NFL Midseason: 3 Biggest Surprises From the First Half of the Season
After nine weeks, we have reached the second half of the NFL season, with plenty of surprises. Now, 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.
The first half saw several teams exceed expectations, putting themselves in a great position to continue overachieving in the weeks ahead. They also now have a strong chance to be in the playoff picture come January, something that wasn’t expected before the season began.
Here are the biggest surprises from the first half of the NFL season.
Biggest Surprises – First Half of the NFL Season
1. Cleveland Browns
Heading into the 2026 season, the Cleveland Browns were expected to be among the league’s worst teams, as it became clear they were rebuilding after trading away Myles Garrett, their best player, to the Los Angeles Rams during the offseason. The Browns brought in many new players on both sides of the ball. The team also hired a new head coach, former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, after firing Kevin Stefanski, who had been head coach for five years.
On the talent side, plenty of questions remained about the offense as Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders competed for the quarterback position in training camp. Watson won the starting role even though he hadn’t proven himself in Cleveland, while Sanders showed promise during his rookie year. The Browns seemed on track to be one of the worst teams after a Week 1 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, since that loss, Cleveland has turned things around and become one of the NFL’s biggest surprises as it heads into the second half of the season with a 5-4 record.
It hasn’t been pretty for the Browns to get here, but they have done it thanks to heroics by Watson, who has led the team to five game-winning drives in all their wins. Along with those heroics, the rebuilt defense has been a surprise: it ranks 13th in points allowed (21.8), ties for eighth in takeaways with 12, and ties for third-most sacks in the league with 26. Because of the unit, they have stayed in close games throughout the season despite offensive struggles, as the Browns have capitalized on close wins.
Cleveland has won all its home games this season, making it one of only seven teams in the NFL unbeaten at home. Now, after a surprise first half, the Browns head into the second half of the season in the thick of the AFC Playoff picture and the AFC North race. This wasn’t expected heading into the season, and Monken deserves a lot of credit for getting the Browns to this point, as he’s built a clear identity within this young roster.
However, it remains to be seen if the Browns can keep this momentum heading into the second half, as they have lost their last two games. They have offensive problems: Watson is the league’s most-sacked quarterback, and the offensive line struggles to protect him. Cleveland’s offense averages 17.9 points per game, the fourth-worst in the NFL, and the team leads the league in penalties, with 82. Because of these problems, the Browns could miss the NFL Playoffs, but they have already overachieved in what seemed like a lost season. Now they have a chance to keep defying expectations, making the Browns one of the biggest surprises of the first half of the season.
2. New York Giants
For the last four seasons, the New York Giants have been among the worst teams in the NFL, failing to make the NFL Playoffs and win more than seven games in a season since 2022. Heading into this season, the Giants had the potential for a resurgence after hiring Super Bowl-winning head coach John Harbaugh and building a talented young team on both sides of the ball, including the trio of Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo, and Malik Nabers.
However, health and defensive concerns made it feel like the Giants weren’t ready to take that next step. Now, after the first half of the season, the Giants have become among the biggest surprises, despite losing Dart to a season-ending injury in Week 2. The Giants head into the second half with a 5-2-1 record and lead the NFC East, becoming the favorites to win the division for the first time since 2011.
In an ugly NFC East race, where they became the first division in history not to win a game in back-to-back weeks, the Giants have been the most consistent, as they are currently the only team in the division with a winning record. They have overcome Dart’s injury with a strong defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest yards per game (301.4) and limited opponents to 21.5 points. New York also has the third-best pass defense, allowing 177.8 yards per game. Due to the defense, they have been able to stay in games despite offensive struggles, as the team has capitalized on close games, something that was a weakness for the last couple of seasons.
Despite Dart’s injury, the Giants’ offense has stayed in the middle of the pack, averaging 333.1 yards per game, which ranks 14th in the league. The acquisition of J.J. McCarthy has helped stabilize this inconsistent offense, as he almost helped New York overcome a 24-point fourth-quarter deficit against the New Orleans Saints after replacing Jameis Winston in the quarter. Since taking over, McCarthy has thrown for 622 yards and handled the ball well, despite throwing only one touchdown and committing one turnover. He has led the team to road wins over the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles.
New York has been one of the surprises of the first half because Harbaugh brought a new identity to a team that has struggled over the past couple of seasons. However, the second half won’t be easy for the Giants, as they still have to overcome Dart’s injury while facing five winning-record teams in their remaining schedule. However, New York has proven resilient and could finish among the season’s biggest surprises, as they are in the driver’s seat to win the NFC East.
3. Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings have had a quarterback conundrum since Kirk Cousins left the team for the Atlanta Falcons in 2024. Since then, the team has struggled to find a franchise quarterback, letting Sam Darnold leave in free agency despite his 2024 success there and watching McCarthy underachieve in his rookie year. Even though the Vikings have underachieved offensively with Kyler Murray, they’ve been one of the biggest surprises this season, with a 6-2 record heading into the second half as one of the best teams in the NFC.
Minnesota has been one of the season’s biggest surprises, as it was the last undefeated team remaining after Week 7. The biggest reason for its success this season has been its elite defense, the best in the NFL. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has shown why he deserves another head coaching opportunity, as his defense ranks first in allowing the fewest points per game (14.5) and the second-fewest yards (280). Flores has been relentless, with 70 percent of his defensive calls being blitzes, which has allowed the Vikings to record 29 sacks, which is tied for first in the league, with 13 takeaways while scoring one touchdown.
Along with its elite defense, Minnesota also has one of the league’s best special teams. The unit ranks second in kickoff return average with 29.7 yards per return. The Vikings also have the best punt return average, averaging 17.9 yards per punt return, and are the only team to score a touchdown on a punt return this season. Kicker Will Reichard has been one of the most reliable kickers, going 20 for 22 on field goal attempts and converting all 10 extra-point attempts.
Even though the offense has been among the worst in the league, the unit has done a great job protecting the ball, with seven giveaways. This has helped the team post one of the best turnover differentials at +5, which ranks sixth in the NFL. However, this team’s offensive struggles could be their downfall in the second half as they play in one of the league’s toughest divisions, the NFC North. With every team in the division having a winning record, they have no margin for error heading into the second half, but their hot start gives them time to fix their offensive problems and remain one of the season’s biggest surprises.
Main Image: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
