Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Before three pivotal games, which could end up deciding the playoff bracket in its entirety in both conferences, kick off, we are taking a look back at how the season has unfolded through the first 12 weeks.
With some teams exceeding all expectations, while others turning in largely underwhelming years, let’s break down the biggest surprises that each team has delivered in the 2025 NFL season.
1) Arizona Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett Resurgence
A third-round pick in 2016, Jacoby Brissett never found a consistent starting job in the league. However, this year, as Kyler Murray has missed extended time due to injury, Brissett has essentially provided them with better, or at the very least, similar play.
Ranked 19th on PFSN’s QB Impact, he’s fared better than their regular starter (No. 21), and has thrown for 1,887 yards and 11 touchdowns in six games. In Week 11, he set the NFL record for most completions in a single game with 47.
On its own, it hasn’t translated to wins for the Cardinals. But for a relatively young team trying to develop its pieces even in Murray’s absence, Brissett has been ideal for Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride to continue improving.
2) Atlanta Falcons
Not Trading Kirk Cousins
It seems like a wise decision now, with Michael Penix Jr. undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a partially torn ACL. Still, with multiple teams missing their quarterbacks for extended periods, it was a wonder that Kirk Cousins remained on the Atlanta Falcons’ roster.
Legitimate playoff contenders in the Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Baltimore Ravens were forced to go for large portions of the year without strong quarterback play, even as Cousins remained in the backup role for the Falcons.
But with a few more teams looking uncertain with their QB situation going into next year, and the 2026 draft class not panning out as well as initially hoped regarding signal callers, Cousins could play himself into a starting job over the second half of the season.
3) Baltimore Ravens
Defensive Rollercoaster
Several factors contributed to the Ravens’ 1-5 start. An injury to Lamar Jackson made matters worse for them, but the centerpiece of their problem was the defense. Ranked near the bottom of the league, Baltimore gave up 37 or more in four of their first five games.
However, since Week 6, they have transformed. As the team has gone 5-1 in that span, it has ranked in the top 15 on PFSN’s Defense Impact in every game, with four top-10 performances and two top-three performances.
Lamar Jackson Plays Football Today pic.twitter.com/PBXqLABBox
— Bd (@Bd_era12) November 27, 2025
Even as Jackson has struggled since returning to the lineup, the turnaround on the other side of the football has to give Ravens fans hope about how the team could fare when firing on all cylinders.
4) Buffalo Bills
James Cook Cooking
It’s gotten lost in the struggles for reigning MVP Josh Allen, but the Buffalo Bills have gotten nearly perfect value for every penny they spent on James Cook in the offseason, signing him to a four-year extension worth $48 million.
After being willing to bet on himself, the superstar running back has ascended to a different stratosphere this year.
Ranking second on PFSN’s RB Impact, he’s been right there with Jonathan Taylor (92.1 vs 92.6 grade score), tallying 1,084 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, even as a portion of his scores have gone to Allen near the end zone.
5) Carolina Panthers
Rico Dowdle
The Carolina Panthers, with a 6-6 record, weren’t on many bingo cards this season. However, a spectacular defensive showing, particularly in generating takeaways, has allowed them to remain in every game.
While Bryce Young hasn’t done enough to prove himself as the franchise quarterback, the team has found a legitimate cornerstone in Rico Dowdle. Coming from the Dallas Cowboys, he has emerged as a true superstar at his position.
Ranking fifth on RBi, he’s tallied 875 rushing yards and five touchdowns, despite splitting duties with Chubba Hubbard for most of the season. Becoming a threat in the passing game as well, he’s also added 233 yards and a touchdown through the air.
6) Chicago Bears
Iceman Caleb Williams
First off, Iceman is one of the coldest nicknames to bestow on your potential franchise quarterback. But with five game-winning drives on the season, and six one-score victories this year, the 8-3 record is hard to scoff at for the Chicago Bears.
Under new head coach Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams has shown continuous improvement week over week. So far this year, he’s totaled 2,568 passing yards and 16 touchdowns, while costing just four interceptions.
Caleb Williams last Thanksgiving –
256 Passing Yards
3 TD/O INT
39 Rushing Yards
SUPERSTAR pic.twitter.com/xYYmLADRNp— 🐻⬇️ Captain Caleb (@captaincaleb18) November 27, 2025
Additionally, he’s been a force on the ground as well, adding 293 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while picking up 18 first downs.
7) Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Flacco Turnaround
For the season as a whole, Joe Flacco has been underwhelming, to say the least. But since coming to the Bengals, the veteran Super Bowl champion has been balling his heart out, with weapons like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at his disposal.
Finishing in the top five of PFSN’s QB Impact on two separate occasions, he’s thrown for 1,636 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, while costing just four interceptions in six games. Unfortunately, it has resulted in just one win for the franchise.
But that says more about the league’s worst defense than any problems with Flacco himself. As Kevin Durant famously said, “Put Flacco anywhere, and he’s gonna hoop.”
8) Cleveland Browns
Rookie Class
The statement holds true after a shockingly adequate debut performance from Shedeur Sanders, but the Cleveland Browns have hit on almost every draft pick this year. Mason Graham was an excellent addition to the defensive line, as he’s ranked 22nd on PFSN’s DT Impact.
But, he isn’t the only one. Carson Schwesinger has slotted right into a stifling Browns defense, which has carried the organization to three wins this season. Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr., their two additions to the offense, have been nothing short of excellent.
The former, after a delayed start to the year, has come into his own, with 667 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, ranking him No. 28 on RBi. The latter, while not as prolific in his production for a piss-poor offense, has shown immense potential as a long-term piece.
Ranked 23rd on PFSN’s TE Impact, he is leading the team with 462 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
9) Dallas Cowboys
Javonte Williams and George Pickens
When Dan Orlovsky claims that you might be the best wide receiver in football, even as you share the field with CeeDee Lamb, the impact is undeniable. However, it is a testament to the season George Pickens is having that the statement doesn’t sound as preposterous as it would have before the season began.
Ranked third on PFSN’s WR Impact, he’s totaled an absurd 1,054 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games. His contract situation will be the next fascinating watch for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, but for now, he has been nothing short of legendary for the team.
But he isn’t the only name who’s emerged as a top-flight contributor for the Cowboys. Considered to be on his last legs, Javonte Williams has been a legitimate threat on the ground with 896 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, while ranking ninth on RBi.
10) Denver Broncos
Leading the AFC West
Now, this could obviously change before the season comes to a close. But the Denver Broncos, despite some wildly questionable quarterbacking from Bo Nix, are 9-2, and lead the AFC West over the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
After all the chatter Sean Payton made since arriving in the Mile High City, he’s backed it up every step of the way, behind a defense that has been far and away the best in the league, and a pass rush that is entering the conversation of the 1987 Chicago Bears.
11) Detroit Lions
Defensive Turnaround
Losing Aaron Glenn after injuries ravaged the roster last season seemed like a recipe for the Detroit Lions to be a huge question mark coming into the year on the defensive end. While the offense has been an inconsistent mess, the defense has kept them in the playoff race throughout the year.
Ranked No. 7 in DEFi, if the shift to Dan Campbell handling play-calling duties, which has had mixed results to begin with, can alleviate their offensive woes, then a stifling defense could finally take them on that deep playoff run that has eluded them.
12) Green Bay Packers
The Jordan Love Experience
Ranked third on QBi, it should be a foregone conclusion that Jordan Love is orchestrating an excellent offense under head coach Matt LaFleur and the plethora of weapons on the roster. But week to week, it is impossible to find any consistency with him.
As a result, a potential Super Bowl contender has been largely unimpressive with a 7-3-1 record. While he’s shown flashes of upside that pushed the Packers to give him a five-year, $275 million extension, he’s also made some boneheaded plays that make you question if he’s even a starting-caliber quarterback.
It’s been a rollercoaster throughout the year, and unless they can find consistency, an excellent defensive year, made even better with the addition of Micah Parsons, could go to waste in Lambeau.
13) Houston Texans
Recovering From 0-3
As the title clearly suggests, it seemed like the over-reliance on the defense alone was finally going to catch up to them. A porous offensive line prevented them from finding any consistent flow down the field.
READ MORE: Week 13 NFL Power Rankings: Eagles Fall After Loss to Cowboys, Steelers Tumble
However, the defense has continued to improve as the year has progressed, leading the team to turn its fortunes around with a 6-2 record over the last eight weeks, highlighted by impressive wins over the Buffalo Bills and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Moreover, despite missing a potential franchise quarterback, C.J. Stroud, for three weeks, they went 3-0 with Davis Mills at quarterback and find themselves back in the thick of the playoff race for the third consecutive season.
14) Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor and Daniel Jones
The case for both players is wildly different. While Jonathan Taylor was always an excellent player on the Indianapolis Colts, it was hard to imagine him emerging as a legitimate MVP candidate trying to claim the one-seed in the AFC.
However, thanks to the team’s success, that is exactly how the year has progressed. Ranked first on PFSN’s RBi, Taylor is having a season that rivals those of Saquon Barkley from last season and Christian McCaffrey from 2024.
Tallying 1,197 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground, he is on an absurd history-making pace. But, he still might not be the biggest shocker on the offense, let alone the roster itself.
Daniel Jones, discarded by the New York Giants and not brought back by the Minnesota Vikings, was supposed to serve as competition for Anthony Richardson in training camp and nothing else.
However, he’s currently ranked first on QBi, leads the unquestionably best offense in the league, and has shown the Colts enough for the organization to trade their next two first-round picks, a clear indication that he is their future.
15) Jacksonville Jaguars
The Record
Trevor Lawrence ranks No. 31 on QBi; the offense ranks No. 19 on PFSN’s Offense Impact, and the defense ranks No. 14 on DEFi. It should be inexplicable that the Jacksonville Jaguars are one game behind the mighty Indianapolis Colts and have wins over the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs.
But, through all the ups and downs of the year, and the ridiculous turnover problem for the franchise quarterback, the team continues to persevere. Their success seems improbable, but it is hard to deny a 7-4 record in an AFC where every win is hard to come by.
16) Kansas City Chiefs
An Underrated Travis Kelce Season
Retirement seemed to be on the board for Travis Kelce in the offseason. But the newly engaged legendary tight end appears to have found his old pedigree back. After back-to-back seasons with less than 1,000 receiving yards, he’s on pace to break the barrier this season.
It has flown under the radar, given the Kansas City Chiefs’ struggles as a whole, but he’s currently ranked fifth on TEi, after falling to No. 11 last year. If the 6-5 Chiefs want to turn it around and make another playoff run that culminates in a Conference Championship Game or the Super Bowl itself, then a pillar of their dynasty is going to have to play a huge role for them.
17) Las Vegas Raiders
Tre Tucker
There’s been very little to write home about the Las Vegas Raiders. After lofty offseason promises, the team has sputtered to a 2-8 record. They’ve fired their special teams and offensive coordinator, while trading their best wide receiver.
The last choice, though, was only possible because of the year Tre Tucker has had. Leading the team in targets (64), receiving yards (530), and touchdowns (5), he’s been the lone bright spot in a year that has gone dreadfully for the franchise.
18) Los Angeles Chargers
Oronde Gadsden
Rookie tight ends are making an impact right off the bat, which isn’t a typical occurrence in the NFL. Brock Bowers made significant strides in changing that perception last season, but the year Oronde Gadsden is having might outright shift the narrative.
A fifth-round pick for the Los Angeles Chargers, he’s ranked No. 11 on TEi and has been a crucial piece of the offense, particularly in the middle with Justin Herbert losing Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater on the offensive line.
Tallying 507 receiving yards and two touchdowns, he’s played a major role in the success of LA this year, as they remain in the thick of the playoff race in the AFC.
19) Los Angeles Rams
The Post-Aaron Donald Defense
It seemed inevitable that the defense would take years to rebuild after losing a Hall of Famer and a player with a credible argument for the greatest of all time at his position. And up until last year, that remained the case for the Los Angeles Rams.
While they had some incredible stretches, they remained inconsistent throughout the year, ranking 23rd on DEFi for the season as a whole. In 2025, though, that has completely changed.
Ranked fourth, their rise — paired with Matthew Stafford’s best season of his storied career, one that could earn him MVP — has the Rams looking like a legitimate Super Bowl contender once again.
20) Miami Dolphins
Jaylen Waddle as a Legitimate No.1
The loss of Tyreek Hill seemed like the final nail in the coffin for the Miami Dolphins. A season that went awry in a hurry has only worsened as the year has progressed. But, on occasion, the squad has shown some incredible fight, including a miraculous victory over the Buffalo Bills.
A major reason the team remains competitive is Jaylen Waddle. An explosive number two already, he’s assumed the role of lead wide receiver to perfection. On the season, he’s tallied 722 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
But after the injury to Hill, his numbers have been even better. Tallying 50 or more receiving yards in every game (he left the Cleveland Browns game with an injury), Waddle has 522 receiving yards in six games, ranking 12th on PFSN’s WRi.
It’s why the Dolphins wanted a first-round pick for him at the trade deadline, and could potentially get that value if moving him remains on the board after the year.
21) Minnesota Vikings
Carson Wentz Better Than J.J. McCarthy
It might seem painfully obvious now. But the Minnesota Vikings, and especially head coach Kevin O’Connell, were sure that J.J. McCarthy was the answer they needed at the quarterback spot in the long run.
However, despite a rough 2025 campaign, the team has seen better production from Carson Wentz. Ranking 24th on QBi, he’s been miles ahead of the first-time starter, who ranks 38th, ahead of only Dillon Gabriel and Jake Browning.
22) New England Patriots
Drake Maye Becoming an MVP Candidate
A first-round pick taking an almighty jump in his second year isn’t a complete shocker on its face. However, after showing minor flashes in his rookie year, Drake Maye’s emergence as a legitimate MVP candidate was one of the most significant developments of the 2025 season.
Ranked No. 21 in QBi last year, he’s currently second in the league with 3,130 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. What’s made him truly stand out, though, is his proficiency in the deep ball.
Completing over 50% of his passes, he’s recorded five touchdowns on them with an excellent passer rating of 136.7. Leading the New England Patriots to the number one seed in the AFC and surpassing the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East, their turnaround has been instantaneous and undeniable.
23) New Orleans Saints
Only Trading Rashid Shaheed
A 2-9 record has the New Orleans Saints near the top of the race for the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. For a franchise that lost its quarterback to retirement, its focus has been on next year since before the season began.
That has been evident in their play. However, the organization’s decision to keep its veterans on the roster beyond this season was perplexing. Moving names like Alvin Kamara could have given them even more draft capital to approach a new beginning.
Instead, New Orleans was content to move Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks and stand pat beyond that.
24) New York Giants
Jaxson Dart
It might have been one of the last moves Brian Daboll made before his inevitable firing from the head coaching job. But adding Jaxson Dart may have given the New York Giants a franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future.
Trading back into the first round to add him after already drafting Abdul Carter and signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston reeked of desperation from a head coach who knew he was on a short leash.
However, the tape Dart has presented is undeniable. Relentlessly fearless with a penchant for making the right reads, he’s promising a bright future in New York alongside other young superstars in Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers.
25) New York Jets
The Draft War Chest
The season was going nowhere for the New York Jets, who reportedly anticipated a longer timeline to get things right under head coach Aaron Glenn. But then, they built a literal war chest of draft capital at the trade deadline.
Moving Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner, the Jets got back three first-round picks and an additional second. Keeping in mind the value of their own first-round pick with a 2-9 record, New York looks poised to completely remake the team in Glenn’s image and get a new era of football started.
26) Philadelphia Eagles
Level of Competition
The offense is highly inconsistent within a game, let alone week to week, while the defense lacks the same punch it once had. Saquon Barkley appears to be a shadow of his former self, while an A.J. Brown drama episode has become a weekly television staple.
Even at 8-3, it is hard to imagine that things are great for the Philadelphia Eagles. But the competition they’ve already beaten soundly is brutal to scoff at. Throughout the season, they have victories over the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Green Bay Packers.
That is a gauntlet of names that make up essentially the bulk of the playoff bracket in both conferences. It might not look pretty, but the Eagles are getting it done against the best competition. Their consistency is winning.
27) Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers Not Getting Sacked
Despite the most expensive defense in the league failing to live up to its billing as a Mike Tomlin unit, the Pittsburgh Steelers have led the AFC North for the majority of the season. And they’ve done it while avoiding catastrophe with Aaron Rodgers.
When the 41-year-old was first signed to the roster, questions about his efficacy behind a porous offensive line were legitimate. Two years removed from an Achilles injury and with increased age, it was hard to imagine Rodgers being particularly mobile.
However, a revamped game plan from Arthur Smith has seen Rodgers avoid being brutalized, registering 19 sacks on the year, seven of which came in the first two games.
28) San Francisco 49ers
Mac Jones
Kyle Shanahan has to be thanking his fortune for bringing in Mac Jones as the backup quarterback for Brock Purdy. With a turf toe injury limiting his newly extended quarterback for a majority of the season, Jones has stepped in and done an admirable job of keeping the team afloat.
Ranked No. 10 on QBi, he led the team to a 5-3 record, while throwing for 2,151 passing yards and 13 touchdowns. His play allowed the 49ers to remain in the playoff race and gave them a chance to make a real push now that the roster is getting healthier.
29) Seattle Seahawks
Take Your Pick
Sam Darnold, a year after having a career renaissance with the Minnesota Vikings, has somehow been even better. Ranked sixth on QBi, he has been sensational with 2,785 passing yards and 19 touchdowns.
His throwing ability has directly fueled Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s historic season. Unquestionably the best wide receiver in the NFL, he is on pace to break the 2,000-yard barrier, despite playing on a team that ranks 31st in pass attempts.
Or, when the offense has an off game, as seen in the four-interception game against the Los Angeles Rams, the Mike Macdonald defense kept them in the game against the best team in the conference, giving them a chance to win on a last-second field goal.
30) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Hidden Gems
They have gotten significant contributions from Tez Johnson (seventh-rounder), Sean Tucker (undrafted free agent), Sterling Shepard (signed out of retirement), Michael Jordan (practice squad guy), Luke Haggard (undrafted free agent), Rachaad White, Elijah Roberts (fifth-rounder), etc.
Jason Licht might be the Executive of the Year, given the talent he’s found in unlikely places. Johnson was supposed to be WR6 behind Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, and Shepard, yet he’s served as the WR2 as a seventh-round rookie at various points during the season. Similarly, Tucker has emerged as an invaluable piece, despite starting the year as RB3.
31) Tennessee Titans
Rookie Weapons Around Cam Ward
Neither Elic Ayomanor nor Chimere Dike has blown people away with their production. But for a Tennessee Titans team that has clearly been among the worst in the league, particularly in terms of sustaining an offense, they have shown enough flashes to offer long-term hope for the franchise.
If the team can get its offensive line in order and Cam Ward starts playing more consistently, then he has the pieces around him to turn things around quickly for the Titans.
32) Washington Commanders
Bill
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, a seventh-round pick for a potential contender in the Washington Commanders, shouldn’t have been a valuable contributor right off the bat. But he’s exceeded all expectations, while becoming a starter for the team in short order.
Going viral for his “Bill” nickname, he’s taken the league by storm in short order, including a 150 scrimmage yards game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Even though the season has gone awry in Washington due to injuries, Merritt has been an undeniably positive force this year.