We have officially crossed the halfway point of the 18-week NFL regular season, as Week 10 wrapped up on Monday, Nov. 10, with the Philadelphia Eagles beating the Green Bay Packers 10-7. With the season well underway, it is worth looking back at the first 10 weeks to discuss who has been hot (and who has not), the biggest winners of the trade deadline, and what to expect in the next eight weeks and into the playoffs.
This NFL season has been one of parity and close calls. Some teams have found their spark behind new quarterback additions, such as the Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, and New England Patriots. On the other hand, the blue bloods of the 2020s are struggling to turn around slow starts, namely the Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, and Kansas City Chiefs.
Two of the hottest teams in the AFC are the Colts and Broncos. With the 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft, the Broncos selected Bo Nix out of Oregon, hoping to officially end the disastrous Russell Wilson era in Denver. Over the past two years, they have gone all- in on building a team around him, breaking a nine-year playoff drought that dated back to their Super Bowl 50 win with Peyton Manning. They made the wild-card round in 2024, only to get blown out by the Bills.
Now, the Broncos are tied for the best record in the NFL through 10 weeks, with the Patriots and Colts at 8-2. They also pulled off the largest fourth-quarter comeback in league history against the New York Giants, winning 33-32 after trailing 26-8 with six minutes left. Denver currently has the No.1 defense in the league and is on pace to break the single-season sack record behind Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) candidate Nik Bonitto and reigning DPOY Patrick Surtain Jr. They will face AFC West rivals in four of their final seven games.
The Colts made major moves this offseason, signing Daniel Jones from the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad after his release from the struggling Giants. Jones had managed only one playoff appearance since being drafted in 2019, but he has revitalized his career in Indianapolis. The Colts started hot, winning seven of their first eight games, including a last-second victory over the Broncos. Before the trade deadline, they doubled down on their title hopes, sending the New York Jets two first-round picks (2026 and 2027) and 2024 second-rounder Adonai Mitchell for star defensive back Sauce Gardner. The Colts now lead the league in scoring and aim to hold the AFC’s top seed through the final stretch.
One of the more intriguing teams this season is the Giants. The dynamic rookie duo of Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss) and Cam Skattebo (Arizona State) became viral sensations thanks to their friendship and playful energy. They showed flashes early, including wins over the defending Super Bowl champion, the Eagles, and a shootout loss to the Dallas Cowboys. However, after a one-point loss to the Broncos and a gruesome injury to Skattebo, their momentum collapsed. The Giants sit at 2-8 and recently fired head coach Brian Daboll on Nov. 10.
Two teams plagued by quarterback injuries despite high expectations are the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens. Both came off 12-5 seasons with playoff berths. The Commanders sit at 3-7 after close losses and two key injuries to Jayden Daniels, a high ankle sprain in Week Four and a dislocated elbow in Week Nine. Daniels showed flashes of brilliance before the setbacks, but the repeated injuries have stalled a promising sophomore year. Backup Sam Howell has struggled behind a shaky offensive line, and Washington ranks near the bottom in scoring efficiency.
The Ravens (4-5) were hit hard when Lamar Jackson went down in Week Six with a shoulder injury, derailing another MVP-caliber campaign. Despite a top-five defense, Baltimore’s offense has sputtered without his dual-threat ability, and backup Tyler “Snoop” Huntley has failed to replicate his playmaking. Both teams entered the season as dark-horse contenders, but now face uphill battles to stay in the playoff race.
With Sauce Gardner being the biggest blockbuster trade before the deadline, other notable moves include the San Francisco 49ers trading for veteran pass rusher Danielle Hunter and the Detroit Lions picking up Jaycee Horn from the Panthers to solidify their secondary.
Looking ahead to the remainder of the season, the Eagles, Bills, Chiefs and Lions will not go down without a fight, and it will be a test to see if the new guard of hot teams can contend with the experience and big-game composure of the league’s established powers.