14. Atlanta Falcons (6-4)
The Atlanta Falcons are a good team, but nothing more. This team’s defense is just not great and cannot generate a pass rush. That’s a huge problem if you ask me. The Falcons still may run away with the NFC South title, but the New Orleans Saints got the best of them in Week 10 of the 2024 NFL Season.
The Falcons did have a very good roster heading into the 2024 free agency period, so them signing Kirk Cousins made some sense. Cousins has a limited ceiling, but he at least gives them a high-floor player who can lead them to nine or 10 wins. That seems to be where the Falcons are headed in 2024.
The Falcons travel to Denver in Week 11 to face the Denver Broncos, a team that lost in one of the more heartbreaking ways imaginable, so it would not shock me if the Broncos came into that game with a massive chip on their shoulder.
13. Los Angeles Chargers (6-3)
The LA Chargers may be the most quiet 6-3 team in the NFL. Yes, this team is 6-3. They won five games all of last year and eclipsed their 2023 win total in Week 10. They took apart the lowly Tennessee Titans, which I guess is not the most impressive win ever.
The defense is truly elite, and Justin Herbert is taking amazing care of the football. What’s abundantly clear is that the Chargers are missing a couple more weapons on offense for Herbert to use, and if they can do that next offseason and bring in another defensive starter or two, the Chargers could be among the best teams in the NFL.
I do wonder about their ceiling with the lack of explosiveness on offense, but the team is very likely headed to the playoffs in the 2024 NFL Season.