The NFL postseason is underway, and Super Wild Card Weekend did not disappoint. Of the six games, the first four came down to the final drive of the game. Away teams won three of the first five games, and a few playoff newcomers advanced to the Divisional Round. With another jam-packed weekend ahead, we’ll dissect the eight remaining teams while providing some parting thoughts on the six teams that were eliminated on the weekend in this installment of our WCG Power Rankings, playoff edition.
Ranking
The Remaining 8-Team Playoff Field
1. Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
Seattle was one of two teams on a bye, thanks to earning the No. 1 seed, but they have to feel great about their rematch with the 49ers. Not only will San Francisco come into Saturday banged up, but they’ve lost even more offensive firepower with tight end George Kittle tearing his Achilles on Sunday afternoon. The biggest question I have surrounding the Seahawks is how quarterback Sam Darnold will look in Year 2 of his postseason experience. Last year did not go well, and even with home-field advantage and an elite defense, they’ll need above-average quarterback play to advance to the Championship round.
2. Denver Broncos (14-3)
Up next is another team that was on a bye for Wild Card weekend. Unlike the Seahawks, the Broncos can’t be thrilled with their upcoming matchup. For my money, the Bills are the AFC’s most dangerous team, even if their path to the Super Bowl is on the road. Denver’s defense is elite, but can Bo Nix go toe-to-toe with Josh Allen if needed? That’s the big question heading into Saturday. Denver is yet another place where home-field advantage has an extra edge, but Buffalo is as battle-tested as they come.
3. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
For a second straight matchup, the Rams and Panthers came down to the final drive of the game. Unlike in the regular season, Los Angeles came out on top and will now head to Chicago for a favorable matchup on Sunday. Quarterback Matthew Stafford wasn’t at his best last Saturday. Although he finished the game with 304 passing yards and three touchdowns, his accuracy was off, and he threw an uncharacteristic interception. I’ll always bet on experienced quarterbacks with a postseason track record, but if they plan to move on much further, they’re going to need to be better than they were against the Panthers.
4. New England Patriots (14-3)
Of all the games to happen over the weekend (not counting Monday night), the Patriots won most convincingly. Even so, there was something left to be desired, which is why they moved down a spot in this week’s rankings. Their road to the Super Bowl appears easier on paper than the Broncos, but the Texans will be a challenging task, especially considering how strong Houston’s defense is. Quarterback Drake Maye got better as the game went on, but against a more complete team, turning it over two times might be enough to cost them the game.
5. Buffalo Bills (12-5)
Of all the exciting matchups on Wild Card weekend, the matchup (on paper) between the Bills and Jaguars promised to be a good one. Even if football games aren’t played on paper, this game lived up to the hype. It was far from easy for the Bills, but in the end, the better quarterback was the difference. Josh Allen continues to take some big shots, but every time it happens, he gets up and plays on. Buffalo is a flawed team, but so is every remaining AFC team. I’ll stick with my preseason Super Bowl pick and project an upset next Saturday in Denver.
6. Chicago Bears (11-6)
They don’t call them the Cardiac Bears for nothing. In what felt like an insurmountable 18-point deficit at the half, the Bears once again pulled off another miracle in the late stages of the fourth quarter. I’ll admit, even I had all but given up on the game going into the half, but as has been the case all season, they came out in the second half looking like a different team. I’ve said this a few times, but I feel strongly this time: They cannot do this against the Rams and win. Their defense will already struggle enough to contain that high-powered passing attack. If the offense doesn’t come out ready to go 10 rounds blow-by-blow, this will be the end of their magical season. If they do find a way to win, there’s not a team they can’t beat the rest of the way out.
7. Houston Texans (12-5)
The Texans might have the best defense in the league (or at least my favorite), but without better quarterback play from C.J. Stroud, it’s hard to see them making a playoff run, even in a wide-open AFC. Admittedly, I have not watched a ton of the Texans this year until the last few weeks. It seems like any time I did, they were playing well enough on offense, but after what I saw on Monday night, it’s hard not to come away believing the “real” Stroud is much closer to his Year 2 version versus his rookie year. Combine that with an anemic run game, and it’s just hard to imagine their defense being dominant enough to overcome a lack of above-average offense.
8. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
I have no earthly idea how the 49ers keep winning games. That’s not a knock on them at all, but considering the amount of high-profile injuries they continue to endure, it’s a miracle they have enough talent to field an NFL-worthy team. I was far from a believer in the Eagles this season, but going into that hostile environment, losing your Pro Bowl tight end, and still coming out on top is borderline unbelievable. Maybe I’m wrong, but the likelihood of them going into Seattle and coming out victorious doesn’t seem high.
Parting Thoughts (In Descending Draft Order)
24. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-5) *Pick Owned By The Cleveland Browns
Parting Thought: Although the season didn’t end the way they wanted it to, the Jaguars’ future is bright.
Of all the matchups they could get in Round 1, the Bills were the least ideal. That could be said for any team playing on Wild Card weekend, and despite a 12-win season, they drew the short straw with Buffalo. All in all, this was about as successful a season as any fan could have hoped for in Year 1 of the Liam Coen era. Assuming he can keep Trevor Lawrence on an upward trajectory, the ceiling for this team could be a Super Bowl contender every season. Despite the disappointing first-round exit, there should be plenty of optimism in Jacksonville heading into the offseason.
23. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
Parting Thought: In a season full of drama, a first-round exit will only further the pressure in the city of brotherly love.
Head coach Nick Sirianni might be the only coach in recent memory whose job security is consistently questioned, even though he continues to win and make the playoffs. That said, there’s something to be said for how weirdly this season played out for the Eagles. Usually, defending Super Bowl champions come out with some pop. For Philly, their hot start was quickly shut down once locker-room drama began leaking to the general public. For the back half of the season, it felt like they were one more loss away from a complete blowout. Despite that, they won the division and had a relatively favorable playoff matchup, at least on paper. Changes to the coaching staff feel likely, as does a more permanent resolution with A.J. Brown. We’ll see if an additional offseason of replacing their losses from last March will round them back into Super Bowl form.
22. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
Parting Thought: A second-straight season ends in disappointment, as an out-manned Justin Herbert can’t get enough help from his supporting cast. What now?
The hiring of Jim Harbaugh two seasons ago sent shockwaves through the NFL. The high-profile head coach has always been known as a winner, which gave Chargers fans plenty of hope. Following back-to-back 11-win seasons, things appear to be looking up, but what’s the endgame here? This is Harbaugh’s second straight one-and-done in the playoffs. They haven’t been particularly competitive in either game, being outscored 48-15. Injuries have played their part, but at some point soon, they’ll need to get over the hump. Year 3 feels like a big one in Los Angeles.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
Parting Thought: Following another first-round exit, determining the futures of Mike Tomlin and Aaron Rodgers is the first step to formulating a plan for 2026.
The Steelers remain stuck in the same spot they’ve been for close to a decade: A playoff team that can’t win a playoff game. No matter who their quarterback is and what moves they make in the offseason, the result is always the same. There’s already been plenty of change within their own division, but at what point do they make changes, too? There’s been increasing chatter that Tomlin could step away for a TV deal. Would that impact Rodgers’ willingness to return for an age-44 season? Like usual, there are more questions than answers heading into the offseason, even after a division title. The roster is getting older, and at some point soon, the bottom could fall out.
20. Green Bay Packers (9-7-1) *Pick Owned By Dallas Cowboys
Parting Thought: After mortgaging their future for Micah Parsons, a nine-win season and first-round playoff exit won’t cut it. It feels like changes are coming. It’s just a matter of how much.
Early reports from Green Bay indicate that new team president Ed Policy and the organization are working to secure a long-term deal with head coach Matt LaFleur. The seven-year head coach has had just one losing season since taking over, but following another disappointing year, his future remains in question until an extension is reached. There’s no doubt the Packers sustained key injuries this season, but after Parsons’s loss, they failed to win another game, finishing the season with five straight losses. The talent is there, but with defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley a top candidate for multiple head coaching vacancies and Rich Bisaccia’s unit continuing to struggle, there’s a chance that if returned, LaFleur might have two new open coordinator roles. With no first-round picks for the next two seasons, they’ll need to get creative to improve this team.
19. Carolina Panthers (8-9)
Parting Thought: Even after a first-round postseason exit, there’s plenty to build on heading into 2026. The better question is: Is the ceiling high enough to make noise in the playoffs?
Did anyone outside of Carolina have the Panthers winning the NFC South on their bingo card for 2025? I know I sure didn’t. In some ways, this iteration of the Panthers bears certain similarities to the Cam Newton-led squad from a decade ago, when they entered the playoffs at 7-8-1. The issue is that they had a considerably better quarterback, and that losing season was sandwiched between 12-4 and 15-1 seasons. There’s no question that this is a team on the rise; the bigger concern is how high the ceiling is, given the current construction. There are advantages to being in the weakest division in football, but once the playoffs come around, that advantage goes out the window. The next step in this process is to figure out how to become a Super Bowl contender. I’m just not sure how they get there with better and more consistent quarterback play.
