At this point in the NFL season, the playoff picture has become more and more clear. Many teams have begun to distance themselves from the rest and some even have aspirations of winning a Super Bowl. But the real question is, how legit are these teams?
The New England Patriots (10-2) Contenders
Initially labeled as pretenders in week four, the Patriots have transformed their play over the last month, making me believe in them as contenders. This shift in my focus comes mainly from the play and performance of quarterback Drake Maye. Maye has taken a huge leap in his second year, leading the NFL in passing yards and is currently the favorite to win the MVP according to Sports Illustrated. Key contributions from receiver Stefon Diggs, rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson and defensive standout Robert Spillane have made this team prove many analysts incorrect. They have a 10-2 record, highlighted by two big statement wins against the Buffalo Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With their schedule heavily favoring them for the rest of the year, it is hard to see them losing much going into the playoffs, which would give them the perfect momentum to go on a deep playoff run.
The Indianapolis Colts (8-4) Pretenders
The Indianapolis Colts started their season 7-1, leading the AFC (American Football Conference) by a wide margin, but have since slowed down, losing three of their last four games, and now dropping to second in their division. The main reason for the regression is that they have faced many tough defenses, including those of the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers, leaving this once high-powered offense struggling. These top of the line defenses have been able to shut down running back Jonathan Taylor who previously made this offense so scary to face. The play of quarterback Daniel Jones has also regressed from his dominance early in the season. If the Colts make it into the playoffs, they will have to face more of these tough defenses, and at this point, I’m not sure how they can perform against the best of the best, making them pretenders.
The Chicago Bears (9-3) Contenders
After starting 0-2, the Chicago Bears have won eight of their last nine games and have put themselves atop the NFC (National Football Conference). The Bears’ defense has been key to their success, leading the league with 26 takeaways and Tremaine Edmunds, Nahshon Wright, and Kevin Byard all in the top five for interceptions. Their offense has also been impressive, having one of the best running back duos in the league in D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai who both rushed for over 100 yards and a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. Second year quarterback Caleb Williams has also been very impressive at times and has limited his mistakes, making them one of the most intimidating offenses to face in the league. With all of these factors in consideration, I have deemed the Chicago Bears as contenders.
Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) Pretenders
It is tough to put the reigning Super Bowl champions as pretenders, but when looking at how this Eagles team is playing, they are nowhere near the Super Bowl caliber team they were last year. This offense has looked off all year. Reigning offensive player of the year Saquon Barkley has struggled to match the same dominance he had last year, receiver AJ Brown has shown his frustration with his lack of involvement in the offense and quarterback Jalen Hurts has been inconsistent all season. Early in the season, their strong defense was able to cover up the mistakes of the offense. Recently, though, the defense has struggled to cover up their offensive woes despite having multiple superstars like Quinyon Mitchell, Zack Baun, and Jordan Davis. The past two weeks have been especially poor for the Eagles, losing despite having a 21-0 lead against the Dallas Cowboys and being dominated 24-15 by the Chicago Bears. For all of these reasons, I have put them as pretenders.
Denver Broncos (10-2) Pretenders
The Denver Broncos have been a very impressive team this season, going 10-2 and being first in their division. The biggest contributor to their success has been their ferocious defense. Players like former defensive player of the year Patrick Surtain and all-pro pass rusher Nik Bonnito have been big helps to this team. The reason that I am considering them as pretenders this season is because of their lack of offense. Quarterback Bo Nix has shown flashes of success, but has overall been lackluster in his second year. In their last game against the Washington Commanders, Nix was the piece of the team that I felt really held them back from dominating the game. If this team wants to go on a deep playoff run and be true contenders for a Super Bowl this season, their offense will have to hold their weight while the defense continues to dominate.
