1. Detroit Lions
The Lions have been the most complete team in football all year long. Their league-leading point differential (+222) was over 60 points clear of the next closest team. It’s a group that can win in a multitude of ways. We’ve seen them dominant teams on the ground with the run game, and QB Jared Goff enjoyed the best individual season of his career. It’s going to take a massive effort to take down the NFC’s top seed.
2. Baltimore Ravens
Don’t let the final score fool you. The Ravens were in complete control of their 28-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Derrick Henry showed why the Ravens made it a priority to sign him in the offseason. The Pro Bowler rushed for 186 yards and two TDs. Likely MVP Lamar Jackson added 81 yards on the ground and was efficient through the air (16-of-21 passing, 175 yards, two TDs). Baltimore’s defense has improved over the last month and could be the biggest factor in the Ravens reaching the Super Bowl.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
The back-to-back defending champions went 15-1 with Patrick Mahomes this season, but some are doubting the ceiling of this group. The offense looked uneasy all year, and they barely scraped out a few wins against inferior teams. Even Kansas City’s biggest detractors must admit the postseason is where this team is at its best. Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Andy Reid always seem to put it all together this time of year.
4. Buffalo Bills
The Bills were trailing 7-0 following an opening drive touchdown by the visiting Broncos. Then, Buffalo scored the next 31 points to advance to the Divisional Round. Josh Allen limited his turnovers this season. It was a near-perfect offensive game from Buffalo against a strong Denver defense. It remains to be seen if they can keep that up against a Ravens team that will put more pressure on the Bills to score on every possession.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have been one of the hottest teams in the league over the last three months, with their only loss being a 36-33 defeat to the Commanders in a game that Jalen Hurts exited in the first quarter. Philadelphia’s path to victory is simple — one of the NFL’s best offensive lines dominates up front while a swarming defense creates havoc on the other side of the field. Matching up with Philly’s playmakers is a tough task for any opponent — especially a Rams team lacking on the backend.
6. Los Angeles Rams
Nobody wants to face the Rams with the way they’ve played recently. Matthew Stafford and company know what it takes to win in the postseason. And, they added dynamic playmakers like Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams who weren’t on the team during the last Super Bowl run. LA’s defensive improvements are something to monitor. They made life miserable for Sam Darnold and the Vikings during the Wild Card round. If that holds, this team can compete with anybody.
7. Washington Commanders
This Commanders team should not be taken lightly. They’ve won six in a row after the Wild Card victory over the Buccaneers. QB Jayden Daniels hardly plays like a rookie. He routinely makes plays on crucial downs and always seems to get his offense in position to score. He’ll need to be perfect to keep up with the Lions, but we wouldn’t put it past the sensational first-year QB.
8. Houston Texans
The Texans silenced a lot of critics with an emphatic win over the Chargers. Houston limped into the postseason with some lackluster performances, but this is a team that entered the year with a ton of expectations and a lot of talent. RB Joe Mixon looked great in his first playoff game for the Texans (25 carries for 106 yards), and WR Nico Collins was dominant (7 receptions for 122 yards). It was a one-score game when they played the Chiefs in Arrowhead in Week 16. Expect another close matchup when they face off again this week.
