NFL 2024: Grades for teams coming off their Week 14 bye

Week 15 kicked off on Thursday night at Levi’s Stadium with a kicking battle. The Los Angeles Rams edged the homestanding 49ers to raise their record to 8-6 and dropped the reigning NFC champions to 6-8.

On Sunday, the last six teams that got some needed rest return to action. Interesting enough, four of those teams own identical 8-5 records, while the other two are below .500.

Grades for the teams coming off byes in Week 14

Baltimore Ravens (8-5)

Both quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry were mere early mentions when it came to league MVP discussions. One or the other may still win the award, and both should be in the running for NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Now the bad news. John Harbaugh’s team has dropped two of last three games. The reigning AFC North champions have not only lost more games than a year ago, the club trails the first-place Steelers by two games.

The biggest issue is a defense that lost a lot of talent during the offseason, as well as coordinator Mike Macdonald to Seattle. Baltimore allowed an NFL-low 280 points a season ago, but 13 games into 2024 Harbaugh’s club has surrendered a disappointing 318 points.

Grade: B-

Denver Broncos (8-5)

Sean Payton is in his second year as the Broncos’ head coach and quarterback Bo Nix is in his rookie campaign of the NFL. The combination has been tremendous for the team for the Mile High City, and the young signal-caller has gotten better on a weekly basis. Denver’s defense has been solid, and this unit leads the NFL with 47 sacks.

The Broncos have already equaled their win total from a season ago, but they obviously have loftier goals. Another victory and the team will post its first winning campaign since a 9-7 finish in 2016. This franchise is also in position to make the playoffs for the first time since their Super Bowl 50 championship season of 2015. Denver has won three straight games by a combined 108-57 score.

Grade: A-

Houston Texans (8-5)

The Texans are like Noah’s Ark. Everything seems to come in twos for this franchise. The club won back-to-back division titles in 2011 and ’12, repeated that feat in 2015 and ’16, and then turned the trick in 2018 and 2019. The team may have outdone itself a year ago. From 2020-22, this franchise owned an 11-38-1 mark. Thanks to some shrewd moves in ’23, the team rose from the basement to capture the AFC South.

DeMeco Ryans’s club appears to be on that path again, but is only 3-4 in its last seven games after a 5-1 start. The Texans’ offensive line has disappointed and quarterback C.J. Stroud has had his ups and downs. Running back Joe Mixon was a big upgrade, however a talented defense has been inconsistent.

Grade: B-

Indianapolis Colts (6-7)

Shane Steichen in his second season as head coach of the team. It’s a franchise that fell hard after a playoff appearance in 2020. A year ago, the Colts just missed out on the postseason with a 9-8 mark, quite the bounce back season after finishing 4-12-1 in 2022—especially with fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson missing most of the 2023 season.

The talented performer has exhausted defenses at times, and veteran Joe Flacco has had his good and bad moments when called upon. The real letdown has been Gus Bradley’s defense. Only three teams in the league have allowed more total yards, and only the Panthers have been more susceptible to the run. Still, the Colts remain in the playoff chase for now.

Grade: C+

New England Patriots (3-10)

For the fourth time in five seasons, the Patriots aren’t going to the postseason aren’t going to the playoffs. It’s been a rough fall for a club that ruled the NFL for basically two decades. However, via
April’s draft, the organization might have found a solid answer behind center in former University of North Carolina standout Drake Maye. He has shown to be a gamer, and actually has more turnovers (12) than touchdown passes (11).

However, the former Tar Heel has no doubt brought a spark to the offense. New head coach Jerod Mayo has had his ups and downs, and the defense has been overpowered at times. There was promise after an Week 1 16-10 upset win at Cincinnati, but they’ve dropped 10-of-12 since.

Grade: C-

Washington Commanders (8-5)

A season ago, the Commanders finished in the NFC East basement, managed a 4-13 record and lost their final eight games. That club allowed the third-most points (518) in a season in NFL history. Dan Quinn, lately the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator, was hired as head coach. The team was aggressive in free agency, and used the second overall pick on 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels.

Washington’s balanced offense has been dynamic at times under coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Ageless linebacker Bobby Wagner spearheads the defense, and after 13 games the Commanders have already doubled their win total from a year ago. Surprisingly, this franchise is in position to post its first winning season since 2016.

Grade: B+