NFL Nation reporters give all 32 teams a grade and pick the MVP, best/worst moment and more through the first half of the season. Click the links after each team to view the full posts.

Grade: A

Dallas Cowboys: Last season, the Cowboys went 1-11 without Tony Romo. They surpassed that win total after three games in 2016. Jason Garrett has to be considered one of the front-runners for Coach of the Year. Read more.

Grade: A-minus

New England Patriots: The Patriots often say that the first goal each season is to win the AFC East, because that ensures at least one home playoff game. They are well on their way at 7-1. Read more.

Oakland Raiders: Sure, improvement was expected. But to be sitting one game off the AFC's best record after eight games this season? That is massive progress and reason for excitement going forward. Read more.

Grade: B-plus

Kansas City Chiefs: It took some time for the Chiefs to find their footing, but they turned around their situation with a four-game winning streak after a 2-2 start. Read more.

Grade: B

Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons deserve credit for the league's top-scoring offense. The only reason they fall short of an A is because the defense remains suspect. Read more.

Denver Broncos: The Broncos' defense has been elite for the most part, but a propensity for allowing big plays on the ground when games are in the balance is troubling. Read more.

Houston Texans: Though the Texans have been inconsistent, they sit at 5-3 with a one-game lead in the AFC South. They have dealt with injuries, particularly on defense with the loss J.J. Watt. Read more.

Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings started out 5-0, weathering what could have been a crippling slate of injuries. But they have to develop an offensive identity. Read more.

Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson's health has been the dominant storyline. But the defense has once again performed up to expectations, and that has the Seahawks well-positioned. Read more.

Grade: B-minus

Detroit Lions: The Lions have been pretty much what we thought they would be. They are a team that has shown flashes of being special on offense while consistently struggling defensively. Read more.

Miami Dolphins: Things are far from perfect in Miami, but the team is on pace to meet most preseason expectations. There have been early growing pains, but progress is evident. Read more.

New York Giants: This isn't the way it was expected to unfold. The Giants' offense, not the defense, was supposed to carry the team early in the season. Instead, it was the other way around. Read more.

Grade: C-plus

Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens are tied with the Steelers for first place in the AFC North on the strength of their defense and kicker Justin Tucker. Read more.

New Orleans Saints: Not all .500 seasons feel the same, and the Saints have to be thrilled about theirs right now after starting 0-3. The next nine days will prove just how seriously we should take them as contenders. Read more.

Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles' defense and special teams are playoff-caliber. The offense? Not as much, based on the evidence gathered over the first eight games. Read more.

Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers had a decent first half, but for a team with Super Bowl aspirations, decent isn't enough. They haven't always lived up to the hype. Read more.

Tennessee Titans: This team is a solid notch better than it was a year ago, with burgeoning confidence on both sides of the ball. Read more.

Washington Redskins: The Redskins are just a smidgen over average, as their 4-3-1 record attests. They could have easily won one of their final two games before the bye -- but failed. Read more.

Grade: C

Arizona Cardinals: The first half of the Cardinals' season was utterly underwhelming when compared to the sky-high expectations that accompanied the team entering the season. Read more.

Buffalo Bills: The Bills have earned an average grade for their average performance. They are on the path to another 8-8 season, which would be a failure for a team that has the talent to do bigger things. Read more.

Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals have been fairly average for most of the season. They haven't yet found the spark they had last year that led to a playoff run. Read more.

Green Bay Packers: Even in the muddled NFC, the Packers would be out of the playoffs at this point. They're currently No. 9 in the playoff standings. Read more.

Grade: C-minus

Los Angeles Rams: The Rams' offense ranks among the bottom three in yards and scores per game, and the offensive line is not doing nearly enough to set Todd Gurley free. Read more.

San Diego Chargers: The Chargers have played well for large stretches of every game this season but have had trouble finishing games. Read more.

Grade: D-plus

Carolina Panthers: The Panthers have been a second-half team since Ron Rivera became the coach. If the secondary continues to mature, Carolina has a chance to make a playoff push Read more.

Indianapolis Colts: The Colts weren't expected to have the best record in the AFC, but they also weren't expected to have a losing record with the return of Andrew Luck. The same problems continue. Read more.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs' only win against an opponent with a winning record was in Week 1, and their other two wins have come against teams that are now a combined 3-11. Read more.

Grade: D

Chicago Bears: The Bears woefully underperformed in the first half of the season. The victory over the Vikings in Week 8 probably saved the season from completely going off the rails. Read more.

Grade: D-minus

Cleveland Browns: The only reason this is not an F is that this was not difficult to see coming. The Browns give up 30 points per game, and they have quarterback questions and few big-time impact players. Read more.

Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars were supposed to be contenders in the AFC South, or at the very least, have a chance to win nine games. So far, they haven't come close to meeting those expectations. Read more.

Grade: F

New York Jets: The Jets' many flaws were exposed against a brutal schedule over the first six weeks. Most of the issues have occurred when the ball is in the air on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Read more.

San Francisco 49ers: Even the most optimistic of outside observers saw this as a rebuilding season for the 49ers, but the first half hasn't offered much in the way of hope for the present, let alone the future. Read more.