The playoff field is set, led by the top-ranked Seahawks, who have resided in the top spot here for multiple weeks now. They might enter the tournament as the favorites to win Super Bowl LX -- in the same stadium where they clinched the NFC’s top seed -- but this feels like one of the more wide-open postseasons in years. The Broncos, with their 11-2 mark in one-score games, are the AFC's top dogs.
There's no Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson to frighten opponents. No Lions team to do the same. But also: Every playoff team seems to have a significant weakness that can't be overlooked.
Seattle, New England, Chicago and Jacksonville all missed the playoffs a year ago. Those are four of your top six seeds. The Eagles won it all last year, and at their best, they're capable of repeating -- but they also sat many starters on Sunday, ceding the second seed to the Bears.
This might be a year where a lower seed makes some real noise. Everyone will rightfully nominate the Rams and Bills as natural party crashers, but don't sleep on the Texans, Chargers and 49ers.
Playoff intrigue annually abounds, but there's seemingly more of an "Anyone can win!" to this postseason field than any in recent memory.
On a programming note, the Power Rankings will keep rolling along in the postseason, although we'll bid adieu to the 18 non-playoff teams next week. But fear not, we'll see them again soon. The offseason is closer than you think.
NOTE: Up/down arrows below reflect movement from the Week 18 Power Rankings.
The Seahawks faced a 49ers team that had scored 90 points in its previous eight quarters, and Seattle summarily ground San Francisco's offense into a fine powder in a shocking performance. We knew the 'Hawks were good defensively, even in the debate for the NFL’s top unit this season -- but to nearly erase the Niners completely, holding them to 173 yards and three points, was a massive statement to the rest of the league. The Eagles won the Super Bowl last season with a similar profile: a swarming, ballhawking defense backed by a strong run game and a big-play passing outfit. I am willing to look past Jason Myers’ miserable game at Levi’s Stadium because of how good the kicker has been this season, especially in the previous two months. Assuming Seattle’s special teams don’t suddenly become an issue, I think turnovers are the one real Achilles’ heel that worries me. If the Seahawks can control the ball, they can win it all.
The Patriots played to win on Sunday, and they looked playoff-ready in thumping the Dolphins. The game was a little closer at one point than the score might have indicated, but the bottom line is New England took care of business and appears to be humming ahead of its matchup with the Chargers. The returns of Milton Williams and Will Campbell also were big positives, with Williams energizing the defensive front, even with a few early mishaps on that side of the ball. Campbell helped pave a run game that demoralized the Dolphins and will be a big element of the Patriots’ first home playoff game since Tom Brady was QB. Strangely, these Pats have a better record on the road (8-0) than at home (6-3), but they have to feel good about how they’re playing. They’ll need to find a pass rush against Justin Herbert, but Drake Maye can also match him throw for throw in what looks like an excellent matchup.
Jacksonville dawdled around on the first series of the game ... and then ripped off 41 unanswered points in a shellacking of Tennessee. The score and opponent aren’t that important, but the Jaguars' quick-strike ability is notable. They’ve had a few games in the second half of the season where they’ve just cranked up the afterburners -- including in the second halves against the Chargers and Broncos. During the eight-game win streak, the Jags have outscored its opponents by a count of 269 to 116. Possibly only getting one home game hurts a bit, but they were 7-2 at home and 6-2 on the road against a very competitive schedule. Getting past Buffalo on Wild Card Weekend will be no cakewalk, either. But the Jaguars have won some impressive games this season, have big-play potential in all three phases and are as poised to make a postseason run as they’ve been since 2017.
Some might view it as controversial, with the Broncos earning the AFC’s top seed, to keep them here. They’ve only lost once since September and will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Yet, the loss to the Jaguars and a few close wins have me a bit concerned. Even Broncos fans seemed to sense it when they were mildly booing Denver's offense on Sunday with the team less than a quarter away from clinching said top seed. The Broncos have not been a dominant team this season; they’ve been consistently very good, while also being guilty of leaving the back door open at times. There’s absolutely a path for Bo Nix and the defense to play well enough to get to Santa Clara, especially in this year’s field. But there’s also a scenario where Denver doesn't score enough points and doesn't get that key turnover defensively in a disappointing playoff loss. Which way will it end up?
It was a bittersweet end to the final regular season in Highmark Stadium. The Bills blew out the rival Jets despite sitting several key players, but they also know the chance of squeezing another home game into this season is extremely slim. Josh Allen rested his right foot after the first play of the game, giving him another week to heal and prepare for a tough Jacksonville team. That was the biggest development. But don’t overlook the Bills’ newest kicking drama, with Matt Prater leaving Sunday’s contest. Michael Badgley flamed out of his two-game tryout, and Prater’s status remains in question. The Bills have enough issues as it is; they don’t need another layer of uncertainty. If Allen is healthy, he’s good enough to cover up a lot of warts. But if that foot is still bothering him and Buffalo can’t find a way to play well in all three phases against a good opponent, it could be a one-and-done postseason.
Perhaps it’s a sign of growth, but after playing their last eight Wild Card Round games in the Saturday 4:30 p.m. ET slot, the Texans will head to Pittsburgh for a prime-time contest in which they are favored to win. They’ve won nine straight games, seven of them by one score, but they’re undoubtedly a steadier operation than the Steelers right now and clearly have a good opportunity in front of them. Defense travels, and even after their season-worst 30 points allowed to the Colts and their first-time starting QB, the Texans head into the playoffs with the second-best scoring D in the NFL. Houston's potential lies in how much C.J. Stroud and the offense produce. They’ve been good at taking care of the ball and posting respectable results most weeks, but the output must be kicked up a notch or two in order for the Texans to do some real damage in the playoffs.
Los Angeles locked up the fifth seed and a rematch against Carolina, which beat L.A. in Week 13. Back then, the Rams were presumably the best team in football, and the way they had finished the two prior seasons, it wasn’t hard to imagine them winning it all. Now? The road feels tougher, although not nearly impossible. Matthew Stafford capped an MVP-caliber campaign, roasting the Cardinals to finish the regular season on a high note after two straight losses, but now he and the Rams must return to the field where Stafford turned the ball over three times in that critical loss. They’re still big favorites over the Panthers and will have a chance to re-stoke the fires, but a grueling second-round playoff road game would await them. If Davante Adams is back and their defense can make stands, the Rams will have a chance to make a run. If not, it could be a surprisingly short postseason.
As is fitting for this year’s playoff field, a Week 18 defeat didn’t hurt the Bears. Losing to the Lions made for some nervous moments, but the Eagles’ loss ensured Chicago would end up as the second seed and get a third game against the rival Packers -- a team that nearly swept the Bears. It’s a fun and worthy playoff opener, to see if the Bears really have exorcized the demons that have plagued this franchise for decades. Between allowing explosive plays on defense and the offense stalling for long stretches, there are multiple worries at hand for Chicago on the eve of the playoffs. Only the Bengals, Commanders and Cowboys allowed more yards than the Bears this season, which is an atypical weakness for a team so high in the conference rankings. They’ve thrived by forcing turnovers and cashing in on late offensive drives. That’s an exciting but dangerous way to go. Have Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson bottled up enough late-game magic for January?
The 49ers came crashing down with a stunning short-circuiting offensively, even as good as Seattle’s defense is. The Niners’ explosive ability had been on full display in the previous three games, but the Seahawks just shut them down. The irony is that San Francisco's defense held Seattle to 13 points, although there were enough missed tackles and Seahawks self-inflicted wounds not to praise that effort too much. The bottom line is the 49ers cannot afford anything close to what happened to them offensively in that game. The offense is their bread and butter for making a surprise postseason run, and the voyage starts against a tough, pretty rested Eagles defense in Philadelphia. The Niners have faced some of the NFL’s best defenses -- Seattle, Cleveland, Houston, Jacksonville and the L.A. Rams -- with mixed results. They’re capable of making noise with Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle playing in peak form, but Week 18 cast some doubt on just how dangerous they truly are for the long haul.
The Eagles opted to punt on Week 18 to rest up for the playoffs, missing a chance to move up from the No. 3 seed to No. 2. That indifference could be viewed a number of ways, but it did give the Philly offense a chance to breathe a bit before the action gets thick. The defense should be championship-worthy, having shown it can dismantle quality opponents (SEE: wins over the Packers, Lions and Bills). It’ll be strength on strength against a Niners offense that can fill it up quickly, but San Francisco's Week 18 loss to Seattle is proof that the Eagles can prevail with elite defense. But can they score? Can they generate explosive plays and a consistently good run game? That might be the difference between playing one game and making a run at defending their title.
The Chargers seemed to be fine with the idea of going to Foxborough prior to Week 18, sitting Justin Herbert to give him a 14-day rest period as a runway to the game. Given the beating he's taken this season, that might have been the most prudent route. Rest for the likes of Khalil Mack, Derwin James and some offensive linemen probably helped, too. Los Angeles is good enough to beat New England if Herbert has time to operate, but outside of a dominant performance at Dallas, the Bolts haven’t played great on the road down the stretch. Without a complete offensive line, it's hard to imagine this team making a Super Bowl run. But with a capable defense and a miracle-working QB, winning a game or two wouldn’t be stunning.
The Steelers punched the last playoff ticket by surviving Sunday night’s regular-season finale against the rival Ravens, with a fourth quarter few will forget anytime soon. Pittsburgh has won four of five games heading into Monday’s wild-card matchup with Houston, although it would be wrong to call this team “hot” entering the playoffs. Sunday’s arduous win, along with the prior-week loss to the Browns, provided more than enough healthy skepticism about the Steelers’ postseason chances -- starting with this first game, in which they’re home underdogs. The return of DK Metcalf is a potential game-changer, as he was sorely missed during the two-game suspension. But we’re still on Aaron Rodgers watch, as his future continues to hang in the air while this team clings to postseason life. Moving the ball consistently against a wicked Texans defense is going to be a major challenge.
The Packers can take solace in the fact that they beat the Bears once, should have beaten them a second time in Chicago and now have a chance to make up for that missed opportunity. Losing four straight entering the playoffs doesn’t feel like the best run-up possible, but Green Bay should have something of a clean slate facing a team it clearly matches up well against. I’m assuming that Jordan Love will be starting after sitting the two games since he suffered a concussion at Chicago in Week 16. If he and his receivers can connect on a few vertical shots, Green Bay will have a chance to finish what it started a few weeks ago at Soldier Field. Not having Micah Parsons or Tucker Kraft likely means the Packers won’t win a Super Bowl this season, but a postseason victory over their rivals is right there for the taking.
That the Panthers won the division a day after losing to the Bucs, needing a tiebreaker in Atlanta to come through, is a fitting metaphor for the NFC South champs. This is a team with the third-best point differential in the division (minus-69, not so nice) and one that hasn’t won a game by more than seven points since September. Then again, these Panthers also played one of their best games at Bank of America Stadium against the Rams not that long ago and have a shot to beat them at home once again this Saturday. Los Angeles is arguably even less potent now than it was back then, although Carolina clearly is the underdog in this rematch. The shine should not be taken off of the first playoff game for Dave Canales and Bryce Young, though. The franchise’s investments in them have been rewarded to a degree. But it would be pretty stunning to see a sub-.500 team beat a Rams outfit that, until very recently, was considered the Super Bowl favorite.
Tyler Loop’s last-second kick went awry, and after all the teases and reminders of what the Ravens could be (or could have been), the season ended with a thud. Perhaps it just wasn’t their year, as the preponderance of evidence suggested. The 1-5 start. Lamar Jackson’s injuries. The early-season defensive struggles. Derrick Henry’s fumbles in an otherwise-brilliant campaign. Even Loop’s miss was a confounding surprise, considering how good the rookie had been for nearly the entire season. The ingredients were there for another dangerous playoff outfit, but they never quite came together as expected. What this means in the long term is anyone’s guess now, but it’s fair to say that, even with the occasionally scary potential Baltimore displayed this season, this never consistently looked like a team capable of making a Super Bowl run.
EDITOR'S UPDATE: The Ravens are firing head coach John Harbaugh, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday.
J.J. McCarthy started Sunday’s finale and was playing well against a Green Bay team resting most of its key players, but McCarthy left in the third quarter after appearing to aggravate the throwing-hand injury that caused him to miss Week 17’s game. That injury in and of itself is not the story. It will heal over the coming months, just like the other injuries McCarthy has suffered over the past couple years. But the long-term questions about his constitution won’t let up until he gets through a season relatively unscathed -- and how much can Minnesota really trust him as the sole protector of the position? The Vikings won their final five games to finish at 9-8, so there’s evidence to suggest they could be in contention a year from now, even with the questions at QB and the possibility of Brian Flores leaving. How Minnesota approaches the offseason will be fascinating and telling.
The Lions finished the season with the NFC North’s best point differential at plus-68, which was actually better than five NFC playoff teams. You can’t call this a successful season after Detroit missed the playoffs, but you can acknowledge that the team came up a few games short against a challenging schedule and that rebounding next season can’t at all be dismissed. Some tough decisions lie ahead, with multiple offensive linemen likely pondering retirement and a defense that still badly needs more depth and firepower. The Lions also need to regain their offensive mojo after a season in which fourth-down failures often cost them. The guts of a playoff contender were still there in the gut-check, game-winning drive against Chicago, and they could be back in 2026.
The Buccaneers' miserable second half of the season was punctuated with a victory that ended up not meaning enough. Eking out a win over the Panthers at home in Week 18 showed the team still had life, but Atlanta's victory over the Saints made that irrelevant. Tampa Bay made its bed by losing seven of eight games following the Week 9 bye. Prior to that, this looked like a Super Bowl-caliber operation on its best days. The finish was a cold reminder that the Bucs weren't actually that close. Even sneaking into the playoffs likely would have temporarily masked the reality that they were several key contributors short of the mark they wanted to hit. Baker Mayfield reached plenty of high notes this season, but his frustrating close is the backdrop to this reality: His contract is up after the 2026 campaign, and the Bucs must decide if his hell-or-high-water recklessness has long-term sustainability. An important offseason awaits this franchise.
Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard will return next season, and there's a path for pending free agent Daniel Jones to come back and finish what he couldn't during an occasionally brilliant 2025. Credit the Colts for going for it and striking while the iron was hot, sitting at 7-2 this season, but the Sauce Gardner trade temporarily backfired -- and the aftermath will be felt in the 2026 NFL Draft, as the Jets now own the 16th overall pick. That will sting come spring, when the Colts are left to address their needs after falling to make the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Did Riley Leonard show enough in his Week 18 start to make the Colts comfortable with a QB room of Anthony Richardson, Leonard and a recovering Jones? If so, the offseason focus could shift to the offensive line and a defense that must be repaired in order to improve.
Arthur Blank didn't even wait for the clock to strike midnight on Sunday, firing head coach Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot after the Falcons beat the Saints and knocked the Bucs out of the postseason. Atlanta's strong finish, in which the Falcons won four straight and dropped the Rams in a prime-time game, was not enough to save the duo after the 4-9 start to the season. The talent suggests this could be a fascinating opening for both spots, especially in what appears to be a wide-open division. But there are questions about QB Michael Penix Jr.'s progression and whether his skill set matches what the yet-to-be-named new regime's vision will be. The Falcons fixed some things defensively, and they feature some explosive offensive talent (even with Kyle Pitts headed to free agency), possibly setting this up as a playoff contender next year, with the right new coach. Ben Johnson, Mike Vrabel and Liam Coen proved it's possible for new blood to have that effect, but Pete Carroll and Aaron Glenn simultaneously showed that improvement is far from guaranteed.
It clearly felt important to Brian Schottenheimer to go into New Jersey in Week 18 and beat a Giants team that had only defeated the Raiders since early October, and yet Dallas fell flat -- with several starters playing at least half the game. It was a frustrating finish, with the Cowboys losing four of their final five games following the dramatic win over the Chiefs on Thanksgiving, serving as a stark reminder of how much still must be done if they harbor any hopes of making a title run during Dak Prescott's window. The overhaul has to start on Dallas' defense, which was one of the worst units in football this past season. Trevon Diggs' release was just the first step. On Tuesday, the 'Boys fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus after one season on the job. One of the few bright spots for the unit, Jadeveon Clowney, had a career-high three sacks, a forced fumble and a recovery in Sunday's defeat, but he's set to become a free agent. How deep can Dallas go on a 32-year-old while stricken with cap-space issues? It's just one of many questions on that side of the ball this offseason.
After another season missing the playoffs, the Bengals announced that they're going to run it back for 2026, retaining head coach Zac Taylor and personnel head Duke Tobin, along with the franchise's major offensive pillars. Joe Burrow's window keeps shrinking with every injury-riddled season that passes. And every encouraging development down the stretch in this lost campaign seemingly came with a stark reminder that Cincinnati remains an incomplete product. Perhaps even more pressing than Trey Hendrickson's impending free agency is a need to continue overhauling a defense that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in several key categories. The Bengals currently find themselves in the netherworld between contending and rebuilding, and they've got to find a way out of that purgatory before it's too late.
The Saints became far more competitive down the stretch in Kellen Moore's first season, showing tangible growth with the move to QB Tyler Shough and finishing the campaign as a surprisingly effective team on defense. The four-game win streak was snapped by Week 18's loss to Atlanta, one that highlighted some real issues on special teams. The Saints won't compete for the playoffs next season unless they make major fixes to that element of the operation, and there are some aging veterans and long-time fixtures on each side of the ball whose futures remain up in the air. But there's at least a runway into 2026 and a hope that an added offseason of preparation should make the Shough-and-Moore-led offense a feared group next fall.
Andy Reid will be back, as will Patrick Mahomes, once his rehabilitation from knee surgery is completed, giving the Chiefs a second chance at competing. We still don't know Travis Kelce's plans, and it appears as if there could be assistant coaching changes ahead, so there's only so much we can project for this team's immediate and long-term futures. But sprinkle dirt over the Chiefs' graves at your own risk. It might feel like they've hit rock bottom, at least by the standards established over the past decade, but they'll have an avenue toward re-emerging as contenders. To that end, how they go about doing it and how aggressive they are this offseason could be pretty telling.
The Dolphins hit a few high notes in the second half of 2025, but they face an offseason of change ahead. New GM candidates are being interviewed as you read this, and the future of QB Tua Tagovailoa will be the offseason talking point after he was benched for rookie Quinn Ewers. Tyreek Hill also will come into the crosshairs once again this offseason after the Dolphins delayed a split with him prior to this past season. Until the key front-office role is filled, we won't know much about Miami's plan -- although we do have a sense Mike McDaniel will stick around, based on reporting by the NFL Insiders. The inconsistencies of his past few seasons are too glaring to simply brush aside, but McDaniel still has a respectable record overall at 35-33. One way or another, Miami figures to make extensive changes this offseason.
Following a shocking return to irrelevance in 2025, the immediate future of the Commanders remains murky for now. Their defensive needs alone are almost too numerous to list. On top of that, the Commanders must find ways to protect and insulate Jayden Daniels better. Oh, and they'll have new coordinators on both sides of the ball, as Washington parted ways with OC Kliff Kingsbury and DC Joe Whitt Jr. on Tuesday. It appears on the surface that free agency will be an important route for the rebuilding process, with the Commanders currently ranking fifth in projected cap space, per Over The Cap. On the flip side, their draft-pick till has been thinned via past trades; losing 10 of their past 12 games netted them the No. 7 overall choice, but Washington won't have its second- or fourth-round picks in 2026. A return to the playoffs wouldn't be shocking if the defense improves and Daniels can get through the season healthy, but it shouldn't be assumed, either, given the way this past season went.
The Browns moved on from Kevin Stefanski, who should immediately become one of the more sought-after head-coaching candidates available. Such is life for the Browns, who remain a promising but disappointing team sailing through uncharted waters again, searching for some sort of respite after a 5-12 season. They were competitive at times down the stretch, winning their final two games, but they exited with even more questions about their future at football's two most indispensable roles: head coach and quarterback. Whatever promise Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel might hold as NFL signal-callers will remain subject to the next coach's vision and GM Andrew Berry's whim, and picking as high as they are in the draft (No. 6 overall, with the Jaguars' first-rounder also in their possession) puts them in prime QB country in the draft. Again. Who's ready for another Browns offseason?
GM Joe Schoen will be staying put and leading the search for the Giants’ next head coach in yet another offseason of significant change for the franchise. The team appears to have found its quarterback of the future in Jaxson Dart, though his performance and self-preservation skills still remain subject to scrutiny. The roster also features several high-end players who could help trigger an expedited rebuild next season, but the Giants are not nearly as flush with salary-cap space as they were a year ago. They’re not as well-stocked in the draft-pick department, either, with the Week 17 and 18 victories pushing them down to the No. 5 spot overall. They also lack a third-round pick. There are reasons to be optimistic about a quick turnaround, though, especially in a division that could be more up for grabs next season. But there’s also the cold reality that this team has lost double-digit games for three years running.
Cam Ward's Week 18 shoulder injury marred a strong finish to his otherwise-frustrating rookie season, one that saw the first-year passer swimming mostly upstream during Tennessee’s 1-11 start. Assuming Ward’s injury doesn’t carry long-term concern, he'll be back -- paired with a new coach -- armed to make gains in 2026. The Titans’ draft class flashed some nice promise, and another fresh crop of talent from GM Mike Borgonzi and his staff could have the franchise running more smoothly in time. Even with some big-money misses in recent offseasons, the Titans are stocked with free-agent dollars and cap space. They should be prepared to partner Ward with better offensive weaponry and support staff, but they also can’t overlook all the shortcomings on defense.
Jonathan Gannon couldn’t survive a shockingly bad 2025 season -- his third (and worst) sub.-500 campaign in as many years. Arizona started out 2-0 but quickly fell off the wagon, dropping 14 of their final 15 games. At first, the losses were close and competitive, but too often down the stretch the team lacked competitiveness and appeared disinterested in fighting hard. As with many teams we’ve run through so far, the offseason to-do list appears pretty significant. After finding a head coach, Arizona must decide how to proceed with Kyler Murray, whose future with the club is cloudy, to say the least. There’s a pretty good battery of talent still here that the next coach will inherit, but the QB question -- especially in such a daunting division -- will hang over the Cardinals’ heads until it’s proven they’ve taken the right path forward.
It might seem hard to remember, but the Jets were fairly competitive for stretches this season. The final month was not one of those stretches, however, with defensive firepower long since traded away, no good solutions at quarterback and injuries further depleting the roster. There’s no other way to say it: Following their Week 13 win over the Falcons, the Jets were just non-competitive down the stretch. We’re not going to crush them for losing to the Bills on Sunday in what was likely the last NFL game at Highmark Stadium (even with Josh Allen playing only one snap), but to crash with that kind of thud is really disappointing. The interception-less streak is an incredible stat, and incredibly damning for a coach who cut his teeth coaching DBs and played the position as a pro. The Jets have major defensive holes, and they have no clear-cut identity on offense before they pick a quarterback and make a long-term decision on RB Breece Hall. Clinching the No. 2 overall selection and having the first-rounder they acquired from the Colts go way up in value after the trade are both nice windfalls, but New York's offseason to-do list is immensely long.
All signs point to the team drafting a quarterback this offseason after earning the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Raiders' last-place finish is a reflection of GM John Spytek’s failed Geno Smith trade from the 2025 offseason, but acquiring the veteran always seemed like a transitional move. And speaking of transitions, Vegas will have a new coaching staff in 2026 after the Pete Carroll experiment fell flat. Now all the focus must be on finding a leader who can dispel a losing culture, shepherd a young quarterback and rebuild trust inside and outside of the organization. It could be a monumental offseason for the program, as defensive pillar Maxx Crosby and the team appeared to be on different pages by season’s end, with his future very much hanging in the balance. The Raiders could be a golden rebuilding opportunity, but it’s also a team fraught with issues and major decisions.
