 start, but head coach Mike Tomlin made the gutsy decision to turn to Wilson once the veteran was healthy. In retrospect that was the right call.

Wilson has gone 6-3 as the starter and thrown for 2,129 yards with 15 touchdowns, four interceptions and a 101.7 quarterback rating. He’s provided the experience and leadership Pittsburgh has lacked behind center since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement.

“He brings people together and he brings the best out of everybody,” Tomlin said of Wilson on The Pat McAfee Show (h/t Allison Koehler of Steelers Wire).

Wilson hasn’t been as sharp over the past few weeks, though he’s been without No. 1 receiver George Pickens, who is expected to return in Week 17. Overall, though, Wilson gives Pittsburgh a chance to win each and every week—something it hasn’t gotten from the quarterback position in recent years.

What’s remarkable is that Pittsburgh landed Wilson on a one-year, $1.2 million deal. That’s because when the Denver Broncos released the 36-year-old, it paid out $39 million in guaranteed salary.

The savings allowed Pittsburgh to add other pieces, like runner/receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, wideout Van Jefferson and linebacker Patrick Queen.

In the playoffs, Pittsburgh will boast a top-10 scoring defense, a capable backfield led by Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren and a quarterback with a plethora of postseason experience.

Wilson has appeared in two Super Bowls and holds a 9-7 playoff record.