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Chinks in the Armor: The Biggest Flaw for All 32 NFL Teams

Hunter Tierney 's profile
Original Story by Wave News
August 14, 2025
Chinks in the Armor: The Biggest Flaw for All 32 NFL Teams

What’s the one thing that could keep your team from playing deep into January? That’s the question that keeps popping up as preseason snaps give us just enough to overreact to. Across both the AFC and NFC, there’s no shortage of talent — but every contender still has that one area keeping coaches up at night. Some are obvious (injury rehabs, thin position groups, new coaches installing on the fly). Others are more annoying than fatal — the kind of weaknesses that don’t show up every week… until they do, against the wrong opponent.

This isn’t about piling on. It’s about being honest about the one area that can compress a playbook or turn a comfortable Sunday into a coin‑flip. Division by division, team by team, here’s the clearest weak point as we head toward Week 1.

AFC

AFC East

Jan 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) on the field before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Credit: Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Buffalo Bills — Secondary stability, or wideout juice? Pick your poison.

Buffalo’s weakness conversation splits the room. One side points at the secondary and says, “that’s the spot you can stress.” When the Bills have been elite on defense, it’s because the back end disguised things and erased windows. Lately, it’s been more shuffle than cohesion — young corners, safeties in and out, and new pieces trying to talk the same language.

The other side looks at the receivers and asks a fair question: is the ceiling high enough? The offense still runs through Josh Allen’s right arm and legs, but when defenses squeeze the middle and dare Buffalo to win outside the numbers, the room needs a true matchup problem to make them pay. If that doesn’t materialize, the Bills end up leaning on Allen’s improvisation a little too often.

Miami Dolphins — The trenches, particularly the interior OL.

At their best, the Dolphins play on a racetrack. Motions, angles, space — it’s beautiful. But that whole track is built on the ability to hold up inside long enough to get the ball downfield. Miami has poured resources into speed; the question is whether the middle three can hold up against the league’s bullies. When the pocket gets muddy immediately, spacing rules evaporate. Tua’s rhythm passing is lethal on schedule; it’s a grind when the A‑gaps are caving.

Depth is the other concern. Miami’s five can look solid when the lineup is intact. It rarely stays intact for four straight months. The minute you start playing musical chairs at guard or center, the run game and protection both lose their edges.

New York Jets — On paper it’s safety; in practice it’s the quarterback.

If you’re filling out a roster worksheet, the Jets’ soft spot would be safety depth and reliability. But the truth of their season probably lives under center. New York can win ugly if the defense is its usual nuisance and the offense avoids the self‑inflicted stuff. What it can’t do is live in third‑and‑long with Justin Fields forcing throws into bracketed windows.

The wideout room behind Garrett Wilson has exciting traits but asks for projection. That’s fine if the ball comes out on time and on target. It’s a problem if the offense needs hero throws to move the chains. The Jets don’t need Fields to be a fireworks show; they just need him to be on schedule, take the layups, and punish single coverage when defenses finally blink.

New England Patriots — Still the receivers, until someone proves otherwise.

There’s a lot to like about what New England is trying to build: a tougher offensive line, a defense that can tilt the field, and a young quarterback they believe they can bring along the right way. But when you zoom in on the pass game, who scares you outside? The room has a big name now with Stefon Diggs, but at his age, there's still not a sure thing at the top of the call sheet.

That doesn’t mean the offense can’t work. You can live in play‑action, lean on tight ends, use motions to manufacture leverage, and steal yards after the catch. It just means the windows get tighter in the red zone and on late downs, and that’s where talent tends to separate. If the Patriots are consistently operating in tight spaces, mistakes go up and explosive plays go down.

AFC North

Jan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) hands the ball off to Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium.
Credit: Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Baltimore Ravens — The edges and the guards: the two levers that swing January.

The Ravens are so sound everywhere that the smallest seam looks loud. Two spots keep coming up. On defense, it’s the edge group: Baltimore generates pressures by committee, but the closing speed and late‑game sacks haven’t always matched the down‑to‑down disruption. Against top quarterbacks, you need that one dude who ruins a two‑minute drill. Kyle Van Noy had a career year last year with 12.5 sacks, but expecting him to be able to replicate that at 34 years old seems like a tall task. 

On offense, it's guard play. When the interior is sturdy, Lamar Jackson and Todd Monken can live in the good stuff — play‑action, middle‑of‑the‑field throws, option runs that punish overplays. When the guards lose early, the timing of all of it goes haywire. You see more scrambles that aren't designed and fewer rhythm throws between the numbers.

Cincinnati Bengals — Defense, again.

Last year, the Bengals’ defense didn’t just have a down season — it cratered. They had the best passing offense in football, but the defense was so porous that it yanked them out of the playoffs. Missed tackles, busted coverages, and a run defense that just folded in big moments made it impossible to protect leads or give Joe Burrow enough breathing room to close games. Every week turned into a shootout, and in the AFC North, that’s a recipe for disaster.

The problem is, nothing they’ve done this offseason convinces me they’ve truly fixed it. The same secondary questions linger, the linebacker depth is still shaky, and on top of all of that, Trey Hendrickson’s still not signed. There’s no new wave of proven playmakers coming to save the day. They might get marginally better, but unless a few guys suddenly take huge leaps, this unit still looks like the anchor weighing down a roster that should be contending deep into January.

Cleveland Browns — The offense being functional, week after week.

Cleveland’s defense is plenty good enough to keep them in games. What punches a hole in the season is when the offense can’t answer the bell three drives in a row. Some of that is quarterback clarity. Some of it is chemistry between a reshaped receiver room and a line that’s cycled through injuries. If they struggle to stay on the field for sustained drives, it puts the defense on a treadmill.

It doesn’t have to be pretty. Cleveland doesn’t need to turn into a 35‑points‑per‑game outfit. They need to move the chains, avoid the bad turnovers, and hit the occasional vertical shot so safeties can’t play at ten yards all afternoon. If Joe Flacco (or eventually even Sheduer Sanders) gives them steady, boring competence, the defense will do the rest.

Pittsburgh Steelers — Offensive tackle play that matches the Rodgers bet.

Pittsburgh remade the edges of the line with the clear intent of letting Aaron Rodgers be, well, Aaron Rodgers — rhythm throws, timing routes, and the occasional deep shot off play‑action. That only works if the edges hold up. If the tackles are springy, the playbook shrinks to quick-hitters and screens, and you’re asking a 41‑year‑old to play dodgeball. That’s not the vision.

The good news is the talent is there with Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu. The challenge is that they're young players still learning NFL pass pro while facing some of the nastiest edge rushers in the sport. There will be snaps where they look like the right answer. The question is whether there are enough of them in a row when it’s third‑and‑long in Baltimore and the crowd is roaring.

AFC South

From left, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7), wide receiver Dyami Brown (5), quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) and wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) walks off the field during the 10th organized team activity at Miller Electric Center
Credit: Credit: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Houston Texans — Interior offensive line.

Houston’s roster has some star power and speed, but the soft spot was the interior last year and it’s still the stress test until proven otherwise. The Texans surrendered 52 sacks in 2024, and a lot of that pressure leaked right up the gut, forcing C.J. Stroud to speed everything up. Trading away a franchise‑level left tackle certainly didn't make the job easier.

They’ve thrown bodies at it — veteran tackles to stabilize the edges, a mix‑and‑match interior, and a rookie right tackle, Aireontae Erserytraits who has some really nice traits — but the NFL is cruel to unsettled lines. If defenses don’t fear the inside run and know they can get push with four, it squeezes the downfield passing game that makes Houston so dangerous. You end up living in second‑and‑nine more than you want.

Indianapolis Colts — Quarterback reliability and passing‑game consistency.

The Colts have a path: lean on a top‑tier line, let Jonathan Taylor handle the heavy lifting, and pick your spots in the air. The question is whether they can get consistent, accurate, low‑mistake quarterback play to keep the structure intact. Last year’s passing game was choppy at best, and the ball didn’t always come out when and where it needed to.

It isn’t a talent problem at the skill spots. It’s rhythm — staying out of the bad downs, hitting the gimme throws, and punishing single coverage when teams overplay the run. If Indianapolis is constantly behind the sticks, the protection looks worse and your best plays get shelved. If they’re on schedule, the whole operation hums.

Jacksonville Jaguars — Two fronts to watch: a leaky defense and an offensive line on thin ice.

It’s almost become a yearly tradition in Jacksonville — spring optimism gets doused by the same old conversation about the offensive line. For the third year in a row, it’s hard to feel great about the group tasked with keeping Trevor Lawrence upright. Tackles Walker Little and Anton Harrison haven’t exactly eased those concerns. Little’s had stretches of solid play, but his inconsistency shows up at the worst times, while Harrison, entering Year 3, still has a lot to prove after an up-and-down first couple of years.

Last year was another reminder: even with weapons all over the field, the offense sputtered when the protection collapsed. And with no major overhaul this offseason, just a couple of tweaks around the edges, it’s hard to believe the results will be much different. Until Jacksonville proves it can consistently win in the trenches, that ceiling everyone talks about will stay just out of reach.

Tennessee Titans — The passing game growing up and the second level holding together.

Tennessee made a big swing at quarterback. That doesn’t make growing pains disappear. The passing game needs to function on time, not just on talent. That means protection that isn’t leaky, receivers who separate on schedule, and a young QB willing to take the easy yards instead of hunting hero balls.

AFC West

Jan 18, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) reacts before a 2025 AFC divisional round game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Credit: Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Kansas City Chiefs — The weapons... for now.

The Chiefs’ receiving corps might not be firing on all cylinders to start 2025. Rashee Rice is staring down a potential suspension from that offseason incident, Hollywood Brown’s been banged up in camp, and rookie Xavier Worthy is already battling nagging injuries. That’s not exactly the dream scenario for Patrick Mahomes heading into September. Early in the season, there’s a real chance Kansas City leans heavily on Travis Kelce, their backs out of the backfield, and the scheme to buy time until everyone’s healthy and available.

But here’s the thing — it’s hard to bet against this group figuring it out by the time it really matters. Mahomes has a knack for elevating whoever’s out there, and if Rice returns, Brown gets back to full speed, and Worthy finds his rhythm, the Chiefs could roll into the postseason with a deep, dynamic group of pass catchers.

Los Angeles Chargers — Interior defensive line: need more pocket push.

Jim Harbaugh has set the edges of the roster — franchise tackles outside on offense, corners who compete outside on defense. The soft spot is the middle of the defensive front. The Chargers can set edges and cover; what they need is a couple of defensive tackles who dent the pocket and finish. Without that, quarterbacks climb and reset, and the coverage has to hold forever.

Against the best offenses, that shows up on third down and in the red zone. You can play perfect for three seconds and still give up a conversion at 3.7 because there’s no interior collapse. The run defense also lives on first‑down wins from the tackles. If those aren’t there, the linebackers get washed and you’re living in second‑and‑four.

Las Vegas Raiders — A secondary asking a lot of projections.

This is the division to get exposed if you’re light at corner. Every offense here can flood zones, stack speed, and make you tackle in space. One missed jam at the line becomes a 28‑yard chunk. One slow trigger from safety turns a crosser into a catch‑and‑run headache. There's no denying this team needs some help in the secondary, and it doesn't seem to be coming anytime soon.

Denver Broncos — Wide receiver depth behind the alpha.

Right now, Denver’s receiver room just doesn’t stack up with the top units in the league. Courtland Sutton is still their best option, but he’s not exactly a game-wrecker, and behind him it’s a mix of unproven or inconsistent pieces. Marvin Mims Jr. has big-play speed but hasn’t shown he can be a true WR2 yet, and Tim Patrick has had injuries really derail his career.

Compared to teams with legit one-two punches or even three-deep threats, the Broncos just don’t have that same level of firepower. Unless Mims takes a massive leap or Sutton finds another gear, this passing game is likely going to feel limited.

NFC

NFC East

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter is selected by the New York Giants as the number three pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field.
Credit: Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dallas Cowboys — Run defense and backfield punch.

Dallas could rush the passer just fine in 2024. It’s everything that happened before third‑and‑long that kept biting them. The run defense was, statistically, one of the worst in football — highest EPA per rush allowed, most rushing touchdowns surrendered. That’s a lot of easy yards given away before Micah Parsons even gets a chance to tee off.

Then there’s the offense’s own run game. Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders were both at their best a few years ago. Now, they’re trying to prove there’s gas left in the tank. Dallas averaged just over four yards a carry last year and felt every bit of it when trying to close out games. I don't see that number skyrocketing here in 2025.

New York Giants — Quarterback roulette and protection woes.

The Giants tore down the QB room and started over. Russell Wilson is the starter for now, Jameis Winston is the change‑up, and first‑rounder Jaxson Dart is waiting in the wings. It’s a mix of “could be steady” and “could be chaos,” and protecting them is an offensive line that’s been a problem for years. Andrew Thomas is a rock when he’s healthy. The rest is replacement‑level until proven otherwise.

They’ve got pass‑rush juice on defense with Dexter Lawrence, Abdul Carter and Brian Burns, but if the offense is cycling quarterbacks and giving up free rushers inside, it’s hard to take advantage.

Philadelphia Eagles — A passing game that needs its fastball back.

Jalen Hurts was pretty good last year, but pretty good isn’t the standard for a player with his level of success. The passing game lacked consistency; sure, some of that is because the ground game simply took over, but that doesn't make it any less true. After A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, it’s a steep drop.

They can run it as well as anyone with Saquon Barkley, and the defense’s talent is still scary, but January football usually requires someone beyond your top two wideouts to make a play. Right now, that player is a question mark.

Washington Commanders — A front that needs to match the offense’s energy.

Washington’s defense was a clear step behind its offense last season, and that gap was obvious every Sunday. They struggled to hold the line against the run, rarely generated steady pressure on quarterbacks, and too often failed to get their hands on passes in the secondary. Dante Fowler Jr. moved on, and even though Von Miller comes in with a Hall of Fame resume, he’s at the point in his career where expecting a full 17-game slate of vintage play isn’t realistic.

On the other side of the ball, Jayden Daniels and the offense should have no trouble putting points on the board, but they can’t be asked to win shootouts every week. If Washington wants to make real noise this season, the defense doesn’t have to turn into the ’85 Bears — it just needs to hold its own, get off the field on key downs, and give the offense a fighting chance.

NFC North

Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) gets ready to run out of the tunnel for player introduction before a game against Seattle Seahawks at Ford Field in Detroit on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024.
Credit: Credit: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Chicago Bears — Backfield bite and pass‑rush help.

Chicago rebuilt its interior offensive line and gave Caleb Williams a better set of weapons to work with, but the backfield still feels like it’s stuck in the “we’ll see” phase. D’Andre Swift’s efficiency numbers took a hit last season, Roschon Johnson hasn’t quite clicked into gear yet, and the rookie addition is more of a lottery ticket than a sure thing. That means Williams might have to be both the spark and the engine for this offense, at least early on.

Defensively, Montez Sweat is still that guy — he’s the kind of pass rusher that keeps tackles awake the night before — but the help on the other side is more of a question mark. Until someone else consistently wins off the edge, opposing offenses can just slide protection toward Sweat, buy their quarterbacks extra time to keep the chains moving.

Detroit Lions — The new‑look front-seven.

Last season, losing Hutchinson midway through the year exposed just how thin the Lions really were when it came to rushing the passer. Opponents figured it out fast, and without consistent pressure, their secondary often got hung out to dry. That defensive drop-off was compounded by both coordinators leaving, putting this year in a bit of a reset mode both on the sideline and on the depth chart.

The question now is whether they’ve done enough to shore up that glaring weakness. Marcus Davenport has struggled to stay healthy, Josh Paschal has yet to make a real impact, and Hutchinson is still a star, but the lack of proven depth is still a concern.

Green Bay Packers — Corners and complementary rush.

The Packers have an elite safety in Xavier McKinney, but after moving on from Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes, they’re walking a tightrope at corner. Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon are penciled in, and while both have shown flashes, neither has logged the kind of top-flight reps you’d want against elite passing attacks. That lack of proven depth on the outside is exactly the kind of thing opponents will test early and often.

Up front, Rashan Gary needs to recapture his 2023 form and be a consistent disruptor, because last year’s pass rush simply wasn’t good enough to mask the coverage issues. The Packers were too quiet in key moments, giving quarterbacks time to pick apart the secondary.

Minnesota Vikings — Protection for the kid.

Minnesota’s interior offensive line was a problem late last season, getting pushed around too often and letting pressure leak right up the middle. When Christian Darrisaw went down, it only made matters worse, exposing just how thin the protection was when injuries hit. They’ve tried to patch it up through free agency and the draft, but that doesn’t change the fact that three new starters will need time to figure each other out.

That’s a tough ask when you’ve got J.J. McCarthy under center with zero NFL snaps to his name. A shaky interior can rattle even veteran quarterbacks, so asking a rookie (essentially) to stand tall behind a line still finding its footing feels like a gamble. Until this group proves it can keep the pocket clean, especially against teams that can collapse the middle, it’s going to be the question mark hanging over the offense.

NFC South

Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) drops back to pass against the Carolina Panthers in the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium.
Credit: Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Atlanta Falcons — Pass rush, pass rush, pass rush.

Last season, the Falcons’ pass rush was about as threatening as a summer breeze. They finished near the bottom of the league in sacks, pressures, and quarterback hits, and it showed in how often opposing quarterbacks had time to sit back, read the paper, and pick apart the secondary. They lacked that one guy who could consistently collapse the pocket, and their pressure often came in quick spurts rather than sustained heat.

This offseason, Atlanta clearly knew they couldn’t roll out the same group and expect better results. They brought in some fresh faces, added a few younger guys with upside, and tried to inject more speed off the edge. Drafting Jalon Walker and  James Pearce Jr. looks good on paper, but this is still a unit filled with question marks. With so much riding on player development and untested pieces clicking at once, it’s hard to say the pass rush is anything but a work in progress.

Carolina Panthers — Still building a defense that can get stops.

Carolina’s defense in 2024 wasn’t just bad — it was the kind of bad you talk about for years. By almost every metric, they were dead last. They couldn’t stop the run, they couldn’t get to the quarterback, and they gave up 30 or more points in ten different games. It was the perfect storm of busted assignments, missed tackles, and no real push up front. And when your free safety spot is a revolving door and the corners behind Jaycee Horn are basically replacement‑level, well, you’re in for a long year.

New Orleans Saints — QB answers that aren't coming.

The Saints’ quarterback room went from shaky to downright bleak the second Derek Carr announced his retirement. They didn’t spend a premium pick on a successor because the plan was to let Carr ride it out at least one more year, and now they’re staring at a depth chart that looks like it belongs to a team still in rebuild mode. With no proven starter and a collection of backups and developmental guys, they’re banking on someone to step up who’s never actually shown they can win consistently in the NFL. That’s a dangerous gamble in a league where bad quarterback play can tank an otherwise solid roster in a hurry.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Coverage over the middle.

The Bucs’ secondary was a problem all year, and it wasn’t just a few bad games — it was a steady leak that opposing quarterbacks learned to pick at. The middle of the field was especially vulnerable, giving up easy completions and chunk gains to tight ends and slot receivers. Their safeties, normally a stabilizing force, finished in the bottom third of the league in coverage grades. Antoine Winfield Jr. still made some plays, but he wasn’t the same consistent game-changer he’d been in past seasons. That same lack of big-play ability on the perimeter still leaves the secondary as the glaring weakness of the defense this season, a soft spot opponents are going to attack early and often.

NFC West

Dec 1, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium.
Credit: Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Arizona Cardinals — Back seven reliability.

Even with the arrival of Josh Sweat and Calais Campbell bolstering the front, the secondary is still a glaring concern heading into this season. The back seven still looks like the Achilles’ heel — safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson surrendered quarterback ratings over 120 last year, and the cornerback group is built more on hope than proven production.

Rookie Will Johnson has shown flashes early in camp and could be a difference-maker down the road, but as talented as he is, he’s still learning the pro game, which means growing pains are almost inevitable.

Los Angeles Rams — Pass protection for whichever QB is healthy.

The Rams have plenty of fireworks with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, but it only matters if Matthew Stafford has room to operate — and can get on the field. Too often last year, the pocket caved in and drives stalled before the route concepts could breathe. Stafford can navigate a little noise, but when the edges are leaky and the interior picks up late, the offense shrinks into quick game and check‑downs, and you lose the explosives that make this group scary.

They don’t need an all‑star line; they need a competent one that keeps Stafford clean long enough for second‑window throws and play‑action shots to develop. Depth is still thin and the five have to gel quickly, because no amount of play‑calling wizardry can cover for constant edge pressure.

San Francisco 49ers — Interior defensive line and health.

San Francisco’s defense slipped because offenses could run straight at them and live in second‑and‑four. The interior is young and unproven, and that changes everything: it lets quarterbacks step up to escape the edge pressure and keeps the call sheet on schedule for the other side. Even a star like Nick Bosa looks more human when the middle of the pocket is clean.

The fix is simple to say and hard to do: find two tackles you can trust to win their gaps and squeeze the pocket. If the young guys grow fast and a dependable rotation forms, the rest of the defense goes back to playing downhill. If not, opponents will keep hammering inside runs and quick play‑action at the A‑gaps until the 49ers prove they can close the door.

Seattle Seahawks — The trenches.

Seattle has the skill, talent, and a defense with juice, but the offense keeps tripping over the same cord: interior protection. Fifty‑plus sacks last season tell the story, and the center/right‑guard combo was the obvious weak link. Too many plays died on the vine because the middle was rushed before the play could unfold, forcing Geno Smith into survival mode.

Rookie Grey Zabel should help, but it’s a big lift to stabilize the middle on day one. It's not as though Sam Darnold is suddenly going to be able to break out of sacks that Geno couldn't. If the interior holds up, this becomes a play‑action, shot‑play offense again and the pass game breathes. Until then, the line — specifically the center‑guard triangle — is the Seahawks’ biggest vulnerability and the thing every opponent will test first.

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