32.) Tennessee Titans = 3-14 (311-460)
Just a completely lost year, where at least they get their reward of hte #1 pick. Granted, in a year where that isn't all that exciting, but the biggest gap they had was a lack of any real potential at QB. This year proved firmly Will Levis is not it. There's also a clear lack of playmakers, and a barren defense aside from a couple pieces (the ageless Jeffrey Simmons, notably). Also, no idea of Brian Callahan is just over his head or needs time to do better...
That 45-point outburst cost them the #1 pick, but this still ends up the worst Giants team in their history. Just a dud from the beginning - so incredible predictable the second they just rolled over Daniel Jones for another year. Of course, the Giants repeated that mistake in another way by confirming that they are planning to keep Daboll and Schoen for another year. This will be a theme with a few other teams **cough, Colts, cough** but just depressing news if you are a Giants fan. A true reset is needed (again).
30.) New England Patriots = 4-13 (289-417)
Still not sure what the Patriots expected from Jerod Mayo? This was a talentless team aside from Maye's flashes and Christian Gonzalez (great player) and while there were some apparent locker room troubles and what-not, this is also a first year head coach. Robert Kraft owns all this now. Brady is gone. Belichick is gone. Mayo was Kraft's choice - so I guess kudos for Kraft for not doubling down but man there's a lot of spotlight on them now.
29.) Jacksonville Jaguars = 4-13 (320-435)
Doug Pederson got the axe, which we've all expected for a long time. He probably expected it for a long time. What I can't get my head around is what the possible reason is for keeping Trent Baalke at this point. Baalke living decades off of a couple 49ers drafts and Jim Harbaugh's brilliance is staggering at this point. Their longer term outlook will really just amount to if Trevor Lawrence is salvageable.
28.) Cleveland Browns = 3-14 (258-435)
I still have no idea what the goal was of moving away from Jameis for the last month. I assume Deshaun won't be back. But I shouldn't really assume these things when we're dealing with Jimmy Haslam here. The only area of positivity is that I'm glad Kevin Stefanski is keeping his job, Would love to see what he can do with real QB play for once. The problem is not sure where that QB stability comes from. If any team is going to take a run on JJ McCarthy, this one makes sense, even if I assume they'll just go for a QB at #2.
27.) Las Vegas Raiders = 4-13 (309-434)
As I write this we don't know the fate of Antonio Pierce, but I'll assume he is gone. I'll further assume that I will be proven right that Tom Brady being "more involved" in the coaching search will not end well. I've avoided saying this for a while now, but Tom Brady being not only a minority owner, but apparently an "active" one is what is the nail in the coffin for any lingering Raiders love in my heart. I'll cherish 2000-2002 and 2016 up until Derek Carr breaking his leg. Everything else and the future of the team? Good riddance.
26.) New Orleans Saints = 5-12 (338-398)
It's funny looking back on how good they were those first two weeks. We should have all known it wouldn't be sustainable - given how paper thin the roster is and that they were doing historically efficient things those first two games. It crashed, it imploded and now they're stuck with finally having the check come due on the salary cap while looking for a new coach. This most recent draft looks nice, which helps, but they'll need 1-2 more of those for any lasting impact.
25.) New York Jets = 5-12 (345-364)
Hopefully for their sake the Rodgers era is over. I say this because I still like some of the bones of the team. Of course, there have been some troubling signs with Sauce and Garrett Wilson and what-not - but I think that's mostly their own issues with the Rodgers circus. So on the one hand, out of the bevy of "5 or fewer wins" teams, I think the Jets could have a fairly bright future... but there's the Woody Johnson factor as well and how much of a mess he seems to be - in other words I fully buy that story of them not trading for a guy due to his Madden score.
24.) Carolina Panthers = 5-12 (341-534)
What a strange year for the Panthers. They were historically bad for the first few weeks, benched their #1 pick from last year (deservedly), got a couple small wins then continued to be historically poor. It all turned around when Andy Dalton got injured which pushed Bryce back in (to be clear: from everything we know there was no push to return to Bryce absent the injury) and suddenly, he looks good, poised and calm. The team makes sense offensively. The defense is still putrid, but they finally have their own draft capital back to make some changes there. It does seem like Dave Canales is good.
23.) Chicago Bears = 5-12 (310-370)
Who they hire will be a fascinating storyline. Caleb showed flashes but needs some reigning in. What also needs support is how to use the weapons and make things easy on a QB. I assume they'll go down the McVay/Shanahan-tree route, but in this case I think that makes a lot of sense. The defense took a step back this year, but did rebound to be decent in the back half of the season. The toughest part for the Bears right now is how stacked the rest of that division is at the moment, but things change quickly.
22.) Indianapolis Colts = 8-9 (377-427)
I can't even put into words how disappointing it is to see Jim Irsay just say he plans to run it back. For what? I can someone see a path to viability on saying Steichen deserves more time - this is not a talented team in any way but has somehow won 16 games the last two seasons. But to keep Ballard? He's botched so many picks. He's made some awful QB decisions. He's drafted so few real game changes - and that was supposed to be his main calling card. There is no reason for Ballard to be given another year. But so it goes in Irsay-land.
21.) Dallas Cowboys = 7-10 (350-468)
It will be interesting if McCarthy keeps his job because of some late season Cooper Rush-led friskiness and McCarthy's ability to point at defensive injuries and issues as a fail point over his predictable offense. There is some truth to all of that, the 2024 Cowboys were dealt a poor hand. Critics would argue that this wasn't a great hand to begin with. All I know is hopefully Prescott stays healthy enough next year for the inevitable six Cowboys primetime games.
20.) Atlanta Falcons = 8-9 (389-423)
I'm so glad this Falcons team didn't sneak into the playoffs. Yes, the Bucs didn't cover themselves in glory either, but this Falcons team is worse. More exciting with Penix, sure - and man did Penix have some beautiful throws - but not so much better. The defense still has so many holes and pain points. The pass rush remains a never-ending mystery in Atlanta. But an offense with Penix, throwing to London, Pitts and Bijan can be dynamic in 2025.
19.) Miami Dolphins = 8-9 (338-404)
This Tyreek mess is a difficult one because on the one hand keeping a disgruntled receiver has proven to just not work, but on the other, so much of the offense revolves around Tyreek's speed opening space for others. This offense was already showing signs of being "figured out" already when it comes to those giant YAC plays that dominated in 2023. We have to hope for some better Tua health in 2025, along with stability on defense. This isn't a bad team, but how they handle the Tyreek situation is for sure an inflection point.
18.) San Francisco 49ers = 6-11 (389-436)
I'm ranking this mostly on my view of how the team performed in 2024, not as an outlook for 2025. If the latter, they would top this list. Many have noted the similarities between this team and the 2020 49ers - the last 49ers team coming off of a Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs that was beset with an incredible string of injuries (Garoppolo, Bosa to name a few). That 49ers team rebounded nicely. The main difference is the 2021 49ers had a mid-sized contract at QB and a lot more other talent around him than what the 2025 49ers may look like if they have to pay Purdy. I still think pay him, but they have to nail the 2025 draft.
17.) Arizona Cardinals = 8-9 (400-379)
The Cardinals end the season with by far the best point differential in the division - a team that at their best were capable of blowing teams out, but at their worst capable of scoring less than 10 points against Seattle. Kyler had a nice year. I believe in Gannon as a coach. A lot of their young players excite me. Biggest worry is really what is Kyler's ceiling, truthfully. There's a lot to like about parts of their 2025 outlook, but I can't get that lingering issue out of my mind.
16.) Seattle Seahawks = 10-7 (375-368)
In the end, the OL was too poor (and consequently, Geno slightly too erratic), and the defense a bit too fallow to make ti work. Give them credit for the late season wins to get them back to ten wins. Tough for them when 9-8 was good enough for a wild card two years ago for them. Such is life in a stronger NFC. Much like in the Arizona section - I have the same questions on if Geno ever has the ceiling, and in the Seahawks case, age is a concern there too. They have some decisions to make too at other positions - I wouldn't be shocked with a Metcalf trade as it's fairly clear they see JSN as the better long term go-to-receiver.
15.) Cincinnati Bengals = 9-8 (472-434)
I'll use this space to address the rest controversy: the Bengals fans, players, coaches, everyone needs to shut up. If you don't like the Chiefs resting players and letting the Broncos walk them, then win more games. For 2025, whether Tee Higgins get re-signed or not, maybe don't start 0-2 for a fourth straight year. Maybe take early parts of the season seriously (and that applies to the offense too). Don't lose five home games. Just be better. As for the team itself, they need to re-sign Tee. The Eagles showed you can pay two receivers - you have to couple it with drafting way better than the Bengals have, but the Bengals should set themselves the challenge of just drafting better.
Ranking the Playoff Teams - will go into more detail later in the week.
AFC
7.) Pittsburgh Steelers = 10-7 (380-347)
6.) Houston Texans = 10-7 (372-372)
5.) Denver Broncos = 10-7 (425-311)
4.) Los Angeles Chargers = 11-6 (402-301)
3.) Baltimore Ravens = 12-5 (518-361)
2.) Kansas City Chiefs = 15-2 (385-326)
1.) Buffalo Bills = 13-4 (525-368)
NFC
7.) Los Angeles Rams = 10-7 (367-386)
6.) Washington Commanders = 12-5 (485-391)
5.) Green Bay Packers = 11-6 (460-338)
4.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers = 10-7 (502-385)
3.) Minnesota Vikings = 14-3 (432-332)
2.) Detroit Lions = 15-2 (564-332)
1.) Philadelphia Eagles = 14-3 (463-303)
Ranking the Wild Card Games
6.) Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) @ Houston Texans (10-7) (Sat, 4:30 - CBS)
It's getting a lot of play that this is the eighth time the Texans have made the playoffs, and the eighth time they've gotten the red-head step-child 4:30pm Saturday slot. And you know what - they've deserved it every time, and partially because the team they're paired with is also fairly staid and boring (see the 2015 Chiefs, 2016 Raiders starting their 3rd string QB, 2023 Browns, etc.). No different here. The Chargers are ruthlessly, efficiently boring. The Texans are just sad in how they haven't taken off. This deserves to be the 4:30 Saturday game.
5.) Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) @ Baltimore Ravens (12-5) (Sat, 8:00 - Prime)
It's weird how little excitement I have for this - you would think the best rivalry of the 2000s getting another playoff game would be higher up... but we don't need this again. I guess there is a 10% chance the early season Steelers return but we saw this matchup in this stadium a few weeks ago and despite the Ravens not playing their best they won easily. More this is just a sad reminder of how great their old games used to be.
4.) Green Bay Packers (11-6) @ Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) (Sun, 4:25 - FOX)
This assumes Jalen Hurts plays. If he doesn't put this at #6 just by how sad it would be. But assuming Hurts does play, I just don't think this is a good matchup for the Packers. On paper it reads like a nice game, but the Packers relative defensive weakness is rush defense, and the Eagles secondary could create a lot of problems for the Packers who will be without Christian Watson. I can see this just being a grinding 27-17 type win for the Eagles that isn't as close as that.
3.) Denver Broncos (10-7) @ Buffalo Bills (13-4) (Sun, 1:00 - CBS)
On the other hand, I do think the Broncos can put a scare into the Bills. The biggest way to beat the Broncos is pressure Bo Nix, and the Bills pass rush quality varies a ton week to week. If it's a bad week then Nix could have success. This is becoming too much of a mini-preview, so I'll couple that optimism of a close game by the cold water of me just not liking the 1pm Sunday slot (the last such game of the year at 1pm on Sunday...).
2.) Minnesota Vikings (14-3) @ Los Angeles Rams (10-7) (MNF - ESPN)
A rematch of a fun Thursday Night game that the Rams won (in Minnesota), there's just a lot riding here especially on the Vikings slide. Does Sam Darnold return to his great form of 2024 or was Week 18 a sign of the old Darnold coming back? Can the Flores defense confuse / neutralize the Rams offense in a way they couldn't in that regular season matchup. Can the Vikings block the Rams renewed strong DL. Plus add to it the Manningcast and you get a fun one.
1.) Washington Commanders (12-5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7) (SNF - NBC)
Surprising maybe, but the more I think about this game the more I love it. The Bowles crazy-blitz defense against one of the more poised rookie QBs we've seen. That crazy Bucs offense that can be fun and maddening, both in entertaining ways. The Evans vs. Lattimore matchup. If there's any game that ends 38-34 I think it is this one. And neither defense is really good enough for it to end 17-13. Sign me up for this one, I really hope it doesn't disapppoint.
