1 Word to Describe Your NFL Team Right Now: Midseason Edition
NFL teams will finish writing the story of the 2021 season in the remaining 10 weeks and into the playoffs. For now, we can make early judgments on individual clubs after two months of action.
In the second half of the campaign, some teams will go on extended runs while other borderline contenders fizzle out post-Thanksgiving, but which clubs fall into those categories?
Looking back at the past eight weeks, we'll provide one-word descriptions for all 32 squads with some context based on win-loss records, offensive and defensive rankings, roster moves and standout individual performances.
Would you agree with these early impressions, or do you have a more accurate word for your team's outlook midway through the season?
AFC East
1 of 8
Buffalo Bills: Superlative
Statistically, the Bills are the best team in the NFL, fielding the league's No. 1 scoring offense and defense. They had an explicable Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and gambled on a 4th-and-1 that backfired against them in Week 6 against the Tennessee Titans. However, this squad is a balanced juggernaut that should be favored to claim the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Miami Dolphins: Lost
The Dolphins have no clear direction. They're 1-7 but didn't trade away assets at the deadline, which means the front office may maintain its roster core for the 2022 term. However, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, team owner Stephen Ross met with Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is currently the subject of 22 lawsuits by women who have accused him of sexual assault and misconduct. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is the starter for now, but the team obviously isn't sold on him.
New England Patriots: Burgeoning
Watch out for the Patriots, who have won three of their past four games with rookie quarterback Mac Jones under center. Even in their past two losses, the Patriots battled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) and Dallas Cowboys (6-1) down to the final drive, the latter matchup ending in overtime. Coming off a road win over the Los Angeles Chargers, New England looks like a playoff contender again.
New York Jets: Random
At 2-5, the Jets have wins over the AFC South division-leading Titans (with a healthy Derrick Henry) and the resurgent Cincinnati Bengals, who went into Week 8 with a 5-2 record. Fourth-year quarterback Mike White helped lead Gang Green to a victory over the Bengals, throwing for 405 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in his first NFL start. Good luck predicting anything with this team.
AFC North
2 of 8
Baltimore Ravens: Resourceful
Before Week 1, running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards suffered ACL tears. The Ravens have used a platoon of ball-carriers, which includes Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman, Ty'Son Williams and Le'Veon Bell. The four tailbacks have recorded a combined 535 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Baltimore also lost cornerback Marcus Peters (torn ACL) for the season, though Anthony Averett has filled in well, allowing a 57.1 percent completion rate and a 73 passer rating. Despite key injuries, the Ravens lead the AFC North at 5-2.
Cincinnati Bengals: Promising
The Bengals have the roster pieces to become a playoff contender and make a run for the AFC North title. They beat each of the Steelers and Ravens by two or more touchdowns. The Bengals have a top-six player in passing yards (Joe Burrow), rushing yards (Joe Mixon) and receiving yards (Ja'Marr Chase) with the No. 6 scoring defense. They're not going to flame out late in the season.
Cleveland Browns: Limited
The Browns field a dominant ground attack, which leads the league in rushing yards, but quarterback Baker Mayfield has struggled. He's reverted to being a game manager in large part because he's played with a torn labrum behind an offensive line that's battled injuries. Wideout Odell Beckham Jr. may be on his way out of Cleveland. The Browns have scored 17 or fewer points in four of their past five games. They're not built to win high-scoring matchups.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Deceptive
The Steelers have put together a three-game win streak with victories over the Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, who started Geno Smith in place of an injured Russell Wilson, and an offensively limited Browns squad. Don't buy into the 4-3 Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger has thrown for multiple touchdowns in just one game, and Najee Harris, the Steelers' best offensive playmaker, averages 3.7 yards per carry behind a rebuilt offensive line.
AFC South
3 of 8
Houston Texans: Transitional
The Texans had to move into a transitional period once quarterback Deshaun Watson requested a trade and became the subject of 22 lawsuits by women who have accused him of sexual assault and misconduct. The Texans signed journeyman quarterback Tyrod Taylor, but he's missed six games because of a hamstring injury, which has allowed the club to take a long look at rookie third-rounder Davis Mills. Houston will likely have a top-five pick next year and assess the next phase of its rebuild under first-time head coach David Culley and general manager Nick Caserio.
Indianapolis Colts: Borderline
The Colts have a solid roster, but they don't have quality wins. Indianapolis lost to the Los Angeles Rams, Ravens and Titans by six or fewer points. Carson Wentz has played well, throwing for 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. He has the second-leading rusher in Jonathan Taylor and an emerging wideout in Michael Pittman Jr. The Colts are tied with the Bills for the most takeaways (18). Yet they're just outside the playoff bubble.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Dreary
The union between quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft, and Urban Meyer, who's one of the most accomplished collegiate head coaches, hasn't injected much excitement into a downtrodden Jaguars franchise. The club is 1-6 with the 27th-ranked scoring offense and the 28th-ranked scoring defense. Lawrence hasn't thrown for multiple touchdowns since Week 1. Nothing much to see here.
Tennessee Titans: Tentative
At 6-2, the Titans have a stronghold on the AFC South division lead after they swept the season series with the Colts (3-5), but the previous win over their rival came at a significant cost. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, running back Derrick Henry will undergo foot surgery and miss six to 10 weeks. He leads the league in rushing (937) and accounts for 36 percent of the Titans' yardage. Tennessee signed 36-year-old Adrian Peterson to fill the void.
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AFC West
4 of 8
Denver Broncos: Faceless
The Broncos don't have an identity. Their backfield features a talented running back duo in Melvin Gordon III and Javonte Williams, but the club ranks 24th in rush attempts. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has looked decent against low-end competition but faded in recent outings. On Monday, Denver traded edge-rusher Von Miller, a franchise icon, to the Los Angeles Rams. The Broncos are headed for a rebuild.
Kansas City Chiefs: Sloppy
The Kansas City Chiefs lead the league in turnovers (19) with 12 in the past four games. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has thrown a league-high 10 interceptions, has to avoid forcing passes downfield into two-high safety coverage. The coaching staff should make a stronger commitment to the run game, which would cut down on ill-advised throws and allow the offense to control the clock.
Las Vegas Raiders: Turbulent
Derek Carr has played more aggressively than ever, averaging a career-high 324.1 passing yards per game. Meanwhile, edge-rusher Maxx Crosby looks like a rising star with five sacks and 22 quarterback pressures. On the flip side, former head coach Jon Gruden resigned because of racist, misogynistic and anti-gay emails dating back to 2011. On Tuesday, wideout Henry Ruggs III was released from the team after his involvement in a fatal crash for which he is facing DUI resulting in death and reckless driving charges. The Las Vegas Raiders probably have a lot more on their minds than football.
Los Angeles Chargers: Flashy
The Chargers are an appealing pick to rise up in the AFC. After winning 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year, quarterback Justin Herbert still looks impressive with three game-winning drives. Running back Austin Ekeler ranks 10th in scrimmage yards (722). Safety Derwin James and edge-rusher Joey Bosa have played in every game. However, L.A.'s star players haven't aligned to form a dominant team. The Chargers' run defense (32nd) and ground attack (18th) both lack substance, which has contributed to a current two-game slide.
NFC East
5 of 8
Dallas Cowboys: Starlit
The Cowboys' premier playmakers have played a major role in their 6-1 start. Running back Ezekiel Elliott is averaging 5.1 yards per touch—his highest mark since the 2018 campaign. CeeDee Lamb ranks eighth league-wide in receiving yards (609). Quarterback Dak Prescott and linebacker Micah Parsons have jumped out as early favorites to win Comeback Player of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year, respectively. Trevon Diggs leads the league with seven interceptions.
New York Giants: Disappointing
The Giants went all-in on the 2021 season, signing wideout Kenny Golladay and cornerback Adoree' Jackson to notable multiyear deals. Meanwhile, quarterback Daniel Jones felt the pressure going into a crucial third term. Thus far, Golladay has missed three games with a knee injury, while Jones has thrown just seven touchdown passes and five interceptions in eight outings. On top of that, the defense has regressed from a top-10 scoring unit to 23rd in point allowed.
Philadelphia Eagles: Imbalanced
Quarterback Jalen Hurts has too much on his plate. He's learning a new system under offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and leads the Eagles in rush attempts. The second-year signal-caller deserves some criticism for his tendency to prematurely leave the pocket, but the coaching staff can help him with more carries for the running backs. Even without Miles Sanders (sprained ankle), Boston Scott, Jordan Howard and Kenneth Gainwell could take some pressure off Hurts as they did in a 44-6 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 8.
Washington Football Team: Regressive
What happened to the Washington Football Team's top-five scoring defense that helped propel them to an NFC East title last year? The unit has taken a significant step backward, ranking 27th in points allowed and giving up the most passing touchdowns. With quarterback Taylor Heinicke under center in place of Ryan Fitzpatrick (hip), the Football Team needs a shutdown defense to compete on a weekly basis.
NFC North
6 of 8
Chicago Bears: Basic
The Bears have a simple game plan with quarterback Justin Fields under center, and he's not expected to push the ball downfield consistently because of his subpar offensive line. Still, the rookie quarterback has taken a league-high 26 sacks. The offense will go through growing pains as Fields takes his rookie lumps.
Detroit Lions: Overmatched
Quarterback Jared Goff has a subpar supporting cast. Aside from tight end T.J. Hockenson, the Lions don't have consistent perimeter playmakers. Their ground attack ranks 25th in yards. Defensively, the Lions allow the most points, which puts more pressure on the offense to win scoring shootouts with limited firepower. Still winless, Detroit has a good chance to claim the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft.
Green Bay Packers: Apprehensive
The Green Bay Packers will go into Week 9 without Aaron Rodgers, who tested positive for COVID-19. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, the star quarterback is unvaccinated, so he could miss multiple games. While the Packers may not see their season collapse, they could fall behind in the race for the top seed in the NFC. Furthermore, the league could discipline Green Bay if the club breached COVID protocols.
Minnesota Vikings: Mediocre
The Vikings beat the Seahawks, who had a healthy quarterback Russell Wilson, and won three of four games going into their Week 7 bye. On the other hand, the Vikings needed a game-winning field goal to beat the winless Lions. After the bye week, they lost to the Cowboys, who started quarterback Cooper Rush in place of Dak Prescott (calf) for his first start. This is an inconsistent 3-4 squad with a middling scoring offense (18th) and defense (12th).
NFC South
7 of 8
Atlanta Falcons: Shallow
The Falcons roster lacks depth, and they're too dependent on the passing attack. Matt Ryan has thrown for 13 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 68.6 percent completion rate, but Atlanta ranks 27th in rushing with a defense that lists 26th in points allowed. Kyle Pitts and Cordarrelle Patterson, who's also the team's lead rusher, have had to carry a heavy workload in the passing game while wideout Calvin Ridley remains out for an undetermined amount of time as he focuses on his mental health.
Carolina Panthers: Shaky
The Panthers field a top-five scoring defense, but they've struggled to move the ball without running back Christian McCaffrey, who suffered a hamstring injury in Week 3. Over the past five outings, the Panthers have averaged 19.2 points per contest. In that stretch, quarterback Sam Darnold has been benched and knocked out of a game with a concussion. Carolina's defense can stifle opponents, but the offense has to find a rhythm while McCaffrey recovers from injury.
New Orleans Saints: Flexible
Without wideout Michael Thomas, the Saints' offensive identity has changed in the first year of the post-Drew Brees era. They don't have a potent scoring unit, ranking 22nd in third-down conversions and scoring on 34.6 percent of their drives (23rd). Yet, at 5-2, New Orleans is 13th in points, partially because their top-five scoring defense and special teams unit shorten the field for the offense. On average, the Saints have the third-best starting point for their drives. After losing quarterback Jameis Winston for the season (torn ACL and MCL damage), the Saints can rely on their defense to grind out wins.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tested
The Buccaneers have the most accomplished quarterback of all time in Tom Brady, and he's equipped with a top-tier pass-catching group that includes Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski. Still, the reigning champions went through tough battles with the Cowboys and Patriots. They've lost to the Rams and Saints. This is a battle-tested club that can handle the pressure in their quest for a repeat.
NFC West
8 of 8
Arizona Cardinals: Captivating
Quarterback Kyler Murray is distributing the ball among his pass-catchers with a high level of efficiency. He's top five in passing yards, touchdowns and completion rate leaguewide. Chase Edmonds has emerged as a viable dual-threat running back with 638 scrimmage yards while James Conner finishes drives, recording seven rushing touchdowns within 10 yards of the goal line. With a top-five scoring offense and defense, the Cardinals are playoff contenders.
Los Angeles Rams: Aggressive
The Rams are tied with the Cowboys for a league-best 6.5 yards per play, which is a byproduct of their fourth-ranked passing attack that emphasizes pushing the ball downfield. They're aggressively going all-in on this season, as the front office recently acquired edge-rusher Von Miller from the Broncos. Miller had 19 tackles, seven for loss and 4.5 sacks through seven games and could bolster the Rams pass rush alongside Leonard Floyd and Aaron Donald.
San Francisco 49ers: Iffy
The 49ers (3-4) have lost four consecutive games, which includes two within the division. Now, head coach Kyle Shanahan has a quarterback issue. Jimmy Garoppolo has thrown for six touchdowns and four interceptions in six games. Rookie quarterback Trey Lance may not be ready to take over the huddle, but he offers more upside because of his mobility and arm strength. With a limited offense, the 49ers need more from their defense, which ranks 22nd in scoring.
Seattle Seahawks: Staggering
The Seahawks have stumbled to a 3-5 record, but they're not out of the playoff race because quarterback Russell Wilson, who has missed the past three games, might still have a chance to save their season since, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, he could return from a finger injury in Week 10. Nevertheless, Seattle must tighten up its 26th-ranked pass defense and 28th-ranked run defense to avoid weekly scoring shootouts.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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