18. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have had a great offense all season but just did not get the defense right at all. The Cowboys were eliminated from playoff contention even before Week 16 kicked off, but they could have played spoiler against the Los Angeles Chargers.
That was not the case, and it’s about time to turn the page to 2026. The one good thing here, though, is that the Cowboys have fixable issues - they don’t really need to touch the offense besides getting George Pickens and Javonte Williams back under contract. The fix needs to come on the defensive side of the ball.
Getting another pass rusher, another linebacker, and probably multiple new players in the secondary is what this team needs to do. If the Cowboys’ front office can do that, they could be a contending team in 2026. Dak Prescott has been excellent this year, and the offense can be unstoppable at times.
Dallas keeps stacking losses, though, and that is never a good thing. The Cowboys continue to tumble in our NFL power rankings.
17. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore will have played on Sunday Night Football
The Baltimore Ravens will have played the New England Patirots on Sunday Night Football, and I bet the Ravens are going to play a very desperate brand of football, but not in a bad way. This team was 1-5 to begin the season and have since gone 6-2 in the following eight games, so they are making a bit of a run.
Baltimore, whether they win or lose this game, needs a refresh this coming offseason. The roster is very good when healthy, but reinforcements are needed along the offensive and defensive lines.
The secondary is also shaky, and I just think it’s time for a new era for the Ravens as Lamar Jackson creeps to 30 years old. Derrick Henry also isn’t playing forever, so while the Ravens are surely going to be competitive in 2026, this could be the time where the front office tries to turn the page a bit.
Heck, as crazy as it might sound, I do not think a head coaching change would be a bad idea, either, but I’m probably getting ahead of myself here.