10. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3)
Chiefs play on Monday Night Football
The Kansas City Chiefs play the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football and are likely to win that game. The Chiefs could end up 5-3 when Week 8 is over, and that would give them five wins across their last six games after a shaky 0-2 start.
With Rashee Rice back in the picture, the Chiefs could be hitting their stride at the right time, and they might again be poised to win the AFC West for a 10th year in a row, which would be insane.
The Chiefs have also won the AFC three years in a row and could have an easier path than ever before at the Super Bowl, at the conference is on the weaker side this year. Kansas City isn’t perfect, though, and we can’t pretend that this team is simply out-talenting their opponents.
The defense lacks top-end talent, and the offense could still use another playmaker. This franchise has gotten too Patrick Mahomes-reliant at times, and the years of having draft picks low in each round has caught up to them a bit.
9. Green Bay Packers (4-1-1)
Packers play on Sunday Night Football
The Green Bay Packers have an interesting 4-1-1 record thanks to a tie with the Dallas Cowboys a few weeks ago. The Packers again feel like a good, not great team. They were actually third in the NFC North back in 2024 with a strong 11-6 record.
But with the Minnesota Vikings regressing and the Packers having already beaten the Detroit Lions, Green Bay might finally have a legitimate shot at winning the NFC North title this year. They have to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, as they are simply a better team.
The Packers also traded for Micah Parsons before the season began, and this is something I’ve said about the trade for a while; not only was it them adding a high-end player, but it also felt symbolic in a way, almost like a “this is the year we finally break out and hit our stride.”
But you don’t get the sense that they’ve hit their stride yet. A win over the Steelers in primetime would be a great first step in going on a bit of a run here.