New York Giants — F
They somehow beat the Broncos, but that’s really the only thing that has gone right for the Giants so far in 2017. They’re just 1-7, though several of their losses were close, but by and large they haven’t been able to compete with most of the good teams they’ve faced. They’ve also been plagued by internal strife, with two players being suspended for rules violations in the span of a month, and there’s even been talk of benching Eli Manning. It may well be time to blow it up and start over in New York.
New York Jets — C
The Jets definitely aren’t doing a good job if they were trying to tank, but strictly compared to expectations, they’re doing great. There were many pundits who probably didn’t expect them to win four games all season, much less in the first nine games. They’ve lost three of four, though, and appear to be playing more like everyone expected them to before the season started. They’ve done just well enough to avoid picking No. 1 overall, but not well enough to be in contention for anything good — typical of the Jets, really.
Oakland Raiders — D+
A huge disappointment after a 12-win season a year ago, the Raiders don’t look like they’ll be able to make it consecutive playoff berths at this point. Derek Carr hasn’t been as good and has battled injuries, Marshawn Lynch hasn’t helped the running game as much as Oakland would have hoped, and the defense has been mediocre-to-bad. The schedule doesn’t get a whole lot easier, which is bad news for a team that needs to go on a major run if they want to be in the postseason.
Philadelphia Eagles — A+
Not even the most wide-eyed optimist could have seen the Eagles winning eight of their first nine and second-year quarterback Carson Wentz establishing himself as a legitimate MVP candidate. Their only loss came late on against a Kansas City Chiefs team that is also quite good, and Wentz has proven himself by picking apart defenses like Denver’s. It’s fair to say that the Eagles have the inside track on getting the top overall seed in the NFC, though there are definitely some challenges remaining on their schedule.
Pittsburgh Steelers — A
The Steelers have dealt with their share of drama, but it hasn’t really impacted them on their field, with a solid offense and an elite defense doing the job for them. They are, along with the Chiefs and Patriots, the class of the AFC at this point. Ben Roethlisberger still looks good, Le’Veon Bell is one of the NFL’s best backs, and Antonio Brown is Antonio Brown. With the Colts, Titans, Packers, and Bengals looming, there’s no reason to believe they’ll slow down anytime soon.
San Francisco 49ers — F
There’s not a lot to say here other than the fact that the 49ers were supposed to be bad and are indeed bad. They’re 0-9, they haven’t displayed any competence in any regard, and they’re playing out a lost season. Perhaps the addition of Jimmy Garoppolo will give them a quarterback good enough to sneak them a win or two against bad teams, if they even play him. This is simply a question of whether they’ll land the No. 1 or No. 2 pick at this point. Their upcoming game against the Giants may be their last good shot at a win this year.
Seattle Seahawks — A-
Four straight wins after a 1-2 start had the Seahawks back in the thick of the NFC West race, but a surprising loss at home to Washington set them back. The Rams will prove a challenge, though Seattle has already beaten them away from home. Russell Wilson continues to remind everyone that he is one of the league’s best quarterbacks, and while the defense isn’t as good as it was two or three years ago, it’s still a very strong unit. They look well-positioned for a run into the playoffs, though they’ll have to avoid more bad losses
Tampa Bay Buccaneers — F
Expected to take a big step forward this year in Jameis Winston’s third season, the Buccaneers have instead been one of the league’s bigger disappointments. Winston, chief among them, is not progressing as many had hoped, still prone to making the same mistakes he was making as a rookie. Perhaps his shoulder injury has been a factor. Their five consecutive losses have more or less taken them out of the playoff picture, and this organization is going to have to give some serious thought as to which direction they’re going to go after what looks increasingly like a failed season.
Tennessee Titans — B
Marcus Mariota and a quality running game have the Titans in good, but not great position at the midpoint of the season. They’ve taken some advantage of a soft schedule to get themselves right in the middle of the AFC South race, tied with Jacksonville atop the division. A playoff spot is there for the taking if the Titans can play well enough to pull it off. The jury is still out on this team, but they’re off to a fairly promising start.
Washington Redskins — C-
Losses to the Eagles and Cowboys offer a pretty firm statement of where Washington lies in the NFC East race. They’re better than the Giants, but that’s about it. Kirk Cousins continues to do the job at quarterback, but injuries have hurt this team badly. That loss to Dallas is particularly harmful given they probably weren’t catching Philadelphia either way. But that defeat firmly establishes Washington as on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff race, though they’re hanging in there at least a little bit thanks to a surprise win at Seattle.
