AFC East: Patriots | Bills | Dolphins | Jets
AFC North: Steelers | Ravens | Bengals | Browns
AFC South: Colts | Jaguars | Texans | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chargers | Chiefs | Raiders
NFC East: Eagles | Cowboys | Commanders | Giants
NFC North: Packers | Lions | Bears | Vikings
NFC South: Buccaneers | Panthers | Falcons | Saints
NFC West: Seahawks | Rams | 49ers | Cardinals
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Now that Week 14 is behind us, we’re three quarters of the way through the NFL regular season. We’ll learn the fate of every team soon enough, but for now let’s grade how each of their years have gone.
AFC East
New England Patriots (11-2)
This season the Patriots made a home-run hire at head coach, figured out they have a franchise quarterback, had a great haul in free agency and the NFL Draft, and are on the doorstep of taking the AFC East crown from the Bills. How’s that for a turnaround? Sure, the Patriots have played the easiest schedule in the NFL. That shouldn’t lessen any excitement for what has been, to this point, a nearly perfect season.
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Grade: A
Buffalo Bills (9-4)
Considering the Bills were heavy favorites to win the AFC East, seeing them well behind the Patriots is surprising and disappointing. Blowout losses to the Falcons and Dolphins are inexplicable. There have been too many times this season in which the defense and offense around Josh Allen have been a big letdown, though Allen has covered a lot of it up. Maybe the Bills make a postseason run, but right now a wild-card spot is not what anyone expected.
Grade: C+
Josh Allen is carrying the weight for Buffalo this season. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)
(Lauren Leigh Bacho via Getty Images)
Miami Dolphins (6-7)
The Dolphins turned an F into something better by winning five of six games. Four of those games came against teams with losing records, but there was also a blowout of the Bills. Mike McDaniel might have saved his job. Tua Tagovailoa is still struggling, there is a question about what happens with Tyreek Hill after the season, and the defense and offensive line need major work. At least the Dolphins turned around a miserable season.
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Grade: C-
New York Jets (3-10)
The Jets’ hope is in the future. The present has been bleak. Justin Fields was signed to be at least a bridge quarterback, but he was benched after nine largely ineffective starts. The Jets have put together a few wins after an 0-7 start, which quells some heat on Aaron Glenn after a horrible start to his coaching career. The team’s trades of Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner helped stock the team’s draft capital. The Jets still have to hit on those picks, but at least there’s something to look forward to.
Grade: D-
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
Many Steelers fans won’t be happy with winning a bad division with a record barely above .500 and a quick playoff exit. The realistic expectation shouldn’t have been much higher than that. The future doesn’t look rosy, with another round of quarterback merry-go-round coming, but a division title is never a bad way to end a season. If the Ravens beat the Steelers for the division, the grade will drop. And offseason changes might be coming.
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Grade: B-
Cleveland Browns (3-10)
The record has been terrible. Look beyond that. The Browns’ rookie draft class is excellent. Defensive tackle Mason Graham, linebacker Carson Schwesinger, running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. have all been good. And yes, quarterback Shedeur Sanders might be a fifth-round steal. There have been some exciting moments amid a lot of losses.
Grade: C-
Baltimore Ravens (6-7)
The only thing keeping the grade from being an F is the chance the Ravens still rally and at least make the playoffs winning a weak AFC North. That wouldn’t make for a great season, but missing the playoffs would be a complete failure. The Ravens haven’t been good all season. Back-to-back home losses to the Bengals and Steelers drive home the fact that it’s unlikely to turn around. It’s likely a wasted season in Lamar Jackson’s prime.
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Grade: D
Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
Joe Burrow is on a Hall of Fame path. And the Bengals are about to miss the playoffs for the third straight season in his prime. Injuries cost Burrow time in two of those seasons, but the Bengals are still letting precious time with Burrow slip away with nothing to show for it. And Burrow’s injury that kept him out most of the season isn’t the reason the defense has been a flop yet again. Cincinnati might need major changes in the offseason.
Grade: D
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts (8-5)
Before Daniel Jones tore his Achilles, the Colts were one of the most inspiring success stories in the NFL. But a 7-1 start to the season has gone sour, and the season seems lost with Jones out for the season. If Philip Rivers or anyone else can save this team and get them to the playoffs, it will be an A+ season. That seems unlikely. We’ll still credit them for what they had built, and not punish them too much for a heartbreaking injury.
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Grade: B
Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4)
The Jaguars have made the playoffs twice since 2007. They were 4-13 last season. Assuming the Jaguars make the playoffs (NFL.com has them projected with a 97% chance), it’s a fantastic outcome in Liam Coen’s first season as head coach. There are things to work on, like a passing game that is 19th in the NFL in yards and 20th in touchdowns, but overall it’s a big success.
Grade: A-
Houston Texans (8-5)
The Texans’ grade continues to rise. They have the best defense in football. They overcame an injury to C.J. Stroud to win five in a row to get back in the playoff mix. It’s not all perfect, but DeMeco Ryans deserves a lot of credit for rallying his team after a rough start. Houston is peaking at the right time, which is worth keeping an eye on in a flawed AFC.
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Grade: B
Tennessee Titans (2-11)
Cam Ward has shown flashes of his potential. That’s about where the positive news ends. And even Ward’s highlights don’t erase the massive struggles of an offense that is 31st in points scored and 32nd in yards gained. Ward’s struggles aren’t all his fault; the supporting cast around him is one of the worst in the NFL. The Titans are already looking for a new head coach after firing Brian Callahan, and it’s a total rebuild around the quarterback.
Grade: F
AFC West
Denver Broncos (11-2)
Maybe the grade could have been a little lower because Bo Nix has followed up his strong rookie season with a bit of a step back. The offense isn’t pretty. But the results are fantastic. Yes, they had close (and fortunate) wins. Also, their two losses came with no time on the clock at the Colts and at the Chargers. They are poised to win the AFC West for the first time since 2015.
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Grade: A
Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)
Had the Chargers’ offensive line stayed healthy, this might be the best team in football. The Chargers deserve credit for fighting through some key injuries and still be in good position to make the playoffs. Jim Harbaugh is a heck of a head coach. Justin Herbert continues to grow as a quarterback. It hasn’t been a bad season but it might end up as a massive “what if?”
Grade: B
Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
Either this season was the end of the Chiefs’ dynasty, or we’ll look back on it as a weird year when Kansas City missed the playoffs amid a great run of success. Of course there’s a chance the Chiefs still make the playoffs … and they might be the favorites to win the AFC if they do. A bunch of close losses are to blame for their record. It’s not a bad team, but an unlucky one. Ultimately though, not making the playoffs is a massive disappointment.
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Grade: D
Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
There’s not much to like. The Raiders made four major acquisitions in the offseason in an attempt to be more competitive right away: Pete Carroll, Chip Kelly, Geno Smith and Ashton Jeanty. Carroll is having his worst season as a head coach, Kelly has already been fired, Smith has been bad and is getting booed by home fans, and Jeanty has been a major disappointment as the fifth overall draft pick. The Raiders have won once since Week 1, and that was against the Titans at home. This season has been an absolute disaster.
Grade: F
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)
We can’t give the Eagles a failing grade, though many of their fans might. They still are in control of the NFC East. But watching Eagles games has become a chore. The offense has been broken all season, and there’s plenty of blame to go around. It took the defense a while to come around, but now that it has the offense continues to spiral. The Eagles get a below-average grade because they look so much worse than last season.
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Grade: C-
Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
Cowboys fans would look at missing the playoffs as a miserable failure. It wouldn’t be great, but this was a flawed team. Yet it has renewed hope after playing better following a trade for Quinnen Williams, and that could spark offseason optimism. The offense, and Dak Prescott in particular, have been good. It’s just not a great team on the way to a middling season.
Grade: C
New York Giants (2-11)
There are some bright signs with some of the young players on the Giants, though Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers suffered season-ending injuries, and Jaxson Dart’s reckless style has led to him missing time too. Still, unlike some other teams with double-digit losses already, there is hope. The Giants have already fired Brian Daboll, and this should be an attractive opening.
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Grade: D
Washington Commanders (3-10)
The Commanders went from the NFL’s final four last season to maybe not even reaching four wins this season. Jayden Daniels hasn’t just spent most of the season dealing with injuries, he has been ineffective when he has played. Washington has a very old roster, expected to compete for at least an NFC East title, and everything has been horrific.
Grade: F
NFC North
Detroit Lions (8-5)
This grade might end up as an F if the Lions miss the playoffs. And they’re in danger of it. Detroit has too much talent to not be in the postseason, and failing to qualify after a 15-2 season would make for a really long offseason. Detroit still has shown signs of potential greatness, usually when Jahmyr Gibbs has the ball, so there’s still hope to save the season.
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Grade: C
Chicago Bears (9-4)
It’s fair to point out the Bears’ soft schedule and their penchant for close wins against bad teams. It doesn’t matter that much. Having nine wins and being in position to make the playoffs in Ben Johnson’s first year as head coach is a big win. Caleb Williams is far from perfect, but the strides he is making are a good sign. If the Bears don’t make the playoffs, it would be a tough blow. But this is a growth season worth praise.
Grade: A-
Green Bay Packers (9-3-1)
The Packers’ record is good. Losses to the Browns and at home against the Panthers were bad. Barely beating teams like the Cardinals and Giants was troubling. Let’s not forget that a few weeks ago, there was actually talk of Matt LaFleur coaching for his job. Ultimately, a 9-3-1 record and some impressive wins lately gives the Packers a pretty good grade. Just not an “A” yet.
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Grade: B+
Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
The Vikings lost three regular-season games last season. They could more than triple that this season. The biggest issue isn’t hard to figure out: The quarterback play has been dreadful. J.J. McCarthy’s first season as a starter has been alarmingly bad, though he had a good game in Week 14. Maybe there’s time for him to salvage his season. The same can’t be said for the Vikings as a whole.
Grade: D
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
It seems like this version of the Buccaneers is worse than the past two seasons, which is bad. The Buccaneers didn’t have a loss against a losing team until Sunday, when they fell to the 3-10 Saints. Not great. Baker Mayfield’s play has slipped badly, and that’s as the rest of the offense gets healthy. Tampa Bay is still favored to win the division, but they don’t seem like much of a threat to make noise in the playoffs.
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Grade: B-
Carolina Panthers (7-6)
The Panthers have been very inconsistent. But they have quality wins at Green Bay and against the Rams, and are in a first-place tie in their division with four games left. Think back to the offseason and ask yourself if the Panthers would be thrilled to be in that position. It has been a long road for Carolina since David Tepper bought the team. They haven’t made the playoffs since the 2017 season. A whiff of success has been exciting.
Grade: B+
Atlanta Falcons (4-9)
When the Falcons traded next season’s first-round draft pick to the Rams so they could pick pass rusher James Pearce Jr., they felt they could compete for a playoff spot this season. Instead they have found weird ways to lose, Michael Penix Jr. was up and down before suffering another season-ending injury and head coach Raheem Morris might be on the hot seat. This isn’t what Atlanta expected.
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Grade: D-
New Orleans Saints (3-10)
The Saints have road wins over the Buccaneers and Panthers, the top two teams in the NFC South. That doesn’t erase all the losses, but at least it’s a sign that there’s some buy-in from the players to coach Kellen Moore’s culture. The roster will need a lot of work because there aren’t many good young players, and not many have emerged this season, although rookie quarterback Tyler Shough has had a few moments. It’s a lost season, but Moore has a shot to be the right fit.
Grade: D
NFC West
Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
The Seahawks got it right with their 2024 hire of head coach Mike Macdonald. They might have hit on a long-term quarterback in Sam Darnold too. It’s hard to find many faults with their season. Darnold has been good, Jaxon Smith-Njigba leveled up to be a superstar, Macdonald’s defense is one of the best in the NFL and the Seahawks have an argument that they’re the best team in football. Nobody saw that coming before the season started.
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Grade: A
Los Angeles Rams (10-3)
Back in August, the talk of the NFL was Matthew Stafford’s back injury, and what his status looked like for the season. Months later, he’s the MVP favorite and the Rams are the Super Bowl favorite. It has been a remarkable season for the team on offense and defense. When Aaron Donald retired it seemed like the Rams might dip, especially with Stafford in his late 30s. Instead, they got back on an upward trajectory. We’ll have to see if the Rams can finish this dream season in style.
Grade: A
San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
The 49ers are unlikely to win the NFC West. A long playoff run might not be in their future due to defensive deficiencies. But taking a look at what they’ve overcome, being at nine wins is impressive. San Francisco dealt with injuries to Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, Brandon Aiyuk, Fred Warner and Nick Bosa among others. And they’re still very close to locking up a playoff spot. What a job by Kyle Shanahan this season.
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Grade: B
Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
The Cardinals had high hopes and started 2-0. They’ve won once since. Many of the losses have been close, but it doesn’t matter much when you’ve lost 10 of 11. Head coach Jonathan Gannon might be in trouble. Quarterback Kyler Murray’s future with the team seems murky at best. Receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. hasn’t made the strides hoped for him. It has been a big step back.
Grade: D-
