5 NFL teams with most to prove in 2019

With the new NFL season starting to take shape, we take a look at 5 teams with some making up to do.

5. Cleveland Browns

I hesitate to put the Browns on this list, but there is a ton of expectation surrounding this group. Cleveland has gone from a team that won only one combined combined game in the 2016 and ’17 seasons to a franchise now expected to win the AFC North. Of course, the. Browns have to prove they can do anything of note (think winning season) before actually ascending over perennial foes in the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. It’lll be fascinating to see how this plays out on the banks of Lake Erie.

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4. Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles is an annual NFL favorite, only to fall short each time. last year, many believed the Chargers were going to go into Foxboro and take down the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional round. The score was instead 34-7 in New England’s favor by halftime. With arguably the best roster in the league, Los Angeles has the task of finally overpowering the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West before reaching the Super Bowl. If the Chargers get there, it will validate all the preseason hype. If not, it’s another lost season with an aging star at quarterback.

3. Houston Texans

Bill O’Brien has been the head coach in Houston for the past five seasons. He’s won a single playoff game… coming against Connor Cook. Many believe the Texans have been passed by the Indianapolis Colts as the best team in the AFC South, and there’s reason for that. Houston has gotten older defensively and the offensive line remains a gigantic question mark as we approach July. If the Texans once again fail to do anything of note when we reach January, it’s time to start wondering if it will ever happen for this group.

Read: Ravens Need Hayden Hurst Healthy to Succeed in 2019

2. San Francisco 49ers

How long are we going to hear about Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers? The hype machine was off the proverbial rails last year, only to see Garoppolo get hurt in Week 3 with a torn ACL. Now, we’ve once more heard about San Francisco being a dark horse to make noise in the NFC. Look, nobody is expecting the 49ers to win the NFC West or even to win a playoff game, but if they fall flat again, it’s a bad look for general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan.

1. Minnesota Vikings

This one needs little explanation. The Vikings went to the NFC Championship Game in 2017 and lost. In 2018, the team signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a three-year, $84 million deal with all money guaranteed. If the Vikings don’t go deep into the playoffs, it might be time to start retooling both the roster and the coaching staff.