Seven weeks into the 2023 NFL season, the Detroit Lions and the New York Jets have surprisingly emerged as some of the more surprising teams in the league.
The Lions are off to a great start this year. Last year, their record was just 1-6 to start the season, but their record is 5-2 this year. They surprisingly upset the Kansas City Chiefs by one point in the season opener. Even though they lost on Sunday to the Baltimore Ravens, there is still optimism for the Lions this season.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Cincinnati Bengals, who were the 2022 AFC North Division Champions, are underperforming this season.
— Caitlyn Zalar
Star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson leads the team in sacks with 4.5 this season. He also has one forced fumble and one interception. This is his second season with the team.
Another team that has stepped up is the New York Jets. Their record is not great at 3-3, but their defense has really impressed fans. The Jets’ outstanding defense has helped out their struggling offense.
New York signed longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers this year to make their offense better, but Rodgers got injured in the season opener. Initially, he was expected to be out the rest of this season, but recent reports say a Rodgers comeback is not out of the question.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Cincinnati Bengals, who were the 2022 AFC North Division Champions, are underperforming this season. They finished 12-4 last season, but this season they are off to a rough start with a 3-3 record. They are currently last in their division.
Their star wide receiver, Ja’Marr Chase, is not used to starting the season off slow. He only has two receptions that gained more than 40 yards this season. He also only has three touchdowns, all of them scored in one game against the Arizona Cardinals. This is in contrast to the way he started his first two seasons.
Another Bengals player who is not playing his best is Joe Burrow. He has already thrown four interceptions. This is compared to only throwing 12 interceptions all season last year.
Fans will have to see if these teams return to last year’s forms, or if there are going to be new teams on top.
