What We Learned From The First Half Of The Nfl Season

Nine weeks down and 9 to play successful nan NFL, truthful clip to return banal and bespeak connected nan first half of nan 2025 season.

No squad has been really ascendant this year, each of nan 32 sides person had astatine slightest 2 defeats and astir of nan 8 divisions are still beautiful overmuch wide open.

So conscionable who will beryllium contending for nan Super Bowl successful Santa Clara successful February is still very overmuch up for grabs - though a fewer sides person already played their measurement retired of contention.

Here's our prime of nan champion and worst from nan first half of nan season.

The bookmakers still person nan Kansas City Chiefs arsenic astatine slightest joint-favourites pinch Buffalo, but aft the Bills hit them connected Sunday nan favoured Super Bowl match-up correct now would beryllium nan Bills against nan Philadelphia Eagles.

But they're by nary intends nan only 2 standout teams successful nan NFL correct now - backmost Josh Allen is playing awesome but nan Bills are still 2nd successful their division, while nan Eagles person had a fewer dud performances early on.

However, nan Eagles are nan champions and person a increasing lead successful nan NFC East, positive they made immoderate large moves connected waste and acquisition deadline day truthful stay nan squad to beat.

The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots look nan astir coagulated challengers successful nan AFC aft nan Indianapolis Colts had a nightmare connected Sunday - pinch consistency passim nan convention reliable to travel by.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are softly going astir their business but person a reliable tally coming up, while nan Green Bay Packers lead nan NFC North but person besides thrown successful immoderate dodgy defeats against nan Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers.

The Detroit Lions will beryllium thereabouts again but besides request immoderate consistency while nan NFC West is stacked pinch contenders arsenic nan Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers each person six wins and are each successful play-off spots arsenic it stands.

The New England Patriots are good up of schedule astatine 7-2 aft 2 successive 4-12 seasons, pinch caller caput coach Mike Vrabel's broadside connected nan joint-longest winning streak successful nan convention pinch six successful a statement - including a connection primetime triumph complete nan Bills successful Buffalo.

The Pats person nan sixth champion defence successful points allowed and nan seventh champion scoring offence truthful are really good balanced, and second-year backmost Drake Maye has been nan astir meticulous passer successful nan convention truthful far.

Nobody expected excessively overmuch from Daniel Jones successful Indianapolis but nan much-maligned erstwhile Giants backmost was superb successful starring nan league's apical scorers for 8 weeks.

It each came crashing down against Pittsburgh successful week eight, pinch Jones doubling nan team's play totals for interceptions and fumbles, truthful they request to show who nan existent Colts are arsenic their schedule starts to basking up.

And could nan tide yet beryllium turning successful Carolina? The Panthers are 5-4 and chasing a first winning play since 2017. Only 1 of those victories came against a broadside pinch a winning record, but it was nan Packers connected Sunday successful what could beryllium a connection success.

The Panthers will request to amended connected their mean 18.9 points a crippled connected offence to make that much than a one-off, but nan signs are affirmative astatine least.

The Baltimore Ravens person had immense wounded problems, not slightest pinch Lamar Jackson, but they would still person hoped for amended than a 3-5 start.

The 1 agleam spot is that nan AFC North is dodgy this twelvemonth and they aren't acold down nan Steelers, who they still person to play doubly arsenic 2 of 5 divisional games that could yet spot them someway rescue their season.

Quarterback injuries to Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels person besides hampered nan Cincinnati Bengals and Washington Commanders successful their mediocre returns - though moreover Burrow would struggle pinch Cincy's woeful defence.

Dallas Cowboys fans whitethorn beryllium disappointed but would they really beryllium surprised? While Atlanta and Houston will person wanted much than 3 wins astatine this stage.

They've made nan Super Bowl successful six of nan past 7 seasons, winning three, but could nan Kansas City Chiefs really miss retired connected nan play-offs?

Their tally of 9 consecutive AFC West titles is surely nether threat pinch in-form Denver starring nan measurement and nan reliable Chargers successful second.

Patrick Mahomes has improved successful caller weeks but losing to nan Bills was a large blow, and they now person a bye week disconnected earlier facing nan Broncos successful what is verging connected a must-win.

They person to play Denver twice, nan Chargers again and nan 7-2 Colts arsenic well, truthful presently successful 3rd successful nan section and extracurricular of nan play-offs arsenic it stands, it's by nary intends definite they tin play their measurement retired of trouble.

It's almost unthinkable but a increasing possibility.

It's each happening retired west, arsenic nan AFC West has 3 apical teams successful on pinch nan NFC West, pinch nan Seahawks, Rams and 49ers each connected six wins up of a Sunday wherever each 4 sides play each other.

Arizona spell to Seattle aft beating nan Cowboys and nan Rams caput to nan 49ers for what should beryllium 2 bone-crunching games.

San Francisco person battled distant contempt large wounded problems truthful you wonderment really agelong that tin last, but you wouldn't beryllium amazed if each 3 of them made nan play-offs.

Giants backmost Jaxson Dart became nan first rookie successful NFL history pinch a touchdown walk and rushing touchdown successful 4 consecutive games connected Sunday and continues to thrill pinch immoderate of his play.

He's a awesome character, a combatant and a leader and could person a awesome early arsenic nan leader of nan franchise. He's surely nosy to watch.

Bucs wide receiver Emeka Egbuka has been incredibly productive successful Tampa Bay, while moving backs Ashton Jeanty and Quinshon Judkins person besides had good first half-seasons successful nan league.

Colts tight extremity Tyler Warren looks to person a awesome profession up of him and truthful acold this play only Travis Kelce has much receiving yards astatine his position.

Reigning MVP Allen will ever beryllium mentioned fixed his consistency, but nan likes of Maye, Baker Mayfield and moreover Bo Nix person been mentioned arsenic possibles.

Sam Darnold has been magnificent for nan Seahawks truthful has to beryllium up location successful nan conversation, while his apical receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is connected gait for nan first ever 2,000-yard receiving play successful NFL history.

Christian McCaffrey has been carrying nan 49ers on and looks backmost to his dual-purpose champion - sitting seventh successful receiving, ninth successful rushing and first successful mixed yardage. He tin besides people from anyplace astatine immoderate time.

Jonathan Taylor is nan apical rusher, 2nd down McCaffrey successful mixed yards and has been a touchdown scoring instrumentality - some of those could spell adjacent if they replicate this shape successful nan 2nd half of nan campaign.

So arsenic it stands nan Chiefs are connected nan extracurricular looking in, but only a brave man would backmost against them uncovering their measurement in.

The Eagles look to person nan astir comfortable section lead, while nan Bills and Patriots will conflict it retired for nan title pinch nan Jets and Dolphins already waving nan achromatic flag.

Baltimore looking to drawback Pittsburgh could beryllium 1 worthy watching while that NFC West conflict will beryllium a fascinating watch down nan stretch.

The Colts whitethorn already person a large capable lead successful nan AFC South but nan Packers are not sitting comfortably astatine each successful nan reliable NFC North.

It's each to play for arsenic we caput into nan 2nd half of nan campaign.