24. Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts gave the Houston Texans everything they had in Week 18 but could not get the job done, and it was just a brutal late-season collapse that sparked thanks to a saddening torn Achilles for Daniel Jones.
Jones was flat-out balling with the Colts and was likely on his way to a multi-year extension in the range of three years and $100 million. The Colts should still re-sign Jones, as he is their best option, and he could likely be had for another one-year deal.
But the 7-1 start by the Colts truly revealed how well-built this roster is, and a ton of credit goes to GM Chris Ballard, who has been sharp in the NFL Draft. In the 2026 offseason, I would expect Indy to try and build on the good they accomplished this year.
But with how tough the AFC South now appears to be, Indy could comfortably be the third-best team.
The Colts drop in our final power rankings of the 2025 regular season.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers probably need a major coaching overhaul, but Todd Bowles being shown the door feels unlikely. Thanks to the Atlanta Falcons beating the New Orleans Saints in Week 18, the Bucs are out of the playoffs even with beating the Carolina Panthers earlier in the week.
It was a flat-out regression year all over the place for the Bucs. Liam Coen, their offensive coordinator in 2024, left to be the Jacksonville Jaguars’ head coach, and the defense just could not consistently generate pressure.
The Bucs did have a long track record of being atop the NFC South, so it’s not like this team doesn’t know how to win. Some tweaks here and there with the roster and perhaps some new coaches in certain spots could be enough for Tampa to get back in the driver’s seat in the NFC South in 2026.