With the NFL reaching week seven, a lot of teams have either missed the mark or gone above and beyond expectations for the season.
One team that did not meet expectations this season is the New York Jets. They were projected to do well this season, especially with their off-season addition of Aaron Rodgers, but his injury on the fourth play of the season has made the Jets prospects go down.
The Jets currently sit at third in their division, with a record of 3-3. This is regular to Jets fans, as they finished last season 7-10.
Rodgers talked about his return on the Pat McAfee Show.
“It’s pretty obvious I’m well ahead of the normal protocols when it comes to rehab for this kind of thing … but, obviously I’d like us to be alive and winning for that even to be in the conversation,” said Rodgers.
A team that is doing much better than last year is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last season they finished 9-8, while now they are second in their division.
The Steelers have beaten every division opponent they have faced. They beat the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 and the Cleveland Browns 26-22. They also beat the Las Vegas Raiders 23-18.
Considering the fact that they went to the Super Bowl two seasons ago, many thought that the Cincinnati Bengals would excel this year. This has not been the case.
The Bengals are at the bottom of the AFC North, with a record of 3-3. This can be accredited to the injury of their quarterback Joe Burrow.
Burrow strained his calf muscle during a practice in the preseason, but has been playing through the injury.
The defenses from opposing teams have realized that Burrow cannot scramble as he normally would, causing them to blitz more often.
Another shocker this season is the large amount of turf related injuries this season. Burrow’s injury can be blamed on the turf field that the Bengals practice on. Rodgers’s torn ACL can also be blamed on the turf, as well as Cleveland running back Nick Chubb.
Another team that has defied their negative expectations this season is the Green Bay Packers. The trade of their franchise quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, made many think that they would go even further down hill than last season. After their 8-9 finish last year, they are now second in the division.
These teams all need to win, either to keep surprising or stop upsetting. The next games are on Sunday, Oct. 22., at 1:00, 4:30 and 8:15 p.m.
