The NFC has really been a fun conference to follow this year, and it's had some unexpected results thus far. The two clubs that represented the NFC in the conference championship game have both regressed big-time, and other teams like the Chicago Bears have broken out in a big way.
We're now approaching the time of the season where playoff-clinching scenarios are developing. The Los Angeles Rams, for example, can clinch a playoff spot in Week 15. In the coming weeks, the playoff picture is going to take shape, and across the league, we could be in for an incredibly competitive postseason.
Let's power rank the NFC ahead of Week 15.
Updated NFC Power Rankings approaching TNF in Week 15
16. Washington Commanders
It's hard to believe how far the Washington Commanders have fallen, but a bad, old roster that can't stay healthy has regressed this team big-time. Jayden Daniels has been in and out of the lineup this year, and this is simply one of those seasons that the entire franchise has to put behind them.
15. New York Giants
The New York Giants might have someone special in Jaxson Dart, but he's been hurt multiple times this year and will need to learn how to better take care of himself, which should be very possible with better coaching. I am not sure much of anyone in the front office survives beyond 2025, and we already saw Brian Daboll be shown the door. This is both a season to forget and a season that could be the beginning of something notable.
14. New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough is... good?
The second-round rookie has played quite well, and it seems like the New Orleans Saints will not have to take a QB in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft with how solidly Shough has played this year.
13. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals were once 2-0 but have since bottomed out. There is a chance that a new coaching staff is brought in, as nothing is working for this team, and this comes after 2023 and 2024 seasons where the franchise did show notable improvement.
12. Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons play on Thursday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it's been Kirk Cousins getting the starts lately, as Michael Penix Jr hurt his knee and is out for the rest of the season. It's yet another year to forget for the Falcons, and with the team not even having a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, things have simply gotten very difficult for the franchise at the worst possible time.
11. Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings somehow shutout the Washington Commanders in Week 14, but that does not really change things all that much, as Minnesota has largely been a bad team this year and have gotten bottom-tier QB play from JJ McCarthy, who is not a lock to return to the team as a starter in 2026. The Vikings were a 14-win team in the 2024 NFL Season and probably have some regrets not -re-signing Sam Darnold, who is having a great year with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Vikings have a lot of questions to answer.
10. Carolina Panthers
The 7-6 Carolina Panthers are going to be watching this TNF game in Week 15 very carefully. If the Buccaneers lose and fall to 7-7, the Panthers would then, for the time being, take over in first place in the NFC South, and there is a legitimate chance that the Panthers, of all teams, host a playoff game this year. It's been a stellar coaching job by Dave Canales, but I am not going to hesitate to say that I think we still need to see more from Bryce Young. He's played his best football of his career this year, but it's not great.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a season to forget, as injuries have contributed to a regression across the board, and this team is usually running away with the NFC South race at this point, but a loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football in Week 15 would drop them into second place.
Todd Bowles, in my opinion, is a low-ceiling head coach and not going to be the person that takes this team over the edge again, so that is where I would look to make a chance if I was a decision-maker in Tampa.
8. Philadelphia Eagles
Now losers of three in a row, the Philadelphia Eagles are simply not a good team at this point. The offense is inefficient, and the defense isn't quite as good as it was last year. It seems like Philly is an 'every other year' type of team.
This team has a major issue at the QB position, and we should not be afraid to talk about that. When a team is this inconsistent year over year, and the QB already has limitations to begin with, doesn't that make him a major issue?
Until Philly realizes that Jalen Hurts is holding them back on that side of the ball, they will not sustain long-term success like they want to.
7. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are still alive in the NFC Playoff Picture but probably have to win out and get some help to get in. The offense has been top-tier and the reason why this team isn't among the worst in the league, but it's really been the defense that has brought everything down. The additions they made at the NFL trade deadline were good, but they may not have been quite enough this season. I would not be shocked to see Dallas breaking out more in 2026 and becoming a juggernaut.
6. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions lost both Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn to head coaching jobs this past offseason, and it's impacting them negatively. The Lions are 8-5 and could totally miss the playoffs this year. Losing both coordinators has been brutal, and head coach Dan Campbell recently took offensive play-calling duties away from John Morton, so things just haven't been as smooth as they were in previous seasons.
5. San Francisco 49ers
The 9-4 San Francisco 49ers have been great this year despite all of the injuries they have been through. The Niners aren't going to make a playoff run this year, as the top-end roster talent just isn't there anymore, but this has been a stellar coaching job by Kyle Shanahan. The Niners lost guys like Fred Warner and Nick Bosa to season-ending injuries and have dealt with a ton of other ailments on the offensive side of the ball.
4. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a very good team and have made a ton of progress under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. The Bears are still a year away, but it's not hard to see that Johnson is indeed cut out to be a head coach in this league. The Bears lost the NFC North lead in Week 14, but they also held that lead up to that point, so it's just been a very impressive year for the franchise.
3. Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks have had a great season and are oddly a lot better playing away from home than they are at home. Mike Macdonald is an excellent head coach, and, despite a four-interception performance against the LA Rams a few weeks ago, Sam Darnold has been great.
Everything is working for Seattle at this point, and there really might only be one reason why this team does not make a deep run, and it would be Darnold's subpar performances in big games. That seems to be a legitimate problem, but it might be the only thing that this team could struggle with.
2. Green Bay Backers
The Green Bay Packers are one of the more complete teams in the NFL and have won four games in a row. Beating the Chicago Bears in Week 14, Green Bay is now in first place in the NFC North, and it really feels like they are going to win the division this year. Jordan Love is also playing the best football of his career, and the defense has been good for multiple years now.
There really isn't much the Packers can't do, and they will surely have their biggest test to date in Week 15 when the visit the 11-2 Denver Broncos. Green Bay is no. 2 in our power rankings.
1. Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams not only have the best QB in the NFL right now, but they also might have the best head coach and one of the five-best rosters in the league. At this point, I would be shocked if LA didn't win the Super Bowl this year. They've been that good, and sitting at 10-3, they are in a position to earn the top seed in the NFC, which would guarantee them a bye and homefield advantage.
The duo of Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay led this team to a title back in 2021. There is no reason why they can't do it again, as I think this year's team is better than the Super Bowl team.