It’s already been a strange season in the NFL. Geno Smith is one of the league’s best players, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers look far from the versions of themselves of the past, and it’s hard to know what teams beyond Philadelphia, Kansas City, and Buffalo are actual contenders. Two teams who keep earning wins, but may not win in very impressive ways are the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings. Week Nine added another “W” for both of these teams who have plenty of issues, but have a knack for pulling out wins. We are halfway through the NFL season with plenty of time for some perceived to be pretenders to become contenders.
Jets Bounce Back in Big Way
It’s likely that the New York Jets will need to convince football fans that they are for real throughout the entirety of the 2022 season. That type of disbelief happens when a franchise has been as poor as the Jets have been over the last several years. A 5-2 start was immediately brushed off after last weekend’s loss to the New England Patriots, a game in which Zach Wilson looked completely lost at what Bill Belichick’s defense was throwing his way.
The doubt in the Jets will disappear for at least one week as they bounced back with one of the most unexpected victories of the season by defeating the Buffalo Bills by a score of 20-17. Although Josh Allen scored two rushing touchdowns, the Jets defense prevented him from finding the end zone through the air and even forced two interceptions. New York had it’s own struggles on offense, but was also able to find the end zone twice. Two Greg Zuerlein field goals proved to be the difference.
There’s no doubt the New York Jets are far better than years past. A win against a team like Buffalo would’ve been unfathomable any of the past few years. Whether the Jets can continue to hang around in the playoff picture is still a big question despite such a massive win. New York’s defense is a legitimate top ten unit in the NFL. The offense, especially without rookie running back Breece Hall for the remainder of the season, is a very big question mark. Zach Wilson has shown limited improvement from his rookie season and there will likely be multiple games during the remainder of the season in which New York will need to rely on him to bring the Jets back in a game.
Robert Saleh has his team playing very well and what he has already done this season is unbelievable. No one can predict how the rest of the season will go for the Jets, but there’s no doubt people will lose faith after every loss and the Jets will continue to try and prove everyone wrong.
Brady’s Drive Enough For Ugly Win
Tom Brady may be 45 years old, but clearly he is still in decent enough shape to throw 58 passes in one game without requiring Tommy John surgery. Brady saved his most important throw for the last of those 58 with a one yard game winning touchdown pass to Cade Otton that helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeat the Los Angeles Rams in a game between two the NFL’s most disappointing teams thus far, 16-13.
The game was far from a glowing endorsement that either the Bucs or Rams are about to turn their season around. Neither team could run the ball, combining for a 119 rushing yards in total. Both Brady and Matthew Stafford continue to have arguably their worst passing season of their careers. Stafford was only 13-27 for 165 yards and a touchdown. Brady wasn’t much better despite his higher number of pass attempts completing 36 of 58 passes for one touchdown with an average completion of only 4.8 yards.
The win helped Tampa Bay move to 4-5 on the season and move to first place in the NFC South with the worst record of any division leader. This may also be a wrap for the Los Angeles Rams’ season as they dropped to 3-5 and third place in the NFC West, let alone having any clear vision of a playoff spot right now.
As much fun as it was to see Tom Brady put together a last minute game winning drive, he is going to have to start playing a whole lot better if anyone is truly going to the take the Bucs seriously.
The Minnesota Vikings: A Masterclass in One Score Wins
In a league where good teams lose to less talented teams every week, the Minnesota Vikings continue to flirt with disaster, but always end up on the winning side. That continued once again in Minnesota’s 20-17 over the Washington Commanders. The road win marked the Vikings’ sixth straight win of the season, all of which were one possession games.
Even at 7-1 it’s hard to truly know how good Minnesota’s team is. In one corner, you have a team that continues to beat the teams they should, make comebacks, and always find a way to win games in which they don’t even play very good. On the other hand, this may just be what the Vikings are; a team that has plenty of issues that won’t go away, but have been fortunate to end up on the right side of a final score nearly every week.
There isn’t a soul that’s watched the Vikings and should think they can win a game on the road in Buffalo, but that very thing happening might even confuse football fans even more about this team. At the same time, wouldn’t a season in which the Vikings continue to play some of the most unconvincingly good football all the way to a Super Bowl run be the perfect way to end a franchise’s misery from some of the worst heartbreak moments in sports history?
Midseason NFL Awards/Predictions
Midseason Comeback Player of the Year: Geno Smith, QB, Seattle
I refuse to hear any reasoning for Saquon Barkley. I know, I know. He’s coming off an injury ridden season and is now playing like one of the best running backs in the league. He has been outstanding and there’s no question he deserves second place to himself, but what Geno Smith is doing and how he has helped lead a Seattle Seahawks team that everyone expected to be cellar dwellers to be one of the NFL’s best teams is the greatest story of the season thus far. At most, Geno was looked at as a draft bust who would fill in one season as the quarterback for a horrific Seattle team. He is now the quarterback of a 6-3 team that is leading the NFC West with one of the NFL’s best offenses. Statistically, Smith is a top five quarterback this year and if the Seahawks keep winning he deserves to be mentioned in the MVP conversation.
Midseason Defensive Rookie of the Year: Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, DB, New York Jets
Gardner is a huge reason why the New York Jets have made this sudden and unexpected turnaround. The Jets’ defense is top 10 in both passing and total DVOA. Tariq Woolen has also made a similar difference for Seattle, but Gardner is the not so common case where a corner selected early in the draft steps right in and makes a difference.
Midseason Offensive Rookie of the Year: Dameon Pierce, RB, Houston
Right now this is really a three horse race between Pierce, Kenneth Walker III, and Chris Olave. Olave was my preseason pick, but I have to go with Pierce. The Houston running back has been the one bright spot of an otherwise rough year for the Texans. Game after game Pierce produces and passes the eye test as one of the NFL’s great young talents. Walker may be the favorite and a lot of that may have to do with Seattle’s winning season, but if we are looking just at the player, Pierce is my guy.
Midseason Defensive Player of the Year: Micah Parsons, LB, Dallas
Matthew Judon is the league leader in sacks at 11.5, three higher than anyone else so I see no problem with him, but I have to go with Parsons, the most phenomenal young defensive player in the NFL. Parsons is averaging a sack per game for one of the NFL’s most elite defenses. When watching a Dallas Cowboys game just spend some time watching the 23 year old star. He does everything and appears to be the best defensive player to enter the league since Aaron Donald and we all know how good he is.
Midseason Coach of the Year: Robert Saleh, New York Jets
Nick Sirianni is the current odds favorite with Brian Daboll just behind him for the end of the season award. By Week 18 the Eagles and Giants may have validated those current odds, but right now Saleh deserves the award for what he’s done with the New York Jets. New York has been the laughing stock of the NFL for years now and this season’s sudden turnaround was completely unexpected. What makes this even sweeter is that the Jets have been playing extremely well after Saleh told reporters he was ‘keeping receipts’ for all those people who doubted his team after a Week One loss. At the time even that seemed laughable, but considering the Jets are now 6-3 and coming off a victory over the Buffalo Bills, New York’s season has been extraordinary.
Midseason Most Valuable Player: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City
Halfway through the season and this is currently a three player race between Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Jalen Hurts. This is an insanely tight race considering these three are the quarterbacks of the best three teams in the NFL. Despite losing in the matchup against Allen, Mahomes is still in the lead by the smallest margin due to having the best individual play thus far amongst the three and doing it in his first season without Tyreek Hill. The reality is that one of these three players will have to really separate themselves in the second half of the season or this will be one of the closest MVP races in recent memory.
Current AFC Playoff Picture
- Buffalo (AFC East Leader)
- Kansas City (AFC West Leader)
- Baltimore (AFC North Leader)
- Tennessee (AFC South Leader)
- New York Jets
- Miami
- Los Angeles Chargers
AFC Playoff Prediction
- Buffalo (AFC East Winner)
- Baltimore (AFC North Winner)
- Kansas City (AFC West Winner)
- Tennessee (AFC South Winner)
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Cincinnati
- Miami
Current NFC Playoff Picture
- Philadelphia (NFC East Leader)
- Minnesota (NFC North Leader)
- Seattle Seahawks (NFC West Leader)
- Tampa Bay (NFC South Leader)
- Dallas
- New York Giants
- San Francisco
NFC Playoff Prediction
- Philadelphia (NFC East Winner)
- Minnesota (NFC North Winner)
- San Francisco (NFC West Winner)
- Tampa Bay (NFC South Winner)
- Dallas
- Seattle
- New York Giants
Midseason Super Bowl Prediction: Buffalo Bills defeat Philadelphia Eagles
“Everybody Loves to Hate-read Power Rankings so Go Ahead and Hate-read” Power Rankings
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-0)
- Buffalo Bills (6-2)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-2)
- Minnesota Vikings (7-1)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-2)
- Baltimore Ravens (6-3)
- New York Giants (6-2)
- San Francisco 49ers (4-4)
- Miami Dolphins (6-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (6-3)
- Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)
- New York Jets (6-3)
- Tennessee Titans (5-3)
- Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)
- New England Patriots (5-4)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)
- Washington Commanders (4-5)
- Atlanta Falcons (4-5)
- Denver Broncos (3-5)
- New Orleans Saints (3-6)
- Los Angeles Rams (3-6)
- Green Bay Packers (3-6)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-6)
- Cleveland Browns (3-5)
- Chicago Bears (3-6)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-6)
- Indianapolis Colts (3-5-1)
- Detroit Lions (2-6)
- Carolina Panthers (2-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6)
- Houston Texans (1-6-1)
Week Ten Game Watchability Rankings
Teams on Bye: Bengals, Jets, Patriots, Ravens
14. Saints vs Steelers: Pittsburgh could make an argument for worst team in the league this season. The Saints need to show they can string consecutive wins together before anyone can take them seriously. If you love football, don’t do this to yourself.
13. Colts vs Raiders: Two of the great disappointments of the 2022 NFL season. Indianapolis and Las Vegas have had plenty of opportunities to turn their season around, but have yet to take advantage of them. The most fitting end to this game would be a tie game. With Frank Reich fired, will the Colts have any type of response?
12. Texans vs Giants: If you like to watch good running backs this is the game to watch. Houston rookie Dameon Pierce has been getting better and better as the season carries on. He has been one of the team’s few bright spots this season. Saquon Barkley is currently the betting favorite to win the Comeback Player of the Year Award and is easily the strongest weapon for the New York offense.
11. Falcons vs Panthers: There may not be a division more difficult to watch than the NFC South. The Panthers’ season is already in the books. Atlanta is competing with New Orleans and Tampa Bay for the division crown. There’s no good, bad, and ugly in the NFC South. It’s strictly bad, ugly, or bad and ugly.
10. Lions vs Bears: Suddenly Chicago seems to have a quarterback in Justin Fields after a couple weeks of impressive games. This is one of the few times Detroit will be coming into a game with a win the previous week as they knocked off Green Bay. An NFC North battle that holds no playoff value, but could be a high scoring game.
9. Jaguars vs Chiefs: With the Buffalo Bills losing to the New York Jets, Kansas City is now a win and a Buffalo loss away from jumping into the AFC’s top seed. Jacksonville ended a five game losing streak by defeating the Las Vegas Raiders, another AFC West team. With two games remaining against division leading Tennessee, Jacksonville has a very outside chance at making a run at the division title if they can string some games together.
8. Cardinals vs Rams: The two bottom feeders of the NFC West thus far this season. It’s unlikely that either of these teams will work their way back into playoff contention, especially after both experienced Week Nine losses. If there’s any chance of the post season, this would be the game to start the season turnaround.
7. Browns vs Dolphins: We are now four weeks away from the return of Deshaun Watson. Cleveland defeating Cincinnati last week helped, but there’s still a lot that needs to be done in order for them to be in contention for the post season when he returns. The Dolphins continue to play well, but will need that to continue since their division includes Buffalo and New York who would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. The other AFC East team, New England, is currently the first team out of the playoffs.
6. Broncos vs Titans: Tennessee gave Kansas City all they could handle despite absolutely zero threat of a passing game. If Ryan Tannehill returns that part of the offense should improve, but only ever so slightly. The Titans will go as far as Derrick Henry and their defense will take them. It would be nice if the Denver offense showed any sign of life. The Broncos’ defense is great, but this will be their first game without Bradley Chubb after trading him to Miami.
5. Cowboys vs Packers: Green Bay has lost five in a row, their fans are about to sell their ownership certificates (if they were worth anything), and Aaron Rodgers looks like he’s about to combust. That being said, Dallas traveling to Lambeau Field should be intriguing to watch as the Cowboys attempt to stay on the heels of Philadelphia.
4. Commanders vs Eagles: Philadelphia might have a real chance to run the regular season table. Washington has played better football over the last month, but a win in the City of Brotherly Love may be too tall a task.
3. Seahawks vs Buccaneers: Tampa Bay ended their three game losing streak with a last minute win against the Los Angeles Rams, but are still in the thick of an NFC South race. The Seahawks surprise season continues to chug along as they try to hold off San Francisco. Many will expect Seattle to drop this game. Maybe we should stop doing that.
2. Chargers vs 49ers: The best two teams in the state of California. The Chargers refuse to convince anyone they can be taken seriously despite their winning record. San Francisco seems like they are in the process of becoming one of the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. What will another week of preparation for Christian McCaffrey and the potential return of Deebo Samuel bring to the table?
1. Vikings vs Bills: Buffalo will be coming off of a loss to the Jets which might be the worst thing Minnesota could ask for. The Vikings are going to have that 7-1 record really put to the test. If the Vikings play like they have over the past five wins, it won’t be enough to take down Buffalo. This is also dependent on whether Josh Allen will be able to play after he will be evaluated for a right elbow injury experienced in the New York loss.