The 2025 NFL season was supposed to be a campaign of coronations, but it has instead become a saga of early heartbreaks and fading dynasties. Yes, the Kansas City Chiefs have managed a minor resurrection, rallying from a stuttering 0-2 start to return to a resilient .500 3-3 after an impressive week six triumph against the Detroit Lions.
The bookies have since adjusted their odds accordingly, installing Mahomes and the battered-but-unbowed KC right back alongside the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers atop the Super Bowl betting charts.
Chaotic Start to 2025
But while those contenders rally, an entire cohort of former hopefuls now staggers beneath the weight of expectation. Both the Lombardi-favored Bills and reigning champion Eagles have lost their last two games on the bounce, while a slew of others have seen their postseason hopes torpedoed entirely.
The chaotic nature of the ongoing season has captured the attention of not just American outlets, but also those further afield.
As far away as the Land Down Under, alternative media sources such as online casinos are looking to capitalize on the NFL’s newfound international attention by rolling out online slot games in a bid to draw in football fans, as well as keeping their existing player base as entertained as possible.
Just take one look at the popular Ignition Casino in Australia, which is now offering titles such as Golden End Zone and Knights of the Gridiron, both of which have proven to be huge hits.
Besides their riveting nature, the games have come in for further compliments from punters due to their accessibility. The games can be played around the clock, even when NFL games aren’t taking place, keeping fans and opponents alike entertained even during downtime.
Add to that the fact that all you need to access them is a stable internet connection and a half-decent smart device, and it’s clear why Ignition players are over the moon.
And the fans of some teams may be better off playing such titles as opposed to watching their teams, some of which are in an absolute free fall.
But what separates the teams currently sliding into irrelevance from the vaunted Chiefs, who continually manage to remain in contention? Let’s take a look at the biggest strugglers and what exactly has gone wrong in recent weeks.
Ravens
Rewind to August, and Baltimore media buzzed with optimism, predicting a potential Super Bowl run. Equipped with a roster brimming with all-pro talent and the electric Lamar Jackson under center, the Ravens were a trendy consensus pick among expert panels to lift the Lombardi. Since then, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.
Five times in six weeks, Baltimore has hemorrhaged 37 or more points. Names once synonymous with linebacker grit and secondary swagger now appear more often in coverage busts than highlight reels, triggering Baltimore to shockingly sit rock-bottom in points allowed, a cataclysmic regression for a franchise built on defensive intimidation.
Add to that the niggling hamstring injury of the aforementioned Jackson, and suddenly the Maryland outfit finds itself slumped to a disastrous 1-5 heading into their bye.
Coach John Harbaugh, whose reputation for mid-season magic was forged across countless Septembers and Octobers, suddenly finds the AFC North shifting beneath his feet.
Can the Ravens rediscover their identity and mount another improbable charge? Or does this season mark the twilight of an era defined by steel, not surrender? One thing that is for certain is that if Jackson doesn’t return to fitness quickly, Baltimore can kiss goodbye to any postseason hopes they once had.
Jets
The fall winds have changed nothing for the much-maligned Jets. 2025 was meant to be a season of growth after two disastrous campaigns with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, but instead, the Green Machine is still winless and still searching for a future.
This was supposed to be the year, the genesis of a new identity with Justin Fields at quarterback, a fresh chapter following years of dysfunction. But the result has been a film reel of futility, with Fields floundering behind a porous line, the Jets’ passing “attack” slicing through their own stat sheets like a parody of an NFL offense.
Post-game breakdowns hold nothing back: negative passing yards, sacks stacking up like dominoes, a playbook allergic to cohesion. Their paltry average—barely scraping the 200-yard mark—leaves little to the imagination.
Even when the defense kept their side in contention against the Dolphins and Steelers, the offense falters under pressure, and hope melts into cold reality. Coach Aaron Glenn projects optimism at the podium, but inside MetLife’s battered walls, patience wears thin. Is Fields the answer, or the latest in a long line of what-could-have-beens? The dread in the Meadowlands is palpable.
Titans
Low expectations can be liberating, but even by modest standards, the Tennessee Titans have charted new depths. Head coach Brian Callahan arrived like a trumpet blast, vowing creativity and points. Yet through six weeks, the Titans are scoring a league-worst 10.2 points per game—a figure that feels borrowed from a bygone era, not the turbocharged NFL of today.
Rookie quarterback Cam Ward has resembled a man thrown to the wolves: four interceptions, three touchdowns, and precious little ground gained. The specter of Derrick Henry—the franchise’s beating heart for years—haunts a run game now producing just 68 yards per outing. Meanwhile, Tennessee’s defense has wilted, surrendering nearly 29 points per contest and offering little resistance to quick-strike, modern attacks.
Only a stunning upset in Arizona, snapping a numbing ten-game skid spanning the last two seasons, provided momentary respite. With the Colts surging and the rest of the AFC South finding their stride, Nashville wonders: Is this the painful nadir before a new rise, or the start of another listless rebuilding cycle?
