Every team in the NFL has now played at least nine games. That obviously includes the four teams that were off in Week 10. Three of the clubs currently reside in their respective divisional basements, while the other sits in third place in the NFC North.
How has this quartet fared so far this season. What kind of grades do these four teams deserve?
Grades for the Browns, Packers, Raiders, and Seahawks
Cleveland Browns (2-7)
Last season, Kevin Stefanski earned NFL Coach of the Year honors for the second time in four years. That came about because the team eventually went through five different starting quarterbacks. When it was all said and done, and with a major assist from the top-ranked defense in the league, the Browns managed an 11-6 record and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
It’s been anything but smooth since as this club has already lost more games than it did a season ago. The Deshaun Watson experiment in Cleveland has been a disaster and he’s currently out for the season. Veteran quarterback Jameis Winston is at the controls for now but this franchise appears to be in major trouble once again.
Grade: D
Green Bay Packers (6-3)
A year ago, head coach Matt LaFleur’s team rode a hot Jordan Love in the second half of the season. The Packers overcame a shaky start, reached the playoffs and eventually advanced to the divisional round. This season, the young signal-caller has had problems staying on the field. When healthy, he has been a mixed bag. Love has thrown 15 touchdown passes but been picked off 10 times—serving up at least one interception in each of his seven appearances.
Newcomer Josh Jacobs has been the catalyst for a ground game that’s ranked third in the league. Green Bay’s defense has been erratic, but the club has forced 19 turnovers. The bad news is that the Pack is 0-2 vs. their division, home losses to the Vikings and Lions.
Grade: B
Las Vegas Raiders (2-7)
Be it Los Angeles, Oakland or Las Vegas, the misery continues for a franchise that hasn’t won a Super Bowl since the 1983 season, and now hasn’t won a postseason game since 2002. Antonio Pierce replace Josh McDaniels during the 2023 season and led a revival that brought hope into this season. However, the Raiders are in the midst of a five-game losing streak after splitting their first four games.
Quarterbacks Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell have not been the answer, and Pierce’s club leads the NFL with 19 turnovers. The club is dead last in the league in rushing. Do they miss Josh Jacobs? The Raiders are the only team in the AFC West with a losing record, and have already lost to each of their divisional rivals.
Grade: D+
Seattle Seahawks (4-5)
Three games into the season and with victories over the Broncos, Patriots, and Dolphins, first-time NFL head coach Mike Macdonald had opened some eyes in the Pacific Northwest. However, the Seahawks have been humbled since, dropping five of their last six games. That includes home setbacks to the 49ers and Rams. Quarterback Geno Smith has nearly as many interceptions (10) as touchdown passes, and poor defense and special teams have cost this team dearly.
The saving grace is that the NFC West is a jumbled mess. The Cardinals are 6-4, the Niners 5-4, and the ‘Hawks and Rams sitting at 4-5. Can Macdonald’s team gather itself. They still get two shots at Arizona, and rematches with San Francisco and Los Angeles.