Similar to my previous article about the biggest disappointments in the league, some teams have overachieved and surprised everyone. These are the teams that you are not sure if they are the real deal, but they have definitely captured your attention. If you bet on NFL games, then these are definitely teams that you want to pay attention to.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
You can make an argument that the Philadelphia Eagles are the best team in the league. Carson Wentz is playing like an MVP who has led his team to an impressive 7-1 record. He has already thrown three more touchdowns than he did all of last season. You can tell that Wentz feels more comfortable this season and is definitely enjoying having Alshon Jeffrey as a receiver. Wentz has mastered the ability to extend plays and get back up despite taking some big hits. This team is missing a lot of key players, including left tackle Jason Peters, but they have no slowed down. The team sits high above the rest of the NFC East and should win the division, but of course nothing is promised in football. The team has won six straight and will face some tough opponents the rest of the season, including Dallas twice, Denver, and Seattle. The second half of the season will determine if the Eagles are real contenders or just the best in a mediocre first half in the NFC.
2. New York Jets
Okay, you definitely did not predict the New York Jets to even be decent and most importantly FUN! The Jets are a really exciting team to watch. They are not exactly a good team and I do not expect them to make the playoffs, however, they have been on the most entertaining teams because they have been playing so hard. A team that is considered a joke by pretty much all NFL fans, including their own, has made almost every game competitive, including ones against the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons. They led in both games and gave the Patriots quite a scare late in the game. So yes, they are in last place in their division, but did you expect the Jets to have three wins all season let alone halfway through the season? Maybe their wins were not that impressive, but come on the Jets are nowhere near as terrible as everyone expected.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are guilty of having a bad reputation with no one taking them as serious contenders. While their record is only 4-3, they are tied for first place in a very weak AFC South. They still might be one piece away from truly being a threat, however, this team has made a lot of noise thus far in the season. Leonard Fournette is an absolute stud as he was in college. While Fournette is gaining a lot of attention, it is the Jacksonville defense that is truly impressive. Against division rival Indianapolis, the Jaguars racked up ten sacks and held them scoreless. They joined only the 1984 Chicago Bears and 1967 Oakland Raiders to record ten sacks twice in one season. Fournette has been sidelined with an ankle injury, but returned to practice today. If the top ten rusher can continue on this pace, he could get his team into the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
