Who is the best team in the NFL playoffs? The regular season is behind us, officially kicking off the road to the Super Bowl. In our latest NFL power rankings after Week 18, we’ll preview the looming offseason for teams that have been eliminated and officially rank the teams in the NFL playoffs.
Let’s dive into our NFL power rankings after Week 18, ranking NFL playoff teams and previewing the offseason for eliminated clubs.
NFL power rankings after Week 18: Offseason outlook for teams
32. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers were the worst NFL team in 2023 and it wasn’t particularly close. A coaching change might help Bryce Young, but the Panthers’ organization essentially needs to rebuild the entire offense around Young. Without a first-round pick, this is going to be a multi-year rebuild and it’s hard to trust the decision-makers behind it.
Related: Carolina Panthers coaching candidates
31. New England Patriots
It’ll be a new era for the New England Patriots in 2024. Bill Belichick’s departure is coming and his exit means a new head coach and general manager. However, losing Belichick also means this defense could take a step back. Considering the Patriots’ roster on offense is one of the weakest in the NFL heading into the offseason, 2024 could be a true rebuilding year.
Related: New England Patriots coaching candidates
30. Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders needed to clean house and that’s precisely what they’re doing. Whoever is the Commanders’ quarterback in 2024 will be walking into a solid situation, supported by wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. However, Washington’s defense and offensive line will need significant work before this team is ready to be a Wild Card threat.
Related: Washington Commanders coaching candidates
29. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are going to be one of the most fascinating teams to follow this offseason. For now, the expectation remains that quarterback Kyler Murray will return in 2024 allowing Arizona to either trade its pick to a quarterback-needy team or trade Murray. Either way, with how well-coached Arizona was this season, roster improvements should lead to a significant step forward next fall.
Related: 2024 NFL Draft order, picks by team
28. New York Giants
The New York Giants appear poised to run it back in 2024 with a majority of the same personnel from this past season. While it’s possible Daniel Jones can recapture the form we saw in 2022, everything before that paired with his ACL recovery suggests New York will be stuck in quarterback purgatory. One way around that, though, would be strengthening the offensive line and providing Jones with legitimate pass-catchers.
Related: 2024 NFL salary cap projection
27. Tennessee Titans
Derrick Henry has likely played his final snap in a Tennessee Titans uniform and with the team not particularly close to contention, DeAndre Hopkins may ask out before the 2024 NFL season. To make matters worse, the Titans’ offensive line remains one of the worst in the league and this defense is progressively worsening. It will make for a fascinating offseason for Titans’ GM Ran Carthon, but we don’t expect Tennessee to be an AFC threat in 2024.
Related: NFL stadium rankings
26. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers not only have to find a new head coach this offseason but also sort through general manager candidates. Of course, one thing that separates Los Angeles from the other teams at the bottom of the 2024 NFL power rankings is the fact they have a franchise quarterback. The new coach and general manager just have to start building a new team around Justin Herbert.
Related: Los Angeles Chargers coaching candidates
25. New Orleans Saints
Not only are the New Orleans Saints stuck with Derek Carr in 2024, who proved to be even more of a game manager than feared, but they have -$87 million of cap space in 2024. Not only that, this roster is getting a lot older and one of the Saints’ best players could be forced to retire. The Saints have managed to tread waters for years, but it truly feels like the dam will break in 2024 and New Orleans could easily be near the bottom of NFL power rankings a year from now.
Related: New Orleans Saints coaching candidates
24. Denver Broncos
Looking ahead to the 2024 NFL season, things don’t look promising for the Denver Broncos. Because of the dead money from releasing Russell Wilson, Denver might have to roll with Jarrett Stidham or a similar cheap, bridge quarterback in 2024. It’s not as if the Broncos’ skill players or offensive line can elevate their quarterback, either. By the end of 2024, we might be wondering if both Sean Payton and the Broncos made a mistake coming together.
Related: Denver Broncos will need to overpay free agents because of Sean Payton
23. Las Vegas Raiders
A strong finish to the season certainly provided Raider Nation with confidence for the future. However, it’s important to remember that the Las Vegas Raiders had one of the easiest second-half schedules and one of the NFL’s worst offenses. Regardless of who is chosen as the next Raiders’ coach, a sub-.500 season feels inevitable if Las Vegas can’t find stability at quarterback with a quality play-caller fixing this offense.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders coaching candidates
22. Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are another intriguing team to watch this offseason. Assuming Brian Flores returns in 2024, this defense should take another step forward as long as they improve their secondary. Offensively, Minnesota has elite building blocks in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. Beyond them, just about every other position needs to be addressed and they don’t have a long-term answer at quarterback. Without solving that, the Vikings are clearly the fourth-best team in the NFC North next season.
Related: NFL expert picks
21. Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons can’t settle for quarterback purgatory in 2024. Even with a change at head coach, this franchise can’t settle for the standard it’s accepted at the most important position in sports. Whether it’s taking the risk on Kirk Cousins, trading for Justin Fields or moving up in the 2024 NFL Draft for Jayden Daniels, Atlanta needs to find a better quarterback this offseason.
Related: Atlanta Falcons coaching candidates
20. Chicago Bears
There’s only one way we could’ve been higher on the Chicago Bears’ future. If the organization decided to move on from Matt Eberflus, it would be the most desired head-coaching vacancy in the NFL and that likely means pairing a quarterback with Ben Johnson. Instead, Eberflus seems poised to return. It just means defensive continuity for a top-10 defense in the second half of the 2023 NFL season. As for the quartebrack decision, the best choice is trading Justin Fields and taking Drake Maye or Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick. Do that, build a deep and highly-paid roster around a generational talent on the first year of his rookie contract and you’re set for the next 5-plus years.
Related: NFL coaching candidates
19. Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith wasn’t the problem with the Seattle Seahawks this season. Instead, it was a defense that once again fell flat on its face despite a lot of draft picks and cash invested on that side of the ball. What made things worse for Seattle is that its offensive line never let the passing game or running back Kenneth Walker sustain excellence. If the Seahawks want to avoid falling behind some of the NFC’s risers next fall, they need a new defensive coordinator and must add more talent in the trenches.
Related: Seattle Seahawks evaluating Pete Carroll replacements
18. Jacksonville Jaguars
Embarrassing. That’s the only way to describe the way the Jacksonville Jaguars closed out the second half of the season. Jacksonville looked like an AFC power heading into its November bye week with a 6-2 record. Then, the Jaguars’ doors were blown off by the San Francisco 49ers. After a two-game recovery to improve to 8-3, Jacksonville went 1-5 the rest of the way. Doug Pederson won’t like it, but missing the playoffs should force him to make changes to his coaching staff.
Related: NFL QB rankings
17. Cincinnati Bengals
A healthy Joe Burrow is truly all the Cincinnati Bengals need to return to Super Bowl contention in 2024. Cincinnati’s defense struggled in 2023, but youth in the secondary is the biggest reason for that. Offensively, Burrow will cover up some of the problems on the offensive line and, like it or not, Joe Mixon is replaceable. Of course, all eyes will be on Tee Higgins and whether or not Cincinnati finds a way to retain him for at least another season.
16. New York Jets
It’s genuinely difficult to gauge where to put the New York Jets in the preliminary 2024 NFL power rankings heading into the offseason. On the one hand, this defense actually kept the team in playoff contention entering December despite starting Zach Wilson for most of the year. There’s also reason for excitement about an offense with Aaron Rodgers, Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson in 2024. However, we can’t forget that Rodgers will be 40 years old behind an offensive line with a lot of halls, running a system with a play-caller who has a poor track record of success. The offseason will determine whether or not the Jets can contend for a Super Bowl next season.
15. Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts nearly made the playoffs in a season with a rookie head coach all while Jonathan Taylor missed significant time, Anthon Richardson suffered a season-ending injury in early October and this young team tried to learn a new system. If the Colts can accomplish that already, we can’t wait to see what Steichen and Richardson can do with reinforcements in 2024.
Related: Stephen A. Smith salary expected to skyrocket in 2024
2024 NFL power rankings: Ranking NFL playoff teams
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Tomlin has done it again. Starting backup quarterbacks for most of the season, Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers extended their streak to 17 consecutive years without a losing season and they made the playoffs. It’s truly a testament to Tomlin as coach. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, no T.J. Watt and a bad offense mean the Steelers are the worst team in the NFL playoffs.
Related: Ranking NFL head coach openings
13. Philadelphia Eagles
We simply can’t trust the Philadelphia Eagles to win a playoff game. In a surprise to no one, except head coach Nick Sirianni and the Eagles’ organization, allowing Matt Patricia to call defensive plays didn’t improve a bottom-5 defense. To make matters worse, Philadelphia’s offense has broken down and the changes it needs can’t happen in a few weeks of practice. Oh, the Eagles’ locker room is also divided and that was before things got ugly on the field. Philadelphia truly could be one-and-done in the NFL playoffs.
Related: Philadelphia Eagles coaching candidates
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are NFC South champions and headed to the NFL playoffs. It’s certainly not a sentence we expected to write before the season, but Todd Bowles, Baker Mayfield and Dave Canales deserve a heaping of credit for what Tampa Bay accomplished this season. Even if the Bucs are a first-round knockout in the Wild Card round, this surprising season prolonged the careers of Mayfield and Bowles. All of this success, of course, occurred in a season in which Tampa Bay dealt with massive dead cap hit, limiting the Buccaneers’ ability to build a more well-rounded roster.
Related: NFL kicker rankings
11. Green Bay Packers
The youngest team in the NFL is headed to the playoffs. When Jordan Love was struggling and the Green Bay Packers were 3-6, things looked bleak. Love didn’t play like a franchise-caliber quarterback and there was a case to be made for Matt LaFleur on the hot seat. Instead, Love made that leap and the Packers’ young offense erupted. Green Bay already looks like a better football team than it did with Rodgers a year ago and this club should only improve as it gains more experience.
Related: Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator candidates
10. Houston Texans
It’s truly unbelievable that the Houston Texans are in the NFL playoffs. When Houston traded its 2024 first-round pick to move up for Will Anderson Jr, many presumed it was giving away a top-five pick. Instead, Houston became the breakout team in 2023 with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans. This is one of the best turnaround stories in the NFL over the last five years and whatever happens in the playoffs, the Texans are winners this season and long-term.
Related: NFL Rookie of the Year candidates
9. Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams offense is capable of winning multiple games in the NFL playoffs. Matthew Stafford played at an MVP-caliber level in 2023, Sean McVay adapted his scheme to unlock a new version of this team and it’s led to outstanding results. On the other side of the ball, Los Angeles still has an all-time great in Aaron Donald while rookies Kobie Turner and Byron Young have been great. Linebacker and the secondary are massive weaknesses on this unit, however, which NFC playoff opponents like the Cowboys, Lions and 49ers would easily exploit. Still, the Rams far exceeded expectations this season and the playoffs are just playing with house money.
Related: Fan of Los Angeles Sports? Check out LAFBNetwork.com
8. Detroit Lions
When evaluating and comparing teams in our NFL power rankings before the playoffs, three factors are weighed heavily. It starts at quarterback, is followed by the quality of a defense and then factors in the talent around the quarterback. Detroit has the weapons, including offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, to win a high-scoring game. Unfortunately for the Lions, they don’t have a playoff-caliber defense and Jared Goff struggles vs pressure (24th in NFL QB rating). That’s a recipe for the Lions to lose to a team with a great defensive line and an explosive offense. The Lions’ stay in the playoffs will likely be short, not lasting past the Divisional Round, but this has been a successful season.
Related: Longest championship droughts
7. Cleveland Browns
Joe Flacco has taken the Cleveland Browns on a magical run that this long-suffering fan base deserves. Cleveland’s defense, the best in the NFL, is more than capable of creating low-scoring games against the Chiefs or Ravens. Let’s also not forget, though, that Flacco is 39 years old and had an 83.0 QB rating with a 60.7% completion rate in 20 games from 2019-’22. With no Nick Chubb and a bottom-10 offensive line, Cleveland feels destined to run out of magic in the Divisional Round.
6. Miami Dolphins
Injuries are the biggest reason why the Miami Dolphins aren’t higher in the NFL power rankings heading into the playoffs. If Miami didn’t lose top edge rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb along with center Connor Williams, they rank third behind Baltimore and San Francisco. Instead, you have a defense that will struggle to create pressure paired with an offense that defenses like the Chiefs, Ravens, 49ers, Browns and Bills would know exactly how to stop. The Dolphins’ upside is very high, but it’s the season-ending injuries that will likely prevent a deep playoff run.
Related: Best NFL dynasties ever
5. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys haven’t reached the NFC Championship Game since 1996. Few outside of Dallas will believe this team can make a deep playoff run until it happens. History isn’t responsible for our lack of faith in the Cowboys. It’s a shoddy run defense that matches up terribly against some of the best NFL teams. It’s the Cowboys having a lack of a run game, making them one-dimensional as Dak Prescott relies heavily on CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys are a great team, but their weakness align with the strengths of Super Bowl contenders.
Related: Highest-paid NFL players
4. Buffalo Bills
A few weeks ago, many were talking about the possibility of the Buffalo Bills firing Sean McDermott with the club facing remote playoff odds. McDermott, Josh Allen and so many others on this team deserve kudos for staying in the fight. In the final quarter of the season, Buffalo had a top-10 defense and we know Josh Allen can play at an MVP-caliber level in any given game. The Bills are the playoff team that should worry AFC clubs, because Buffalo’s ceiling is right up there with the best teams in the NFL. With that said, the Bills’ floor is an easy first-round postseason exit.
Related: NFL offense rankings
3. Kansas City Chiefs
Ranking the Kansas City Chiefs as the third-best team in the NFL playoffs comes down to two things. The obvious is quarterback Patrick Mahomes is one of the most gifted football players ever and he’s more capable than anyone of carrying a team to the top. Second, the Chiefs’ defense has been one of the best in the NFL all season. Kansas City can both get after the quarterback and blanket receivers in coverage. What keeps the Chiefs several tiers below the 49ers and Ravens is the lack of offensive talent beyond Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco. Kansas City could repeat as Super Bowl champions, but it requires Mahomes to carry the offense like never before.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator candidates
2. San Francisco 49ers
When the San Francisco 49ers are healthy, they can beat anyone, including the Baltimore Ravens. The 49ers have the best roster in the NFL, it’s a simple fact. On offense, you have top-3 players at their position in multiple spots (Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Trent Williams, Brandon Aiyuk, Kyle Juszczyk) and Deebo Samuel is an offensive weapon unlike any other. Defensively, Nick Bosa and Fred Warner are All-Pros, while Charvarius Ward, Javon Hargrave, Dre Greenlaw, Arik Armstead and Chase Young are Pro Bowl talents. Put the NFL’s best mind (Kyle Shanahan) at the helm of that and you have a team that is set up perfectly to run through the NFC, barring health.
Related: NFL stadium rankings
1. Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are the best NFL team entering the playoffs. Before resting starters in Week 18, Baltimore had a +210 point differential in 16 games. For context, no other team cracked 200 while the San Francisco 49ers (194) and Dallas Cowboys (166) were the only other teams above 115. In matchups against San Francisco, Miami and Detroit, Baltimore had a +83 point differential. An elite defense with the NFL MVP at quartebrack, a great coaching staff and the second-best roster in football, the Ravens should be in the Super Bowl come February.
Related: NFL MVP race