16. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore will have played on Sunday Night Football
The Baltimore Ravens have had a season to forget, but if they were able to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, they’d be in the playoffs. Whoever wins the SNF showdown is hosting the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round.
But even if the Ravens win this one, this team has issues, and they’d get bounced out in the first round of the postseason. Baltimore began the year 1-5 and dealt with a ton of injuries, including Lamar Jackson.
Jackson just has not been himself this year, and while the Ravens have a ton of roster talent, you get the sense that this team might actually benefit from not even getting into the playoffs.
Baltimore isn’t a special team and doesn’t feel close to how good they’ve been in previous seasons. The Ravens are in need of some new players and perhaps some new coaches as well.
15. Dallas Cowboys
Both Dak Prescott and Joe Milton got action at quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18. Dallas lost to the New York Giants and ended the season 7-9-1, but there is a ton of optimism for this team in 2026.
Dallas currently has two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft and could really reshape their defense. The team notably traded Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, but then proceeded to add Logan Wilson and Quinnen Williams at the NFL Trade Deadline.
The most obvious thing we’ll see any NFL team do in the offseason is seeing the Cowboys overhaul their defensive coaching staff while also simply bringing in better players at all three levels. With how good the offense is, the Cowboys could be a team to watch in 2026, as Dak Prescott is still playing at a high level.