The halfway point of the 2019 NFL season is almost here. With the completion of each week, we inch closer to the start of the NFL playoffs where one team will achieve greatness and the others will achieve only moral victories, and sadness. It’s early, but the playoff picture has already begun to take shape. And with that picture, come the contenders and the pretenders. So who’s got the goods and who’s selling fakes?
Contenders And Pretenders For The NFL Playoffs
Some teams, for bad reasons, are not worth mentioning at this point. Other teams, pretty much have a lock on the playoffs. I’m not going to speak of the bad, but I will mention the locks. The New England Patriots are going to make the postseason yet again because of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. The Kansas City Chiefs are going to make the playoffs because of Patrick Mahomes and their division being awful. The Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Green Bay Packers will also be making the NFL playoffs this year. That means seven playoff spots are potentially claimed already between the two conferences. That also means five playoff spots are still up for grabs.
The Contenders
Buffalo Bills
Whether fans are aware or not the Buffalo Bills own the second best record in the AFC. Their defense is legit and as of this moment they have the easiest remaining schedule in terms of opponent’s winning percentage. As the season progresses, we’ll get an even truer sense of who the Bills are. Home games against the Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles will be a test, as will away games against the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, and Pittsburgh Steelers. A week 16 matchup with the Pats in New England is also a big hurdle, as is a week 17 clash at home vs the suddenly resurgent New York Jets. A returning Devin Singletary will do them some good.
Indianapolis Colts
The performance of the Indianapolis Colts so far this year has been nothing short of amazing. They lost Andrew Luck to retirement to start the year, have stayed above water, and then went into Kansas City and smacked the Chiefs in the mouth in prime time and won without Darius Leonard and Malik Hooker.
Head Coach Frank Reich has done a really good job of keeping his team focused and hungry this year, and having the seventh easiest remaining schedule helps as well. They still have to play the division rival Houston Texans twice, and travel to New Orleans and Pittsburgh, but the Colts are set up well for a playoff push. The teams in the AFC South tend to eat up each other so it won’t be easy. But someone has to win this division.
Houston Texans
It’s really difficult to know what to make of the Texans. They have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, one of the best receivers in the NFL, and a guy on defense who has won defensive player of the year three times. However, their offensive offensive line is still suspect, and as last year’s playoff game against the Colts showed, they tend to shrink in big games. Their remaining schedule isn’t brutal, and games against the Ravens and Patriots could potentially show fans and the NFL what the Texans are. Playing the Colts twice, and their games against the rest of the AFC South is what will determine the Texans fate. Much like the Colts, someone has to win this division.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles currently sit at 3-3 and injuries have hit them hard, especially on defense. Their next five games will determine what the Eagles are and what they could possibly accomplish this season. They have away games at Dallas and Buffalo, then are home vs the Chicago Bears, Pats, and Seahawks. If they can pull out three wins from those five games, they’ll be in good shape. Four of their final five games are against the Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, and New York Giants (twice). They just need to get to that final stretch. The offense has yet to fully click, but fans should have faith in Doug Pederson and Carson Wentz. If they can get healthy on defense that should help too.
Minnesota Vikings
Kirk Cousins is not as terrible as everyone thinks he is. He’s also not worth the contract he was signed to, but he’s decent enough. The Minnesota Vikings running game is real, and while the defense doesn’t play as well away from home as they do in Minnesota, they’re still contenders. Three road games against the Chiefs, Cowboys, and Seahawks, along with home games against the Lions, Packers, and Bears, will determine their season. Currently sitting at 4-2 means playing .500 football the rest of the way puts them at 9-7, which could get them into the NFL playoffs. And they have the talent do it.
Detroit Lions
Who are the Detroit Lions? Are they the team that blew a lead and tied the Arizona Cardinals? Or are they the team that beat the Eagles and really should have also beaten the Chiefs and Packers? The simple answer is that they’re inconsistent, but talented. Kenny Golladay, Kerryon Johnson, Trey Flowers, Darius Slay and T.J. Hockenson are all for real. But the Lions have had real talent before. It’s difficult to know if this is the year they actually break through. But at the very least, they’re in contention. Games against the Bears (twice) and Vikings (twice) and a home finale against Green Bay will either win them a playoff spot or lose them one.
The Pretenders
Dallas Cowboys
The key to the Dallas Cowboys for years has been their offensive line. When that line isn’t intact, they struggle. Missing their two starting tackles against the Jets showcased that. Dak Prescott needs to have time in the pocket to throw. Without that all-pro line providing him time, he doesn’t function the same. The Cowboys beat up on weak teams the first three weeks of the season and have lost their last three games as they’ve played better competition and dealt with injuries.
Their upcoming home game vs the Eagles is make or break. Their only surefire win, at least on paper, the rest of the year, comes in week 17 vs the Redskins. The pressure of their schedule, along with the pressure of Dallas itself, will be too much for the Cowboys this year.
Chicago Bears
The Bears defense is great. Their offense is not. They’ll be in most games this year because of their defense, but the offense probably won’t execute well enough to get them over the hump, regardless of which quarterback they play with. They have the hardest remaining schedule in the entire NFL, and that, combined with having their bye week come so early in the season, means that from this point forward there can be no let up mentally or physically. That’s a lot to overcome. Especially in the NFC North, which right now is probably the best division in the NFL.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers being pretenders is based on two things. First is their schedule the rest of the way. Away games against San Francisco, Green Bay, and Indianapolis, two games against the Saints, and a home matchup with the Seahawks. Good news is the rest of their schedule is cake, but that’s a rough overall schedule. Second, although Christian McCaffrey has been brilliant, eventually someone is going to force the Panthers to win with someone else. And whether or not they can, is a big question mark. Is Kyle Allen for real? Does Cam Newton come back? Those are major questions to be asked and dealt with on their own, let alone during a run to the NFL playoffs.
Los Angeles Rams
This is all about Todd Gurley. It’s hard to believe he’s actually healthy. He probably hasn’t been healthy since the midpoint of the season last year. And if he’s not healthy, the Rams offense is completely different. Gurley makes this team go and makes all of their different looks and motions and sets viable. He also helps Jared Goff look like an actual NFL quarterback. Plus, the Super Bowl vs the Pats gave every NFL team the blueprint for how to stop the Rams. Aqib Talib being placed on IR only adds to the woes this team faces, and to the struggles their defense has had this year. Their schedule isn’t particularly tough, but it’s difficult to really believe in the Rams right now.
What It All Means For The NFL Playoffs
There’s still a lot to be determined in the NFL, but it’s never too early to look at the playoff picture. With several teams having the opportunity to separate themselves from the pack and look towards postseason play, it’s going to be an entertaining road to see which teams solidify their place and which teams come up short.
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