The NFL is unpredictable every single week, and that's why it's the best show on TV. The Thursday night battle between the Seahawks and Rams was as epic as everyone hoped for, so long as you stayed awake long enough to see the end.
The Seahawks trailed 30-14 against the Rams, but not only found their way back into the game, they found a way to win in overtime. The Bears came back on a Saturday night in miraculous fashion.
How much did that win shake up the NFL Power Rankings for the NFC ahead of Week 16? With some big matchups looming on Sunday and Monday across the league, we're taking a look at the NFC after a crazy couple of games with division implications.
NFL Power Rankings: Epic wins by Seahawks and Bears vault them up NFC rankings
16. Arizona Cardinals
The team that appears headed toward the most obvious "start over" strategy right now in the 2026 offseason is the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals effectively already moved on from Kyler Murray. Jonathan Gannon seems to be coaching his last few games with the team. This roster has not been good enough and has also been ravaged by injuries.
Even without the injuries, though, the Cardinals weren't competitive enough this season. They didn't take that step forward as an organization and I'm expecting wholesale changes.
15. New York Giants
The New York Giants are finding their way this season, trying to determine if Jaxson Dart is truly franchise quarterback material. There's no dobut that Dart has the physical attributes of a franchise quarterback in the NFL, but does he have everything else required to carry that mantle?
The issue with Dart, up to this point, has been his playing style and lack of willingness to change it to keep himself healthy. Hopefully, the Giants are able to build around him this offseason and get healthy. They could be a fun team in 2026.
14. Washington Commanders
A really common thread with the teams you're going to find at the bottom of these updated NFC Power Rankings? Injuries.
Watching the Commanders on Saturday against the Eagles was a bit sad because, obviously, the NFL wanted that game in that slot because it was a rematch of the NFC Championship Game last year. It was a shell of the Commanders team that went that far, however.
We'll see how this team reloads in the 2026 offseason, but they've obviously taken a step back this year.
13. New Orleans Saints
Even without the playoffs at stake, the New Orleans Saints might be one of the more interesting teams to watch down the stretch this season. They've already played spoiler to the top two teams in the NFC South, but what's really fun with this team right now is the development of rookie quarterback Tyler Shough.
They might have themselves a dude out there in New Orleans. Shough has been excellent this season as a dual threat, and may have bought himself another year with the incoming QB class looking...rough.
12. Atlanta Falcons
Injuries have forced the Falcons into the "disappointment" category this season as well, but there's no question that this roster has some talent. And has Kirk Cousins found a little bit of a stride? Don't look now, but maybe. He might have another shot to put on a show for a starting gig somewhere else in 2026 with the Arizona Cardinals on tap for Week 16.
The Falcons might be on the cusp of a total rebuild as an organization. A very interesting offseason looms.
11. Dallas Cowboys
It's been an extremely disappointing finish to the season for the Dallas Cowboys, who have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. The Cowboys lost their 7th game last week and the Eagles won the division on Saturday night. Now, it's onto evaluation mode for the future.
All eyes will be on George Pickens and the defense over the next handful of weeks. The Cowboys view Pickens as a long-term option, but it seems like Matt Eberflus is going to be on the hot seat and let go after a disastrous year for that Dallas defense in 2025.
10. Minnesota Vikings
After getting memed by the entire NFL world as "Nine", JJ McCarthy has turned in a couple of solid performances in a row, and the Vikings are ready to play spoiler as the year goes along. The issue with the Vikings this year has been the health of their roster, as well as the inconsistency of the quarterback position, but they look like they'll be ready to bounce back in a big way next season.
They play the Giants in Week 16, and while the NFL world won't be tuning in at large, this is another critical game for the development of their young QB.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The NFC South is a complete mess, but for the time being, the Bucs are at the top of it all. We're going to get a great test for this team in Week 16 as the Bucs head on the road to face off against the Carolina Panthers, who are jockeying for position at the top of the division as well.
This is just not the same Bucs team that we saw early this season. They have been explosive and dynamic on offense, but they've also been sluggish and broken. What unit will show up when it matters most?
8. Carolina Panthers
They control their own destiny with two matchups against the Buccaneers in the next three weeks.
At their best this season, we've seen the Carolina Panthers play dynamic offense with a great running game and Bryce Young absolutely locked in. At their worst, we've seen this team get shut out. The defense for Carolina has been much better this season than in the past couple of years, but how much will their inconsistencies come back to haunt them in the final few weeks of the season?
7. Detroit Lions
I still believe, obviously because of their offense, that the Lions are one of the most dangerous overall teams in the NFC. They are going to be playing as a Wild Card team and will have a huge chip on their shoulder. It's going to be fascinating to see how they do as "road warriors" in the postseason. They face a tough test at home on Sunday against Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they can make a statement over these next couple of weeks that they are a team to be feared.
6. Green Bay Packers
When you get to this point in the season, it's often not the "best" teams that make deep playoff runs, but the healthiest. And the Packers are not the healthiest, not by a long shot. Just six days after losing Micah Parsons to a season-ending knee injury, the Packers lost Jordan Love to a concussion in a gotta-have-it game against the Bears.
Malik Willis did a pretty great job, all things considered, but might have needed to make one or two more plays. The Packers have been dealt some tough hands here in December.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are finally starting to play the brand of football that will make us believers again. Obviously, getting some cupcakes on the schedule helps a little bit. The Eagles have played backups in their last two wins, and a couple of old friends in Kenny Pickett and Marcus Mariota. But they even knocked Mariota out of the game against the Commanders on Saturday and faced Josh Johnson.
The main thing is that the Eagles have gotten back to executing properly on offense and running the ball. That's going to be their formula for winning in the playoffs.
4. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have been models of endurance and perseverance this season, keeping things interesting in the extremely deep NFC West despite an injury to their quarterback for a huge chunk of the season. The Niners have dealt with massive injury blows on both side of the ball, but this is why Kyle Shanahan is considered one of the best coaches in the game.
We'll see how they do traveling out to Indianapolis and going up against the Philip Rivers-led Colts in Week 16.
3. Chicago Bears
What a win by the Chicago Bears, and what a season it's been for them so far. The Bears were down 16-6 late against the Green Bay Packers in a game of keepaway, but Caleb Williams and the offense made a way. The throw from Williams to DJ Moore in overtime was symbolic of perhaps the greatest moment in modern Chicago Bears history.
This team now has a rather commanding lead in the NFC North with just two games to play. That fan base is ready to host a playoff game again.
2. Los Angeles Rams
Blowing a 30-14 lead against the Seahawks was absolutely brutal to watch, and it took a lot of different factors. Obviously, the Rams didn't have Davante Adams in this game, which hurt significantly. But beyond that, they had three three-and-outs in the second half and a missed field goal, which allowed the Seahawks to get back in the game. After the missed field goal and punt return touchdown allowed, Sean McVay fired his special teams coach.
How often does that happen en route to a Super Bowl win? We're fixing to find out.
1. Seattle Seahawks
There's likely going to be some talk after Thursday's win against the Los Angeles Rams that the Seattle Seahawks have the best team in the entire NFL, not just the NFC. They've made a strong argument this season, there's no question about it. It's possible that from the start of the season untl now, nobody has played better complementary football in the league.
The epic fashion in which the Seahawks won against the Rams on Thursday was something that could keep wind in their sails through the Super Bowl.