Wow, the season is half over already. It’s been a great year unless you are an NFL receiver because then you are probably on injured reserve. As you know, I love the NFL and am a little sad that the regular season is almost over. Since we are half way done, we rank the teams based upon their goals for the rest of the season.

Get the number 1 pick: Panthers, Saints, Titans, Raiders, and Giants

Everyone has at least 2 wins so pick #1 is wide open. All these teams are terrible so it is truly anyone’s game. All these teams have massive weaknesses and the occasional strength. They should all give up on the season and get pick #1.

Figure out how bad we are and how many changes are needed: Browns and Jags.

Both of these teams are too talented to lose enough to get the number 1 pick. So they got to figure out if they need to burn it down, fire coaches, etc or make minor tweaks.

Keep Tua alive: Dolphins

Every time they play I get nervous. If you lose a couple more they should shelf him for the rest of the season.

Do just enough to give the team a little bit of hope to not make major changes and disappoint their fan bases all over again next year: Jets and Cowboys

Both these teams are major disappointments. Both teams will probably have new coaches next year, but they overall will continue on the same disaster of a path they are on. Look for lots of hype in the offseason, followed by a few early wins to get the media real excited followed by a complete letdown.

Help their young QB get better: Bears and Colts

They are taking different strategies to get there but both these QBs have work to do. Bears probably need a new coach. Colts need their QB to learn basic things like don’t take yourself out on 3rd down because you are tired.

Fight until the end to get a playoff spot but probably come up short: Bucs, Broncos

I think these two teams are all pretty good but all have a major issue. The Bucs are too banged up. The Broncos QB is still learning and they need another weapon or two.

Make the playoffs just to spite me: Bengals

Someone has to get that 7th playoff spot in the AFC and something tells me it is going to be the stupid Bengals. If they get in, you never know they might make a run. But their defense is so bad, I don’t think they get out of the first round.

Win the NFC West: Cardinals, Rams, 49ers, and Seahawks

The Cards are currently in first place at 5-4. Everyone else is 4-4. The 49ers and Rams have gone through some serious injury issues and getting kind of healthy. My money is still on the Rams to come out on top.

Lose in the first round of the Playoffs: Steelers, Chargers, Vikings

I think all these teams get in. But the Steelers and Chargers aren’t good enough offensively. And the Vikings are well…the Vikings.

Win the division and then lose in the first round: Texans and Falcons

Both of them will win the South but the Texans have major offensive line issues still and the Falcons have Kirk Cousins so neither of them are making it very far.

Probably lose the division but make a run in the Playoffs: Eagles and Packers

These teams have issues but are both talented enough to make a deep run in the playoffs and even make it to the Super Bowl. Nick Siranni’s and Jordan Love’s decision making will probably keep them from doing so.

Win the division and a playoff game: Commanders

This is a good team that should be really happy with how things are going. Oddly enough no one has won the NFC East back to back since 2002-2003. If they win this year, they could be the team next year to break that streak. But they probably won’t.

Lose to the Chiefs in some heartbreaking way: Bills, Ravens, Lions

All these teams are doing all the right things to play the Chiefs at some point in the playoffs and play just well enough to barely lose in some crazy way.

Three Peat: Chiefs

They are the only undefeated team and still haven’t played that well offensively. But look out, we got D-Hop and he seems like a game changer and they will get a couple more offensive guys back as the season goes on. 17-0 isn’t off the table but I am doubtful. If they win the next two I’ll be more convinced of the possibility but even then they have to play 3 games in 10 days in weeks 15-17 which is a ridiculous thing the league is making them do. But the 3 Peat looks as a real possibility.

Other Highlights of the first half of the season:

• There was a plethora of injuries that hurt a lot of real teams and even more fantasy teams.
• Receiver definitely got hit the hardest. On my family fantasy football league my top 3 receivers were Rashee Rice, Nico Collins and Chris Godwin. Then they were Nico Collins and Chris Godwin. Then they were Chris Godwin. Then they were Khalil Shakir. Ironically Shakir missed a week or two as well.
• The refs rigged it for the Chiefs talk is at an all time high. If there is a missed call at any point in the Chiefs favor just assume the game was rigged and the league wants a team in a small market to win every week. Just ignore that the refs are humans and they make mistakes in every game every week. Just ask Sam Darnold and what’s left of his facemask.
• The Jets have too many games on primetime. Why must we suffer the first half of every year watching the Jets play awful just because the NFL wants them to be good.
• Aaron Rodgers is the worst teammate ever and I would not want to be his coach. He lost a guy his job and then rattled off like 5 straight losses. Then he threw his receiver under the bus. In good news for Mike Williams he is out of New Jersey and headed to stable Pittsburgh.
• Rookie Quarterbacks have played well overall…much better than last year’s bunch. Caleb has been good more than he has been bad. Jayden Daniels has been exceptional. Bo Nix before this week had gotten better each week. And Drake Maye doesn’t look terrible. Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson both got benched (Richardson once by himself because he was tired and once by his coach) and CJ Stroud does not look as good as he did yesterday.
• Jarod Goff is really, really good when he doesn’t have to throw the ball very much. Goff has been exceptional when he throws 20 or less times. If they keep running all over everybody they will be tough to beat.
• How long until the next 49er gets hurt? Everyone picked them to win the division but I had hunch the injury bug would get them again. McCaffrey is supposed to come back but this has reinjury in a couple of weeks written all over it.
• I have 4 fantasy teams which is a lot. I won’t say it is too many because it is a lot of fun. But my players on one team are always on the opposing team in another league. So it has proven impossible for my teams to win all in the same week. I’m in first place at 7-2 in two of the leagues, 4-5 in my wife’s work league and 3-6 in the ridiculous 16 team league. Injuries in that league are a fantasy death sentence.

Half way Playoff predictions:

AFC:

1. Chiefs
2. Bills
3. Ravens
4. Texans
5. Steelers
6. Chargers
7. Bengals

NFC:

1. Lions
2. Commanders
3. Falcons
4. Rams
5. Eagles
6. Packers
7. Vikings

Way to early Super Prediction: Sticking with Chiefs over Rams for now.

Tune into tomorrow for the return of Top 10 Thursday!