The NFL has reached its midway point of the season, and there is a familiar team at the top in the Kansas City Chiefs. The last unbeaten team in the NFL, the Chiefs appear primed to make a run at a third straight Super Bowl title. Of course, the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions will have something to say about that.
While those four teams are the Super Bowl contenders, the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers would like to enter that conversation. The Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Houston Texans are trying to prove they are championship contenders, but they are not replacing their coaches like the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints.
There still is plenty of football to be played in the second half, so a lot can change over the final nine weeks of the regular season.
With the first half completed, each team had to take home a grade after the first nine weeks. So how did each team fare after the midterm exam? It depends on the expectation, but performance was a huge factor in the final mark.
- Record: 5-4
- Grade: A
The Cardinals won just four games last season. Arizona already has five wins this season and lead the NFC West at the midway point. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has a top 15 offense while coach Jonathan Gannon has gotten the most out of a roster that ranks in the bottom five in NFL talent.
The Cardinals are one of those teams that never quit, having multiple wins when trailing by multiple scores in the fourth quarter. Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr. are cornerstones for this franchise for years to come.
- Record: 6-3
- Grade: B+
The best team in the NFC South, the Falcons appear to be running away with this division with their sweep of the Buccaneers and Tampa Bay’s injuries. This team was a good quarterback away from returning to the playoffs and Kirk Cousins has provided that.
While the offense is a top 10 unit, the defense leaves much to be desired. Atlanta has won five of six and could challenge for a top seed in the NFC. Where the Falcons fit in the NFC hierarchy will be tested in the second half of the season.
- Record: 6-3
- Grade: A-
One of the Super Bowl contenders in the NFL, the Ravens offense is nearly unstoppable which Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry — both of whom are leading MVP candidates. The offense is second in points and yards per possession, but the defense is uncharacteristically outside the top 20.
Baltimore also has inexcusable losses to the Raiders and Browns. The Ravens should be better than their record indicates.
- Record: 7-2
- Grade: A
Outside of a blowout loss to the Ravens, there isn’t much to complain about this Bills team. Buffalo has a top 10 offense in points and yards per possession and has scored 30+ points in six of his nine games. Josh Allen has just 17 touchdown passes, but only two interceptions to his name. The Bills’ passing game has improved with Amari Cooper, but the Bills have to make sure he’s healthy to make a Super Bowl run.
The Bills are running away with the AFC East and are a Super Bowl contender will all the injuries. They’ll be tested in the second half with the Chiefs, 49ers and Lions on their schedule.
- Record: 2-7
- Grade: D-
This was going to be one of the worst teams in the NFL when the season began, but the improvements of the Panthers were supposed to be centered around Bryce Young. It only took two games for the Panthers to bench Young in favor of Andy Dalton, making the 2024 season a waste.
Young may be worse than he was last season, and doesn’t appear to be the long-term solution in Carolina. How this team has two wins is the most incredible part of Carolina’s season.
- Record: 4-4
- Grade: C
Chicago is in the playoff hunt in the NFC, but this is a team whose season appears to be heading south. Coach Matt Eberflus hasn’t done any convincing whether he should keep his job, and his players don’t seem to be in his corner either. Caleb Williams has been OK, but the offense is bottom 10 in points and yards per possession — which shouldn’t be the case.
The Bears defense is still good, and what’s keeping Chicago in the playoff hunt. A brutal second-half schedule may be what dooms Chicago.
- Record: 4-5
- Grade: C-
The Bengals have been one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL this season, yet have turned their season around since the 0-3 start. Cincinnati has won four of six to get back into the playoff hunt, but the two losses were to the Ravens and Eagles (both teams have six wins).
Joe Burrow (20 TD, four NT) has been playing excellent. Tee Higgins needs to get healthy, as the Bengals will have to outscore teams with their below-average defense (players not named Trey Hendrickson). Cincinnati is still in the playoff race, but that’s a product of the lackluster AFC. The Bengals have a must-win game against the Ravens this week.
- Record: 2-7
- Grade: F
The Deshaun Watson experiment was a complete disaster, as the Browns insisted on keeping him in the lineup because of the $230 million guaranteed contract. The result is the worst offense in the NFL in terms of points and yards per possession, while the defense remains a top 10 unit.
The Browns remain a quarterback away, but they remain committed to Watson for now. They’ll get to see how Jameis Winston fares the rest of the way with Watson out for the rest of the year, with limited pass catchers after trading Amari Cooper. This team has hit the reset button, building for 2025.
- Record: 3-5
- Grade: D
Was this what Jerry Jones meant by being “all in?” The lack of activity this offseason has clearly affected this roster, one far from the talent the Cowboys possessed last year. The Cowboys are 31st in the red zone offense and 32nd in red zone defense, while the run offense is 30th or worse in all the main categories.
Outside of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons, there isn’t much talent on the roster. The Cowboys won’t have Prescott for a bit, which could be the death blow to their 2024 season. This team just isn’t very good.
- Record: 5-4
- Grade: A-
This was one of the teams that wasn’t expected to be competitive in 2024, thanks to an uncertain roster and a rookie quarterback who is overperforming. The Broncos are carried by their defense (top five in points and yards allowed per possession) and have two young pass-rushing stars in Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper. Patrick Surtain II is also one of the best cornerbacks in football.
Denver’s offense could use more pass catchers to help Nix out, but this team is proving it’s not an easy out in the AFC. Even with the tough schedule in the second half, this Broncos team was not supposed to be over .500 at the midway point.
- Record: 7-1
- Grade: A+
What else is there to say about the Lions right now? They are the best team in the NFC and the Chiefs’ biggest threat to a three-peat. They are first in the NFL in points per game, finding ways to score in all three phases of the game. Detroit is top 5 in the NFL in points and yards per possession, while the Lions have more touchdowns than interceptions over their six-game win streak.
The Lions can run at will and Jared Goff is an MVP candidate. This team hasn’t missed a beat after Aidan Hutchinson’s injury, and is hoping Za’Darius Smith is the addition that can bolster the pass rush for the rest of the year. Detroit appears bound to make its first Super Bowl appearance at the midway point.
- Record: 6-3
- Grade: B+
Green Bay is one of the contenders in the NFC North, which is what made Sunday’s loss to Detroit a tough pill to swallow. That game was supposed to be the Packers’ litmus test regarding how good they were against the best in the NFC, but instead they put up a dud.
The Packers defense has significantly improved from last year (top 10 in yards allowed per possession), but Jordan Love continues to turn the ball over too much. This is with one of the better offensive lines in football protecting him.
This could be one of the teams to improve in the second half and make a deep playoff run.
- Record: 6-3
- Grade: B
One of the teams that was expected to compete for the AFC title this season, it’s hard to gauge where the Texans are at. The injuries to Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs have significantly affected the passing game, while Joe Mixon missed nearly the whole first month of the season.
Houston should run away with the AFC South, but are the Texans as good as the other AFC contenders? The Will Anderson-Danielle Hunter pairing has been tremendous for the defense, and could push Houston through the second half of the year.
- Record: 4-5
- Grade: D
Benching Anthony Richardson after 10 starts is not the best way to run a franchise, especially since the Colts used a top five pick on him last season. Their dud against the Vikings with Joe Flacco as the starting quarterback proves the franchise is in a state of mediocrity.
The Colts aren’t a bad team, but should grow with Richardson. Sending a message by taking Richardson out of the game is one thing, but benching him for the year doesn’t make sense. The Colts appear to be starting over at quarterback again.
- Record: 2-7
- Grade: F
Doug Pederson wasn’t the first coach fired this season, nor the second, yet the Jaguars just haven’t recovered from last season. The collapse has carried over into 2024, as the Jaguars started 0-4 and just haven’t recovered. While Pederson’s future is in doubt, the Jaguars have gotten better on offense thanks to the emergence of rookie Brian Thomas Jr. at wide receiver and getting tight end Evan Engram back healthy.
The defense is a bottom five unit in points and yards per possession allowed, which has been the real downfall of Jacksonville. This season has been a lost cause, even though owner Shahid Khan called the roster the most talented in franchise history.
- Record: 8-0
- Grade: A+
The Chiefs just appear inevitable at this point. Patrick Mahomes has nine interceptions but leads the NFL in game-winning drives (three). The offense appears to be finding its stride with Kareem Hunt as the No. 1 running back and DeAndre Hopkins in the fold.
Kansas City’s defense is the backbone of the roster, ranking in the top five in points and yards allowed. The Chiefs could have a higher sack rate, but they have the players who can get pressure on the quarterback late. This team just knows how to win, and is on top of the AFC for a reason. Andy Reid and Mahomes are the best head coach-quarterback duo in football for a reason.
- Record: 2-7
- Grade: F
Firing your offensive coordinator just nine games into the season isn’t a good look, especially when there hasn’t been much talent on the roster. Davante Adams was traded and Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell have rotated at quarterback, so recently fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy never had a chance.
The Raiders have the highest offensive turnover percentage in the NFL, and the defense doesn’t get off the field enough to help the poor unit out. This is a bad football team that could be looking for a head coach after the season.
- Record: 5-3
- Grade: B+
The Jim Harbaugh turnaround has already hit Los Angeles, as the Chargers have won as many games in 2024 as they did in 2023 (five). Los Angeles has the No. 1 defense in the NFL in points allowed per possession and No. 4 in yards allowed per possession, a unit that has this team set up for a playoff return in Harbaugh’s first season.
The formula for the Chargers is simple — run the ball well and play great defense. Justin Herbert is starting to get a grasp of the offense too at quarterback. The Chargers are only getting better.
- Record: 4-4
- Grade: B-
The Rams haven’t had any luck with injuries to their top two wide receivers, as Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp have missed the majority of the year. Both players are back now, as Sunday’s win over the Seahawks was massive for a potential playoff berth.
Winning three games in a row has turned around the Rams’ season, as the defense has allowed 18.3 points per game during the streak. The Rams are a tough out when Matthew Stafford is at quarterback, Kyren Williams at running back, and Kupp and Nacua are on the field. Let’s see how they fare with their top playmakers on the field.
- Record: 2-6
- Grade: C-
Tua Tagovailoa’s injury significantly derailed the Dolphins’ season, as Miami just didn’t have anyone who could hold the fort when Tagovailoa was out with the concussion. The Dolphins are 0-2 since Tagovailoa returned, but have averaged 27.0 points per game.
The Dolphins have been inconsistent throughout the year, and Tagovailoa’s injury has the offense 29th in points per possession. May be too late for Miami to show its true potential in 2024.
Minnesota Vikings
- Record: 6-2
- Grade: B+
Minnesota has been one of the most impressive teams in the NFL this season, a team certainly looking like it will be going to the playoffs. The Vikings have a convincing win over the Texans and a close win over the Packers to prove they are one of the better teams in the NFC.
Sam Darnold has been one of the top quarterbacks in the league and the defense is top five in points allowed per possession. This is a good formula for January, even if the Vikings aren’t on the same tier as the Lions.
- Record: 2-7
- Grade: D
Hard to really criticize the Patriots in 2024, as New England was supposed to be one of the worst teams in the NFL. The Patriots had the worst offense in the league before finally turning the offense over to Drake Maye, who has brought some life to the offense in his four starts.
The Patriots need to significantly improve their roster over the next few years. They’re still in the midst of a rebuild.
- Record: 2-7
- Grade: F
Anytime a team fires a coach midseason, that team isn’t going to get a good grade. What the Saints accomplished after their 2-0 start was laughable, as they are the first team to win their first two games of the season by 20+ points then follow by losing seven straight.
Allen had an aging defense and an offense that did not have Derek Carr for several weeks, along with plenty of the top receivers going down (Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed). He still couldn’t stop the bleeding with his team, as the Saints essentially turned on their coach. Being in last place in the NFC South — a division with the Panthers in it — is a terrible look.
- Record: 2-7
- Grade: D-
In what feels like a season in which results wouldn’t matter, the Giants are more convinced than ever Daniel Jones isn’t their franchise quarterback. General manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll will remain after the season, per CEO John Mara, as the Giants will look to find their franchise quarterback.
Not re-signing Saquon Barkley looks to be a massive miss for an offense that’s last in points per game, but Malik Nabers is a building block for this team for years to come. The defense is excellent at getting to the quarterback and in the top half of the league in points allowed per possession.
Things could be worse in New York, but this team wasn’t supposed to be good anyway.
- Record: 3-6
- Grade: F
The Jets had dreams of ending their 14-year playoff drought (at least), yet their season has been an abject disaster so far. Robert Saleh was the first coach fired as a result of their poor performance, as the Jets didn’t win a game under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich until his fourth game (last week against the Texans).
Aaron Rodgers has been subpar, but he has Davante Adams in the fold and seems to have the chemistry with Garrett Wilson going. The Jets still need to run the ball more, but it doesn’t help Rodgers isn’t a threat outside the pocket. The defense is a top 10 unit in points and yards per possession, so there is hope the season isn’t dead yet.
Thanks to the mediocrity of the AFC, the Jets still have a playoff shot. The margin of error is slim.
- Record: 6-2
- Grade: B+
Riding high on a four-game winning streak, the Eagles are arguably getting their best football under Jalen Hurts. Saquon Barkley has been even better than advertised, while A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are proving they are the best receiver duo in the NFL. The offensive line isn’t as good as in years past, but is still good.
The defense has turned its season around, ranking in the top 10 in points and yards allowed per possession. The talent on the Eagles has shown throughout the year, even if there are questions about coach Nick Sirianni — who does win a lot.
This team appears primed to make a deep playoff run, as last year’s collapse may be in the rearview mirror.
- Record: 6-2
- Grade: A-
Is it surprising the Steelers are a contender? The quarterback “battle” between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields suggested they wouldn’t be, but give coach Mike Tomlin credit for going to Wilson and elevating the offense. The Steelers are second in points allowed per possession, possessing one of the best defenses in the league.
Adding Mike Williams should help at wide receiver, but the Steelers could use some improvements in the passing game. This is a good team that has overperformed. A grueling second-half schedule should demonstrate how good the Steelers really are.
- Record: 4-4
- Grade: B
The 49ers are a second-half team, which is already something to take into account. Brock Purdy hasn’t been as good as he was last season, but he also hasn’t had Christian McCaffrey, who could be returning as soon as this week, so far this season. Brandon Aiyuk is out or the season, one of numerous injuries on this 49ers team.
San Francisco is still a top 10 offense in points and yards per possession and no one has run away with the NFC West. The 49ers still can take advantage of their season.
- Record: 4-5
- Grade: B-
One of the enigmas heading into the NFL season is still an enigma. The Seahawks are middle of the pack offensively and defensively in points and yards per possession, an indicator of their record. Seattle has good wins over Denver and Atlanta, but is also inconsistent week to week.
Seattle has a lot of good weapons, but a poor offensive line and Geno Smith turns the ball over too much. The Seahawks haven’t exceeded expectations, nor have been a disappointment.
- Record: 4-5
- Grade: C+
What could have been for the Buccaneers heading into mid-October. Tampa Bay had the look of a team set to win the NFC South and emerge as a dark horse in the NFC. Injuries to wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have derailed the Buccaneers, even as they continue to stay competitive in games.
The Buccaneers defense is in the bottom five in points and yards allowed per possession too, which needs to be better if they wish to make a playoff run. This team may not be able to overcome the losses of Evans and Godwin.
- Record: 2-6
- Grade: D
One of the surprising stats of the season — the Titans are No. 1 in yards allowed per possession. The defense has allowed the fewest yards per game in the NFL, yet are 27th in points allowed per game. The poor offense has a lot to do with this, as Mason Rudolph has taken over the starting job from Will Levis.
The Titans traded DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley has been a disappointment at wide receiver. Tony Pollard has been good at running back, but the Titans spent a lot of money on offense to be a bottom 10 unit. This team still has a lot of work to do.
- Record: 7-2
- Grade: A+
Give credit where credit is due. Jayden Daniels has been the savior the Commanders franchise has needed, having one of the greatest rookie seasons for a quarterback in NFL history. The Commanders have the No. 1 offense in points and yards per possession, thanks to the consistent passing of Daniels and his ability to open things up in the run game.
Coach Dan Quinn is still working on improving the defense, as the points and yards allowed per possession are in the bottom 10. The Commanders are a threat to win the NFC East, and have a very bright future with Daniels. This team isn’t going away.
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Author: Jeff Kerr
November 6, 2024 | 12:25 pm
