The 2020 NFL season was most definitely one for the history books. The COVID-19 pandemic put the season in grave danger, but we are more than fortunate to have been able to witness a completed season even though it didn’t have the same energy as a usual year with packed crowds. 

Regardless of COVID, this year’s season had some extraordinary moments. The Glen Echo took the time to recap the league’s most overachieving and biggest disappointments of the 2020 season.

Overachieving Teams

Washington Football Team: Although they finished with a mediocre 7-9 record, the Washington Football Team went through great adversity and finished in 1st place in the NFC East. After poor play from starting QB Dwayne Haskins and an injury to backup Kyle Allen, third-string QB Alex Smith played some impressive football to help lead the nameless team to the playoffs. The Football Team was highlighted by a great defensive front, which consisted of Montez Sweat and ROY Chase Young. 

Buffalo Bills: QB Josh Allen had an incredible breakout year and almost won the MVP award. The Bills offense was bolstered by a great wide receiving core led by All-Pro Stefon Diggs. Although Allen and Diggs’ historic seasons were a huge part of their 13-3 AFC season, Buffalo’s defense stepped up and played very efficiently for them as well. 

Cleveland Browns: The Cleveland Browns had a very successful season, making it to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Their blowout Wild Card victory over the Steelers was their first playoff victory in over a quarter of a century (1994)! The Browns running game, led by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, was terrific, with a lot of help from the offensive line too. Baker Mayfield had a nice year and is starting to show flashes of what everyone expected him to be coming out of college. The future is bright for Head Coach Kevin Stefanski and his Cleveland Browns. 

Miami Dolphins: Despite barely missing the playoffs, it is safe to say that the Miami Dolphins exceeded expectations for the 2020 season. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was more than serviceable in the games he played in, and 1st round draft pick QB Tua Tugavailoa showed flashes of the franchise QB that the Dolphins have long been searching for. Miami’s defense, led by Pro Bowl CB Xavien Howard (who also led the NFL with 10 interceptions), had a tremendous season. HC Brian Flores is doing great things with the Dolphins, and the best is yet to come for this up and coming team. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 43- year-old Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defied the odds and brought home the franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy. The Bucs’ offense was loaded at all positions, and the defense ranked near the top of the league. After an underwhelming start of 7-5, Tampa didn’t lose a game after and won the Super Bowl in a landslide victory over the Chiefs. 

Honorable Mentions: Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears

Underachieving Teams

Seattle Seahawks: The Seattle Seahawks, led by the QB-WR duo of Russell Wilson and DK Metcalf, took the league by storm starting the year off 5-0. Wilson was the early MVP candidate. However, he failed to sustain these numbers and dropped out of the race by the near-end of the season. The Seahawks defense was mediocre at best all season long, and they couldn’t make it out of the divisional round of the playoffs after a 30-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Dallas Cowboys: There was not a lot of good to say about the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season. The defense was atrocious all season, and one of the only bright spots, star QB Dak Prescott, went down with a gruesome injury against the Giants in Week 5. The offensive line battled injuries all season long and RB Ezekiel Elliott was mediocre at best. 

Philadelphia Eagles: There is almost nothing good to say about the Eagles’ last place, 4-10-1 season in the weakest division in football (NFC East). QB Carson Wentz had the worst year of his career, partially thanks to poor coaching, a weak offensive line, and a just as bad receiving core. However, backup QB Jalen Hurts showed promising signs at the end of the season. The Eagles look to move on from former HC Doug Pederson and Wentz and look to rebuild behind the young Hurts in the future. 

Las Vegas Raiders: Head Coach Jon Gruden and his 3-2 Las Vegas Raiders were on the top of the world after defeating the defending champion Kansas Chiefs in Week 5 of the 2020 season. The Raiders went on to win three of their next four games, but finished the season losing six of their last seven and missed the playoffs with a subpar 8-8 record. The Raiders underperformed all over the field in the second half of the season, and it is a real shame that they couldn’t find a way to make the playoffs. 

Houston Texans: QB Deshaun Watson was about the only good thing that happened for the Houston Texans in 2020. Houston finished with an atrocious 4-12 record, which was very surprising after they fell two games shy of making the Super Bowl in 2019 after blowing a 24-0 lead in the Divisional Round against the Kansas City Chiefs. This season, both the run game and the defense ranked towards the bottom of the league. However, Watson led the league in passing with 4,823 yards in the air, and WR Will Fuller was on his way to a pro bowl season before being suspended for performance enhancing drugs. 

Honorable Mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals

The 2021 season will be highly anticipated. QBs Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles) and Carson Wentz (Indianapolis) have found new homes and will look to lead their respective teams to success. We also wait to see where former Texans’ DE JJ Watt, and possibly even QB Deshaun Watson, will land. The NFL will welcome young stars in the draft, headlined by QB Trevor Lawrence (Clemson), QB Justin Fields (Ohio State), and WR DeVonta Smith (Alabama). Overall, it will be an extremely exciting future to look forward to for the NFL, hopefully with more fans in the stadiums.