12. Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders have had a season to forget here in 2025, as their starting QB, Jayden Daniels, has missed a chunk of the season with various injuries. The roster itself was overrated by many, myself included, coming into the season, and with the other injuries they dealt with, things just began to pile up. Daniels isn't going to play again this year, and that's a wise decision.
This roster has notable flaws that GM Adam Peters has to fix, as most of his success has solely been due to getting the Jayden Daniels draft pick right.
11. Minnesota Vikings
JJ McCarthy has put forth back-to-back solid performances, so that's something. The Minnesota Vikings still have an unknown at the QB position and probably still need to somehow acquire a high-end backup to compete with McCarthy. The second-year QB missed his entire rookie season and has largely been in and out of the lineup this year. It's clear that the inconsistent QB play has ruined the Vikings' season.
10. Carolina Panthers
The 7-7 Carolina Panthers just can't seem to find any consistency, and I think this ultimately boils down to the QB situation, as Bryce Young feels like an average player at best. Until Carolina gets serious about the most important position in sports, this is probably their ceiling, but they still can win the NFC South this year and host a playoff game. If nothing else, the weapons on offense are good, and the defense has largely played well this year.
Carolina is still not quite there yet, though.
9. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have now lost two games in a row after winning three in a row. Strapped with a top-tier offense, it's been the bottom-feeding defense that has practically ruined this season for Dallas. They aren't far away, though, as this coming offseason can be dedicated to getting that side of the ball right, and if they do, the Cowboys will win double-digit games in 2026.