24. Arizona Cardinals
(5-9-1. Last week: 22)
Suddenly, the Cardinals are trending upward and have a chance to finish the note on a high note. They took a big step Sunday by going into Seattle, one of the league’s toughest venues for road teams, and upsetting the Seahawks. It helped that Seattle was dealing with injuries, particularly to running back Chris Carson. But this was a turning point for the Cardinals that will carry over into next year. They showed they can go on the road and beat a good team. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray (118 passing yards and a touchdown) wasn’t prolific. But he was efficient (zero interceptions and only one sack). Murray has improved his efficiency as the year has progressed, and he got plenty of help from Kenyan Drake (166 yards and two touchdowns) in the running game. The Cardinals have done what they wanted this year by showing growth. Give them another offseason of roster moves and they could be a playoff contender.
23. New York Jets
(6-9. Last week: 26)
Unfortunately for Jets fans, their team will miss the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season. And while Sunday’s win against Pittsburgh might not seem like much, it was significant. The Jets didn’t have much to play for, while the Steelers were fighting for their playoff lives. But the Jets showed up and won an ugly game. That was important for coach Adam Gase, who’s likely to get at least one more year. His team has shown signs of progress, and 22-year-old Sam Darnold has raised hopes that he can be a franchise quarterback in time. Most importantly, the fact that the Jets were still playing hard with nothing on the line shows that they have bought into Gase’s system.
22. Atlanta Falcons
(6-9. Last week: 21)
Atlanta coach Dan Quinn might not be as far gone as we thought a few weeks ago. Even before Sunday, I heard from sources within the Falcons organization that owner Arthur Blank was leaning toward bringing back Quinn for a sixth season. Quinn only helped his case with a win against Jacksonville. It was Atlanta’s third straight win. Quinn can hang his hat on the fact that his team has stuck by him, going 5-2 after a 1-7 start. Blank isn’t the type to sit still. If Quinn stays, there likely will be some changes to the coaching staff and/or front office. Blank is an owner who takes pride in giving everyone in the organization what they need to succeed. If Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff stay, they’re going to start next season with great expectations and on very hot seats.
21. Cleveland Browns
(6-9. Last week: 20)
Back in the preseason, the Browns were a trendy Super Bowl pick. After all, Baker Mayfield was coming off a season in which he set an NFL rookie record with 27 touchdown passes, and the team acquired star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Instead, Cleveland badly underachieved. The Browns officially were eliminated from playoff contention with Sunday’s loss to Baltimore. Someone’s going to have to pay for such a disappointing season, and it may be first-year head coach Freddie Kitchens. Between his questionable decision making and clock management and the way players yelled at each other and coaches Sunday, the Browns sure looked like a dysfunctional team.
20. Denver Broncos
(6-9. Last week: 24)
The Broncos defeated the Lions 27-17 on Sunday in a game that didn’t seem to have much meaning for either team. But this game meant a lot for Denver’s future. Rookie quarterback Drew Lock didn’t have big numbers (192 passing yards with one touchdown), but he wasn’t intercepted or sacked. On the surface, this game would indicate that the Broncos still don’t know if they have their quarterback for the long term. Remember, they’ve had a revolving door at quarterback since Peyton Manning retired. But you have to look beyond the surface when it comes to this game. The truth is Lock was battling the flu all week. The front office and coaching staff are well aware of that. Lock’s mistake-free performance had to score him some points for the long run.
19. Indianapolis Colts
(7-8. Last week: 19)
The Colts, who already were out of the playoff picture, had a seemingly impressive 38-6 win against Carolina on Sunday. Second-year running back Nyheim Hines became the first player in franchise history to return two punts for touchdowns in a single game. That was nice. But quarterback Jacoby Brissett had another unimpressive outing. Brissett completed just 14 of 27 passes for 119 yards, and it marked the third consecutive game in which he’s completed less than 53% of his passes. Early in the season, it looked as if Brissett was a suitable replacement for Andrew Luck. But the Colts can’t be so sure now. Their draft pick won’t be early enough to get one of the top quarterbacks. The Colts may have to sign a quarterback in free agency. This isn’t a bad team. Add a veteran such as Cam Newton or Andy Dalton, and this team could be in the playoffs next season.
18. Chicago Bears
(7-8. Last week: 17)
The storyline entering Chicago’s game against Kansas City on Sunday night was that the Bears could have drafted quarterback Patrick Mahomes ahead of Mitchell Trubisky in 2017. The storyline coming out of the game was exactly the same. Chicago fans always are going to remember they could’ve had Mahomes, who has become a superstar. But they wound up with Trubisky, who has been a dud. Trubisky reinforced that opinion Sunday by throwing for only 157 yards and leading the Bears to just three points. This has been an incredibly frustrating season for the Bears, who were 12-4 last year. They have a good defense, but Trubisky has dragged this team down. It might be time to move on and get a quarterback in free agency. A veteran such as Cam Newton, Andy Dalton or Philip Rivers could change things overnight.
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(7-8. Last week: 15)
Prior to Saturday’s game Texans-Buccaneers game, NFL Network reported that quarterback Jameis Winston will be back with the Bucs next season — one way or another. But after watching Winston throw four more interceptions, Tampa Bay’s front office might want to rethink that matter. Winston did throw for 335 yards, but his first two interceptions spotted the Texans 10 points. And his fourth-quarter interception ended any chance of a comeback. That’s pretty much the story of Winston’s career. With the Bucs stuck in another non-winning season, decision time is coming. The Bucs can elect to sign Winston to a big-money contract, let him leave as a free agent or buy another year with the franchise tag. Using the tag appears to be the most prudent move. Winston hasn’t shown enough to prove he deserves a long-term contract with a big guaranteed payday.