NFL Teams Entering Make-or-Break Offseasons in 2020

In the NFL, the luster from a good season can wear off quickly. Head coaches can't hang their hats on last year's successes or the optimism from the previous season. You either shape up or get shipped out of town.

Unless a team's players and coaches passed around the Lombardi Trophy or at least went to the playoffs, the next season could become the last for the regime in place.

Typically, clubs at the bottom of the standings face the most pressure to produce better results in the following term. A coaching staff with multiple years invested in a franchise may battle stagnation, which also pushes ownership to contemplate major changes.

Going into the 2020 offseason, we'll take a look at five NFL teams that fall into one of the two aforementioned categories. In a competitive landscape where everyone feels some level of pressure, these clubs stand out because of significant regression or recent rumblings about possible dismissals.

Atlanta Falcons

Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

After the Atlanta Falcons' 1-4 start to the 2019 season, owner Arthur Blank had second thoughts about head coach Dan Quinn, who signed a three-year extension during the 2018 offseason, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

"According to people familiar with Blank's thinking, the owner wants to see progress over the next three weeks before the Week 9 bye or changes could come, with Quinn among them," Rapoport wrote.

Fortunately for Quinn and his staff, while the Falcons stumbled to a 1-7 first-half record, they went 6-2 for the remainder of the term with quality road victories over the division-winning New Orleans Saints and the Super-Bowl bound San Francisco 49ers.

Starting during a 34-33 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6, Quinn gave up defensive play-calling responsibilities to linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich and defensive backs instructor Raheem Morris. The latter will serve as a coordinator in 2020.

After Quinn delegated play-calling decisions to his assistants, Atlanta held three teams to fewer than 20 points, which hadn't happened yet during the season. Before their Week 9 bye, the Falcons forced four turnovers. Following the midseason intermission, the defense recorded 16 takeaways.

The Falcons had a tale of two seasons but finished strong. Blank isn't going to let up in 2020, though. He expects more from his team moving forward.

"Over the last two seasons our results on the field have not met our standard or the expectations of our fans," Blank said. "I understand our fans' disappointment and frustration because I've felt every bit of it as well. That said, our focus must be on giving our franchise the best opportunity to win next year and beyond."

Quinn will begin the 2020 campaign under a microscope. In a CEO-type role as head coach, his tenure could come to an end if the team starts slow or finishes with a losing record. He earned the benefit of the doubt from the Falcons' Super Bowl LI appearance, but that shield has faded over the last three years.

Chicago Bears

Nam Huh/Associated Press

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace

Unlike some of the other head coaches with projected make-or-break clubs, Matt Nagy doesn't have an owner or front-office executive who is applying direct pressure on him.

However, general manager Ryan Pace's decision to take Mitchell Trubisky with the No. 2 overall pick over Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson doesn't look good after three complete terms.

Last season, Mahomes earned league MVP honors. Now, he's preparing to compete in Super Bowl LIV following a solid year, throwing for 4,031 yards, 26 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Despite playing behind poor pass-blocking offensive lines (32nd in 2018 and 27th in 2019, per Football Outsiders), Watson helped lead the Houston Texans to consecutive division titles and won his first playoff game this year. He's registered 85 total touchdowns as a passer and ball-carrier with 29 interceptions. The 24-year-old is a high-level dual-threat quarterback.

As for Trubisky, he took a step backward between his second and third seasons—his completion percentage, passing touchdowns and QBR dropped in 2019. The 25-year-old has a Pro Bowl campaign on his resume and has the mobility to fit in with modern-day dual-threat quarterbacks, but he doesn't show a significant upside similar to Mahomes or Watson.

Fair or not, Trubisky will be compared to Mahomes and Watson as draft classmates. Pace will be judged on the move to trade up for the North Carolina product.

Because of Trubisky's regression and his connection to Pace, we could see changes in the front office and under center if the Bears field another bottom-fourth passing attack. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the GM could be on the clock with Bears chairman George McCaskey.

"McCaskey reminded everyone Tuesday that while he's not patient, he values the steady approach Pace brings to the organization," Biggs wrote. "But with a 34-46 record in five seasons, Pace might be at the point where the Bears need to win in 2020 to protect his future."

Last year, the Bears won the NFC North. This season, they missed the playoffs at 8-8. If Chicago drops further in the standings, we can't assume Nagy survives another disappointing campaign. If team brass shows Pace the door along with his coveted draft pick in Trubisky, a new front-office executive may choose to wipe the slate clean.

Detroit Lions

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia and team owner Martha Ford

Although head coach Matt Patricia felt confident about his job security going into the offseason, owner Martha Ford issued a statement that raises the urgency level for the Detroit Lions lead skipper and general manager Bob Quinn.

"We expect to be a playoff contender and those are our expectations, which we've expressed to both Bob and to Matt," Ford told reporters.

In 2018, Patricia's arrival brought immediate improvements to the defense. The unit ranked top-10 in yards allowed for the first time since the 2014 campaign, giving some hope for the future despite a 6-10 record.

In 2019, the Lions didn't make further strides. Instead, the defense gave up more points and yards, and the team finished the season on a nine-game losing streak en route to a 3-12-1 record.

We have to be fair while judging the Lions' 2019 season. They lost starting quarterback Matthew Stafford after Week 9 because of back and hip injuries. For that reason, Patricia should have another year to show he's the guy to lead the franchise in the right direction.

Assuming Stafford starts the 2020 season healthy, the Lions should field a more competitive team—one that can challenge the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings in the division.

Patricia spent six seasons in New England as a defensive coordinator. He should be able to fix the team's coverage (32nd-ranked pass defense) and pass-rush issues (28th in quarterback pressures). The Lions have the No. 3 overall pick, which allows Quinn to select an impact player or trade back for more draft capital in order to fill multiple roster voids.

The Lions have an offensive centerpiece and the resources to improve in 2020. Now, Quinn and Patricia have to put the pieces together to right the ship.

Jacksonville Jaguars

John Raoux/Associated Press

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterbacks Nick Foles (left) and Gardner Minshew II

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone's tenure started out with a bang. He led the team to the AFC Championship Game with efficient play from quarterback Blake Bortles paired alongside the No. 1 ground attack.

Two losing seasons later, Jaguars owners met with Marrone to discuss his future, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Typically, that's not a good sign following a disappointing year.

Marrone will remain in his current position for the upcoming campaign, but the optimism from his early success has likely worn off. Since 2018, the Jaguars are 11-21 with consecutive last-place finishes in the AFC South.

Jacksonville dismissed executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin. In December, an arbitrator ruled the team violated the collective bargaining agreement by requiring players to get offseason rehab at the Jaguars' facility. Perhaps his exit boosts team morale, but the Jaguars need to produce better results on the field as well.

Marrone has to sort out the quarterback position with Nick Foles, who's going into the second term of his four-year, $88 million deal, and 2019 sixth-rounder Gardner Minshew II.

The Jaguars benched Foles for Minshew late in the season, which makes their coveted 2019 free-agent acquisition seem like a huge miss. Ultimately, that mistake could cost general manager David Caldwell and Marrone their jobs.

Since 2013, when Caldwell took over the general manager position, the Jaguars have won more than six games in a season just once (36-76). Another losing campaign—Marrone's third consecutive—should prompt sweeping changes for a franchise in need of a spark.

The Jaguars have two top-20 draft picks in April. As well, workhorse running back Leonard Fournette and a trio of pass-rushers in Calais Campbell, Josh Allen and Yannick Ngakoue—who could return to the team on a new deal—could be pieces of a bright future.

If Caldwell and Marrone can't change the team's outlook with those assets, owner Shahid Khan should shake up the front office and coaching ranks.

Los Angeles Chargers

Kelvin Kuo/Associated Press

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn didn't have a reported pivotal meeting with ownership. Team brass hasn't issued a stern public statement to put him on high alert.

Yet Lynn will go into the final year of his contract without an extension in sight. He didn't show much concern about the situation following the season.

"I'm still under contract last time I checked, so I'm not even worried about that," he told reporters. "That contract will take care of itself once we get this thing turned around."

In addition to an expiring deal, Lynn likely feels the pressure to deliver better results after a fall from 12-4 to 5-11. The Chargers also have question marks at quarterback and running back.

Philip Rivers will be a free agent and turned 38 years old during a down season, logging his lowest QBR since 2012.

In a contract year, Melvin Gordon III averaged 51 rushing yards per game after a holdout extended into the first month of the 2019 campaign. He fumbled four times and lost three. Fellow ball-carrier Austin Ekeler, who will be a restricted free agent, had a breakout season, recording 1,550 yards from scrimmage.

Lynn and the front office have major decisions in the offseason that will likely make or break the franchise for the coming years. Equipped with the No. 6 overall pick, the Chargers could select a signal-caller to replace Rivers. If they stick with the status quo, the team must bounce back or potentially face the same pressing quarterback issue next offseason in the AFC West cellar.

As the Chargers move into a new stadium, they must captivate fans upon arrival. If they fail to do so, home games may continue to feel like the stomping grounds for the visiting team.

As for Lynn, whose future remains uncertain beyond this year, the 2020 season probably decides his fate with the organization.