The NFL season is officially in the books, with the Seattle Seahawks hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after taking down the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX. For fans in New Jersey, it was another year of watching from the sidelines-whether you bleed green for the Jets or blue for the Giants, you didn’t have a dog in that Super Bowl fight. But if you're a Devils fan, the end of football season brings more than just a quiet Sunday-it brings an uncomfortable reminder of a season slipping away in eerily familiar fashion.
Back in October, the New Jersey Devils looked every bit like a team ready to take the next step. Sure, they stumbled out of the gate with a loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, but what followed was nothing short of electric: an eight-game win streak and a 16-7-1 record through their first 24 games.
The offense was buzzing, the top-six forwards were clicking, and the vibes? Immaculate.
Fast forward a few months, and it’s a different story. The Devils have gone 12-20-1 in their last 33 games, and the cracks that were once easy to overlook are now impossible to ignore.
Injuries-most notably to Jack Hughes-have taken their toll. The power play has sputtered, the penalty kill hasn’t picked up the slack, and the goals just aren’t coming with the same frequency.
For a team loaded with offensive weapons-Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier-this stretch has been as frustrating as it is baffling.
If this sounds familiar, it should. Just ask fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tampa came into the NFL season with modest expectations, but they turned heads early. A 6-2 start, including statement wins over heavyweights like the San Francisco 49ers and the eventual champion Seahawks, had people wondering if this team was for real.
But just like the Devils, the Bucs couldn’t sustain it. They faded down the stretch and missed the playoffs, leaving fans scratching their heads and asking the same question Devils fans are asking now: *What happened?
On paper, both teams look like contenders. The Bucs had Baker Mayfield playing inspired football, a guy who brought heart, grit, and leadership to every snap.
In New Jersey, that role belongs to Nico Hischier-captain, tone-setter, and the guy who leads by example every night. Tampa had a trio of offensive threats in Bucky Irving, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin-players who can flip a game with one play.
The Devils? They counter with Bratt, Hughes, and Meier, a group built to put pucks in the net and pressure defenses every shift.
There’s even a parallel when it comes to injuries. Hughes and Evans both looked poised for monster seasons before being derailed by health issues. And each team has a young spark plug off the bench-Tez Johnson for Tampa, Arseny Gritsyuk for New Jersey-who brings energy and depth when it's needed most.
Defensively, the Bucs leaned on the steady presence of Lavonte David, a veteran who’s seen it all and still makes plays. The Devils have their own version in Brett Pesce, a dependable blue-liner who’s been tasked with anchoring a defense that’s struggled to find consistency.
Different sports, different leagues, different coasts. But the parallels between these two teams are hard to ignore. Each started strong, each has undeniable talent, and each is staring down the barrel of a season that could end in disappointment if things don’t turn around quickly.
For the Buccaneers, the story is already written. A promising start gave way to a frustrating finish, and they’ll be watching the playoffs from home.
The Devils still have time to change their narrative-but the window is closing fast. If they don’t find a way to rediscover that early-season magic, it won’t be long before fans stop talking about playoff matchups and start talking about draft lottery odds.
New Jersey gets a chance to reset after the Olympic break. Their next test comes February 25th at home against the Buffalo Sabres. It’s not a must-win on paper, but if the Devils want to avoid following Tampa’s path, it sure feels like one.