24. Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings won in Week 16, but JJ McCarthy was nothing special and left the game with a hand injury, which is just not ideal. What we have seen from McCarthy in his starts this year has been mostly forgettable, and you have to wonder how much longer the Vikings are going to take this before they decide to not only bring in another QB, but bring in a clear-cut upgrade.
I would not be shocked if Mac Jones was a trade target for them. Anyway, Minnesota is actually 7-8 on the season, but it really does not feel like it. The Vikings have a good team and a coaching staff that has won a ton of games before, but their quarterback decisions have truly blown up in their faces.
They probably have regrets letting Sam Darnold go and might be ready to throw in the towel on the second-year McCarthy. Heck, I could even see the front office targeting a QB like Daniel Jones in the offseason, as he was on the team for a short time in 2024.
Minnesota is still in an OK spot, but it just so happens that the most important position in sports is the sore spot for them.
23. New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough threw for over 300 yards in the New Orleans Saints’ Week 16 win over the New York Jets, and the Saints keep stacking these wins late in the season, which is not a phrase I thought I would be saying this late in the season, but the rookie Shough has played very well.
And he might be on one of the least-talented offenses in the NFL, so the Saints obviously have someone they can build around to see what he is made of. Second-year QB Spencer Rattler began the year as the starter but did not last long.
Tyler Shough was a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and we are beginning to see why Shough was the second QB off the board. It does go to show you that having a good bit of college experience can translate into the NFL. A good example of this is obviously Bo Nix on the Denver Broncos.
The Saints are not going to the playoffs this year, but this season was a successful one overall when you consider Tyler Shough’s performance.