This week, the 3-2 Cincinnati Bengals and 3-2 Detroit Lions, the 5-0 Minnesota Vikings and the 0-5 Miami Dolphins will have some down time to ponder the first five weeks of 2026.
Here, we will take a closer look at the frontrunners in the NFC South and AFC West have fared so far.
So far there have been a lot of positives for the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs. This Sunday, the former hits the road and takes on the Philadelphia Eagles, while Andy Reid’s squad hosts the winless Los Angeles Chargers.
Let’s take a look at what grades were handed out to the two teams that didn’t play in Week 5.
2026 NFL Season: Grades for teams coming off Week 5 Bye
Carolina Panthers (2-2)
Four games into the season, and Dave Canales' club features one of the most improved offensive units in the league. Quarterback Bryce Young led the NFL in passing yards after four weeks of play, and the Panthers have managed to score 121 points and total 13 offensive touchdowns in those contests. During last season’s 1-3 start, Carolina put just 75 points on the board, and the offense reached the end zone only eight times.
However, there are certainly some question marks on the defensive side—particularly when it comes to stopping the run. Although the club did an excellent job of containing Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs in the 32-26 Sunday night win over the Lions in Week 4, only the Dallas Cowboys are giving up more rushing yards per game. Still, 2026 free-agent addition Devin Lloyd has made a difference.
It will be interesting to see how the team fares down the road without starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, both who went on injured reserve a few weeks ago. Still, the positives outweigh the negatives in a big way.
Grade: B+
Kansas City Chiefs (4-0)
Last season was a different kind of year for Andy Reid as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. He was hired by the franchise in 2013 and until this past season, had never finished a season below .500. The team entered 2026 off a 6-11 campaign which saw the club drop its final six games.
The early storyline for this season has been the league’s fourth-ranked ground attack. The last time a player other than a quarterback was named the NFL MVP was 2012, when Minnesota Vikings’ running back Adrian Peterson captures that honor. This offseason, the Chiefs signed Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III away from the Seattle Seahawks. He’s currently second in the league in rushing yards (537) behind Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson (580), but Walker has played in one fewer game.
So far, Steve Spagnuolo’s defense has been a little hot and cold, However, quarterback Patrick Mahomes has already bailed the team out on two occasions this season. The 10-year pro is connecting on 64.1 percent of his throws, striking for nine touchdowns compared to just two interceptions. Reid’s team is also unbeaten within the division (2-0), putting 30-plus points on the board in wins over the Broncos and Raiders.
Grade: A-
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