Klint Kubiak’s Raiders are the 2017 Buffalo Bills reincarnated
2017 was the first season Sean McDermott coached the Buffalo Bills, and the first season since 1999 they made the postseason. Tyrod Taylor led the Bills to a 9-7 finish, but they were bounced in the wildcard by the Blake Bortles-led Jaguars. The following season, the Josh Allen era began.
Expecting the 4-4 Raiders to make the playoffs may be a bit overzealous, but it isn’t out of the question; Kirk Cousins leads the league in passing touchdowns, and they rank sixth in PPG. A finish around .500 likely sees them miss the postseason, but set an excellent foundation ahead of Fernando Mendoza’s first season as the starter in 2027.
Tennessee needs to seriously evaluate the quarterback position
All the debate over whether Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders was the premier prospect leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft meant nothing in the end. While Sanders is the backup in Cleveland, Ward hasn’t been the player fans would have hoped in Year 2. After totaling 17 touchdowns and seven turnovers as a rookie, the addition of Carnell Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson hasn’t been enough to elevate the former Miami Hurricane.
Through eight games, Ward has totaled eight touchdowns and five turnovers, surpassing 200 passing yards only twice. The 1-7 Titans won their only game of the year against the Colts in Week 6 by relying on the run game and defense. Tony Pollard’s 19 carries were his most of the season to that point, while a blocked punt led to a touchdown by Femi Oladejo. Ward managed just 102 passing yards in that game.
This past week was a step in the right direction for Ward, as he surpassed 300 yards passing for the first time in his career. Nonetheless, Robert Saleh wasn’t the one to draft him, and the Titans are likely to hold a top three pick in a draft that features Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker.
Jim Harbaugh will be fired by the end of the season
The Chargers had one of the most difficult schedules in the NFL coming into the season, but given their playoff berth last season, being in the playoff conversation come December seemed more than reasonable. A 0-7 start has done all but erase that possibility.
L.A.’s squad is built to win now, but Justin Herbert’s poor play has weighed the squad down severely, and it appears Harbaugh may be the one to pay the price. Looking at their schedule over the next few weeks, there isn’t a game that sticks out as particularly winnable until they host the Jets at the end of November, at which point they could be 0-9.
Ownership paid Herbert $260 million in a deal that runs until 2029, meaning he’s here to stay. Don’t be surprised to see Mike McDaniel coaching in place of Harbaugh after the trade deadline.
Mike Vrabel’s Patriots have the depth to make another Super Bowl push
“I do not think we have a very deep team,” is a concerning thing to hear from a head coach, and that’s exactly what Mike Vrabel said following the Patriots’ preseason win over the Eagles. At the time, he may have been correct.
The Patriots relied heavily on free agents signed to short-term deals to provide depth for them in 2025, and it worked to a tee. K’Lavon Chaisson, Khyiris Tonga, Jack Gibbens and Jaylinn Hawkins all offered stability. In contrast, Kevin Byard was the only player to sign a one-year deal during the spring to make the initial roster.
Surprise breakouts from players like Efton Chism and Elijah Ponder, along with contributions from veterans like Charles Woods and Kindle Vildor, have been key in the team’s success. The rookie class has been a major role in the squad’s 5-3 start as well, with Gabe Jacas performing and Eli Raridon stepping into his TE2 role like a veteran. Rookie tackle Caleb Lomu? He’s looked like a ten-year starter from the jump. Coach Vrabel couldn’t have been more wrong.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is (officially) the best receiver in football
Having nearly 1,800 yards and winning OPOY would be more than enough for JSN to be considered the best receiver in football by most. In 2025, he undoubtedly was, but with Justin Jefferson’s quarterback situation a mess and Ja’Marr Chase eclipsing 1,200 yards in four of his first five seasons, I was hesitant to give the Emerald City Route Artist the crown. In the first month and a half of 2026, however, he’s proven to be nothing but a model of consistency; even with Drew Lock at the helm for the first two weeks, the former Ohio Buckeye has eclipsed the century mark in seven of eight games to start the year.
Totaling 985 yards and nine touchdowns from 64 catches in the first eight games of the season, Smith-Njigba is the OPOY frontrunner, and on pace to become the first 2,000-yard receiver ever. If he were to win a second OPOY award, he’d join eight other players in NFL history to do so. Among those players, Jerry Rice is the only receiver and one of two players who have won the award back-to-back.