A year ago, the Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers were playoff teams, while the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants finished in last place in their respective divisions.
Eight weeks into 2026, the Niners are tied for the best record in the league and the Saints are still in the NFC South basement. Meanwhile, the Texans have already lost as many games as they did in 2025, and the Giants have equaled their win total from a season ago.
Let’s take a look at the grades assigned each of these clubs as they all return to action on Sunday.
2026 NFL Season: Grades for teams coming off Week 8 bye
Houston Texans (2-5)
There have only been seven instances in NFL history in which a team bounced back from a 0–3 start to reach the playoffs. There’s also only one team in league annals to achieve that feet twice. The Houston Texans dug themselves those holes in both 2018 and 2025. The latter saw the team actually win a playoff game by routing the Steelers in Pittsburgh, 30-6.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans has led the franchise to three straight postseason appearances—a franchise record. But he and the team really have their work cut out for them as the club find itself three games behind the first-place Jacksonville Jaguars. Quarterback C.J. Stroud has put up solid numbers, but the league’s top-ranked defense from a year ago has fallen on its collective facemasks. And the Texans have yet to win a home game (0-4).
Grade: C-
New Orleans Saints (2-5)
The expectations were a bit high for a team that has not reached the postseason since 2020. The New Orleans Saints got off to a 1-8 start under first-time NFL coach Kellen Moore a year ago. However, the team won five of its final eight games as quarterback Tyler Shough showed flashes during his rookie year. The defense finished ninth in the league in fewest total yards per outing
This season, the Saints have committed 13 turnovers in seven games—nine of those by Shough. And the defense has dropped to 28th in the NFL. Only three teams in the league have given up more rushing yards per game, and only the Cardinals, Raiders, and Colts are allowing more points per contest.
Grade: C
New York Giants (4-2-1)
It’s a team that has utilized three different starting quarterbacks and already won four games. New head coach John Harbaugh leads a physical team that is on top of the struggling NFC East. The Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles are all at least two games below .500. The Giants need to cut down on the mistakes (11 turnovers), but Harbaugh’s club has shown a lot of grittiness.
The team’s pass rush has produced just nine sacks, and Big Blue has struggled vs. the run. On the other side of the ball, the quarterback job is currently in the hands of former Vikings' first-round pick J.J. McCarthy. Cam Skattebo leads the team in rushing, wideout Malik Nabers is in the mix for NFL Comeback of the year, and 2026 free-agent pickup/tight end Isaiah Likely has been huge—leading the team with five touchdowns.
Grade: A-
San Francisco 49ers (6-1)
When last we saw Kyle Shanahan’s club, it was suffering its first loss of 2026 to the Falcons at Atlanta. The well-balanced 49ers, tied for the best record in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings, own the league’s sixth-ranked offense and fourth-ranked defense.
Brock Purdy has been among the best quarterbacks in the league this season. Running back Christian McCaffrey, wideout Mike Evans (when healthy) and tight end George Kittle still know their way to the end zone. The reacquisition of defensive tackle DeForest Buckner fortifies the defensive front, and a pass rush that produced a league-low 20 sacks in 2025 has totaled 15 quarterback traps in seven outings.
A season ago, the NFC West produced three teams with 12-plus wins, all which reached the playoffs. Eight weeks into this season, Shanahan’s 49ers (3-0 vs. division rivals in 2026) are the only one of the three above .500.
Grade: A
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