With the NFL season now in full swing, it’s time for us to re-assess exactly where teams stand on their chances of making it to the Super Bowl. 

Before the season started, indeed before the preseason had even got going, we put together our list of the teams that we thought were going to be contending for the Super Bowl, who was likely to be fighting for the #1 draft pick, and pretty much everything in between.

But of course, as players develop, teams change personnel both on and off the field, players get injured, you really need to start to think again of just where various teams stand at certain points of the season, and whether or not their ambitions have changed.

For instance, how big of an impact does T.J. Watt’s injury have on the Pittsburgh Steelers chances this season? Well as graphics like this from back in September show you, it is pretty sizeable:

Ad who could have thought that the New York Giants would be performing quite the way they have this season after years of ineptitude at the quarterback position and not having a winning season since 2016? So it only makes sense that with all teams having played five games (except for the Washington Commanders and Chicago Bears who played on Thursday night), we take another look at what various team's expectations should be, at least in our eyes.

Similar to the previous one, we will break the teams into the following tiers:

Serious Super Bowl contenders: This should be pretty self-explanatory, but these are the teams we think will do deep into the playoffs and should be in a position to at least reach the conference championships

Might need some luck: The teams who have got very good foundations and could go on a run, but they just need one or two things extra to go their way in order to separate from the rest of the pack. A breakout year from an unknown player to take them over the top, or for their key player to stay injury-free.

Squeaking into the playoffs: Teams that by hook or by crook will find themselves making the playoffs come the end of the season, but have a good chance of going one and done if they have to face up to some of the more serious competition around them.

Outside looking in: Teams that have a foundation to at the very least not be an embarrassment in the league this year, but just don't have enough to make it into the playoffs when all is said and done.

Tank-mode: This just isn't going to be their year and should be primarily focusing on working towards the future, and if that means sliding up the draft order to get the best player next year, then so be it.

So where do teams fit in right now? Let’s get into it:

Serious Super Bowl contenders: Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles

Formerly: Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills

Might need some luck: Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Formerly: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Chargers

Squeaking into the playoffs: Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams

Formerly: Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles

Outside looking in: Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, New York Jets, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots, New York Giants

Formerly: Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers

Tank-mode: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers

Formerly: Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets