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Week 18 of the 2025-26 NFL regular season is officially in progress. In the two games played on Saturday, the Seattle Seahawks secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept their playoff hopes alive with a win over the Carolina Panthers.
These games, among others, led to movement in our PFSN power rankings this week compared to last.
Please note that these rankings are decided entirely by PFSN’s analytical model, rather than the author’s opinion of the teams.
32) Las Vegas Raiders
Last Week’s Ranking: 32
Eliminated from playoff contention
Chance for 1st overall pick: 74.5%
For a game dubbed the “Tank Bowl”, it wasn’t nearly as competitive as one would’ve expected for a game with two teams with lackluster records. The Las Vegas Raiders came out as losers from the matchup, falling to the Giants 34-10 on Sunday.
The Raiders could also be considered winners from Week 17 if the objective is to obtain the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After creating separation from the Giants as the worst team in the league, they’re the heavy favorites to end up with the top pick.
31) New York Jets
Last Week’s Ranking: 31
Eliminated from playoff contention
Chance for 1st overall pick: 0.2%
Now on a four-game losing streak, the New York Jets remain one of the laughingstocks of the NFL in the 2025 season. Their loss to the Patriots on Sunday was their worst one yet, as the 32-point deficit they gave up marks the most significant loss of their 3-13 season thus far.
Head coaches in the NFL don’t often get fired after just one season, but it could be a conversation worth having about Aaron Glenn. Being down to their third-string quarterback surely didn’t help them in Week 17, but there have been serious flaws on both sides of the ball all year for the Jets.
30) Tennessee Titans
Last Week’s Ranking: 28
Eliminated from playoff contention
Chance for 1st overall pick: 14.8%
It was another solid outing for Cam Ward, as he overcame a rough 52.5% completion percentage to throw for 251 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. The Tennessee Titans were able to generate some movement on offense, but their defense couldn’t stop the Saints, resulting in a loss on Sunday.
At 3-13, the Titans are still one of the NFL’s bottom-feeders. But the most crucial thing to close out the year might be Ward’s development in the second half of the season. Through his last three games, he’s thrown six touchdown passes with no interceptions.
29) Cleveland Browns
Last Week’s Ranking: 30
Eliminated from playoff contention
Chance for 1st overall pick: 11.5%
Was it pretty? Absolutely not. Was it still an entertaining win over a divisional rival that allowed them to play spoiler? Absolutely. The Cleveland Browns upset the Steelers 13-6, improving their own record to 4-12 and, more notably, preventing Pittsburgh from clinching the AFC North.
Cleveland’s defense was rock solid all afternoon on Sunday. The Steelers focused heavily on Myles Garrett in pass protection, opening up opportunities for several other defenders to make plays. Andre Szmyt showed up with two converted field goal attempts to boost their lead, too.
28) Arizona Cardinals
Last Week’s Ranking: 27
Eliminated from playoff contention
Chance for 1st overall pick: 0.8%
There haven’t been too many positive takeaways to come from the Arizona Cardinals’ 2025 season. That trend indeed continued for them on Sunday, as they dropped their eighth consecutive game in a 37-14 blowout to the Bengals.
The complete absence of a run game and a lackluster defense has doomed Arizona all year, regardless of who’s been playing quarterback. It feels like it’s only a matter of time before Jonathan Gannon gets that fateful call on Black Monday.
27) New York Giants
Last Week’s Ranking: 30
Eliminated from playoff contention
Chance for 1st overall pick: 25.2%
In a showdown between two of the worst teams in the NFL, the New York Giants looked far and away like the better team in their matchup with the Raiders on Sunday. Their 34-10 win marked their third win of the season, and it broke their nine-game losing streak in the process.
Their point differential, the eye test, and PFSN’s analytical models show that the Giants are much better than your average three-win team. They’re hardly a great unit, but they have a pass rush that can get after the quarterback, and Jaxson Dart has shown encouraging flashes this year. There’s something to work with going forward.
25) New Orleans Saints
Last Week’s Ranking: 23
Eliminated from playoff contention
Look out, NFL. Tyler Shough has arrived. After a disastrous start to the season, the New Orleans Saints are winners of their last four games, bumping their record up to 6-10 with their explosive 34-26 victory over the Titans on Sunday.
Sure, the Saints haven’t been facing a murderer’s row of opponents in recent weeks. That said, Shough has looked surgical in throwing the ball, and that continued in Week 17. He threw for 333 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a stellar 142.7 passer rating against Tennessee.
25) Carolina Panthers
Last Week’s Ranking: 19
Playoff Odds: 65.0%
Going into Saturday, the Carolina Panthers had the chance to secure first place in the NFC South and pick up their first winning season since 2017. Unfortunately for them, they lost to the Buccaneers 16-14 and dropped to 8-9.
If the Falcons defeat the Saints on Sunday, the Panthers will still have a chance to make it to the postseason. That said, they had a prime opportunity to secure a playoff spot, and they fell short. Their fate is now out of their own hands.
24) Washington Commanders
Last Week’s Ranking: 24
Eliminated from playoff contention
With both Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota out due to injury, the Washington Commanders started third-string journeyman Josh Johnson at quarterback. In his 10th career NFL start, in 18 seasons of playing professional football, the Commanders fought hard but came just short in a 30-23 loss on Christmas Day to the Cowboys.
Coming out of their loss to Dallas, the Commanders have lost ten of their last 11 games. Their 2025 NFL regular season is nearing its end, and with numerous injuries and regression from key contributors, it has been a disastrous campaign for them.
23) Kansas City Chiefs
Last Week’s Ranking: 25
Eliminated from playoff contention
All things considered, the fact that the Kansas City Chiefs kept things so close with a team with one of the NFL’s best records, the Broncos. They’re down to their third-string quarterback, their group of weapons is thin, and the morale, having already been eliminated from the playoffs, is at an all-time low.
The Chiefs rise in PFSN’s power rankings by keeping things competitive with the 13-3 Broncos. That said, a loss is still a loss. Their pass rush, which only tallied one sack against Denver on Christmas Day, indicates that the defensive line could be an area of focus this coming offseason.
22) Miami Dolphins
Last Week’s Ranking: 26
Eliminated from playoff contention
After two straight losses coming out of a four-game winning streak, the Miami Dolphins found their winning ways again in Week 17. They secured a narrow 20-17 victory over the Buccaneers, improving to a 7-9 record and playing spoiler to their opponents’ hopes of reclaiming the NFC South.
Sunday marked the best game of Quinn Ewers’ young NFL career. He ended up with a career-high 118.0 passer rating against Tampa Bay, throwing for only 172 yards but throwing for two touchdowns with no interceptions in the victory. The former Texas Longhorns standout put together some eye-opening throws.
21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last Week’s Ranking: 21
Playoff Odds: 35.0%
It wasn’t a pretty win, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked up a key victory in the rain over the Panthers on Saturday to break their four-game losing streak and improve to 8-9. Most importantly, they stay alive in the race for the NFC South crown.
For the Buccaneers to make the playoffs and win the NFC South, they’ll need the Saints to upset the Falcons on Sunday. Time will tell exactly how that situation will play out, but Tampa Bay did all it could do on Saturday.
20) Cincinnati Bengals
Last Week’s Ranking: 22
Eliminated from playoff contention
It’s too little, too late for the Cincinnati Bengals in terms of playoff contention for the 2025 NFL season. However, their recent success shows there’s plenty to be excited about if Joe Burrow can stay healthy in 2026. They improved to 6-10 with their dominant home win over the Cardinals on Sunday.
Burrow surpassed 300 passing yards with two touchdowns, and Chase Brown reached over 100 rushing yards with touchdowns of his own. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins produced well against Arizona, too. The Bengals have a strong offensive core in place; they just need to get the defense organized.
19) Dallas Cowboys
Last Week’s Ranking: 17
Eliminated from playoff contention
Though they’re already eliminated from playoff contention, the Dallas Cowboys still showed plenty of fight in their Christmas Day victory over the Commanders on Thursday. Their 17-point second quarter propelled them to a 30-23 win on the road.
Dak Prescott put together yet another strong outing in the Cowboys’ win. He threw for 307 yards with two touchdowns, sending Dallas to a 7-8-1 record for the 2025 NFL season. A three-game losing streak barred them from a postseason appearance, but there’s still plenty to be excited about in the organization right now.
18) Indianapolis Colts
Last Week’s Ranking: 18
Playoff Odds: Eliminated from playoff contention
Going into Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts had already been eliminated from contention for the 2025 NFL postseason. They further piled on the bad news after their Week 17 matchup, having fallen to the Jaguars to mark their fifth consecutive loss.
What was once an unstoppable Colts offense has regressed significantly over the past few weeks. While Philip Rivers’ effort since returning from retirement has been admirable, this unit no longer has the firepower to compete with the NFL’s best.
17) Atlanta Falcons
Last Week’s Ranking: 20
Eliminated from playoff contention
Heading into Week 18, the Atlanta Falcons are now winners of their last three games. Their most recent win came in a thrilling Monday night upset over the Rams, as they defeated them 27-24 to improve their record to 7-9.
Although the Falcons are eliminated from postseason contention, they have been catching fire in recent weeks. Kirk Cousins has put together some solid outings, arguably performing better than Michael Penix Jr. has this season. Cousins has had seven touchdowns to just one interception in his last three games.
16) Baltimore Ravens
Last Week’s Ranking: 18
Playoff Odds: 46.5%
With their season on the line, the Baltimore Ravens marched into Lambeau Field with Tyler Huntley at quarterback and took down the Packers. Not only did they decisively beat a playoff team 41-24 on Saturday night, but they also kept their playoff hopes alive going into a winner-takes-all game in Week 18 against the Steelers.
As rocky as the Ravens have been this season, it’s clear this is a talented unit that could do a lot more damage than they’ve done if they could just stay healthy. They could give the Steelers plenty of trouble in Week 18, especially if Lamar Jackson returns to the starting lineup.
15) Minnesota Vikings
Last Week’s Ranking: 15
Eliminated from playoff contention
The Minnesota Vikings are already out of the running for a playoff spot, but they played the role of spoiler on Christmas Day. Even with their third-string quarterback, Max Brosmer, they beat the Lions to eliminate Detroit from postseason consideration.
Thanks to the six turnovers they forced, the Vikings improved to 8-8 on the year. With the victory, they’ve sent the Lions to last place in the NFC North. They could still give up that spot if Detroit beats the Bears in Week 18, but the fact that they’re even flirting with a year-end .500 record is a miracle given this disaster of a season.
14) Los Angeles Chargers
Last Week’s Ranking: 13
Playoff appearance clinched
The Los Angeles Chargers drop slightly down the rankings after their tight 20-16 loss to the Texans on Saturday night. Though the AFC West crown is now out of their reach, they’ll still make an appearance in the playoffs as a Wild Card team.
Arguably, the biggest concern about the Chargers heading into the postseason is their offensive line. The absence of Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater has revealed their weak interior offensive line, as well as their lack of significant depth. They’re a talented team that can hang with anyone in the NFL, but they may struggle against top competition, as evidenced by their loss to Houston this week.
13) Pittsburgh Steelers
Last Week’s Ranking: 15
Playoff Odds: 53.5%
All the Pittsburgh Steelers needed to do on Sunday was defeat the lowly Browns and clinch first place in the AFC North. They failed to do so, however, and their 13-6 loss puts them in a crucial Week 18 matchup against the Ravens with a playoff spot in the balance.
The Steelers’ defense showed up, as they intercepted Shedeur Sanders twice on Sunday. The offense wasn’t quite as effective, though; they only converted three of their 15 third-down attempts and missed all three of their fourth-down conversion opportunities.
12) Detroit Lions
Last Week’s Ranking: 11
Eliminated from playoff contention
With the Detroit Lions’ surprising loss to the Vikings on Christmas Day, they are now eliminated from playoff contention. This comes just one year after they had the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 15-2 regular-season record.
A slight regression could have been expected given the massive overhaul of the Lions’ coaching staff, but few anticipated they’d miss the postseason and risk finishing the year with a losing record going into Week 18.
Their offense wasn’t the problem often this season, but the six turnovers they gave up and the lack of a running game hurt them against Minnesota on Thursday.
11) Green Bay Packers
Last Week’s Ranking: 10
Playoff appearance clinched
With their loss to the Ravens on Saturday, the Green Bay Packers are no longer eligible to win the NFC North. Despite a stellar game from Malik Willis with Jordan Love injured, their defense just couldn’t hold up in a loss, which saw Derrick Henry run all over them.
The Packers have now lost each of their last three games, and Micah Parsons isn’t coming back any time soon to boost their defense. On the bright side, Willis has established himself as one of the top backup quarterbacks in the NFL, making him a likely candidate for a huge payday this offseason.
10) New England Patriots
Last Week’s Ranking: 11
Playoff appearance clinched
As the NFL MVP race approaches the finish line, Drake Maye made a significant statement that he deserves strong consideration for the award with his play in Week 17. He threw a career-high five touchdowns on Sunday, which helped propel the New England Patriots to a blowout victory over the Jets.
Though much of their core is unproven in the postseason, there’s no denying how strong the Patriots have looked this year. With an elite quarterback and an impressive coaching staff, they’ll be a difficult matchup for anybody when the playoffs roll around.
9) San Francisco 49ers
Last Week’s Ranking: 8
Playoff appearance clinched
Though the San Francisco 49ers had already clinched a playoff spot going into Week 18, they still had the No. 1 seed in the NFC to play for. Hosting the Seahawks on Saturday night, their offense failed to get the job done in a 13-3 loss.
The 49ers end the year with a strong 12-5 record, but their offense looked lackluster just one week after a stellar outing against the Bears. There’s plenty of talent on this San Francisco roster, and they shouldn’t be taken lightly in the postseason. That said, they’re definitely not unbeatable, especially as a Wild Card team playing on the road.
8) Chicago Bears
Last Week’s Ranking: 9
Playoff appearance clinched
The Chicago Bears’ chances of snagging the No. 1 seed in the NFC came to an end on Sunday night. They took part in another match that went down to the wire, but unlike many of their other clutch wins this season, they fell just one play short in a 42-38 loss to the 49ers that dropped them to 11-5.
As the score would indicate, there’s still a lot of work for the Bears to do on defense. That said, their offense had an answer for just about every punch the 49ers’ own offense threw their way. If they can secure the No. 2 seed with home-field advantage through most of the playoffs, this is a team that can make serious noise.
7) Buffalo Bills
Last Week’s Ranking: 5
Playoff appearance clinched
With their loss to the Eagles on Sunday, the Buffalo Bills lost out on their opportunity to win the AFC East. They marched down the field and scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to make the game competitive, but a failed two-point conversion attempt to take the lead ultimately cost them the game.
Though the Bills won’t finish in first place in their division for the first time since 2019, they’ll still be a threat in the postseason as a Wild Card squad. As long as they have Josh Allen under center, they’ll stand a chance against just about any team in the NFL.
6) Philadelphia Eagles
Last Week’s Ranking: 9
Playoff appearance clinched
It wasn’t the sexiest win they’ve had all year, but the Philadelphia Eagles picked up a key victory against the Bills in Week 17 in a 13-12 nail-biter. The win bumps their record up to 11-5 for the 2025 NFL season.
With their win over Buffalo on Sunday, the Eagles are still able to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC for the playoffs. They’ll need some help from the Bears to lose their remaining games, but with three wins in a row, Philadelphia is picking things up at just the right time.
5) Houston Texans
Last Week’s Ranking: 7
Playoff appearance clinched
Saturday night presented a crucial opportunity for the Houston Texans to compete in the AFC South divisional race and prove themselves as strong contenders against another playoff team. They did exactly that, defeating the Chargers 20-16 and improving to 11-5 going into Week 18.
Houston’s defense has the best Defense Impact grade with one more game remaining in the regular season. They sacked Justin Herbert five times and intercepted him once, putting him under constant pressure in the process. The Texans aren’t a team you’d want to run into in the postseason.
4) Jacksonville Jaguars
Last Week’s Ranking: 3
Playoff appearance clinched
Now sitting with a seven-game winning streak, the Jacksonville Jaguars are heating up at just the right time. They’re now 12-4 with one more game left in the 2025 NFL regular season, having defeated the Colts on the road in a 23-17 showdown on Sunday.
Two turnovers given up by the offense made the game look closer than it ultimately became by the end of the fourth quarter. Trevor Lawrence broke his interception-free streak, but he also scored two rushing touchdowns in the win. The Jaguars will look to lock down first place in the AFC South in Week 18.
3) Denver Broncos
Last Week’s Ranking: 4
Playoff appearance clinched
Their 11-game win streak came to an end in Week 16, but the Denver Broncos got back to their winning ways in Week 17 with a 20-13 win over the Chiefs on Christmas Day. Their Thursday win brought them to a 13-3 record for the year.
Admittedly, a one-score victory over a Chiefs team down to their third-string quarterback isn’t the flashiest win for a team with the best record in the NFL. But a win is a win, and they could have a serious chance to finish as the No. 1 seed in the AFC and clinch home-field advantage throughout the course of the playoffs.
2) Los Angeles Rams
Last Week’s Ranking: 1
Playoff appearance clinched
Despite dropping two games in a row, PFSN’s analytical model still favors the Los Angeles Rams. They played the Falcons tight with a 27-24 matchup in a highly down game. If anything, the fact that they remained competitive with Matthew Stafford throwing three interceptions shows how talented the team is otherwise.
With their loss on Monday night, the Rams are no longer in a position to win the NFC West. They’ll either be the fifth or the sixth seed in the playoffs, depending on how Week 18 plays out. Even though they’ll be a Wild Card team, they’ll still be a serious threat in the postseason.
1) Seattle Seahawks
Last Week’s Ranking: 2
Playoff appearance clinched
With their win on the road over the 49ers on Saturday, the Seattle Seahawks secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They finish the regular season with a 14-3 record, and they’ve now locked down both a first-round bye and home-field advantage through the entirety of the playoffs.
The Seahawks’ defense ranks third in the NFL in Defense Impact. A dynamic rushing duo, a strong quarterbacking season from San Darnold, and an OPOY-caliber year from Jaxon Smith-Njigba have carried their offense. The NFC runs through Seattle this postseason, which is a daunting prospect for opposing teams to consider.
