Week 15 of the 2024 NFL season delivered in a big way, and it’s not even over yet. We’ve got a double-header of Monday night action, which will include the Minnesota Vikings vying for the #1 seed in the NFC as well as the Atlanta Falcons trying to keep their playoff hopes alive.
This week was absolutely loaded with intrigue going in, and there were some huge shifts in the playoff race in both conferences. The Denver Broncos jumped the Los Angeles Chargers with a head-to-head matchup looming on Thursday. The Colts and Dolphins’ playoff hopes almost vanished into thin air. The Houston Texans clinched the AFC South. The Philadelphia Eagles won the battle of Pennsylvania.
We’ve got a lot fo unpack in this special Week 16 edition of NFL Power Rankings for the 2024 season.
NFL Power Rankings, Week 16: Eagles, Bills take over at the top
32. New York Giants
You know it’s been that kind of season when Tim Boyle is getting in the game.
The New York Giants have utilized Boyle, Tommy DeVito, Drew Lock, and Daniel Jones this season. And none of those guys are inspiring confidence for the future of the franchise. Jones isn’t even around anymore, signing with the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad just a couple of years after getting a massive contract from the Giants.
The Giants welcomed the Baltimore Ravens to MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon and they were very accommodating. Lamar Jackson might have just thrown another touchdown pass, come to think of it. The Giants simply were overmatched and they’ve been overmatched for most of the season. There’s not much for this team to hang its hat on right now other than a promising rookie class, but they will need to hit on the QB they add this coming offseason to make the most out of that promising class.
With another loss, the Giants continue to move up the 2025 NFL Draft board. A new quarterback will be on the way soon, but will GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll be around to pick him? This organization is at a very interesting crossroads in the 2025 offseason.
31. Las Vegas Raiders
Raiders play Monday vs. Falcons
Believe it or not, I actually picked the Raiders to win their game on Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons. I fell prey to the storyline of Desmond Ridder facing off against his old team.
But that pick was made before it was announced that Maxx Crosby was being shut down for the season with arthroscopic surgery.
Oh well. You can’t say we don’t take risks around here, and as of the time of this post being written, the Raiders aren’t out of it just yet. They could still get themselves a big win on Monday night.
And that win would have huge 2025 NFL Draft implications. The Raiders were temporarily jumped on Sunday by the New York Giants for the #1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they would reclaim their spot atop next year’s draft with a loss against the Falcons. And the shutting down of Maxx Crosby is indicative that the Raiders are fully invested in 2025. We’ll see what there is to evaluate at this point.
At least Raiders fans get a handful of additional games of Brock Bowers.
30. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots kind of just are what they are at this point.
Every game is an opportunity to see and evaluate Drake Maye, and every game is also a painful reminder that the Patriots desperately need to surround Maye with better overall talent.
Good news: Travis Hunter could soon be on the way. Or someone.
The issue right now is that the Patriots are shockingly one of a whopping seven teams in the NFL right now with 11 or more losses. You would think that being 3-11 at this point in the season, you’d be in pretty good shape for a top three pick. But if the Patriots want the best non-quarterback on their 2025 NFL Draft board, they are going to have to continue losing.
The problem is, you want to see Maye continue to take strides, and if that happens, we could see this team accidentally win another game or two. Luckily for them, they play the Bills twice and the Chargers in between over the final three weeks of the season. A top three pick feels imminent for this team, which recommitted to head coach Jerod Mayo last week.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
I mean, at this point, we’re all just waiting for the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2024 season to be over. We would have simulated to the end of the year a long time ago if we could have.
The great news for the Jaguars from this past weekend? Well, they ended up losing a game at home against the New York Jets, keeping their 2025 NFL Draft standing intact. They not only lost, but they lost in style as well, rocking the glorious throwback uniforms from the 90s which should still be their permanent uniforms. We also saw another great performance from young wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., one of the top building blocks of this Jaguars team.
But the big news is that a loss once again pushes this team further up the 2025 NFL Draft order. Maybe the Jaguars don’t care much about having Travis Hunter (not that anyone in the NFL really tanks anyway) but this is a franchise that could use whoever ends up being the top non-quarterback on their draft board. It still seems likely that Doug Pederson is going to be gone as soon as the 2024 season concludes, and the Jaguars are going to be in position to try and lure a top head coaching candidate to Jacksonville this coming offseason.
So who is going to want this job? How many question marks linger about Trevor Lawrence and what you’re going to get out of him going forward? It’s not impossible to think this could be one of the most attractive jobs in the league in a few weeks.
28. Tennessee Titans
The volatility of Will Levis continued in Week 15 as the Titans got out to a 14-7 lead against the Cincinnati Bengals, and then the craziness ensued.
Levis threw another pick-six and the Bengals ended up getting the second-year player benched with Mason Rudolph taking his place. I think it’s probably safe to say at this point that the Tennessee Titans are going to be going a different direction at the quarterback position this offseason and general manager Ran Carthon has a bit of a difficult job.
He’s set himself up for a weird scenario having gone after some prominent veterans in 2024 NFL free agency like running back Tony Pollard and wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Not to mention the trade and extension for cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.
The Titans operated this past offseason as though they had the QB position settled, but that obviously wasn’t the case. It was worth the shot with Will Levis but they are probably going to be going back to the drawing board and looking to make a big splash.
27. Carolina Panthers
I dove headfirst into the hype with the Carolina Panthers this past week, calling them one of the top three teams “guaranteed” to win in Week 15. You’ve got to own up to your bad takes in this industry.
The Panthers were straight-up smacked around by the Dallas Cowboys, and couldn’t cash in on being favorites (albeit only 2.5 points at home) for the first time in two years.
Still, I’m buying some stock in Bryce Young and this Panthers team under Dave Canales. They’ve done some nice things lately and Young has rebounded nicely since being benched earlier this year. Even with the Panthers struggling against Dallas on Sunday, this is a young roster with intriguing pieces that will be fun to follow in 2025. The NFC South looks like a very wide open division beyond this season and Carolina could be just a couple of key pieces away.
Get this team a stud off the edge and maybe another playmaker in the secondary, and they might be able to go from worst to first next season.
26. New Orleans Saints
Well, the Saints gave it a valiant effort after they benched Jake Haener for rookie Spencer Rattler, but they fell just short and ultimately kind of gifted the Washington Commanders a win in Week 15.
The Saints scored a touchdown as time expired in regulation, and as you would have expected from a team with absolutely nothing to lose, they went for a two-point conversion instead of kicking an extra point to tie. The pass fell harmlessly to the ground.
For the Saints, it was probably the best outcome as they continued to move into more favorable 2025 NFL Draft position, joining the ranks of teams with nine or more losses so far this year. The unfortunate thing? They are one of 10 teams with nine or more losses already this season. And there are a number of teams right on their heels as well.
We should see Spencer Rattler the rest of the way this season but how much does it really matter? The Saints are going to move on to a new head coach after this year with the firing of Dennis Allen earlier this season. They have plenty of talent to work with but what does the future of Derek Carr hold in New Orleans? Are they going to blow up this roster and start fresh?
25. Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are one of a large number of teams likely just wishing the season could be over as soon as possible. It’s evaluation time for the Browns as they get looks at players who will potentially be around beyond 2024.
One of the key players in question is obviously quarterback Jameis Winston, who was seemingly pulled from the game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday for Dorian Thompson-Robinson. So perhaps that answers the question…
One thing is certain – the Browns cannot move forward and continue to spin their wheels with Deshaun Watson. Their offense has been downright terrible when he’s been on the field and even just a few weeks ago, the ability of Winston to come in and move the offense felt like a total gift from the football gods.
Heck, Winston threw for nearly 500 yards against the Denver Broncos just a couple of weeks ago. Life comes at you fast in the NFL.
Because of the Watson contract, an absolute albatross, the Browns kind of need to bank on a young quarterback on a rookie deal coming in and making an impact. They have some of the least financial flexibility right now of any team in the NFL going forward.
24. Chicago Bears
Bears play Monday night vs. Vikings
The Chicago Bears are obviously one of the more disappointing teams in the NFL this season, but the pieces and foundation seem to be in place. The Bears are basically just going to be trying to play spoiler the rest of this season, and Caleb Williams playing the best football we’ve seen from him this season would be an added bonus.
Does the NFL Draft standing matter for Chicago? Sure, but ruining things for division rivals and having Caleb Williams create some signature moments probably matters even more. Bears fans might not agree with that, but the best-case scenario from my seat is Williams playing as good as we’ve seen.
And he has a chance on Monday night to spoil the Vikings’ bid for the #1 overall seed in the NFC. As of lately, it’s been all Lions and Eagles in the NFC. The Bears nearly upset the Lions on Thanksgiving and now they’re going to be trying to ruin the Vikings’ fun on Monday night.
It’s going to be fascinating to see who this team brings in as its next coach in 2025.
23. New York Jets
The New York Jets showed plenty of fight in Week 15 going on the road to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. But let’s be honest about it – it was the Jaguars. They didn’t even have Trevor Lawrence out there.
Jets fans might not be overly pleased with the win because it hurts their 2025 NFL Draft status, but it was nice to see a vintage performance from Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams, wasn’t it? At the very least.
We don’t know what the future holds for the New York Jets in almost any capacity. Who is going to be the head coach of this team? Will Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams be back? Is Garrett Wilson going to demand a trade this offseason?
The Jets extended their extremely long and painful playof drought this season and everyone among the Jets’ faithful fan base is sick and tired of hearing “there’s always next year”. What does that even mean anymore? More misery?
The Jets are back to the drawing board in more ways than one this offseason, but perhaps more games like this could convince Rodgers and Adams to stick it out in New York for at least another year and give it a shot again in 2025. But does everyone in the organization want that?
22. Dallas Cowboys
Well, the Dallas Cowboys obviously took it to heart that the Carolina Panthers were favored at home on Sunday for the first time in two years. The Cowboys actually played pretty darn good on Sunday against a Panthers team that could have easily won its last five straight games.
But they ran into a bit of a buzzsaw on Sunday with Dallas coming to town.
Cooper Rush played a pretty fantastic game, but so did his receivers. CeeDee Lamb was making plays, Jalen Tolbert continues his breakout season, and Jalen Brooks made a really nice touchdown catch in the Cowboys’ win on Sunday as well. And that win was their 6th of the season, giving them a 6-8 record heading into the later portion of December.
So what in the heck is going to happen with this Cowboys team? They are likely to fizzle out here in the coming weeks, but with matchups against the Bucs, Eagles, and Commanders to close out the year, could Dallas actually make some noise? You never know in the NFL these days.
21. Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts may have just watched their playoff hopes vanish into thin air.
Literally.
The Colts went to Denver, the Mile High City (5,280 feet above sea level) and they committed an egregious five turnovers as a team on the road, including a baffling mistake by running back Jonathan Taylor which might have cost Indy their season.
Taylor was scampering into the end zone from 41 yards out to give the Colts a commanding 20-7 second-half lead, but after review, it was determined that he droppe the ball before crossing the goal line and the ball was turned over to Denver. Things spiraled out of control from there as the Colts saw a 13-7 lead that was supposed to grow to 20-7 turn into a 31-13 Denver victory.
All of this in front of Peyton Manning, too.
20. San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers just couldn’t stay healthy enough this season to hang in there in the NFC West. One more loss will give the 49ers their first losing season in how long at this point?
It’s abnormal these days, for certain.
But this is what injuries do to teams. The 49ers just couldn’t overcome everything that hit them on both sides of the ball this season, including losing Brandon Aiyuk for the entire 2024 season as well as Christian McCaffrey for most of the year.
It’s going to be intriguing to see how San Francisco bounces back in the 2025 offseason. They are en route to a top-15 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft but they’re going to have plenty of holes to address and plenty of future situations to address as well. GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan are going to have to take a long look in the mirror because this 49ers team has not drafted exceptionally well – especially defensively – in recent years.
They are in line for some pretty substantial changes.
19. Miami Dolphins
There are a lot of factors that cause a team to miss out on going to the playoffs over the course of a full season. For the Miami Dolphins, you can point back to an early injury this season to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as well as the general health of key players on their defense.
You can also point to Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
After watching the Miami Dolphins take on the Houston Texans on Sunday, I have determined that Derek Stingley Jr. has some of the best and most underrated hands in the league. Not once but twice Tua Tagovailoa tried to test Stingley’s coverage on Sunday and he was picked off, including an interception late in the fourth quarter with a chance to climb right back in it.
For the majority of Sunday’s game, Tyreek Hill was a non-factor. You have to point to the coverage of Stingley who has emerged as one of the top cornerbacks in the game over the last couple of years. He’s a stud.
The Dolphins don’t really care about Stingley, other than the fact that he basically just ruined their hopes of coming back and making the playoffs this year. The Dolphins have absolutely no margin for error the rest of the way and will need some additional help if they are going to scrape and claw their way back into the postseason.
18. Atlanta Falcons
Falcons play Monday vs. Raiders
There were some teams that got “gimme” games in Week 15. The Ravens played the Giants. The Cardinals played the Patriots. The Chiefs played the Browns.
This matchup on Monday for the Falcons going up against a Raiders team down to its third QB option this year as well as no Maxx Crosby?
Well, if you somehow find a way to lose this game, you’re fixing to start costing people some jobs in Atlanta. The Falcons have been rolling with Kirk Cousins through some really tough times over the last month-plus, and they are seemingly going to ride or die with Kirko Chains.
The Falcons need a win in the worst way after dropping four straight games and looking like a total pretender in the NFC. If they can get a win against the Raiders, they can at least keep hope alive for another week. Not that they can really afford to look ahead, but the Falcons could be 8-7 in the blink of an eye with their next two games against the Raiders and Giants…
17. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals, just like almost everyone in the NFC West these days, is trying desperately to keep pace. And they got a perfectly-timed matchup in Week 15 against the New England Patriots, who are clearly one of the worst teams in the NFL right now.
The Cardinals took care of business. This is a team that has the ability to be explosive in the passing game offensively, but they might be one of the most underrated running teams in the NFL. And Jonathan Gannon has his defense playing above what the talent on paper indicates they’d be able to.
As of right now, the Cardinals are still on the outside looking in at 7-7 with the Rams jumping up to 8-6 after their Thursday win, but the next three games are there for the taking. They will now go on the road to face off against the Carolina Panthers, a very winnable game, in Week 16. That matchup is followed up by a road game against their division rival Rams, a game that could end up deciding the playoff fate for one of the two teams. Arizona has a chance to finish strong here and force the issue, but as we continue bringing up for a number of other teams, the margin for error is extremely slim.
16. Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals needed to go into Tennessee and secure a win, and they did just that. But they should have had at least two defensive touchdowns. You can’t drop the ball right in front of the goal line.
C’mon, man…
The Bengals are making a late playoff push, but it might be too little, too late. This team has had some brutal luck in one-score games this season, so getting a bit of a blowout style win with a couple of defensive scores and allowing the fan base to breathe a little bit has to feel good for all involved parties.
The Bengals are considered one of the most dangerous teams in the entire AFC playoff race right now thanks to Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and that stellar offense. The Bengals are going to need to win their final three games and potentially get some additional help on top of that, but it’s not impossible that this team could be in the mix come January.
And if they find a way to get there? That’s a pretty scary thought for the rest of the AFC. I don’t know who would want to be playing a red-hot version of the Bengals this time of year, even as badly as their defense has struggled at times this season.
15. Los Angeles Rams
Well, you see, this is why I just can’t quit the Los Angeles Rams here in 2024. The Rams are now 8-6 and they are putting pressure on everyone else in the NFC West right now. And ultimately, I think this is a staredown they’re going to win. Going into the Weekend, the only reason the Rams weren’t the hottest team in the NFC West was because the Seahawks entered Sunday action having won four straight games. The Rams, however, have now won three straight games and are on the cusp of taking the lead in the NFC West with just a few games left to play.
With a little bit of extra rest, the Rams’ next matchup will be on December 22 against the hapless New York Jets in New Jersey. They will then head back home to face off against the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks to close the season.
Talk about controlling your own destiny…
How can you not like the Rams? They’ve got a Super Bowl-winning head coach and QB and a revamped roster with tremendous talent on both sides of the ball.
14. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers just lost an absolutely ugly one to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon, and the loss came with an even worse sting than usual thanks to the Denver Broncos winning their matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Chargers had the edge over Denver going into the week of play with a head-to-head win in Denver earlier this season, but they will now welcome the Broncos to Los Angeles on a short week and needing a win to keep pace with the Broncos, who jumped them for the 6th seed overall in the AFC.
The game against the Bucs is one the Chargers will want to flush out of memory as quickly as possible. We haven’t seen that defense in Los Angeles get absolutely whooped like they did against the Bucs, and it was a total domination with Baker Mayfield throwing four touchdown passes and the Chargers allowing over 200 yards on the ground.
Needless to say, this is not the best position for the Chargers to be in and they have to be hoping for a very quick bounce-back on short rest this week.
13. Seattle Seahawks
I vouched for the Seattle Seahawks this past week. We’re moving forward.
The Seahawks decided to wear their hideous neon green uniforms in Week 15 and they allowed the Green Bay Packers to come into town and just move the ball all over them offensively.
The Seahawks are so proud of their fans being the 12th man, but in reality, it felt like the Packers were playing with 12 men offensively for the majority of their matchup on Sunday. This was a very ill-timed loss for Seattle with both the Cardinals and Rams nipping at their heels.
The NFC West race could be coming down to a photo finish this season and the Seahawks now have to face off this coming week against the Minnesota Vikings, one of the most well-rounded teams in the conference.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the biggest surprise win of Week 15. I’m not surprised that they won, in general, but the manner in which they won was extremely impressive.
Nobody has really dog-walked the Chargers’ defense like the Bucs just did all year.
Baker Mayfield threw for four touchdowns. The Bucs ran for over 200 yards. They had their way against the Chargers all afternoon and once again looked like a true contender in the absolutely loaded NFC.
The Bucs are such a fascinating team. When they are on, they are on. The development of Bucky Irving as this season has progressed has been something special to witness, and when the Bucs are getting strong contributions from both he and Rachaad White, that offense is almost too dynamic for teams to deal with.
Even with the loss of Chris Godwin, the Bucs’ offense has guys stepping up. Namely, Baker Mayfield, who has been making everyone around him better. The Bucs are only 8-6 this season but I like them as a viable upset contender in the NFC. They can win a shootout with anyone.
11. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos have found ways to win their last couple of games that have had the Denver fan base biting their nails down to nubs. It’s been a stressful time for Denver this season, but that’s just because this team is finally playing high-stakes football again for the first time since they won Super Bowl 50 back in 2015-16.
That was the last time the Broncos made the playoffs, but a big win against the Indianapolis Colts has them in position to make the postseason again with just one more win in their final three games. The Broncos were able to secure their first winning season since 2016 when Gary Kubiak was still the head coach and Trevor Siemian was the quarterback.
It’s been a long era of drought in Denver, but it could finally be over very soon. The Broncos have to enjoy this one, obviously, but it’s going to be a short-lived celebration as the team gets the chance to go out there on Thursday night and a short week to take another game against their division rivals in Los Angeles. The Broncos and the Chargers will kick off Week 16 with an absolutely massive matchup with the 6th seed in the AFC likely at stake, if not more than that.
10. Washington Commanders
It wasn’t a pretty finish, but it doesn’t matter what it looks like at this time of year. If you can find a way to get wins in December, especially for a team like the Commanders, you’re going to take it.
The Commanders had to fend off a late push by Spencer Rattler and the New Orleans Saints, but who said making the playoffs was going to be easy?
The important thing is that the Commanders now have nine wins. The pressure is on in the NFC every single week with so many teams vying for even the three available Wild Card spots, and everyone is having to keep up with the ridiculous depth of the NFC North overall.
The Commanders managed to keep pace and get a crucial win, but things are going to get tough for them this week. They are playing host to the division-leading Philadelphia Eagles, who are fighting for that top overall seed in the NFC.
It’s going to be a pressure-packed weekend for Washington and rookie sensation Jayden Daniels. We’re about to find out what this team is made of but a game like this late in the season can be super valuable even if the Commanders lose.
But if they lose, their margin for error in the final two games nearly disappears.
9. Houston Texans
Derek Stingley Jr. is an absolute menace.
Although the Houston Texans have largely been disappointing this year despite their 9-5 record up to this point (as well as their AFC South division championship), you can’t deny that Stingley is one of the top playmakers at the cornerback position in the game today.
The Miami Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa are going to have nightmares about throwing the ball in his direction.
And Houston has a chance to ride that talented secondary into a little bit of a hot streak into the postseason. This team has a tremendous young quarterback in CJ Stroud. They have outstanding playmakers offensively. They can rush the passer. They have a guy you simply don’t want to throw the ball at.
Even though the Texans haven’t been as impressive offensively as many of us thought they would be going into this season, they are still going to host a playoff game and have a chance to knock off another Wild Card. After this weekend, it’s looking like that might end up being the Baltimore Ravens, who the Texans actually play in a couple of weeks.
We might be getting an early look at this Texans team’s playoff mettle as they play their next two games against Kansas City and Baltimore before closing out against the Titans.
8. Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens got a pretty favorable situation on Sunday afternoon, going on the road to face off against Tommy DeVito and the Giants. It’s never a “gimme” in the NFL but this one is about as close as it gets to exactly that.
The Ravens were 16.5-point favorites on the road against the Giants and they ended up proving exactly why that matchup had one of the biggest spreads we’ve seen all season. Lamar Jackson was out there making his case for league MVP even louder this year, and the Ravens took care of business like a great team should in a situation like this.
Because of the way the rest of this season has gone, the Ravens are actually feeling a little bit of heat from both the Broncos and Chargers in the AFC Wild Card playoff race. Getting a rather easy win against the Giants was a great little buffer for Baltimore, even though it wasn’t another notch on their belt in the AFC or anything. These next two weeks will be telling with the Ravens facing off against the Steelers and Texans in back-to-back games.
That Texans matchup could end up being a Wild Card round preview as the Texans appear all but locked in for the 4th seed as the AFC South champions.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
Well, there is only so much you can do going up against the Philadelphia Eagles these days. The Eagles are the hottest team in the NFL, and even though the Steelers didn’t have to travel far to play the Eagles on Sunday, the Eagles just looked like they were in a different stratosphere as a team for most of the game.
The Steelers have clinched a playoff spot, which is not a surprise at all. Mike Tomlin teams are just inevitable.
But now, the pressure is on Pittsburgh with the Baltimore Ravens knocking at the door once again. As a matter of fact, those two teams will face off this week in a critical matchup that could determine some playoff seeding when all is said and done, even though the Steelers have already booked their ticket to the dance.
Pittsburgh has a gauntlet to end the season with the Ravens in Week 16, the Chiefs in Week 17, and the Bengals in Week 18. They will be nothing if not battle tested by the time the playoffs roll around.
6. Green Bay Packers
If I’m a team playing in the NFC, I am hoping beyond all hope that I don’t have to face off against the Green Bay Packers at any point in the postseason. You want this Packers team to somehow get bounced immediately in the Wild Card round and not have to think about them for the duration of the postseason.
But unfortunately for those teams, I think they’re going to have to be thinking about the Packers deep into the postseason. This team is just so legit on so many levels.
They force turnovers at a high rate defensively. They’ve got a QB who can make and is not afraid do make any throw. They have so many playmakers offensively, including a guy in Josh Jacobs who can take over a game on his own.
Most important, they have a head coach in Matt LaFleur who is pulling all of the right strings. The Packers are going to be a problem in January.
5. Minnesota Vikings
Vikings play Monday vs. Bears
The pressure is on in a big way for the Minnesota Vikings.
After everything that went down on Sunday, they’ve got a chance to keep pace with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions as the potential #1 overall seed in the NFC.
And if that happens, let’s just give the Coach of the Year award to Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings were thought to have overachieved in O’Connell’s first year on the job, but as it turns out, the guy just might be one of the best coaches in the NFL.
After dealing with so many injuries last year, the Vikings are back in the thick of things again this season and are competing for the #1 seed despite playing in the toughest division in football this year. They are a dynamic team offensively and Sam Darnold has done anything but hold them back in the first year of the post-Kirk Cousins era. A win against the Bears on Monday would be massive.
4. Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs finally won a game by two scores, but even though the scoreboard indicated a “comfortable” win, Patrick Mahomes was limping around the field after the game and left in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.
It obviously must not be anything super serious because Mahomes was walking around dapping Browns players at the conclusion of the game, but he was walking with a visible limp and we’ve seen him have to gut out ankle injuries in the past. The Chiefs are already AFC West champions, so the status of Mahomes over the final three weeks of the season is worth monitoring.
The Chiefs are clinging to the #1 overall seed in the AFC and at this point, they have a little bit of a cushion, even with a loss to the Buffalo Bills a few weeks ago. Everyone is going to eagerly anticipate any future reports on Mahomes and his ankle after what we saw against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, which was a very scary-looking hit in the moment that it happened.
The Kansas City defense pulled through on the road in Sunday’s game and actually ended up getting Browns starting quarterback Jameis Winston pulled. The Chiefs should be able to lean on that defense with 12 wins already this season and some physical games remaining against the Texans, Steelers, and Broncos.
3. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions obviously are one of the best teams in the NFL, but Adam Schefter of ESPN pointed out something absolutely fascinating.
The Lions have now won a game this season in which Jared Goff threw five interceptions (against the Texans earlier this year) and they have lost a game in which Goff threw for five touchdowns, which he did on Sunday against the Bills.
The Lions are one of those teams that you figure can win in a variety of different ways, but here’s the primary issue – their defense is looking a little bit cooked out there. The Lions have suffered so many key injuries on that side of the ball that you couldn’t help but wonder if and when it was going to catch up to them.
And we saw the Buffalo Bills go into the Lions’ house and basically score at will. Fantasy football fans enjoyed just about every second of this game.
The Lions are going to have to be careful down the stretch this season. They have the Vikings luking right behind them in the standings and if they’re not careful, they might give up the #1 seed to either Philly or Minnesota. They are another slip-up away from potentially being the 5th seed in the NFC, which is absolutely wild.
2. Buffalo Bills
Not many teams have been doing this this year (alright, maybe some have), but the Buffalo Bills proved me right in a big way on Sunday with their decisive win against the Detroit Lions in a potential Super Bowl preview.
The Bills needed to recover an onside kick late in order to prevent a miraculous comeback from the Lions, but this game felt well in hand for the majority of it and Buffalo’s offense was able to win despite allowing a whopping five touchdown passes from Jared Goff and the Lions.
They continued to show that they are probably the best team in the AFC despite the fact that they are below Kansas City in the standings, and they have one of the most consistent and explosive offenses in the league. The Bills are just a different team this year thanks to the ascension of Josh Allen.
And Allen was great before, but he definitely appears to have taken another step in his game in 2024. With Allen playing at such a stellar and consistent level each week, the Bills could coast into the playoffs and if Patrick Mahomes is actually hurt, they could reclaim the #1 overall seed down the stretch here.
Either way, they are shaping up for a deep playoff run.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles just showed everyone why they are one of the top teams in the entire NFL right now with a rather decisive and borderline boring win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The NFL’s late-afternoon slate of games was supposed to be thrilling all over the place, and we ended up getting a handful of major blowouts. The Eagles beat the Steelers 27-13 in what technically could be a Super Bowl preview. The Eagles made the Steelers look like anything but Super Bowl contenders.
This team has turned things around dramatically this season compared to the team we saw completely collapse late last year. They are the hottest team in the NFL having won 10 games in a row, and what’s the way you beat this Philly team? Obviously, you’ve got to get that offense making mistakes, but that just hasn’t been happening lately. The Eagles are a juggernaut and they look like they have a case as the most complete team in the NFL overall right now.
Especially with the Lions struggling with injuries defensively, there is a chance we could see the Eagles take over the #1 seed in the NFC before too long.