NFL Power Rankings: Predicting every team's record after minicamp in 2024

4. Baltimore Ravens: 12-5

What’s going to get the Baltimore Ravens over the hump in January? I mean, you don’t want to compare them to the Cowboys of the AFC, but there’s no ring or trophy for being a great regular season team. What happened to this Ravens team in the postseason? We all get it – the Chiefs are good.

The Ravens were better for most of last year and they simply got away from what made them great throughout the regular season.

The addition of Derrick Henry is really fun for this Ravens team, and I expect the Ravens to sort of “coast” through the regular season. With that said, the pressure is going to be on when they get to the playoffs. And they should pretty easily get there. Do they have what it takes to take down the Chiefs?

3. Detroit Lions: 12-5

The Detroit Lions just keep on climbing. Carrying over momentum year over year in the NFL is an overrated concept, but if anyone did that last year, it was the Detroit Lions.

They didn’t make the playoffs in the 2022 season, but they ended the season with nine wins and a victory on the road over Aaron Rodgers and the Packers to crush Green Bay’s playoff dreams. They followed that up by winning the NFC North in the 2023 season and absolutely dominating offensively.

Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Penei Sewell were all rewarded this year with massive contract extensions, and the Lions reloaded defensively – especially in the secondary. This Detroit team is loaded on both sides of the ball and they have continuity all over the coaching staff, which is critical. I’m penciling them in for the NFL’s final four.