6. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans went out with a whimper in the Divisional Round against the New England Patriots. The Texans have actually not won a Divisional Round game in their franchise history, which is insane to think about.
This franchise might have a serious issue, too, as starting quarterback CJ Stroud has largely looked awful since his breakout season back in 2023. It’s a massive issue, as they shouldn’t even begin to think about contract extension talks.
The Texans will have to make a decision about his fifth-year option. They should pick that up, but beyond that, Stroud does need to prove himself again. Defensively, this team is loaded and have a Super Bowl-caliber unit on that side of the ball, but the offense looks a but clunky when Stroud is in.
Houston has still been in a good spot these past three seasons. They’ve advanced into the Divisional Round each year since 2023 and have won a playoff game in three years in a row. That is notable and something that most NFL teams cannot say right now.
5. Chicago Bears
Wow, what a season from the Chicago Bears. The Bears come in at no. 5 in our power rankings and are just outside the final four teams. It was a low-scoring, back-and-forth game in the Divisional Round, and Caleb Williams saved the day on an impossible fourth down touchdown pass.
The Bears were really maxed out, honestly - this was about as far as they were going to go this year, but the future is insanely bright. Ben Johnson was brought in as the head coach and had this team within one game of the conference title.
It’s a very impressive feat overall. In the offseason, the Bears need to focus on getting a bit more stout along the defensive line, and the secondary could use another starter or two. Caleb Williams was solid this year, but that completion percentage has to get better in a huge year three.
If the 2025 season was any indication, the Bears should be a contender in 2026.