The NFL has officially reached the halfway point of its regular Sunday football season, and unlike some years past, the picture remains very muddled. Some teams and would-be contenders for the Super Bowl have yet to fully find their footing on the turf.
For this midseason update, we will be looking at some recent games between several NFL teams and taking a deeper dive into the games and some key takeaways from Week 8.
- Minnesota Vikings (6-0)
Thanks to the ten points they scored in the fourth quarter of their last game, the Vikings were able to keep their undefeated streak alive to begin the 2026-27 NFL season. Their 16-10 win over the Colts on Sunday improved their record to 6-0 and further established them as a force to be reckoned with at the top of the NFL
Do the Vikings still need to prove a lot on their offense? Yes. Have they played the toughest schedule in the world to start their season? Not really. But their defense has easily been the best in the NFL to kick off 2026, and with how well Brain Flores is playing this year, Minnesota has the ability to defeat just about anybody.
- San Francisco 49ers (6-1)
It’s been a great start to the season for the 49ers, but this momentum dropped in their first game of the season on Sunday after a 6-0 start, when they lost to the Falcons 29-20 on the road. Brock Purdy threw two interceptions in the loss, and their defense gave up three touchdowns to Michael Penix Jr. through the air.
But one loss shouldn’t sour anybody on the 49ers’ outlook for the rest of the NFL season. They clearly have one of the most talented teams in the league, and their 6-1 record still keeps them firmly on top of the NFC West. How they respond to this loss could indicate how the rest of their season plays out.
- Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)
The Jacksonville Jaguars had their bye week in Week 7, so their 4-2 record going into the week remains intact. They’ve been performing at a high level on both sides of the ball, and though they lost their last game against the Texans, they’ve generally looked like one of the better teams in the NFL so far this year.
- Seattle Seahawks (4-3)
The 3-3 start that the Seattle Seahawks got off to this season certainly wasn’t ideal for the defending Super Bowl champions, but they picked up a necessary victory on Sunday night. Their 20-3 victory over the Chiefs brought them back over the .500 mark, and achieving that by defeating an undefeated team certainly adds a good feeling to the mix.
There are still a few different games ahead for the Seahawks, as they take on the Rams twice, the 49ers once, and the Bears in Week 8. But if they can split those games, they’re absolutely still well-positioned to navigate a schedule that’s relatively easy otherwise.
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)
With how competitive the AFC North has been, any win within the division is a crucial one. Not only did the Cincinnati Bengals pick up a key win by defeating the Ravens on Sunday, but their 35-13 victory was an incredible decisive victory which also saw them perform well on both sides of the ball.
The Bengals now sit at 4-2 as their current score, and though they’re not in first place in the AFC North yet, they’re firmly in the mix. The Bengals offense has remained one of the top units in the NFL, and their defense has improved to league-average territory, which could be more than enough to make them a top team in the NFL for the 26-27 season
- Buffalo Bills (5-1)
The Buffalo Bills had Week 7 off to rest, as they had their bye week. They are currently sitting at 5-1, and they’ve won each of their last two games. . As long as Josh Allen continues performing at an MVP-caliber level, they’ll be very difficult to stop as powerhouse at thetop of the AFC even with their questionable defense plays.
- Chicago Bears (5-2)
In games in which Caleb Williams has been healthy for the entirety of the game, the Chicago Bears are undefeated this year. They improved their record to a solid 5-2 on Thursday night, defeating the New England Patriots in one of the most highly anticipated matchups we’ve seen on a Thursday Night Football game this season.
With how competitive the NFC North is this year, it could be difficult for the Bears to win the division for the second year in a row. It is very clear that this is a playoff-caliber team, however, if the team’s offense keeps performing at the level it has since Williams’ return from his hamstring injury, Chicago will make some serious noise after this comeback of Caleb Williams.
8. Denver Broncos (5-2)
The Broncos are now winners of three straight games after their victory on Sunday, defeating the Cardinals 30-16 on the road to improve to 5-2. Though the team has experienced some inconsistencies on their offensive this season, they certainly looked efficient against Arizona’s defense in the win.
Though the Broncos still have some things to figure out on the offensive side of the ball, Sean Payton’s unit looked a lot more like we expected it to look this year in their Week 7 win over the Cardinals. If this team can keep this momentum carried through the rest of the season, this team could make some serious noise in this season.
9.Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)
With a 5-2 record coming out of Week 7, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in a great position to not only compete for a playoff spot, but hang around the competition for first place in the AFC North division. Their narrow 16-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints in Paris marked their third win in a row.
Each of the Steelers’ last two victories have been narrow wins over the NFC South teams, so there certainly could be some questions about how sustainable this team’s success will be when they go up against their playoff competition. With that being said, Pittsburgh is still winning at a high level which will land the team into a post season if this continues.
10. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots kept things close in a tightly contested battle against a top team in the Bears on Thursday night. In the end, though, they came up just short losing 30-24 and dropping their record to 4-3 for the 26-27 season. The win brought an end to the Paritots’ three-game losing streak.
Drake Maye played at an incredibly high level in the loss, so there’s still plenty of room for improvement and reason to be optimistic about the defending AFC champions as a playoff team yet again in 2026. With weakness at running back, and guard, however, it could make sense to see Patriots make improvements at the trade deadline.