The Seattle Seahawks aren’t expected to be Super Bowl contenders, make the playoffs, or even finish near .500. They’re projected for double digit losses for the second season in a row and presumably a top-10 pick in next year’s NFL Draft.
Success is relative and it changes from team to team. If the Jacksonville Jaguars go 9-8 but just miss the playoffs they’ve still had a really good season by their recent standards. If the Kansas City Chiefs go 9-8 but just miss the playoffs and Patrick Mahomes didn’t get injured for a long period of time then they’re surely going to consider their season a disappointment.