14. San Francisco 49ers (6-4)
It’s honestly pretty impressive that the San Francisco 49ers are 6-4. They’ve dealt with a ton of injuries this year on both sides of the ball and just aren’t working with much. Guys like Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Brock Purdy have missed a chunk of the season, and other injuries to lesser players have also contributed to this situation as well.
The 49ers are still in a good spot to earn a Wild Card spot in the NFC playoffs this year, and they did win just six games all of 2024, so they are already at their win total from last season. The injuries have been a huge factor that has not allowed head coach Kyle Shanahan to sustain success, as it feels like this team gets seriously hurt every other season.
With the Rams and Seahawks significantly better, the Niners’ quest at the NFC West title feels about over. Brock Purdy’s return to the lineup could help, but Mac Jones has played very well with Purdy being out.
Heck, I would not be shocked if the 49ers had a long discussion about the QB situation when the 2025 NFL Season is over.
13. Buffalo Bills (6-3)
Bad. Ugly. Terrible. The Buffalo Bills do this a couple of times a year, so I guess they got one of these out of the way after Week 10. It was a horrendous loss to the Miami Dolphins, and I think it’s time we stop looking at the Bills as being a legitimate contender. Heck, this team might not even win the division this year, so let’s pump the brakes.
The Dolphins averaged seven yards per play and gashed Buffalo on the ground, which was the main issue here, and the Bills’ defense has been an issue this entire season. Unless some radical change happens, you don’t get the sense that the Bills are going to become threats in the playoffs.
And just because “they’ve done it before,” doesn’t mean 2025 will bring a similar result. Both Buffalo and Kansas City have regressed this year, honestly. The Bills fall in our latest NFL power rankings, and this team is truly nothing special.