It’s the penultimate week of the 2025 NFL regular season and a slate of football on Christmas Day and Saturday only set the stage for Sunday’s matchups that had a significant impact on the NFL playoff picture right now. As Week 17 draws to a close, it’s time to evaluate how all 32 teams performed.
Let’s dive into our NFL Week 18 power rankings, evaluating all 32 teams after. Week 17.
1. Seattle Seahawks (1)
When stacking up the best NFL teams right now, it is close enough that it comes down to splitting hairs between which unit and coaching staff are trusted the most. Right now, that is the Seattle Seahawks. The offense isn’t flawless, but Klint Kubiak has really started to find ways to get this ground game going as of late, and that has been desperately needed for Seattle. With Sunday’s victory, the path to the No. 1 seed in the NFC remains in the Seahawks’ control, and they are absolutely capable of beating anyone at home or on the road.
2. Los Angeles Rams (2)
A victory on Monday Night Football for the Los Angeles Rams would feel twice as nice. That’s because defeating the Falcons in Week 17 would push Atlanta’s first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft back into the top 10 and Los Angeles owns that pick. More importantly, winning on the road in Atlanta would keep the Rams in position for the NFC’s No. 5 seed and a matchup against the NFC South winner.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (3)
After falling into an early 10-point hole on the road against Indianapolis, Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars responded with 14 unanswered points and outscored the Colts 23-7 the rest of the way. It might not have been as impressive of a victory after last week’s performance in Denver, but all that matters is the 12-4 record and first place in the division. Jacksonville will get a well-earned home playoff game as long as it handles its business against the Titans in Week 18.
4. New England Patriots (4)
The New England Patriots clearly enjoyed beating up on the lifeless Jets on Sunday, using it as an opportunity for Drake May and Rhamondre Stevenson to go off. There’s not a ton to take away from this game, in terms of stacking up New England against the best NFL teams right now, but all that really amtters for Mike Vrabel and Co. is the victory.
5. Denver Broncos (5)
Not exactly the most convincing win for the Denver Broncos over a Chiefs team starting a third-string quarterback and multiple backups on both sides of the ball. With that said, it’s still a victory and it’s not as if there’s a clear no-doubt team who is dominating the NFL right now. These last two weeks have raised doubts about the Broncos’ ability to make a run to the Super Bowl, but they do have the ability to prove themselves again before the postseason by beating the Chargers in Week 18.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (10)
The Philadelphia Eagles survived, barely. Jalen Hurts and Co. did nearly find a way to give the game away by doing absolutely nothing in the second half, remanding the fan base and skeptics of just how ice-cold this unit can get with Jalen Hurts and Kevin Patullo. In the end, the defense won another game for Philadelphia and it could do that again once or twice in the postseason.
7. Houston Texans (8)
Make it an eight-game win streak for the Houston Texans. When you have an elite defense that can consistently hold opponents under 20 points, all you really need is a few big plays to win games. Houston caught some breaks in this one, but it also overcame 2 bad interceptions by C.J. Stroud to come out victorious on the road. Saturday’s performance didn’t erase some of our concerns about this offense in a Divisional Round matchup, but we do think the Texans could win the Wild Card Round regardless of who they face.
Related: Winners, Losers from Houston Texans vs Los Angeles Chargers
8. San Francisco 49ers (9)
Brock Purdy delivered one of the best performances by any player in the NFL this season and Kyle Shanahan delivered his latest masterclass as a play-caller. It still was almost not enough to win on Sunday Night Football thanks to this defense. The Week 18 draw against Seattle will be the best test for the San Francisco 49ers, as we’ll find out what happens when this offense faces an elite defense while its own defense is struggling. If the 49ers can win, clinching a first-round bye, then this is a true Super Bowl contender.
9. Chicago Bears (7)
Sunday Night Football was the latest example that the Chicago Bears are probably one year away from taking over the NFC. Caleb Williams is becoming more consistent and Ben Johnson is dialing up a great rushing attack, but the defense is abysmal when it can’t generate a takeaway on a drive. Defenses like that don’t tend to make it through three-plus playoff games without being costly and that’s the issue for Chicago, which missed out on the No. 1 seed in the NFC with Sunday’s loss.
10. Buffalo Bills (6)
Unsurprisingly, the absence of wide receivers who can create separation proved costly for the Buffalo Bills in a big game. It is a shame, too, because Buffalo’s defense delivered one of its best performances of the season to keep this game close in the rain. With the way that Josh Allen and the Bills’ passing game are struggling right now, this team could be destined for a first-round exit.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (11)
Saturday’s loss to the Texans showed how slim the margin of error is for the Los Angeles Chargers because of this offensive line. What’s equally concerning moving forward is that the defeat in Week 17 means Justin Herbert and Co. will likely face the Jaguars or Texans in the Wild Card Round. That’s not a matchup that bodes well for Los Angeles overcoming its history of first-round playoff exits.
12. Baltimore Ravens (16)
The Baltimore Ravens fed Derrick Henry and won, what a novel concept. Saturday’s victory does raise more questions about the decision-making from John Harbaugh this season and the vibes from players coming into this past week were still awful. If it comes down to an unlikely decision between keeping Harbaugh or Lamar Jackson, Baltimore shouldn’t hesitate for a second in picking its two-time MVP quarterback.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers (13)
The DK Metcalf suspension might wind up costing the Pittsburgh Steelers a playoff spot. It was made even more impactful in Sunday’s loss at Cleveland thanks to the Darnell Washington injury (forearm) which could leaving this limited passing game in an even worse spot in a must-win Week 18 fight against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
14. Green Bay Packers (11)
The Green Bay Packers earned a playoff spot, but there are just far too many injuries to overcome at this point. It’s the absence of Tucker Kraft and Elgton Jenkins that keeps this offense from being more consistent. Defensively, the line has been decimated by injuries and Rashan Gary is a shell of the player he used to be. Limping into the playoffs, we don’t think the Packers roster is healthy enough to keep things interesting in the Wild Card Round.
15. Carolina Panthers (15)
Sunday felt like a reality check when it comes to the Carolina Panthers. While they’ve beaten some very good teams this season, there was a lot of turnover luck involved in those victories. This time, the Panthers gave it up just as much they took it away and Seattle turned those opportunities into points. The good news? This is clearly the best team in the NFC South.
16. Minnesota Vikings (18)
The Minnesota Vikings went into Christmas Day wanting to be spoiler and they got what they wished for, knocking Detroit out of the playoffs. If J.J. McCarthy played, that might’ve been even more of a one-sided game. What that Week 17 victory showed is that this Vikings coaching staff is one of the best in the NFL, it’s just the offensive line and quarterback situation that need to be figured out this offseason.
Related: Winners, Losers from Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings
17. Detroit Lions (14)
Both Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions front office might have been guilty of hubris this past offseason. Jared Goff has always had issues handling pressure, but a great offensive line and a phenomenal play-caller in Ben Johnson masked that. Detroit seemed to believe that Goff could maintain his play even with Johnson gone and the interior offensive line in a much worse state than before. That thinking backfired. The Lions could solve some of their interior offensive line issues this offseason, but it is clear the same ceiling that led to the Rams parting ways with Goff is still there, and Detroit is now experiencing it.
18. New Orleans Saints (20)
This is how you build a culture as a rebuilding team. Following a 1–8 start to the season, Tyler Shough and the New Orleans Saints have posted a 5–2 record, and they are now riding a four-game win streak. Notably, New Orleans swept the potential NFC South champion Panthers during this seven-game stretch. Kellen Moore and Co. absolutely have this team headed in the right direction.
19. Dallas Cowboys (19)
The Dallas Cowboys survived on Christmas Day, but that performance against the Commanders offense served as a reminder of just how far away this defense is from being playoff-caliber. Dallas does have two first-round picks this offseason that it can use to address the secondary and front seven, but even that is not enough. As of now, barring a great offseason where the team hits on its picks and spends money wisely, it feels like the 2026 Cowboys could be another version of the 2024 Bengals.
Related: Winners, Losers from Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Commanders on Thanksgiving Day
20. Indianapolis Colts (17)
The Indianapolis Colts were officially eliminated from playoff contention in Week 17, an outcome that feels unbelievable for a team that had a 7-1 record entering November. Naturally, the injury to Daniel Jones will be cited as the team’s downfall but there were signs of an impending collapse before that. Now, the big question is what Indianapolis does this offseason with no clear starting quarterback and no first-round pick.
21. Cincinnati Bengals (23)
Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense seem to be using these last few games to stat-pad a bit and feel a lot better about the unit heading into the offseason. It certainly helps that they are capitalizing on some awful defenses. However, given the long history of the Bengals’ front office, it is hard to find any reason to believe this team will be better in 2026 than it has been over the last two seasons.
22. Atlanta Falcons (22)
At this point in the season, the Atlanta Falcons are playing for head coach Raheem Morris. He’s very much on the hot seat entering Week 17 with owner Arthur Blank watching the team’s performance closely. If the Falcons lay an egg on Monday Night Football, getting embarrassed on a national stage, that might seal Morris’ fate.
23. Miami Dolphins (24)
The Miami Dolphins are showing late in the season why Mike McDaniel will be the head coach next year. It is not as if Quinn Ewers has shown enough in these last two games to be the definitive starting quarterback in 2026, but this Dolphins offense continues to make the most of what it has to work with. Going from 1–7 to 7–9 certainly hurts the draft positioning, but Miami should feel good about the fact that it will be keeping a head coach who would have otherwise been the most in-demand name on the coaching carousel this offseason.
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21)
It was reported prior to Week 17 that head coach Todd Bowles is expected to return next season. That is inexcusable for an organization that claims to have aspirations of being competitive on a regular basis. Just a few months ago, Tampa Bay boasted a 6–2 record and held victories over the Texans, Seahawks, and 49ers. It has been an epic implosion ever since. The Buccaneers have legitimately looked like one of the worst NFL teams since November, and that falls on Bowles.
25. Kansas City Chiefs (26)
In what might have been his final home game, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs fought admirably against the Denver Broncos. Much of the focus now will center on Kelce’s future and whether or not he gives it one more season in an effort to go out on a better note. However, given the state of the Chiefs’ roster and the lengthy recovery for Patrick Mahomes, retirement is probably the best option.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs Offseason Moves to Create Cap Space
26. New York Giants (29)
It’s a cliche, but it certainly looked like the New York Giants “wanted it more” compared to Las Vegas. There’s been discourse in the last week regarding whether or not New York should trade Jaxson Dart and use its top pick on a quarterback. While there’s some appeal to that, the better call is to trade down with a quarterback-needy team and then use all that draft capital to build an infrastructure that can truly elevate a young quarterback. If Dart can’t shine with that hypothetical improved cast then New York can draft a new quarterback in 2027 and feel great about the core surrounding its next face of the franchise.
Related: 4 New York Giants Offseason Moves that Should be Made
27. Cleveland Browns (30)
Check for spelling and grammar: While Sunday’s victory certainly hurts draft positioning, what is so much sweeter for the Cleveland Browns is having potentially dealt the Steelers a blow that could ultimately knock them out of the playoffs. As for Shedeur Sanders, he still hasn’t exactly shown enough to warrant being the unquestioned starting-quarterback in 2026, but the Browns might now be in a spot where they can’t take Dante Moore or Fernando Mendoza. If that is the case, running it back with Sanders next season—with a better receiving corps and improved pass protection around him—certainly isn’t the worst idea.
Related: Cleveland Browns Offseason Moves That Should be Made
28. Arizona Cardinals (25)
The Arizona Cardinals looked like an injury-plagued team that lost what little fight it had left weeks ago. Week 17 delivered another blowout loss, in what has seemingly been the theme of every Cardinals game for the last month of the season. Set to face the Rams in Week 18, it feels safe to say that Arizona will perform like a club that wants a top-four pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
29. Washington Commanders (27)
Not only did the Washington Commanders make the Cowboys sweat it out in Week 17, but rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt made his case to be the starting running back in 2026. Washington still has a tremendous amount of work to do this offseason on overhauling the defense and building a much better supporting cast around Jayden Daniels, but at least the Christmas Day loss provided a positive.
30. Tennessee Titans (30)
What matters for the Tennessee Titans from Sunday, and to some extent last week as well, is Cam Ward really starting to put it together and turning flashes into more consistency. He looks like the quarterback you’d take with the first overall pick. He’s also just scratching the surface of what he can do a lot more when he gets the right supporting cast around him.
Related: 4 Tennessee Titans Offseason Moves that Should be Made
31. Las Vegas Raiders (31)
Well, at least the Las Vegas Raiders’ franchise now has an 80 percent chance of getting what it wants: the first overall pick. Sunday’s loss to New York was the latest example of why head coach Pete Carroll has no business being part of this organization beyond Week 18. The Raiders still have a losing culture, and we are not entirely sure Fernando Mendoza will fix it, especially since the crop of offensive linemen likely to be available in NFL free agency is not exactly premium.
Related: 4 Offseason Moves the Las Vegas Raiders Should Make
32. New York Jets (32)
Going from weekly press conferences filled with refusals to name Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor to stating days before the game that Brady Cook is QB1 perfectly captures the New York Jets’ tanking efforts. We don’t think Aaron Glenn should be fired, as he took over a dumpster fire that only added more fuel at the NFL trade deadline. With that said, this abysmal stretch to end the season is not exactly the culture-building we expected.
