Halfway through the NFL season, it’s clear which teams have been a disappointment or a surprise. Bottom-tier teams are getting a head start on the offseason dumping of veterans and players with expiring contracts, like the Indianapolis Colts or Tennessee Titans. Meanwhile, top NFL teams are acquiring those players to help them contend this year, like the Chicago Bears or Seattle Seahawks. Some franchises, however, are hesitant to make any moves because they are surprised or disappointed by their situation, given their expectations coming into the year.
Surprising NFL Teams Halfway Through The 2026 Season
The Cleveland Browns have been a surprising team. After trading future Hall of Fame pass rusher Myles Garrett to the LA Rams this past offseason and going 5-12 last year, expectations for Cleveland were low. First-year head coach Todd Monken was seen as a potential one-and-done coach, but after the browns start to the 2026 season, he may be there long-term.
The Browns are 5-3 and were atop the highly competitive AFC North until they lost to their division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, this past Sunday. Although they have some questions surrounding their team, specifically with their inconsistent offense, they have exceeded expectations so far, making them one of the more surprising teams halfway through the 2026 season.
The New York Giants have also exceeded expectations so far. Although optimism was high in New York coming into the year, with veteran head coach John Harbaugh taking charge, a season-ending injury to QB Jaxson Dart in Week 2 changed that. At 1-1 and with turnover-prone backup QB Jameis Winston stepping in, expectations quickly dissipated. Halfway through the 2026 season, however, the Giants are 4-2-1 as they head into their bye week. Winston has been benched for newly acquired JJ McCarthy, and things finally seem to be looking up.
The Minnesota Vikings are probably the biggest surprise, as they were the only undefeated team remaining until this past Sunday. Minnesota is coming off a 9-8 year in which they cycled through different starting QBs, including McCarthy, and signed Kyler Murray to start this offseason. Facing a tough division where all three rivals had winning records last season, the Vikings had a difficult path to compete.
The Vikings are instead 6-1, and have one of the best defenses in the NFL. Like Cleveland, their offense has struggled, and it remains to be seen whether Minnesota can keep winning while relying on their defense. The Vikings now face a tough four-game stretch, including two division rivals and two Super Bowl favorites in the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers.
Disappointing NFL Teams Halfway Through The 2026 Season
The Texans are one of the more disappointing teams of the 2026 season. Houston was 12-5 last year, made a divisional-round appearance, and featured the best defense in the NFL. Halfway through the 2026 season, however, the Texans are 2-5 and now rank toward the bottom of the league defensively.
The play of CJ Stroud was the team’s biggest concern coming into 2026, but he has played well so far. The unexpected drop in Houston’s defensive play has led to five losses, and the Texans being one of the more disappointing teams of the first half.
The Los Angeles Rams went 12-5 last season and lost a close conference championship game to the Super Bowl champions, prompting them to go all in over the offseason. They not only traded for Garrett but also convinced one of the best defensive players in NFL history, Aaron Donald, to come out of retirement. Pairing the two multi-defensive player of the year winners on the same team, with recent MVP Matthew Stafford, made for high expectations.
Halfway through the 2026 season, the Rams have been disappointing, going 4-4 in a tough division with the reigning Super Bowl champs and the 6-1 49ers. Los Angeles has been hit with the injury bug, losing Garrett for most of the season so far and other key players like Puka Nacua for a couple of games. Although their schedule is getting lighter and they still have a chance to compete this year, the Rams have disappointed so far given their high expectations.
The 0-7 Los Angeles Chargers might be the most disappointing team so far. They are in their third year with Jim Harbaugh as their head coach, going 11-6 in each of the last two seasons. With star QB Justin Herbert heading into his seventh year and the addition of highly sought-after head coach Mike McDaniel joining as offensive coordinator, expectations were high.
Herbert has regressed, though, and now there are questions surrounding Jim Harbaugh and the talent on the roster. Although the Chargers have disappointed, there is optimism heading into the draft. Los Angeles has a good chance at a top-3 pick, giving fans hope they can land a talented player to help them next year.
