NFL Midseason: 3 Biggest Disappointments From the First Half of the Season

While we saw many surprises in the first half of the NFL season, we also saw major disappointments after nine weeks. We have learned a lot about all 32 NFL teams in the first half of the season and how they compare to the preseason expectations set before the season began.

After the first half, some teams have panicked and underachieved, falling short after entering with high expectations. Because of their struggles, these teams have seen their outlook change drastically, shifting from playoff hopefuls to teams rebuilding and looking ahead.

Here are the biggest disappointments from the first half of the NFL season.

Biggest Disappointments – First Half of the NFL Season

1. Los Angeles Chargers

Many teams have disappointed in the first half of the NFL season, but none has been as disappointing as the Los Angeles Chargers. A team that made the playoffs last season has now fallen from playoff hopeful to the worst team in the NFL, with problems on both sides of the ball. This makes the Chargers the biggest disappointment of the first half with a 0-8 record.

Heading into the season, the Chargers were expected to be among the best teams in the AFC after making the NFL Playoffs in Jim Harbaugh’s first two seasons as the head coach. Their offense was expected to improve as the team brought in former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as its offensive coordinator. With so much talent on both sides of the ball, Los Angeles was expected to take the next step and compete for the AFC West title.

However, the Chargers have regressed significantly, becoming the only winless team remaining in the NFL. Alarm bells began ringing after two weeks, as they lost to the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders, both teams in the middle of rebuilds. Since then, Los Angeles hasn’t recovered, and it has made a lot of bad history this season. It became the first team in history to start a season 0-7 after an 11-win season, got off to its worst start in 28 years, and tied a franchise-record 11-game losing streak that stretches back to last season.

Justin Herbert has become one of the NFL’s worst quarterbacks, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns this season. He has thrown for 1,591 yards, six touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, with the league’s worst quarterback rating of 29.8. They have the league’s worst offense, averaging 15.1 points, and went 27 consecutive drives without scoring a touchdown before finally ending that streak in their loss to the Houston Texans in the fourth quarter. Lastly, they are tied with the New England Patriots for the most giveaways at 19.

The defense hasn’t been any better, allowing the fourth-most points per game this season (27.4) and averaging 343.3 yards. Because of these struggles, the team has gone from a playoff hopeful to a team that will likely be a seller at today’s trade deadline. What a fall from grace this team has had this season, and no matter what happens in the second half, the Chargers will be among the biggest disappointments in the NFL season.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles were Super Bowl champions two seasons ago. Signs of potential regression emerged as the team went from Super Bowl champions to a wild-card exit last season, with the offense failing to produce at the same level as in the year they won the Super Bowl. However, the Eagles were still expected to contend for a playoff spot because of their talent. After the first half of the season, they have fallen out of the playoff picture and become one of this season’s biggest disappointments with a 2-7 record.

Heading into the season, the Eagles were the favorite to repeat as NFC East champions, bringing in new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion and drafting Makai Lemon in this year’s NFL Draft to replace A.J. Brown, who was traded to the Patriots in the offseason. They also brought back defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who led the Eagles to a Super Bowl win and helped establish them as one of the league’s best defenses.

The Eagles got off to a good start this season, winning their first two games, but have since fallen apart. While the injury bug has played a huge part in these struggles, Philadelphia has since lost seven straight games, turning them from a playoff hopeful into a team likely to start a rebuild. This seven-game losing streak is the longest in the Eagles’ history since 2012, and they now risk their first losing season since 2020.

It has been an injury disaster for Philadelphia: they lost Jalen Hurts for the season to blood clots, and so many players like DeVonta Smith have failed to stay healthy. The team’s running back room is also depleted: they lost three running backs, forcing Saquon Barkley to play while not 100% and pushing them to a fifth running back. Offensive lineman Lane Johnson retired early in the season, and the defense has also struggled to be healthy. This has made the offense among the worst, averaging 16.4 points and generating 260.2 yards per game, the worst in the league.

Along with the offensive struggles, the defense has allowed an average of 24.6 points and 353.4 yards per game, which is among the worst in the NFL. They have also created the fewest takeaways in the league, with five. The Eagles always had the potential to rebound from their struggles and make the NFL Playoffs because of their talent. However, this seven-game losing streak has knocked the Eagles out of playoff contention despite how bad the NFC East has been. They are on the verge of becoming one of the season’s biggest disappointments, and the second half could be long because of injuries, as the Jordan Davis trade made it clear the team is rebuilding.

3. Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts were one of the best teams in the NFL last season, posting an 8-2 record and looking like a lock to make the playoffs. In the process, the team made aggressive trades, like trading two first-round picks to get cornerback Sauce Gardner, hoping to become a serious contender in the AFC. Instead, the Colts lost their final seven games, finishing 8-9 and missing the NFL playoffs, with Daniel Jones‘s injury playing a big part. Even though the team came back fully healthy this season, Indianapolis hasn’t recovered from last year’s collapse. It has been one of the biggest disappointments, with a 2-7 record.

Heading into the season, the Colts had a great opportunity to bounce back from last year’s disappointment as Jones returned from tearing his Achilles last season. His return was critical this season, as he had his best career season last year and the team was 8-3 before he got hurt. With Jones back, head coach Shane Steichen facing pressure to deliver results, and plenty of playmakers on both sides of the ball, Indianapolis entered the season with high expectations.

After being blown out by the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, it looked like the Colts were set to rebound from last season’s struggles as they came close to beating a good Chiefs team away from home and beat the Texans and Washington Commanders to reach 2-2. However, Indianapolis could not build on that momentum, as it has lost five straight and is now a major seller at the trade deadline. They have already traded away Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks and DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers, with more players like Jonathan Taylor expected to be traded.

The Colts have been a mess on both sides of the ball, with their offense and defense ranking among the worst in the league. They are tied for the worst turnover differential at -11, having turned the ball over 17 times while forcing only six takeaways. Indianapolis has lost the turnover battle in its last 13 games, a franchise record. Jones has struggled this season, throwing six touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 1,722 yards. As a result, the offense has generated 288.9 yards per game, with 173.7 coming through the air, both the sixth-worst in the NFL, while averaging 20.4 points per game.

The defense has also struggled, allowing the fifth-most yards per game (361.8) and the third-most points per game (27.7). Former general manager Chris Ballard has already paid the price for the team’s struggles with his firing, and now it looks like this team is ready to clean house. We’ll likely see a completely different Colts team by the trade deadline as the team focuses on rebuilding. Indianapolis looks set to be among the biggest disappointments of the season after how the first half went.

 

Main Image: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images