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Five NFL teams that could emerge in the second half of the season

Sakege November 7, 2024

The NFL season has officially reached its halfway point. But for some teams, will this week also serve as a turning point?

Over the course of 17 games, any franchise is prone to go through some changes. Schedule settings can be an important factor in promoting any inequality, as built-in advantages or disadvantages can quickly reveal themselves. But teams can hold on to the hope that their performance to date doesn’t necessarily have to define the entire year, as it’s not uncommon to see some groups move up the standings each season in recent months.

Here are five teams that could emerge in the second half of this season, with a closer look at their remaining schedules and other elements that could contribute to their rise:

In 2023, the 49ers came out of their Week 9 bye to reel off six straight wins en route to claiming the NFC’s No. 1 seed and another conference crown. Could there be another similar revitalization for Kyle Shanahan’s team?

Even if San Francisco (4-4) can’t match those achievements, there are plenty of signs that a breakup is brewing. The main reason for optimism: Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey could debut this season already on Sunday after missing the first half of the season due to bilateral Achilles tendinitis. His unique all-around skills change the complexion of an offense that went from fourth in yards after the catch last season to 29th so far this year without him. The team’s efficiency in the red zone also fell from first to near worst (28th), and McCaffrey should be a force multiplier as someone who can open the doors for an aerial attack that desperately misses speed. Brandon Aiyuk, who will be out of season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

The defensive outlook might not be as promising, with defensive tackle Javon HargraveTorn triceps leaves San Francisco thin inside and strong confidence Talanoa HufangaThe timeline is still unclear more than a month after he tore ligaments in his wrist. linebacker Dre GreenlawHowever, he is “close” to returning from the Achilles tear he suffered in the Super Bowl, general manager John Lynch said this week.

The calendar hardly presents easy exits, with trips to face the Green Bay Packers and buffalo bills and a local inclination against Detroit Lions everything in the making. But better luck in close games: San Francisco is 1-3 in matchups decided by six points or less, with the victory over the dallas cowboys It never seemed as close as the final score indicated, and on the health front it could return the 49ers to the top of the NFC West in no time.

Arizona, a preseason hot pick to emerge as the fall’s breakout team, didn’t live up to high expectations early on as it fell to a 1-3 start. Looking back, it’s easy to understand why this team was set up to stumble, as those three losses came against teams currently leading their respective divisions. However, Jonathan Gannon’s group has shown surprising resilience in rallying from 5-4 to take the lead in the hyper-competitive NFC West.

Now, Arizona should have a much easier time navigating its remaining slate, which includes just one game against a team with a winning record (the Minnesota Vikings) and five against sub-.500 squads (the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks twice, New England Patriots and carolina panthers). Arizona is also cobbling together a pass rush after losing top threats. BJ Ojulari and Dennis Gardeck for the season, like Baron Browning Trade Deadline Acquisition He joins a defense that featured 16 players who provided pressure in last week’s win over the chicago bears. Bad luck with turnovers (Arizona ranks second in fumbles lost with eight) has not derailed a rushing attack that ranks second in yards per carry (5.3), although offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has yet to find better ways to eat. Marvin Harrison Jr.the talented rookie receiver who hasn’t found consistency this season.

If the Cardinals can rack up wins before finishing against the Los Angeles Rams and the 49ers in the final two weeks of the regular season, should be within striking distance of their first division title since 2015.

Laugh all you want. While Aaron Rodgers has not yet regained the notion that his team can “rule the table,” there is a clear path to at least playoff contention.

By ending their five-game losing streak with a 21-13 victory over the Houston Texans last week, the Jets (3-6) showed several signs that predict a good streak. Yes, Gang Green cannot afford to continue undermining itself with egregious mistakes like Malachi Corley delivers the ball on the goal linenor can it depend on Garrett Wilson will rescue the team with captures that set social networks on fire. But Rodgers’ connection with Wilson and Davante Adams could propel the offense to a point of stability, even if the unit never reaches the heights many imagined. Meanwhile, a defense that notched eight sacks and made CJ Stroud nervous could once again provide considerable margin for error.

If the Jets can take advantage of their mini-break to beat the Cardinals, a very favorable remaining schedule: there are no games against teams with a winning record until the date of Week 17 in the buffalo bills – could help spark a second-half rebound. New York may have too much ground to make up to end its worst 13-year league drought, but the outlook indicates the team is more likely to land at least on the periphery of the playoff picture rather than at the bottom. mix for a top-five draft pick.

Having lost their last three games and four of their previous five, the Buccaneers (4-5) might seem like an odd choice for this list. And with wide receiver mike evans will be out of Sunday’s game against the 49ers with a hamstring injury, and fellow wide receiver Chris Godwin out for the year with a torn ACL: Tampa Bay’s losing streak could extend even further.

After that, however, the Buccaneers will enjoy what is easily the league’s easiest schedule down the stretch. Five of the last seven games are against teams that currently have two wins, with one of the remaining games against the reeling Cowboys. Despite having to make up for rampant defensive deficiencies – Tampa Bay ranks 27th in the NFL in yards allowed per play (5.8) – baker mayfield and Co. should have more than enough firepower to improve their record. Although their three-year reign over the NFC South is likely coming to an end, the Buccaneers appear to have a solid shot at a 10-win mark, which would certainly put them over at least a few other teams currently ahead. of them. in the hierarchical order of the conference.

They haven’t joined the league’s elite contenders, and the long-standing pass-rush problem (their nine sacks are the fewest of any team and their 16.7% pressure rate ranks 30th) still weighs on them. about the Falcons. Still, Atlanta (6-3) is in a much better position than the other participants on this list, as the team appears poised to run away with the NFC South for its first division title since its Super Bowl run in 2016. .

But even though five of the Falcons’ six wins have been by six points or less, there’s reason to believe there will be fewer tough situations going forward. Half of their remaining opponents are tied for the worst record in the league at 2-7 (New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants and carolina panthers), while the other potential playoff threats on the schedule (Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders) have records that seem overinflated. As long as Atlanta doesn’t suffer the kind of setback it suffered three weeks ago in a 34-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the franchise’s first 12-win season since 2012 is within reach.

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