It’s tough to grade the Packers, as so much of it comes down on Aaron Rodgers, who will miss most, if not all, of the remainder of the season. Green Bay was 4-1 with Rodgers under center and have predictably gone 0-3 without him. It’s tough to envision things improving a whole lot as long as Brett Hundley is under center for them. They still have a chance to make the playoffs, but realistically, without Rodgers, it’s going to be almost impossible to sneak into the postseason.
Though they’re 3-5, the Texans’ losses have been mostly defensible — at New England, Kansas City, and at Seattle are all tough games. With Deshaun Watson under center, the Texans believed that they have a chance in every game. Unfortunately, Watson’s season-ending ACL injury probably takes Houston’s playoff hopes with it. Tom Savage simply isn’t good enough, which is a shame for a team that looked to be on the rise.
Saved from an F only because they haven’t had Andrew Luck, which isn’t really their fault — the only reason they have three wins is because they’ve been fortunate enough to face two winless teams and a Texans group without Deshaun Watson. The remainder of their schedule looks unforgiving, and there’s a small chance that they may have already won their last game of the season, especially since Luck isn’t coming back in 2017. This organization is mostly devoid of talent and needs a serious re-think; they wouldn’t have been good even with Luck healthy.
They’re 5-3, they’re tied for first in the AFC South a year after winning three games all season, and they’re winning games without Leonard Fournette now. The passing game under Blake Bortles remains iffy, but Fournette has transformed the running game, and no NFL team has allowed fewer points than Jacksonville in 2017. The division is weak enough that they just might win it, especially with games against the Browns, 49ers, and Colts still left on their schedule. Nine or even ten wins looks like it could be within reach.
A hot start has given way to three losses in four, leading to questions about whether or not the Chiefs are one of the best teams in the league. The offense is dynamic, they still look like a near certainty to take the AFC West, and a playoff bye could still be achievable if they turn things around. Alex Smith’s doubters have, at least for the moment, been silenced. They’re not flying as high as they were, but they’re still firmly in control of their own destiny.
An unexpected three-game winning streak restored at least a modest bit of respectability to Los Angeles’s newest football team, not that they had much to begin with in that market. Philip Rivers can still pass and Melvin Gordon continues to show exciting moments, but this team just doesn’t have the talent to compete at a high level. They’re a franchise in transition — at some point, they’re going to have to replace Rivers. For now, they’re just a mediocre team — at best.
Another surprise team that is having an outstanding season. The schedule will get a bit tougher from here, but the Rams are off to a faster start than anyone really could have envisioned. New coach Sean McVay looks like the real deal, Jared Goff looks like an NFL quarterback, Todd Gurley has rediscovered what made him a top rookie, and Aaron Donald is back in the fold and causing havoc in opposing backfields. The Rams might just find themselves in the playoffs at this point.
The Dolphins are in a strange spot — at 4-4, they’re in the playoff hunt, but their coach is also eviscerating veteran players publicly for not coming to grips with the offense. The latter interpretation is closer to reality, and the team seems to know it, judging by the fact that they dealt Jay Ajayi. Miami’s schedule will only get tougher, and the offense has not shown the ability to be consistently good enough to get where they’d like to go.
It looks all clear for Minnesota to claim the NFC North for the second time since 2009. The Lions haven’t looked good, and the Packers are without Aaron Rodgers. Minnesota’s won four in a row, though they’re not infallible — they had their fair share of issues against the lowly Browns in London. Their biggest looming issue? With Teddy Bridgewater set to be activated, coach Mike Zimmer has a decision to make: Sam Bradford is still around, Case Keenum has won games for them, and whoever ends up quarterbacking the Vikings may well do it in the playoffs.
They’ve managed to stabilize a defense that started the season very shakily, and they’ve let Tom Brady do his thing on offense. That has been a pretty successful formula for the Patriots, who have won four straight after an unconvincing 2-2 start in which the defense looked extremely vulnerable. Now, they’re right back in the hunt for the AFC’s top seed, and those early season fears about the erosion of the Patriots have more or less been silenced.
It’s hard to remember at this point, but the Saints were 0-2 once, looking destined for another unmemorable season under Sean Payton. They’ve promptly reeled off six wins in a row and look like a real playoff contender. Drew Brees is still getting it done, but it is the defense that has provided a pleasant surprise, having stifled the likes of Cam Newton so far this season. They look like the favorites in the NFC South at this juncture.
