The NFL season has seen its share of low-scoring games, showcasing intense matchups and instances where strong teams underperformed against lesser opponents.
The Patriots continue to struggle against top-tier teams, while the Lions’ offense faltered significantly in Miami.
Meanwhile, the 49ers and Jaguars are gaining momentum and positioning themselves as serious Super Bowl contenders. Here are the contenders and pretenders after 9 weeks.
MORE:NFL power rankings Week 9
Pretender: New England Patriots
The Patriots get bounced by the Green Bay Packers, and their defense had no answer for Matthew Golden or Christian Watson. The Packers continue to play great football, and when the Patriots need a big win against a great opponent, the team crumbles.
Can the Patriots figure out why they fall to great teams? If this team wants to be taken seriously, they need to win these types of games.
Contender: San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers offense is nearly unbeatable. There are so many different looks that Kyle Shanahan can use, and he has done an impressive job as their head coach, once again. Christian McCaffrey put up a stellar day against the Raiders and continues to show why he is still capable of being an elite running back. Their defense is impressive too.
Championship rosters are built well on both sides of the field, and the 49ers are looking like a Super Bowl contender.
Pretender: Detroit Lions
The Lions won Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, but their performance was not great. The Dolphins should not be keeping games close against this high-powered offense. This offense produced under 100 yards and was 3/12 on fourth down. Jared Goff did not play his best either. If the offense stalls, their defense is a big question mark too.
If they play like this against anyone in their division, the playoffs are going to be a big question mark. Luckily, in this case, the Dolphins aren’t a great team.
Contender: Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars played against Baltimore and took care of them. Liam Coen has this team playing amazing football, and they may be in business to make a big splash at this year’s trade deadline. The offense is spectacular with plenty of weapons; they may go out against some offensive line help or address their defense.
A great group of players here, and they could be the best team in the AFC. Coen deserves his flowers and should certainly be the Coach of the Year for the 2026 season.
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