Some of those franchises -- most notably the 0-16 Detroit Lions -- were looking forward to 2009 long ago. Others like New England, Chicago, Dallas and Tampa Bay were in the playoff picture until the season's final weekend. And there are four other squads -- Miami, Atlanta, Minnesota and Indianapolis -- who reached the postseason but were eliminated in last weekend's first-round playoff games.

Here is a look at why these teams fell short of Super Bowl XLIII and what positions they may be targeting in April's NFL draft (clubs are ranked in draft order; the draft order of playoff teams will be finalized when the postseason ends):

Non-Playoff teams

Team: Detroit
Record: 0-16
Why they didn't reach the playoffs: Simply put, this was the worst team ever. The only 0-16 squad in NFL history, Detroit ranked last in total defense, 30th in total offense and was outscored by an average of 16 points a game.
Two biggest draft needs: Left tackle -- Starting every game for the past eight seasons has taken a physical toll on 31-year-old starter Jeff Backus; Defensive end -- The Lions haven't fielded a fearsome pass-rusher since Robert Porcher was in his prime in 2001.
Comment: There's nowhere to go but up. The first order of business for whoever is hired as Detroit's new head coach: Find a long-term solution at quarterback.