The biggest issue facing five Super Bowl contenders

As the NFL nears the halfway point of the 2025 season, teams are starting to separate themselves into different groups of contenders and pretenders.

As of right now, the Indianapolis Colts have the best record in the league, at 7-1. Yet, they have flaws, just like every other team in the league. Here are five main contenders for the Super Bowl and their massive flaws that need to be addressed.

1. Indianapolis Colts

The team with the best record in the league could actually still be undefeated. They are a couple of boneheaded Adonai Mitchell plays away from being 8-0, a far cry from where they stood a year ago.

Indy has the most efficient offense in the league, scoring 33.8 points per game. Daniel Jones has stabilized the offense, and they are a true Super Bowl contender. 

The issue is their secondary.

The Colts give up the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL at 252 yards per game. Part of that is a product of the fact that teams have to throw the ball to catch up to them, but they just haven't been good enough. In the playoffs you generally face more elite quarterbacks, and that could prove to be a problem for the Colts.

2. Green Bay Packers

Coming off a big win over the Steelers on Sunday night, the Packers look like the best team in the NFC. Jordan Love has turned into a top-tier quarterback, and they have one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL in Micah Parsons.

Their only blemish was an inexplicable loss to the Browns. The biggest issue for the Packers is the run game. Heading into their matchup with the Steelers, their rush block win rate was fourth-worst in the NFL, sitting at just 69 percent. They rank 16th in rushing yards per game (114.1) and 24th with just 3.9 yards per carry. That needs to be fixed if they want to win late in the year when games tighten up.

3. Philadelphia Eagles

Last year's Super Bowl champs look formidable again this year. The Eagles are coming off a solid win over the New York Giants and sit at 6-2. They have opened up a big lead in the NFC East.

Yet, if they want to win back-to-back titles, they have to start forcing more turnovers. Only five teams force fewer turnovers than the Eagles, which is an issue. While they take care of the ball well, they need to give their offense easier opportunities to score.

4. New England Patriots

Another surprising team in the NFL has been the Patriots. They lead the AFC East, not the Bills. They have now won five straight games, mainly on the strength of Drake Maye.

If they want to keep winning in the playoffs, they have to stop fumbling the football. Only three teams have more fumbles than the Patriots, as they have coughed it up six times. As the weather gets colder, running the ball becomes more important, so they have to keep the ball secure.

5. Denver Broncos

The Broncos sit at 6-2 and have an argument to be 7-1 if it wasn't for a leverage call against the Colts. They have also won five straight games, but they have to be more disciplined.

Denver has committed the fourth-most penalties in the league, getting called for 66 of them. They can't shoot themselves in the foot when they start playing better teams later in the season and every possession is magnified.