With six weeks of the 2024 NFL season nearly in the books, plenty of teams have already established themselves as legitimate contenders. Think the Detroit Lions, who demolished the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Or the Baltimore Ravens, who've enjoyed another MVP-level season from Lamar Jackson while staying atop a crowded AFC North. Plenty of others, however, have been mired in mediocrity.
Fortunately, there's still a lot of season to be played. With that in mind, here are some of the sub-.500 teams that could still make noise as playoff contenders, with top reasons for hope moving forward:
Note: Playoff projections courtesy of SportsLine
Cincinnati Bengals (2-4)
Projected playoff chances: 24.1%
Remember before the season, when everyone figured that as long as Joe Burrow were healthy, the Bengals would be a powerhouse? Well, Burrow's been upright -- and even playing at an All-Pro level -- but Cincinnati's had a rough go of it. Even so, it's that offensive production that should keep them relevant into the late fall. They currently rank 10th in scoring and 12th in yards per game, and those marks are despite Tee Higgins missing multiple contests. If the defense can just slightly build off its better showing against the New York Giants, they should be able to chase the rival Pittsburgh Steelers down the stretch.
Miami Dolphins (2-3)
Projected playoff chances: 7.3%
As always, it all comes down to Tua Tagovailoa's health. It may or may not be wise for the Pro Bowl quarterback to take the field again after his latest extended absence due to head trauma, but with Mike McDaniel now publicly anticipating the signal-caller's return, there's a relatively clear path toward a reverse of fortunes in Miami. Their electric perimeter weapons in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle have both proven more impactful when Tagovailoa is at the helm, and while there are still big-game hurdles to be cleared for McDaniel's timing-based attack, more downfield firepower would make them a much tougher out.
New Orleans Saints (2-4)
Projected playoff chances: 27.1%
An early season surprise thanks to Derek Carr's hot start under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, the Saints have since fallen off a cliff, dropping four straight and losing Carr to a not-mild oblique injury. Yet rookie Spencer Rattler showed some flair filling in for Carr in a Week 6 defeat, and even after a porous showing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dennis Allen's pass defense registers as a top-five unit, picking off Baker Mayfield three times. It's unlikely Davante Adams is still itching to get to New Orleans with Carr banged up, but if Rattler can take strides, they could still play spoiler in the NFC South.
Los Angeles Rams (1-4)
Projected playoff chances: 4.1%
This season feels a lot like 2022, when the Rams followed up a Super Bowl run with an injury-plagued nightmare. Matthew Stafford has been operating without his top two targets for much of the year, and he himself hasn't been especially sharp in the red zone. Still, both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua should be back someday. Sean McVay remains one of the NFL's top coaches. And not a single NFC West team is currently above .500. With the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks coming off tough losses, the Rams could easily make up ground with a manageable schedule into mid-November.
