In the last regular-season edition of the NFL Power Rankings, the Bills, Titans and Niners all take great leaps forward, while the traditional powers stay on top and stay pointed toward the playoffs. Where is your favorite team? Check out the latest edition of The Big Board.
1. Patriots (13-3 — last week, No. 1): The Patriots have now earned seven No. 1 seeds in the AFC (2017, 2016, 2014, 2011, 2010, 2007 and 2003) since 1990, the most in the NFL under that system.
2. Steelers (13-3 — last week, No. 2): Pittsburgh rested its starters against the Browns and barely made it out alive. Here’s hoping for a Jacksonville-Pittsburgh divisional playoff game.
3. Eagles (13-3 — last week, No. 3): They’re the No. 1 NFC seed, but they don’t look near as dominant with Nick Foles as opposed to Carson Wentz.
4. Vikings (13-3 — last week, No. 5): What’s more notable? The fact Minnesota now has a chance to win a Super Bowl playing at home (where they were 7-1 in the regular season), or they might win any Super Bowl at all with Case Keenum at quarterback?
5. Panthers (11-5 — last week, No. 4): I feel like we’re slightly overrating Carolina and slightly underrating Los Angeles here. But the Panthers have been here before, while the Rams haven’t.
6. Rams (11-5 — last week, No. 6): That game Saturday night between Los Angeles and Atlanta is going to be fun.
7. Saints (11-5 — last week, No. 7): That loss to the Bucs was a little unnerving when it came to forecasting their playoff chances, but they still walked away with the NFC South title.
8. Falcons (10-6 — last week, No. 8): Kudos to Atlanta for simply making it back to the postseason after losing a Super Bowl the year before — historically, that’s a feat in itself.
9. Chiefs (10-6 — last week, No. 10): Which team is going to show for the postseason? The one that started 5-0? The one that then proceeded to go 1-6? Or the one that finished 4-0? The guess here is they beat the Titans and end up in Foxborough next Saturday.
10. Jaguars (10-6 — last week, No. 9): Last two weeks have scared us off Jacksonville a bit, and we have no clue how the Jags will react to the bright lights of the postseason. But their ability to run the ball and get after the quarterback will make them a tough out.
11. Bills (9-7 — last week, No. 16): Never get tired of watching the Buffalo celebration videos. The guy at the heart of them — veteran defensive lineman Kyle Williams — is a Patriots-type of veteran who deserves to reach the postseason. Good for him.
12. Titans (10-6 — last week, No. 22): Nice bounce back in the regular-season finale — which may have saved Mike Mularkey’s job — but it would shock us if they were around past wild-card weekend.
13. Seahawks (9-7 — last week, No. 12): Seattle is facing a big offseason. It could lose a bunch of veterans, and defensive coordinator Kris Richard is interviewing for head coaching jobs. As we said before, feels like there will be a bit of a reset for the Seahawks.
14. Chargers (9-7 — last week, No. 13): Write it on their tombstone: The 2017 Chargers — they weren’t that good, but by God, they certainly weren’t boring.
15. Ravens (9-7 — last week, No. 11): That gag job in the regular-season finale could prompt owner Steve Bisciotti to take a long look at his franchise.
16. Cowboys (9-7 — last week, No. 14): Jason Garrett has been head coach in Dallas for seven years. He’s made the playoffs just twice in that span, and hasn’t won a single postseason game. Why does he still have a job?
17. Lions (9-7 — last week, No. 15): The Lions are the only team in the NFC North that has has better than .500 seasons in each of the last two years. #tomatocans
18. Raiders (6-10 — last week, No. 17): Jon Gruden is getting the band back together.
19. Niners (6-10 — last week, No. 20): John Lynch: “Look, we want Jimmy to be a Niner for a long, long time, and that process is going to take place here and we're eager to get that done, to have the opportunity.”
20. Packers (7-9 — last week, No. 19): For a franchise that’s as steady as any in the NFL, the demotion of Ted Thompson and decision to give Mike McCarthy a one-year extension represents a seismic offseason.
21. Dolphins (6-10 — last week, No. 18):
Dolphins have spent entire season dead last in watchability ranks, quite the achievement over winless Browns. No better symbol of mercenary team building than Cutler living out of hotel all season like Howard Hughes, only to resurface Sundays, throwing short of the sticks all day
— Chris Wesseling (@ChrisWesseling) December 28, 2017
For those expecting outrage and shock from this Cincinnati native, why would anything change? Seriously. My take on Marvin Lewis: Mike Brown believes Marvin won’t demand organizational change and Brown views loyalty above performance. Period.
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) January 2, 2018