NFL Power Rankings as regular season ends
18 teams go home,
The season is over for many teams, with the playoffs now set for both the NFC and AFC as Week 18 and the 2023 regular season come to a close. Overall, it was a slate full of unknowns and a record number of starting QBs, with many teams hanging around the middle of the pack. Ahead of the wild card round, here’s how all 32 stacked up during the regular season…
32. Carolina Panthers (2-15, lost to Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Embarrassing when a team never has a lead in the fourth quarter in any game during the season. The Panthers have a lot of offseason work, and with the haul it took to get last year’s No. 1 pick, they don’t have much to look forward to in the 2024 NFL draft.
31. Washington Commanders (4-13, lost to Dallas Cowboys)
The Commanders’ collapse in the second half of the season culminated with them getting swept by the Cowboys to the tune of 83-20. Not good.
30. New England Patriots (4-13, lost to New York Jets)
A snow game seemed like a perfect end to a cold season for the Patriots. Up next is the storm of guessing and speculation about what will become of Bill Belichick.
29. Los Angeles Chargers (5-12, lost to Kansas City Chiefs)
The season is over for one of the teams that calls SoFi home — and if anyone would have guessed at the start of the 2023 campaign that it would be the Chargers, some would have been surprised.
28. New York Jets (7-10, defeated New England Patriots)
The prevailing wisdom after the Jets finally snapped the losing skid against the Pats was this: Why? It only cost them a better place in the 2024 NFL draft. It’s a franchise that can’t win when it does win.
27. Arizona Cardinals (4-13, lost to Seattle Seahawks)
Say what you want about Arizona. The team always played hard and gave it a go this season. James Conner had a massive game in a continuing sweet story.
26. Atlanta Falcons (7-10, lost to New Orleans Saints)
Saying the Falcons lost would be an understatement. Clobbered is a better term. Arthur Smith showed more fights with Dennis Allen after the game than his team did during the loss.
25. New York Giants (6-11, defeated Philadelphia Eagles)
Now we know just how bad the Eagles have become after the Giants snag an easy win, leaving many to wonder what’s what with Philly as the team heads into the playoffs.
24. Tennessee Titans (6-11, defeated Jacksonville Jaguars)
If this was Derrick Henry’s final game as a Titan, he went out in style. The next question is, what will become of Mike Vrabel?
23. Minnesota Vikings (7-10, lost to Detroit Lions)
Tough season in Minnesota. Everything started poorly, then got going, but halted after Kirk Cousins was injured, and the QB carousel spun ’round and ’round. The Vikings need to determine what they will do with their veteran QB.
22. Chicago Bears (7-10, lost to Green Bay Packers)
The Bears played better football in the second half of the season. Will it be enough to save Matt Eberflus? And the biggest question at QB in the league: Will Justin Fields stay with the Bears, or will they deal him and look for a signal-caller with the No. 1 overall pick?
21. Denver Broncos (8-9, lost to Las Vegas Raiders)
It was a strange season in Denver. Awful start, then a sizzling stretch, and then a controversy-filled finish. Sean Payton will seek to make 2024 less interesting, no question.
20. Las Vegas Raiders (8-9, defeated Denver Broncos)
If a game was played and no one paid attention to it, did it happen? The Raiders did close 2023 with a win and wound up a tick below .500. Will Antonio Pierce be the head coach next year and beyond? Who knows, but it sounds iffy.
19. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8, lost to Tennessee Titans)
What a way for a team that had its future in the present to fall apart. Doug Pederson needs to think hard on what happened to make sure it doesn’t happen again. One of the most disappointing teams in the league squandered a chance to capture the AFC South against a team in last place.
18. New Orleans Saints (9-8, defeated Atlanta Falcons)
The Saints looked solid against the Falcons and down the stretch, but it wasn’t enough to land in the playoffs. While it was a decent way to end 2023, defeating the Falcons is nothing more than a consolation prize on a season full of expectations for Dennis Allen and Co.
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8, defeated Carolina Panthers)
The scary thought is that this team might beat the Eagles in the NFC Wild Card round. Not because the Bucs are better than mediocre. But because the Eagles are so far off their tracks.
16. Green Bay Packers (9-8, defeated Chicago Bears)
The Packers own the Bears and the last NFC Wild Card spot. The reward is a trip to Dallas.
15. Indianapolis Colts (9-8, lost to Houston Texans)
Tough way to end the regular season for Baltimore, but the Colts still had a positive campaign under Shane Steichen. I wonder what this team will be with a healthy Anthony Richardson.
14. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8, defeated Cleveland Browns)
Nice way to finish a tough season for Cincy. Jake Browning made himself a lot of money playing after Joe Burrow was lost to injury.
13. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6, lost to New York Giants)
The panic button is being pounded in Philadelphia. Something has gone extremely wrong after the 10-1 start. What could it be? Matt Patricia running the defense? Anyone? Any ideas?
12. Seattle Seahawks (9-8, defeated Arizona Cardinals)
The Seahawks are starting to feel like a team that wins a healthy amount of games, but not enough to make the playoffs. And even when they do, they aren’t going to menace the opponent.
11. Miami Dolphins (11-6, lost to Buffalo Bills)
The Dolphins played to the familiar theme in Week 18: The tougher the opponent, the more likely they were to falter. They had the lead against Buffalo, but were trampled by the Bills to lose it in the end. Something else to consider about this team: It is ultra-banged up and has to go to face Patrick Mahomes. Not an optimistic picture.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7, defeated Baltimore Ravens)
Mike Tomlin is amazing. To get 10 wins out of this team with the quarterback position as shaky as it was and is? Remarkable.
9. Houston Texans (10-7, defeated Indianapolis Colts)
What a turnaround for this franchise. It won 11 games over the previous three seasons and now hits double-digits in the win column.
8. Los Angeles Rams (10-7, defeated San Francisco 49ers)
This is a great coaching job by Sean McVay and a scouting effort by Les Snead. Talk about a team no one figured would win double-digit games but did.
7. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5, defeated Los Angeles Chargers)
There will be a different playoff path for the Chiefs. They rule the AFC West, but are not the feared force they have been in the past. That makes them dangerous, though.
6. Cleveland Browns (11-6, lost to Cincinnati Bengals)
One of the teams that will be tested in the playoffs while also testing opponents. How much postseason magic will Joe Flacco have in his 38-year-old body? Regardless, Cleveland is a fun bunch.
5. Detroit Lions (12-5, defeated Minnesota Vikings)
Who didn’t want to see Matthew Stafford against Jared Goff in Detroit? What a great way for the NFC North champions to kick off their playoff run.
4. Dallas Cowboys (12-5, defeated Green Bay Packers)
When the Eagles were 10-1, not many would have bet on the Cowboys winning the division and getting the second seed in the conference. They did both. CeeDee Lamb can wreck any defense. Now, can (or will) the Cowboys make a solid playoff run?
3. Buffalo Bills (11-6, defeated Miami Dolphins)
There was every facet of Josh Allen on display—passing, running, TD throws, interceptions, fumbles—during the Sunday Night Football finale. In the end, the good outweighed the ugly, and the Bills are AFC champs for the fourth year in a row. They have won five straight heading into the postseason.
2. San Francisco 49ers (12-5, lost to the Los Angeles Rams)
Don’t fret over the loss to the Rams. The key players weren’t dressed. A week of rest and the Niners will be ready to roll at home in the playoffs.
1. Baltimore Ravens (13-4, lost to Pittsburgh Steelers)
The Ravens are the best team in the league until someone can prove differently. Simple as that.
Now, onto the playoffs!
