22. Carolina Panthers
Where the heck do we rank the Carolina Panthers? On one hand, the Panthers are the NFC South champions and will host a playoff game, which does not sound real. On the other hand, this team finished with a losing record and are as inconsistent as it gets.
Not only is Bryce Young simply not good enough, but some of the offensive play-calling tendencies by Dave Canales were forgettable. Overall, it’s neat that Carolina is heading to the postseason, as their fans deserve it, but make no mistake - they’ll get blown out in the Wild Card Round.
And if you ask me, the team simply cannot continue with Bryce Young. The main issue here, though, is that there isn’t a clear-cut upgrade readily available, so if you told me Carolina signed or traded for someone to ‘compete’ with Young, I would not be surprised in the slightest.
Carolina is trending in the right direction, though, and they deserve a ton of credit for that. They’re one of the 14 teams in the playoffs for a reason.
21. Minnesota Vikings
Credit where it’s due - the Minnesota Vikings, despite all the mess they went through this year with the QB position, still managed to finish with a 9-8 record, and many NFL teams struggle routinely to get over .500. The Vikings’ QB issues, though, are a major problem, and it would be a shock if the front office didn’t search for a veteran in the offseason.
Someone like Mac Jones could be a perfect fit to compete with JJ McCarthy, who not only was largely awful this year, but is also someone who has had multiple injuries in just two seasons. The Vikings are otherwise a well-built roster and could get into the playoffs in 2026 with more efficient QB play.
It really does go to show you just how good this coaching staff is with the team ending a respectable 9-8. After a 14-win season, though, this regression is impossible to ignore.