As week 12 in the NFL comes to a close, I think it’s about time we check in and see how teams are doing, whether they have been surprising or disappointing.
Surprising: Texans, Lions, Ravens
Texans: The first and maybe most surprising team on this list is the Houston Texans. After a terrible 3-13-1 finish last season, nobody was expecting much from this team. However, led by rookie quarterback/wide receiver duo CJ Stroud and Tank Dell, the Texans seemed to have hit their stride. With a relatively easy schedule for the rest of the season, don’t be surprised if the Texans find their way into the playoffs.
Chargers: Another surprising team this season has been the Detroit Lions. Headlined by wins over the Chargers and the Chiefs, the Lions have been rolling. Although the Lions have suffered some disappointing losses in the last few weeks, their season so far has been phenomenal. With the addition of players such as rookies Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs, the Lions offense has been putting up big numbers. They’re likely to win their division and are expected to make a big run in the playoffs.
Ravens: The last team who has surprised everyone is the Ravens. No one expected the Ravens to be bad, but no one expected them to be the 1 seed in the AFC either. It seems Lamar Jackson is back in his MVP form, assisted by new receivers such as Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr. Their season is highlighted by massive 30+ point wins against the Lions and the Seahawks, along with a win against the Chargers and 2 wins against the Bengals. From what we are seeing, the Ravens could very well head into the playoffs as the favorite in the AFC.
Disappointing: Bills, Bengals, Giants, Jets
Bills: The Bills are probably the biggest disappointments of the season because of their lack of excuses. This was one of the best teams in the league last year, and they have been playing scared and afraid the whole season. Josh Allen has struggled heavily with turnovers this season, with a league leading 13 interceptions. This team needs to rethink who they want to be and what they want to accomplish.
Bengals: The Bengals have been nothing short of disappointing this season. They started the year slow, with bad losses to the Browns and the Commanders. But things started to look up towards the middle of the season, highlighted by back-to-back-to-back wins against the Seahawks, 49ers, and Bills, 3 very formidable opponents. However, following the season ending injury of Joe Burrow, the Bengals are on a 3 game losing streak and their hopes of making the playoffs are not looking good.
Giants: This has been a disastrous season for the giants so far. Nothing has worked this year and Daniel Jones has torn his ACL, and Darren Waller on the IR means that it’s now a time for Giants fans to ask themselves, is this going to work with Danny Dimes? Tommy Devito has been playing well despite his below average team.
Jets: The Jets have been slightly screwed over and their failure this season is a bit unlucky. They were looking to have a successful year with Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner, and newcomer Aaron Rodgers. They were hit where it mattered most and Aaron Rodgers unfortunately tore his Achillis. With hopes of making the playoffs now seeming slim, they should be looking to come back stronger next season.
