The primary 1/2 of the NFL’s 18-week habitual season is over and staff rosters are poised following the similar of the 2024 industry window on Tuesday afternoon.
So what are we able to be expecting from the league’s 32 groups within the ultimate 9 weeks? Which avid gamers could have bulky performances? Which groups will win their sections — or fall decrease? Which groups may well be going through a training or front-office shakeup? Our NFL writers addressed those subjects and extra in making one prediction for each staff heading into the season’s moment 1/2.
Arizona will input its ultimate tournament with a anticipation to win the NFC West
Later an embarrassing Occasion 6 loss at Inexperienced Bay, the Cardinals had a ten % anticipation to win the West, in line with The Athletic’s projection fashion, worst a few of the department’s 4 groups. Since nearest, the Cardinals have gained 3 in a row, their longest win streak since 2021. And their probabilities for profitable the West have higher to a division-best 37 %. This staff developments within the the appropriate direction. Serving to issues: Arizona’s residue 8 fighters are 29-40, which supplies the Cardinals the very best agenda amongst West groups. In Occasion 18, San Francisco visits Arizona. That tournament makes a decision the department name. — Doug Haller
Kirk Cousins will win NFL Comeback Participant of the Age
One 12 months upcoming tearing his Achilles tendon in Occasion 8, Cousins is fourth within the league in passing touchdowns (17), 6th in yards in line with tournament (258.7) and 9th in passer score (101.9). His stiffest pageant will come from Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Burrow is forward of Cousins in each vital passing division, however two elements are running in Cousins’ bias. First, Burrow has already gained the award (2021). 2d, the Falcons have two extra wins than the Bengals, who’re at risk of lacking the playoffs. If Cousins can snap Atlanta’s postseason drought, that are meant to push him life Burrow. — Josh Kendall
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Lamar Jackson will win 0.33 MVP award
Best six avid gamers in NFL historical past have garnered MVP honors 3 or extra occasions, however Jackson has put himself in place to win his 0.33 through enjoying the most productive soccer of his profession. He was once a near-unanimous MVP selection endmost 12 months, however he’s taken his tournament and Baltimore’s offense to any other degree through doing extra on the form of scrimmage, making improvements to his accuracy, making higher selections and attacking each quadrant of the discipline. Jared Goff, Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels, Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry have all performed their method into the MVP dialogue, and there may be enough of moment for others to go into the combo. Alternatively, Jackson is extensively thought to be the midseason front-runner. So long as he remains wholesome, there’s negative reason why to be expecting a drop-off. He’s on past to complete with 4,494 passing yards, 38 landing passes, 4 interceptions and 954 speeding yards. It is going to be difficult to stick on that past, however the tournament has bogged down for Jackson this 12 months and he has the most productive offensive supporting solid he’s ever had. Why would you wager towards him? — Jeff Zrebiec
Khalil Shakir will bind his first profession 1,000-yard season
Later an finest finish to the 2023 season, Shakir has picked up the place he left off because the staff’s number one slot receiver. Most significantly, he’s grow to be one in all Allen’s maximum relied on property. He’s a soothing pressure and as secure as they arrive, roping in nearly each go thrown his method. On lead of that, his yards-after-catch talent has been exceptional all 12 months, possessing admirable touch steadiness and offering a just right shake on defenders within the viewable discipline earlier than touch. Shakir’s position is reserve, and so long as he remains wholesome, he’s were given a valid anticipation to top the Expenses in receiving in 2024. — Joe Buscaglia
Chuba Hubbard will hurry for 1,100 yards … and get a fresh commitment
The Panthers haven’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Christian McCaffrey in 2019. However Hubbard will strike that mark and nearest some. The fourth-year again is on past to complete with 1,256 yards, which will be the fourth-highest overall in staff historical past. Even with the Panthers activating rookie working again Jonathon Brooks this day, Hubbard will stay the workhorse within the backfield. Hubbard has inspired along with his difficult, downfield working taste, his paintings ethic and his robust management within the depot room. He’s the kind of participant first-year tutor Dave Canales desires to manufacture round, so search for the Panthers to increase Hubbard earlier than the top of the season to accumulation him from hitting loose company. — Joseph Individual
Can Caleb Williams top the Bears in an dissatisfied over the NFC’s excellent staff? (Quinn Harris / Getty Photographs)
The Bears will shoot off any other dissatisfied of the Lions
It’s no longer a unbalanced prediction in case you keep in mind that the Bears will have to have crushed the Lions two times endmost season. The Bears blew a 12-point top within the ultimate 4:15 in a 31-26 loss of their first assembly in Detroit. However 3 weeks nearest, the Bears protection crushed quarterback Jared Goff in a 28-13 win at Soldier Farmland upcoming the staff’s bye day. Possibly Eberflus has a just right learn on Goff with a greater protection to ship upcoming him. Possibly this would be the Bears’ best victory in what nonetheless seems like the most productive department within the NFL. — Adam Jahns
Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals will put together playoffs in the event that they beat Chargers, Broncos
You’ll slim the Bengals’ playoff image unwell to 2 vital, high-leverage video games. It could be barricade to suppose they will have to be counted on to overcome the Titans, Browns and Cowboys, all suffering with unpriviledged quarterback play games. Preventing again to win the AFC North is all however off the board. So, they are going to effort to get up to the 6th or 7th wild card, acknowledging it’s going to hurry 10 — probably 9 — wins to put together it occur. The Colts, Broncos and Chargers are within the combine with Cincinnati. The Bengals go to Los Angeles on Nov. 17 and host Denver the endmost weekend in December. There’s a anticipation the Steelers come again to the bind with a brutal second-half agenda, and the Bengals will wish to a minimum of fracture towards them, however gaining the ones tiebreakers towards Denver and Los Angeles has a admirable anticipation to solid the deciding vote in a kind of seeds. — Paul Dehner Jr.
Cleveland Browns
Browns shake up entrance operate and progress on from both their GM or technique officer (or each)
Taking into consideration the disasters of the Deshaun Watson industry, the offensive form carousel in 2024, the commitment hesitation around the offense in the future and the choice of draft misses, I simply can’t believe staff homeowners Jimmy and Dee Haslam viewing this large failure as appropriate. A bundle can occur within the after two months, but when the most costly roster in NFL historical past produces 3 or 4 wins, it’s sun-baked to peer the Haslams permitting this front-office staff to put together an important selections in the future. — Zac Jackson
Dallas Cowboys
Brandon Aubrey will poised the report for longest discipline objective
Aubrey nearly had a anticipation to poised the report in Occasion 1, when he made a 66-yarder in Cleveland that didn’t rely because of a penalty and the following 71-yard effort was once referred to as off through holder Bryan Rage. The Cowboys are about to be led through alternative quarterback Cooper Scurry for the foreseeable day. There’s a significance anticipation the offense stalls round midfield and the Cowboys get determined for issues. There’s additionally the truth that of the residue 9 video games for the Cowboys, six are within the at ease confines of AT&T Stadium. Possibly Aubrey doesn’t get a anticipation slightly from 70-plus yards however one thing a hair over 66 yards would no longer be unexpected. — Saad Yousuf
Denver Broncos
Courtland Sutton will grow to be Broncos’ first 1,000-yard receiver since 2019
Because the get started of the 2020 season, negative Broncos participant has had 1,000 speeding or receiving yards. Each and every alternative NFL staff has put a participant in a minimum of a kind of divisions all over that reach — and maximum groups have checked each subjects. Sutton can finish the Broncos’ streak. Sutton produced the staff’s endmost 1,000-yard receiving season as a second-year participant in 2019 (1,112). Phillip Lindsay squeaked his far more than the brink with 1,011 speeding yards that season. Sutton has 499 receiving yards on 36 catches this season, which leaves him on past for approximately 943 yards. Alternatively, his numbers come with a tournament towards the Saints by which he wasn’t focused. Since nearest, he’s produced back-to-back 100-yard receiving video games for the primary moment in his profession. Sutton has grow to be extra of a downfield ultimatum in contemporary weeks and figures to enlarge that position as he grows his chemistry with rookie quarterback Bo Nix. That are supposed to be enough quantity for Sutton to succeed in the elusive milestone. — Nick Kosmider
Detroit Lions
The NFC will run thru Detroit
At 7-1, the Lions have the most productive report within the NFC. Later a gradual get started, Ben Johnson’s offense appears to be like adore it’s taken any other bounce. Jared Goff is dialed in and the Lions aren’t asking him to do excess, which has allowed him to finish passes at a near-75 % clip. Detroit has the most productive speeding offense in soccer and all kinds of playmakers. Even with out Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit ranks fifth in issues in line with tournament allowed because of a decent red-zone protection and an opportunistic security tandem of Brian Department and Kerby Joseph. The addition of Za’Darius Smith will have to backup bolster the defensive form. This staff has all of the makings of a Disagree. 1 seed, and I feel they get it completed. — Colton Pouncy
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Xavier McKinney shall be named a first-team All-Professional
The Packers top the NFL in takeaways thru 9 weeks with 19, in large part as a result of their free-agent signing at security. McKinney is secured for first within the NFL with six interceptions. There were 3 video games by which he hasn’t intercepted a go. Towards the Cardinals, Kyler Murray best tried 3 passes of a minimum of 15 breeze yards, in line with Nearest Gen Stats. Towards the Texans, C.J. Stroud tried 5. Towards the Lions, Jared Goff tried two. Groups aren’t taking pictures downfield, most likely as a result of McKinney worries them. Maximum avid gamers within the NFL are dedicated to their craft, however defensive backs tutor Ryan Downard instructed a neat tale about McKinney endmost day. Downard and McKinney have been on other buses at the method from the Jaguars’ stadium to the airport upcoming the Packers’ Occasion 8 win, however McKinney sought after a head get started on Lions preparation. McKinney texted Downard, who has been on Inexperienced Bay’s defensive team of workers since 2018, about his familiarity enjoying the Lions. “He was urging me, encouraging me, to get him that tape as soon as possible,” Downard stated. — Matt Schneidman
Houston Texans
Houston will repeat as AFC South champion
The Texans don’t have the very best second-half agenda. It starts with a house tournament towards Detroit, proceeds with a run of suffering fighters (Dallas, Tennessee, Jacksonville and Miami), and nearest comes back-to-back dates with Kansas Town and Baltimore earlier than a finale towards Tennessee. Transferring up from their wave fourth-place spot within the AFC will turn out difficult however the Texans, at 3-0 within the AFC South, have a wholesome department top. The Titans and Jaguars are struggling with for one of the crucial lead draft choices, and the Colts are restricted. Houston will repeat as AFC South champions and struggle to hold that momentum into the postseason. — Mike Jones
Indianapolis Colts
Anthony Richardson won’t play games once more this season
When Colts head tutor Shane Steichen benched Richardson in bias of 39-year-old Joe Flacco, that was once the nail within the coffin of Richardson’s six-game reign as QB1 this season. Indianapolis will sink or swim with Flacco. If the staff stacks wins and makes the playoffs, the reasoning for the transfer shall be more straightforward to justify. Alternatively, if the Colts aggregate up losses, it will be a severe search for the franchise to exit again to Richardson and ask him to struggle and steer a sinking send. — James Boyd
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville shall be a sought-after vacation spot if there’s a training alternate
If tutor Doug Pederson doesn’t form enough quantity momentum towards 2025, the Jaguars will most likely change him, and there’s reason why to imagine it’ll be a coveted task with the anticipation to faucet into Trevor Lawrence’s doable and paintings for an proprietor who has trustworthy vital sources into the amenities in recent times. Training applicants hope for 2 integrated sources: a franchise quarterback and steadiness from possession. The Jaguars had been trending extra in that route than previous in Shad Khan’s stewardship. — Jeff Howe
Chiefs huge receiver DeAndre Hopkins seems like his ancient self along with his fresh staff. (David Eulitt / Getty Photographs)
Kansas Town Chiefs
DeAndre Hopkins will top the Chiefs in receiving touchdowns
This can be a knee-jerk response upcoming Hopkins’ notable get started with the Chiefs since they bought him two weeks in the past from the Titans. However Hopkins is the Chiefs’ maximum sure-handed receiver and he can nonetheless win one-on-one matchups, which he did Sunday in scoring two touchdowns towards the Buccaneers. Do you know rookie Xavier Valuable leads the Chiefs with simply 3 receiving touchdowns? Maximum fighters will nonetheless center of attention on Travis Kelce within the pink zone, which will have to top to enough of alternatives for Patrick Mahomes to search out Hopkins finally zone. — Nate Taylor
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Antonio Pierce will put together it to Age 2 as head tutor
Because the Raiders’ season has long gone off the rails, hypothesis about Pierce’s task safety has intensified. His in-game decision-making has been closely criticized and the training team of workers hasn’t been in a position to search out any constant luck. However proprietor Mark Davis isn’t itching to put together his 0.33 training alternate in 3 years. He was hoping the Raiders could be extra aggressive, however he knew Pierce was once green and would undergo rising pains.
“He’s young as a head coach. He’s learning how to be a head coach,” Davis stated endmost week. “He’s surrounded himself with a lot of good people. He’s just got to grow into the job. It’s his first year, really. What he did last year was phenomenal. … We’ll be OK.” — Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed
Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert shall be MVP of the second one 1/2
Herbert is enjoying one of the crucial excellent soccer of his profession because the bye. His accuracy is on level. He’s pushing the ball downfield with out taking excess chance. His mobility is making improvements to as moment passes since his early-season high-ankle sprain. This is main to scramble yards, notable sack avoidance and off-script playmaking. The trauma and gradual get started will block him from coming into the MVP dialog in earnest. However the life two video games are up there with one of the crucial excellent quarterbacking I’ve perceivable from Herbert. If he can keep wholesome, I feel he’s committing to be the most productive participant within the league over the second one 1/2 of the season. — Daniel Popper
Rams will keep scorching thru November and December
The Rams will perhaps get launch middle/barricade Jonah Jackson again from IR for this day’s tournament towards Miami, and may even get launch barricade Steve Avila again as neatly relying on how his apply day is going. 2d-year receiver Puka Nacua gets fitter upcoming a scare along with his knee endmost day (and he’ll keep in video games, too, upcoming studying from his ejection towards Seattle). Los Angeles has gained 3 consecutive video games and scorching up round this moment in 2023, too. If Matthew Stafford and working again Kyren Williams can get this offense off the field within the go and run stages in lieu of stalling out on drives, the Rams shall be unhealthy in November and put together a playoff push. — Jourdan Rodrigue
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Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins shall be competing for a wild-card spot in Occasion 18
Making the playoffs turns out like a far-fetched proposition for 2-6 Miami, however there may be reason why to hold on to a few hope. The Dolphins have one of the crucial very best residue schedules within the NFL, and the center elegance of the AFC isn’t precisely stuffed with world-beaters. If quarterback Tua Tagovailoa can keep wholesome and get this offense buzzing once more, Miami may climb again into the race. Granted, this may well be a kind of statuses the place the Dolphins want a bundle of breaks to exit their method at the endmost days of the 12 months, however they’re no longer out of the search but. — Jim Ayello
The Vikings will win a minimum of 11 video games
The Vikings’ preseason projected win overall was once 6 1/2. Midway in, they’re already at six. Minnesota has some of the fertile defenses within the NFL and an offense loaded on the ability positions. And the Vikings’ agenda will get more straightforward in the future: Their after six video games are towards the Jaguars, Titans, Bears, Cardinals, Falcons and Bears. All are winnable, they usually will have to creep nearer to 11. In the event that they get there — bearing in mind the preseason expectancies in a transition 12 months — head tutor Kevin O’Connell, defensive coordinator Brian Flores and this depot room deserve a ton of credit score. — Alec Lewis
Drake Maye could have a greater moment 1/2 than Caleb Williams
Later sitting at the bench for the primary 5 video games, Drake Maye has been the whole thing the Patriots was hoping for. The rookie is without a doubt committing to have some hiccups alongside the best way, as evidenced through his 9 turnover-worthy performs, in line with Professional Soccer Focal point. However Maye will proceed to top this boom-or-bust offense, and his talent to scramble is remarkable for a Patriots staff unpriviledged alongside the offensive form and at huge receiver. That is much less a knock on Williams and extra a praise of Maye. Oh, and Unused England’s after tournament? That may be Sunday towards Williams’ Chicago Bears. — Chad Graff
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Unused Orleans Saints
The Saints will end with their worst report since 2005
The dumpster out of doors the Saints’ apply facility is formally engulfed with flames. The staff has been humiliated in back-to-back weeks upcoming being pummeled through Sean Payton and the Broncos at house, adopted through a one-point loss at Carolina. Unused Orleans has a seven-game dropping streak, the longest because the Mike Ditka-led Saints in 1999, and now Dennis Allen has been fired. However what number of wins can this staff bring together with Darren Rizzi as meantime head tutor? My ceiling for the Saints is 4 wins, which will be the fewest because the 2005 season, marred through Typhoon Katrina and earlier than Payton and Drew Brees arrived in Unused Orleans. — Larry Holder
QB Daniel Jones gets benched upcoming the Giants’ Occasion 11 bye
It will not be the primary tournament out of the bye (Occasion 12 vs. Tampa Bay), but it surely’s coming. Even supposing Jones is enjoying neatly, which he has every now and then this season, it’s committing to be difficult for him to outrun the trauma agreement in his commitment and all the dropping. In spite of everything, it’s the effects that topic, and the Giants are 2-7 and mired in a four-game dropping streak. If the losses accumulation piling up, it’s going to give tutor Brian Daboll the rationale he must put together a metamorphosis. — Charlotte Carroll
Davante Adams is on past for his lowest receiving yards in line with tournament (64.0 YPG) since 2017. (Joe Sargent / Getty Photographs)
The Jets will end 8-9
8 wins would heartless the Jets completed the season on a 6-3 run. In the long run, I feel they dug themselves in too deep a hollow to show it all of the method round and put together the playoffs. Fanatics (understandably) wouldn’t be pleased with falling decrease of the postseason for the 14th instantly 12 months, however that end may well be enough quantity to persuade proprietor Woody Johnson to run it again with Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams and Jeff Ulbrich in 2025. Whether or not that will be the proper resolution is any other topic. — Zack Rosenblatt
The Eagles will win the NFC East for moment moment in Nick Sirianni year
The Washington Commanders (7-2) are certainly scorching. However, because of the deplorable run protection, they don’t fit up neatly towards Philadelphia. The Eagles (6-2), whose younger protection continues to strengthen, are ceaselessly enjoying their excellent soccer. As long as they discover ways to keep out of their very own method, a sweep of the Commanders is conceivable. Philadelphia nonetheless will have to play games the Rams (4-4) and Ravens (6-3), however Washington, too, has toss-up video games residue towards the Steelers (6-2) and Falcons (6-3). And the Eagles have controlled to win video games regardless of evil good fortune and evil selections. — Brooks Kubena
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers will snap a seven-year playoff win drought
8 seasons in, T.J. Watt has the makings of a Corridor of Reputation resume. He’s a six-time Professional Bowler, four-time first-team All-Professional and the 2021 Defensive Participant of the Age. However something he hasn’t completed? Win a playoff tournament.
That may alternate this 12 months. Watt is the catalyst for the NFL’s second-best scoring protection, which has been close to championship-caliber for lots of the 5 years since Minkah Fitzpatrick arrived in 2019 — just right enough quantity to push Pittsburgh into the playoffs however no longer to conquer a dysfunctional offense. With Arthur Smith and Russell Wilson, the Steelers after all have enough quantity offense. This would be the 12 months that tutor Mike Tomlin wins his first playoff tournament since 2016 and Watt after all advances past the hole around of the playoffs. — Mike DeFabo
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San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers shall be neck and neck with one rival
The 49ers, who’re projected through The Athletic’s fashion to have a 38 % anticipation to put together the playoffs, almost certainly should win their department to get in and their largest pageant for that honor would be the Rams.
The Rams, the staff that embraced buying and selling away draft choices a couple of years in the past, have come complete circle in making robust choices in contemporary seasons that word to gas their day luck.
The groups’ Occasion 15 rematch in Levi’s Stadium — a Thursday evening affair — shall be abundance. And the 49ers’ season finale, a one-use tournament endmost season, already looms massive bearing in mind it’s towards a department opponent, the Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers fell to in Occasion 5. — Matt Barrows
Seattle Seahawks
DK Metcalf shall be Seattle’s best Professional Bowler
The Seahawks have 4 returning Professional Bowlers (Julian Love, Devon Witherspoon, DK Metcalf and Geno Smith), together with two alternates (Metcalf and Smith). All 4 are having significance seasons, but it surely looks like an extended shot for someone out of doors of Metcalf to be named to the latest poll this 12 months.
This prediction is according to a theme throughout the first 1/2 of the season: Seattle has no longer persistently maximized the ability on its roster. Smith, Love, Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Leonard Williams, Boye Mafe, Derick Corridor and Ken Walker III have elite abilities, however that’s no longer being mirrored within the on-field product with any regularity. — Michael-Shawn Dugar
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mike Evans gets to one,000 receiving yards
Via 9 video games, Evans has best 335 receiving yards, which makes him the third-leading receiver at the Bucs and the Sixty fifth-leading receiver within the NFL. And he’s these days out with a hamstring trauma. However there are causes to imagine Evans will end robust. He has a historical past of enjoying thru accidents, so it’s not unreasonable to suppose he can go back on Nov. 24 towards the Giants, which might give him seven video games to get 665 yards. That still would give him 3 extra weeks of recovery. When he does go back, he’s going to most likely be the center piece of the Bucs’ offense, which now could be lacking Chris Godwin. And Evans shall be ambitious. If he will get to one,000, he’s going to secured Jerry Rice’s report for many consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with 11. — Dan Pompei
Tennessee Titans
Will Levis will go back and play games his method out of the Titans’ day plans
It’s after all conceivable that Levis, whose sore proper shoulder has saved him out of 3 instantly video games, may come again and put all of it in combination. He almost certainly doesn’t wish to put it “all” in combination to be a part of some roughly QB pageant heading into 2025. However Levis’ play games earlier than he were given harm was once so discouraging — no longer optic the discipline neatly enough quantity, optic issues past due, lacking throws even if he noticed them, taking wild dangers — that it’s sun-baked to believe enough quantity of a reversal this season. The Titans wish to give him as a lot alternative as conceivable, although, earlier than resolving to get a hold of a fresh plan at QB. — Joe Rexrode
Washington Commanders
Rookie Mike Sainristil will put together bulky strides
Sainristil, a second-round cornerback with extra physicality than his 5-foot-10 body suggests, lived throughout the strains thru two video games. Consistent with PFF, Sainristil performed 76 of 101 snaps from the slot. However issues modified through Occasion 3. Emmanuel Forbes Jr. wanted thumb surgical procedure upcoming the season opener. His alternative, Michael Davis, misplaced his spot within the rotation upcoming Giants rookie Malik Nabers torched the eight-year veteran. Since Noah Igbinoghene essentially is helping within the slot, the training team of workers moved Sainristil to the fringe. Sainristil performed 61 of 62 snaps at the out of doors within the Monday evening victory at Cincinnati. Of his 64 snaps in Sunday’s win over the Giants, 56 have been out huge.
We’ve perceivable the fearless tackler input the fray regardless of his restricted dimension. Assuming not too long ago bought Marshon Lattimore and Benjamin St-Juste are the tandem in two-cornerback units, Sainristil would sit down unwell in three-safety appears to be like. Without reference to the choice of snaps he will get, Sainristil shall be enjoying his extra herbal place within the slot, which will have to build up his construction and manufacturing. — Ben Standig
(Supremacy representation: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; pictures of Khalil Shakir, Kirk Cousins,and Xavier McKinney: Perry Knotts, Cooper Neill and Ric Tapia / Getty Photographs)
