Last week’s rank: 28

The Patriots took a 33-point loss on the chin, with a potential franchise quarterback in tow, and now stand one loss away from a war chest haul for trading the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. That would mean someone as dynamic as Travis Hunter could be a future Patriot, too. It’s been a rough half-decade in New England. That can all change in one fell swoop on the final weekend of the season. — Robert Zeglinski

Last week’s rank: 29

Dorian Thompson-Robinson exists only to make the Browns feel better about ever starting Deshaun Watson, once accused by more than 20 women of sexual misconduct in what the NFL itself described as “predator behavior,” ever again. — Christian D’Andrea

Last week’s rank: 27

Holy crap, it says here the Titans played a real football game on Sunday? Like, one that technically counted in the standings?! No way. Are Titans fans even paying attention to this forgettable team (on the field, anyway) anymore? Don’t lie to me. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 31

This team is a disaster, but at least it plays in the right division for it. Jacksonville is batting .600 against the AFC South and has a chance to add another win next week against the Indianapolis Colts. Keep all this in mind before throwing any money behind a Houston Texans playoff run. — CD

Last week’s rank: 32

Alright, look, good for the Giants players to play for each other — when they had no reason to — in a decisive win. They don’t owe anyone on the outside anything. They should put in a good, hearty effort every week. Still, this mentioned victory might keep Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward out of New York now, and that’s a toll Giants fans might not soon forget. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 30

Antonio Pierce’s main skill as a head coach is his motivation. He’s got the Raiders ready to fight despite a lost season. Granted, that’s only costing them draft positioning at this point, but it’s something. — CD

Last week’s rank: 26

Aaron Rodgers, a quarterback, got called for unnecessary roughness on Sunday. This Jets season somehow gets funnier and funnier by the week. Even the ref announcing Rodgers’ clear penalty couldn’t stifle a little chuckle! — RZ

Last week’s rank: 25

With one more loss, the Bears will have broken the record for the longest losing streak in franchise history at 11 games. This after losing 10 games in a row — the second-longest losing streak in Bears history — in 2022. The Bears are 104 years old, and somehow, they have never been as putrid as they are now. No one who makes football decisions within this organization should feel safe in their job moving forward. No one. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 24

Carolina is showing signs of life, but Week 17 showed just how ill-prepared the team is to compete. Without a viable pass rush or lockdown (or even above average!) secondary play, Baker Mayfield roasted this defense en route to five passing touchdowns. There’s still so much work to be done in Charlotte. How much can we trust team owner David Tepper to get it done correctly? — CD

Last week’s rank: 22

Spencer Rattler has eclipsed 200 passing yards just twice in six meaningful games this year. The Saints just lost to the lowly Raiders. New Orleans fans, I know it’s been a tough four whole years without a Hall of Fame quarterback on your team, and you’re getting so antsy about the idea, but Rattler is not The Guy. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 23

Giving up 45 points to the Drew Lock-led Giants with the season on the line is beyond a fireable offense for everyone in Indy. Do not collect $200 when you pass GO! Do not take a sample candy at the front desk. Please just saunter into the netherworld known as football Purgatory. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 19

Arizona had a chance to play spoiler against the Los Angeles Rams but ultimately fell short thanks to a wildly deflating last-second interception off Trey McBride’s helmet. Still, there are enough young pieces here to call 2024 a success despite a 7-9 record. Now, the Cardinals have to find the right personnel to fill out a thin roster in 2025. — CD

Last week’s rank: 21

Brock Purdy threw for 300-plus yards and three touchdowns on Monday night. He also threw a pair of interceptions that turned a 28-24 lead into a 40-28 fourth quarter deficit. General manager John Lynch has a lot to figure out when he heads into contract extension talks with his quarterback this offseason. — CD

Last week’s rank: 20

The dam on “feistiness” had to break eventually. Without Dak Prescott, the Cowboys were proving to be a frustrating spoiler that knocked off playoff contenders like Washington and Tampa Bay in recent weeks. However, overwhelming talent eventually wins out. And the Eagles, as they showed in a blowout win, simply have more. Much more. Just one more week of the No Man’s Land known as the Mike McCarthy era. Well, unless Jerry Jones inexplicably extends him. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 18

With control of the NFC South in the balance, Raheem Morris froze. Literally. He could have taken one of two timeouts after a big Darnell Mooney catch nearing opposition territory with 33 seconds left. He didn’t, and Atlanta eventually paid the price in overtime. Still, even if the Falcons end up falling short of the playoffs now, it was encouraging seeing Michael Penix Jr. lead a nails game-tying drive culminating in a laser touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal. The kid has moxie, and he might represent a bright future for the Falcons. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 16

The Texans have been without their second and third-best receivers for a little while now, and it shows. The sheen off Bobby Slowik’s once-promising coaching future is gone because of C.J. Stroud’s regression. Houston is destined for a sleepy defeat at home on Wild Card Saturday, barring some dramatic, unforeseen turnaround. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 17

Tyler Huntley got the win and looked … not bad! doing so against a checked-out Browns team. That keeps Miami’s playoff hopes alive, but help is needed. Getting Tua Tagovailoa back for the season finale against the Jets would be a boon, but with the way New York has played lately, that may not be the difference between winning and losing in Week 18. — CD

Last week’s rank: 15

It’s tough to feel too bad about the Seahawks’ erasure from the postseason race in a week where they held the Bears to three points and still failed to cover a four-point spread. Seattle adjusted and improved as the season went on, but ultimately, Year One of the Mike Macdonald era looked a lot like the end of Pete Carroll’s reign. — CD

Last week’s rank: 13

Well, that was a gut punch. The Broncos did everything they could to clinch their first postseason berth in nearly a decade on Saturday — Marvin Mims Jr. ensured it. Denver still couldn’t stand up to Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins, who would not be denied with Cincy’s season on the line. Them’s the breaks. It happens. Sean Payton just can’t let his team lose to a Chiefs squad that is likely resting most significant players this Sunday, and everything will be OK. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 14

Cincinnati finally earned a win over a team in the playoff picture. It needs another to keep its own playoff dreams alive — as well as losses from the Broncos and Dolphins. There’s a lot that has to go right in Week 18, but just getting here is a testament to Joe Burrow’s skill. And it’s a reason to be concerned about how this offense will perform if Tee Higgins leaves in free agency next spring. — CD

Last week’s rank: 12

The secret to Baker Mayfield’s success is keeping him protected long enough to spot holes left behind by blitzing defenses. That’s exactly what the Buccaneers did against the Panthers, clearing the way for five touchdown passes. Tampa Bay’s rise to a top-five blocking unit is the underappreciated foundation to what’s looking more and more like a fourth-straight NFC South title. — CD

Last week’s rank: 9

Unlike their purple and black rivals to the East, the Steelers did not maximize their time in the spotlight. After losing three consecutive games in 10 days, Pittsburgh will be an AFC wild-card team, barring a Ravens’ collapse to Cleveland. Right now, the Steelers would match up with Houston in the first round, which should be a surefire win. But having confidence in any deeper run would be pretty silly for a once-burgeoning squad that got cold at the wrong time. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 8

The Rams began this year 1-4 and looked completely dead in the water. After finding their rhythm (and, more importantly, getting healthy), the Rams managed to clinch the NFC West and put themselves in position for an elite 11-win season … with a week to play. Phew. It’s cliche, but this is one of the last squads any of the other NFC heavyweights want to see in the playoffs. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 10

A Kliff Kingsbury offense made in-game adjustments to unlock its fullest potential and rallied for an overtime win on a night where Terry McLaurin was effectively thrown into football jail by A.J. Terrell. The Commanders may not have the personnel to pull off a Super Bowl run, but that’s a meaningful improvement that paves the way for future success. — CD

Last week’s rank: 7

The Minnesota Vikings were able to stifle Green Bay’s offense with a combination of blitzes and steady coverage, showcasing the growth a once-leaky secondary has made while furthering the Packers’ struggles against contending teams. Jordan Love’s thin resume against fellow playoff teams means his best win in 2024 came over the Texans. Not ideal! — CD

Last week’s rank: 11

Like many good, not great NFL teams this year, Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers found themselves in crisis mode at midseason. They stabilized when they abandoned their run-first offensive philosophy and let Justin Herbert do what he does best: outduel opposing quarterbacks with stunning efficiency. Now, they’re officially part of the AFC playoff field. And a team with a solid defense and a great player under center should never be underestimated in the crucible of winter. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 5

After falling to 8-5 in some shaky wild-card positioning, the Ravens stormed back and won three games in 10 days to put themselves in position for their second consecutive AFC North division title. They’ve done it on the strength of Lamar Jackson’s arm, who has nearly a 10:1 touchdown to interception ratio and is averaging almost nine yards per pass attempt this season. It’s no shock that the Ravens suddenly resemble a team that can go all the way with the reigning MVP playing better than ever. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 6

Brian Flores baffled Jordan Love for three quarters, and Sam Darnold kept dealing to keep the Vikings’ hopes of a first-round bye alive. Their showdown with the Lions on Sunday night may be our only deliverance from a terrible slate of Week 18 games. — CD

Last week’s rank: 4

The Eagles were so dominant without Jalen Hurts on Sunday that Kenny Pickett throwing himself instead of the ball became a national blooper instead of a national headline. Now, with its 13th win and the NFC’s No. 2 seed secure, Philadelphia effectively has nothing to play for. Well, except for Saquon Barkley’s potential all-time single-season rushing record against the Giants, who let him walk in free agency. Is that juice worth the squeeze? For a Super Bowl contender trying to play and rest for January (and February), Nick Sirianni has quite a coaching decision ahead of him. — RZ

Last week’s rank: 3

The Chiefs’ offense has fallen back together, which is terrible news for the rest of the AFC. After a series of too-close games, Kansas City is winning comfortably again. Now we get to see whether Carson Wentz can crush the Broncos’ postseason hopes, three years after his Week 18 disintegration against a very bad Jaguars team kept the Colts out of the playoffs. — CD

Last week’s rank: 2

Detroit’s lack of defensive manpower is a problem, but a healthy Kerby Joseph remains a game changer. He’s up to nine interceptions on the year against a single touchdown allowed in coverage. The Lions may have to win each of their playoff games in a shootout, but there’s at least faith their injury-riddled defense can come up with a big turnover when it matters most. — CD

Last week’s rank: 1

Buffalo hardly broke a sweat to rough up the Jets in Week 17. While you don’t get too much credit for bum-rushing New York’s backup tackles, an impressive performance from the Bills’ pass rush suggests Sean McDermott’s defense may be peaking at the exact right time. — CD