Here is your mid-season guide featuring some of the biggest stories as of now and what to look for for the rest of the NFL season

After the first eight weeks…

Big Stars and Bigger Injuries  

Unless you’ve never seen a down of football, I don’t need to explain that football’s a tough game where injuries are fairly frequent. However, this season has seen a number of huge stars and key players, like Nick Foles, finding themselves on injured reserve. Just last week, Houston Texans star defensive end J.J. Watt suffered a possible torn pectoral injury which has ended his season. 

The big story though is Patrick Mahomes. From the first snap of the season Mahomes, the reigning league MVP was playing phenomenally, leading the Kansas City Chiefs while putting together another impressive campaign to continue his MVP reign. But, in week seven Mahomes too found himself on the bench with a dislocated kneecap. Mahomes has already made significant progress and is practicing. As of now, he is still listed as limited and might not make another appearance until week 10

Backups are Players Too

It’s easy sometimes to forget how good of a player one has to be just to make an NFL roster. But, with the injury lists growing, backup players have had the opportunity to step up and show that they too deserve to be in the league. Take Gardner Minshew, for example. 

After Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nick Foles suffered a broken collarbone just 10 plays into the first game of the season, it was up to the rookie, Minshew, to lead the team. And Minshew didn’t just finish the first game for the Jaguars, he’s continued to put up impressive numbers and revitalized a team and fanbase. Not to mention, he may or may not have a hand in bringing back mustaches and jorts. 

Remember When Antonio Brown was in the NFL? 

Look, I too don’t want to rehash the drama and controversy that clouded Antonio Brown’s preseason and the first two weeks of the regular season. But, I promised you the biggest stories in the league and in just a couple weeks Brown created enough drama to fill the entire season. There were frost-bitten feet and missed practices. He threw fights over helmets and published recorded phone calls. Ultimately, Brown’s season ended on allegations of sexual misconduct and he’s yet to see the field again. And this was all before week three. 

Looking towards the remainder of the season…

Will the Browns Keep on Browning? 

While they’re not the worst team in the league anymore (looking at you winless Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins) the Cleveland Browns aren’t exactly living up to their hype either. In the offseason, the Browns traded for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. This moves was significant enough that before the regular season began, they were the favorite to win the division. As of now, the Browns own a 2-5 record. Will the Browns be able to rally in the second half of the season or will we just see more of quarterback Baker Mayfield getting tense with reporters and storming out of interviews

Is This Russell Wilson’s Year to be MVP?

In the Seattle Seahawks’ heyday of 2014 and 2015, the team, at least from a local perspective, belonged to the defense and the legendary “Legion of Boom.” While quarterback Russell Wilson has always defied expectations with phenomenal play, in the early days he was overshadowed by players and big personalities like cornerback Richard Sherman and free safety Earl Thomas. But with the Legion long broken up, Wilson has continued his stellar play and gathered attention as a potential MVP frontrunner. Talk of Wilson for league MVP has swirled around in past seasons but with Wilson’s passer rating at 115.2 and throwing just one interception so far, this just might be his year. 

The Quest for Perfection

Heading into week eight, only two teams have managed to remain perfect: the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers. While the Patriots having a strong record mid-season might not come as a surprise (to the disappointment of pretty much every other team) the 49ers may have surprised many. 

Tom Brady is still playing like, well, Tom Brady, and looking like he might pull through on his hope to play until he’s at least 45 years old. For the 49ers they’re finally getting to see the skill set of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who they made at one point the highest-paid player in the league. This comes after last year when Garoppolo missed the season after week three with a torn ACL. 

Between the two teams, only the 49ers have had their bye week, meaning from here on out, they’ll have no breaks. The Patriots bye comes in week ten. So, who will be the first to fall?