One Last NFL Post: 2025 Offseason Primer

     The clock has officially struck zero, prompting green and white confetti to rain from the rafters. Philadelphia's 40-22 Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs officially puts a bow on the 2024-25 NFL season. The Eagles are able to finally get their revenge from two years ago, when Kansas City narrowly won the same match up in the Super Bowl, and their dominant performance thwarted the Chiefs' hopes to become the NFL's first ever 3-peat Super Bowl champion.

     And thus the offseason begins. While it does make me sad knowing there will be no more NFL Sundays until September, the offseason can still be a tremendously fun and interesting time. Free Agency can be a tornado that has us fans refreshing our Twitter pages in anticipation of news ad-nauseum, and the NFL draft is a continuous guessing game fueled by rookie hype. Hope and optimism are in abundance for all 32 teams and their fanbases. Every signing will work out perfectly, no draft pick will be a bust, any previously injured players are healthy again, the offseason program will make stars out of their developing players, and the coaches will develop schemes to work around any of their remaining weaknesses.

     Building an NFL roster can be much like buying a new car. It's exciting to see all the new features of the expensive machine you are investing in. After all, spending the past several years driving the same car around was just getting dull. Even just changing the color of the car would add some much needed dopamine and needed change to your life. But then sometimes driving the new car out of the lot wasn't all you had hoped it would be, and the value depreciates instantly. The AC is a bit lacking, the brakes are a tad sensitive, and worst of all the cup holder is too narrow to fit your wife's egregiously large cups.

     To draw another fun analogy, the offseason can be much like a season of Game of Thrones. It's the time for the decision makers to plot and strategize and enact their plans for NFL domination. Swaying the balance of power can take a number of forms, from coaching changes, to contract negotiations, to marquee free agent signings, to drafting college stars, to making blockbuster trades, and so on.

     The NFL Sunday experience will always be the conductor of the unstoppable NFL train, but the offseason is the fuel that drives it. No one watches a movie and skips to the end. The NFL calendar is a process that is meant to be enjoyed in ALL of its components, even with as fun and exciting as the final chapters may be. So this post will serve as an official farewell to the 2024-25 season, and look ahead to the biggest storylines and topics of the offseason. 

Can Philly run it back?

     Winning once is hard, and going back to back is even harder. In the 59 year history of the Super Bowl, only 9 teams have gone back-to-back with only two of those happening in the 2000's (03-04 Patriots and 23-24 Chiefs). Despite this, the previous year's champion almost always enters the offseason as the Super Bowl favorite, and it's hard to argue against the Eagles given how dominant their final two games were and how complete the roster is. 

     For Philadelphia it probably starts with free agency and contract negotiations, as many players can use this Super Bowl to advocate for larger contracts and bigger paydays (deservedly so). It's just the nature of the business. We already saw Jalen Hurts land a big extension that will make him the highest paid player annually, others will demand similar raises and the Eagles will have to make some tough decisions on who absolutely has to stay and who is unaffordable as they comply with the salary cap. Most of the team remains under contract and will be back for at least next season though. The Eagles will also need to hire a new Offensive Coordinator as Kellen Moore is leaving to become the new head coach of the New Orleans Saints.

     Another challenge teams trying to go back to back face is sustaining that same hunger they had before winning the first time. After winning there's an influx of appearances, parades, endorsement deals, award ceremonies, and other distractions that come with the eternal glory. For some this can be a motivation tactic to want to win it again, but for others winning it once is enough to satisfy the appetite and it can be hard to find that same drive to put in the blood, sweat, and tears on a daily basis and study every little detail on film.

     The championship window is still very much open for the Eagles, but a number of other teams will be in line to challenge them for the crown.

     

How much longer is the Dynasty window open for Kansas City?

     The short answer is probably as long as Patrick Mahomes is QB and Andy Reid is head coach, but losing the Super Bowl in the fashion they did does raise some questions. How can such a loss be explained? Was it fatigue from all the deep playoff runs of years past, did age play a factor, did Philly simply have a perfect game plan, or did KC simply have an off night, or is it some combination of all of the above? Some would argue this was a long time coming, as the Chiefs had mastered the art of squeaking out close games in the 4th quarter, and it was only a matter of time before they played a game where they dug themselves a hole they could not climb out of.

     Still, this is one of the smartest coaching staffs and front offices in the NFL. They will study the film and pinpoint what the problems were and how to address them this offseason. They're hoping for quick clarity on the future of Travis Kelce, who may or may not retire. Kelce may not be in his prime anymore, but the Chiefs are still better with him on the field than not. If Kelce does return, which I think he will after how things ended, the Chiefs will have very limited cap space, and would need to use the draft to attempt to fill their holes.

     One thing that could potentially help the Chiefs get back to the top is if Rashee Rice is available next season. Rice was having a breakout sophomore season before an ACL tear ended it prematurely, and also faces some legal questions regarding his participation in a road race where another car hit and killed an uninvolved driver. It's possible Rice will be still healing, or face a suspension, or both come the start of next season, but if he is healthy and available, this gives the Chiefs a much needed offensive playmaker especially as Kelce continues to age and slow down.

Can one of these "close but no cigar" teams finally finish the job?

     The main ones I'm looking at are Buffalo, Baltimore, and Detroit, and to a smaller extent San Francisco. These are all teams that have been knocking on the door the last few years but for one reason or another can't get over the hump. Philadelphia would have been on this list as well had they not won the big game.

     Starting with Buffalo, the two lingering questions, which go hand in hand, are "Can Josh Allen ever beat Patrick Mahomes?" and "Will Josh Allen ever win (or even reach) the Super Bowl?". Allen is coming off of an MVP season, but adding another difference-maker or two that could help take some of the weight off of his shoulders could go a long way.

     The Lions were a dominant team plagued by injuries, especially on the defense. They were able to weather the storm through the regular season, but then the lack of depth reared its ugly head in the playoffs when the Detroit defense was unable to stop the Washington offense. For Detroit the name of the game is adding depth this offseason, doing so and/or having better injury luck next season would put them back in the mix.

     Baltimore is a pretty complete team that I wouldn't change much on. From a roster perspective they are the team that is most similar to Philly. They have a star QB and star RB, a great defense, and a good blend of talented young players, stars in their prime, and proven and still reliable veterans. Shoring up the offensive line is one way they could further emulate the Eagles' model, as it could take Baltimore's run game to even more elite level. But overall this is a team that just needs to stay persistent and stick with it and then deliver in the playoff games when the lights shine brightest.

     The 49ers had a down year and along with Detroit were probably the team most negatively impacted by injuries. In the 5 seasons before this one, the 49ers reached the NFC Championship game 4 times and the Super Bowl twice, losing close games to Kansas City in both appearances. But then this season the injuries stockpiled and the 49ers finished 6-11 and missed the playoffs, which was not the season they envisioned after nearly winning a Super Bowl the year prior. I'm not sure how much longer the window remains open for San Francisco. Brock Purdy is still young but many of the surrounding pieces are getting older (Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Trent Williams) and Deebo Samuel also recently requested a trade. All that being said, if San Francisco still believes they have another year or two to go for it with this aging core, then they should absolutely put all their chips on the table and go all-in before the window is officially closed. I doubt they need any extra motivation, but if they do the Super Bowl is in San Francisco next season and the 49ers could potentially play the big game in their home stadium.

Are there any other teams that are potentially a move or two away from joining the contenders?

     The conversation starts with Washington, who just reached the NFC Championship game with a rookie QB and new head coach leading the way. The future couldn't look any brighter for Jayden Daniels, and given the fact that he's still on a rookie contract for the next 3 seasons, the time is now to spend spend spend and go all in to surround Daniels with talent and weapons while his contract is still super team-friendly.

     Cincinnati is a team that would be right there if they played any defense whatsoever. In fact they set an NFL record for most points per game in losses. The team actually did end the season on a 5-game winning streak, so in theory improving their defense could make them a real contender since we know the offense can score in bunches. The Bengals fired their defensive coordinator at the end of the season, so hopefully a new hire and some new players will help Cincinnati bolster this unit and help get them from one of the worst in the league to closer to average.

      Similarly, Tampa Bay was a team with a really good offense and a mediocre at best defense. The back end of the defense more specifically really struggled. The Buccaneers were top 5 in most key offensive statistical categories, even after losing star wide receiver Chris Godwin to a season-ending ankle injury. Losing offensive coordinator Liam Coen hurts, but Tampa opted for an internal hire so they could run the same offense, promoting Josh Grizzard who worked under Coen and served as the teams pass game coordinator this past season. Godwin is a free agent but assuming he re-signs then this could be a top-5 offense once again. The defense needs help, but Tampa has ways it could create more cap-space through re-structuring/back ending contracts, and could also address these holes in the draft.

     Lastly, I feel like Green Bay is close. The one thing I feel could put them over the top is a true alpha wide receiver. There's a good collection of B-list pass catchers but not having that elite play-maker go-to guy feels like its holding the offense back from taking the next step.

Which teams have QB questions that need answering?

     I would say somewhere between a quarter and a third of the league has some sort of QB-related issue that needs clarity. Since there are so many teams, will try to run through them rather quickly. Will do so alphabetically by location.

     Atlanta needs to figure out what to do with Kirk Cousins and his large contract. The Falcons replaced Cousins with rookie Michael Penix, who performed well and will probably be the team's starter next season and beyond. Cousins makes far too much to be a back up QB, but is there a trade partner out there willing to take on his contract and use him as their starter? If Cousins isn't moved, he'll be an amazing second option, but clearing this money off the books would give the Falcons far more cap flexibility to build the team around Penix.

     The Browns continue to struggle to find a reliable option, a problem that's haunted them since before our birth. They own the #2 pick in this year's draft, meaning they could start over once again with the 2nd best college QB prospect.

     The Raiders are also in a season of change with new ownership, a new GM, and new head coach. A new QB is almost certain to follow. Vegas owns the 6th pick in the draft, but at least 3 teams picking ahead of them also need QB's (Titans, Browns, Giants). This means the Raiders will either need to trade up, or go after a free agent instead.

     The Rams remain to be seen as they are awaiting a decision from Matthew Stafford on his future. If Stafford returns for another season, that's the move, but if not the Rams will need to evaluate the free agent and trade market. At the time of writing, it seems as though Stafford is more likely to return than not.

     Minnesota has one of the more precarious situations as they have two decent options. The Vikings selected Michigan QB JJ McCarthy with the 8th pick in last year's draft with the intent of him being the future franchise QB. However Sam Darnold played incredibly well after McCarthy tore his ACL in the pre-season. Darnold is a free agent and other teams would likely pay good money for his services, whereas McCarthy would also have good trade value from a QB-needy team. Keeping both for one more year isn't off the table, but eventually a long-term decision to commit to one or the other will need to be made.

     The Giants are searching for the new franchise QB after finally throwing in the towel on Daniel Jones after 6 seasons. They own the #3 pick in the draft, but if Tennessee and Cleveland both take QB's, New York may need to pivot.

     The Jets have made it known that the Aaron Rodgers experiment is over. It's unclear whether the Jets will blow things up and enter a full rebuild, or try again with a different veteran considering there's still some good offensive weapons on the roster. For Rodgers himself it remains to be seen if this is the end of his career or if he wishes to continue. Even if he does, is there a team willing to take a chance on him given his age and the failed tenure with the Jets?

     Pittsburgh is similar to Minnesota in that they have two names to keep an eye on in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Both were added to the team this season and both are now free agents. Wilson was the starter when healthy, and he played well enough to lead the Steelers to the playoffs, but he's 36 now and well past his prime. Fields played well in games that Wilson missed and he's only 25 and offers more long-term upside. The Steelers have a wide range of outcomes here, as they could opt to bring back one, or both, or neither.

     Lastly, the Titans own the #1 pick in the draft. The early consensus is they would use this on Miami's Cam Ward. No rookie is ever a sure thing, but the draft experts seem to feel Ward offers the highest upside of this year's QBs. Drafting Ward allows the Titans to begin a new era.  

Some quick thoughts on the teams that made coaching changes

     There were 7 in total: Chicago, Dallas, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, New England, New Orleans, and New York (Jets).

      The Bears hired former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who was probably the most sought after candidate on the market. Johnson was responsible for elevating Detroit's offense to one of the best and most explosive in the league. This is a home-run hire for Chicago, who wanted a brilliant offensive mind to pair rookie QB Caleb Williams with.

     After a period of indecisiveness, the Cowboys ultimately fired Mike McCarthy and made an internal hire, promoting offensive coordinator Brian Shottenheimer. I can't say I'm as sold on this one as Chicago. When Dallas lost Dak Prescott for the season I don't think any coach could have succeeded with that team, but Dallas is a "no-excuses" kind of job, even if the excuse is losing the team's most important player. 

     In a weird sequence of events, the Jaguars were able to pry Liam Coen away from the Buccaneers. Despite my personal bias and feelings towards how this was handled, the Jags need an offensive minded coach who can help Trevor Lawrence tap into his full potential, and Coen proved last year he's capable and his system works, as Baker Mayfield experienced the best season of his career under Coen's coaching.

     Unlike several of the other teams who pursued younger, higher-energy guys, the Raiders opted for a proven veteran in Pete Carroll. Carroll coached the Seattle Seahawks for 14 seasons and won a Super Bowl in 2014 (fun fact, he was a yard away from winning again in 2015), and also coached the USC Trojans to national titles in college football in 2003 & 2004. Carroll will be 74 years old next season, but his resume speaks for itself, and I can't fault the Raiders for wanting a proven winner rather than a young up-and-comer.

     It's rare to see a first-year head coach get fired, but the Patriots pulled the plug on Jerrod Mayo after one season. Somewhat similar to Dallas, I don't think any coach would have had a great season in New England, with the team very much in a rebuilding phase, but the Patriots brass felt like they had seen enough to determine Mayo was not the right man to lead them. They instead opted for Mike Vrabel, who played defense for the Patriots in the early 2000s and won 3 Super Bowls with the team. Vrabel also has head coaching experience with the Titans, where he led them to the playoffs a few times and the AFC Championship game once, but his hard-nosed no nonsense style will fit well in New England.

     The most recent of the new hires was the Saints hiring Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Moore has a wealth of offensive coordinator experience, having served in that role for Philadelphia, Dallas, and the Chargers over the years, and now finally gets his chance to be a head coach after helping lead the Eagles offense to a Super Bowl.

     And finally we have the Jets, who also poached from Detroit by hiring defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. This one was interesting to me, considering the Jets last hire was Robert Saleh, who was also a defensive coordinator but ultimately didn't work out. But the Lions coordinators were hot commodities and New York was amongst the teams hoping to land one of them.

Any big names on retirement watch?

     The big 2 worth monitoring are Aaron Rodgers and Travis Kelce.

     Beginning with Rodgers, we don't know what 2025 holds for him but the one thing we do know is that it won't be with the Jets. Rodgers seems open-minded about the process, previously describing himself as "open to anything, but attached to nothing". A lot still has to be resolved here. Does Rodgers want to keep going? Does he believe he still has some good football left in the tank at 41 years old? Would another team be willing to take a risk on him? And if so under what terms (at what salary, to be a starter or mentor a younger player?)? Rodgers could retire today and have had an incredible and complete career, however I'm sure some part of him wants to end things on a more positive note than his time with the Jets.

     Travis Kelce is another name generating speculation and headlines. Similar to his brother Jason, Travis seems to enjoy leaning into his celebrity status in the later years of his career and exploring other interests such as acting and podcasting. The possibility also exists that he may want to settle down and attempt to buy more time with a certain ultra-famous significant other. Unlike Rodgers, the Chiefs would welcome Kelce back with open arms if he wishes to keep going. Kelce may no longer be in his prime, but Kansas City is still undoubtedly better with him than without him. Had the Chiefs completed the 3-peat, I think Kelce may have been finished, but with the way the Super Bowl went this does feel like somewhat of a toss up. My gut feels like he would want to go at least one more season.

What about big names on trade watch?

     Three names I'm monitoring currently are Myles Garrett, Cooper Kupp, and Deebo Samuel.

     Garrett is an Edge rusher for the Browns and by far the hot commodity of this list. Garrett was the #1 overall pick by the Browns in 2017 and spent 8 seasons with the organization. During that span he has been one of the most prolific pass-rushers in the league, consistently generating large numbers of sacks on opposing quarterbacks. Earlier this month, Garrett requested a trade, citing the desire to win and play for a contender, and the Browns seem willing to attempt to accommodate this request due to Garrett's 8 years of hard work and strong performance and good relationship with the organization. Several teams would have massive interest in acquiring Garrett but the asking price will likely be high and may ultimately come down to the highest bidder. But moving Garrett to a contender is a win-win that will give him the chance to finally play for a winning organization and chase a Ring, while the Browns can use the return to expedite their rebuild.

     Kupp (Rams) and Samuel (49ers) both play Wide Receiver so we can group them together here, albeit their situations are very different. Kupp was the MVP of Super Bowl LVI in 2022 when he helped the Rams reach the mountain top, however he turns 32 this offseason and his production has declined from then to now, and thus the Rams are exploring trade opportunities to get free of Kupp's lucrative contract. This isn't Kupp's preference, who instead would have loved to retire a Ram and finish his career where it started, but sometimes business decisions have to be made for the betterment of the organization and the Rams feel they may be better off with Kupp's contract off the books, which would help them clear a great deal of cap space. On the contrary, Samuel requested his trade out of San Francisco, citing he feels he isn't used enough in the offense and wanting a more prominent role on a different team where he would be featured as the primary offensive weapon, something the 49ers won't do since they have a multitude of weapons and they like to share the ball around with all of them. Neither Kupp nor Samuel would cost anywhere near Garrett, but both could definitely help elevate any team's passing game.

When does Free Agency begin and who are the biggest names to follow?

     This is a big year for wide receivers and offensive linemen. We sort of already touched on Sam Darnold in the QB section, but if Minnesota does not pay him, then he'll be a hot commodity amongst QB-needy teams.

     The biggest free agent of this class is Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. In general, Cincinnati is one of the more interesting teams of the offseason as they have a few important contract and financial issues they need to figure out. In addition to Higgins, Ja'Marr Chase, the Bengals other star wide receiver, is eligible for a massive extension, and also edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson, who led the NFL in sacks this season, is a free agent as well. Cincinnati would love to work out long-term contracts with all 3, but the financials and complying with the salary cap will be challenging. Chase is the Bengals best receiver, and probably the best receiver in the NFL right now, but Higgins is good enough to be the top receiver on several other teams, so if Cincinnati can't reach an agreement with him there will be other suitors lining up to pay higher and make him the top receiver in their offense. Joe Burrow has also made it known he's willing to restructure his contract to help keep all the stars in house.

     The next biggest free agent wide receiver would be Tampa Bay's Chris Godwin. For years Godwin and Mike Evans have been a dynamic duo in Tampa's pass-catching game, and Godwin was having arguably the best season of his career before a gruesome ankle injury in early November ended it prematurely. The Buccaneer's have made it known that bringing him back is their top offseason priority, but other teams are certain to make a push as well. Stefon Diggs of the Houston Texans is probably the next best wide receiver available and one whose season was also cut short by a lower body injury (ACL tear). Diggs at one point in time was a top-5 receiver in this league, but given his age and injury he can probably be signed for a lower cost than Higgins or Godwin. 

     There's a plethora of talented offensive linemen who will hit the open-market as well. The biggest one is probably Kansas City's Trey Smith. Smith is the most talented interior lineman in the class, and one who is almost surely going to be playing for a new team next season given the Chiefs' salary cap situation. Any team looking for an interior lineman will look his way first. 

In Conclusion

     We'll miss you football. But the offseason provides it's own excitement and intrigue and there's no shortage of storylines and things to follow this time around. March Madness, the Master's, and the NBA and NHL playoffs will help fill the void in the meantime, but deep down we're counting down the days until 2025 kickoff, and then all will feel right with the world again.

 

NFL Playoffs Round 2 Predictions and Ohio State vs Notre Dame prediction

 

     Another great weekend of football is upon us! In the NFL, we have narrowed it down from 32 Super Bowl hopefuls to 8. There are 4 games this weekend, two on Saturday and two on Sunday, and a win this weekend means you are one win away from playing in the Super Bowl. So it's fair to say things are getting real. In addition to 4 NFL playoff games, the National Championship for college football will be played Monday evening in Atlanta between Ohio State and Notre Dame. Both teams were ranked outside of the top 4, so their respective runs to the title game justify the need for an expanded playoff beyond the previous 4 team format. 

     So today is just gonna be a quick write-up predicting the 4 NFL playoff games and the college football national title. We will go in the same order that the games are being played.

#4 Houston Texans @ #1 Kansas City Chiefs
Saturday @ 4:30

     After getting the week off last week, Kansas City's true quest for a historical 3-peat starts tomorrow. Houston got here by defeating the Chargers last week 32-12 in a game where the defense set the tone with 4 interceptions.

     For Houston to have any chance in this game, they are going to have to play a near-perfect mistake free game. One thing that could help their chances is if KC shows any rust from the extended time off since most of the starters haven't played a snap since Christmas day (they rested in week 18 and then were off last week with a first round bye). If it does take the Chiefs a couple possessions to knock the rust off then perhaps Houston can keep the game close early and even get out to a quick start.

      I highly doubt that happens though, as Kansas City has had the first-round bye a handful of times in the Mahomes era and in every single one of them they have gone on to win in this round, many times convincingly. More often than not, the team benefits from the extra rest and extra week of preparation and comes out of the gate as if they were fired out of a cannon. If history could be any more unpleasant to the Texans, they are 0-5 in the Divisional round in their 22 year history.

     There's a small path where Houston could pull an improbable upset. The defense will need to continue to be relentless and the offense needs to play a clean, mistake-free game, and if we're being honest most of Kansas City's games end up being close anyways. But my belief is that the Chiefs will flip the switch now that the playoffs are beginning and will take care of business in this round.

Chiefs 27 Texans 16

#6. Washington Commanders @ #1 Detroit Lions
Saturday @ 8:00 

     Much like Kansas City, I expect Detroit to benefit from the week of rest and not come out too rusty. The Lions pride themselves on being physical and they'll feed off of the energy of a raucous home crowd. I believe the experience gained last season will be beneficial as well, especially relative to Washington, who just won its first playoff game in 20 years and is led by a rookie QB.

     To be fair, Jayden Daniels is no ordinary rookie. He's done and accomplished things we haven't seen from rookie QBs and he's composed well beyond his years, which will help with dealing with the raucous atmosphere. But this isn't just a QB competition. Detroit boasts a dominant offensive line and physical running game that can wear a defense down and set things up for big pass plays.

     This feels like a "Super Bowl or bust" year for the Lions, whereas Washington has already greatly exceeded expectations just by being here (2nd worst team in the NFL last year). For that reason I expect Detroit to come out with a greater sense of urgency to meet those high expectations, whereas anything further for Washington is icing on the cake to an already highly successful season. You could argue that this benefits the Commanders, as the pressure is on the Lions whereas Washington is playing with house-money. But this Lions team has the experience and mindset to handle these types of situations.

     I can see it being high-scoring, especially given some of the injuries to Detroit's defense, but ultimately think the Lions pull away in the 2nd half, as they did to Minnesota in a critical game two weeks ago and have done to many others this season. Unlike Kansas City, who played a plethora of one-score games, Detroit was incredibly consistent and dominant throughout the season and outscored their opponents by a league-best 222 points (an average of 2 TD per game). They will keep it rolling this week and book their ticket to the NFC Championship game.

Lions 37 Commanders 20 

#4. Los Angeles Rams @ #2 Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday @ 3:00

     The Rams are a great story and seem truly galvanized by the devastation happening in Los Angeles with the wildfires, and it feels like they're playing for more than just the game. The extra motivation can be a dangerous thing, but the Eagles are going to be a tall-task.

     Philly is at their best when they establish the run and ride Saquon Barkley like a horse. Barkley is a generational talent at running back and the Eagles have a massive offensive line that should be able to win in the trenches against a Rams team that is small inside. The run-first attack will also be beneficial in Philadelphia's outdoor weather elements, where they're projecting cool temperatures and possible snow. 

     For the Rams to overcome all of this, they need to lean on the experience of QB Matt Stafford and head coach Sean McVay, as well as a young defense trying to pick up where they left off after forcing 9 sacks and 2 turnovers (including a pick-six) against 14-win Minnesota last weekend.

     I do think this game is closer than people think. The Rams have had a lot of success with Stafford and McVay leading them. They have two legitimate receivers in Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and a running back who scores a lot of touchdowns in Kyren Williams. Stafford gets the ball out of his hands super quickly and that should help minimize the effect of the Eagles' talented defensive line.

      But ultimately I think Philly's talent and depth wins out. The Eagles have two elite pass-catchers of their own in AJ Brown and Devonta Smith, and the compliment one another well as Brown is a physical big-bodied possession reveiver while Smith a crisp route-runner with good speed, and the offensive line and defense have been good for Philadelphia all year. As long as QB Jalen Hurts can make good decisions and take care of the football, I feel that Philadelphia will hold serve at home and set up a date with Detroit next weekend.

Eagles 24 Rams 20

#3. Baltimore Ravens @ #2 Buffalo Bills
Sunday @ 6:30

     The last game of the weekend also happens to be the most exciting. This is an epic match up between two teams that absolutely could win the whole thing and either will present a great challenge to Kansas City (assuming they take care of Houston). Both QB's, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, have put together monster seasons and are front runners for the MVP award. If the winner of this game goes on to win the whole thing, this could be a legacy defining game.

     The teams actually played all the way back in Week 4 in Baltimore, with Ravens stomping the Bills 35-10. The margin of victory is almost impossible to ignore, but at the same time this was such an uncharacteristic way for Buffalo to loose that it could possibly just be chalked up as a bad day. The home field advantage, plus Josh Allen, pretty much guarantees a much closer contest this time around.

     Because of how much of the spotlight the 2 QB's receive, it often gets lost that both teams have star running backs as well. Derrick Henry (Baltimore) and James Cook (Buffalo) tied for the NFL lead with 16 rushing touchdowns on the season. 

     It feels like this is bound to be a high scoring affair with very few punts and turnovers. In true Buffalo fashion, the Sunday night forecast is calling for temperatures in the "teens" and snow showers. It may very well come down to who gets the ball last or who makes the fewest mistakes. I do feel like at least one road team will pull off a win this weekend, despite the 4 home teams having incredibly difficult places to play. This feels like the realistic choice to roll the dice on. I do believe Baltimore is the more physical and more complete team, while Buffalo is a little more dependent on Allen's star power. Baltimore has one of the better coaching staffs in the league and I do trust that they can put their heads together and develop some sort of gameplan to make things tougher on Allen and slow him down just a tad.

     Both of these teams have been knocking on the door for years and have been unable to get over the hump that is the Chiefs. But only one of them will have the chance to do so this year. I think it's nearly a toss up pick, but I will cautiously pick Baltimore.

Baltimore 30 Buffalo 27

Notre Dame vs Ohio State

Monday @ 7:30

     Last but not least, we get to the grand finale of the 2024-25 college football season, which features the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Both teams truly earned their way here, with each beating 3 top-10 teams en route to the title game.

     For Ohio State, is seems like this group is peaking at the right time and finally playing to their full potential. The Buckeyes were always loaded with a lot of individual NFL talent, but it wasn't always cohesive and working together. But these playoffs have turned a page, and Ohio State seems to finally have figured out how to put it all together and things are humming. Perhaps the biggest turnaround has been the play of the offensive line. The Buckeyes tried several different combinations over the course of the season, but finally seem to have found the right one as they have only allowed 2 sacks over the 3 playoff games. They're winning the battle on the other side as well as the defense has generated 16 sacks against their opponents in that same 3-game span.

     Notre Dame is peaking at the right time as well. The Irish are at their best when they run the ball and play sound defense. Doing so Monday night would help them control the clock and keep Ohio State's more explosive offense on the sideline. Defensively they have to be able to generate pressure on Buckeyes QB Will Howard. Howard can pick defenses apart when given a clean pocket and time to throw, but he's more susceptible to mistakes and errant throws when teams can generate pressure.      

     Notre Dame can keep this close if it sticks to it's tried and true gameplans. But ultimately, Ohio State's firepower, explosiveness, and collection of NFL talent has been too much to handle thus far for all of its playoff opponents, and I'm just not confident that Notre Dame can either keep up or suppress it altogether.

Ohio State 30 Notre Dame 20

      

      

     

 

NFL Power Rankings

 

     The calendar has now turned to December, a time of year highlighted by Christ, family, gift-giving, beautiful lights and decorations, yummy baked goods, matching PJ's, themed films and music, and so much more! It truly is the most wonderful time of the year, and the icing on the cake is it also features the home stretch of the NFL regular season.

     With only 3 weeks remaining before the playoffs, the time is now for teams to make a playoff push. The races for home field advantage, division titles, and wild cards are all heating up, and it promises to be a fun finish.

     So far, 7 teams have already secured playoff births (Detroit, Kansas City, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Houston) and only three of those have already locked up its division (Kansas City, Buffalo, Houston). There are only 9 teams that have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention at this point (Giants, Raiders, Jaguars, Patriots, Jets, Titans, Browns, Panthers, Bears). This leaves 16 teams left competing for 7 playoff spots. Three teams have already fired head coaches (Bears, Saints, Jets) but there are several others on the hot seat that may not survive the end of the season.

     Normally I do a few power rankings throughout each season, but have yet to do so this season. But alas, no time like the present! We'll rank the teams from 32 to 1 and separate the pretenders from the contenders and sort them into tiers along the way.

     Before diving in, it's worth taking a quick glance at the current standings. Recall that there are two conferences, AFC and NFC. For each conference, the 4 division winners will make the playoffs and be the top 4 seeds and host at least 1 playoff game. The top overall seed gets a first-round bye and home field advantage up until the Super Bowl. Additionally, the 3 best non-division winners from each conference get into the playoffs as well as the "wild cards" and will be seeded 5, 6, and 7 and will play road playoff games in round 1 against teams who won their divisions.

Current Standings:

AFC

AFC East

1. Buffalo 11-3

2. Miami 6-8

3. New York Jets 4-10

4. New England 3-11

AFC North

1. Pittsburgh 10-4

2. Baltimore 9-5

3. Cincinnati 6-8

4. Cleveland 3-11

AFC South 

1. Houston 9-5

2. Indianapolis 6-8

3. Jacksonville 3-11

4. Tennessee 3-11

AFC West

1. Kansas City 13-1

2. Denver 9-5

3. Los Angeles Chargers 8-6

4. Las Vegas 2-12

NFC

NFC East

1. Philadelphia 12-2

2. Washington 9-5

3. Dallas 6-8

4. New York Giants 2-12

NFC North

1. Detroit 12-2

2. Minnesota 12-2

3. Green Bay 10-4

4. Chicago 4-10

NFC South

1. Tampa Bay 8-6

2. Atlanta 7-7

3. New Orleans 5-9

4. Carolina 3-11

NFC West

1. Los Angeles Rams 8-6

2. Seattle 8-6

3. Arizona 7-7

4. San Francisco 6-8

Tier 1: Better Luck Next Year

#32. New York Giants
2-12; last place in NFC East

     The Giants continue to be a mess of a franchise and one of the laughing stocks of the NFL. They have only made the playoffs twice since 2011, and have the worst record in the NFL in that same time span. After 6 long underwhelming years, the organization decided to finally part ways with quarterback Daniel Jones and his massively overvalued contract, and will look to find it's future quarterback in April's NFL Draft. It seems like head coach Brian Daboll is also more likely than not to get the axe, in his 3 years the team is getting worse instead of better. There's some young talent here that the roster can build around moving forward, most notably 6th overall pick Malik Nabers looks like he could be a difference maker at wide receiver if given the right quarterback. But this is a team destined for change, headlined by a new coach and new quarterback, as New York looks poised to once more tear it down and try again.

#31. Las Vegas Raiders
2-11; last place in AFC West

     Antonio Pierce became the interim coach in the middle of last season following the firing of Josh McDaniels, and the team appeared to play harder and finished stronger than they started, leading to Pierce being promoted from the interim to the permanent head coach. Unfortunately for him, this year has been quite the opposite, as the Raiders are tied with the Giants for the worst record in the NFL. Star wide receiver Davante Adams caught wind early on of Vegas' underlying problems, which resulted in him using a "hamstring injury" to sit out games before being traded to the Jets. The team only has two star-caliber players, edge rusher Max Crosby and rookie tight end Brock Bowers, and the organization has tried and failed time after time to find a solution at quarterback. Pierce's future remains to be determined, but the Raiders desperately need an infusion of young talent, to the point where it may even be worth trading Crosby for a haul of draft picks to accelerate the rebuild.

#30: Jacksonville Jaguars
3-11; Last place in AFC South

     This one feels a little more injury driven than lack of talent driven. I'm in no way shape or form saying the Jags would be in the playoff hunt with a healthier roster, but I do believe at bare minimum another win or two could have been in the cards. Unlike the other two, the Jaguars have a competent quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, who lacks consistency but the talent and tools are there. The Jaguars are well positioned to draft somewhere in the top 5 and with Lawrence already in place they could draft the highest rated non-quarterback prospect in the class. Add Doug Pederson's name to the list of coaches on the hot seat. Similar to Daboll, Pederson managed to get the Jaguars into the playoffs and even reached the 2nd round in year 1, but then the team had an epic collapse in the second-half of last season to miss the playoffs last year. and now they're amongst the NFL's worst teams in year 3. Pederson seemed like a great hire initially, having led the Eagles to a Super Bowl in 2018. But Jacksonville is trending in the wrong direction which spells trouble for Pederson.

#29. Tennessee Titans
3-11; 3rd place in AFC South

     Another team that didn't have the highest expectations but probably hoped to be more towards the middle of the pack rather than the bottom 5. The biggest concern is it still seems unclear whether second-year QB Will Levis is the answer moving forward or no. There are occasional throws and moments that keep you interested, but not enough consistency and growth yet to make you feel fully confident. If the Titans do end up with a top-5 draft pick, conversations will be had about whether to try again for a QB, or stick it out with Levis and use the pick on a different position. Like New England, Tennessee hired a new coach last offseason and thus don't really think they are at risk of being fired after one season. 

#28. New England Patriots
3-11; Last place in AFC East

     This one was a little more expected than the 4 teams that came before. The Patriots hit the reset button in the offseason and decided to start fresh with a new GM, head coach, and quarterback. This is a team that's been struggling to find its identity ever since Tom Brady left cold and snowy New England for the sunshine and beaches of Tampa in 2020. This was expected to be a transition and rebuilding year and that's exactly what it has been. 3rd overall pick Drake Maye has shown flashes of potential at times as the QB of the future in New England, but there's still growth and development needed there and the team still needs to build the roster around him as well.

#27. Cleveland Browns
3-11; Last place in AFC North

     Cleveland is an interesting one due to how inconsistent they are. They have surprise wins over Baltimore and Pittsburgh but then head scratching losses to teams like the Giants and Raiders. Jameis Winston has instilled more life into the offense, but in typical Jameis fashion more turnovers as well. The Browns were a playoff team last year so this season has to be a disappointment and one where they fell far short of their goals.

#26. Carolina Panthers
3-11; Last place in NFC South

     Despite their record, the Panthers are a better team than they were last season when they were worst in the league. This year has showed some signs of life and reasons of optimism which were not present in Carolina last season. It seems like second-year QB Bryce Young actually benefitted from his mid-season demotion to the bench and came back better than before his benching. Credit to rookie head coach Dave Canales, who is showing some signs of optimism as his own, for making that tough call. There's still a ways to go when it comes to building this roster into a contender but they're a bit closer than they were a year ago.

#25. New York Jets
4-10; 3rd place in AFC East

    One of the biggest disappointments has to be the New York Jets. I mean that both in terms of this season but also in regards to the Aaron Rodgers experiment as a whole. It's always a risk going all-in on an aging quarterback, but the Jets had real optimism after signing the 4-time MVP and former Super Bowl champion, especially after seeing how well it worked out for Brady/Tampa in a similar situation. Unfortunately the Jets' own situation has been the polar opposite. After tearing his Achilles just 4 snaps into last season, the Jets still felt confident that with a healthy Rodgers returning to the team they could be a playoff team and even contend with the Bills for a division title, but the Jets continued their losing ways. This resulted in the firings of their head coach and GM, and Rodgers' own future seems murky as well. Expect the Jets to take a quarterback towards the top of the draft, regardless of whether Rodgers remains with the team or not.

#24. Chicago Bears
4-10; Last Place in NFC North

     The offseason hype train was real for the Bears in the offseason after drafting Caleb Williams with the #1 overall pick. Many thought Williams would adjust quickly and that Chicago could be a playoff team, however Williams is going through his own growing pains, as most rookies do, and the Bears have the misfortune of being in the NFC North division, where the Lions, Packers, and Vikings have all been awesome. Some of this is just bad luck, it isn't their fault that the other 3 teams in their division are incredibly strong. But the reality is the Bears are falling short of their preseason expectations. Head coach Matt Eberflus was shown the door after a terrible time-management blunder on Thanksgiving Day that cost the Bears the chance to tie or win the game in the final seconds against the Lions. Chicago's coaching search will be a critical one as the Bears need to hire someone who can groom Williams and help him tap into his full potential.

#23. New Orleans Saints
5-9; 3rd place in NFC South

     The Saints threw in the towel earlier in the year when they fired head coach Dennis Allen after a loss to Carolina that capped a 7 game losing streak and dropped the team to 2-7. Things got a little interesting afterwards when they won 3 out of the last 4 and pulled within 2 games of the NFC South, but a (literal) last second loss to the Commanders this weekend felt like the official nail in the coffin to their slim playoff hopes. Like Chicago, the focus now shifts to a coaching search to find a new leader in the Big Easy.

#22. Dallas Cowboys
6-8; 3rd place in NFC East

     Weeks after signing a contract extension worth $240 million, Dak Prescott suffered a season ending hamstring tear, which in turn put a damper on Dallas' playoff hopes. The Cowboys were hoping to build off of last season when they won 12 games, won the division, and were the 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, but the offense has stalled out with the loss of it's quarterback and those goals won't be attainable this year. The team will certainly be better next year when Dak returns to the line up, but whether or not head coach Mike McCarthy is still along for the ride remains to be seen.

Tier 2: No Room for Error

#21. Indianapolis Colts
6-8; 2nd place in AFC South

    The Colts had a critical game against Denver this past weekend and had they won would have been within 1 game of the wild card, but they came up short and now those playoff hopes are fading. Indy's slim playoff hopes now require winning all of their remaining games plus help in the form of one of the current AFC wild card teams (Ravens, Broncos, Chargers) losing most or all of their remaining games. The former part is very doable considering the Colts' final 3 opponents are the Titans, Giants, and Jaguars,. But unless one of the 3 aforementioned teams stumbles down the stretch, winning out won't be enough to get the Colts in. 

#20. Miami Dolphins
6-8; 2nd place in AFC East

     I feel bad for Miami because I genuinely think they would have 2 or 3 more wins if Tua hadn't missed time after suffering another concussion earlier in the season, which would put them right in the wild card mix. But that's life, injuries are part of the game (the worst part), and similar to Dallas, Miami's offense just lost its explosiveness without it's QB. Miami's narrow path into the playoffs is essentially the same as the Colts', winning out and having one of the 3 teams ahead of them collapse down the stretch. It's not impossible but the odds are stacked against them. 

#19. San Francisco 49ers
6-8; Last place in NFC West

     After Thursday night's loss to the Rams, last year's Super Bowl runner-up is at legitimate risk for missing the playoffs entirely. To be fair, the 49ers have been decimated by injuries, probably moreso than any other team in the league. Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk are done for the season and Brock Purdy, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and other key members have all missed time. I fully believe this is a team that would be winning its division and headed back to the playoffs if they were healthier, but luck has not been on their side in that department this season. Still, if there's one team capable of going on a run at the very end, I still believe it could be them due to their championship pedigree and the amount of talent on the roster as guys get healthier down the stretch. But their playoff hopes are basically on life-support at this point.

#18. Cincinnati Bengals
6-8; 3rd place in AFC North

    Cincinnati actually has a top 5 offense, in fact Joe Burrow would probably be an MVP candidate if the team had a better record, but unfortunately they refuse to play a lick of defense, and it has cost them several games. In 6 of their 8 losses they have scored 25 points or more, and 4 of those 6 they had 33 or more, which should be enough to win most weeks, but the inability to play defense is offsetting what has been a very efficient offense. The Bengals playoff hopes are basically and copy and paste of Miami and Indianapolis' own situations. They may have dug themselves a hole to deep to climb out of this season, but if Cincinnati can make some moves in the offseason to bolster their porous defense then this can be an improved team in 2025.

Tier 3: Very Much in the Playoff Hunt

#17. Atlanta Falcons
7-7; 2nd in NFC South

     Atlanta made a big splash signing Kirk Cousins in the offseason, hoping that would be the missing piece of the puzzle that would push them atop the division and back into the playoffs. A month and a half ago that appeared to be the case, with the Falcons holding a comfortable 3 game lead in the NFC South. But a 4 game losing streak, in conjunction with a 4 game winning streak by Tampa, has the Falcons now 1 game behind the Buccaneers. The Falcons do own the tie-breaker, by virtue of their 2 head-to-head wins over Tampa, so if the two teams end up finishing with the same record then Atlanta wins the division. But for that to happen, the Falcons need to stop the bleeding and recollect themselves for the final stretch, starting with Cousins who leads the league in interceptions. Atlanta did finally get back in the win column after beating the Raiders on Monday night, but will need to keep that momentum going if they hope to leapfrog Tampa and win the NFC South.

#16. Arizona Cardinals
7-7; 3rd in NFC West

     The NFC West is a tight cluster right now, with all 4 teams only separated by 2 games. Arizona sits only 1 game behind the Rams and Seahawks, who are tied atop the division at the moment. The Cardinals actually led this division in late November but 3 straight losses caused that lead to slip away. A win over lowly New England this past weekend allowed Arizona to finally put an end to the losing streak, and what remains is road trips to Carolina and the Rams, and then a home finale against the 49ers in the final week. The Panthers game seems like a likely win, which would bring Arizona to 8-7 entering two pivotal games against division rivals that will likely decide their fate. 

#15. Seattle Seahawks
8-6; 2nd in NFC West

     Prior to Sunday, Seattle was on a hot streak, having won it's last 4 games before the loss to Green Bay ended the winning streak. But do they have the legs to fend off their division rivals and reach the finish line? It won't be easy. Seattle's next game is against the Vikings, one of the NFL's strongest teams, and the playing status of QB Geno Smith is in question after Smith exited Sunday's game with a knee injury. Early tests suggest it's non-serious, but the time table at this point is unknown. Even if Smith plays, beating Minnesota is a tall task, but without him it's highly unlikely. The game the following week against the Bears is much more winnable, and then Seattle travels to LA to play the Rams in Week 18 in a game that could likely decide the division.

#14. Los Angeles Chargers
8-6; 2nd in AFC West

     Jim Harbaugh continues to prove himself as a great coach who can succeed at any level. Last year he led Michigan to a national title, and this year after deciding to jump back to the NFL he has taken a Chargers team that finished 5-12 last year and has them at 8-6 and on the precipice of a playoff birth. Statistically, the Chargers have the NFL's best defense, entering this week they were only allowing just under 16 points per game, but allowing 40 to the Buccaneers was a bit of a head scratcher. A great defense can take a team a long way and keep them in just about any game, and such has been the case with the Chargers considering all but 2 of their losses are by 7 points or less. A Thursday night road test against Denver is next, which will likely play a factor in Wild Card seeding, but with the final 2 games coming against the Patriots and Raiders it seems likely that the Chargers will indeed earn one of the 3 AFC wild cards and hold off the teams chasing them.

#13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

7-6; 1st place in NFC South

     Atlanta's write up segues into Tampa's own situation nicely. The Bucs battled injuries throughout the season, but persevered and now find themselves atop the division entering the home stretch. The belief was always that following the bye week, Tampa would need to win at least 6 of its final 7 to get to 10 wins and return to the playoffs. They are 4/4 so far following easy wins over the Giants and Raiders, and then a not-so easy win over Carolina where the Bucs needed to rally in the final seconds to force overtime and eventually win, followed by a surprise road win over the Chargers last weekend. Following the win in LA, Tampa's playoff chances look very strong entering their final 3 games against Dallas, New Orleans, and Carolina. As aforementioned, Tampa needs to finish at least 1 game ahead of Atlanta to win the division since the Falcons own the tiebreaker. There is also a path where the Bucs could lose their division but still get in as a wild card, seeing as the Bucs only trail the Commanders by a single game and would own the tiebreaker via their head-to-head win back in week 1.

#12. Los Angeles Rams
8-6: 2nd in NFC West

     Many of us wrote off the Rams went they got off to a 1-4 start. Similar to Tampa, the Rams were victims of key injuries to star receivers like Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. But as the team got healthier, the Rams quietly went on a run and have now won 7 of their last 9 games, probably not so quietly anymore after the surprise victory over the Bills two weeks ago. The Rams still have multiple paths into the playoffs, they sit 1 game behind in both the division (Seahawks) and the wild card (Commanders). Adding to the intrigue, the Rams play Seattle in the final game of this season, meaning if the race remains close that game could possibly decide the division. 

#11. Denver Broncos
9-5; 3rd in AFC West

     One of the biggest surprises of 2024 has been the Denver Broncos. Almost everyone, myself included, pegged them as a bottom 5 team entering year 1 of a rebuild. Boy were we wrong. Denver currently sits at 9-5, which would be good enough for a wild card birth if the season ended today. Much of this can be attributed to the play of rookie QB Bo Nix. Some thought Nix would be a bust when the Broncos selected him 12th overall in April's draft, but Nix has silenced the doubters and been one of the best performing rookies of the season. Denver is still going to have to earn it considering their final 3 games come against the Chargers, Bengals, and Chiefs, but just winning 1 of those 3 should be enough to secure Denver a seat at the table.

#10. Washington Commanders
9-5; 2nd in NFC East

     Like Denver, Washington is a team led by a rookie QB that's massively exceeding its preseason expectations. The Commanders were the 2nd worst team in football last year (ahead of only Carolina), and thus held the 2nd overall pick in April's NFL Draft. The Commanders used the pick on Jayden Daniels, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner from LSU, and like Nix, Daniels has adjusted quickly and taken the league by storm. The division is probably out of reach for Washington, who trails red-hot Philadelphia by 3 games, so the focus is hanging on to the final wild card spot down the stretch. If Washington does end up hanging on, it will largely be due to 3 games where they won on the final play: an overtime FG to beat the Giants in week 2 (a game the Giants probably win if their kicker did not get injured earlier in the game), a successful Hail Mary to beat the Bears in Week 9 (something that works less than 1% of the time), and a defensive stop on a potential-game winning 2 point conversion against the Saints this past weekend (a game Washington led 17-0 and ended up hanging on to by the skin of their teeth). It's fair to say luck has been on the Commanders' side this year, and all of that good fortune has resulted in a 1 game lead over Seattle for the final wild card spot. Is there enough good luck left in the tank for Washington to hang on and make the playoffs for the first time since the COVID season?

Tier 5: If the Stars Align...

#9. Houston Texans

9-5; 1st in AFC South

     After finishing second-to-last in the 2022-23 season, Houston took the league by storm last year when rookie QB CJ Stroud and rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans led the team to the 2nd round of the playoffs. This led to an offseason spending spree where the Texans went all in on bringing in big-name players while Stroud remained on an affordable rookie contract, most notably they traded for top Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs and Cincinnati Bengals star running back Joe Mixon. Many of us saw the Texans as a potential Super Bowl contender as a result, however Diggs tore his ACL mid-season which is a massive loss for the Texans. Houston did lock up the AFC South on Sunday, not that the other 3 teams gave them much competition, but it does guarantee the Texans a home playoff game in round 1. Unless they can leapfrog Pittsburgh, Houston will most likely be the 4 seed, meaning they'll match up with the highest ranked wild card team in round 1. There's a world where Houston could make a Super Bowl run, but without Diggs they're a notch below teams like Kansas City/Buffalo/Baltimore/Pittsburgh.

#8. Pittsburgh Steelers
10-4; 1st in AFC North

     The Steelers seem to exceed expectations every year. On paper they seemed like a middle-tier team, but here they are as one of the NFL's best teams. They've been trying to figure things out at QB ever since future hall of famer Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021-22 season, but Pittsburgh doubled down this offseason signing veteran Russel Wilson and trading for younger prospect Justin Fields. Both have played this year and both have contributed to Pittsburgh's success. But the Steelers are old-school and have never needed elite QB play to win games. They play a smashmouth style of playing hard-nosed defense and running the football between the trenches, a style conducive to the cold and rainy weather the city often has. It's often never pretty, but clean wins and ugly wins still count all the same, and Pittsburgh's culture has always been one of just finding a way to get the job done. The Steelers lead the Ravens by 1 game in the AFC North, and travel to Baltimore this weekend for a game with massive implications. A win essentially gives Pittsburgh the division, while a loss results in the two teams being tied at 10-5 entering the final 2 games.

#7. Green Bay Packers
10-4; 3rd place in NFC North

     Like the Bears, the Packers have the misery in playing in the NFL's best division. Green Bay is probably good enough to be winning a handful of the other divisions, but here in the NFC North they trail Detroit and Minnesota, and thus will have to settle for a wild card and play road games throughout the playoffs. The good news is, the Packers proved last year that they could compete with the best teams in the playoffs on the road. They marched into Dallas, who was the 2 seed last year, and blew them out of the water, and then marched into San Francisco the following week and were a defensive stop away from winning that game as well. I think they're even better this year than they were last, so they're going to be a problem for whichever higher seeded team draws them in the first round, and every round thereafter.

#6. Minnesota Vikings
12-2; 2nd in NFC North

     The Vikings have also been one of the league's bigger surprises in 2024. The team moved on from Kirk Cousins after 6 seasons together, and selected Michigan QB JJ McCarthy with the 8th overall pick in the NFL Draft. It looked like McCarthy was set to take over, but the rookie tore his ACL a few weeks prior to the start of the season. Fortunately the Vikings has a contingency plan in place, when they signed ex-49ers back up Sam Darnold. The original plan was for Darnold to be a bridge option until McCarthy was ready, but after the circumstances unfolded the way they did Darnold became the full-time starter. With Darnold at the helm, the Vikings had a surprisingly successful season, only the Chiefs have a better record than Minnesota. Making things even more interesting, the Vikings now find themselves tied with Detroit atop the NFC North, by virtue of the Lions loss to the Bills this weekend. And to make it even more interesting than that, the two of them are also tied with Philadelphia for the best record in the NFC and the battle for #1 seed and the first-round bye and homefield advantage that comes with. Before Sunday it seemed like a forgone conclusion that Detroit would win the division and Minnesota would have to settle for the 5 seed, but the Lions have now cracked the door open for the Vikings and there is now a tremendous amount to play for down the stretch for Minnesota. And oh by the way, the 2 teams play in the final game of the regular season.

#5. Baltimore Ravens
9-5; 2nd in AFC North

     The Ravens won't finish with a record as good as last year's, when they went 14-3 and were the top seed in the AFC, and they may not even win their division, however they are still a force to be reckoned with. Lamar Jackson is one of the most electric players in this league and can torture defenses with his legs and his arm. And this is a complete roster with playmakers on offense and a perennially solid defense., and they have a wealth of playoff experience. Every loss Baltimore has comes by 5 points or less, which include competitive losses to the Chiefs, Eagles, and Steelers, and they have a 25 point blowout of Buffalo on their resume as well. The Ravens are only 1 game behind the Steelers in the AFC North, and the 2 teams happen to play this weekend, meaning if Baltimore wins they'll be tied for first entering the final 2 games. But whether they're a division champion or a wild card, I do believe Baltimore is one of the most dangerous teams, and an incredibly hard one to beat when they play to their full potential. 

Tier 6: Super Bowl Favorites

#4. Buffalo Bills
11-3; 1st in AFC East

     Some thought the Bills would take a step back after losing Stefon Diggs and other key members of the previous teams, but Josh Allen continues to be the trump-card and continues to find success no matter what the surrounding pieces are. Some thought the Dolphins or the Jets could challenge the Bills for the AFC East crown, but Buffalo continues to make it emphatically clear that they still run this division, and that they remain one of the 2 best teams in the conference. They are the only team to beat Kansas City and the two seem to always be on a collision course to meet in the playoffs. They've done so 3 times recently already, with the Chiefs winning all of them, but two of those were incredibly close and they've established quite the rivalry so why not make it a quadrilogy? The win over the Lions, whom many (including myself) perceived as the best team in the NFL before Sunday, turned a lot of heads and firmly establishes Buffalo as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. I believe the performance probably solidifies Josh Allen as the MVP as well. Buffalo will likely finish no lower than the 2 seed, and the 1 seed is still in play, especially if Patrick Mahomes' ankle injury causes him to miss time.  This means Buffalo would host at least 2, and possibly 3, home playoff games. And no team appreciates home-field advantage more than Buffalo in January, with its literal snowstorms and one of the most passionate and loud fan-bases in football. Kansas City seems to always get the last laugh over Buffalo in the playoffs, but it feels like one of these years Buffalo has to get it done eventually, right? This fan base has always craved a championship, its older members still feel the sting of losing 4 straight Super Bowls in the early 90's. Perhaps this is finally the time.

#3. Philadelphia Eagles
12-2; 1st in NFC East

     It's been an interesting few years in Philadelphia, they are still only 2 years removed from reaching a Super Bowl and losing to Kansas City off a last-second field goal, but last year they had an epic collapse down the stretch that led to multiple staff firings and more questions than answers. But 2024 has been more like 2 years ago than last year, with the Eagles at the top of the NFC once again. The Eagles spent big money to pry running back Saquon Barkley away from the Giants, and it has been worth every penny. Barkley has been the league's best running back and someone who can explode for a big run at any moment. This may have been the missing piece that ends up putting Philly over the top. The offense is loaded with playmakers between Saquon, QB Jalen Hurts, and wide receivers AJ Brown and Devonta Smith, and the defense is good enough to win a Super Bowl as well. Much like Buffalo and Kansas City, the Eagles and Lions seem to be destined to meet in the NFC Championship to compete for the right to go to the Super Bowl, and that game would be a complete toss-up.

#2. Kansas City Chiefs
13-1; 1st in AFC West

     Say what you want about how close the majority of the games have been, but these guys are proven champions who know how to flip the switch and elevate their play to another level when its playoff time. No team has ever won 3 Super Bowls in a row, so this Chiefs team is on the verge of making history. It won't be easy, it's them against the world at this point, but as long as Mahomes is quarterbacking and Andy Reid is coaching and other key pieces like Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, Isiah Pacheco, Nick Bolton, and others remain in the fold this is a hard team to bet against. The Chiefs seemed likely to secure the 1 seed in the AFC, meaning a first round bye and home field advantage in the games leading up to the Super Bowl, but Mahomes' ankle injury is something that could crack the door open for Buffalo. How Kansas City decided to navigate the situation will be interesting, as the 1 seed is a massive advantage however making sure Mahomes is 100% healthy for playoffs has to be the top priority. After all, they proved last year they could win without a bye and homefield as they were the 3 seed and went on to win road games in Buffalo and Baltimore en route to the Super Bowl. But if they do manage to hang onto it, going on the road and winning in Arrowhead in the playoffs has been an impossible task for everyone else in the AFC recently. The Chiefs aren't just playing for another championship, they're playing to etch themselves in NFL history by doing something that has never been done. They will give everything they have to accomplish this once in a lifetime goal.

#1. Detroit Lions
12-2; 1st in AFC West

     As incredible as Kansas City is, my pick to win the Super Bowl right now is the Detroit Lions. Even though they did lose this weekend I am still standing by this prediction. This feels like a team of destiny and has been the best and most dominant throughout the regular season. After endless years of losing, Detroit has finally been built into a winner and it just feels like this year either ends with a Super Bowl or a world of heartbreak from falling just short of finishing the job. Lions fans have paid their dues, and there would be something poetic about a potential Lions/Chiefs Super Bowl, pitting a proven winner against a team born to lose and dying to win. But Detroit just feels like the main character of the story right now, one who has overcome trials and tribulations and every adversity in the book, and one we are all rooting for to see have their happy ending and moment of triumph. If they can hold off Philadelphia and Minnesota, Detroit will secure the 1 seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs, and much like Buffalo and Kansas City, few stadiums get louder and more deafening than Detroit. It wouldn't surprise me if the Cheifs complete the 3-peat or the Eagles get the job done or the Bills finally reach the mountain top, but my gut right now just feels like this is Detroit's moment and they have been the most consistent and best team in all of football to this point. They would be a deserving champion and I hope for them it is finally their moment.