NFL Rundown: Contenders vs. Pretenders
Mikey Duro | Lead Copy Editor
Illustration by Mikey Duro & Victor Chambers | The Corsair
Who will win the Super Bowl? An analysis of all 32 teams.
With week 13 in the books and only five weeks left in the regular season, the best of football is still left to be played in the NFL. By now though, the records each team has put up give a pretty good indication of how good they really are. Some teams have pretty much hung up their cleats and await their positions in next year’s draft, while others have to work harder to squeeze into the playoffs.
Who are the contenders and who are just pretenders? Let’s dive right in and see what every team is made of and make some predictions before crowning the next Super Bowl champions!
AFC East
New England Patriots (3-9)
Once the kings of AFC East when Tom Brady was playing for the team, the Patriots have become the basement dwellers in this division. Quarterback Mac Jones has completely regressed and lost the confidence of the team. Even with a surprising win over division rival Buffalo Bills in week seven, this team has shown nothing to give fans hope for a playoff run. Ruling on the field: Contenders for the No. 1 draft pick.
New York Jets (4-8):
With the arrival of four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers as quarterback, the Jets were a promising team at the beginning of the season. However, all it took was four plays into their first game for those hopes to be dashed when Rodgers went down with a torn Achilles heel, and Zach Wilson was thrust back into the starting lineup. After a three-game win streak early in the season, Jets fans had hoped for the team to hold things together enough for an improbable Rodgers return. After a five-game skid, the Jets have bottomed out. Ruling on the field: Pretenders.
Buffalo Bills (6-6)
The Buffalo Bills have been division kings for the last three seasons ever since Tom Brady left the New England Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. It was expected for them to continue their dominance and win the division for a fourth straight time, but this doesn’t seem like their year. They racked up some impressive wins, yet had some baffling losses, including one to the lowly Patriots. After a heartbreaking loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, there doesn’t seem to be a viable path for them to make the playoffs, considering their tough remaining schedule. Josh Allen has thrown the most touchdowns of any quarterback this season but also has thrown the most interceptions. Ruling on the field: Pretenders.
Miami Dolphins (9-3)
This Miami team has been one of the most exciting teams to watch all season long. Ranking No. 1 in overall offense and passing yards, and No. 2 in rushing yards, the Dolphins have been explosive all over the field. In week three, they beat the Denver Broncos 70-20, almost setting an NFL record for most points scored in a game. The only reason for concern is the level of competition they faced during their nine wins this season—none of the teams they beat had a winning record. But, they can only play the teams that are on their schedule and, so far, they have shown they’re a team to be reckoned with. Ruling on the field: Contenders.
AFC North
Cincinnati Bengals (6-6)
This has been a rollercoaster of a season for the Bengals. After starting off the season with a 1-3 record, they went on a four-game winning streak to pull them back into playoff contention. However, this team goes as their quarterback Joe Burrow goes. After a two-game skid, which was capped off with a season-ending injury for Burrow, they lost their best player and their best chance for a playoff spot. The Bengals were one of the best teams in the league the last two years ever since Burrow came back from a knee injury, which makes it all the more sad to see Burrow go down like this. Ruling on the field: Pretenders (due to unfortunate circumstances).
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
Pittsburgh has been a strange team all year, winning multiple games while being outgained on offense almost every time. Their quarterback, Kenny Pickett, struggled throughout the season. Head coach Mike Tomlin got this team to overachieve due to his ability to lead through ugly wins. This is not a sustainable recipe for success and the magic carpet will eventually be pulled out from under them. Their remaining schedule is easy enough for them to sneak their way into the playoffs, but they will be exposed against superior talent if they happen to make it that far. Ruling on the field: Pretenders.
Cleveland Browns (7-5)
Cleveland brings to the table the league’s No. 1 ranked defense and the No. 2 ranked rushing offense. Their hopes to finally win a Super Bowl and bring some relief to a long-suffering fan base seemed high this season, but with a season-ending injury to quarterback Deshaun Watson, it will be a tough hill to climb behind rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson or even the newly-signed and fresh-off-the-couch former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. Defensive leader and sack artist Myles Garrett will do his best to prove the old adage “defense wins championships,” but in a quarterback-driven league, the Browns will need some luck on their side. Ruling on the field: Contender-ish.
Baltimore Ravens (9-3)
Here’s a team that checks all the boxes and has been dominating their opponents. The Ravens lead the league in rushing offense behind dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has about the same amount of rushing yards as their leading running back. With the No. 2 ranked defense, this is a team built for a long playoff run and they have already shown they can beat talented teams, with huge wins against the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, and twice against the Burrow-led Cincinnati Bengals. If Jackson can stay healthy throughout the remainder of the season, which has been an issue in the past, this team will be a favorite for winning the Super Bowl. Ruling on the field: Contenders.
AFC South
Tennessee Titans (4-8)
In the midst of a rebuild, the Titans are a team that brought little excitement this season. Moving away from quarterback Ryan Tannehill was a wise decision that gave rookie Will Levis a shot at gaining some experience, but this is a team that is already looking to see what they need to do for next year and beyond to compete with the best of the NFL. One big question is whether to re-sign star running back Derrick Henry, who is about to turn 30. With a devalued market for running backs these days, there is no question Henry will choose whichever team is willing to show him the biggest payday. Ruling on the field: Not even pretending to pretend.
Indianapolis Colts (7-5)
The Colts had some fight in them this season, even after their starting quarterback, promising rookie Anthony Richardson, went down for the season with a shoulder injury. Competent journeyman quarterback Gardner Minshew came in to lead the team to some big wins, but has mostly been a game manager. The team has a lot to look forward to over the next few years with a lot of young talent, such as Richardson, receiver Josh Downs, and star running back Jonathan Taylor, who just signed a three-year contract that should keep him with the team through 2025. Even if they find their way into the playoffs, they seem to be a year or two away from making the next leap into contention. Ruling on the field: Not quite Contenders yet.
Houston Texans (7-5)
Coming off a heartbreaking loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars, this is a team that shows flashes of being a true force to be reckoned with. Their quarterback, No. 2 overall draft pick C.J. Stroud is the sure-fire choice to win Offensive Rookie of the Year and even kept himself in the mix for overall MVP. His poise in the face of pressure and top-five passing numbers made this Texas team a surprising contender for a playoff spot. With all that going for them, they are still a young team with a middle-of-the-road defense and have struggled at times against bad teams. Ruling on the field: Pretenders.
Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4)
After two straight wins following a humbling blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Jaguars were humming along nicely, until a scary loss last week in which their starting quarterback didn’t finish the game. They have a proven winner with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who brought the dominance he showed in college to the NFL. After the team came roaring back into contention last season, winning seven of the last nine games, they have kept that pace in impressive fashion. With Lawrence ailing with a high ankle sprain, the Jaguars pray that he will be able to return soon and avoid any further injury concerns. Ruling on the field: Contenders.
AFC West
Los Angeles Chargers (5-7)
The Chargers have been one of the biggest disappointments of the season after a playoff berth last year and signing quarterback Justin Herbert to an exorbitant five-year contract. Their offense has regressed and their defense has become the second-worst in the league. Los Angeles struggled all season closing out games, losing five of them by four points or less. Good teams thrive under pressure and can win even when they are down late in the game. The talent is there, with playmakers on offense including Herbert, wide receiver Keenan Allen and running back Austin Ekeler. The team is likely to go through a coaching change in the offseason if these losses keep adding up. Ruling on the field: Pretenders.
Las Vegas Raiders (5-7)
Raiders fans have another year of frustration with this team, consistently letting them down. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was supposed to bring hope to a team that has been mired in mediocrity for years. Instead, he failed to get the team going and was subsequently benched in favor of rookie Aidan O’Connell after head coach Josh McDaniels was fired. The team has continued playing average football and failing to get their best playmaker, wide receiver Davante Adams, more involved in the offense. The Raiders will spend the offseason looking for a new head coach who can figure out how to bring this team back to its glory days of the 1980s. Ruling on the field: Pretenders, pretending to pretend.
Denver Broncos (6-6)
Quarterback Russell Wilson has been playing his classic brand of winning football, with low passing yards but coming in clutch when the game is on the line. This team struggled mightily early on, starting the season 1-5 and losing to the Miami Dolphins in a historic blowout 70-20 in week three, but just came off of a 5-game winning streak. However, they will need help from other teams if they want to get into the playoffs. With the Super Bowl-winning experience of both Wilson and head coach Sean Payton, they just might have a chance. Ruling on the Field: Contenders by just an inch.
Kansas City Chiefs (8-4)
The reigning Super Bowl champions are back at it and there is no surprise that they are once again one of the best teams in football. They were in three of the last four Super Bowls, winning twice. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the best player in the world and will keep this team in the Super Bowl conversation for years to come. With that said, the Chiefs’ offense has struggled this year, with a lack of talent at the wide receiver position. Travis Kelce has been his most reliable target once again, but there is no hiding the issue with the receivers. There were many dropped balls and poor route-running has held the team back. Their defense has made up for offensive struggles, becoming one of the premiere units in the league. Ruling on the field: Perennial Contenders.
NFC East
Washington Commanders (4-9)
Losers of four straight games, the Commanders fired their defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach after a lopsided loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The team seems to be hemorrhaging on all fronts on its way to another losing season. Even with one of the league’s leading passers, quarterback Sam Howell, the Commanders haven’t been able to score enough points, as their defense is the worst in the NFL. Washington is almost certain to fire head coach Ron Rivera at season's end. He sports a 26-35 record since taking over in 2020. With another rebuild in order, Howell seems to be the only one safe to retain his starting role. Ruling on the field: Pretenders.
New York Giants (4-8)
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. Quarterback Tommy DeVito led the Giants to two straight wins after being blown out by the Dallas Cowboys in his first career start, including an impressive win over the lowly Commanders. However, those wins were simply a matter of playing other bad teams. After making last year’s playoffs and signing starting quarterback Daniel Jones to a four-year $140 million contract, the Giants were probably the biggest disappointment of the season. Jones started the season playing well under the expectations and then tore his ACL in week nine, ending his season. Even with that hefty contract for Jones, the Giants would be wise to consider drafting another quarterback next year, with the 2024 draft class set to feature some promising prospects. Ruling on the field: Wizard of Oz-level Pretenders.
Dallas Cowboys (9-3)
Could this be the year the Cowboys return to glory? It has been 27 years since they won their last Super Bowl, after a dynastic run in the 90s in which they won three in four years. Quarterback Dak Prescott is playing at an MVP level and their offense and defense are among the top overall in the NFL this season. Their biggest test will come this Sunday when they play against a division rival and owner of the league’s best record, the Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas has obliterated teams this year with losing records, but showing they can beat a team with a winning record will go far in proving they have what it takes to go all the way. Ruling on the field: Contenders.
Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)
The Eagles made it to the Super Bowl last season, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in a close-fought game. Usually, the team that loses in the Super Bowl struggles in the following season to recapture momentum. Not this Eagles team. Although they haven’t quite dominated this season like they did last year, they found ways to win games and institute a culture of winning. Even after a poor showing against the San Francisco 49ers last week, they are still the team to beat in the NFL and are favorites to earn a first-round bye in the playoffs. A win over the Cowboys this week will go a long way to ensure their path to another Super Bowl. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has been playing at a high level and is at his best when the team needs him. Ruling on the field: Contenders.
NFC North
Chicago Bears (4-8)
While this team is certainly not going anywhere near the playoffs this year, they have a unique ability to spread some chaos in the remainder of the season. While NFL players will always want to win every game, sometimes a bad team has the incentive to hang things up and get in position for the best draft pick possible. Since the Bears own the rights to the Carolina Panthers’ first-round pick (who have the worst record in the league), they can play spoilers to the remaining playoff hopefuls on their schedule. It seems unlikely that they will be able to beat any of them, but the potential to crush their rivals’ hopes could motivate them to pull an upset victory out of their hat. Ruling on the field: Potential spoilers for Contenders.
Green Bay Packers (6-6)
The Packers played well in the last few games and are pushing for a playoff spot in the season’s final weeks. Quarterback Jordan Love has played his best football of the season and the defense made stops when they needed it to close out games. After a big win over the Kansas City Chiefs, the Packers showed that they are improving as a team and that Love can be the leader the team needs post-Aaron Rodgers. Their running backs have had a slew of injuries this season, which is something they will need to address. They don’t seem fit for a long playoff run if they happen to make it in, but this team could be dangerous next year. Ruling on the field: Pretenders.
Minnesota Vikings (6-6)
The Dobbs effect has been an interesting story this season. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs was traded to the Vikings from the Arizona Cardinals after starter Kirk Cousins went down with a season-ending torn Achilles heel. In his first game, without even knowing most of his teammates' names, Dobbs threw two touchdown passes and engineered a late-game comeback to seal the victory. He then won again in his first start with the team the following week. However, over the last two weeks, his lack of knowledge of the team's offense has become apparent, accounting for six turnovers in two losses. Without a reliable quarterback, the Vikings are likely to fade out of playoff contention. Ruling on the field: Pretenders.
Detroit Lions (9-3)
After a 1-6 start to the season last year, the Lions made a huge turnaround, winning eight of their last 10 games to finish the season 9-8, marking their first winning season since 2017. Twelve games into this season, they have already matched that win number. When quarterback Adam Goff is on his game, this team can beat anybody. A solid running game keeps the offensive rhythm functioning seamlessly, with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs leading the No. 4 ranked rushing attack. Detroit appears destined to win their first division title since 1993 and could make a deep playoff run with the offensive weapons at hand. That firepower is needed to keep their dreams alive despite a defense that gave up at least 25 points in five of the past six games. Ruling on the field: Contenders.
NFC South
Carolina Panthers (1-11)
No one expected much of the Panthers, but this has been a trainwreck of a season for the team who traded up for the No. 1 draft pick in April. Bryce Young disappointed in his first season, leading many to wonder if the Panthers made the wrong choice after seeing C.J. Stroud take fire in Houston. The one bright spot, however, came in their sole victory against Stroud’s Texans. Carolina owner David Tepper fired head coach Frank Reich after coaching just 11 games for the team, making this the second midseason coaching change in as many years. Whoever they manage to convince to take the job next season will have a tall task of finding a way to develop Young into the quarterback the team drafted him to be. Their strong defense is their only attractive quality, ranking No. 7 overall. Ruling on the field: Should be considered for relegation to the USFL.
New Orleans Saints (5-7)
The “Who Dat” fandom in New Orleans was excited when the Saints signed Quarterback Derek Carr in the offseason. Ever since future hall-of-famer Drew Brees retired in 2021, the Saints have been searching for someone to fill the void that Brees left. Carr has been inconsistent, but he plays well enough to keep the team’s playoff hopes alive in the league’s worst division. With no team in the NFC South having a winning record, it's a three-way battle of mediocrity between the Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the division-leading Atlanta Falcons. The Saints will face off against the Falcons in their last game of the season. With their easy schedule remaining, that game could very well decide the division crown. Ruling on the field: Pretenders amongst their own kind.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7)
After three seasons being led by GOAT Tom Brady, including one Super Bowl win in that span, the Buccaneers fell back down to Earth. Former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield took over and turned out to be the best quarterback in the division after resurrecting his seemingly doomed career playing for the Los Angeles Rams last season. A tough schedule kept this team on the outside looking in, but in their division, they could still make a run for the playoffs. It seems that whoever wins the division title is bound for a quick exit in the Wild Card round, when they most likely face the Dallas Cowboys, or, possibly, the Philadelphia Eagles. Ruling on the field: Pretenders.
Atlanta Falcons: (6-6)
Some team has to be in front of the division, and for now, it’s the Atlanta Falcons. With a one-game lead over the Saints and Buccaneers, their foothold in the top spot is anything but secure. While they have finally figured out that their best bet is with a heavy dose of rookie running back Bijan Robinson, their quarterback concerns leave them in a precarious position. Desmond Ridder’s play has been wildly inconsistent, which led him to be benched a few weeks ago, only to be reinstated after his replacement played even worse. Still, someone has to win the division and right now the Falcons have the best chance to do so. Ruling on the field: Current leading Pretender.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
With Kyler Murray rehabbing a knee injury sustained last December, the Cardinals began the season with Joshua Dobbs as quarterback. Dobbs played admirably for a team that lacks star power, but they were only able to muster up one win in his nine starts. That win, however, came against the Dallas Cowboys, one of the premier teams in the league, who seem to always struggle when they travel to the desert to face the Cardinals. After Murray returned to the field in week 10, the team traded Dobbs to the Minnesota Vikings for a sixth-round pick in next year’s draft. Arizona has gone 2-2 with Murray in action, showing that the team may still have something to look forward to in the future with him. Tight end Trey McBride came into his own as a trusted target for Murray to throw the ball to. It’s all too little, too late for this season to be salvaged, so the team will have to look forward to next year. Ruling on the field: Pretenders.
Seattle Seahawks (6-6)
Head coach Pete Carroll continues to show that he gets the best out of his players. Five years ago, quarterback Geno Smith was considered a washed-up draft bust after bottoming out with the New York Jets and playing as a backup for three different teams in three years. He then had a career resurgence last season when he took over the starting role, leading the Seahawks to a playoff berth and winning Comeback Player of the Year. This season, Smith’s play has continued to improve. The Seahawks have played a tough schedule, which put them in a tough position to make it back to the playoffs. Even with linebacker Bobby Wagner’s continued stellar play, the defense has become their biggest liability and is the biggest reason for their struggles. Ruling on the field: Pretenders.
Los Angeles Rams (6-6)
Rookie Puka Nacua blasted his way into the season like being shot from a cannon. The fifth-round draft pick leads all rookie wideouts in receiving yards after being the 20th receiver taken in the draft this year. This unexpected contribution has kept the Rams in playoff contention while Cooper Kupp has been ailing with a hamstring injury, missing four games. If Kupp can return to form and give quarterback Matthew Stafford two All-Pro-worthy targets to throw to, the Rams can become dangerous come playoff time. Their defensive woes still put their chances as a long shot, but with a great offense and solid coaching, they may just surprise everyone. Ruling on the field: Contender-ish.
San Francisco 49ers (9-3)
Despite a midseason three-game losing streak, the 49ers appear to be the top team in the NFL this season. They beat four teams with winning records, including the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys, in blowout fashion. Their quarterback Brock Purdy is the current favorite for league MVP, their top running back Christian McCaffrey is the league leader in rushing yards, and they have the No. 5 ranked overall defense. Last year, they made it to the NFC Championship game, where they experienced a heartbreaking loss after Purdy got injured. During their three-game skid earlier in the season, receiver Deebo Samuel was out with an injury and Purdy seemed lost. If the team can avoid any major injuries, they will be very difficult to beat and will be the favorite to win it all. Ruling on the field: Super Bowl Favorites.
