The NFL season is rolling into Week 8, and by this point, many football fans are sufficiently panicked about the state of their favorite teams.
While several teams have emerged as surprise contenders, the bottom ranks of the NFL contain a handful of teams few expected to be there. The Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles were all trendy picks for quality 2026 seasons, but they've combined for only four wins in the season's first seven weeks.
In total, 11 teams have logged two or fewer wins entering Week 8. How much should these teams and fan bases be panicking? Here's a look at the panic meter for each of these teams – on a scale from 1 to 10 – plus individual panic meters for some of the top players and decision-makers
associated with each franchise.
Los Angeles Chargers
- Record: 0-6
- Panic Meter: 10
The Chargers entered the 2026 NFL season expected to emerge as a potential Super Bowl contender. Instead, they enter Week 8 as the league's last remaining winless team and face a potential 0-9 start given the difficulty of their schedule.
Unless the Chargers made massive improvements during their Week 7 bye, it's hard to expect them to improve significantly down the stretch. As a result, they look poised to challenge for the top selection in the 2027 NFL Draft and fall monumentally short of the high-brow expectations with which they opened the season.
Coach Jim Harbaugh: 5
Harbaugh's third season in Los Angeles hasn't remotely gone to plan, but it's hard to imagine the Chargers parting with him after he led them to 11-6 records across his first two seasons. He will need to find a way to rebuild Justin Herbert's confidence and performance, but while Harbaugh's seat will warm slightly, another individual is more likely to take the fall for the team.
Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel: 10
McDaniel was hired to bring an innovative offense to Los Angeles, but the unit has been an unmitigated disaster. Herbert has struggled to adapt to McDaniel's system and he hasn't been able to scheme around injury and depth issues on the offensive line and at receiver. There's already chatter about the team potentially firing McDaniel in-season, so barring a drastic turnaround, he's likely to be the scapegoat for Los Angeles' struggles.
Quarterback Justin Herbert: 6
Debate has long centered on whether Herbert is overrated among NFL quarterbacks. He has posted quality numbers since his rookie season in 2020, but he entered his eighth NFL season without a playoff win. Now, Herbert is completing just 59.4% of his passes and has racked up 1,141 yards, five touchdowns and a league-high eight interceptions through six games. Part of that can be blamed on his lackluster supporting cast, but Herbert is running out of excuses given his veteran status.
Indianapolis Colts
- Record: 2-5
- Panic Meter: 9
Things have fallen apart for the Colts since their 8-2 start to the 2025 season. They have now gone 2-12 in their last 14 games and team owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon fired long-time general manager Chris Ballard, signaling the organization is heading for a big-time reset.
The Colts have since traded eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson and three-time Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner as part of what's expected to be a larger fire sale ahead of the trade deadline. They are effectively punting on the season in hopes of accelerating their rebuild, even after losing their first-round selection in the Sauce Gardner trade.
It won't be easy for the Colts to dig themselves out of their current hole with Daniel Jones back to his inconsistent self at quarterback. Still, the Colts have Jonathan Taylor as a key organizational piece, for now, so his presence will at least continue to give them an identity as they navigate their first significant transition under Irsay-Gordon.
Coach Shane Steichen: 10
While the Colts aren't facing a full-blown disaster yet, Steichen is. The fourth-year coach will need to win games down the stretch to have a chance to save his job, which won't be easy as Indianapolis unloads some of its top players. If Steichen can't do that, Irsay-Gordon may be willing to move on and fully clean house, so his seat is about as hot as it gets with Ballard already out the door.
Quarterback Daniel Jones: 7
Jones ironed out his inconsistencies in his first year under Steichen. However, his turnover issues have flared up in 2026, with seven through the first seven weeks of the season and pacing for a career high. The Colts may not move on from Jones – who is due $38 million in cash next season, per Spotrac.com – simply because they don't have an easy path toward replacing him, but he is not on stable footing amid Indianapolis' upcoming rebuild.
Tennessee Titans
- Record: 1-6
- Panic Meter: 8
The Titans spent the offseason overhauling their roster and trying to reshape it into Robert Saleh's image. The result? The team ranks second-worst in points per game (15.4), ahead of only the Chargers, and hasn't seen Cam Ward take the expected step forward in his second season. Tennessee is now 7-34 since firing Mike Vrabel after the 2023 NFL season and doesn't look anywhere close to being a playoff contender, let alone a team that could win a Super Bowl.
Coach Robert Saleh: 8
Could the Titans make Saleh a one-and-done coach? Maybe, since they showed a willingness to move on from Brian Callahan early in his tenure. But more likely, Tennessee's decision-makers will want to allow Ward to operate for back-to-back seasons in the same offensive system with Brian Daboll, so Saleh may keep his job for that reason. Still, it's hard to be inspired by what he's gotten out of this team so far, which sports one of the league's weakest overall rosters.
Quarterback Cam Ward: 5
The Titans won't give up on Ward after just two seasons, but things haven't been pretty. He has thrown an interception in five consecutive games and his 73.8 passer rating is fourth-worst among 33 qualified quarterbacks this season. That will ratchet up the pressure on the No. 1 overall pick from the 2025 NFL Draft to show something in the second half of the season before facing what could be a make-or-break third year in the league.
Washington Commanders
- Record: 1-4-1
- Panic Meter: 8
The Commanders are in good shape at quarterback, with Jayden Daniels as a potential-packed young starter who can lead the team into the future. However, the rest of their roster leaves much to be desired and Dan Quinn is on one of the league's hottest seats. Odds are this team will look a lot different in 2027 than it does this season, with that in mind.
Coach Dan Quinn: 10
At this point, it would be shocking if Quinn returns for a fourth season as Washington's coach. He did a great job in his first year, helping lead the Commanders to the NFC title game, but his team's performance has significantly dipped since then. He has struggled with game management at times this year, especially in the team's tie against the Giants, and that could ultimately cost him his job.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels: 4
Daniels is extremely talented, but injuries have plagued him during his NFL career. He re-dislocated his non-throwing elbow this season but returned quickly. But in addition to that, Daniels has occasionally struggled in late-game situations, including against the Giants and on a fourth-down throwaway against the 49ers. Perhaps that will get cleaned up with new coaching, but it's at least a minor concern moving forward for him.
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin: 10
McLaurin suffered a non-contact knee injury in the team's "Monday Night Football" game against the 49ers. It was eventually revealed to be a torn patellar tendon, which could prove a difficult obstacle for the 31-year-old to overcome. He will likely attempt to come back, but it's doubtful the two-time Pro Bowler will be the same given the nature of the injury.
New York Jets
- Record: 2-5
- Panic Meter: 7
The Jets are in a weird spot organizationally. Aaron Glenn doesn't look like the answer as the team's coach and Geno Smith is a 36-year-old stopgap at quarterback, but general manager Darren Mougey has done a great job accumulating young assets to help New York accelerate its rebuild.
So, while New York is heading for turbulence and may not be great in 2026, the Jets could be on track for significant improvement next season.
Coach Aaron Glenn: 10
Glenn has posted just a 5-19 record across 24 games as the Jets head coach and his game management skills have left a lot to be desired. Woody Johnson and Co. will likely seek an upgrade in the 2027 offseason unless Glenn leads a remarkable second-half turnaround.
Running back Breece Hall: 3
Hall is in the first year of a three-year, $43.5 million extension but has only been on the field for three games. He is averaging a career-low 3.2 yards per carry and will need to show he can be productive and stay available when he returns. Hall played in at least 16 games for three consecutive seasons, so the Jets shouldn't worry too much about his health or a drop in efficiency.
Houston Texans
- Record: 2-5
- Panic Meter: 6
The Texans were supposed to be potential Super Bowl contenders in 2026 because of their defense. Instead, that unit has dramatically failed to live up to expectations, struggling badly against the pass and ranking a shocking 21st in defensive EPA per play, per the NFL's Next Gen Stats. The silver lining is that C.J. Stroud has performed better, but that may not be enough to quell concerns about Houston's shortcomings.
Coach DeMeco Ryans: 5
Ryans is in a similar boat to Harbaugh. In a vacuum, his defense's performance would put some serious heat on his seat. However, after leading the Texans to 10- and 12-win seasons and playoff victories early in his tenure, Ryans has probably bought himself some leeway to fix things.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud: 0
If you told anyone before the season the Texans had a 2-5 record, they would probably assume Stroud was struggling after his brutal showing in last year's playoffs. Instead, he has returned to his rookie-year form, posting a 100.7 passer rating and tossing 11 touchdowns to just one interception entering the team's bye. That should go a long way toward firmly establishing himself as Houston's long-term starting quarterback.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Record: 2-5
- Panic Meter: 6
It's hard to get too worked up about the Eagles' struggles given the injuries they have dealt with on offense. They have lost players like Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks and Landon Dickerson to injuries while Lane Johnson retired and Cam Jurgens was traded to the Ravens. It would be hard for any team to overcome that, let alone one with a struggling defense.
Still, despite their plethora of issues, the Eagles will never be far from a quick turnaround as long as Howie Roseman is running the show in Philadelphia.
Coach Nick Sirianni: 8
It increasingly feels like Sirianni could get the Doug Pederson treatment in Philadelphia. The Eagles have struggled on offense for the better part of the last two seasons since winning the Super Bowl, and Sirianni may not survive a second lackluster season. His Super Bowl win and ability to get the Eagles to the playoffs in five straight seasons could grant him a reprieve, but if Pederson could be ousted after one down year, so can Sirianni.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts: 10
Forget his on-field performance, the main issue with Hurts is his health. He's dealing with blood clots in his lungs and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 NFL season while receiving treatment for that ailment. Hurts' agent, Nicole Lynn, and the Eagles have each expressed optimism about Hurts' future, but there should still be the highest level of concern about the 28-year-old as he navigates this medical situation.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Record: 2-5
- Panic Meter: 5
The Buccaneers started the 2026 season 0-5 but have won back-to-back games. Incredibly, that has already put them back within striking distance of the NFC South title, and with Baker Mayfield back in the fold, that should help Tampa Bay challenge for the divisional crown.
But if the Buccaneers can't win their way into the playoffs, questions will rise about Todd Bowles' job security, a hot-button issue for several seasons.
Coach Todd Bowles: 7
Bowles is perched precariously to be a potential scapegoat if the Buccaneers fall short of expectations. All five losses have been by one possession, and the blown lead against the Steelers has been a hallmark of the inconsistency Bowles' teams have endured in Tampa Bay. Still, Bowles has a path to winning the NFC South, which should keep his seat from getting too hot. If that eventually erodes, then things could get hairy for the veteran coach.
New Orleans Saints
- Record: 2-5
- Panic Meter: 5
Many expected the Saints to take a step forward in 2026 and emerge as potential NFC South title contenders. That hasn't yet come to fruition, as Tyler Shough took a step forward, but Brandon Staley's defense has struggled immensely to complement their improving passing attack. Like the Buccaneers, the Saints could still get hot. But short of that, Gayle Benson may consider changes to New Orleans' power structure.
Coach Kellen Moore: 4
Any time an owner, like Benson, calls out a leadership team, it creates a bit of panic. She recently took aim and Moore and general manager Mickey Loomis in comments about the Saints needing to be better, so that at least put Moore on notice as he navigates his second season. Still, Shough's growth will probably buy Moore at least another season in charge of the Saints.
Miami Dolphins
- Record: 1-5
- Panic Meter: 1
The Dolphins were always going to have a tough time in 2026 given the amount of dead-cap space they have allocated to Tua Tagovailoa. The fact that they already beat the Jets to avoid a winless season is a big step and their young offensive playmakers are starting to develop. Miami may not be a legitimate playoff contender for a couple of years, but the team's plan appears to be working as it focuses on developing its young roster.
Arizona Cardinals
- Record: 2-5
- Panic Meter: 1
Like the Dolphins, the Cardinals have a long way to go in their rebuild, but they are making strides under first-year coach Mike LaFleur. They recently beat the Rams in a massive upset and should continue to punch back at their opponents despite sporting a defense in need of a makeover.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL panic meter Week 8: Chargers, Colts have plenty of reasons to worry
