Every team enters September with unanswered questions, from schematic transitions to new personnel in new places, and some are even existential. Let\u2019s look at a question each NFL team is facing heading into a new season.<\/p>\n
AFC WestDenver Broncos: Can the offense be more explosive?<\/strong><\/p>\n Offenses are about twice as likely to score touchdowns if they can produce an explosive play (run or pass of 15 yards or more) on a drive. The Broncos produced an explosive on only 40.96 percent of drives last season, which ranked 25th. Bo Nix ranked 34th in yards per attempt (6.4) among quarterbacks who had at least three starts. Trading for receiver Jaylen Waddle was one of the offseason\u2019s splashiest moves. Waddle ranked 12th in explosive reception rate last season, and he\u2019s the perfect complement to Courtland Sutton. He can move all around the formation, while Sutton can dominate his X role when Waddle draws attention away from him. The Broncos are banking on another year of development from Nix and Waddle\u2019s addition to be more explosive.<\/p>\n Will the Broncos repeat as AFC West Champions?<\/p>\n Nick Kosmider<\/p>\n Kansas City Chiefs: Can Andy Reid evolve?<\/p>\n Reid dropped to sixth in my top play caller rankings<\/a> by defensive coaches. The popular sentiment was that Reid still deserves to be on the list, but he needs to update his offense. The Chiefs haven\u2019t adapted as defenses have trended toward two deep safeties<\/a> and light boxes. Last season, despite seeing the fourth-highest rate of light boxes (53.5 percent), they ranked fifth in Cook Rate (57.8 percent), which measures how often teams pass the ball in neutral situations.<\/p>\n Signing running back Kenneth Walker shows the Chiefs recognize they need to be more intentional about running the ball and will commit to getting under center more. Patrick Mahomes hasn\u2019t had a lot of help from receivers or the running game. Giving him a break with handoffs and creating easy opportunities with play action will be essential for getting the Chiefs back on track with Mahomes returning from an ACL injury late last season.<\/p>\n Las Vegas Raiders: How much can coaching make a difference with this offensive line?<\/strong><\/p>\n The Raiders had one of the league\u2019s worst offensive lines last season. Ashton Jeanty was tackled for a loss 45 times, the most in the league. Left tackle Kolton Miller is back after injuring his ankle last season, but the Raiders\u2019 only major addition was signing center Tyler Linderbaum. Additionally, Spencer Burford, who was a backup with the San Francisco 49ers, will start at left guard. The Raiders hope that coaching will raise the floor and ceiling for this offensive line. Rick Dennison, a veteran line coach who knows this offense inside and out, will coach the line. Fundamentally, they should be better, but Klint Kubiak\u2019s scheme will make life easier on the line as well.<\/p>\n Los Angeles Chargers: Can Mike McDaniel scheme around this interior offensive line?<\/strong><\/p>\n Last year\u2019s injury issues were bad, even by Chargers standards. They haven\u2019t gotten off on the right foot so far this offseason. Starting center Tyler Biadasz was lost for the season after injuring his knee in training camp. Second-round pick Jake Slaughter will replace him, but center is pivotal in an outside-zone offense. The center makes the protection calls, and often, zone runs cut vertically toward the center. Left guard Kayode Awosika is in line to start after Branson Taylor went on injured reserve, and Cole Strange, who played for McDaniel with the Miami Dolphins, will start at right guard. McDaniel has shown the ability to scheme around offensive line weakness. If the line is functional, the Chargers will be one of the NFL\u2019s most explosive offenses.<\/p>\n AFC EastBuffalo Bills: Can Jim Leonhard create chaos?<\/strong><\/p>\n A struggling Bills defense found some success late last season by randomizing and using exotic disguises to confuse opponents. Sometimes, their roll-of-the-die approach would work, like in a wild-card win in which they forced two takeaways and held the high-powered Jacksonville Jaguars offense to 24 points. Sometimes it didn\u2019t, like in the divisional round when they gave up 33 points to the Broncos. The Bills didn\u2019t have an injection of talent defensively, but they were able to hire Leonhard, a well-regarded defensive mind. Leonhard may have to take a similar approach to last season and use calculated chaos. But knowing you have to do this in the offseason, when you can draw up plays and teach the system with this approach in mind, could lead to more consistent results.<\/p>\n Will the Bills surpass the Patriots in the AFC East?<\/p>\n Joe Buscaglia<\/p>\n Miami Dolphins: Do you have enough to evaluate Malik Willis?<\/strong><\/p>\n Willis signed a three-year, $67 million deal in the offseason, but the Dolphins can get out of it after 2028. Willis has to prove he can be a franchise quarterback, but he won\u2019t have much help around him this year. The offensive line could be better than people think, and De\u2019Von Achane is elite, but his best catcher is rookie Chris Bell, who recently started practicing after returning from an ACL injury. Willis should be able to produce on the ground, but the Dolphins might get behind often this season and fall into heavy passing scripts. Willis won\u2019t have much help downfield.<\/p>\n New England Patriots: Can this offense perform against elite defenses?<\/strong><\/p>\n The Patriots faced only one defense last regular season that ranked in the top 10 in points allowed per drive (Cleveland Browns). In the playoffs, they played against four such teams and struggled mightily, averaging 1.13 points per drive and -0.19 EPA per play. For context, both of those stats would rank 32nd in the league in the regular season. They\u2019ve overhauled their receiving corps with the additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs and should be much more equipped to play against elite defenses.<\/p>\n New York Jets:\u00a0Can Geno Smith bounce back?<\/strong><\/p>\n Smith was flat-out bad last season after playing good ball and resurrecting his career in Seattle. However, there aren\u2019t many quarterbacks who could have functioned in Las Vegas\u2019 offense. The Raiders had the worst run game in the league, couldn\u2019t pass block and were well below average at receiver. With the Jets, he could have a good offensive line, a good running back in Breece Hall and a fringe elite receiver in Garrett Wilson. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who has been the play caller for some historically bad offenses, is a concern, but the help Smith will get from his teammates will be night-and-day better than last season.<\/p>\n AFC NorthBaltimore Ravens: Can Jesse Minter elevate this defense back to franchise standards?<\/strong><\/p>\n Minter got the most out of his personnel with the Chargers. He weaponized his lone superstar, Derwin James, and hid several deficiencies with his scheme. The Ravens could have a better secondary if Nate Wiggins takes a step up in his development. We could see Minter get more aggressive with his play calling with a secondary he could trust to play more man coverage.<\/p>\n Cincinnati Bengals: Is Al Golden a good defensive coordinator?<\/strong><\/p>\n Before last season, the Bengals fired Lou Anarumo and hired Golden, who called plays for Notre Dame from 2022-24. The Bengals ranked near the bottom of the league in several major defensive statistical categories in Golden\u2019s first season. This offseason, the Bengals added talent, trading for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and signing safety Bryan Cook and edge Boye Mafe. Golden was expected to implement an aggressive scheme last year, but they were one of the more passive defenses, blitzing at the league\u2019s lowest rate. The Bengals hoped to improve their defense after firing Anarumo, but had a worse season statistically than they ever had under him.<\/p>\n Will the Bengals eclipse the Ravens for the AFC North title?<\/p>\n Mike DeFabo<\/p>\n Cleveland Browns: Can they create a QB-friendly environment?<\/strong><\/p>\n Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders probably aren\u2019t long-term answers at quarterback, but the Browns have the makings of a strong environment for a young QB. Coach Todd Monken is an excellent play caller and rookie receivers KC Concepcion (first-round pick) and Denzel Boston (second-round pick) have a chance to be a strong duo. Second-year players, running back Quinshon Judkins and tight end Harold Fannin, showed promise last year. No one is expecting much success for the Browns this year, but if their young playmakers can continue to develop in Monken\u2019s system, they could set themselves up to finally become a quarterback-friendly offense.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh Steelers: Can DC Patrick Graham finally modernize this defense?<\/strong><\/p>\n The Steelers have been behind the schematic eight ball for years. Graham has had a penchant for getting defenses to punch above their weight class but has had only one top-10 defense statistically (2023 Raiders). He\u2019ll have the most talent he\u2019s ever worked with in Pittsburgh. Graham has been a chameleon schemer. How he adapts his system to the Steelers and how they acclimate to his scheme can lead to explosive results.<\/p>\n AFC SouthHouston Texans: Can the run game be average?<\/strong><\/p>\n C.J. Stroud has never had an even average run game in Houston. They ranked 30th in rushing success rate last season, 32nd in 2024 and 25th in 2023. They were intentional in making their offense more physical this year, drafting interior lineman Keylan Rutledge in the first round and trading for running back David Montgomery. With how dominant the Texans\u2019 defense is, how well they run the ball will decide whether they\u2019re true contenders.<\/p>\n Indianapolis Colts: Was committing to Daniel Jones the right decision?<\/strong><\/p>\n Jones signed a two-year, $88 million deal, so the Colts are tied to the QB long term. They really didn\u2019t have a choice after how good their offense looked with Jones at the helm when he was healthy last season, but there were signs of regression before his injury. In Jones\u2019 last four games before he was hurt against Jacksonville in Week 14, he averaged just -0.14 EPA per play and turned the ball over 11 times. He has looked good in training camp, but it\u2019s incredibly hard to return to full strength after an Achilles tendon injury. Also, Jones has never played in every game in a season in his career. There are many red flags indicating that Jones\u2019 success at the beginning of last season was fool\u2019s gold, but he has a chance to prove it wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n Will the Texans outlast the Jaguars in the AFC South?<\/p>\n James Boyd<\/p>\n Jacksonville Jaguars: Can Trevor Lawrence build consistency?<\/strong><\/p>\n Lawrence seemingly had a breakout season in 2022 but followed it with two seasons of inconsistency. Playing in Liam Coen\u2019s offense, Lawrence looked like the player the Jaguars thought he\u2019d be when they drafted him No. 1. Last season, Lawrence reduced his off-target pass rate (10.4 percent) and turnover rate (2.2 percent) to the lowest of his career. He\u2019ll need to continue cutting down on the negative plays to string together two good seasons in a row for the first time in his career.<\/p>\n Tennessee Titans: Can Cam Ward make the mundane plays over and over again?<\/strong><\/p>\n Playing for Brian Daboll, Josh Allen slowly decreased his average time to throw and average air yards from 2018 to 2021. Everyone knew Allen could make the big throw downfield, but it was his ability to improve on short to intermediate throws that made him a complete quarterback. In Allen\u2019s second season, the Bills added Cole Beasley, a slot receiver Allen could trust to be in the right place and win quickly. Similarly, the Titans added Wan\u2019Dale Robinson this offseason to provide Ward with the same type of outlet.<\/p>\n NFC WestArizona Cardinals: How does Carson Beck fit into the future?<\/strong><\/p>\n The Cardinals aren\u2019t exactly committed to Beck as their quarterback of the future, but investing the first pick of the third round to get him isn\u2019t nothing. Beck will start the season as the third-string quarterback. The Cardinals have enough offensive talent for some fireworks. Maybe it won\u2019t result in many wins, but it could be entertaining to watch Jeremiyah Love, Trey McBride, Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. challenge secondaries. Next year\u2019s quarterback class looks loaded, and if the Cardinals drafted one early, would that mean they just wasted a high third-round pick on a backup quarterback? Even though it would take a lot for Beck to convince the Cardinals not to draft a quarterback high, shouldn\u2019t they find out what they have in him sooner rather than later?<\/p>\n Los Angeles\u00a0Rams: How quickly can this defense get healthy and on the field together?<\/strong><\/p>\n Super teams are fun, but the kryptonite we\u2019ve seen for them is a lack of cohesiveness and health. The Rams will have four new defensive starters (Aaron Donald, Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson) after an overhaul. Donald just made the decision to officially come back a week before the season, and Garrett hasn\u2019t practiced since Aug. 5. Garrett is expected to play in Week 1, but Donald isn\u2019t a lock to play. We expect the duo to wreak havoc together, but it may take longer than expected to get going.<\/p>\n Additionally, All-Pro receiver Puka Nacua has been dealing with a psoas injury that has kept him out for several weeks, and he could face a suspension. Matthew Stafford is 38, and the weakest unit on the Rams could be their offensive line, which isn\u2019t a major weakness, but it\u2019s thin. They can\u2019t afford to let Stafford get hit too many times. The Rams are immensely talented, and while health is a concern for every team, several seemingly minor issues in L.A. hopefully won\u2019t compound or get worse going into the season.<\/p>\n San Francisco 49ers: Can the defensive line get back to being disruptive?<\/strong><\/p>\n One of Kyle Shanahan\u2019s core tenets is to always have a disruptive defensive line. The 49ers have Kris Kocurek, one of the best defensive line coaches in the league, and they invest a lot of resources into the line. However, they simply haven\u2019t been good since 2023, the last time the 49ers made the Super Bowl. In 2023, they ranked fifth in pass rush win rate. Last season, they ranked 20th in the same metric. This offseason, they traded for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, but Nick Bosa just started practicing the week before the season, and last year\u2019s promising first-round pick, Mykel Williams, is beginning the season on PUP. If they can get healthy, there\u2019s a chance the defensive line can be disruptive again, but they won\u2019t start the season near full strength.<\/p>\n Can the Seahawks fend off the Rams in the NFC West?<\/p>\n Andrew Destin<\/p>\n Seattle Seahawks: Can Brian Fleury pick up where Klint Kubiak left off?<\/strong><\/p>\n The Seahawks offense was one of the biggest surprises last season and helped propel them to their second Super Bowl win. The Seahawks ranked eighth in explosive play rate last season, with Kubiak installing a Shanahan offense predicated on getting big bodies on the field, baiting the defense to match with base and taking shots downfield. After Kubiak became head coach in Las Vegas, rather than promoting from within, coach Mike Macdonald hired Fleury, who has an interesting background and has worked under Shanahan in various roles since 2019. The idea is that while the Seahawks offense was humming using a pure form of the Shanahan offense, Fleury can bring an updated version as Shanahan constantly tweaks and updates his system. However, the hire is still a bit of an experiment, as Fleury has never called plays.<\/p>\n NFC EastDallas Cowboys:\u00a0Was the league wrong about Caleb Downs?<\/strong><\/p>\n Obviously, the Cowboys\u2019 defense needs to just improve to a baseline level under new coordinator Christian Parker, but Parker will lean on his rookie safety as a stabilizing force. After being touted as a top-five pick for most of the draft process, a lack of measurables and flash plays on film dropped Downs to No. 11. Downs got a complicated Ohio State defense on the right page, made checks and took away passing lanes by consistently being in the right place. Parker has moved Downs all around the defense and will ask him to do things he didn\u2019t do in college. Downs\u2019 leadership role will be valuable, but the Cowboys need him to make his share of flash plays as well.<\/p>\n New York Giants: Can Jaxson Dart relearn how to play the position?<\/strong><\/p>\n After playing almost his entire college career in shotgun, Dart played in an offense that ranked sixth in shotgun usage (76.5 percent) as a rookie. New offensive coordinator Matt Nagy will ask him to play under center a lot more than he has. In the preseason, the Giants offense was only in shotgun on 46.6 percent of snaps, indicating they\u2019ll be under center more than in the gun. Dart will have to relearn footwork and timing in Nagy\u2019s offense. Also, quarterback option plays are being phased out of the league because teams are just too good at defending them, and it\u2019s not worth putting the quarterback at risk without getting explosive plays in return. There might be growing pains for Dart, but they\u2019ll be necessary for career longevity.<\/p>\n Will the Eagles three-peat as NFC East Champions?<\/p>\n Charlotte Carroll<\/p>\n Philadelphia Eagles: How will the offensive line perform without Jeff Stoutland<\/strong><\/p>\n Obviously, Jalen Hurts\u2019 assimilation into Sean Mannion\u2019s offense will be key, but the running game will always be the crux of this offense and if they can be dominant again, they\u2019ll buy time for Hurts to adjust. The Eagles\u2019 offensive line was severely affected by injuries last season. With a healthy line, they have the athleticism and physicality to be one of the best outside-zone blocking lines in the league. But installing a new system isn\u2019t just copying and pasting a playbook; constant tweaks and adjustments are needed, especially when defenses start throwing curveballs. New offensive line coach Chris Kuper has big shoes to fill as Stoutland\u2019s successor. Will his veteran line trust him to have the answers when things get hard?<\/p>\n Washington Commanders: Who will make up the foundation in the next team build?<\/strong><\/p>\n The Commanders missed their opportunity to build a contender during Jayden Daniels\u2019 rookie contract window. Daniels will be eligible for an extension next season and will likely reset the market. If he\u2019s healthy, he can elevate this team as he did in his rookie season, but let\u2019s be real, this isn\u2019t a Super Bowl-worthy roster. This isn\u2019t a lost season, but the Commanders should be identifying who they want to keep as building blocks for their next team build-out, and they will have to be more economical.<\/p>\n NFC NorthChicago Bears: Are the Bears right about their defensive tackle room?<\/strong><\/p>\n The Bears didn\u2019t invest many resources in one of the worst defensive tackle groups in 2025. They added veteran defensive tackles Neville Gallimore and Kentavius Street in free agency and drafted Jordan Van Den Berg in the sixth round. Van Den Berg has been a pleasant surprise, and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen called Street the most productive defensive tackle in camp. They felt good enough about their rotation to trade away Gervon Dexter. The Bears ranked 27th last season in defensive rushing success and 29th in opponents\u2019 yards before contact. To avoid coin-flip shootouts, their run defense has to be better, but from the outside looking in, it doesn\u2019t look like they\u2019ve done enough.<\/p>\n Detroit Lions: Can Penei Sewell be an elite left tackle?<\/strong><\/p>\n When the Lions were offensive juggernauts, it was centered on the dominance of their offensive line. Their offense lost consistency as the quality of the line dropped off. A key to their season will be how Sewell transitions to the left side after becoming an elite right tackle in the league. Sewell played left tackle in college, so it\u2019s not completely foreign for him, but it\u2019s not a given that he\u2019ll be just as good as he was on the right. The Lions need difference-makers on the line and can\u2019t afford a drop-off from Sewell.<\/p>\n Can the Packers claim their first NFC North title since 2021?<\/p>\n Matt Schneidman<\/p>\n