NFL midseason grades: 2 teams go from Super Bowl hopes to Fs, while overachieving Giants, Browns receive high praise

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 After 136 games this NFL season, the New York Giants and Washington Commanders will kick off the second half of this season Thursday night. Who has impressed us most? Who has been a letdown? Following up their trade deadline grades , Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab and Eric Edholm had enough in the tank to give their first-half assessment of all 32 teams. Here are their grades, with Schwab critiquing the AFC and Edholm the NFC: AFC East Buffalo Bills (7-1) It's hard to have a much better first half of the season. The Bills are in pole position for the first seed in the AFC with just one loss, Josh Allen is having another MVP-level season and they made a nice addition at the trade deadline with safety Amani Hooker . The only reason the grade was lowered a bit was the disappointing start for the defense, which could be a problem in January. Grade: A- Miami Dolphins (1-7) Malik Willis’ landing on injured reserve will make things even tougher for at least a few weeks. But everyone knew the Dolphins would be bad this season, and yet they have battled hard for first-year head coach Jeff Hafley. Some young players, like rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, have had good moments. Miami’s record is bad, but the first half has actually been somewhat encouraging. Grade: C New England Patriots (5-4) The Patriots have a great win over the Bills but ugly losses to the Seahawks, Jaguars and Packers. Drake Maye has had some great games and some miserable ones, which mirrors the Patriots as a whole. Overall, it has been a disappointing follow-up to their AFC championship season. There's still hope for a better second half. Grade: C- New York Jets (2-7) The season started well, with a win at Tennessee. The Jets are 1-7 since then. At least the Jets have three top-13 picks in the 2027 NFL Draft if the season ended today, and 2026 second overall pick David Bailey looks like a big hit. Head coach Aaron Glenn is very unlikely to be back next season, but that allows the Jets to start anew with a treasure trove of picks. Grade: D- AFC North Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) The Bengals had two assignments this season: Keep Joe Burrow upright and field a competent defense. They've done both, and are in great position to win the AFC North and also get Burrow his first MVP. Some more activity at the trade deadline might have been nice but the Bengals dealt for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II in the offseason and he has had a huge impact. Grade: A Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) It's fine to be skeptical of the Steelers' staying power, but they are winning games and also getting better. Head coach Mike McCarthy is leaning on the run game and it's working. Pittsburgh’s defense is aging but has played well lately. The Steelers have a win over the Bengals and a record that is good as anyone could have expected at this point. Grade: A Cleveland Browns (5-4) Give head coach Todd Monken credit for managing a bad quarterback situation and still getting the Browns to a winning record. The bad news is those wins will hurt their quest to fix their QB problem in the 2027 NFL Draft. For now it's a team that is winning games with an exciting young cast, including rookie receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion. The future is bright, as long as the Browns figure out QB soon. Grade: A- Baltimore Ravens (4-5) The failing grade here isn't all Baltimore's fault. When a future Hall of Fame quarterback plays only four games because of injuries, there's not much you can do. But it's still a team that was in a Super Bowl window and now the season seems over with Lamar Jackson on injured reserve. And it's not all the offense: Jesse Minter's defense has allowed 104 points in its last three games. Grade: F AFC South Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2) The Jaguars have looked very good in the first half of the season and added a lot at the trade deadline . Their two losses came on a second-half fade at Denver and a field goal on the final play against Houston. The Jags lead the NFL in point differential and are first in DVOA. The Jaguars have never made a Super Bowl, but that's a realistic goal this season. Grade: A Houston Texans (3-5) The Texans started 0-4 and also blew a game as a big favorite against the Giants. There's no way a team this talented should have five losses at the midway point, especially with quarterback C.J. Stroud playing his best ball since his rookie season. The Texans could still rally and make the playoffs but with a defense playing far below expectations, this is far less than Houston expected. Grade: D Tennessee Titans (1-7) The Titans are still rebuilding, but you'd like to see more progress given a new head coach and all the money Tennessee spent in free agency ($333.9 million, most in the NFL). The Titans continue to be one of the worst teams in the NFL and there are still major questions about Cam Ward. They are lucky they beat a collapsing Colts team, or else we'd be hearing 0-17 questions. Grade: D Indianapolis Colts (2-7) The Colts didn't look terrible when they took the Chiefs to overtime in Week 2. But things have fallen apart since then. They fired general manager Chris Ballard and traded several key pieces, but weirdly hung onto running back Jonathan Taylor . Daniel Jones has been awful, and now the Colts know they have to start over at QB. Head coach Shane Steichen will surely get fired, whether it's during the season or after. The first half was so bad it will set the franchise back for years. It doesn't even have next year's first-round draft pick; that's off to the Jets in the Sauce Gardner trade. Yikes. Grade: F AFC West Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) The questions about whether the Chiefs' dynasty is over seem to have been answered. Maybe this isn't a vintage Chiefs team, but their only losses were on the road against tough opponents (Seahawks, Broncos). They've reinvented themselves with free-agent addition Kenneth Walker III now carrying the offense. It has been a nice rebound from a weird 6-11 season. Grade: B+ Denver Broncos (7-2) The Broncos are 7-2 with perhaps the best set of quality wins in the NFL: Jaguars, Rams, Seahawks and Chiefs. And yet, the idea that they're just getting by with an inordinate number of close wins (they barely beat the Chargers, let's not forget) is hard to shake. Is Denver a Super Bowl contender? Perhaps. Are they the NFL's biggest regression candidate? Also possible. For now, it's hard to argue with that record. Grade: B Las Vegas Raiders (4-5) The Raiders are more competitive than in years past. And the Kirk Cousins trade shows that their front office finally seems to have a progressive plan to rebuild. But there are some concerning things, like a defense that ranks last in the NFL. We'll find out more in the second half of the season as Fernando Mendoza takes over at quarterback. The first half was promising, but also a reminder that this team is not yet a playoff contender. Grade: C+ Los Angeles Chargers (0-8) It's hard to remember a team that was more disappointing. The Chargers had back-to-back 11-win seasons and looked stronger entering this season with improved health on the offensive line. Instead, they've been the worst team in football. Justin Herbert has been one of the worst quarterbacks in football. This collapse makes no sense. They deserve the lowest first-half grade in the NFL in many years. It has been that bad. Grade: F- NFC East New York Giants (5-2-1) Record-wise, the Giants are off to a fantastic start, perhaps even above the rosiest-glasses fan's expectations in John Harbaugh's first season as head coach. It's even more impressive considering the season-ending injuries to stalwarts such as Jaxson Dart, Brian Burns and Tremaine Edmunds. The Giants are far from perfect, and it's clear they're taking advantage of a weakened NFC East field this season. But it's also hard to gripe too much with the early results with J.J. McCarthy taking over. The Giants’ close-game toughness is undeniable, even if their ceiling this season feels moderately low for a first-place club. Grade: A- Dallas Cowboys (4-5) We knew the Cowboys had a good offense coming into the season, and Dallas has scored 27-plus points in six games, but that unit hasn't been good enough to compensate for a defense that continues to struggle. They're only marginally better on that side of the ball in a few respects compared to 2025, and even marginally worse than last year in a few areas. The Cowboys still have a shot at the division title, but they'll need George Pickens and the defense to improve significantly. Grade: C- Washington Commanders (2-5-1) It has been another rough season in Washington, with injuries blighting the operation, starting back in training camp when Laremy Tunsil went down. Look no further than Jayden Daniels missing two games with a left elbow injury, plus Terry McLaurin and others landing on injured reserve. It has been a tough coaching season, too, with Dan Quinn's feet put to the fire for late-game crumbling in multiple outings and a blowout loss to the Colts. Other than shocking the Seahawks at home, there hasn't been much to get excited about. Grade: D Philadelphia Eagles (2-7) Even by the most pessimistic expectations, the Eagles' season has been a disaster. Two narrow wins were followed by seven brutal losses. Jalen Hurts being diagnosed with blood clots was the next catastrophic development, which has put his football future (and future in Philadelphia) in doubt. Hurts' replacements have struggled, which shouldn't be stunning. The Eagles' defense also turning into a sub-par unit has been among the bigger disappointments. If there's a silver lining, it's that general manager Howie Roseman procured major draft-pick compensation for Cam Jurgens and Jordan Davis . That's also a reflection on how the season has gone. Grade: F NFC North Chicago Bears (7-2) The Bears have won four straight and are very much in the Super Bowl mix now. The trade for Jeffery Simmons has only raised the ceiling for the team, even if there are still questions about its defense. The offense also has to get back to running the ball better, which has been a problem with Kyle Monangai missing a chunk of games. Yet head coach Ben Johnson has found ways to put up points and has given quarterback Caleb Williams the reins. It hasn't always been pretty, and the home stretch will be grueling with Chicago facing one of the toughest remaining schedules and the division providing incredibly tough competition. The Bears, however, are for real, even going 2-1 with Williams out of the starting lineup with a hamstring injury. Grade: A- Green Bay Packers (6-3) A slow start, compounded by some notable player absences, put this team in an early hole. But the Packers have won five of six games since the disastrous home loss to the Falcons, and Jordan Love has entered the MVP discussion with his recent hot run. He has arguably the best top pair of receivers in the league right now with Christian Watson and Matthew Golden. They'll have to keep flying without Josh Jacobs, who is out for an unclear amount of time (broken finger). Green Bay's defense has overachieved in spite of injuries, forcing multiple turnovers for six straight games, and Micah Parsons is on his way back. The arrow points up in a big way. Grade: B+ Detroit Lions (6-2) The Lions are on a four-game win streak, leveling up after a tepid start to the season where they were a few snaps away from an 0-4 record. Their defense, which has held four straight opponents to 21 or fewer points, has been inspiring. Linebacker Jack Campbell's injury, minimal help at the trade deadline (safety Andre Cisco) and the murky status of Kerby Joseph cap the optimism a bit. With Offensive Player of the Year candidate Jahmyr Gibbs leading the way, the Lions' offense can carry them most games. But Detroit finishes with some tough opponents, plus four of the final six games coming on the road. Grade: B Minnesota Vikings (6-2) Brian Flores' defense has been a terrific unit this season, keeping the Vikings in virtually every game. But what became obvious in the home loss to the Bills was that something needed to be done at quarterback. Kyler Murray hasn't played well on the whole, and replacement Carson Wentz was downright bad against Buffalo. That's why the Kirk Cousins trade feels like a potential season saver. The past two losses proved that even a Super Bowl-caliber D needs offensive help. If Cousins can meld back in and lift this unit up, the Vikings could be a problem, but they have to do it vs. the league's best teams. Grade: B NFC South Carolina Panthers (3-5) Coming off a division title despite a losing record last season, the Panthers have unfortunately carried over their inconsistencies from a year ago, with a 1-2 start, two straight victories, and then three straight losses. And yes, they're somehow still in first place in the division. Even in a lower-bar division, it's hard to throw too many roses in their direction. Bryce Young and the Panthers' offense are functional, but there are still too many defensive issues — after big offseason acquisitions — to assume they'll work through them. Grade: C- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6) The Bucs have shown signs of life following their 0-4 start, with Todd Bowles' defense and Bucky Irving's running keeping them in games. Baker Mayfield's struggles and a thumb injury that cost him three games (and forced undrafted Jalon Daniels into the lineup) have held the offense back, and the offseason loss of Mike Evans can't be overstated. All six of their losses have been by one score, and their point differential (plus-24) is by far the best in the division. Still, this has been a disappointing first half. The league's easiest remaining schedule keeps the lights on for now in Tampa. Grade: D+ Atlanta Falcons (3-6) They started 0-2 amid QB problems, and then Michael Penix Jr. delivered five straight solid performances, helping kick-start the offense. Even with that, the Falcons still dropped close games to the Ravens and Bears, and things have turned even more sour since beating the 49ers. The Falcons looked borderline uncompetitive in their past two games, outscored 50-17. The young core and offensive weapons are exciting, but the Falcons remain a muddled lot. Grade: D+ New Orleans Saints (3-5) Ask yourself: What is this team's strength? What is its identity? Neither has been easy to discern this season. Even more frustrating is the Saints’ 1-3 mark at the Superdome. They still have five division games remaining, and the NFC South remains wide open, with every team two or more games under .500. But Tyler Shough will need to continue developing, and the defense will need to keep building on its incremental improvements of late. Grade: D+ NFC West San Francisco 49ers (7-1) Injuries have continued sinking their teeth into the roster, but the 49ers keep winning games. Head coach Kyle Shanahan deserves a ton of credit for how this team has played, starting with a season-opening blowout of the Rams in Australia. Even with the disappointing loss to the Falcons, there hasn't been much to complain about, pacing a division billed as one of the league's finest. The Niners will have to continue winning against a road-heavy schedule of mostly contending teams down the stretch and cross their fingers for better injury luck, but there is championship-level DNA on this roster. Grade: A Los Angeles Rams (5-4) They were hailed as arguably the best team in football in August, and one local writer infamously predicted a 17-0 regular-season mark. That took all of four quarters to turn to ashes, and injuries have damaged this roster, especially at wide receiver . With Myles Garrett back and Aaron Donald still thriving, L.A.’s defense might have to carry the team for a stretch. That unit, hardly dominant, has been better since the Buffalo loss. The Rams are on track after a tough start, but they’re still searching for a signature win. Grade: C Seattle Seahawks (5-4) Multiple injuries for Sam Darnold, plus his own poor play (nine INTs in his past six games) have hurt the offense. The Seahawks also have struggled to run the ball consistently without Kenneth Walker III, especially as rookie running back Jadarian Price missed a chunk of the season on IR. That has made them far too dependent on Jaxon Smith-Njigba to move the ball, amazing as he is. Defensively, the Seahawks are still strong, but they've allowed as many 30-point games in half a season as they did in all of 2025. Grade: C Arizona Cardinals (3-6) Beating the Rams and Cowboys on the road deserves praise, and the Cardinals’ 3-3 road mark has kept the season from being a disaster. But the offense continues to largely struggle outside of a few promising spurts. They're about to start their third QB in Carson Beck , and the decision to draft Jeremiyah Love hasn't yet paid off. Defensively, they've been inconsistent at best, allowing six opponents to cross the 30-point threshold, including in all three home games. Expectations were low entering the season, and Arizona is playing to about that level. Grade: C-