- The Chiefs are back and are likely the best team in the NFL
After the Chiefs lost in an embarrassing fashion in this past year’s Super Bowl and then got off to a rocky start in the 2025 season, many were proclaiming it was the end of the Mahomes/Reid dynasty. In the early portion of this season people were stating that this was now the third year in a row that the Chiefs were struggling offensively and that they could even miss the postseason. Over the past three weeks the Chiefs have beaten two Super Bowl contending teams in the Lions and Ravens. Kansas City in the past three weeks has also scored 95 total points which is up there with anyone, against very good to great defenses in the Lions, Ravens, and Jaguars as well. Thus, answering many of the offensive questions that were asked of the team. Defensively the team has been elite for the past two seasons and that has continued in the 2025 campaign, holding historically great offenses in the Ravens and Lions to 20 points or less thus far in 2025. The Chiefs’ overall ceiling as a team seems to be as high as any, as I felt that Detroit had the highest ceiling of any NFL team entering week 6 and the Chiefs just beat them by multiple possessions. The Chiefs’ ceiling is as high if not higher than any team’s ceiling as of now, and they are to be trusted in the postseason more than anyone as well.
- The Ravens still may end up winning the Super Bowl
Despite a horrid 1-5 start, I believe that the Ravens have as good of a chance as anyone to win it all. The concerns with the Ravens through five weeks revolved around their defense being a shell of its usual self in the John Harbaugh era. Through five weeks they were the worst scoring defense in the NFL and had a 1-4 record to show for it. In the past two seasons the Ravens had been among the premier NFL defenses and their early season defensive woes were surprising. However, their defensive concerns were understandable to a certain extent as Baltimore had been perhaps the most injured defensive team in the league while having to go up against elite offenses like the Chiefs, Bills, and Lions. In week six, despite a loss, the Ravens seemed to recapture their previous elite defensive form. Holding an elite Rams’ offense to less than 20 points which was perhaps the best defensive performance any team had in week 6’s Sunday action. This was also with the Ravens’ offense without Lamar Jackson putting up only three points thus putting Baltimore’s defense in undesirable spots with regularity. The Ravens with Lamar Jackson have a historically great offense and thus far in the 2025 season, the defense has been the concern. With Lamar set to return from injury after the bye week, the Ravens can expect to start racking up the wins. The Ravens with Jackson healthy have likely the highest ceiling of any NFL team and thus still have a very good chance to win it all despite a 1-5 start. As Lamar Jackson’s return from injury will see the offense go back to being perhaps the best in the NFL, and the defense has seemed to return to very strong form as well.
- The Panthers and Giants are legit playoff contenders
Heading into this season and after the early portion of the 2025 season, I felt as if Carolina and New York’s NFC team were two of the weakest teams in the league. However, after week 6 the Panthers sit at 3-3 and have reeled of wins against playoff contenders in the Falcons, Cowboys, and Dolphins. The Giants, since Jaxson Dart assumed the starting QB role, have reeled of wins against perhaps two Super Bowl contending teams in the Chargers and Eagles. Beating Philadelphia in a resounding fashion by three possessions as well. Both teams have talented young QBs who had question marks surrounding them entering the season, with both players answering many of those question marks as the season has progressed. Both teams have offensive minded head coaches who at a certain point were heralded as perhaps the next innovative young trend setting offensive head coaches in the Kyle Shanahan or Sean McVay mold. Both those head coaches have shown some promise thus far in their head coaching careers, but this year either or both of those head coaches may start to fully blossom into the A level head coach that the team hoped to get when they hired them. The Giants have an elite defensive front and are a dangerous running team. As Jaxson Dart has been among the better dual threat QBs thus far in his career along with running back Cam Skattebo performing at a borderline elite level as well. Panthers QB Bryce Young is a former number one overall pick, and the Panthers have some talented offensive players in addition to him. With Dave Canales at a certain point once being heralded as perhaps the next Kyle Shanahan or Sean McVay. Either or both teams could very well end up making the postseason after being regarded as one of the weakest teams entering the season and after the early portion of this season as well.
- The Browns and Bengals made QB changes but might need to again
In the early portion of the season as Joe Flacco struggled mightily for the Browns with Cleveland having among the weakest offensive attacks in the NFL, they made the switch to rookie Dillon Gabirel. Entering the draft, I felt as if Gabriel was likely to be a high-end NFL backup as he lacked size, arm strength, and athletic ability. Gabriel is arguably the least physically talented NFL starting QB as of now and his lack of high-end talent is showing thus far in the league. Gabriel thus far through two starts has been very pedestrian as the Browns’ offense has not improved at all going from Flacco to Gabriel. Gabriel through two starts has accumulated 4.8 yards per attempt on a less than 60% completion rate which is either last or second to last among qualified starters. On the other hand, Joe Flacco has now assumed the starting role for the Bengals in place of Jake Browning. The Bengals suffered multiple blowout losses with Browning at the helm as he made far too many mistakes throwing eight interceptions in just four games. Flacco did not turn the ball over at all in his first start for the Bengals, but the offense with Flacco at the helm seemed to have no juice. As the Bengals failed to score 20 points against Green Bay with Flacco averaging an abysmal 4.9 yards per attempt in his first start. Although it has been just 1-2 games as the starter for each QB of each team, the team should already consider making a change, especially with some of the options available to them. Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson are strong options at the QB spot who are available on the trade market as well. It would behoove the Bengals in my estimation to make a trade for the likes of Wilson, Cousins, or both. As Wilson had perhaps the best QB performance of any player this season in week 2 while being an elite hall of fame talent still not too far off from his prime. While Kirk Cousins, before tailing off in the latter portion of last season with an inexperienced defensive minded head coach, was looking like his old self where he was a perennial pro bowler. Cousins as well at the age of 37 is not too far off from his prime either and could hold the fort down for the Bengals until Burrow is set to return from injury late in the year. For the Browns, having a QB with some athletic ability, who at one point was heralded as a special transcendent caliber player, such as Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders who are both currently on the roster could provide the Browns with some offensive juice. As opposed to having a 40+ year old in Flacco or an undersized Gabriel man the QB spot. For both teams, getting a younger more talented player that could give either team more firepower at the QB spot would bode them well. As both Flacco and Gabriel are either 40+ years old or under six feet tall with both QBs hovering around a league worst 5.0 yards per attempt in their time on the field in 2025.
- The Eagles are in trouble
Winning back-to-back Super Bowls is an incredibly arduous task and entering the season I felt as if the Eagles had what it took to pull it off. Through four weeks the team was undefeated and although their play did not blow me away, they were playing decent enough and still were undefeated as the defending champions. Philadelphia now has suffered two straight losses, and I am really starting to doubt if they have what it takes to repeat. Heading into the season, the biggest concern I had with the team was their new offensive coordinator being a rookie in the role. Philadelphia for the most part up in the 2024 campaign up until the last two postseason games was not an explosive offensive team. They did not even finish top 5 in the NFL in terms of points scored in the regular season and I felt and still feel as if starting QB Jalen Hurts is not a special caliber player at the QB spot. I felt as if those offensive concerns would only be exacerbated with the departure of their 2024 Super Bowl winning offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore. Along with him being replaced by someone who had no previous experience as an NFL offensive coordinator. So far, the offensive question marks about the team have come to light as through six weeks the Eagles rank 30th in the NFL in yards per game. In an offense leaning league, that simply is not going to cut it and unless the rookie offensive coordinator improves mightily in the role, I do not see Philadelphia even getting back to the Super Bowl. The Eagles are still 4-2 but if you take out their record and look solely at the major team statistics such as points and yards accumulated and allowed, one would surmise that they are one of the weaker NFL teams. As the Eagles through six weeks rank 30th in yards accumulated per game, 15th in points accumulated per game, 21st in yards allowed per game, and 19th in points allowed per game. Although they started off 4-0 with wins over strong competition such as the Bucs and Rams, I doubt if the Eagles have what it takes to repeat as of now.
