What is the NFL postseason without Patrick Mahomes?
Joe Rivera and Chris Bumbaka explain which quarterbacks who miss the playoffs are the biggest blow to NFL fans.
- Considering there is one change in the top 10, this league should be locked in.
- The Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers made significant jumps in the rankings, moving up four and seven spots, respectively.
- The Chicago Bears experienced a notable drop in the standings, dropping from the NFC’s projected top playoff seed to seventh place with Sunday’s loss.
NFL power rankings entering Week 15 of the 2025 season (previous rankings in parentheses):
1. Los Angeles Rams (1): They hold on to No. 1, but their season-high 45 points on Sunday shows that their Week 13 stumble in Charlotte was a fluke. Matthew Stafford continues to play like an MVP favorite, whether or not he is actually the best quarterback in the league. If L.A. can hold off the formidable Lions, Stafford’s old team, it could further hone its case on Sunday.
2. New England Patriots (2): They hold on to their No. 2 spot, but lost their spot as the AFC’s No. 1 seed during the bye week. Drake Maye continues to play like an MVP runner-up, whether or not he’s actually the second-best quarterback in the league. New England could further refine its case on Sunday if it can defeat the Bills all season and claim its first AFC East title since 2019.
3. Seattle Seahawks (3): They hold onto their No. 3 spot, thanks in large part to a defense that has allowed just nine points (and zero TDs) over the past eight quarters. If they win their next two home games (Colts, Rams), the Hawks will clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
4. Green Bay Packers (4): They maintain a stable 4th place. This is largely due to being the only team above .500 in the NFC North, arguably the toughest division in the league. And just a note to Ben Johnson, Matt LaFleur is currently 12-1 against Chicago since taking the Pack job in 2019…and frankly, he definitely enjoys beating you twice a year.
5. Denver Broncos (5): They’ve been holding steady in fifth place, but staying there and staying atop the AFC could be tough considering Kansas City is the only opponent in the final four not expected to make the playoffs.
6. Houston Texans (6): They hold on to their No. 6 spot and are on the verge of winning their sixth straight game when Arizona plays Houston on Sunday. And if QB CJ Stroud and the offense can pick up the pace even a little, this team could be a legitimate threat to Lombardi.
7. Buffalo Bills (7): They hold on to No. 7, and QB Josh Allen, currently the best QB in the league and perhaps the most dangerous and experienced QB on the AFC side of the playoff picture, finally looks like the guy who could do a fruitful mission in the Super Bowl.
8. Detroit Lions (12): It’s amazing how many good players coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes have put together here, and it’s unfortunate that so many of them are out. But Jahmil Gibbs, who has to be recognized as the best running back in the league right now, is fortunate to remain in the lineup of a team that can dominate the competition offensively.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars (9): They remain a solid No. 9, with fifth-year QB Trevor Lawrence playing his most efficient football of the season and solidifying themselves at the top of the AFC South heading into the stretch drive.
10. San Francisco 49ers (10): They have held steady in 10th place and were able to move up in the wild card standings during a much-needed bye week. The Niners are also one game away from leading the NFC West, but with only one regional game left (in Seattle), the Seahawks and Rams appear to face a tougher final month.
11. Chicago Bears (8): My first year with Johnson was great. But after the Bears dropped from the No. 1 seed in the NFC to the No. 7 seed over the weekend, it feels like the bottom could drop out at any moment. Chicago’s final three games will be against Green Bay, San Francisco and Detroit.
12. Los Angeles Chargers (19): Many of their key players have been hit by injuries. But if they are led by tough players like QB Justin Herbert and OLB Khalil Mack, can overcome some physical setbacks, and have rookie running back Omarion Hampton back on the team, they are a team that can handle late-season (and postseason) adversity well.
13. Philadelphia Eagles (11): What if a team goes the quarterback’s way? Jalen Hurts doubled his season turnover total from five to 10 on Monday night, becoming the first player to score two goals on one play since the league expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978. After two Super Bowl appearances in three seasons, it’s certainly starting to feel like Philadelphia is going to have two cheesesteak meltdowns in three seasons.
14. Carolina Panthers (17): Bye week is finally here. Not only have they moved into a tie for first place in the NFC South, but they are now in control of their own destiny. Just by dominating the Bucs in Weeks 16 and 18, the Panthers would win their first division since appearing in Super Bowl 50. Coincidentally, the venue was Santa Clara, which is also the site of this season’s Super Bowl 60.
15. Dallas Cowboys (14): Three of their last four opponents are below .500. And if the Eagles keep losing, the divisional chances could still be wide open for “America’s Team.”
16. Kansas City Chiefs (15): What was the last time they lost seven games? What about 2014? That was also the last time they missed the playoffs. Even if this dynasty wins, they still need a lot of help to reach Week 19.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers (21): Before we “shut up for a week,” dare we say the Steelers delivered a classic Aaron Rodgers performance, both on the field and on the podium, in Sunday’s win at Baltimore?
18. Cincinnati Bengals (20): Who would have thought that DE Trey Hendrickson would be shut down before QB Joe Burrow? Anything. Just get 40 points every week and you’ll be fine. perhaps.
19. Baltimore Ravens (16): QB Lamar Jackson hasn’t rushed for more than 50 yards since Week 1. He has a record of 5 wins and 5 losses this season, and is in danger of dropping his winning percentage as a starter below 50 percent for the first time in eight years of his career.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (18): We always admire QB Baker Mayfield’s toughness. But injuries caught up with this team (both to him and the Bucs in general), and Mayfield had less than 200 passing yards in each of his last four games, losing all but one.
21. Miami Dolphins (24): Like Mayfield, QB Tua Tagovailoa has caught less than 200 yards passing in his past four games, all of which were…wins. It’s a very Florida dichotomy.
22. Indianapolis Colts (13): If you’re thinking about a 44-year-old quarterback who hasn’t played in five years, it’s going to be pretty hard to know what to do.
23. Arizona Cardinals (22): If Trey McBride catches the ball five more times on Sunday, he will set a record for most consecutive five-receiving games by a tight end (16). We must look for the rays of hope we can find in the desert.
24. Minnesota Vikings (28): QB JJ McCarthy, a first-round pick a year ago, just had the best game of his career. Are you in a good mood for 2026?
25. Commander Washington (25): QB Jaden Daniels, a first-round pick a year ago, just had the worst game of his career. Do you have a bad feeling about 2026?
26. New Orleans Saints (29): Arch Manning? Oh my God. Tyler Schau is the first rookie quarterback to win multiple games with the franchise since Arch’s grandfather, Archie Manning, in 1971. And although he’s only started five times, Schau’s two wins this season are tied for the most in his draft class.
27. New York Jets (26): Of his 26 touchdowns this season, four, or 15%, came on special teams. do not have. Sustainable. But trust the process.
28. Cleveland Browns (23): Rookie QB Shedule Sanders will start the remaining games, already posing quite a dilemma for a team that was once certain to spend one of its 2026 first-round picks on another passer.
29. New York Giants (30): They aren’t scheduled to play any teams with championship experience in their remaining games…so securing the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft won’t be easy.
30. Atlanta Falcons (27): There’s no doubt they’ll get the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft…because the Rams own it and this isn’t the NBA.
31. Las Vegas Raiders (31): If the season ended today, they are They will own the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, and a team with such a clear need for a quarterback could likely draft Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.
32. Tennessee Titans (32): Last year’s No. 1 pick could really accelerate their rebuild if they finish high in the 2026 draft…assuming struggling rookie QB Cam Ward makes a breakthrough as a sophomore.
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