Chiefs, Ravens, Lions headline NFL teams most likely to make playoffs after missing 2025 postseason

Chiefs, Ravens, Lions headline NFL teams most likely to make playoffs after missing 2025 postseason originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Every NFL season, there are a number of new playoff teams that failed to reach the postseason the year prior, shaking up the season as a result.

Last year, two of the top three seeds in both conferences were new playoff teams, providing a more unpredictable season than expected. The Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears were all among the teams that broke through, with a Super Bowl solely comprised of new playoff teams.

The influx of new playoff teams meant there were several teams that surprisingly missed the postseason as a result. However, those teams enter the 2026 season with hope that they can return to January football, with a chance to shake up the standings once again.

Here’s a look at the squads with the best chance to make up the new playoff teams in 2026.

MORE: NFL All-Breakout team in 2026

NFL teams most likely to make playoffs after missing 2025 postseason

Chiefs

The Chiefs are the most obvious choice, as 2025 was only the second time since Andy Reid took over that Kansas City missed the playoffs. As long as Patrick Mahomes is healthy, the Chiefs have a chance to be the best team in the league, and it seems as though Mahomes will be ready to go in Week 1.

Kansas City made many changes in the offseason, including a roster reshuffle and bringing back Eric Bieniemy as the team’s new offensive coordinator. The Chiefs do have one of the youngest teams in the league, a sign that they are trying to rebuild on the fly, but a third-place schedule should be a benefit during the season.

Ravens

For the first time since 2007, John Harbaugh is not the Ravens‘ head coach, as Jesse Minter takes over for the former Super Bowl champion. Minter’s new staff includes young offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, and the change should inject some new ideas into a Ravens team that fell just short last year, missing the playoffs by one game.

With Mike MacDonald’s success in Seattle, the Ravens believe that Minter can follow a similar path from a similar tree. The AFC North is pretty wide open, with three new head coaches in the division alone, but Baltimore has the best all-around talent on the team and is the favorite to win the division outright.

Lions

The Lions had a brutal season in 2025, going through major coaching staff changes and injury issues over the course of the year. Still, Detroit won nine games and was in line for a playoff spot before the team lost three of its last four games to finish the campaign.

Despite the nine wins, the Lions finished in last place as the NFC North was the best division in the NFL last year. However, with that comes the benefit of a last-place schedule, giving the Lions the easiest schedule in the division and one of the easiest in the NFL. While the defense is a concern, Detroit’s offense is explosive and should carry them back to the postseason.

Buccaneers

In a weak NFC, the Buccaneers still failed to make the playoffs due to a brutal second half that saw them lose eight of their last 11 games. Still, Tampa Bay has the best quarterback in the division in Baker Mayfield, which automatically gives them the edge over the other three teams.

It’s unlikely two teams make the playoffs out of the NFC South, making winning the division the Buccaneers’ best chance to return to the postseason. The Buccaneers made the playoffs in five straight years prior to last, four of which were atop the NFC South, so the expectation should be for Tampa Bay to host a playoff game in January.

Cowboys

The Cowboys dreadful defense last year brought down an explosive offense, as Dallas went 7-9-1 while playing in shootouts for much of the season. In the offseason, the Cowboys revamped their defensive coaching staff and roster, hoping to produce a much better product in 2026.

If the defense improves enough, that should put the Cowboys in the playoff conversation with a chance to win the NFC East outright. Every team in the NFC East has a legitimate question or two during the season, and this is a division that frequently sees new division winners each season.

Bengals

Since making two-straight playoff appearances in 2021 and 2022, Cincinnati has inexplicably missed the postseason in each of the last three seasons. Part of that is Joe Burrow’s injury issues, playing 10 games or fewer in two of those three seasons, and part of that is defensive issues as one of the worst units in the league over that span.

Still, the Bengals are a threat to return to the postseason as long as Burrow is healthy and if the defense can play at a respectable level. The AFC North is pretty open, since Zac Taylor is the only returning head coach in the division, and the team needs to take advantage of the coaching continuity.

Saints

The Saints are a trendy pick to take advantage of a weak NFC South and win the division for the first time since Sean Payton and Drew Brees led the charge. Kellen Moore did a nice job in year one, winning six games including four straight in December despite entering the year with one of the weakest rosters in the league.

Of course, it would take a major step forward for the Saints to make the playoffs, even if eight or nine wins is enough to win the NFC South. But with the rest of the division in flux, and the benefit of a last-place schedule, Tyler Shough’s performance could decide whether New Orleans is the surprise team this year.