NFL season 2025: What we learned from first half of the season, best teams & MVP candidates

New England Patriots They are well ahead of schedule at 7-2 after two consecutive 4-12 seasons, and new head coach Mike Vrabel’s team has the longest winning streak in the league with six straight wins, including a key win over the Bills in Buffalo.

The Pats have the sixth-best defense and seventh-best offense in terms of points allowed, so they’re really well balanced, and second-year quarterback Drake Maye has been the most accurate passer in the league so far.

No one expected much from Daniel Jones in Indianapolis, but the much-maligned former Giants quarterback has been excellent at leading the league in scoring for eight weeks.

Everything came crashing down in week eight against Pittsburgh; Jones doubled the team’s tackles and interceptions on the season, so they need to show who the real Colts are as their schedule starts to warm up.

And could things finally turn around in Carolina? panthers They are 5-4 and seeking their first winning season since 2017. Only one of those wins came against a team with a winning record, but it was the Packers who could be a big success on Sunday.

The Panthers will need to improve on their 18.9 points per game average offensively to make this more than a one-off success, but the signs are at least positive.