From the Athletic Email Newsletter.
I think I agree with all this.
And to be clear, this is from the perspective of real NFL. Not fantasy.
I think I agree with all this.
And to be clear, this is from the perspective of real NFL. Not fantasy.
Take your stickers, kids
We are officially halfway through the NFL season, which means it’s time for teams to take report cards home, have them signed by parents and return them to school for record-keeping. No forgeries. Yesterday’s results were fittingly important.
Some midseason grades:
Best overall teams: Eagles (8-1), Chiefs (7-2), Ravens (7-2)
All three teams had landmark wins yesterday. The Ravens were particularly impressive while blowing out a good Seahawks team, 37-3. Kansas City beat Miami, 21-14 in Germany, and quietly has an awesome defense this year. The Eagles continue to beat good teams (28-23 over Dallas) while still not looking like a finished product, which is a scary thought in itself. Y
ou can also win the Super Bowl: Jaguars (6-2), Dolphins (6-3), Lions (6-2), 49ers (6-2), Cowboys (5-3), Bengals (5-3)
This is our clear second tier, minus a few stragglers who will probably be mad at me for omitting them (hi, 5-4 Bills). Half of these teams were off yesterday, giving us more time to talk about the talented-but-flawed group like the Dolphins, who can’t seem to win a big game, and the Cowboys, who choked away a win against Philly. And then there is Cincinnati, charging ahead after starting the year 1-3. They looked incredible against 5-4 Buffalo last night, winning 24-18.
Midseason MVP: Lamar Jackson
Easy call, especially after Tua Tagovailoa’s tough day. Remember when we thought the Ravens would trade Jackson before the season? And remember when no one made any worthwhile offer? Jackson has been electric this year. He’s completing a career-high 72 percent of his passes and is on pace for fewer interceptions than he threw in 2019, when he was the unanimous choice for MVP. A-plus.