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The offseason is a time for hoping and dreaming around the NFL. It's a time for thinking that steal in the second wave of free agency is going to be a high-producing bargain. That Day 3 running back in the draft will surely be a buried gem, too.

Every wish will come true, and the wildest fantasies are within reach. Until they aren't and the cold, cruel weight of reality settles in.

That can happen at different times during the season and for different reasons. Or for a number of reasons, but there's often one potential land mine waiting that can cripple a team.

If it explodes, the season usually goes up in flames as well. For many teams in 2017, that one link holding the season together is how much longer a quarterback can fight off the natural aging process. It feels like the New England Patriots' Tom Brady could play until the age of 50. For others like the New York Giants' Eli Manning, darkness could be closing in fast.

For some teams, the main tipping point in 2017 is tied to free agency and making up for deep roster holes that just opened up. Many teams are also just hoping the weakness that derailed 2016 has finally been fixed.

Let's take a look at the worst-case scenario each team needs to avoid.