With the conclusion of Week 18, the NFL playoffs are on the horizon. Let's dive into our final power rankings of the regular season. And with that, the regular season is over. It's actually sad just how quickly this year passed us by, but oh well.
The NFL playoffs will soon begin, as the no. 1 seeds will get to stay home and rest for a week, but every other seed will have the Wild Card Round to try and get beyond. We have rolled out our power rankings every week here on NFL Spin Zone, and it's a shame that they are winding down.
The playoffs will soon make way for Super Bowl 59, and we'll then get to talk about the 2025 free agency period and the 2025 NFL Draft. There is still tons of juice content coming from the NFL, but for the last time in the 2024 regular season, let's unveil our latest NFL power rankings.
2024 NFL Power Rankings: Final power rankings with playoffs on the horizon
32. New York Giants (3-14)
The New York Giants take their final loss of the season and fall to the Philadelphia Eagles. They now finish the season with the most losses in Giants' franchise history, so that's when you know big changes are on the horizon. However, while the logical move might be to fire Brian Daboll, the real issue is in the front office.
If you ask me, and I have been on this train for a while, the real issue is Joe Schoen, the General Manager. Anyway, I can't control what the Giants do, but Schoen is the primary issue and needs to go before Daboll does. The Giants will probably be aggressive this coming offseason in trying to enact a long-term plan at the QB position. The 2025 NFL Draft class is not expected to be deep at QB, so the G-Men may have to do something different. They are dead-last in our final power rankings of the regular season.
31. Tennessee Titans (3-14)
Having now officially clinched the no. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans now control a large part of the NFL offseason, honestly. The main issue with the Titans and the coming NFL Draft is that this class is not projected to be very deep at the QB position, and that is the one position this team is missing. Heck, it would not shock me if the Titans fielded calls for this top pick.
Man, I would hate to be in this situation if I was Titans' GM Ran Carthon. There isn't a lot to like about this coming offseason for Tennessee. But you know what - the people that run and build these teams are professionals for a reason, so the Titans will have a new QB under center in 2025. They settle in at no. 31 in our final regular season power rankings of the 2024 NFL Season.
30. Cleveland Browns (3-14)
I mean, we did not really expect much from the Cleveland Browns here in Week 18. They got throttled by the Baltimore Ravens in the most predictable game of the season. Heck, I bet most of those players are just glad that the season is over, as they finish 3-14 on the year and do have a shot at clinching the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Browns trading for Deshaun Watson a couple of years ago has totally ruined their franchise for the present day. We also got some news on Sunday morning that offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey will not be back. But head coach Kevin Stefanski seems to be coming back in 2025. I would personally anticipate a ton of change coming for the Browns as they look to build something resembling a competent football team for the long-term.
29. Las Vegas Raiders (4-13)
With their two-game winning streak snapped, the Las Vegas Raiders drop their final game of the season and are now 4-13 on the year. The Raiders’ offseason is going to be interesting, as they do need a franchise QB but are picking sixth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, so they probably won’t be in range for Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward.
The Raiders winning these last two games before in Week 18 kind of ruined their draft status in the first round. Now yes, winning games is always a good thing for the team internally, but in the long-run, it did not make a ton of sense. If you ask me, the Raiders should part ways with Antonio Pierce, who was given the interim tag last year after Josh McDaniels got fired.
Vegas is circling the drain in a big way and have to figure something out with their franchise QB situation in 2025 and beyond. I do not envy GM Tom Telesco one bit - he’s got a huge job in front of him, and for what it is worth, he did draft Justin Herbert, so maybe there is light at the end of the tunnell…
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13)
With a loss in Week 18, the Jacksonville Jaguars drop to 4-13 on the season and will now look to the 2025 NFL Draft to fix what needs fixing. If nothing else, rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr is a total stud and is going to explode in year two. In my opinion, the Jaguars are not all that far away - this roster is quite talented and does not need a ton.
It's primarily a coaching issue more than a skill issue if you will. I would personally anticipate both GM Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson being shown the door and a full-blown reset coming in that regard. I have seen a lot of people say that Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson would be a great fit to unlock Trevor Lawrence and this Jaguars' offense, which does have some talent.
The biggest thing here is to try and get the most out of Lawrence, who has not been nearly as good as we thought when he came into the NFL back in 2021. It's another lost year for the Jaguars.
27. New England Patriots (4-13)
So, how about that Joe Milton guy? In an interesting game, the Buffalo Bills came into this one having rested a ton of starters; they already have the second seed in the AFC clinched and had nothing to gain here. The New England Patriots definitely put a solid effort on the field and actually do hurt their NFL Draft slot.
However, I promise you the players do not care about that at all. Anyway, this coming offseason for the Patriots will be all about making it work around Drake Maye. The Patriots must fix their offensive line and bring in some viable players at wide receiver. If WR Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals were to hit the open market, I bet the Pats would be huge players for his services.
This hasn't been a super brutal year for the franchise if you ask me - Drake Maye looks very good and I would not be shocked if he broke out in year two if the right players around him were brought it, but it's another single-digit win season for the Patriots.
26. New Orleans Saints (5-12)
The New Orleans Saints gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers some fits in Week 18, but the Bucs did end up pulling away. You do have to hand it to the Saints to some degree - they have dealt with a brutal amount of injuries this year and have still remained mostly competitive in their games this year. However, this coming offseason is going to be very telling.
They fired former head coach Dennis Allen a while back, and much of the current mess they are in is due to current GM Mickey Loomis, who has been running the show for a while now. If you ask me, Loomis needs to go and this Saints team needs a full-blown reset from the top, down. They aren't in a super great position in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, so they aren't going to come away with a top QB prospect or anything.
One of the more interesting and irrelevant teams in the NFL is the New Orleans Saints.
25. Carolina Panthers (5-12)
I don't want to overreact, but is Bryce Young... good?
Many have said this, but him being benched seems to have helped him quite a bit. The Carolina Panthers absolutely have to feel confident going into 2025 about him being their starter. And what's cool about this is the Panthers have something substantive to latch onto this coming offseason. It should be all about bringing in more weapons for Young and improving that pass rush.
And with how weak the NFC South appears to be, the Panthers can be a sneaky bet in 2025 to win the division outright. Now yes, this does hinge on Bryce Young being able to take another step, but he's playing with a lot of confidence, and I am not sure he had that at all last year or before his benching in 2024.
The dysfunction in Carolina seems to be settling down a bit, and a new and bright future could be on the way.
24. Chicago Bears (5-12)
The Chicago Bears beat the Green Bay Packers in Week 18 and snap their losing streak. However, I feel like a lot of people across the NFL did think think the Bears could have flirted with double the amount of wins this year. Their undoing was not necessarily the roster talent as much as it was coaching.
Chicago needs to, in my opinion, hone in on Mike Vrabel or Ben Johnson to be their next head coach. Vrabel is a proven winner and knows how to get the most out of his players. Johnson could end up being the next great young, offensive-minded head coach to make it big as a head coach.
The Bears also need to invest more into their offensive line and have slowly slid down our NFL power rankings in 2024 after an encouraging 4-2 start. We'll see if this coming offseason can bring something more tangible for Bears' fans to latch onto.
23. New York Jets (5-12)
The New York Jets win what could be the final game of Aaron Rodgers’ career, beating the Miami Dolphins in Week 18. Obviously, the Dolphins will not be making the playoffs this year, and I would bet that the Jets thought they’d finish with the opposite record than they did. Now 5-12 after this win, the Jets hold the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
That won’t be in range for a top QB prospect, but I guess the Jets have other needs. The team fired Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas, so this team has already cleaned house. Aaron Rodgers may also retire, and if so, Rodgers is nearly the last of a dying generation of QBs that have retired in recent years.
Rodgers threw for four touchdowns in this win. And while he can retire following this season, I would not be shocked if he made a push to remain with the team in 2025. He still has something left in the tank if you ask me. But above all, the Jets do need to find a long-term solution at QB.
22. San Francisco 49ers (6-11)
In a lost year, the San Francisco 49ers drop their final game of the season and finish with a 6-11 record. The Niners’ down years in the Kyle Shanahan era have really been due to injuries, but now that this season is over, they have a huge decision to make, or do they? Brock Purdy is now eligible for an extension this coming offseason, but he is still under contract through 2025.
It will be interesting to see if Purdy’s camp demands an extension and demands some financial security. I mean, he’s on a seventh-round rookie contract and has dealt with some injuries early in his career. He does have a right to ask for that money, but will the 49ers give it to him? Who knows. If you ask me, the 49ers should actually trade Purdy to a team that does feel comfortable giving him this money.
Nonetheless, they are no. 22 in our NFL power rankings and have again endured the Super Bowl hangover. From almost beating the Kansas City Chiefs in the big game last year to not even finishing with a winning record, the Niners need to have a long look in the mirror.
21. Dallas Cowboys (7-10)
It'll be interesting to see what happens with Dallas Cowboys' head coach, Mike McCarthy. His deal is up, so he could go and coach another team if the Cowboys decide to let him hit the open market, if you will. But if you ask me, the Cowboys roster is their primary issue, and I have no idea what they would expect from a team that lost their franchise QB weeks ago with a hamstring injury.
Dallas isn't some dumpster fire that many think they are - I mean, Jerry Jones sometimes needs to shut his mouth, but overall, the Cowboys are fine. The offseason should be filled with them adding some bodies in the trenches, perhaps extending Micah Parsons, and also trying to find a WR2. However, the flip side, which could be possible, is Dallas kind of having a bit of a firesale and turning the page on this current era.
Shoot, I have no idea what happens, but the Dallas Cowboys feel like a pretty average football team, I guess.
20. Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
The Indianapolis Colts win a meaningless game in Week 18 and improve to 8-9 on the season in another lost year. I don't know if any of you saw it, but former Colts' great Pat McAfee went scorched-earth on his Twitter/X account recently about the state of the Colts, and much of what he said was truth.
Indy does not have a clear vision and have totally botched the QB room ever since Andrew Luck shockingly retired before the 2019 NFL Season. The Colts do have some talent on both sides of the ball and don't necessarily need to rip it down to the studs, but how could they trust GM Chris Ballard to bring in the right QB? I mean, he's failed to do it during his Colts' tenure. Anthony Richardson is most certainly not going to be the guy for them.
I have no idea what the Colts do, and this is a franchise that is just in no man's land. I like to call this group the 'irrelevant middle.'
19. Miami Dolphins (8-9)
Even if the Miami Dolphins had won this game in Week 18 against the New York Jets, they would have still missed the playoffs, as the Denver Broncos left no doubt and beat the snot out of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Dolphins have yet another failed season, and it again ends because of the same people - Tua Tagovailoa and Chris Grier. Tua Tagovailoa simply cannot stay consistently healthy, which is a huge concern.
And a ton of questionable roster moves in recent years by Grier has this team in a tough spot. Paying all that money to ‘Touchdown Tua’ is not a good idea if the offensive line is just OK and the backup QB isn’t anyone special. If you ask me, the Dolphins need to begin forming an ‘exit plan’ to move on from Tagovailoa when they contractually can.
He is not going to lead this team to where they want to go. The Dolphins lose their final game of the 2024 season, and in our final power rankings, come in at no. 19.
Change should be coming for this franchise, and they desperately need it.
18. Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
What a disaster of a season for the Atlanta Falcons. They were 6-3 at one point! 6-3!
This team saw Kirk Cousins decline in real-time and eventually had to make the tough decision to send their $180 million free agency QB to the bench in favor of rookie QB Michael Penix Jr, who did look decent in his limited action this year. If the Falcons did have their eyes on Penix all along, they should have just passed up signing Cousins all along.
If nothing else, the offensive firepower is something else, so Penix should have a plethora of weapons to use for years to come. It'll be up to the Falcons' coaching staff to help Penix take the next step. The team saw a horrific defensive unit for pretty much the entire season, so they aren't out of the woods on that side of the ball.
Looking like the runaway favorite to win the NFC South about two months ago, the Falcons dropped to 8-9 on the season with this Week 18 loss against the Carolina Panthers and do have some questions to answer this coming offseason. I would be shocked if they did not use their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on a top defensive prospect.
17. Arizona Cardinals (8-9)
The Arizona Cardinals win eight games this year, and I told many of you that they were going to win eight games this year. In a year where they won six of their first 10 games, the Cardinals did lead the NFC West at one point, which was a bit wild to see. Well, they were only able to capture two more wins the rest of the way, which is unfortunate, but think about it - this team won four games in all of 2023 and have doubled their win total in 2024.
Despite the lousy finish, winning eight games given what happened last year and the overall lack of talent is a good thing for the long-term. It will now be up to GM Monti Ossenfort to bring in another strong class of talent for 2025 and beyond. And if he can do that and couples it with a strong free agency class, the Cardinals could be a 10-win team in 2025.
The early returns on the 2025 Cardinals are actually ones you want to buy some stock in. Just trust me here. They aren’t a great team, but there is a lot to like. Arizona comes in at no. 17 in these power rankings.
16. Seattle Seahawks (10-7)
The Seattle Seahawks have turned into one of the more rare teams that win double-digit games in a season and miss the playoffs. In fact, they were eliminated last week, so this game didn’t really mean much for them. Seattle has a QB problem, and I truly do not care what random stat you show me about Geno Smith - this team is not going to go anywhere as long as Geno Smith is their quarterback.
The Seahawks beat the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18 and do have some good things to take into 2025. Mike Macdonald seems to be a very good coach, and the defense has a ton of great pieces. With how weak the 2025 NFL Draft QB class is, Seattle may have to run it back with Geno Smith in 2025, which isn’t ideal. I do believe the Seahawks had their eyes on Michael Penix Jr in the 2024 NFL Draft and probably did not think he would get taken in the top-10.
Seattle is kind of sitting in that ‘irrelevant middle’ tier of teams who aren’t horrible but aren’t anything special. They come in at no. 16 in our latest NFL power rankings.
15. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
By the time you wake up on Monday morning and read this, you will know whether or not the Cincinnati Bengals made the playoffs. If they miss the postseason, you can truly pinpoint to that home loss against the New England Patriots at the beginning of the season as the 'worst' lost of the year.
The Bengals were 4-8 at one point and ripped off five wins in a row to close out the 2024 NFL Season. It was another year where they finished on a high note, but as always. noticeable flaws come with the Bengals. The defense and offensive line are absolutely still an issue, and this team probably just isn't built to make a deep playoff run if they get it.
Joe Burrow, their elite QB, had the best statistical season of his career, and stud wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase might win the impressive WR triple crown this year. At the end of the day, it is another winning season for Zac Taylor, Joe Burrow, and the Bengals, but it may not end in a playoff spot. I am fleshing this out before the bulk of Week 18 begins, the Bengals have not clinched.
If the front office can fix the defense and again add another starter or two along the offensive line, they could be cooking in 2025.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
Now having lost four games in a row to close out the 2024 NFL Season, the Pittsburgh Steelers may end up being the sixth seed in the AFC when Week 18 is totally over. The Los Angeles Chargers would have to beat the Las Vegas Raiders to earn that fifth seed, so that would then drop the Steelers to the sixth seed. It seems as if their honeymoon with Russell Wilson was short lived.
Wilson began his Steelers' tenure with some nice play, but the most predictable thing then happened - the Steelers lost to good teams and Russell Wilson shrunk when it mattered most. If you're the Steelers, you have absolutely no direction with the QB room for 2025, and all the offseason hype about just how amazing Wilson and Justin Fields were going to be is now all gone.
The Steelers did again manage to finish with a winning record, which extends Mike Tomlin's impressive feat, but is the standard in Pittsburgh winning seasons or Super Bowls? Because if you ask me, this team is absolutely not trying to win a Super Bowl.
13. Houston Texans (10-7)
With a win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 18, the Houston Texans get the 'stink' out and finally win a game. This is what the Texans needed to do, and they had already come into this game with the no. 4 seed in the AFC. The team did trot out their starters for part of this game and clearly wanted to be intentional with this game.
Houston is locked into that fourth seed in the AFC, and for the second year in a row, will get to host a playoff game. The fifth seed will have either gone to the Pittsburgh Steelers or Las Vegas Raiders at the time you are reading this on Monday. The Texans are still in a great spot for the long-term, but do need to tweak their offensive line this coming offseson, as it's been their undoing in 2024.
There is also something to be said about CJ Stroud's regression in 2024...
Denver is really coming together nicely on offense and have a top-5 defense to boot. I am not sure the Broncos can go into Buffalo and win, but I guess you never know. Denver rises in our final power rankings of the regular season.
12. Green Bay Packers (11-6)
The Green Bay Packers have a problem. I mean, this is a good team, but that's about it. I think many of us expected the Packers to take a huge leap forward in 2024, and it just hasn't really happened. They've not beaten very good teams this year and did see QB Jordan Love leave in their Week 18 loss against the Chicago Bears with an injury.
The Packers probably just need more experience under their belt, and they also probably need a true no. 1 wide receiver as well. Green Bay is traveling to Philadelphia in the first round of the NFL playoffs. This could be an interesting game, as the Eagles did go one-and-done in the NFL playoffs last year.
Green Bay, right now, is clearly the little brother to teams like the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. All three of those teams being in the NFC North is actually kind of brutal when you think about it. An 11-6 record would have been plenty enough to win multiple divisions in the NFL this year, but not the tough NFC North.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
How about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? They finish the season winning 10 games and winning the NFC South for the fourth year in a row. And maybe the best part about this Week 18 win over the New Orleans Saints is that they were able to get Mike Evans his 11th 1,000-yard season in a row, which puts him in great company next to Jerry Rice.
On a side note, Mike Evans is a first ballot Hall of Famer, and the Bucs are on their way to the postseason yet again. Baker Mayfield has been able to revive his career in Tampa, and this is certainly a team I would not want to face in the playoffs at all. When the offense is clicking, they are very scary.
The Bucs finish another strong season and really do not skip a step since the retirement of Tom Brady following the 2022 NFL Season.
10. Los Angeles Rams (10-7)
The Los Angeles Rams did kind of have some things to play for in Week 18, but they also did opt to rest some starters here in Week 18, so they fell to the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle finishes the season with 10 wins but with no playoff berth to speak of, which is brutal. The LA Rams also finish with 10 wins, but various tiebreakers had the Rams already winning the NFC West before this game began.
The Rams are going to be a huge threat in the NFL playoffs when they roll around next week. Rams’ QB Matthew Stafford is one of the most battle-tested players in the NFL and did also help the Rams win the Super Bowl back in 2021. There is a lot to like about this Rams’ team - they’re now healthier and surely eager to get back into some postseason action for the second year in a row.
This was another huge coaching job from Sean McVay, who is one of the best in the business. LA loses this game, but that does not change much for this team in our power rankings or for their postseason chances.
9. Denver Broncos (10-7)
How about those Denver Broncos? A team that many thought would win a handful of games this year, the Broncos proved most people wrong across the NFL and were able to scrape together a 10-win season, shutting out the backups of the Kansas City Chiefs and earning a 38-0 victory. They officially clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2015 and will face the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round.
How about those Denver Broncos? A team that many thought would win a handful of games this year, the Broncos proved most people wrong across the NFL and were able to scrape together a 10-win season, shutting out the backups of the Kansas City Chiefs and earning a 38-0 victory. They officially clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2015 and will face the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round.
Denver is really coming together nicely on offense and have a top-5 defense to boot. I am not sure the Broncos can go into Buffalo and win, but I guess you never know. Denver rises in our final power rankings of the regular season.
8. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
The Los Angeles Chargers earn the fifth seed in the AFC with a huge win over the Las Vegas Raiders. They also clinched this with the Pittsburgh Steelers losing to the Baltimore Ravens earlier this week. The Chargers won just five games all of last year and have more than doubled that total in 2024.
With 11 wins on the season, the Chargers now have a very favorable Wild Card matchup against the Houston Texans, and I would be shocked if the Texans won that game. Houston is in a bad division, so they have the luxury of that and having locked up the fourth seed in the AFC.
Chargers are better in the trenches on both sides of the ball and should pull away in this Wild Card matchup. This is a huge year for the franchise, as first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh is able to again enact immediate change in yet another program. With limited talent on offense, the Chargers could be a huge threat in 2025 if they are able to load up next offseason.
7. Washington Commanders (12-5)
The Washington Commanders have earned the sixth seed in the NFC in their first year of the Dan Quinn-Jayden Daniels era. They won 12 games in the regular season and are going to be a total force in the long-term. With them having a rookie QB and the newness of it all, they probably won't make a deep playoff run, but you just never know.
The next few months for the Commanders' franchise is going to be outstanding. They're very likely going to be aggressive in free agency and in the 2025 NFL Draft and should have one of the top rosters in the NFL entering next season. This is a great time for Commanders' fans, who have truly been suffering for a while now.
Jayden Daniels is also well on his way to the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and is pretty darn close to the 'next' Lamar Jackson, if that is even possible. What's there to not like about the Washington Commanders?
6. Detroit Lions (14-2)
Playing on Sunday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings, the winner of this game earns the no. 1 seed in the NFC and that crucial first-round bye. They have not began the game as I type these words, so the record is going to look a little bit different when Monday arrives.
The Lions have dealt with a ton of injuries on the defensive side of the ball this year, so they are not quite as dominant as they were to begin the year. I personally do not think the Lions have quite enough to make a deep run given their injuries, but you just never know. Detroit has really turned their franchise around in the Dan Campbell era, so if nothing else, you have to give credit there.
The injuries might be too much for them to overcome this year, but once they get healthy, they’ll be a huge force in 2025 and should be a Super Bowl favorite when next season rolls around. The Lions are supremely motivated and could still be a threat in the postseason.
5. Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
The Kansas City Chiefs did not benefit from throwing their starters out in this game against the Denver Broncos. It was a game where the backups for the Chiefs played. And it went about as you would expect. Kansas City got shutout, but they did get out of the game healthy and will now have a bye in the first round of the playoffs.
The Chiefs have had a reputation of resting starters when they have clinched a seed in the postseason, so it was weird to see people claim that Chiefs were only resting starters to preven the Cincinnati Bengals from getting into the playoffs. Well, the Chiefs fall to 15-2 on the season and will still finish with the best record in the NFL. One of the Minnesota Vikings or Detroit Lions will finish 15-2 and earn the top seed in their conference.
Overall, the Chiefs weren't really investing a ton into this game, and it went like it should have. It doesn't change much for KC, as they now solely turn their focus to who they host in the AFC Divisional Round in a couple of weeks.
4. Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
After an 0-2 start, many had no idea what to make of the Baltimore Ravens. Well, here we are. They ended the year with a drubbing of the Cleveland Browns and finish the season as the third seed in the AFC, which could mean that they again host the Pittsburgh Steelers, but this time in the Wild Card Round.
Lamar Jackson, once again, is the MVP of the NFL, and frankly, I do not want to hear anything else - Jackson's season is monumentally better than anything Josh Allen did this year, and I am not sure Joe Burrow should be in contention. Right now, the Ravens feel quite good and could give the Kansas City Chiefs a run for their money.
Having Derrick Henry in the backfield and a defense that is finding their footing is exactly what the Ravens might need to get over the hump and play in the big game. They have continued to win and win after the slow start and are again rising in our NFL power rankings.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
With a win over the New York Giants in Week 18, the Philadelphia Eagles move to 14-3 on the season. Coming into this game, the Eagles had already clinched the no. 2 seed in the NFC, so they were resting many starters in this one. However, it's clear that even the New York Giants' starting lineup just could not hang with the Eagles' backups, which says a lot.
The Eagles will host the no. 7 seed in the NFC and get at least one home playoff game. And if you ask me, despite all of their success in the win column in recent years, there seems to be a ton of pressure on this team and on head coach Nick Sirianni to make more progress in the postseason, and if this team were to not at least advance to the NFC Championship Game, it would not shock me if the team at least considered replacing Sirianni.
Perhaps this could be likened to when the Denver Broncos parted ways with John Fox after falling short in the NFL playoffs for a few years - they then hired Gary Kubiak and won the Super Bowl in his first season on the job. Anyway, the Eagles aren't worrying about that just yet. They get the win in Week 18 and move to a very strong 14-3 record to close out the regular season.
2. Minnesota Vikings (14-2)
Sitting at 14-2 heading into the crucial Week 18 matchup versus the Detroit Lions, the Minnesota Vikings have proven many people wrong this year, and specifically, QB Sam Darnold has proved a ton of people wrong and has emerged as a viable MVP candidate in my eyes. The Vikes are one of the most well-rounded teams in the NFL, and I am just super interested to see what they do at the QB position in the offseason.
I mean, how do you not bring Darnold back in 2025, right? However, the Vikings did draft JJ McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, so they probably still have plans of him taking over for the long-term. What might make the most sense for both sides is Darnold playing on the franchise tag in 2025 and perhaps the two sides going their separate ways after the season.
Minnesota doesn’t want to think about that right now - they have their eyes on continuing to prove people wrong and perhaps could make a deep playoff run. They are no. 2 in our final power rankings of the regular season.
1. Buffalo Bills (13-4)
The Buffalo Bills were resting their starters in this game and really did not have a lot to play for. They have clinched the second seed in the AFC and will play one of the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, or Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card Round next weekend. By the time this article is published, we will have known their opponent.
The Bills had a great season and may have the MVP of the NFL with Josh Allen. While Allen does not have the numbers that Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow do, there does seem to be a strong case. You have to wonder if there is some 'voters fatigue' with Lamar Jackson. Josh Allen may have a strong case to win if that's true.
The Buffalo Bills have to get over the hump at some point in the AFC, and they are better than the Kansas City Chiefs, so perhaps this is their year.