With the NFL playoffs almost over (can you believe it?), it's time for a whole lot of teams to start thinking about what lies beyond in 2020.
Only 12 clubs can make the postseason every year, so 20 other squads will always be thinking about next season. Heck, some of them might start thinking about it in late September. In the NFL, seasons can end fast.
Of the 20 teams who did not qualify for the playoffs this year, here are the five who are most likely to make the postseason in 2020.
5. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts got off to a 5-2 start this season and looked to have a great shot of winning the AFC South before injuries struck.
Whether it was Jacoby Brissett, Devin Funchess, T.Y. Hilton, Marlon Mack, Eric Ebron or Parris Campbell, Indianapolis' offense was absolutely decimated by injuries, and you have to wonder if the Colts really would have ended up going 7-9 had they remained healthy.
Of course, there remain questions about Brissett under center, as he had a poor second half, but much of that also had to do with the fact that he hardly had anyone to throw to.
So long as Indy stays healthy, look for it to bounce back in 2020. There is too much talent here for that not to happen, including on the defensive side of the ball where Indianapolis is not terrible.
It also helps that the Colts play in a division that doesn't really have a dominant team.
4. Los Angeles Rams
I'm a bit skittish on this one, but the Rams went 9-7 this season and are a year removed from winning 13 games and making it all the way to the Super Bowl.
A whole lot of stuff went wrong for Los Angeles in 2019, whether it was Todd Gurley looking like a shell of himself, Jared Goff taking a major step back and the league suddenly catching up to Sean McVay.
Am I sure all of that will correct itself in 2020? No, because Gurley may very well be done as an elite rusher, which could severely inhibit Goff and McVay moving forward.
But perhaps Gurley has a better year next season, or maybe the Rams go out this offseason and add another running back to take some of that load off of him. Or maybe Darrell Henderson breaks out in 2020?
Whatever the case may be, I'm banking on LA's talent to at least have it back in the playoff hunt next year.
3. Atlanta Falcons
Maybe this is just me trying to right my wrongs.
Before this season started, I had the Falcons pegged as darkhorse Super Bowl contenders in the NFC thanks to a star-studded offense that included Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Austin Hooper and Devonta Freeman.
Instead, Atlanta got off to a miserable start and ended up going 7-9.
The good news is that the Falcons actually won four straight games to end the season, so they began playing some better football later on, and while Freeman looks cooked, the lethal aerial attack is still there.
Obviously, Atlanta needs a whole lot of help on the defensive side of the ball, but I do have some hope that Ryan and Co. can turn things around in 2020, especially in an NFC South in which the New Orleans Saints represent the only real threat.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
If Ben Roethlisberger hadn't gone down to a season-ending elbow injury back in Week 2, the playoffs would probably look awfully different right now.
But even without Roethlisberger and with guys like JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner banged up for significant chunks of time, the Steelers managed to hang in the playoff hunt right up until Week 17, finishing 8-8.
Pittsburgh lost three games in a row to end the season, but you have to appreciate the incredible job Mike Tomlin did and how well the defense played throughout the year.
I'm not sure how much Big Ben has left in the tank, but surely, he has to be better than Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges, and if the Steelers can avoid major injuries in 2020, they should have a great chance of pushing the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North and contending for a postseason berth.
1. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys were, by far, the most talented team in the NFC East this season, but they proceeded to go 8-8 while losing out on the division to a banged-up Philadelphia Eagles club.
Coaching was obviously a big problem for Dallas, and Jerry Jones has tried to fix it, parting ways with Jason Garrett and bringing in the experienced Mike McCarthy.
Was coaching the only issue? Not necessarily, but it was still probably the main reason why the Cowboys ultimately missed the playoffs in spite of owning one of the NFL's most talented rosters.
I'm going to say this right now: Dallas should win the division next season. Perhaps having McCarthy on board will re-energize the team.
Of course, the Cowboys have some of their own free agents to attend to, but let's operate under the assumption that they re-sign both Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper.
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