NFL midseason team grades: Colts, Patriots earn 'A' for unexpected rise

Imagn Images

With nine weeks in the books and the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, we've officially reached the midway point of the 2025 regular season. As expected, some unexpected results have sprouted through the first half of the year, with teams that we thought may not be contenders suddenly bursting onto the scene, while those we imagined would be vying for high playoff seeding have fallen by the wayside. Individually, there have been eye-popping production, both good and bad.

For instance, who had the Daniel Jones-led Indianapolis Colts finding themselves as the current No. 1 seed in the AFC? What about the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots sitting in first place in their respective divisions? On the flip side, seeing the Kansas City Chiefs in third place in the AFC West is jarring, along with both the Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders sitting below .500. It just goes to show that the NFL will always keep your head spinning.

As we've arrived at this mile marker, it's time to take a snapshot of where every team in the league stands and hand out our first-half grades.

AFC East

New England Patriots: A

Record entering Week 10: 7-2 (first place in AFC East)

Are the Patriots ... back? It sure looks like it. New England finds itself in first place in the AFC East after a 7-2 start to the year, which includes a win in Buffalo against Josh Allen and the Bills. The key aspect of the club's hot first half has been the second-year leap from Drake Maye, who has played himself into the MVP conversation. Maye currently leads the NFL in completion percentage (74.1%), which is made only more impressive when paired with his 9.0-yards-per-attempt average (third-highest in the NFL). On top of Maye's ascent, Mike Vrabel has completely changed the culture for the Patriots, particularly on the defense side of the ball, as they are holding opponents to 18.8 points per game (tied for fifth-lowest in the NFL). They have exceeded expectations.

Buffalo Bills: B

Record entering Week 10: 6-2 (second place in AFC East)

Buffalo was the heaviest favorite in the NFL to win its respective division, so to see the Bills outside of first place in the AFC East at the midway point is somewhat alarming. They had a two-game losing skid to the Patriots at home and then to the Falcons on the road, but they've rebounded well. At 6-2, they are still well within play in the division and have head-to-head victories over the Baltimore Ravens (Week 1) and Kansas City Chiefs (Week 9), which are strong feathers in their cap. Josh Allen continues to be arguably the best quarterback in the NFL, and the defense is top 10 in the league in points allowed per game (20.9).

Miami Dolphins: D-

Record entering Week 10: 2-7 (third place in AFC East)

Coming into the season, the Dolphins were pegged as a team teetering on a free fall. And they've since fallen to the depths of the AFC. Miami finds itself 2-7 at the midway points, already parting ways with GM Chris Grier, and it feels like both Mike McDaniel and Tua Tagovailoa's days are numbered as well. They are coming off a demoralizing loss to the Ravens, which was the largest home loss under McDaniel. More broadly, the Dolphins defense is among the worst in the league, surrendering 5.9 yards per play (tied for fourth-highest) and allowing an opposing passer rating of 114.4 (worst in the NFL). Offensively, they've committed a league-high 15 turnovers this season.

New York Jets: F

Record entering Week 10: 1-7 (fourth place in AFC East)

The Jets have given up on 2025, and it's hard to blame them. At the deadline, New York had a fire sale, shipping away the likes of Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams in exchange for a treasure trove of picks. This comes after they began the year 0-7 and looked on their way to possibly going winless before pulling off an upset over the Bengals in Week 8. Despite that lone victory, this has been an abject failure of a season for the Jets, who have already benched Justin Fields for Tyrod Taylor and are 0-5 at home for just the fourth time in franchise history. It may be early November, but New York is already looking toward the 2026 NFL Draft.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers: B+

Record entering Week 10: 5-3 (first place in AFC North)

The Aaron Rodgers experiment has largely worked out for Pittsburgh. They Steelers currently sit atop the AFC North with a two-game lead entering Week 10, and Rodgers has found a bit of the fountain of youth. His 17 touchdown passes this season are the most by a Steelers quarterback through eight games since Ben Roethlisberger in 2021. He's been particularly dialed in on the road with a 114.7 passer rating in three games outside of Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers also just took it to the Colts, who came into their Week 9 matchup with an NFL-best 7-1 record. So what keeps them out of the "A" range? Their defense has been spotty. They generated six takeaways in the winning effort last week, but are allowing 278.3 yards passing per game (most in the NFL and most through eight games in franchise history).

Baltimore Ravens: C

Record entering Week 10: 3-5 (second place in AFC North)

It was a nightmarish start for Baltimore to begin 2025. Not only did the Ravens begin the year 1-5, but they were hit with a slew of injuries, which included Lamar Jackson. Despite that horrid start, they've rebounded well, and it's no surprise that it coincided with them getting healthier on both sides of the ball. Jackson looked like his MVP self against Miami and currently leads the NFL in passer rating (136.7). Defensively, they've held opponents to just 13 points per game since Week 6, which is tied for second in the NFL. They've inched closer to the Steelers for first place in the AFC North, and are still the betting favorite to ultimately win the division. It hasn't been a perfect start by any stretch of the imagination, but there's a path toward landing on their feet.

Cincinnati Bengals: F

Record entering Week 10: 3-6 (third place in AFC North)

The Bengals have been one of the more maddening teams in the NFL. Yes, Joe Burrow got hurt and has been sidelined, which has put them behind the eight-ball. That said, this team has had opportunities to weather the storm, but has failed miserably in doing so. Defensively, they might be the worst unit in the NFL. It doesn't matter if the offense drops anywhere between 38 and 42 points; they'll find a way to let the opposition score more. They are surrendering a league-high 33.3 points per game and have just gone back-to-back games allowing the game-winning score inside of two minutes. Last week, it came with just 25 seconds remaining. Given those numbers, would it even matter if Burrow were under center instead of Joe Flacco? If the defense is giving up 47 points like it did last week against Chicago, you're losing regardless.

Cleveland Browns: D

Record entering Week 10: 2-6 (fourth place in AFC North)

Cleveland wasn't expected to be competitive in 2025, so the Browns are probably right about where most thought they'd be. The defense has remained their calling card, while the offense is still a work in progress. They've hit a number of pieces in the 2025 NFL Draft from Mason Graham to Quinshon Judkins to Harold Fannin Jr., but it's still a question at quarterback. Dillon Gabriel has shown flashes, but not enough that make him a bona fide franchise centerpiece. He currently has an NFL-low 4.9 yards per attempt this season.

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts: A

Record entering Week 10: 7-2 (first place in AFC South)

Indy's ascension is the biggest surprise of the first half. At the moment, they Colts are 7-2 and the No. 1 seed in the AFC with Daniel Jones leading the way. No one saw that coming. Even after falling to the Steelers in Week 9, the Colts still lead the NFL in points per game (32.2) and in points per game differential (+12.1). Jonathan Taylor has been a one-man wrecking crew out of the backfield, leading the NFL in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Rookie tight end Tyler Warren has also been a Day 1 contributor. This team has been so good that the front office doubled down on them and pulled off a deadline day blockbuster for former Jets All-Pro corner Sauce Gardner. The good times may continue to roll in the second half.

Jacksonville Jaguars: B-

Record entering Week 10: 5-3 (second place in AFC South)

Jacksonville is one of the tougher teams to pinpoint. On the one hand, the Jaguars are 5-3, nipping on the heels of the juggernaut Colts in the division and currently in the playoff picture as the No. 7 seed. On the other hand, however, they haven't exactly jumped off the page when watching them on the field. Defensively, they are third in the league in takeaways (15), but have the fewest sacks (10) in the NFL. Offensively, Trevor Lawrence is 32nd among 33 qualified quarterbacks in completion percentage (59.7%) this season. It's been good, not great, so a "B-" is sufficient.

Houston Texans: C-

Record entering Week 10: 3-5 (third place in AFC South)

Houston entered the season as the betting favorite to win the AFC South and is now struggling to stay in the playoff conversation. The Texans' 3-5 record is the worst eight-game start to a season under DeMeco Ryans, and they are an NFL-worst 0-5 in one-score games. The offense can't seem to find its footing and owns the worst red zone touchdown percentage (36.4%) in the NFL, and is also the second-worst third-down offense (32.4%). What keeps them out of falling into the "D" range has been their stellar defense. The unit is first in the league in points allowed per game (15.1) and yards allowed per game (267.4).

Tennessee Titans: F

Record entering Week 10: 1-8 (fourth place in AFC South)

Tennessee still lives at the bottom of the NFL barrel, despite acquiring quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick this offseason. The situation around the former Miami Hurricane hasn't been ideal, with lackluster talent and a coaching staff that has already been upended with the firing of Brian Callahan earlier this year. The defense is allowing the third-most points per game (28.6), while the offense is scoring the fewest points per game in the league (14.4).

AFC West

Denver Broncos: A

Record entering Week 10: 7-2 (first place in AFC West)

The cardiac Broncos! Denver is currently tied for the longest winning streak in the NFL this season as the Broncos have ripped off six-straight victories to push them to 7-2. They are atop the AFC West, and they could very well be the No. 1 seed in the AFC had it not been for a bizarre leverage penalty called against them in last-second Week 2 loss to Indy. Regardless, this team has had a knack for coming alive in the fourth quarter, owning a +66 point differential in the final period. On top of that winning quotient, the defense has been among the best in the NFL, leading the league in sacks (40) and is the best on third down (28.2%) and in the red zone (34.8% touchdown rate).

Los Angeles Chargers: B+

Record entering Week 10: 6-3 (second place in AFC West)

L.A. opened 2025 firing on all cylinders, ripping off three-straight wins against each of its division rivals. The Chargers cooled after that with a 1-3 record over the next month, but have recently stabilized. They wrapped up the first half of the year with back-to-back wins that brought them to 6-3 on the year and firmly in the playoff mix, and just a game behind the Broncos. Defensively, they are holding opponents to just 5.2 yards per play, which falls inside the top 10 in the league. L.A. also leads the NFL in total yards per game differential (+87.8), along with being the best third-down offense (49.2% conversion rate) in the league entering Week 10. While Justin Herbert has played well, the key question in the second half will be whether or not the offensive line can hold up with Joe Alt going down for the year.

Kansas City Chiefs: C

Record entering Week 10: 5-4 (third place in AFC West)

Kansas City remains the betting favorite to win Super Bowl LX, but that's largely based on reputation. In a vacuum, it's been up and down for them in 2025. The Chiefs began the year 0-2, losing to the Chargers in the opener and then the Eagles. They were able to claw back to .500 by ripping off back-to-back wins, but then had a puzzling defeat to the Jaguars to push them back down. More recently, the Chiefs looked like their old selves, averaging 29.6 points per game over a three-game winning streak between Week 6 and Week 8. As has been the theme, however, they came back down the earth in Week 9 in a loss to Buffalo, where Patrick Mahomes was sacked three times and hit 15 times. They are still well within range of making a Chiefs-like surge in the second half, but they'll need to be gangbusters out of the bye. To this point, it's been hot and cold.

Las Vegas Raiders: D

Record entering Week 10: 2-6 (fourth place in AFC West)

The Raiders acquired Geno Smith and hired Pete Carroll this offseason in hopes of boosting the organization to a more respectable level. That hasn't materialized. After pulling off a win in Week 1, Las Vegas lost four straight and six of its last seven, sitting at 2-6 on the year and well within last place in the AFC West. Part of the issue was the club missing offensive linchpin Brock Bowers, but Smith was also sloppy with the football. Meanwhile, the defense has started to falter. On the year, the unit is giving up 26.3 points per game (eighth highest in the NFL), but that has ticked up in the last two weeks, allowing 30.5 points per game.

One thing we learned about each NFL team halfway through 2025 season: Rams on fire; Steelers will hang around

Cody Benjamin

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles: A-

Record entering Week 10: 6-2 (first place in NFC East)

For all the hemming and hawing surrounding the Eagles this season, they are still 6-2, in a strong position in the NFC East, and enter Week 10 as the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Yes, the passing attack has its warts, but the offense has committed just three turnovers this season (fewest in the NFL) and is the best red zone unit in the NFL with an 85% touchdown rate. Defensively, they had issues at outside corner and at edge rusher, but Howie Roseman did his best to address those concerns with deadline deals for corners Michael Carter II and Jaire Alexander, along with pass rusher Jaelan Phillips. They should still be considered the team to beat in the NFC.

Dallas Cowboys: C-

Record entering Week 10: 3-5-1 (second place in NFC East)

The Cowboys have a high-flying offense. They are tied for the third-highest yards per play total in the NFL, seventh in the league on third down (42.9% conversion rate), and are fourth in points per game (29.2). Throwing it around the yard and putting up points isn't what has them under .500. It's the defense. In essentially every key metric, they are in the bottom third in the NFL. They are just one of two teams (Bengals being the other), allowing over 30 points per game (30.8) this season. They are the only team allowing opponents to convert on third down more than half the time (league-worst 52.59%). Jerry Jones made deadline deals to try and help remedy that problem, bringing in linebacker Logan Wilson and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, but they have some ground to make up because of this lackluster unit.

Washington Commanders: D

Record entering Week 10: 3-6 (third place in NFC East)

The Commanders have taken a considerable step backward after bursting onto the scene in Year 1 with Jayden Daniels. They've gone from an NFC Championship participant to a 3-6 club that is struggling to stay in the playoff picture. Of course, a key reason for their downtrodden 2025 campaign has been due to injuries, particularly with Daniels. He missed time due to a hamstring injury earlier in the year and is now on the shelf indefinitely following a gruesome elbow injury. While Daniels is a key driver for their lack of success, it isn't the only reason. Their defense has looked slow throughout the year and is allowing 6.2 yards per play (second-highest in the NFL) and an opposing passer rating of 110.7 (third-highest). They are currently on a four-game losing streak, which includes three-straight losses of 20 or more points entering Week 10.

New York Giants: C+

Record entering Week 10: 2-7 (fourth place in NFC East)

Yes, the record isn't good at 2-7, and the Giants again find themselves in last place in the NFC East. However, the No. 1 priority for the franchise was hitting on 2025 first-round pick Jaxson Dart, which it seems to have done. Since taking over as the starter over Russell Wilson, Dart has looked the part of a franchise centerpiece. He's led the Giants to their only two wins on the year (2-4 as a starter), while completing 62.3% of his throws, averaging 195.8 yards passing per game and 41.8 yards rushing per game. Dart also has 15 total touchdowns and just three interceptions. Most of that production has been without top wideout Malik Nabers, who went down with a season-ending ACL tear in late September. If you ask a Giants fan, the first half has been a success because of Dart's emergence, even if the record still isn't where they'd want it to be.

NFC North

Green Bay Packers: B

Record entering Week 10: 5-2-1 (first place in NFC North)

The Packers looked unstoppable over the first two weeks of the regular season. They pulled off back-to-back wins over the Lions and Commanders, and the addition of Micah Parsons looked like it was going to make them the overwhelming Super Bowl favorite. After that, however, they came back down to earth in shocking fashion. They were upset on the road by the Cleveland Browns in Week 3 and then tied the Cowboys in Dallas after the defense gave up 40 points. That took the shine off the Cheeseheads, and it was restored briefly with a three-game winning streak, but subdued once more with another shocking upset loss in Week 9. There, they fell to the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field, where the offense mustered just 13 points in the losing effort. It does seem like they play up or play down to their competition, which is a frustrating development for such a talented club. It'll also be interesting to see how much the offense will be impacted in the second half following the season-ending injury to star tight end Tucker Kraft.

Detroit Lions: B

Record entering Week 10: 5-3 (second place in NFC North)

The Lions are another team that has run a little hot and cold through the first half. They bounced back well after dropping the opener to Green Bay, rattling off four-straight wins and averaging 40.3 points per game in the process. However, they've more recently lost two of their last three, and the offensive production has been cut in half (21.7 points per game). Despite the up-and-down nature, Detroit remains one of the key players in the NFC, and Jared Goff continues to be efficient. He's second in the NFL in completion percentage (73.8%) and tied for second with a 2.1 passing touchdown per game average. Defensively, they are top 10 in the league in yards per play allowed (5.0), but are middle of the pack in points per game (22.3).

Chicago Bears: B-

Record entering Week 10: 5-3 (third place in NFC North)

The Bears are in the playoff mix at the midway point of the regular season, which is a fantastic development for Year 1 under Ben Johnson. Yes, they've largely beaten up on bad competition, but they've also shown resiliency, including last week's last-second victory over the Bengals, where Caleb Williams uncorked a 58-yard touchdown to Colston Loveland with less than 30 seconds to play in regulation. As expected, Johnson's arrival has seen the offensive production improve. Chicago has 36 plays of 20-plus yards this season (fifth in the NFL) after having 47 such plays last season (28th). The Bears are also averaging 378.4 yards per game (fourth-most in the NFL) and 26.9 points per game (sixth-most). Defensively, they need to improve as they rank 29th in the league, allowing 28.4 points per game.

Minnesota Vikings: C+

Record entering Week 10: 4-4 (fourth place in NFC North)

Injuries at quarterback knocked the Vikings off kilter through the first half of the season. They began the year with a comeback win over the Bears, led by J.J. McCarthy, but then the second-year signal-caller struggled in a Week 2 blowout loss to the Falcons. After that, he was put on the shelf due to a high ankle sprain, which thrust Carson Wentz into the fold. Wentz was able to lead them to a 2-1 record before dropping his final two starts, where he was playing injured. In McCarthy's return last week, he led an upset win over the Lions in Detroit to claw Minnesota back to .500, and could be a wild card in this second half after staying afloat.

NFC South

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A-

Record entering Week 10: 6-2 (first place in NFC South)

The Bucs find themselves at 6-2 on the year and currently the No. 2 seed in the NFC at the halfway point of the regular season. Baker Mayfield has pushed this team well above .500 despite a slew of injuries. Out of the gate, he was without starting tackle Tristan Wirfs and wideout Chris Godwin, and other key figures like wideout Mike Evans and running back Bucky Irving have also missed considerable time. Part of that has been thanks to first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka bursting onto the scene, but he's been quiet over the last month, so they'll need to get healthy on that side of the ball. While the record itself is stellar, their losses to Philadelphia and Detroit do raise a small red flag. Overall, however, they are in a strong position for the second half.

Carolina Panthers: A

Record entering Week 10: 5-4 (second place in NFC South)

The expectation for the Panthers was low entering 2025. Folks did not think they'd be a game behind the Buccaneers for first place in the division and in the hunt for a wild card spot to begin the year, but here we are. Carolina has already matched its win total from last season and is fresh off one of the biggest upsets of the season as they defeated the Packers at Lambeau Field. Rico Dowdle has been a diamond in the rough for them as the veteran back has taken the NFL by storm. His 735 yards rushing and 5.6 yards per carry rank third-highest in the league. It hasn't been perfect for the Panthers as they are averaging just 18.9 points per game (sixth-worst in the NFL), but to find themselves above .500 at this point when factoring in their expectations coming into the year deserves an "A" grade.

Atlanta Falcons: C+

Record entering Week 10: 3-5 (third place in NFC South)

Atlanta began the year with a 3-2 record, which included what in the moment felt like a statement victory over the Buffalo Bills at home in Week 6. From there, however, they've since dropped three straight to fall below .500. Within that losing streak were some offensive duds against San Francisco and then against Miami (with Kirk Cousins at quarterback). That inconsistency has made them a frustrating watch at times, especially when there are performances from Drake London and Bijan Robinson that take over games. Still, Atlanta is scoring just 17.9 points per game (28th in the NFL). Defensively, the Falcons are giving up the fewest passing yards per game (158.1) in the NFL entering Week 10, which again makes their record frustrating. If the pieces fall into place, there are the makings of a team that could go on a run, but the Falcons haven't consistently put together complete performances.

New Orleans Saints: D

Record entering Week 10: 1-8 (fourth place in NFC South)

New Orleans was one of the favorites to be the worst team in the NFL in 2025, and they've kept themselves in the running for that through nine weeks. They were feisty at times in the early going (which helped them from receiving a failing grade), but they couldn't truly put teams on upset alert. Spencer Rattler went 1-7 as the starter before first-year coach Kellen Moore sent him to the bench in place of Tyler Shough for Week 9, but it didn't provide much of a spark as they were blown out by the Rams. The Saints defense is giving up 27 points per game (seventh-highest in the NFL), while the offense is barely mustering two touchdowns with a 15.3 points per game average (31st). They are in the early stages of what could be a long rebuild.

NFC West

Seattle Seahawks: A

Record entering Week 10: 6-2 (first place in NFC West)

In the offseason, the swapping of Geno Smith for Sam Darnold at quarterback was looked at as a semi-improvement or maybe even a lateral move. Boy, was that off. Darnold has not only been able to replicate his late-career breakout with the Vikings in 2024 as he transitioned over to Seattle, but the veteran has been even better. Darnold's 9.6 yards per attempt average leads the league and is on pace to throw for over 4,400 yards this season. He also has 16 passing touchdowns and just five interceptions on a 116.0 passer rating so far. When you pair Darnold continuing to take the NFL by storm with a top-flight defense, the Seahawks are arguably the most balanced team in the NFL. They are No. 5 in the league in points per game (28.9) and points per game allowed (18.8). They are a sneaky Super Bowl contender.

Los Angeles Rams: A

Record entering Week 10: 6-2 (second place in NFC West)

Matthew Stafford should be getting more MVP attention. The veteran is white hot at the halfway mark of the season, leading the NFL with 21 passing touchdowns. That number already exceeds his total from last season (20 passing touchdowns). Stafford has thrown 16 touchdowns over the last five games and has tossed zero interceptions over that stretch as well. That play gives L.A. a championship-caliber season, especially with the defense playing equally as well. The unit is allowing just 15.9 points per game this season, which is the second-best in the NFL. They are a major threat and feel a lot like their championship team from Super Bowl LVI.

San Francisco 49ers: A

Record entering Week 10: 6-3 (third place in NFC West)

This might be Kyle Shanahan's most impressive coaching performance. San Francisco has been ravaged by injuries to some of its most important players on the roster, and the coach still has them tied record-wise for first place in the NFC West. The Niners have lost Nick Bosa and Fred Warner for the year, and have been with Brock Purdy for most of the season as well. Mac Jones has filled in admirably at quarterback, owning a 5-2 record as the starter. That said, it's been Christian McCaffrey who has helped weather the storm offensively as the back leads the NFL in scrimmage yards with 1,222. Currently, McCaffrey is on pace for 1,125 yards rushing and 1,182 yards receiving this season. For reference, no player has had 1,100 rushing and receiving yards in a single season. It's a credit to their perseverance that they are still in a playoff position, but the key question for the second half is whether or not these injuries will start to catch up, particularly on defense.

Arizona Cardinals: C+

Record entering Week 10: 3-5 (fourth place in NFC West)

The Cardinals are one of seven teams to lead in every game this season, but they are the lone team of that bunch to be under .500 at the moment. Arizona's inability to close has been a problem in 2025, and has the Cardinals in a massive hole in what is a wildly competitive NFC West. Recently, the offense seems to have found a spark with Jacoby Brissett, who will remain the starter in Week 10. This represents a possible seismic moment for the organization. While Kyler Murray is currently dealing with a foot injury, coach Jonathan Gannon did tell Arizona Sports 98.7 FM that Brissett would've been named the starter this week even if Murray were healthy. That leaves plenty of questions for the long-term view of the Cardinals, but in terms of where they stand at the midway point, their five-straight one-score losses have them looking up at the rest of the division.