NFL pretenders and contenders after Week 9: NFC North is fierce, no faith in Giants and Steelers

Now that we are halfway through the 2026 NFL season, it's time to start paying attention to the playoff picture — and it's a pretty wild picture to look at right now.

The NFC North is the only division to ever feature four teams three or more games above .500 through Week 9, while the NFC South is the only division to feature four teams two or more games below .500. Is every NFC North team going to make the playoffs? And which NFC South team will likely go one-and-done in the postseason?

Below, we will break down the pretenders and contenders in the NFL right now. We will look at the 14 teams that would make the playoffs if the season ended today, and examine if they have a legitimate shot to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Let's begin with the contenders.

The 7-1 Buffalo Bills are off to their best eight-game start to a season since 1993, which was when they made their last Super Bowl appearance. Josh Allen is again an MVP favorite, James Cook has rushed for at least 75 yards and a touchdown in seven straight games, and Jim Leonhard's defense left the Minnesota Vikings front…

Original source: https://www.cbssports.com/