With the conclusion of Week 18’s final Sunday Night Football matchup of the year, the end of the 2025 NFL regular season has become a reality. For the 14 teams headed to the playoffs, a new season has begun.
For the 18 other teams that missed the dance, their offseasons will get a jumpstart. Especially those who will be in the market for a new head coach and/or general manager. Every year, it seems like the season goes by in the blink of an eye, even with the extra game added in. As usual, there were plenty of surprise teams, but unlike previous seasons, more disappointments than usual. Before we close the page on our regular season WCG Power Rankings, we’ll rank the 14-team playoff field and provide parting thoughts on those heading home until July.
Ranking The 14-Team Playoff Field
1. Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
One year after missing the playoffs by a game at 10-7, they left no doubt in 2025 as to whether or not they belong. It felt like all season, the Seahawks and Rams were jockeying for the top spot in the conference. Yet, somehow, the 49ers hung around and forced a Week 18 battle for not only the NFC West title, but the NFC’s No. 1 seed. In the end, the Seahawks went on the road to Levi’s Stadium and dominated a low-scoring game, securing the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed. With a bye week before their first playoff game, it’s time to wish the rest of the NFC good luck.
2. Denver Broncos (14-3)
Even if it might not feel like it, the Broncos were a playoff team last year. Yet, in most onlookers’ view, their legitimacy as the AFC’s best team has been questioned almost all season. Heading into Week 18, they had been involved in 13 one-score games, while going 11-2 in those contests. Some might argue that’s not sustainable, but with an elite defense and an offense capable of scoring 33 points in one quarter, the results speak for themselves. The AFC will go through Mile High, and that’s no easy feat to overcome. Broncos fans should feel great about where they’re heading into the postseason.
3. New England Patriots (14-3)
There have been plenty of pleasant surprises in the league this season, but I’d argue that none has been more significant than what Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye have done in New England. The Patriots were a team that had won eight combined games over the previous two seasons, and came close to doubling that total in Vrabel’s first season. Maye’s sophomore season has been nothing short of magical, and there’s a real shot he comes away as the league MVP. They are a well-rounded team, but if all goes well, this is just the start of another great run in Foxborough.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4)
Stop me if you’ve heard this a few times already, but the Jaguars are yet another one of the league’s surprising teams for 2025. Even if it felt like they were severely underachieving under former head coach Doug Pederson, not many expected them to flip their record from 4-13 to 13-4 and to win the AFC South. First-year head coach Liam Coen has done a fantastic job, but the turnaround for quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been the true difference-maker. I’d argue he’s playing the best football of his young five-year career. With the way they’re playing, they might be the most dangerous team in the AFC heading into the postseason.
5. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
Coming into the season, I had the Rams as my NFC representative for the Super Bowl in February. For the majority of the season, they were going to make me look smart. The last few games haven’t looked quite like the same team, though. At 37 years old, Matthew Stafford is vying for his first NFL MVP, and he’s very much deserving. That said, they’ll need this defense to get back on track, especially with their road to the Super Bowl likely going through road matchups. This is a damn-good team, but they aren’t playing their best football heading into January.
6. Houston Texans (12-5)
Who would have thought that the Texans would have had an opportunity to win the division in Week 18 after starting 0-3? Historically speaking, Houston became just the seventh team since 1980 to make the playoffs after losing all three games to open the season. There’s no question that Houston’s defense is elite, but with their offense coming along and quarterback C.J. Stroud resembling his rookie self, the Texans should be viewed as a dangerous team starting this weekend. What once felt like a lost season has turned into maybe their most promising postseason outlook in the last three years.
7. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
Following a disastrous 2024 campaign, the 49ers came into this season with tempered expectations. Despite 2025 being viewed as a retooling year, San Francisco found themselves in a Week 18 dogfight for the top seed in the NFC. What’s even more impressive about this showing is that they’ve had plenty of key injuries. They’ve found ways to work around that, and that’s a testament to the coaching staff that Kyle Shanahan has built. Heading into the playoffs, their defense will be their most significant question mark. If they can overcome that, they’ll be as hard as any team to beat.
8. Buffalo Bills (12-5)
No Chiefs? Check. No Bengals? Check. No problem? Well… About that.
The 2025 season will be the first time in almost three decades where the playoffs won’t feature one of a Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes-led team if you had told Bills fans that before the season, they’d be booking hotel rooms in Santa Clara. Now, I’m not saying that they can’t (or won’t) get to the Super Bowl, but 2025 hasn’t gone as planned. After being awarded the MVP last season, quarterback Josh Allen has had a down year in both the yards and touchdowns departments. The defense has been well above-average, but it’s hard to trust this group come playoff time. On paper, they should have a clear path to the big game in front of them, but they’ll have to do it on the road, which isn’t ideal. We’ll see if experience becomes the differentiating factor once games start.
9. Chicago Bears (11-6)
Chicago is yet another surprise team that has flipped their record and gone from worst-to-first in just one season. Despite some early detractors, the marriage between first-year head coach Ben Johnson and second-year quarterback Caleb Williams has been an enormous success. Similar to the Texans, the Bears’ start of the season wasn’t what anyone had hoped for, but following a stretch of 11 wins in 13 tries, they were able to clinch their first division title since 2018. How viable a playoff contender are they? That will be answered by a defense that leads the league in takeaways, but has largely been a disaster otherwise.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
Drama and success go together like peanut butter and jelly in Philadelphia. The Eagles are less than a year removed from dominating the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Yet, most of this season has been focused on the drama behind the scenes, and not what’s happening on the field. Because of that, many might have missed that the Eagles were the first repeat NFC East champions since 2004, when they had a trio of division titles. Although they aren’t as stout in the trenches as they were in 2024, don’t underestimate their playoff (and Super Bowl) experience.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
Since taking over last season, head coach Jim Harbaugh has put a premium on the offensive line and running game. Unfortunately for the Chargers, injuries have derailed both, putting quarterback Justin Herbert in harm’s way. This team is far from healthy, and because of that, their floor might be lower than most. That said, they’ve got plenty of talent. If Herbert can complement their elite defense, they’ll be hard to beat. If they can’t keep the quarterback protected and their run game can’t pick up the slack, they might be one-and-done.
12. Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)
Following a preseason blockbuster deal for All-World edge rusher Micah Parsons, it felt like it was all coming together for the Packers. Their 5-1-1 start only validated those feelings. It wasn’t until back-to-back home losses to the Panthers and Eagles that it felt like something was missing, and then they lost Parsons for the year due to a torn ACL. Not only did they end the regular season on a four-game losing streak, but their defense isn’t dominating as expected. On the plus side, they’ll face a familiar foe in the Bears, where they have yet to trail in regulation during their two matchups this season. If the Packers can get past Chicago on Wild Card weekend, things could get interesting. That said, they’ll have to do the entire thing on the road, which is a next-to-impossible ask.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
Following a thrilling season-ending thriller on Sunday Night Football, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers will head back to the playoffs for the fifth time in six years. More importantly, they’ll be looking for the first postseason victory in eight years. Although Pittsburgh has been a familiar playoff contestant, its success under 19-year head coach Mike Tomlin has not been great in quite some time. For the Wild Card round, they’ll host the red-hot 5th seed Texans, who finished the season on a nine-game winning streak to go from 0-3 to 12-5. There are still plenty of questions surrounding this squad as a whole, but there’s plenty of postseason experience all over this roster. Despite playing the final game of the season, they’ll have eight days’ worth of rest before being featured in the lone Monday Night matchup of the Wild Card round.
14. Carolina Panthers (8-9)
The Panthers might be going into the postseason as the league’s lone team with a losing record, but it’s hard to ignore the drastic turnaround they’ve seen in just two seasons under head coach Dave Canales. Quarterback Bryce Young is still a legitimate question mark heading into 2026, but they are playing with house money for the rest of this season. Unfortunately for them, they’ll be facing a dangerous Rams team. On the plus side, they’ve already beaten them once. We’ll see if they can do it again.
Parting Thoughts (In Descending Draft Order)
18. Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
Parting Thought: The Vikings better have a good competitive/depth option behind quarterback J.J. McCarthy heading into 2026.
Now, I’m not saying that things can’t or won’t click for McCarthy at some point, but between four different injuries in two seasons and his inability to go more than a game or two without turning the ball over, it’s a huge issue. The Vikings will be tight against the cap, but they need to find a way to bring in a veteran for a quality competition. Minnesota might have some tough roster decisions ahead, but they might also just be a quality quarterback away from getting back into the playoff picture in 2026.
17. Detroit Lions (9-8)
Parting Thought: Good coaches like Dan Campbell are allowed to have a down year. Getting new coaching staff hires right and bringing back the fire to this team in 2026 are both “must-haves”, though.
All offseason, I went back and forth on whether losing both coordinators and a handful of assistants would lead to a down year. Injuries played their part, but in the end, the Lions could just never find their footing. All of that, despite having one of the more talented rosters in the league. Campbell is allowed to have a letdown after three straight winning seasons, but 2026 feels like a big “put up or shut up” type of season. Getting this team back to the top of the NFC North will be priority one.
16. Indianapolis Colts (8-9) (New York Jets’ Pick)
Parting Thought: General manager Chris Ballard has been skating on thin ice for a while now. Does their collapse finally punch his ticket out of Indy, or will the trade for Sauce Gardner give him more time?
What the Colts decide to do with Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen will be fascinating to watch. It’s easy to blame the season-ending injury of Daniel Jones on their late-season collapse, but that was already in motion before they lost their quarterback. Ballard has been the head man for nine years. In that time, they have yet to win a division title. They’ve made the playoffs twice with a 1-2 record, but this will be a fifth-straight year without a postseason appearance. At some point, a change must be made, even if the roster looks good on paper.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
Parting Thought: This team is too talented to perform at a slightly above-average level consistently. Is it time to make changes?
After a hot start to the season, the Buccaneers finished the year losing seven of their final nine games. Granted, they took care of business when it mattered in Week 18, but they couldn’t get the help from the Saints that they desperately needed. Instead, they’ll be sitting at home for the playoffs, despite holding a commanding lead for the majority of the season. Head coach Todd Bowles recently signed an extension through 2028, but it’s been three straight seasons of disappointment at the end, and that should not be good enough. The question is: Will they clean house or roll the dice for another year? We’ll soon find out.
14. Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
Parting Thought: Figuring out whether 2025 was a bump in the road or a sign of things to come needs to be a top priority for leadership.
For a team that has been a regular fixture in the playoffs, a down year in 2025 has sparked plenty of speculation about both coaches and star players. A year ago, offensive coordinator Todd Monken was highly thought of as a potential head coaching candidate. Quarterback Lamar Jackson was better, voting fortune away from being a back-to-back MVP. Yet one season has brought plenty into question as they head into the offseason. We’ll see how the next few days go, but speculation about changes won’t pick up until head coach John Harbaugh’s future is sorted out.
13. Atlanta Falcons (8-9) (Los Angeles Rams’ Pick)
Parting Thought: General manager Terry Fontenot’s leash should not be extended. It’s time to hit the reset button and bring in a new regime.
Despite their recent three-game winning streak, ownership needs to remember that in a season they believed should lead to the playoffs, they lost seven of eight games in the middle of the season. Similar to a team like Arizona, what more needs to be seen? Fontenot survived his first failed head coaching hire. There’s no way he should survive another. If it were me, I’d hit the reset button and allow fresh new minds to come in and determine what to do with an annually underachieving roster.
12. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
Parting Thought: If the Cowboys expect to be a more well-rounded team next year, Step 1 is firing defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
The offense continues to roll under first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer, but the defense was another story. In the end, it’s pretty easy to argue that with a league-average defense (or better), they might have been the seventh-best team in the NFC. Instead, they found themselves out of the playoffs and facing a challenging cap situation. A better, more man-coverage-focused approach would make the most sense. Obviously, the talent needs to improve, but coaching on that side of the ball needs to be upgraded as well.
11. Miami Dolphins (7-10)
Parting Thought: Please, for the love of God, do not handcuff your new general manager to Mike McDaniel. Let the GM have full autonomy on that decision.
To be crystal clear, McDaniel deserves serious consideration to retain his job heading into next season. This team looked like a complete disaster in the first half of the season, but has found a way to finish strong. Most importantly, this team has not given up on their coaches, and it shows on the field. They have an apparent talent deficiency, but most of that can be attributed to former general manager Chris Grier and his questionable decision-making. That said, whoever they hire as their new general manager should have complete autonomy over the head coaching decision. If not, good luck landing your top candidate.
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
Parting Thought: Changes are needed, but fans should have little faith that it’ll get done. This team is stuck in the mud.
Over the past few weeks, the prevailing narrative surrounding the Bengals has been that no one should expect significant changes in the coaching staff or front office. No matter how you cut it, Cincinnati is now three years removed from a playoff appearance and four years from its surprise Super Bowl appearance. During that time, talent has dried up in multiple areas, in large part due to poor early-round drafting and irresponsible spending on offensive weapons. Maybe ownership will change its mind, but if not, it’s impossible to expect change when their only action is inaction.
9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
Parting Thought: I’m not buying that 2025 was the end of the Chiefs’ reign, but it’s clear they have plenty of work to do this offseason.
When the playoffs start this weekend, this will be the first time the Chiefs haven’t been involved in meaningful January football since 2014. Even before Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City has been the model of consistency in making the postseason. As in 2014, it’s easy to see this could be a one-year absence, assuming they have an aggressive and productive offseason. The roster is getting older, and weak spots have become weaker. This should be a reflective few months for the front office, but there’s little reason to believe they will repeat the same fate in 2026.
8. New Orleans Saints (6-11)
Parting Thought: If Mickey Loomis can stay the course and accept a rebuild, the Saints have an opportunity to compete for the division within the next two years.
Without question, the NFC South is the worst division in football. In fact, there was a real scenario heading into Week 18 in which they would be the only division to send a team to the playoffs with a record under .500. The Saints will finish in last place once again. Still, comparing their future with a team like Atlanta, I’d like where I stand more if I were New Orleans. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough looks like the real deal. We’ll see if he can continue that in 2026. The biggest key to future success is Loomis’s ability to commit to a direction and not bail out.
7. Washington Commanders (5-12)
Parting Thought: In a perfect world, keeping quarterback Jayden Daniels would be the team’s only concern. In reality, they need to figure out how to get young (and better) in a hurry.
I’m undecided on Daniels’ future at this point. Not only have the Commanders enabled his dangerous playing style, but Year 2 of Kliff Kingsbury wasn’t nearly as effective as his return to the NFL last season. When Daniels was healthy, he didn’t quite have the same flash. The easy throws weren’t always there, and it was clear that opposing defensive coordinators had a much better idea of how to stop him. This isn’t me counting him out by any means, but if they come out with a similar offensive game plan in 2026, it’s safe to say the organization once again failed their No. 2 overall pick.
6. Cleveland Browns (5-12)
Parting Thought: Do the Browns have their future quarterback already on the roster?
To make a short answer long, let’s give this a shot. Has Shadeur Sanders shown enough to be counted on as a franchise quarterback beyond 2026? Absolutely not. Has he shown enough to avoid forcing a move at quarterback, while maintaining real optimism heading into Year 2? I believe so. The Browns are a young, talented team. They’ve got a dominant defense, but they need to shuffle the roster to get younger in key areas. The good news is that they appear to have hit multiple home runs in April’s draft, but they must build on that with another strong offseason. Give Sanders 2026, and re-evaluate the following offseason with a much deeper quarterback class.
5. New York Giants (4-13)
Parting Thought: Have the Giants shown enough promise to be an attractive job for prospective head coaching candidates?
In short, yes. Jaxson Dart hasn’t been nearly as effective since returning from his first NFL concussion, but as a whole, the roster has plenty of promise. The defensive line is a dream for any defensive coordinator. A healthy Malik Nabers and an offense-focused offseason could get this team over the hump, especially in such a weak division. Although an offensive-minded candidate makes the most sense, it’s hard to argue against the notion that the better candidates seem to be on the defensive side of things.
4. Tennessee Titans (3-14)
Parting Thought: Can Cam Ward’s potential be unlocked, or did the Titans simply waste the No. 1 overall selection on the wrong guy?
Shough and Dart have taken most of the headlines when speaking about rookie quarterbacks, but that’s more about marketability than anything else. Ward had a rough start to his rookie season and lost his head coach early. The nightmare scenario that every team looks to avoid is one that too many teams continue to tee up. Similar to Caleb Williams last year, Ward has been the victim of dire circumstances. That said, he’s started to turn the corner over the previous month. He’s a work in progress, but there are many reasons for optimism if the Titans can finally hire the right head coach to support his development.
3. Arizona Cardinals (3-13)
Parting Thought: What more does ownership need to see in order to cut bait and start fresh with a new general manager and head coach?
This might be hard to believe, but the Cardinals started the season at 2-0. Following those two games, they’ve gone 1-13. More concerning is how uncompetitive they’ve looked each week. Rebuilds take time and require patience, but how do you evaluate a rebuild when things keep getting worse? If it were me, I’d be cleaning house and starting fresh. General managers usually get a longer leash, so maybe Monti Ossenfort can talk his way into a second head coach.
2. New York Jets (3-14)
Parting Thought: Is Aaron Glenn the right head coach for this job? I’m not remotely convinced.
It’s a question worth pondering, especially considering how much the initial expectations have changed over the course of 12 calendar months. It’s typically easier for a general manager to sign up for a complete rebuild, but for the head coach, it’s tough because he’ll take most of the heat, since he’s the one down on the field. At this point, it seems clear they are giving Glenn a second year, but how long is that leash if they don’t get off to an acceptable start?
1. Las Vegas Raiders (2-14)
Parting Thought: As much as I hate firing coaches after one year, I’m not sure a 74-year-old Pete Carroll is who I’d want developing the No. 1 overall pick at quarterback.
Ok, I’ll admit it… I thought that Carroll was going to be that “sneaky” hire out of the 2025 group. I was clearly wrong about that, at least in Year 1. That said, I’m not remotely convinced he’ll see another season, especially with how poorly things have unfolded since the regular season began. Carroll fired Kelly early on, yet the team never started playing better football. With their choice of quarterbacks with the top pick, they need to start thinking toward the future, and that likely doesn’t include Carroll or his staff.
