Thursday evening’s Raiders-Broncos recreation kicked off Week 10, which suggests we’re formally previous the halfway level of the 2025 NFL season. After 9 full weeks, the Colts, Patriots and Broncos have been surprisingly tied for one of the best file within the AFC, although Denver’s win Thursday put it forward. In the meantime, the Buccaneers, Eagles and Seahawks lead the NFC. However quite a bit can occur over the subsequent two months.
So, we requested 15 of our NFL analysts for his or her greatest second-half prediction. Which groups will win their divisions and go far within the playoffs? Which could make the Tremendous Bowl? Who’s making a robust case for one of many league’s annual awards? Might we see a file get damaged? And the way may this all impression the 2026 NFL draft order?
Let’s predict the second half of the season, beginning with some divisional race calls.
Bounce to:
AFC | NFC | Award winners
Report-breakers | NFL draft
How will the AFC races play out?
The Denver Broncos will win the AFC West
Led by their fierce protection, the Broncos will finish the Chiefs’ stranglehold on the AFC West. Kansas Metropolis has gained 9 consecutive division championships — together with seven straight since Patrick Mahomes grew to become the staff’s beginning quarterback. The Patriots maintain the NFL file for essentially the most consecutive division titles, profitable 11 straight AFC East championships from 2009 to 2019. — Jason Reid, senior Andscape author
The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs will win the AFC West
They’re 2½ video games behind the Broncos, however they nonetheless play them twice. It was a poor efficiency by Mahomes in Sunday’s loss to the Payments (he accomplished solely 15 of 34 passes), however the Chiefs will enhance as soon as offensive deal with Josh Simmons returns and vast receiver Rashee Rice will get much more comfy within the offense. Though Denver is taking part in properly on protection, its offense is struggling. The Chargers are within the combine for the AFC West title, however they’ve too many key accidents to beat down the stretch. — Mike Tannenbaum, NFL analyst
The Baltimore Ravens will win the AFC North
Regardless of a 1-5 begin, the Ravens discover themselves in an inexpensive spot to jet again to the highest of a division that may virtually assuredly come all the way down to them or the Steelers. Pittsburgh’s protection made a press release in its Week 9 victory over Indianapolis, however I am not absolutely offered that it may possibly stick with it weekly going ahead. Baltimore’s margin for error is extraordinarily slim, however with two video games towards Pittsburgh and 4 matchups towards groups which can be at the moment at or under .500, I am anticipating a surge. — Discipline Yates, NFL analyst
The Buffalo Payments will lose the AFC East
Buffalo is the odds-on favourite to win the division at -165 (ESPN BET), whereas New England sits at +135 — regardless of the Patriots truly main within the standings. That is telling you the market is anticipating regression in Buffalo’s favor. However the Payments gained 13 video games final season with historic turnover luck and elite damage fortune. Each are already normalizing. Plus, Buffalo nonetheless has 5 video games left towards groups coming off extra relaxation. The Payments even have powerful highway stints arising at Houston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and New England. They are often nice and nonetheless fall in need of nice expectations. — Pamela Maldonado, NFL betting analyst
What concerning the NFC?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will attain the Tremendous Bowl
That is the quietest 6-2 staff ever. The Bucs have been riddled with accidents on a stage not far faraway from the 49ers, but they fly beneath the radar. Quarterback Baker Mayfield was taking part in like a number one MVP candidate as not too long ago as three weeks in the past, regardless of not having a wholesome offensive line and receiver corps all season. He has been with out beginning working again Bucky Irving for a month (foot sprain, shoulder subluxation), too. The Bucs are fifth in defensive effectivity and fifth in defensive EPA, they usually’re within the prime half of the league within the offensive variations of these classes.
This staff shouldn’t have any bother profitable a fifth straight AFC South title. And after the Bucs get more healthy, they will be as formidable as anybody. — Dan Graziano, nationwide NFL reporter
The Los Angeles Rams will attain the Tremendous Bowl
Quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Rams have flown considerably beneath the radar within the first half of the season, however at 6-2, they’re primed to make a run down the stretch. Stafford not solely has notable chemistry with vast receiver Puka Nacua, however he has additionally established a reference to Davante Adams that seems unstoppable. Stafford and Adams have linked on 5 touchdowns previously two video games alone. — Lindsey Thiry, nationwide NFL reporter
0:30
Orlovsky: Matthew Stafford is NFL’s greatest thrower proper now
Dan Orlovsky and Will Compton focus on quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ passing recreation.
Who will win awards?
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford will win MVP
With 4 landing passes towards the Saints, Stafford joined Tom Brady (2007, 2015), Patrick Mahomes (2020) and Aaron Rodgers (2020) as the one QBs with a minimum of 20 landing passes and not more than two interceptions of their staff’s first eight video games, per ESPN Analysis. Brady and Rodgers gained the MVP in 2007 and 2020, respectively. — Dan Orlovsky, NFL analyst
I agree with Orlovsky right here. It is wonderful that Stafford has by no means completed higher than eighth within the MVP voting. He has inside-the-industry road cred however possibly lacks the general public esteem of his counterparts. But, that is shaping as much as be an plain season for the 17-year professional. He’s on tempo for 4,500-plus yards, main a Rams offense that is too multifaceted to trigger a prolonged lull in his play. Los Angeles can win with the run or the cross. The NFC race is vast open. This appears like his time. — Jeremy Fowler, nationwide NFL reporter
Seahawks vast receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba will win Offensive Participant of the Yr
Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 118.5 receiving yards per recreation, and the quantity stays constant in Klint Kubiak’s offense (10.0 targets per recreation). A savvy route runner who performs a lot quicker than his timed pace, Smith-Njigba can uncover in any respect three ranges of the sector. And he is doing that at a particularly excessive fee. Sure, he’ll probably want a bump in landing manufacturing (4 this season) to remain within the OPOY dialogue with Colts working again Jonathan Taylor (14 touchdowns), however he’ll preserve the excessive receiving numbers to make a push over the second half of the season. — Matt Bowen, NFL analyst
Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett will win Defensive Participant of the Yr
Garrett has an distinctive observe file, together with eight consecutive seasons with double-digit sacks. However he has by no means led the league in sacks over a single season. The truth is, when he gained Defensive Participant of the Yr in 2023, he tied for seventh. So, he does not must be the sack chief to win his second DPOY award — however he’s properly on his approach with 10.0 already this season.
It is much more spectacular that he is producing at this stage on one of many worst groups within the league, because it’s more durable to get sacks when taking part in from behind. And the superior metrics are simply nearly as good as all the time: Garrett ranks fourth in cross rush win fee and eighth in run cease win fee amongst edge rushers. — Seth Walder, NFL analyst
Colts’ Shane Steichen will win Coach of the Yr
The Giants couldn’t eliminate quarterback Daniel Jones quick sufficient, but Steichen (+160 odds for the award) hitched his wagon to Jones over Anthony Richardson Sr. The Colts have the No. 1 scoring offense (32.2 factors per recreation), and Jones has a 70% completion proportion as a front-runner for Comeback Participant of the Yr. I predict the Colts win their division, end with a minimum of 12 wins and host a minimum of one playoff recreation. With the acquisition of cornerback Sauce Gardner, it isn’t too wild to suppose Indy can win the AFC championship (+475 odds) and the Tremendous Bowl (+1100). I am right here for it! #IndianaJones. — Anita Marks, sports activities betting and fantasy soccer analyst
Patriots’ Mike Vrabel will win Coach of the Yr
In his first season as head coach of the staff that made him a family title as a participant, Vrabel has the Patriots competing for an AFC East title regardless of nonetheless growing a younger roster that is led by second-year quarterback Drake Maye. As the highest staff in its division with a 7-2 file, New England was comfy sufficient to commerce defensive finish Keion White and security Kyle Dugger on the deadline for draft compensation. Turning across the Patriots in a rush will get Vrabel a well-deserved postseason award. — Matt Miller, NFL draft analyst
1:01
Why Will Compton is backing Drake Maye for NFL MVP
Will Compton explains why he believes Drake Maye might be named MVP and why his stats stack up with Aaron Rodgers’, Tom Brady’s and Peyton Manning’s.
Which information may very well be damaged?
Christian McCaffrey will break Marshall Faulk’s single-season file for receiving yards by a working again
Faulk had 1,048 receiving yards for the “Best Present on Turf” Rams in 1999. McCaffrey at the moment has 626 receiving yards, which prorates to 1,182 yards for a full 17-game season. With all of the accidents in San Francisco, McCaffrey has someway turn out to be a fair larger a part of that offense. He’s averaging a career-best 10.3 yards per reception, and although that may in all probability drop, the quantity in all probability will not.
The 49ers may very well be combating for playoff place till the ultimate week, so I do not anticipate McCaffrey to take per week off. He’s recording 69.6 receiving yards per recreation, and averaging 55.0 the remainder of the best way passes the file with room to spare. — Aaron Schatz, NFL analyst
Jaguars kicker Cam Little’s 68-yard subject objective file will not stick for lengthy
Any individual — and it may very well be Little, since he already did it within the preseason — will make a 70-yarder and break his file from final Sunday. The change to the kickoff (touchback on the 35-yard line, improve in kickoff returns) and the truth that kickers are enhancing at hitting distance imply that offenses have a shorter subject than ever earlier than.
And this season, the brand new “Ok-ball” guidelines have kickers feeling extra assured as a result of they will follow with the footballs they are going to use in video games and have extra time to interrupt them in. Bengals kicker Evan McPherson instructed me that he appears like he can get near 10 extra yards on kicks as a result of the balls are extra “jumpy.” Kickers are about to turn out to be much more essential. — Kalyn Kahler, senior NFL reporter
What might occur within the 2026 NFL draft?
The Atlanta Falcons’ first-round decide will turn out to be one other top-eight choice … for the Rams
The Falcons had a four-year streak of drafting within the prime eight picks from 2021 to 2024 — they usually’re near restarting that pattern. Atlanta has misplaced three straight and faces the Colts and Panthers in its subsequent two video games. The Colts are clearly a troublesome beat, and the Panthers gained their previous two towards the Falcons. If the Falcons fall to 3-7, I am undecided their brass can pull the staff out of a tailspin, particularly with a younger offense that lacks veteran presence. Atlanta nonetheless has two video games towards the Saints and a matchup with the Jets, so ending up with a top-eight decide would really be a catastrophe.
In fact, the decide will not truly be the Falcons’ to make use of, as they gave it to the Rams within the commerce up for edge rusher James Pearce Jr. final April. — Ben Solak, NFL analyst
