As we enter Week 9 of the National Football League season, conversations are heating up about who will succeed in becoming Super Bowl Champions. Before the season started, some of the favorites to go the distance included the reigning Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, the Super Bowl runner-ups. However, some of the teams leading the standings right now have shocked the league based on performances in the past few seasons.

Under new leadership with Carlie Irsay-Gordon, the Indianapolis Colts have gone 7-2 and are at the top of the American Football Conference South standings. This record comes after an 8-9 season in 2024-25 and being eliminated from playoff contention in Week 17. Running back Jonathan Taylor has been crucial to the Colts’ success this season, leading the NFL with 895 rushing yards, 12 touchdowns and winning AFC Player of the Month for October. If the Colts continue to dominate, they will definitely be Super Bowl contenders.

In the AFC East, the New England Patriots have also been having a great season, landing in first place with a 7-2 record. After ending up in last place with a 4-13 record in the 2024-25 season, the Patriots have surprised many fans and teams with their performance. Columbia Broadcasting System analyst Jason McCourty expressed his shock to Boston.com, saying, “I wouldn’t have thought that eight games into this that they’d be where they are as a football team.” In only his second season, quarterback Drake Maye has been playing remarkably well with a pass completion percentage of 75.2% this season and throwing 15 touchdowns. New England will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 9 for their Week 10 matchup. The Patriots have become one of the teams to look out for as the playoffs inch closer. 

As always, there are teams that are underperforming and this year they include the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans. After making it to the Super Bowl last year and leading the AFC West with a 15-2 record, the Chiefs were once again favorites to lead their conference with another strong season. However, the Chiefs currently sit in third with a 5-4 record and after a shaky start this year, many are left wondering if they will make a comeback or fall short. Another team that has been struggling this season is the Houston Texans, who are 3-5 and sit in third place in the AFC South. Last season, they led the AFC South going 10-7 and defeated the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card round, but lost in the Divisional Round of playoffs to the Baltimore Ravens. However, there are still nine weeks left in the regular season, so these teams could be in a different situation by Week 17.

For the current NFL champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, their title defense has been solid as they are in first place in the National Football Conference East with a 6-2 record. Quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts hasn’t had a bad season, with only one interception, a perfect passer rating of 158.3 in Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings, and 15 touchdowns. There was some skepticism with rumors of locker room tension and some losses, but the Eagles seem to have bounced back. As teams like the Patriots and Colts continue to put on dominant performances, the 2025-26 season will be very interesting as the battle for playoff contention intensifies.