In 2021, the Los Angeles Rams won Super Bowl LVI. This season, they failed to reach the postseason. So how do this year’s 14 NFL playoff clubs rank?
After 18 weeks and 271 regular-season contests, the right to represent the league in Super Bowl LVII has been whittled down from 32 clubs to 14 teams on its way to two. For the third straight year, the National Football League has seven teams representing each conference in the playoffs. Meanwhile, there are seven clubs in this year’s postseason that weren’t here in 2021.
Enclosed is the 2022 NFL playoff field with the teams in descending order. Along with this year’s performance, keep in mind that these postseason NFL power rankings also take recent playoff experience into account (as opposed to regular-season rankings). Five of the 14 teams listed will be looking for their first Super Bowl title.
NFL Power Rankings for 2023 playoffs
14. Miami Dolphins
The team is making its first playoff appearance since 2016. The Dolphins started 3-0, lost three straight games, won five in a row, lost five consecutive outings, and then came away with an 11-6 win over the Jets last Sunday.
Miami’s defense finished fourth in the league vs. the run this season and their own ground game improved as time wore on. This is not the same offense that was seen earlier in the year due to various issues at the quarterback position.
13. Seattle Seahawks
A year ago, Pete Carroll’s club was not only the lone club in the NFC West with a losing record but the only team in the division not to go to the playoffs. It was an amazing year for quarterback Geno Smith as the Seahawks moved on from Russell Wilson.
The defense was below average once again, but the team rediscovered its opportunistic touch with 25 takeaways. Steady rookie runner Kenneth Walker rushed for 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns.
NFL Power Rankings for 2023 playoffs
12. Baltimore Ravens
For the fourth time in five years, the Ravens are in the postseason. John Harbaugh’s club is one of four teams, along with the aforementioned Seahawks, Giants, and Jaguars, to reach the playoffs after finishing last in their respective division a year ago.
The quarterback situation is muddied and the team was limited to 17 points or less in their final six games. However, they managed a split in those contests. A solid pass rush amassed 48 sacks.
11. New York Giants
Big Blue returns to the postseason for the first time since 2016 and Brian Daboll will certainly get NFL Coach of the Year consideration. A season ago, the Giants committed an NFL-high 30 turnovers and this season cut that figure in half (16).
Saquon Barkley had a big year, running for 1,312 yards and 10 scores and tying for the team lead with 57 receptions. Worth noting that the club was 2-5-1 in its final eight games after its surprising 7-2 start this year.
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The lone team in the 2022 postseason with a losing record, Todd Bowles’ team gave up 45 more points than it scored. A year ago, the Buccaneers were second in the league in scoring with 511 points.
That figure dipped to 313 points in 2022 as the offense reached the end zone only 31 times. Quarterback Tom Brady threw for 4,694 yards and 25 scores but the Bucs finished dead last in the NFL in rushing. A talented defense was mediocre vs. the run.
9. Los Angeles Chargers
The Bolts won five of their final seven games and are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2018. The offense revolves around third-year quarterback Justin Herbert, who hit on 68.2 percent of his passes for 4,739 yards and 25 scores while committing 13 turnovers.
Running back Austin Ekeler had another productive year with 1,637 yards from scrimmage. Khalil Mack led the team in sacks but the Chargers finished 28th in the league vs. the run.
8. Minnesota Vikings
After suffering through consecutive sub-.500 campaigns, the Purple Gang won the NFC North for the first time since 2017. Under first-time NFL head coach Kevin O’Connell, 11 of the team’s 13 victories were by eight points or less.
In four losses, the Vikings were outscored a combined 139-50 count. The duo of quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide receiver Justin Jefferson were nearly unstoppable, but only the Lions gave up more total yards per game.
7. Dallas Cowboys
The team has not only posted consecutive 12-win seasons but is making consecutive playoff appearances for the first time since 2006 and ’07. However, Mike McCarthy’s club has been a bit inconsistent, especially on defense and most notably against the run. That can be bad news in the playoffs.
Dallas led the NFL in takeaways for the second straight year but also gave up the ball 23 times, with 16 of those miscues via quarterback Dak Prescott.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars
The turnaround has been pretty impressive. The Jaguars won the AFC South in 2017 and wound up reaching the conference title game that year. From 2018-21, the franchise was a horrid 15-50 and finished dead last in their division each season.
Second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence got hot during the second half of the season and running back Travis Etienne has impressed. Jacksonville forced 27 turnovers, three times as many (9) as in 2021.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
The Birds were the last team to lose a game this season and tied the Chiefs for the best record in the NFL. Nick Sirianni’s squad spent most of the early part of the year taking care of the football but that changed as 2022 wore on.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts enjoyed an MVP-like year before getting banged up in late December. Only the 49ers allowed fewer total yards this season while the Eagles’ pass rush came up with an imposing 70 sacks this season.
Sean McDermott’s has now led this franchise to the playoffs four consecutive years and in five of his six seasons in Orchard Park. Only the Chiefs gained more total yards per game and points per contest than the AFC East champs.
At times, the Bills can be their own worst enemies. This club had just as many turnovers (27) as takeaways this season and Josh Allen had 19 of those miscues. Down the stretch, reliable tight end Dawson Knox has come up big.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid’s team led the NFL in total yards per game and points per contest in capturing the top seed in the AFC. All-Pro quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for a league-high 5,250 yards and 41 touchdowns (12 interceptions) but the Chiefs gave up their share of points (369) and offensive touchdowns (41).
All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce had another big year. Relentless Chris Jones finished with 15.5 sacks as Steve Spagnuolo’s unit racked up 55 QB traps.
2. Cincinnati Bengals
The reigning AFC champions got off to a 0-2 start and wound up splitting their first eight games. Now the Bengals comes into the postseason riding an eight-game winning streak. The Cincinnati defense was solid against the run and Trey Hendrickson (8.0) and Sam Hubbard (6.5) lead the pass rush.
The Bengals allowed only 29 offensive TDs in 16 games. Joe Burrow carries an offense that finished fifth in the league in passing but a shaky 29th in rushing.
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1. San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan’s physically-imposing club came up with victory short of an appearance in Super Bowl LVI a year ago. The 49ers bring a 10-game winning streak into the playoffs, along with a defensive unit that allowed the fewest total yards in the league.
San Francisco allowed an NFL-low 277 points and the club was a perfect 6-0 vs. their NFC West rivals this season. Nick Bosa led the NFL with 18.5 sacks and the Niners forced 30 turnovers.