Sportsnaut
As NFL Week 18 draws to a close, there are now just 14 teams left standing with the NFL Playoffs kicking next weekend. Of course, making the playoffs doesn’t necessarily mean you are truly one of the best NFL teams right now. The postseason will put that on full display in these next two weeks.
Let’s dive into our first NFL power rankings of 2026. We’ll kick off with ranking the teams in the NFL playoffs and then move on to eliminated teams with offseason evaluations for each of them.
Just as important for the Seattle Seahawks as securing the NFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-round bye is what this rushing attack has become. Following Week 18, Seattle finished the regular season averaging 140.6 rushing yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry over its last nine games (8-1 record). That ability to run the football, paired with a lights-out defense, makes this a legitimate Super Bowl contender. If Sam Darnold can protect the football and string together some efficient performances, this is unquestionably the team to beat in the NFC.
Related: Winners, Losers from Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers
In what feels line of the most wide-open NFL playoffs in some time, stacking up the teams comes down to what units are trusted the most. Yes, the inconsistency of this Philadelphia Eagles offense is unnerving and it’s nearly cost them a few additional games this season. With that said, Philadelphia’s defense is phenomenal and the team has started to get Saquon Barkley going again late in the winter. Plus, the Eagles have ample playoff experience on their side. This team isn’t nearly as good as it was last season, but it could still repeat as Super Bowl champions when all is said and done.
Drake Maye should be the NFL MVP, and the New England Patriots should feel even more confident in their chances of making a playoff run with Milton Williams, Will Campbell, Khyiris Tonga, Robert Spillane, Harold Landry, and Jared Wilson all returning just in time. Now, with that acknowledged, this team also isn’t exactly battle-tested, with a majority of its wins coming against bad competition. Really, a one-and-done for the Patriots feels just as possible as a Super Bowl run.
The Los Angeles Rams have the highest ceiling of any team in the playoffs. Matthew Stafford has delivered MVP-caliber form for a majority of the season, especially with a healthy Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Likewise, the defense from Los Angeles is led by a pass rush that is capable of taking over a game. On the flip side of that coin, however, are five games with an interception by Stafford (resulting in a 2–3 record) and four games where this defense allowed 30-plus points. There is just a lot of volatility with this year’s Rams team.
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