AFC 6th seed: Baltimore Ravens
Are the Baltimore Ravens going to be able to get back to the postseason in the first year without John Harbaugh since 2007?
The Ravens moved on from Harbaugh after yet another disappointing year in 2025, hiring former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter to take his place. Considering Minter is a branch of the Jim Harbaugh coaching tree, you can expect a lot of things to remain the same culture-wise for the Ravens.
This is a team with an established superstar at the quarterback position, all of the key premium positions filled with veterans, and both a rookie head coach and offensive play-caller. It's a fascinating combination, but the youth on the coaching staff combined with the veteran players on the roster is giving a little bit of the same vibe as the Houston Texans when DeMeco Ryans took over, although the inherited players and situations were a lot different in that scenario.
The point is, the Jesse Minter-led Ravens have one of the best players in the world, and if Lamar Jackson is hot, the Ravens are going to be good enough to make the playoffs or win the AFC North.
NFC 6th seed: Seattle Seahawks
The reigning Super Bowl champions dropping all the way to the 6th seed in the NFC?
This is not meant to be a hot take to disrespect the Seahawks, but simply highlighting the fact that getting back to the top of their division with a target on their back all season is going to be incredibly difficult.
Seattle still has one of the better rosters in the NFL, but they lost plenty of guys as well. Kenneth Walker, Riq Woolen, Coby Bryant, Boye Mafe, and others are gone. Klint Kubiak is no longer calling plays for the offense. Those things matter when it comes to trying to run it back in the NFL, and they could knock Seattle down a rung or two.
But this team is still good enough to compete for another championship, especially if the offense can cut down on the turnovers. Their 28 giveaways were the 2nd-most in the NFL last season. Thankfully for them, they also ranked 6th in the league with 25 takeaways.
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