As days in the Northern Hemisphere become shorter and—as a result—the chlorophyll in leaves breaks down to turn our greenery into a potpourri of yellows, oranges, reds and purples, we're gaining a better understanding of who is good and who is bad in the NFL.
Yes, late-summer football is behind us. And when we really start to feel autumn, we also get to feel more confident about our impressions of certain teams.
The Miami Dolphins started 3-0 but are indeed bad. Same with the once-2-0 Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints, on the other hand, have redeemed themselves after shaky starts.