The second half of the 2025 NFL season kicks off Thursday night, featuring the high-flying Denver Broncos against the struggling Las Vegas Raiders. The first half was full of unexpected twists. It’s quite astonishing, right? Who would have guessed that Daniel Jones would show glimpses of elite quarterback play while the Indianapolis Colts sit at 7-2? And remember the Chicago Bears? They’ve bounced back from an 0-2 start to reach 5-3. Oh, and the Carolina Panthers? They managed to pull off a stunning win against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field and are now at 5-4.
But not all the surprises have been pleasant. The Washington Commanders, touted as a promising investment due to their national TV appearances, have disappointed. Typically, we see the Baltimore Ravens aiming for the top seed, yet they now just hope to make the playoffs. And the Houston Texans? Despite boasting a strong defense, they seem to be on the brink of collapse.
The NFL analysts from SB Nation recently gathered for a roundtable discussion, giving out various midseason “awards” spotlighting the most disappointing teams and units so far.
Most Unfortunate Offense
Mookie Alexander: Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have poured significant resources into their offense with first-round picks like Kyle Pitts, Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Michael Penix Jr., yet they find themselves 28th in scoring, 23rd in third-down efficiency, and 22nd in red zone conversion. It’s puzzling that they rank last in play-action frequency, and offensive coordinator Zach Robinson is under fire for it. While Penix has shown potential as a starter, his performance has been inconsistent. The running game has stalled since an earlier blowout against the Buffalo Bills, and injuries have hampered the offensive line. Interestingly, it seems like just when the defense improves, the offense takes a step back into mediocrity.
Gina Kelly: Atlanta Falcons. I had pretty low expectations for their offense this season. Sure, Michael Penix has talent, but he’s still inexperienced. While Bijan Robinson is exceptional, he’s just one player, right? Drake London and Kyle Pitts should shine, but I worried about how Zach Robinson would utilize them. The pistol formation doesn’t really suit Penix’s style, and I’ve heard opposing teams call their offense predictable. Yet, it seems Robinson is stuck in his ways, repeating unsuccessful plays. If the Falcons aim to improve, a change at offensive coordinator looks necessary.
Jared Mueller: Minnesota Vikings. With guys like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, and Aaron Jones, you’d think the quarterback situation wouldn’t matter too much. But somehow, a projected top-12 offense finds itself in the bottom third as the season crosses the halfway mark.
Mark Schofield: Houston Texans. Although they’re facing injuries, including missing C.J. Stroud for at least a week, their performance is surprisingly below average in expected points per rush and per dropback. Averaging 21 points per game is problematic, especially when that’s equivalent to what the New York Jets are managing.
Most Disappointing Defense
Mookie Alexander: Baltimore Ravens. They’ve looked better lately, but the damage is done. It’s hard to believe they’ve surrendered 160 points in four losses after a rough start. Injuries, particularly to Nnamdi Madubuike, have hurt, but it’s not solely to blame for their slow start.
Jared Mueller: Pittsburgh Steelers. I had tempered expectations for the Bengals’ defense this season, yet the Steelers were supposed to lead the charge. Instead, they find themselves allowing the third-most yards per game. Given their sizable $163 million defensive cap allocation, the return on investment has been dismal, which is frustrating.
Gina Kelly: Cincinnati Bengals. Honestly, did anyone expect the Bengals’ defense to shine? Not really, but their performance has been shockingly bad. They currently rank last in total yards allowed and total touchdowns, not to mention the second-worst pass defense and the absolute worst run defense in the league. With Joe Burrow’s injury complicating things, it doesn’t look great for the Bengals this season.
Mark Schofield: Dallas Cowboys. Sure, trading Micah Parsons just before the season didn’t help, but this entire defensive unit is in disarray. They allowed 37 points to Russell Wilson and 27 to Jacoby Brissett last week! The Bengals’ defense is poor, but Dallas sits almost neck and neck in misery, allowing 30.8 points per game, second worst in the league.
Most Disappointing Team Overall
Mookie Alexander: Washington Commanders. It’s been a tough fall for Washington. They pulled off surprising wins last year but seemed to crash harder than expected. With injuries piling up, including Jayden Daniels’ latest setback, it feels like a lost season. Terry McLaurin’s offseason drama only added to the woes, and things remain bleak on defense, which hasn’t improved. It’s been over three decades since they’ve made the playoffs consecutively—a trend likely to continue.
Jared Mueller: Baltimore Ravens. Before Lamar Jackson’s injury, the Ravens struggled, with a single win against the struggling Browns. Their schedule has been tough, but these Super Bowl contenders were expected to perform better, with or without Jackson. Luckily, the AFC North isn’t exactly formidable this year, so they might still sneak into the playoffs.
Gina Kelly: Washington Commanders. We’re all rooting for them, or at least I wish we could be. After last season’s playoff run, expectations were high, especially for the fans who have endured so much with the franchise. This season just hasn’t gone according to plan for them.
Mark Schofield: Washington Commanders. Did you notice a trend? The local sports scene, including the Capitals who are at the bottom of their division, isn’t exactly thriving in the DMV area lately.
Moving on, while the Ravens have some hope left, the Commanders have indeed taken a significant step back this season, with Daniels likely sidelined for a while. The winter certainly seems to have arrived early for this squad.
Most Disappointing Offseason
Mookie Alexander: Washington Commanders. Their “all in” approach this offseason has not yielded the expected results. The trade for Deebo Samuel fell flat, and even though Laremy Tunsil was brought in with high hopes, the offensive line as a whole has not performed well. Washington’s strategy of acquiring veterans has backfired since they are now one of the oldest teams in the league, facing a tough offseason ahead with limited draft picks in 2026.
Jared Mueller: Tennessee Titans. With the cap space available, the Titans haven’t exactly made impressive moves. They ended up with a group of players that include names like Dan Moore and Tyler Lockett, but these acquisitions haven’t amounted to much. It’s hard to believe that the limited efforts have wasted a significant rookie season for Cam Ward, and now the future looks uncertain.
Gina Kelly: New Orleans Saints. As someone who finds joy in criticizing them, I’m thrilled to point out their quarterback dilemmas. With Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shaw at the helm, it’s tough to watch them struggle on the field.
Mark Schofield: Las Vegas Raiders. I might get some pushback on this, but I’ve been in agreement with the Raiders’ offseason decisions. However, I can’t say that many worked out—except perhaps for the Maxx Crosby extension.
The Most Disappointing Surprise
Mookie Alexander: Cincinnati Bengals Defense. They’ve scored a hefty 80 points in two weeks with Joe Flacco, yet remarkably lost both games. The lack of talent on defense was expected, but their performance is historically low, which is shocking given the expectations.
Jared Mueller: Cleveland Browns Offense. I’ve watched Joe Flacco struggle, and it’s been painful to see. Add in an aging offensive line and underperforming receivers, and the situation looks grim.
Gina Kelly: I have frustrations, but truly, the Saints’ offense has been egregious this season. I’m almost amused by it.
Mark Schofield: Cincinnati Bengals Defense. I echo much of the disappointment aimed at the Cowboys, but the Bengals defense seems to take the prize for being even worse. It’s been a rough year for them.
