At the halfway point of the season, there have been many big changes in the NFL. Several teams have fallen off and others have catapulted into the playoff race. Here are some of the teams that staked or strengthened their claim as contenders in October.
Detroit Lions
Everyone knew the Lions were going to be one of the big boys this year. Many were surprised when they ended September behind Minnesota (of all teams). But Detroit, after a Week 5 bye, won all three games they played in October. Even more impressive was the fashion in which they achieved the unbeaten October. After blowing out the Cowboys 47-9 in Dallas, the Lions squeaked out a 31-29 victory over Minnesota, ending their unbeaten run and taking the top of the division, which they have yet to relinquish as of Halloween.
Green Bay Packers
Though Detroit controls the NFC North, Green Bay has stayed on their tail. They also went unbeaten in October after a 2-2 start. They only dominated one team (the Cardinals) but won multiple close games. They overcame self-inflicted wounds to beat the Rams, won a back-and-forth affair against the Texans, and beat Jacksonville despite blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead. This Packers team has every chance to win the NFC North, so winning division games in a division where all teams are .500 or better is critical.
Atlanta Falcons
September was marred by choppy, inconsistent play from Kirk Cousins. October was the opposite. Kirk Cousins and the offense were hot in October. Aside from a loss to the Seahawks, the Falcons achieved a lot, winning three divisional games, which included a sweep of the Tampa Bay Bucs, who were heavily favored to win the division. As of Halloween, Atlanta solely controls the NFC South.
Denver Broncos
Bo Nix did not get off to a hot start, with Denver starting 0-2 for the second year in a row. They had two September wins, but one of them was in spite of the offense putting up only 10 points. In October, the offense stepped up to match the lockdown pass defense. Denver went 3-1, winning each of those games by 14 points or more. Bo Nix has been on fire and playing with confidence. Denver ended October 5-3 after starting 2-2.
Philadelphia Eagles/Washington Commanders
After a 2-2 September, Philly fans galore wanted Nick Sirianni to be fired. I wonder what they are saying now. Philly went on bye and came back firing with a 3-0 October slate. After overcoming a feisty Browns defense, the Eagles dominated the Giants and Bengals on the road, winning by a total of 45 points across the two games. Saquon Barkley is shredding defenses and Jalen Hurts has finally started to cut down on the fatal turnovers that triggered their late-season collapse in 2023. Expect Philly and Washington to go to war for the NFC East title.
Speaking of Washington, the Commanders went 3-1 in October to move to 6-2. Dan Quinn’s squad dominated the Panthers and Browns, held the Ravens to a seven-point win, and beat the Bears on a miraculous hail mary from Jayden Daniels to Noah Brown. Luck may be on their side, but we likely won’t know until they play the Eagles.
Arizona Cardinals
At the end of September, the Seahawks were at the top of the division by themselves at 3-1 while Arizona sat at the bottom. In October, the NFC West standings were almost flipped. Seattle fell to 4-4 and the Cardinals rose to 4-4. After a 1-3 start, Arizona notched major victories. Though Green Bay destroyed them in Week 6, Arizona still proved capable of challenging for a division title no one expected them to win. Kyler Murray led game-winning drives in all three wins, with kicker Chad Ryland then knocking in game-winning field goals against the 49ers, Chargers, and Dolphins (all teams favored to be playoff contenders in preseason). The Cardinals have real potential to, at the minimum, cause tons of chaos in the tight NFC West.