With six new playoff teams this year and half of the divisions decided on the final day of the regular season, the NFL would seem to be in flux heading into the postseason.
But the top teams have held steady. The Ravens and 49ers had already locked up the No. 1 seeds and home-field advantage heading into Week 18. The Cowboys and Bills made statements to take their respective divisions. Only the Dolphins and Eagles are on a downward slide at the worst time of year.
With that said, here are my updated rankings of the 10 best teams as we head into the postseason.
1. Baltimore Ravens
Record: 13-4; Last Week: 1
The AFC’s No. 1 seed opted to rest its blue-chip playmakers in the season finale. Despite losing to a bitter division rival, the Ravens are built to make a deep playoff run with an electric offense and a suffocating defense. With Lamar Jackson playing at an MVP level, the Ravens are primed for a title chase after enjoying a bye during wild-card weekend.
2. San Francisco 49ers
Record: 12-5; Last Week: 2
The NFC’s top seed is arguably the most complete team in football, with a dynamic offense that features a collection of hybrids with size, speed and explosive skills. As Kyle Shanahan utilizes the bye week to create more ways to get Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk touches on the perimeter, defensive coordinator Steve Wilks will focus on unleashing the 49ers’ ferocious pass rush against opponents in the NFC playoff field.
3. Detroit Lions
Record: 12-5; Last Week: 3
Dan Campbell’s squad plays with a controlled fury that overwhelms opponents unable to deal with the Lions’ physicality and toughness. Though the Jared Goff-led offense mixes in some razzle-dazzle, the Lions can win shootouts or grind-it-out affairs against elite opponents.
4. Dallas Cowboys
Record: 12-5; Last Week: 4
Mike McCarthy has the Cowboys peaking at the right time with seven wins in their last nine games on the way toward claiming the NFC East title. Dak…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-top-10-rankings-ravens-reign-chiefs-rams-climb-dolphins-eagles-slide
Author :
Publish date : 2024-01-08 14:07:50
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
