12. Atlanta Falcons
Injuries have forced the Falcons into the "disappointment" category this season as well, but there's no question that this roster has some talent. And has Kirk Cousins found a little bit of a stride? Don't look now, but maybe. He might have another shot to put on a show for a starting gig somewhere else in 2026 with the Arizona Cardinals on tap for Week 16.
The Falcons might be on the cusp of a total rebuild as an organization. A very interesting offseason looms.
11. Dallas Cowboys
It's been an extremely disappointing finish to the season for the Dallas Cowboys, who have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. The Cowboys lost their 7th game last week and the Eagles won the division on Saturday night. Now, it's onto evaluation mode for the future.
All eyes will be on George Pickens and the defense over the next handful of weeks. The Cowboys view Pickens as a long-term option, but it seems like Matt Eberflus is going to be on the hot seat and let go after a disastrous year for that Dallas defense in 2025.
10. Minnesota Vikings
After getting memed by the entire NFL world as "Nine", JJ McCarthy has turned in a couple of solid performances in a row, and the Vikings are ready to play spoiler as the year goes along. The issue with the Vikings this year has been the health of their roster, as well as the inconsistency of the quarterback position, but they look like they'll be ready to bounce back in a big way next season.
They play the Giants in Week 16, and while the NFL world won't be tuning in at large, this is another critical game for the development of their young QB.
9. Carolina Panthers
At their best this season, we've seen the Carolina Panthers play dynamic offense with a great running game and Bryce Young absolutely locked in. At their worst, we've seen this team get shut out. The defense for Carolina has been much better this season than in the past couple of years, but how much will their inconsistencies come back to haunt them in the final few weeks of the season?
They control their own destiny with two matchups against the Buccaneers in the next three weeks.