The Lions are, in perpetuity, so close and yet so far away. Of their three defeats, only one was a blowout, with the other two defeats at San Francisco and Dallas decided by a combined five points. They also blew out the Patriots at home, so to say there are mixed signals here would be an understatement. The Lions’ offense can score, but they’ve had their problems in the red zone. Moreover, the young defense simply hasn’t performed well in three of their four games. They’re close to being competent, but they’re simply not there yet.
The Packers have a winning record and would be 3-1 if not for the new roughing the passer rule. That said, there are definitely some weakness on the team, as the offense hasn’t quite looked to be at full speed and Aaron Rodgers has been willing to voice his frustration. The Packers aren’t doing badly, but they haven’t stood out and simply don’t appear as talented as the Vikings or, perhaps, as dynamic as the Bears. However, as long as they have Rodgers, they’re dangerous and shouldn’t be counted out.
It’s been a very poor start to the season for the Texans, whose playoff ambitions appear to be fading before their eyes. All of their defeats have been close, as their seven-point loss to the Patriots is their most lopsided defeat of the season. That’s little solace, though. Their late-game execution hasn’t been great. They were also a bit fortunate to beat the Colts in overtime for their first victory, getting some help from Frank Reich. Their season isn’t over, but they need to pick it up quickly.
The good news for the Colts? Andrew Luck looks healthy, and they played the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles very tough with a chance to win it late. They could very easily be 2-2 or even 3-1. They’re not, though, because of late-game execution and the fact that Frank Reich was, perhaps, a bit more aggressive than he needed to be. Still, there’s promise here, and unlike the last several years, they look like they’re headed in the right direction.
They had one real stinker of a result against the Tennessee Titans, which raised some alarm bells due to Blake Bortles’ struggles in that one. Otherwise, they’ve looked like one of the best teams in the AFC. Bortles overall has been very good, and the Jacksonville defense looks as sturdy as ever. Their rather easy win over the New England Patriots felt like a significant statement, and they’ve done a lot of damage even without injured running back Leonard Fournette. If their offense can keep flat performances to a minimum, they may be the conference favorites.
Whatever the expectations were for quarterback Patrick Mahomes, he has certainly surpassed them. He looks to be on his way to a truly remarkable first season as a starter, with 14 passing touchdowns to his name. The unbeaten record speaks for itself. The defense has given up a lot of points, which is a concern, and the Chiefs won’t be able to win every shootout they get in. Mahomes and the offense have both been so good, though, that they get a perfect grade for a perfect quarter of a season.
The Chargers have faced a rather unforgiving schedule to start the season, losing to the ascendant Kansas City Chiefs and at the Los Angeles Rams. They were in both games and won their other two contests, with an easier schedule coming their way. The defense misses Joey Bosa, who’s injured, and the 49ers ran them uncomfortably close at home, but talent remains on both sides of the ball and Philip Rivers can still get it done. They remain a dangerous team going forward.
As far as the NFC goes, right now it’s the Rams and everyone else a class below them. They have the rare combination of outstanding offense and elite defense, though it remains to be seen how well they can absorb the loss of cornerback Aqib Talib. They’ve beaten two very good teams in the Los Angeles Chargers and Minnesota Vikings, and they don’t appear to have many weaknesses. Last year’s short playoff run may fuel them.
A rather worrisome performance against the New England Patriots raised some questions about whether the Dolphins can get it done against major contenders once the bright lights come on, but on the whole, it’s impossible for Miami not to be happy with what they’ve been able to do so far. There are some worrying signs — Ryan Tannehill hasn’t put up big numbers, but has been efficient, for instance. Their record is good and they seem like a contender going forward.
The Vikings were expected to be among the class of the NFC, but that hasn’t quite happened so far. Yes, they have had an unforgiving schedule. Their trip to Lambeau Field ended in a tie that they should’ve lost but would’ve won if not for their kicking issues, and they kept it within a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams. There was no excuse for a bizarre loss to the Buffalo Bills, though, and they must avoid those results going forward. The talent remains for the Vikings, but the results and execution must get better.
