Copyright GIVEMESPORT
The 2025 NFL regular season is well past the midway point, and the league's parity has several teams believing they can make Super Bowl LX. The Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, and New England Patriots each sit at 8‑2, headlining a fiercely competitive AFC. Meanwhile, in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, and Philadelphia Eagles are all tied at 7-2 with several franchises just a game back. The playoff picture is now shaping up, and the second half of the season promises to be a brutal gauntlet where momentum and depth will separate the contenders from pretenders. Heading into Week 11, the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady, has named and ranked his ten best teams in the NFL. Here is how these juggernauts stacked up. 10 Indianapolis Colts Tom Brady clearly isn't as much of a believer in the Indianapolis Colts as we are, and to be fair, the AFC's No. 1 seed needed overtime to escape the Atlanta Falcons in Berlin. Nonetheless, Jonathan Taylor is having an MVP-caliber season for the NFL's best offense, and the Colts haven't dropped a game at home to this point. Shane Steichen's team is built to contend now. 9 Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions had a much-needed bounce-back performance against a tanking Washington Commanders' squad. Jahmyr Gibbs had his best rushing performance of the year, tallying 142 yards and two touchdowns in this 44-22 victory. On defense, Aidan Hutchinson is the frontrunner for Comeback Player of the Year and could also win Defensive Player of the Year. The Lions now have a chance to shoot up this list with a road victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. 8 Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are once again the only team on this list that would miss the playoffs if they started today, but Patrick Mahomes still has one of his most talented supporting casts in years. Andy Reid's team has won three of its last four games and now heads into a pivotal Sunday clash with the Denver Broncos. One of the main concerns with this roster has been the ground game, which has been a lot more reliant on Mahomes than it'd like it to be. 7 Los Angeles Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers are quietly keeping pace with the Denver Broncos in the AFC West, despite all the injuries to the offensive line. Second-year tackle Joe Alt is now out for the season with a season-ending ankle injury, but Justin Herbert and company dominated their Sunday night clash against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jim Harbaugh's team has a top 10 schedule to close the season, which means there will be plenty of opportunities to prove themselves as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. 6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tom Brady is a bit more bullish on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers than some others, but it's not surprising considering he's a former player of this franchise. In addition, Baker Mayfield and company are still waiting for star running back Bucky Irving to return to action, who will add a new dimension to this explosive offense. Even with the Week 10 loss at home to the New England Patriots, Tampa Bay is still firmly in the NFC South driver's seat, and now has a chance at redemption against the Buffalo Bills. 5 Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos' defense is living up to the hype, letting up just 7 points to the Las Vegas Raiders this past Thursday. This unit has been exceptionally balanced throughout 2025, even with Pat Surtain II missing a few games. On the other end, there are concerns for Sean Payton's team. The passing and rushing offense ranks near the bottom of the league in yards per game, and Bo Nix at this point isn't playing like a Super Bowl-contending quarterback. The 24-year-old still has plenty of upside, but the Broncos will need more from Nix if they want to win their Week 11 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Brady noted both the pros and cons of Denver at this point of the year. "Defense is back, baby! This offense is scaring me a little bit, but it's hard to ignore a seven-game winning streak in the NFL." 4 Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks continue to reshape their ceiling thanks to one of the best duos in the NFL. Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba have found immediate chemistry, and the third-year wideout has already eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark. On the other end, the defense continues to improve under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald. Brady will have his eyes on Sunday's game between the Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams for control of the NFC West. "I can admit I was slow to come around on this team, but Sam Darnold has the offense clicking, and you know Mike Macdonald will have this defense ready down the stretch." 3 New England Patriots The New England Patriots are emerging as a Super Bowl contender after another quality road win, this time against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Drake Maye is one of the favorites for league MVP on a team with top 10 offense and defense. Brady's ranking of his former employer is certainly not outlandish. "New England breaks into the top three with a convincing win in Tampa. What more is there to say? The knock on this team had been their schedule, but they went into a hostile environment and beat a great team that was playing well heading into the game. Shout out to Stefon Diggs, who's given this locker room a whole new attitude throughout this seven-game winning streak." 2 Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams have dominated four straight opponents since their disappointing home loss to the San Francisco 49ers, including the San Francisco 49ers. Matthew Stafford has thrown 13 touchdowns in the past three games for a franchise that under Sean McVay traditionally hits another gear in the second half of the season. Los Angeles have plenty of challengers in the NFC West, and this upcoming clash against the Seattle Seahawks could determine the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Brady, who is familiar with finding success in his late 30s, gave Stafford his flowers amid a career-best season. "I watched Matthew Stafford play video game football against the 49ers on Sunday, and it seems he can run this offense with his eyes closed at times." 1 Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles hold firm at No. 1 after a gritty 10-7 road win against the Green Bay Packers. The defending champs' newest addition, Jaelen Phillips had an immediate impact on Monday night, recording six tackles and recovering a fumble. The Eagles' most glaring weakness a few weeks ago was their past rush, and unlike some other franchises, the front office made an effort to address this flaw. There's not a huge gap between Philadelphia and the rest of the NFL, but this team has gotten a lot better in the past week, and are still the favorites to win a third Lombardi Trophy.
