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The Philadelphia Eagles went from playoff spectators to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy [url=http://www.seattlemarinersteamshop.com/authentic-james-paxton-jersey]James Paxton Seattle Mariners Jersey[/url] , an impressive one-season turnaround that was far from unprecedented in the modern NFL.

The Eagles were the seventh team in the past 19 seasons to pull off that trick in a sport that always goes through some significant playoff turnover each season.

There have been at least four new playoff teams each year since the NFL went to the 12-team format in 1990, including eight new postseason participants last season when the Eagles won it all.

With new blood coming into the playoffs each year, there are just as many teams heading another way, doomed by injuries, age, bad luck, poor coaching or other reasons.

Here's a look at three teams that could go from playoff spectators to participants, and three others that could go the opposite direction:

TRENDING UP

Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson showed flashes of becoming a star quarterback in six starts as a rookie before getting hurt. With the dynamic Watson on offense and a healthy J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus back on defense, the Texans could be in position to get back into the playoffs after a one-year hiatus. The Texans scored at least 33 points in Watson's final five starts and then went 1-8 after he had a season-ending injury in practice. Keeping Watson healthy will be necessary it the Texans are going to rebound.

Green Bay Packers: Green Bay's run of eight straight playoff appearances ended last season thanks mostly to a collarbone injury that limited star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to seven games. With Rodgers again healthy, the Packers should be among the contenders in the NFC [url=http://www.49erscheapstore.com/mike-mcglinchey-jersey-cheap]Mike McGlinchey Jersey 49ers[/url] , as they usually are. Green Bay was much more active this offseason under new GM Brian Gutekunst, adding prominent free agents like Jimmy Graham and Muhammad Wilkerson. New defensive coordinator Mike Pettine should bring a more aggressive approach that could help support Rodgers and the offense.

San Francisco 49ers: San Francisco won its final five games last year after making the switch to Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback. With Garoppolo signed long term and poised to take his 7-0 career record into his first full season as an NFL starter and coach Kyle Shanahan having much more talent in Year 2 at the helm, the Niners could have the pieces to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Free-agent running back Jerick McKinnon should spark the offense, and the defense has some key building blocks in DT DeForest Buckner and LB Reuben Foster. Richard Sherman could provide a defensive boost at cornerback if his Achilles tendon injury is healed.

TRENDING DOWN

Buffalo Bills: The Bills ended the longest playoff drought in North America's four major sports leagues when they made the postseason for the first time since 1999. Repeating that in coach Sean McDermott's second season will be a more difficult trick, especially with the change made at quarterback this offseason. Tyrod Taylor was traded to Cleveland, leaving either career backup A.J. McCarron or raw rookie Josh Allen as the top two options. Making the playoffs with one of those two at the helm would be a long shot, even in the weaker AFC.

Tennessee Titans: The Titans also ended a playoff drought last season, making the postseason for the first time since 2008 under third-year quarterback Marcus Mariota and coach Mike Mularkey. Even winning a postseason game wasn't enough for Mularkey to keep his job and Tennessee is now retooling under new coach Mike Vrabel. The Titans are in a tough division with Houston and Indianapolis likely taking big steps forward if Watson and Andrew Luck are healthy, and Jacksonville having one of the league's most talented rosters. That makes a return to the postseason a difficult proposition in Tennessee.

Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons took a step back last year after their Super Bowl collapse the previous season but still made the playoffs as a wild-card team. The offense regressed a bit after losing Shanahan as coordinator. There still is plenty of talent in Atlanta led by quarterback Matt Ryan and receiver Julio Jones, but the NFC is stacked [url=http://www.lionscheapstore.com/frank-ragnow-jersey-cheap]Frank Ragnow Jersey Lions[/url] , leaving little margin for error.

The Jets decided it was time for Mo to go.

Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson was released by New York on Wednesday, ending the one-time Pro Bowl selection's stint with the team that drafted him in the first round in 2011.

The long-anticipated move clears $11 million in space under the salary cap, although there will still be a $9 million charge in dead money that will count against the cap. Wilkerson was due to make $16.75 million next season 鈥?which would have become fully guaranteed if he remained on New York's roster by the third day of the league's new year in March.

Coupled with running back Matt Forte's retirement announcement earlier Wednesday, the Jets now have about $90 million in cap space.

"I'm disappointed for the team, I'm disappointed for him," coach Todd Bowles told reporters at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. "Obviously, it didn't work out. I have a lot of love for Mo. I still think he's got a lot of football ahead of him."

But that won't be in New York with the Jets.

We have released DL Muhammad Wilkerson. pic.NhLfoREpLK

鈥?New York Jets (@nyjets) February 28, 2018

It became increasingly clearer late in the season that the 28-year-old Wilkerson's time with the Jets was coming to an end. He was benched at New Orleans on Dec. 17 for being late to a team meeting. Wilkerson then sat out the final two games for what Bowles called a "coach's decision."

The $16.75 million was also fully guaranteed against a serious injury, so the Jets would have been on the hook if Wilkerson got hurt during a game or practice and the injury sidelined him all of next season.

"It was a business decision," Bowles said about the move to release Wilkerson. "It wasn't disciplinary at all. It was good for both parties."

Wilkerson was the Jets' highest-paid player and was in the middle of a five-year deal worth $86 million. After vowing during training camp last summer that he would be more of a leader for the Jets [url=http://www.authenticsbuffalobills.com/cheap-josh-allen-jersey]Cheap Josh Allen Jersey[/url] , he was disciplined for tardiness twice this past season. He was also benched for one quarter of a game in each of the past two seasons.

"I think when you sign a player, you think of the potential he has and you try to help him fulfill that," general manager Mike Maccagnan told reporters at the combine. "When something doesn't work out, you wish it would have, but it didn't."

The divorce caps what has been a stunning and disappointing fall from grace for Wilkerson, who was a homegrown kid from the Elizabeth and Linden areas of New Jersey and made it big after a terrific college career at Temple.

He was the 30th overall pick in 2011 and steadily became one of the NFL's top young defensive ends. Wilkerson made his first Pro Bowl after the 2015 season, but didn't play in it after breaking his right leg in the Jets' regular-season finale.

Despite that, Wilkerson was rewarded by New York with the big contract. He returned in time to start in Week 1 in 2016, but was noticeably affected by lingering issues in his right ankle.

Wilkerson then got off to a slow start in 2017 while dealing with shoulder and toe injuries. The off-field issues became magnified with the decline in Wilkerson's play and the one-time fan favorite was knocked by many fans and media for what was being perceived as a subpar work ethic.

He had just eight sacks in his last 28 games, dating to the start of the 2016 season [url=http://www.authenticsdetroitlions.com/cheap-sylvester-williams-jersey]Sylvester Williams Color Rush Jersey[/url] , including 3陆 this past season 鈥?his lowest total since having three in his rookie season. That came after Wilkerson had a career-high 12 sacks in 2015.

Wilkerson expressed remorse for his actions in December, saying that he "let the team down." But he was also defiant when asked if he deserved the $37 million he made during the last two years.

"I feel like I've earned everything I've gotten," he said. When asked why he felt that way, Wilkerson replied simply: "Because I feel like I've earned it."

For his career, Wilkerson has 44 1/2 sacks, one safety, 10 forced fumbles and 405 combined tackles.

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