The NFC may have actually been a better and more talented conference than the AFC last year, and when you look at some of the non-playoff teams in the NFC from 2025, it's easy to see just how competitive this conference could get in the 2026 NFL Season.
You could make an argument for most NFC teams to have a chance at the playoffs, but with just seven of 16 teams getting into the playoffs in each conference, we'll likely continue to see some good teams falling just short.
The Detroit Lions might be the best example of this of any team last year - the Lions were 7-4 at one point, fell apart down the stretch, and missed the playoffs with a 9-8 record despite having one of the best rosters in the league. Let's power-rank the seven NFC playoff teams as the 2026 season rapidly approaches.
Power-ranking the seven NFC Playoff Teams as the 2026 season approaches
7. Carolina Panthers
A very rare occurence in the NFL, a losing team made the playoffs last year, as the 8-9 Carolina Panthers just barely won the NFC South, a highly-competitive but highly-mediocre division. I do think there is a solid chance that all four teams actually finish with a winning record in the South in 2026, but that doesn't really impact the rankings here.
Carolina did progress nicely from the 2024 season, but this team still left a lot of meat on the bone. The roster absolutely got better in the offseason with key free agency additions in Devin Lloyd and Jaelan Phillips, but a massive question mark still remains at quarterback.
Bryce Young did play the best football of his career in 2025, but his best, at least last year, was still rather mediocre, and it simply needs to improve again in 2026. If Young continues to play at the same level he did last year for 2026, the Panthers would be fools to invest in him long-term, but if another sizeable leap happens, Carolina is in business.
The team is built nicely along the offensive line and could see another defensive improvement, but the Panthers are missing that bite that other playoff teams have in the NFC. Young can help the Panthers create that bite, as the roster has really come into shape in recent years and is rather thorough, if nothing else.
For now, the Panthers are taking the last spot in our NFC playoff team power rankings. The worst of the best, if you will. All of Tampa Bay, New Orleans, and Atlanta do have valid arguments to win the NFC South, so this division is one to keep an eye out for in 2026.
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