8. Seattle Seahawks
I've been pleasantly surprised by how well the Seattle Seahawks have done up to this point, but they obviously have a tough task ahead of them with the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night Football. Passing that test would give the Seahawks a huge edge as we enter the month of October and a much-needed division boost after dropping the season-opener against the 49ers. This team has what it takes to be competitive into January.
7. San Francisco 49ers
If Brock Purdy is back for the 49ers, it'll be a bit of welcomed news on the injury front. That's hard to come by for this team these days. The loss of Nick Bosa to a torn ACL is detrimental to the 49ers' long-term hopes, but they can still be a tough out all throughout the regular season. Mac Jones helped keep the ship afloat while Purdy was out, and this San Francisco team has a lot of fight in it.
6. Washington Commanders
The theme for a number of NFC teams this past weekend was getting by with a backup quarterback. The Commanders did more than just get by in their matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, putting up a huge offensive performance with 41 points and 400 yards as Marcus Mariota led the way. Here's a stat to keep an eye on for the Commanders early this season: They are the #1 team in the NFL in third down defensive efficiency. For a team with questions off the edge, that's huge.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The "Cardiac Bucs" are one of the most fun stories of the season so far. The Bucs have perhaps not played up to the best level they're capable of at this point, but they've certainly been able to come through in clutch moments. Baker Mayfield already had the luxury of a lot of great weapons on offense, but Emeka Egbuka has been one of the most impressive rookies in the NFL so far this year to add to the arsenal.