The NFL’s Most Surprising Team Claims the Top Spot

Week 9 of the NFL season begins in just a few hours, and there are still plenty of teams left who have full confidence they are Super Bowl contenders.

Many of the preseason favorites are living up to the hype, while there have been a few notable surprise teams evolving into juggernauts with each week.

As we near the halfway mark, GIVEMESPORT has put together a top 10 power ranking of the best teams in the NFL. Here are the squads that stood above the rest.

10

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are currently tied for first place in the NFC West with a 5-2 record, thanks to a revitalized offense under new coordinator Klint Kubiak.

Quarterback Sam Darnold has been an MVP contender this season and has formed one of the most explosive duos in the league alongside wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

On the defensive side, Mike Macdonald’s team has been stingy and is on pace to break their two-year playoff drought.

9

Denver Broncos

With a 6-2 record, the Denver Broncos are currently leading the AFC West and are getting better each week under head coach Sean Payton. The defense has largely lived up to the hype, while Bo Nix is showing growth in his second season under center.

Denver is currently riding a five-game winning streak, which includes a marquee victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. This team still looks like the dark-horse Super Bowl contender they were advertised to be going into the regular season.

8

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still the cream of the crop in the NFC South and aiming to take that good-to-great step in the postseason. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has had to overcome numerous injuries on the roster and put together one of his best seasons yet.

The Buccaneers are the current best team in the league in the clutch, and as they return key contributors like Bucky Irving, Todd Bowles‘ squad is poised to be a NFC contender.

7

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams are tied with the Seattle Seahawks at 5-2 in the NFC West, looking like the preseason contender they were hyped up to be.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford leads a dynamic offense, with elite skill players around him such as All-Pro receiver Puka Nacua and veteran wideout Davante Adams. Meanwhile, the defense is only allowing 16.7 points per game.

With a reasonable strength of schedule down the stretch, the Rams are the favorites to win their division and clinch a top seed in the NFC.

6

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions likely won’t have the 15-2 record they did last year, but Jared Goff and company have fewer weaknesses to be concerned about, especially when their secondary is fully healthy.

Dan Campbell‘s squad has one of the most balanced offenses in the league and is coming off an impressive home win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite their loaded division, the Lions still have a shot at clinching the NFC’s No. 1 seed for a second straight year.

5

Buffalo Bills

After years of dominance, the Buffalo Bills finally have some formidable competition in the AFC East. The New England Patriots currently sit at 6-2 overall and have the easiest schedule in the league to close out the season.

Meanwhile, Josh Allen and company are still having a solid year at 5-2 and a threat to everyone in the AFC. Nonetheless, Sean McDermott’s team needs to improve its rush defense if they want to get this franchise back to the Super Bowl.

4

Philadelphia Eagles

The defending champs are once again a juggernaut and last Sunday’s win over the New York Giants was a huge step in the right direction.

Saquon Barkley has had a trying season by his lofty standards, but the star running back had his first 100+ yard rushing performance in the divisional win.

Jalen Hurts is putting together an MVP-caliber resume under center for a team that is going to face several NFC contenders in the next few weeks.

3

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are the current No. 1 seed in the NFC and one of the few teams with a top 10 scoring offense and defense. Matt LaFleur‘s squad has a unique combination of youth and playoff success, making this roster all the more dangerous.

In addition, Jordan Love is on pace for his best season yet under center, and should continue to improve with his top receiver, Jayden Reed, returning soon.

Even with their 5-1-1 start, the Packers have so much more room to grow, which is a scary reality for the rest of the NFC.

2

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs might not be first in their division, but the three-time reigning AFC champs are one of the hottest teams in the league right now.

All-time great quarterbackPatrick Mahomes has had a phenomenal season under center and is now getting all of his weapons back at an ideal time. Meanwhile, the defense is still terrific under legendary coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Aside from the running game, Kansas City has very few weaknesses on their roster and are the likely favorites in the AFC once again. But there’s one team that deserves the benefit of the doubt over the NFL’s latest dynasty, at least for now.

1

Indianapolis Colts

We are giving the Indianapolis Colts their due respect amid a dominant 7-1 start. The NFL’s most surprising team is led by an offense averaging 33.8, thanks to MVP frontrunner Jonathan Taylor and a resurgent Daniel Jones.

At the moment, Indianapolis is outscoring its opponents by 116 points, which is on pace to be the third-highest point differential of this century.

Maybe the Colts will come back down to earth eventually, but right now they hold the top spot as they look forward to a daunting part of the regular season slate.