10 Teams Poised to Bounce Back in 2016
What constitutes a bounce-back season? Is it going from a losing record to a playoff appearance? How about transitioning from the brink of a championship to actually hoisting it in the air, both arms trembling from the weight?
It's all relative in sports. The list we're about to embark on, showcasing 10 teams across the NHL, NFL, NBA and Premier League, all have a realistic shot to find solace during their upcoming seasons.
We've used offseason moves, advanced statistics and logic to select the following 10 choices. From possible championship contenders to roster's built for the postseason, let's find out which teams are poised to bounce back in 2016.
Honorable Mentions
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The honorable mentions section of this article is dedicated to those on the cusp of bouncing back. These organizations might not do it next season, but they're close to flipping the script.
Here now are a handful of teams that just missed the cut:
- Edmonton Oilers, NHL
- Tennessee Titans, NFL
- Ottawa Senators, NHL
- Buffalo Bills, NFL
- New York Knicks, NBA
- Philadelphia 76ers, NBA
- New York Giants, NFL
Dallas Cowboys
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How can the Dallas Cowboys come back from a losing season? First off, we have to understand what we're dealing with here.
Injuries ravished the team last season, with quarterback Tony Romo, wide receiver Dez Bryant and linebacker Sean Lee all missing time. Tremendous losses sent them into a 4-12 tailspin. So anything better than a 4-12 record would be a significant improvement.
But Dallas has to be hoping for an NFC East title to ease it woes. Heading into the preseason, they selected running back Ezekiel Elliott in the first round of the NFL draft. His presence alone should provide a shot in the arm for an offense that ranked 31st in points per game last year.
With Romo and Bryant back to full health, we should see a huge turnaround in the offensive department—which would spark a handful of wins.
ESPN.com's Todd Archer looked at their schedule and projected the Cowboys will go 10-6 this season. With so many questions to answer in the NFC East, one thing is clear: Dallas definitely has a good case for rebounding and winning the NFC East.
Manchester United
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Jose Mourinho came to Manchester United with the lone mission of turning this club's post-Sir Alex Ferguson issues around. He's already bolstered the roster, bringing superstars into the fold such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and more recently paying a record transfer fee for Paul Pogba, per Jefferson Lake of Sky Sports.
Can this sweeping vacuum of power be enough to put United back on top of the Premier League? Paul Merson of Sky Sports has projected the club to finish No. 3 at the end of the year behind Manchester City and Chelsea.
Third place would result in a two-spot jump from 2015-16 and a good starting point for Mourinho's turnaround. Actually winning the Premier League would send shock waves through Old Trafford considering the club hasn't won a title since 2011.
Either way, a bounce-back campaign is right around the corner.
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Jacksonville Jaguars
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It has to happen one of these days. The Jacksonville Jaguars, a roster fueled by youth and a quarterback who has perked the interest of fantasy football junkies in Blake Bortles, will eventually turn it around.
To put into context how bad the Jaguars have been over the years, you have to first go back to 2007. With David Garrard at quarterback, the team won 11 games and reached the postseason. They haven't tasted a playoff berth since.
A 5-11 season in '15 wasn't what fans were hoping for. This year there are no more excuses. Between Bortles' maturity, Allen Robinson coming on as a superstar wideout and the first-round selection of cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the Jags have plenty to look forward to—not to mention Gus Bradley entering his fourth season as head coach.
Prior to the Ramsey pick, ESPN's Mike DiRocco projected the Jags would finish 7-9 this season based on their schedule. Flip a few division games and that record could easily turn into a winning one.
This is the time for Jacksonville to rise up and perform. If any team needs a bounce-back campaign, it's the Jaguars.
Washington Wizards
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For all of the talent they have mended together over the years, there is no reason why the Washington Wizards shouldn't be able to make it back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
A 41-41 record last season was surprising considering they had made the postseason the prior two years. We know John Wall is excellent. But he can't do it alone.
Bradley Beal's struggles to stay healthy have remained a taxing issue for the Wizards. In four seasons of play, 73 games are the most he's ever dressed for during an individual season.
A healthy Beal means the Wizards can start to fire on all cylinders. His career average of 16 points per game in less than 33 minutes per game shows he has the potential to put up points in a hurry.
Despite Washington losing out on Kevin Durant, the team's offseason received a B-plus grade from Dieter Kurtenbach and Andrew Lynch over at Fox Sports. The additions of Trey Burke, Ian Mahinmi and Andrew Nicholson should at least shore up a few holes on the roster.
Overall, these moves, plus a healthy Beal creates a solid foundation for the Wizards to turn things around.
San Diego Chargers
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A bounce-back going down in San Diego is something the Chargers should be able to pull of based on their history. Dating back to 2004, the franchise has only endured two losing seasons.
Last year's dreadful 4-12 campaign was the worst since 2003, when Drew Brees was the helm. The major difference between both of those seasons was talent.
San Diego's ability to rebound tactically hinges on having a superstar quarterback. Philip Rivers has continued to guide this team, regardless of where they end up and his presence matters. "With Rivers at the helm, the Chargers are capable of winning any game," Andy Benoit of the MMQB penned.
Watching film proves that notion to be factual. Rivers is tremendous.
Another reason the Chargers could turn things around quickly: looking at a series of in-depth numbers. ESPN's Bill Barnwell talked about a formula that projects NFL turnarounds. After analyzing all of the data, he wrote this: "Meanwhile, the Cowboys and Chargers have relative mountains of hard evidence suggesting that they played better than their records in 2015 and are likely to take a step toward contention in 2016."
Put all of those elements together, regardless of a tough AFC West, and what you have is a recipe for a quick turnaround out in Southern California.
Houston Rockets
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Resetting the Houston Rockets officially went down earlier this offseason when Dwight Howard packed his bags and left for Atlanta.
Howard and James Harden's lack of chemistry created problems for a team a lot of pundits expected to be good for a long time. Remember, when he first signed, ESPN.com said: "Howard now joins a Rockets team that could become an immediate contender in the Western Conference."
It didn't quite work out that way.
Houston was able to will its way to the Western Conference Finals in 2014-15. But the ship hit an iceberg shortly after, resulting in a 41-41 record last season.
This year, the team has finally been restructured. Mike D'Antoni is in at head coach, Ryan Anderson was brought over to stretch the floor and Eric Gordon came to attack the basket.
Calling Houston a championship-caliber team is premature. Dubbing it a bounce-back, playoff contender isn't. Without Howard, this team has all the tools needed to find a progressive identity out in the Western Conference.
Pittsburgh Steelers
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Injuries aside, it's hard to come up with a reason why the Pittsburgh Steelers won't be able to find their groove in 2016, after almost missing out on the playoffs last season.
The offense is built to reflect the inner-workings of a Ferrari engine. Robust quarterback play, fast wide receivers—hello, Antonio Brown—and a running back named Le'Veon Bell who can do it all, gives Pittsburgh a chance to lead the NFL in points per game.
Even without Martavis Bryant—who was suspended for the year back in March—guys such as Sammie Coates and Markus Wheaton should be able to fill the void in the wide receiving corps.
Football Outsiders' Aaron Schatz,, contributing to ESPN.com, projected the Steelers will go 12-4 this year, based mainly around their offense. "We currently project Pittsburgh to be the best offense in the league, which makes a lot of sense considering they ranked third in offensive DVOA last year despite getting just 12 games out of Ben Roethlisberger and six out of Le'Veon Bell," Schatz explained.
So back to our original point: There is no reason why the Steelers can't go out and contend for an AFC Championship considering all the talent they have.
Chelsea
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Finding truth in a post-Mourinho world, Chelsea reached out and brought in former Juventus manager Antonio Conte to help steer the ship.
While at Juventus, Conte drew comparisons to Mourinho, as Bleacher Report's John Foot noted: "After Conte took them back to the top, comparisons started to be made between him and Jose Mourinho, whose obsession with detail and sense of discipline had brought him so many trophies."
The hiring was a logical, tactical decision that should pave the way for Chelsea to get back into the Premier League mix after a shaky 2015-16 campaign that saw the club finish in 10th place.
When discussing Manchester United's future earlier, we mentioned how Merson made projections. In his findings, he claimed Chelsea would once again reign supreme as Premier League champions.
With a crop of talent led by Eden Hazard, Oscar and Diego Costa, Chelsea certainly has the tools to capture another title and bounce back into the good graces of folks over at Stamford Bridge.
Baltimore Ravens
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Consistency has been a mantra the Baltimore Ravens tend to live by. Outside a worrisome 5-11 season in 2015, this team has made the playoffs four times over the last six seasons, including conquering the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII.
Baltimore took a leap backward in 2015 but will be looking to get back on track once again. Effective veterans returning to action such as Terrell Suggs and Steve Smith Sr. will be welcomed in order to shore up both sides of the ball.
Before he was lost to an Achilles injury, Smith Sr. caught 46 passes for 670 yards and three touchdowns in seven games of action. In other words, he was producing at his usual high level.
Using the NFL draft and free agency as a platform to improve, Ravens management signed Mike Wallace to a deal, lured Benjamin Watson over from New Orleans, landed Pro Bowl safety Eric Weddle and drafted offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley out of Notre Dame.
Three of those moves should help quarterback Joe Flacco control this offense and put up points, while Weddle's arrival will change the complexion of this defense.
This team isn't going to have it easy. Both Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are capable, proven commodities. However, tied for 19th place in terms of strength of schedule, per NFL.com, plenty of opportunities will be there to push out a consistent string of wins.
With a nice schedule and a sound special teams unit to fall back on—a unit ranked No. 1 in 2015 by Football Outsiders—Baltimore has plenty of reasons to look forward to 2016.
Montreal Canadiens
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Here's a crazy fact you can spend half the day processing: No Canadian-based team made the NHL playoffs last season. As a mecca of all things puck, this trend needs to be altered.
Of all the Canadian teams out there today, the Montreal Canadiens are poised for the quickest turnaround. It starts with goalie Carey Price. He's two seasons removed from winning the Hart Trophy and one removed from being on the wrong side of injuries, playing 12 games in 2015-16.
A return to form should provide an instant boost. Remember, Montreal won 50 games with Price on the ice and bottomed out at 38 without him last season.
Dan Mount of the Hockey Writers also believes in the power of Price. "The Canadiens would have been a playoff contender had he stayed healthy. Not many goalies can put a team on their back, but Price can," Mount annotated.
The loss of P.K. Subban could be tough. But at least the Canadiens were able to snag Shea Weber for his services.
Will they win the Stanley Cup? No one knows. All we can say for sure is based on Price's health and the addition of Weber, the Canadiens should find their way back into the postseason.
All stats, box scores and information via Sports-Reference.com, unless noted otherwise.
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