The 2025 NFL regular season is now officially in the books, so we can make our way to the NFL playoffs now. The entire playoff picture is set, as teams will now turn their attention to Wild Card Weekend.
The teams that have been eliminated from the playoffs are turning their attention to the offseason and figuring out how to get better. The free agency period and the 2026 NFL Draft is how all NFL teams try to get better, but it does not always work out.
For the last time in the regular season, we have our NFL Power Rankings, and we've based our rankings on the total body of work for each team, as each squad has 17 games in the books, and we can judge them based on an entire season now.
Updated NFL Power Rankings after the regular season in 2025
32. New York Jets
The New York Jets are probably glad that the season is over, as this was the worst team in the NFL this year. New York did not record a single interception and were among the bottom-3 teams on offense and defense. The elite special teams was nice, but that was really the only good thing with this operation.
The Jets finish the regular season as our no. 32 team in one of our final power rankings. The coaching staff probably needs to be replaced, but it seems like Aaron Glenn is going to get a second season.
31. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders won in Week 18, but that did not change their 2026 NFL Draft position. The Raiders are still picking first overall in April, and they should target Fernando Mendoza from Indiana.
Vegas made huge changes this offseason when they traded for Geno Smith and hired Pete Carroll. The idea with those two moves was to bring in some stability for the team for a couple of seasons, but the total opposite happened.
Carroll was and probably is still a good head coach, but Geno Smith was among the worst quarterbacks in the NFL this year, and it seems like the Raiders’ new brass totally overrated just how bad this roster was.
30. Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are probably glad that the 2025 NFL Season is now over. This team was doomed from the start, but we did see rookie QB Cam Ward really begin to stack some strong performances as the season came to an end.
The Titans do have something to build toward in 2026, but this roster might just be the worst in the NFL, and the front office now really has to put their foot to the gas in finding the right head coach.
Matt Magy might be the early favorite, but if you ask me, Mike McCarthy would be a stellar hire. The next coaching staff is likely going to have a QB-development focus to it. The Titans circled the drain in our NFL power rankings all season.
29. Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs did not expect to be this bad in 2025, but here we are. The Chiefs lost Patrick Mahomes a few weeks ago to a torn ACL and then lost Gardner Minshew to the same injury the very next game.
The Chiefs were riding by on the edge of their seats with a below-average roster, asking Mahomes to bail the team out most weeks, and we began to see things crumble here in 2025. Kansas City won all of their one-score games in 2024 but got blown out in the Super Bowl.
Making three Super Bowls in a row and winning games by slim margins caught up to them here in 2025, so it should not come as a surprise that they weren’t nearly as good. The Chiefs now have to take to the 2026 offseason to tweak this roster and bring in the necessary talent to get this operation back on track.
With Mahomes recovering from his torn ACL, there really isn’t a guarantee when he’s going to be ready in the 2026 season.
28. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals were once 2-0 on the season but proceeded to go 1-14 over the final 15 games. The Cardinals collapsed big-time here in 2025, and after an encouraging season in 2024, the team went backwards in 2025.
Jonathan Gannon appears to be safe, but Kyler Murray does not seem to be in the same boat, as the Cardinals are likely moving on from Murray in some capacity this offseason, which puts Arizona in an interesting situation at the most important position in all of sports.
The Cardinals have to figure something out, and fast, as jobs are very likely going to be on the line in 2026 if the team cannot field a winning record, and they might even have a playoff mandate as well.
Arizona gradually fell in our NFL Power Rankings and end the year as the 28th-ranked team with way more questions than answers. This team now feels very far away from winning anything of substance.
27. Cleveland Browns
Well, if nothing else, the Cleveland Browns now have the single-season record-holder for sacks in Myles Garrett, who was able to get to Joe Burrow to break the record, which was held by TJ Watt and Michael Strahan.
However, the Cleveland Browns were in a lost season for weeks now and were again a dysfunctional mess on the offensive side of the ball. Furthermore, Kevin Stefanski could be on the way out as well, as it might be time for some new blood in the building.
We’re going to try to look at some of these bad teams with an optimistic lens in our final NFL power rankings, though, and with the defense being in a great spot, the Browns are a competent QB and another offensive weapon away from being a winning football team, and I truly believe that.
However, the Browns have taken residency near the bottom of our NFL power rankings for weeks now, so there’s that. It’s time for the free agency period and the NFL Draft for this franchise.
26. Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals have a ton of issues, but they have fixable issues. The first issue I believe this team has is at head coach - Zac Taylor is a fine head coach, but given the Bengals’ issues over the past couple of seasons, I really think the team needs to turn their attention toward bringing in a more defensive-minded coach.
With the trio of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, the Bengals’ offense is likely always going to be in a good spot, so putting an emphasis on defense is the way this front office should go in 2026.
Someone who could make a lot of sense is Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who was once a defensive assistant for the Bengals about 10 years ago. Cincy has now missed the playoffs for a third-straight year, which is simply inexcusable for how good of a quarterback Joe Burrow is.
25. New York Giants
In another lost season, the New York Giants ended up hurting their NFL Draft position for April by beating the Dallas Cowboys. This is always an interesting discussion - teams that are close to that top pick in the NFL Draft probably want that high pick internally, but you can’t really openly tank a game, can you?
The Giants are not clinching that first overall pick, as it belongs to the Las Vegas Raiders. While the G-Men stunk it up this year, rookie QB Jaxson Dart did show some flashes throughout the season.
He’s got to learn how to not take those big hits, but it is so obvious (to me, at least) that Dart is someone who can develop into a franchise quarterback. The Giants should spent the 2026 offseason surrounding Dart with more talent and bringing in a coaching staff that knows how to develop a quarterback, period.
The Giants might have some light at the end of the tunnel, folks.
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.
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.
20. New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints finish the 2025 NFL Season a respectable 6-11 after fielding a bottom-5 roster this year. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough played quite well down the stretch and is honestly emerging as a good, younger quarterback who the Saints can build with in 2026 and beyond.
Kellen Moore was also in his first year on the job and honestly did quite well. Overall, with how weak the NFC South is, the New Orleans Saints could be in a position to compete for the title in 2026, and if you told me Shough became the best QB in the division in 2026, I would not be surprised.
It’s not every year we have a six-win team that ends up being satisfied with the season as a whole, but I do believe this is the case for the Saints. GM Mickey Loomis needs to add a bit more talent on the offensive side of the ball, but the foundation on defense has been set and is definitely a unit that can take another leap in 2026.
19. Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 18 and got a win that really only hurts their 2026 NFL Draft position. The Commanders had a season to forget and could make some coaching changes in the offseason.
Dan Quinn seems to be safe, but some key assistants are probably not. Washington went into the 2025 NFL Season with an aging, below-average roster that struggled to stay healthy this year. Much of their lack of success is simply due to players going down, so getting key players back in 2026 is going to do wonders for their chances to bounce back.
The Commanders have a ton of roster issues overall, though, as they need to find more young talent, and it’s really not as easy as it might seem. I would expect to be a better year, but it’s going to be a massive uphill battle for this team.
18. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins end the season with a loss and finish 7-10 on the season, which actually isn’t all that bad given where this team started. Miami did get back into the NFL Playoff Picture a few weeks ago, but this team is not built for a playoff spot this year.
The Dolphins parted ways with GM Chris Grier but seem poised to keep head coach Mike McDaniel on the job, which is probably the right move. The team will have a huge quarterback decision to make, as it seems like Tua Tagovailoa is as good as gone.
It’s not that simple financially, though, so Miami might have to get creative, and the new GM will immediately have a massive task in front of him. Furthermore, the rest of the roster is just OK, so this team is going to take some time to get going again.
17. Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons finish 8-9 on the season and have won either seven or eight games in each year since the 2021 NFL Season. Perhaps the most ‘mid’ team in the NFL, the Falcons were actually 3-2 at one point this year with a good, young offense and an explosive defense that got to the QB.
But it’s clear to me that this team does have legitimate coaching issues, and with Raheem Morris out of the picture, it’s good that the Falcons’ front office and ownership figured that out.
The Falcons were too talented to not finish with a winning record this year, so perhaps a new coaching staff is able to bring out the best in this solid roster. This was the right move for the Falcons, as Morris is clearly not cut out to be a good head coach in this league. Atlanta becomes the latest team to make a head coaching change.
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.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh will have played on Sunday Night Football
As I had said with the Baltimore Ravens, the Pittsburgh Steelers are another team simply not built to win in the NFL playoff, so if the Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football, that’s as far as they’ll go in the playoffs.
The AFC North was once a proud division, but it’s since turned into one of the more pathetic ones in the NFL. The Steelers just do not seem to be taking the QB position seriously at all. Aaron Rodgers has been fine this year, but that’s it.
Until Pittsburgh gets serious here, they won’t make any progress in the AFC, a conference that now has a ton of young quarterback talent. Pittsburgh also needs to invest more into the offensive side of the ball and get with the times in that regard.
The Steelers don’t scare teams anymore and are probably going to be in a hotly contested, close game with the Ravens. Pittsburgh feels like an average team at best.
13. Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers had already clinched the no. 7 playoff seed before Week 18 kicked off, this is one of the more rare situations where a playoff team legitimately had nothing to play for. The seventh seed will play against the two seed.
The Packers’ season has gone off the rails a bit even before this meaningless loss, as Micah Parsons went down with a torn ACL a few weeks ago, and other players began to get hurt. The Packers are honestly limping into the playoffs at 9-7-1, and it’s a bit shocking to see how far this team fell off after a very promising mid-season surge.
You don’t get the sense that Green Bay will be able to make any progress in the playoffs, as they could again be looking at a one-and-done postseason. At some point, we might have to begin talking about some deeper issues if this team can’t make a playoff run in the next year or so.
12. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions beat the Chicago Bears in Week 18, and while the Lions came into this game mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, this game still meant a lot. It was a divisional shown first and foremost.
Secondly, the Bears head coach, Ben Johnson, was on the Detroit Lions staff for years. Dan Campbell clearly wanted to get a win here, as it also meant the Lions finished with yet another winning record.
That is now four years in a row that the Lions have a winning record, but this team regressed big-time in 2025. The defense fell off a cliff, and they battled injuries all year. This comes after winning 15 games in the regular season in 2024.
Detroit will put an emphasis on defense in the offseason and try to get back on track for 2026. This is a well-run, winning organization, and if the 2025 season showed us anything, it showed us just how hard it is to win at the NFL level.
11. Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles lost in Week 18, so they remained as the third seed in the NFC and will welcome the San Francisco 49ers to town in the Wild Card Round, which should be a very interesting game.
The Eagles definitely dealt with the Super Bowl hangover a bit this year and regressed a little, but an 11-6 record is still quite impressive. With the offense looking disjointed at times, you don’t get the sense that unit is good enough to lead this team on a run again.
However, the 49ers are coming into this game with average talent, so Philly having more talented players is something that could play a huge part in advancing to the Divisional Round. I would not count on the Eagles going super deep in the playoffs, but I guess you never know.
The Eagles are just outside the top-10 in our final NFL Power Rankings of the regular season.
10. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers were playing a ton of backups in Week 18 and did give the Denver Broncos a run for their money, so that’s something. However, LA lost the AFC West in Week 17 thanks to a Broncos win and their losing to the Houston Texans.
The Chargers really did not have much to play for in this one, and LA probably did do themselves some favors by not playing key starters, as the Denver Broncos had the no. 1 seed at stake in this one.
Los Angeles has dealt with below-average offensive line play this year, as Justin Herbert was sacked over 50 times and needed this time off. The Chargers aren’t really built to go deep in the playoffs, as it’s pretty clear where this team is going to invest when the 2026 offseason rolls around.
The Chargers fall a little bit in our NFL power rankings. They have gone 11-6 in each season of the Jim Harbaugh era.
9. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are still the second seed in the NFC even with the loss in Week 18. The Detroit Lions beat them, but with the Philadelphia Eagles also losing, the Bears did not lose any ground, as Chicago beat Philly a few weeks ago.
The Bears have had a season to remember and are now set to host the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Chicago did beat Green Bay a few weeks ago at home, and I do believe a similar result can happen.
Chicago has been pretty solid this year - the defense has excelled at creating turnovers, and the run game has come alive on offense. However, Chicago can’t get to the QB consistently, and the passing attack just is not very good right now.
The Bears aren’t going to win the Super Bowl or anything, but an 11-6 record in Ben Johnson’s first year on the job paints a very nice picture for the long-term.
Good for the Chicago Bears. It’s time for the playoffs.
8. San Francisco 49ers
What we saw in Week 18 is the main reason why the San Francisco 49ers aren’t going to go very far in the NFL playoffs. While this team is good, the roster is missing a ton of talent, not only in not having enough good players, but also in missing some due to injury.
You just got the sense early on against the Seattle Seahawks that the 49ers were overwhelmed. Seattle’s personnel might be the best in the NFC. Nonetheless, though, the 49ers are 12-5 on the season and still in a good spot overall.
This team won six games in the 2024 NFL Season, so the franchise doubled its win total from the season before. That is impressive. Coaching-wise, the 49ers have their guys, as it’s really just going to be about adding more talented players into this operation.
7. Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills threw Josh Allen in for a play to extend his starting streak. The Bills beat the snot out of the New York Jets in Week 18 and have capped off a solid 12-5 season. Buffalo probably expected to win the AFC East this year, but the New England Patriots shocked the NFL world and won the division.
Buffalo is now playing the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card Round, and that isn’t going to be an easy matchup at all. The Bills have regressed ever so slightly on both sides of the ball, and you get the sense that Josh Allen is really going to have to put on the Superman cape if the Bills want to go far.
The good thing here though, is that the Bills won’t have to deal with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, and many have cited that as the main reason why this team could finally get over the hump and make the Super Bowl this year.
6. Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams did what they were supposed to do and beat the Arizona Cardinals, finishing 12-5 on the season. However, despite finishing with a better record than they did last year, the Rams lost the NFC West due to the 13-4 Seattle Seahawks.
The Rams had the division won but lost in both Week 16 and 17, and those losses ended their chances at the division title and the top seed. The good thing here for the Rams, though, is that they get to face the Carolina Panthers.
But as it would be, the Rams lost to the Panthers in Carolina a few weeks ago, so who knows what will truly happen. The Rams may have the MVP of the NFL in Matthew Stafford, and they have an elite head coach in Sean McVay. This team won it all in the 2021 NFL Season and do have what it takes to get back to the big game in 2025.
However, they’ll have to go on the road to do that. LA is no. 6 in our last regular season NFL power rankings.
5. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans were in a shocking back and forth game with the Indianapolis Colts, who were starting rookie QB Riley Leonard. Leonard has his moments and might be someone the Colts bank on to make a leap in 2026.
Houston wins, though, and finishes 12-5 on the year after a horrific 0-3 start. This was a stellar coaching job by DeMeco Ryans and his staff, and the Texans are now officially locked into the fifth seed for the NFL playoffs.
The Texans could win a playoff game or two, as this defense is top-tier. CJ Stroud should be able to be good enough, as the Texans have made it into the Divisional Round in Stroud’s first two seasons.
Oddly enough, the Texans’ 12-5 record is the best in the Ryans’ era, but it’s also the first year that he doesn’t win the AFC South title! Houston isn’t a Super Bowl team, but they can absolutely win a game or two this year.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are AFC South champions after throttling the Tennessee Titans in Week 18. The Jaguars now head to the NFL Playoffs under first-year head coach Liam Coen. Coen could be a major candidate for the Coach of the Year award, as the 13-4 Jaguars came a long way just from a year ago.
Not only has Trevor Lawrence been on fire, but the defense has been stingy all year. The Jags have also recently inked some extensions in some forward-thinking moves by extending WR Jakobi Meyers and OT Cole Van Lanen.
It’s enviable how quickly the Jaguars have turned things around, and I would not be shocked if they ended up winning the AFC. This is a balanced roster with a QB heating up at the right time and a defense that takes the ball away at an insane level.
Juggernaut.
3. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots blew out the Miami Dolphins in Week 18 and secured the second seed for the AFC playoffs, which means they will face the Los Angeles Chargers. LA comes to town for Wild Card Weekend, and it’s going to be some new faces for the Pats.
The Patriots have not been in the playoffs since the 2021 NFL Season when Mac Jones was under center, and that game was in Buffalo. The Pats have their first home playoff game since the 2019 NFL Season when Tom Brady was still in town.
We saw the Patriots emerge as one of the best overall teams in the league all year. They’re stout on both sides of the ball but might not have enough roster talent to make a deep run. However, head coach Mike Vrabel might just be the Coach of the Year, so they have that going for themselves.
New England isn’t going to make it to the Super Bowl, but this team is flat-out excellent and have a ton of resources to go all-in next offseason for what could be a very special 2026.
2. Denver Broncos
Once again, the Denver Broncos never make it easy, but this team is now 14-3 on the season, and with that comes the no. 1 seed for the AFC playoffs. The AFC postseason now runs through Denver for the first time since they won the Super Bowl back in 2015.
In many instances, the Broncos won this year by doing just enough on offense and closing the game out on defense. Funnily enough, that’s the same blueprint the 2015 won 12 games in the regular season with and a few more in the playoffs to capture Super Bowl 50.
Many aren’t yet ready to look at the Denver Broncos as a contender, and the team didn’t really do enough to silence those haters. However, no team is ever going to apologizing for winning, no matter how ugly it might look.
There were just two other teams in the NFL that had at least 14 wins. The Broncos will now get a bye into the Divisional Round and play the lowest remaining seed. This is the case for the Seattle Seahawks, as well.
1. Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are now the first seed in the NFC thanks to their 10-point win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18. The Seahawks ‘little brothered’ the 49ers, as the Niners just could not match the explosive roster talent that Seattle has.
The NFC will go through the NFC West champs, and now that the one seed is wrapped up, Seattle will be on the bye through the Wild Card Round and will only have to win two home games to reach Super Bowl LX.
It’s an ideal scenario, and ever since the NFL went to the seven-team playoff format, only the top seed gets the first-round bye.
Seattle has been very good all year and have earned this, but the one thing that I can see derailing their season is Sam Darnold’s turnover issues.