NFL Nation reporters detail the biggest storylines -- and what they mean going forward -- for every team coming out of Week 9.

NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West

AFC East | AFC North| AFC South | AFC West

NFC EAST

With a 7-1 record at the midway point, the Cowboys are the best team in the NFC. After Sunday's win against the Browns, however, there was no celebration in the locker room. There will be bigger challenges in the second half of the season, be it from other teams or injuries. So far, the Cowboys have had answers for every question posed since their loss to the Giants in the season opener. "Our mindset is that we have to play a certain way," tight end Jason Witten said. "Week in and week out we re-commit to that process." -- Todd Archer

Week 10: at Pittsburgh, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

The new-look Giants made some personnel changes during their bye week. Wide receiver Roger Lewis, running back Paul Perkins and tight end Jerell Adams -- all rookies -- saw an increase in playing time in the Giants' win over the Eagles on Sunday. Lewis even scored a 30-yard touchdown. But the trio could pay even bigger dividends down the road. The Giants are 5-3 at the midway point, and they're in the thick of the NFC playoff picture. If the rookies continue to grow and contribute more, it could be the difference between a postseason appearance or another playoff-less season. The Giants appear intent on relying on the three rookies in the second half of the season. -- Jordan Raanan

Week 10: vs. Cincinnati, Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET

The Eagles head into the second half of their schedule still lacking an identity on offense. Coach Doug Pederson went ultra-conservative against the Cowboys last weekend, and then he got overly aggressive Sunday in the loss to the Giants. With the Falcons, Seahawks and Packers up next, the 4-4 Eagles need to find the right recipe, and quick. -- Tim McManus

Week 10: vs. Atlanta, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Can the Redskins win without left tackle Trent Williams? They'll learn that answer over the next four games as he serves his suspension. Ty Nsekhe will start for Williams, but nobody offers Williams' athleticism. Therefore, the Redskins will have to ditch certain plays that tap into his skills. But they also have a banged-up right tackle in Morgan Moses (ankle). The Redskins still aren't sure about running back Matt Jones (knee), but he's no longer considered their clear-cut starter. And the Redskins hope the bye week helped receiver DeSean Jackson (hamstring/shoulder/head) heal. They also have safety Will Blackmon coming off thumb surgery and don't know if he'll be available Sunday vs. Minnesota. -- John Keim

Week 10: vs. Minnesota, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

NFC NORTH

After returning from their bye week, the Bears hope to have back starting guards Kyle Long (triceps) and Josh Sitton (ankle) for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay. Coach John Fox gave the team almost the whole week off to reward them for knocking off Minnesota on Halloween night. While the playoffs are likely out of the question, the Bears do have plenty of winnable games left on the schedule in the second half, beginning with the Bucs. The Bears won at Raymond James Stadium in 2015 behind two touchdowns by Ka'Deem Carey and four field goals by ex-kicker Robbie Gould. -- Jeff Dickerson

Week 10: at Tampa Bay, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Detroit enters the bye week at 5-4 and in contention in the NFC North -- something that seemed unlikely a month ago after the Lions lost to Chicago in Week 4 to drop to 1-3. But the Lions are one of the hottest teams in the league now, having won four of the past five, and will rest for most of the week before the stretch of the season. Their five victories have been come-from-behind wins in the fourth quarter or overtime, which makes them a team prepared for any situation, but the Lions also play with little margin for error every week. That can only get more stressful as games start to have bigger implications. -- Michael Rothstein

Week 10: Bye

After Sunday's loss to the Colts at Lambeau Field, the Packers seem to be in a bad spot. They don't play at home again until Dec. 4, which means the upcoming three-game road swing will be critical to their season -- if they're going to stay in the playoff hunt. At 4-4, the Pack are only a game behind the first-place Vikings in the NFC North. But the Packers' third loss in their past four games has put them in an unenviable position heading into the second half of the season. -- Rob Demovsky

Week 10: at Tennessee, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Having lost three in a row for the first time since Oct. 2014, the Vikings head to Washington hoping for a bounceback win. "In the NFL, your success is completely derived from your ability to bounce back." linebacker Chad Greenway said. "S--- is going to happen. It's the NFL. Everyone is good; it doesn't matter who you play. You're never judged on one game. That's the beauty of it. At the same time, you have to win games. Our success moving forward is all going to be in regard to our ability to move forward." -- Ben Goessling

Week 10: at Washington, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

NFC SOUTH

The biggest question going into this week is the status of Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant. He injured his left shoulder in Thursday's win over the Buccaneers. Trufant did not wear a sling after suffering the injury, but coach Dan Quinn said more clarity was needed regarding Trufant's status. If Trufant is sidelined for any period of time, an already suspect defense could experience a significant decline. Former second-round pick Jalen Collins could be the next man up, although coaches were excited about converted wide receiver C.J. Goodwin at the start of the season. -- Vaughn McClure

Week 10: at Philadelphia, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

The Panthers feel much better about where their season is headed at the midway point after consecutive wins against Arizona and Los Angeles. Even an ugly win against the Rams didn't dampen the mood. The Panthers are still a long way from being a playoff contender, but quarterback Cam Newton said he could see the season turning before his eyes. With two home games up next against Kansas City and New Orleans, the goal is to reach 5-5 and go from there. -- David Newton

Week 10: vs. Kansas City, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

The Saints obviously feel great about turning around their season after an 0-3 start, but they won't become overconfident -- not after allowing Colin Kaepernick to throw for 398 yards in Sunday's win over the 49ers and not with two games coming up against the Broncos and Panthers in a five-day span. The Saints clawed their way back to .500 under similar circumstances in each of the past two seasons -- but they never eclipsed .500 and finished 7-9 both times. -- Mike Triplett

Week 10: vs. Denver, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

The Bucs started the season by competing for a division title, but on Thursday, they suffered their fifth loss of the season to the Falcons. The Bucs have been overtaken by the Saints for second place, and Carolina has matched Tampa Bay's record. What's even worse? The injuries keep piling up, with Antone Smith and Howard Jones the latest players to go down for the season. Jameis Winston took a hard hit to the knee and had to leave Thursday's game in the fourth quarter. Mike Evans is currently in the concussion protocol, but coach Dirk Koetter said Friday that the team expects the receiver to participate in a light practice Monday. Kevin Pamphile, who is also in the protocol, is not expected back yet. -- Jenna Laine

Week 10: vs. Chicago, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

NFC WEST

This is the Cardinals' opportunity to reset their season at 3-4-1. They're still in the playoff hunt, and a few wins would put them in the thick of the playoff picture. When the Cards return to practice Tuesday, they'll see who's healthy after spending more than a week resting. With five road trips over the next eight weeks, Arizona needs to be as healthy as possible. -- Josh Weinfuss

Week 10: vs. San Francisco, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

The clamoring for rookie Jared Goff has never been louder. Literally. A crowd of 86,109 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum booed Case Keenum almost every time he threw an incompletion. And near the midway mark of an eventual loss to the Panthers, loud "We want Goff!" chants broke out. Keenum wound up going 27-of-46 with an interception, and he nearly lost a fumble. But afterward, Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Keenum "was not the reason we lost" and added: "I don't think Case's play was indicating of raising the question" for a quarterback change. He could always change his mind, though. -- Alden Gonzalez

Week 10: at New York Jets, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick said he's getting more comfortable with Chip Kelly's offense, as evidenced by his 398 passing yards Sunday. But even if Kaepernick and the offense continue to take steps forward, it's not going to mean much if the defense continues to give up more than 500 yards and 30-plus points every week. The Niners' loss Sunday was their seventh in a row. Linebacker Eli Harold said opposing offenses are "circling" the Niners on the calendar knowing what big numbers might follow. The Niners travel to Arizona next week and play three of the next four on the road -- the lone home game will be against New England. Until something changes defensively, it's hard to find more wins for the 49ers anytime soon. -- Nick Wagoner

Week 10: at Arizona, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

This will be one of the most hectic weeks of their season. The Seahawks host the Bills on Monday night and then face a quick turnaround before flying across the country to take on the Patriots (who are coming off a bye) in Week 10. In between, there will be plenty of talk about Super Bowl XLIX. Coach Pete Carroll implied all week that quarterback Russell Wilson has made a significant step forward in terms of getting healthy. That will be the No. 1 thing to watch against a Bills defense that is producing sacks on 8.6 percent of their opponents' dropbacks, the best mark in the NFL. -- Sheil Kapadia

Week 10: at New England, Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET

AFC EAST

Running back LeSean McCoy, listed as questionable, should be back for Monday night's game in Seattle. After being limited in practice this week, it's unclear what sort of workload the Bills will give McCoy. When I asked coach Rex Ryan this week if backup Mike Gillislee could get more carries than he did in Week 7, when McCoy was on the field for most of the first half despite playing on an injured hamstring, Ryan said he did not yet know. Splitting time between the two backs seems like the right move as the Bills try to move the ball against the NFL's sixth-ranked defense. -- Mike Rodak

Week 10: Bye

Dolphins rookie running back Kenyan Drake's 96-yard, game-winning kickoff return against the Jets is part of a growing trend for Miami. Its rookie class, which also consists of offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil, returner Jakeem Grant and wide receiver Leonte Carroo, is playing well and making quality contributions early. That bodes well as the Dolphins enter the second half of their season. -- James Walker

Week 10: at San Diego, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

Running back Dion Lewis has until Nov. 17 to be officially activated to the Patriots' 53-man roster after he opened the season on the physically unable to perform list. He has had two weeks of practices, and the Patriots have four practices scheduled this week before deciding if he's ready to play Sunday night at home against the Seahawks. It's a case of the rich possibly getting richer: The 7-1 Patriots are coming off their bye and could possibly get Lewis back for the second half of the season. -- Mike Reiss

Week 10: vs. Seattle, Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of a left knee injury he suffered in the loss to the Dolphins. He was able to return to the game, wearing a brace. Bryce Petty, in his NFL debut, finished out a series. Fans are calling for Petty to start the rest of the season, but Fitzpatrick will start next week against the Rams, if healthy, coach Todd Bowles said. -- Rich Cimini

Week 10: vs. Los Angeles, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

AFC NORTH

The Ravens suddenly went from reeling to jumping to the top of the division. With a win over the Steelers, the Ravens ended a four-game losing streak and took over first place in the AFC North. Baltimore can strengthen its hold by defeating the winless Browns at home Thursday night. The reason why the Ravens are on top of the division? Their underrated defense. Baltimore shut down Le'Veon Bell (32 yards), contained Antonio Brown (85 yards) and continually frustrated Ben Roethlisberger (264 yards). Now, this defense faces the Browns, who have been held to 20 points or fewer in six of nine games this season. -- Jamison Hensley

Week 10: vs. Cleveland, Thursday, 8:25 p.m. ET

The Bengals had their chance to capitalize on a flailing division last week and could only muster a tie. But fresh off a bye and with the second half of the season in front of them, they could make moves in the AFC North if they can beat the Giants on Monday night. With the Ravens defeating the Steelers on Sunday, the division is now up for grabs. -- Katherine Terrell

Week 10: at New York Giants, Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET

The Browns have been playing football in the NFL since 1950. They have never started a season 0-10. But now, they could set a record in Baltimore on Thursday. -- Pat McManamon

Week 10: at Baltimore, Thursday, 8:25 p.m. ET

The Steelers' high-octane offense isn't used to being called "pretty pathetic," but that's exactly how guard David DeCastro felt about the Steelers' third straight sluggish road loss, which raised questions about the team's unflinching ability to attack defenses. The biggest question out of the Steelers' locker room: Can the offense take flight and once again lift a 4-4 team into the playoffs? Le'Veon Bell says yes. "We know what we can do," Bell said. "We know what we're able to do. We've just got to put it all together." -- Jeremy Fowler

Week 10: vs. Dallas, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

AFC SOUTH

The Texans enter the second half of their season at 5-3 despite inconsistent play, especially from quarterback Brock Osweiler. Houston leads the AFC South, but its schedule gets tougher in the second half. The Texans will play four of their next five games on the road, where they are 0-3 this season. Even though those three teams -- the Patriots, Vikings and Broncos -- are good, the Texans need to play better away from NRG Stadium, and they will get a chance when they travel to Jacksonville on Sunday. -- Sarah Barshop

Week 10: at Jacksonville, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

The Colts are heading into their bye on a positive note. Their victory over Green Bay put them at 4-5 and back in the mix in the AFC South. The Colts host all three AFC South teams at home in their final seven games, starting with Houston on Nov. 20. -- Mike Wells

Week 10: Bye

The Jaguars finally found their running game (205 yards), but there's still a lot of work to be done for new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Quarterback Blake Bortles still had trouble hitting open receivers and made some questionable decisions -- one throw was picked off and two others should have been -- while Chris Ivory and T.J. Yeldon had costly fumbles. Still, the Jaguars' offense looked the best it has in more than a month, and the players are encouraged for what that means in the second half of the season. -- Mike DiRocco

Week 10: vs. Houston, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

If the Titans are going to beat the Packers in Nashville next week, quarterback Marcus Mariota will have to play mistake-free. He threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in the loss at San Diego, handing the Chargers two defensive touchdowns. Mariota now has five giveaways this season that have produced defensive touchdowns. That's two more than Andrew Luck of the Colts and Case Keenum of the Rams; they rank second with three apiece. -- Paul Kuharsky

Week 10: vs. Green Bay, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

AFC WEST

Those things the Broncos keep saying will get corrected -- the run game, run defense and their work in the offensive line - are not corrected. Denver has, finally, lost its grip on the top spot in the AFC West as the Raiders pounded out 218 rushing yards in their win over the Broncos. Denver's struggles on offense meant it didn't have enough of a response to do what it has done so often -- win a game with the division lead on the line. -- Jeff Legwold

Week 10: at New Orleans, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

The Chiefs know they'll need to play better when the competition ramps up in next week's game against the Panthers. But if nothing else, the Chiefs deserve credit for their resiliency in their win over the Jaguars. The Chiefs played without quarterback Alex Smith and running back Spencer Ware and also lost leading wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in the first quarter with an injury. But they should get back Smith next week and could get back Ware and Maclin, too. They also could have linebacker Justin Houston in their lineup next week for the first time this season. So all is not lost just because they had to sweat out the finish of a home victory against the Jaguars. -- Adam Teicher

Week 10: at Carolina, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

The Raiders proved they are the real deal with Sunday night's thumping of the Super Bowl champion Broncos to anyone who still had doubts, and on national television to improve to 7-2 and solely take over first place in the AFC West. Latavius Murray gashed the Broncos defense for 114 rushing yards and a career-best three rushing TDs, all from 1 yard out as Oakland rushed for 218 yards as a team. As such, the Raiders have something positive to chew on entering their bye week before an international affair on Monday Night Football in Mexico City against the Texans on Nov. 21. -- Paul Gutierrez

Week 10: Bye

Melvin Gordon looks like the real deal. The Wisconsin product finished with a career-high 194 rushing yards and served as the engine for San Diego's offense in Sunday's win over the Titans. Gordon eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the second straight game and leads the league with 11 total touchdowns. He's running assertively and with more confidence, giving this Philip Rivers-led offense the balance it needs. -- Eric D. Williams

Week 10: vs. Miami, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET