Four NFL teams considered season over after Week 5
The Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and Los Angeles Chargers are officially written off by OutKick after five weeks of the NFL season. The publication states that these franchises are going nowhere and that their fans should focus on draft position rather than current performance. The analysis concludes that the reality of conceding a season before mid-October is the status quo for these specific teams.
The Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and Los Angeles Chargers are officially written off by OutKick after five weeks of the NFL season. The publication states that these franchises are going nowhere and that their fans should focus on draft position rather than current performance. The analysis concludes that the reality of conceding a season before mid-October is the status quo for these specific teams.
The Dolphins and Cardinals are described as being as bad as expected, with both teams stockpiling young talent while positioning themselves for a high draft pick. Miami's rookie class includes Kadyn Proctor, Chris Johnson, Jacob Rodriguez, Caleb Douglas, and Chris Bell. Arizona features tight end Trey McBride and injured running back Jeremiah Love. The article notes that the 2027 quarterback class is less promising than anticipated, specifically citing Arch Manning's current development.
The Tennessee Titans are identified as potentially worse than the Dolphins and Cardinals. Despite offseason efforts to improve the roster and coaching staff, the Titans rank last in the NFL in both scoring and total offense through Week 5. The team averages 11.6 points and 246.4 yards per game. As a winless squad, the Titans are not expected to win many games this season.
The Los Angeles Chargers entered the season with Super Bowl odds nearly identical to the Kansas City Chiefs. Coached by Jim Harbaugh and quarterbacked by Justin Herbert, the team is at 0-5. Remaining opponents include the Rams, Ravens, Chiefs twice, 49ers, and Patriots. OutKick suggests that a midseason parting with offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is more plausible than a late-season playoff surge.
The New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are noted as teams that should join the list based strictly on play. Both have won one game and have deficiencies on both sides of the ball. The Saints have a minus-33 point differential. Both teams remain one game out of first place in the NFC South. The Washington Commanders, at 1-3-1, remain viable playoff threats due to the state of the NFC East. The New York Jets are considered the final team worth discussing, with WWE commentator Michael Cole telling OutKick that they remain poorly coached and overmatched in the trenches. The Jets are one game behind the Patriots and Bills in the AFC East and have played competitive games against the Lions and Packers.