NFL about to go out to stretch. Nine weeks of action and trading period in the plans, and now it's a real mad dash to the playoffs and, in the end, Super Bowl LH. To be honest, we have no idea what will happen between now and kickoff in Santa Clara, California in February. We may think we know who might play in this game or what twists might happen before the end of the regular season, but nothing is guaranteed.
Just look what we saw in the first half. Which one of you predicted Indianapolis Colts would become the AFC's current top seedled by Daniel Jones? Who had Kansas City in third place in the AFC West standings and picture of out of playoffs? Or Washington commanders having the third-worst record in the NFC a year after achieving a conference championship?
These are just a few reminders to expect the unexpected. With this in mind, we look into the crystal ball, project it forward and reveal our five bold predictions for the second half of the season.
For now, the Colts own the inside road to the AFC's No. 1 seed and the first-round bye that comes with it. But when the season does come to an end, it will be Drake Maye and the Patriots rise shockingly above the rest.
Entering the second half of 2025, the Patriots are in second place in the conference and have a six-game winning streak. Despite this surge, they have no chance of even winning their division as Buffalo is still -170. for the bookmaker FanDuel. Accounts are also betting favorite for Indy and New England to earn No. 1 seedeven though they trail the Patriots by one game in the loss column and currently trail them in the tiebreaker.
Even if the Bills overturn that tiebreaker by traveling to Foxboro and beating the Patriots in Week 15, they'll have little room for error the rest of the way. New England has the easiest remaining schedule in the NFL, giving it a clear path to continue its winning streak and possibly rendering the tiebreaker irrelevant.
Meanwhile, Buffalo still has to face the Bucs. Texans (road), Steelers (road) and Eagles in addition to the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. This path is more daunting and can cause them to fall further behind.
As for the Colts, they have the sixth toughest remaining schedule in the NFL. We also shouldn't ignore the fact that Daniel Jones just had a five-loss game against the Steelers in Week 9. Was this a one-time bad performance or the beginning of his return to earth? If it's the latter, it will only help New England secure the top spot.
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Miami Dolphins are on the verge of complete reconstruction. They just parted ways with general manager Chris Grier and, at 2-7, will likely have one of the worst records in the NFL by the end of the season. This will likely lead to the firing of head coach Mike McDaniel and could also spell the end for Tua Tagovailoa. In fact, a quarterback change may happen sooner than you think.
Entering the second half, Tagovailoa ranks 25th among 33 eligible quarterbacks in passer rating and EPA per quarterback. Among the 25 quarterbacks with at least 200 pass attempts, he is 24th in turnover-worthy throws, 17th in throws, and his 11 interceptions are a league record. Simply put, he was bad.
Once the Dolphins reach the point where they are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the entire organization's goal will shift from competing in 2025 to preparing for 2026. This includes taking stock of what they have on the roster, especially at quarterback.
They already know what they have in Tagovailoa, who started 71 regular-season games for them. They don't know what they have in rookie seventh-round pick and former Texas quarterback Quinn Evers.
For a team that's on the cusp of a teardown, it makes sense to give Evers some work to get a better understanding of its needs. If he sets the world on fire, he might be the answer. If he stinks up the place, well, now you know.
Jonathan Taylor is the overwhelming favorite to win Offensive Player of the Year at -135 per FanDuel Sportsbook. The Colts running back has been on fire through the first nine weeks, leading the league in rushing yards (895) and rushing touchdowns (12). That's stellar pace, but if he slows down even a little – as we saw in Week 9 against Pittsburgh – it could open the door for someone like Christian McCaffrey to take over.
McCaffrey is already putting together a resume for OPOY. He was a key figure in maintaining 49ers afloat with a 6-3 record despite multiple injuries, including to the quarterback. Brock Purdy.
McCaffrey leads the NFL in scrimmage yards entering Week 10 with 596 rushing yards and 626 receiving yards. He has 1,125 rushing yards and 1,182 receiving yards. No player in NFL history has ever gained at least 1,100 yards of both offense and receiving in a single season. Health permitting, there's no reason to think McCaffrey's pace will slow, especially with the 49ers' wide receiver still plagued by injuries and the team locked in a tight NFC West race that will require them to play out the game to secure a playoff spot.
At +1100, you could do better than betting on McCaffrey.
Steelers fight back Crows in AFK North
Everyone expects the Ravens to run and catapult to the top of the AFC North. Even when they fell to 1–5 early in the season, they remained betting favorites to win the division. Now, even though they trail the Steelers by two games, they are still -145. FanDuel Sportsbook take the AFC North.
I understand. This is Lamar Jackson. This is John Harbaugh. They are too talented to not give Pittsburgh a chance to succeed, especially as they get healthier. And with two more head-to-head matches ahead, Baltimore may well rise in the standings.
I don't think this is happening. Pittsburgh has what it takes to keep the Ravens at bay in the second half. The Steelers have the sixth-toughest remaining schedule in the NFL compared to the ninth-easiest in Baltimore.
Beyond the softer path, we're highlighting how well Pittsburgh has played thus far. Aaron Rodgers was strong in his first eight starts, throwing 17 touchdown passes, completing 68.7% of his attempts and posting a passer rating of 103.1. He was even better on the road, throwing 10 touchdowns and just three interceptions for a 114.7 rating away from Akrizur Stadium.
Yes, the defense was patchy, but that too there were signs of rapprochement — including a six-pass performance last week against the high-ranking Colts.
With a two-game cushion, a lot has to go wrong for Pittsburgh (+140 to win the AFC North) to get eliminated.
Minnesota is +1700 to win the NFC North as it is 4-4, good for last place in the division. While this paints a bleak picture, there is a world where the Vikings rise above the rest of their rivals.
Returning from missing time with a high ankle sprain suffered in Week 2, JJ McCarthy looked good in Week 9, leading the Vikings to an upset win over the team Lions in Detroit. He's been good – not great – and that scares the rest of the division.
If all Minnesota needs is fundamental level quarterback play to achieve wins, McCarthy can provide that. He's already surrounded by some of the best skill players in the league, and the defense has become one of the most dangerous units, especially since he added a linebacker. Andrew Van Ginkel back in action.
The win in Detroit improved Minnesota to 2-0 against the NFC North, with home games remaining against the Lions and the Lions. Bearsplus both games against Green Bay. The Vikings also have the easiest remaining schedule of any team in the division. Beyond this path PackersThe Lions and Bears have shown noticeable weaknesses in the first half of the season, leaving them vulnerable to a team like Minnesota sneaking up the standings if the pieces fall into place.
