ClutchPoints’ NFL Power Rankings: Seahawks, Broncos wrap up top NFL playoff seeds

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ClutchPoints’ NFL Power Rankings: Seahawks, Broncos wrap up top NFL playoff seeds

Mike Johrendt, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, Jan 5, 2026 ·

19 min read

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ClutchPoints' NFL Power Rankings: Seahawks, Broncos wrap up top NFL playoff seeds appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

The 2025-26 NFL regular season ends this week, and for some teams, this season has been over since October. With plenty of teams failing to live up to preseason expectations, while others far exceeded them, it has been yet another year of unpredictable football, but it has been fun to track all of it in ClutchPoints' NFL Power Rankings.

Playoff seeding and one spot in each conference were up for grabs this week, as there were still a few matchups that held weight to settle the playoff bracket. Check out the final NFL Power Rankings of the 2025-26 NFL regular season to see where your team lands.

1. Denver Broncos (+3)

It was an easy, 19-3 over the Los Angeles Chargers that helped power the Denver Broncos to the top seed in the AFC playoff race. Finishing the regular season with a 14-3 record, Denver is riding a hot streak, having won 12 of their last 13 games, as the Broncos find themselves in the top spot of this week's NFL Power Rankings.

The Broncos now get to sit back and rest up for a week, having earned the lone bye in the AFC playoff picture. Facing an LAC team resting most of their key starters, Bo Nix threw for 141 yards, as no offensive skill player recorded more than 49 receiving or rushing yards in an easy win.

2. Seattle Seahawks (no change)

Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Coming out on the right side of a defensive battle Saturday night, the Seattle Seahawks find themselves locked into the top spot in the NFC playoff picture. A 13-3 road win over the San Francisco wrapped the Saturday slate up with a bang, as two hated divisional rivals went toe-to-toe to settle the NFC West.

A touchdown run from Zach Charbonnet was the only time any player in this game found the end zone, as Jason Myers knocked two field goals (on four attempts) through for the remaining SEA points. After entering the season with many doubting their postseason hopes, Mike Macdonald has his team earning a bye in the tough NFC playoff picture, cementing the Seahawks as one of the teams to beat.

3. New England Patriots (-2)

The New England Patriots dropping down two spots in this week's NFL Power Rankings is because of the finalized playoff seedings, definitely not because a 28-point win over the Miami Dolphins wasn't good enough.

TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson both ran for two touchdowns in the 38-10 win, with Stevenson finding the end zone three total times. A heavy dosage of the run game made things easy for Drake Maye , as the Patriots will play host to the Chargers in Wild Card weekend.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (+3)

A 41-7 win over the Tennessee Titans locked up the AFC South division title for the Jacksonville Jaguars, as they now march into the AFC playoffs as the third seed. Trevor Lawrence threw for 255 yards and three touchdowns in the win, connecting with Parker Washington (5/87), Brenton Strange (6/52), and Quintin Morris (1/5) for scores.

A first-round matchup with the Buffalo Bills awaits the Jaguars, as this game could surprise and be one of the more fun games of the Wild Card round. The Jaguars moved up three spots in this week's NFL Power Rankings.

5. Los Angeles Rams (no change)

A four-touchdown performance from Matthew Stafford paved the way for a fourth-quarter comeback for the Los Angeles Rams, as they earned their 12th win of the year. A 37-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals was a lot closer than the score shows, as the Rams faced a deficit in the third quarter that forced them into finding the end zone twice in the fourth quarter.

The Rams will now travel to face the Carolina Panthers in the Wild Card round, a very intriguing matchup that looks to favor the Rams on paper but should be a much closer game.

6. San Francisco 49ers (-3)

It was a listless showing from the 49ers' offense on Saturday, as a measly Eddy Pineiro field goal in the second quarter was all they could muster as they dropped three spots in this week's NFL Power Rankings. After setting the league ablaze with his performance the past few weeks, Brock Purdy (127 yards, one INT) disappeared in the bright lights, as did Christian McCaffrey (57 total yards).

A disappointing showing at home will now force San Francisco to be a Wild Card team in the NFC playoffs, putting quite the negative spin on their 12-5 season. It certainly won't be an easy path forward for this team, especially if their showing on Saturday is a sign of things to come.

7. Houston Texans (+2)

Resting their starters at halftime, the Houston Texans locked up the fifth spot in the AFC playoff bracket with a 38-30 shootout win over the Indianapolis Colts . Finishing 12-5 on the season, including a sparkling 7-2 record at home, the Texans will travel to face the winners of the AFC North in what stacks up to be a defensive battle with the potential to be muddy on offense. Their Week 18 win helped them jump up two spots in this week's NFL Power Rankings.

8. Chicago Bears (-2)

Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

A loss by the Philadelphia Eagles made the Week 18 loss by the Chicago Bears unimportant, with Chicago still earning the second seed in the NFC playoffs. An uninspiring performance from Caleb Williams (212 passing yards) and the CHI offense left the door open for an upset loss to the Detroit Lions , as they now will look forward to another divisional matchup in the Wild Card round.

Hosting the Green Bay Packers will be yet another tough test for Williams and the offense, a game that will absolutely define the Ben Johnson era for years to come.

9. Buffalo Bills (+1)

Sitting all major starters and turning the keys over to Mitchell Trubisky , the Bills relied on a fourth-touchdown performance from Trubisky to power a 35-8 win over the Miami Dolphins. Ray Davis ran for 151 yards in the win, as Buffalo wrapped up their regular season with a 12-5 record.

A first-round matchup with the Jaguars will be a tough test for the Bills' defense, especially if Josh Allen and the Buffalo offense come out of the gates slowly after not playing this past week.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (-2)

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Nick Sirianni made quite a bold decision in resting many of his key starters in Week 18, a decision that backfired with the Bears' loss, paving the way for Philly to earn the second seed. Instead, Tanner McKee and the Philly backups failed to capitalize, falling to the Washington Commanders , 24-17, as the Eagles drop to 10th in this week's NFL Power Rankings.

A matchup with the 49ers is on tap for the Eagles in the Wild Card round, as punting on their Week 18 game forces Philadelphia into quite the pickle in their opening-round matchup.

11. Los Angeles Chargers (no change)

With the seventh seed already locked up in the AFC playoff race and no way to move up, the Chargers sat Justin Herbert , Omarion Hampton , and other key players, comfortable with their 16-point loss to the Broncos.

Trey Lance stepped in for Herbert in the loss, throwing for 136 yards and an interception and leading the team with 69 yards on the ground. As the seventh seed, the Chargers will face a tough road matchup in the Wild Card round, traveling east to take on the red-hot Patriots in Foxborough.

12. Carolina Panthers (+2)

A Saturday, win-and-in scenario for the Panthers might not have gone their way, but they were fortunately saved by a win by the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. A 16-14 road loss to the Buccaneers prolonged their first playoff berth since 2017, but Dave Canales and Bryce Young have a home playoff game now to plan for.

Carolina has quite the tough task on their hands for the Wild Card round, as it will play host to Matthew Stafford and the Rams in a rematch from November 30.

13. Green Bay Packers (+2)

With all major starters on both sides of the ball sitting out Week 18, the Clayton Tune-led Green Bay Packers managed a measly three points and 121 yards on offense in their 16-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings . Tune threw for 34 yards, ran for 23 yards, was sacked four times, and fumbled once in the road loss, dropping Green Bay to 9-7-1 on the year.

With the seventh seed in the NFC playoff picture already locked up with no possible movement upward, Matt LaFleur took the safe route and sat his Wild Card game starters. A divisional matchup with the Bears in the Wild Card round is next up for the Packers, who are looking to add another feather to their cap of owning their rivalry matchup with the Bears with an upset, postseason win.

14. Pittsburgh Steelers (-1)

A missed field goal pushed the Pittsburgh Steelers into the playoffs, winning the AFC North title for the first time since 2020. A second-half comeback, topped off with a touchdown from Aaron Rodgers , helped the Steelers earn another home game this year.

But facing the Texans on Monday Night Football to wrap up the Wild Card round is no easy task, so Rodgers and the PIT offense will need to look a lot better than they did in Week 18.

15. Baltimore Ravens (-3)

A six-iron from rookie kicker Tyler Loop hooked right from 44 yards out, ending the season earlier than expected for the Baltimore Ravens. Set up by a long kickoff return, Baltimore converted a 4th-and-seven to get into field goal range, but unfortunately, their rookie kicker had it stray right at the buzzer.

Offseason conversations about John Harbaugh's future will dominate headlines, as the long-time leader in Baltimore could be on his way out after another disappointing season. This is a pivotal offseason of potential changes for Baltimore, as changes need to be made somewhere on a roster that is too talented to be missing the playoffs.

16. Indianapolis Colts (no change)

Riley Leonard got the start for the Colts in Week 18, a meaningless game that had no implications whatsoever for Indianapolis. Leonard looked strong, even against a less-than-100 percent HOU defense, throwing for 270 yards and two touchdowns.

Leonard and Alec Pierce had a strong connection in the loss, as Pierce, who will hit free agency this offseason, caught four passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns. It remains to be seen who will be throwing the football to Pierce (if he re-signs) next year, as the future of Daniel Jones is very much up in the air regarding whether he returns or not.

17. Miami Dolphins (no change)

Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The 2025 season did not go the way it was intended to for the Dolphins, as a blowout loss at the hands of the Patriots mercifully ended the regular season for Miami. A 7-10 record marks the second-straight season with a losing record for the Dolphins under Mike McDanniel, raising some questions about a potential change at head coach.

Figuring out their quarterback room will be their top priority this offseason, as Tua Tagovailoa has most likely played his final game as a member of the Dolphins.

18. Dallas Cowboys (no change)

A Week 18 loss wrapped up a disappointing season for the Dallas Cowboys, who missed the playoffs and finished with a 7-9-1 record. In head coach Brian Schottenheimer's first year, the Cowboys enjoyed a ton of success on offense, but their offense struggled all year, a big reason why they finished under .500.

It remains to be seen how they will use the two first-round picks at their disposal, as they control both theirs and Green Bay's from the Micah Parsons trade. Plus, an offseason decision on the future of running back Javonte Williams looms over the offense, as the former Broncos RB is a free agent after a super successful season.

19. Detroit Lions (+4)

A game-winning field goal from Jake Bates pushed the Lions to a 19-16 road upset win over the Bears to round out their disappointing season, helping them jump up four spots in this week's NFL Power Rankings. While a 9-8 record isn't too bad on paper, it is when you consider the preseason expectations for this franchise after falling short of a Super Bowl berth.

There is a lot of money tied up in offensive skill players for the Lions heading into next season, but it is their defense that needs major help this offseason. If defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard wants to field a far better defensive unit next season, the front office has to invest more resources into upgrading this side of the ball.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1)

A two-point win for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 18 still was not enough to earn a playoff berth as the NFC South divisional winner, with the Saints failing to carry water for the Buccaneers.

With Tampa Bay now facing an offseason without a postseason berth, the future of Mike Evans becomes the top storyline to follow. With his streak of 1,000-receiving-yard seasons now ending, it doesn't seem like he would go out this way, so if he returns, will there be changes made to the coaching staff, which includes head coach Todd Bowles?

21. Atlanta Falcons (-1)

As is typical fashion for the NFC South division, all four teams stuck in mediocrity played a role in determining the divisional winner in Week 18, even with both the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints being eliminated from the NFC playoff picture. With Atlanta doing just enough to earn a 19-17 win, the Falcons wrapped up their season with an 8-9 record and a big IOU owed by the Panthers.

The future at QB will once again be up for discussion this offseason, as will be the search for the next head coach, as the firing of Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot opens up key roles with one of the better rosters this offseason.

22. Minnesota Vikings (no change)

With no benefit to mailing it in in Week 18, the Vikings came out fairly strong in their 13-point home win over the Packers, wrapping up their 2025-26 season at 9-8. J.J. McCarthy threw for 182 scoreless yards in the win, funneling 11 targets to Justin Jefferson , which is hopefully a sign of how next season will go.

It will be quite an interesting offseason for Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings, as they will once again need to assess the QB position. Not enough growth was seen from McCarthy to anoint him the pre-camp starter, which might force O'Connell's hand to once again bring in a proven veteran to push McCarthy in a battle for the QB1 role.

23. New Orleans Saints (-2)

A Week 18 loss by the Saints finally put their 2025 season to bed, as they fall two spots in this week's NFL Power Rankings. But a silver lining looks to be the QB position, as the development of rookie Tyler Shough might have just solidified this spot for at least one more season.

Holding the eighth overall pick next year, the Saints will be in a good position to revamp their defense, which needs help pretty much all over. With the incoming class set up well with good depth at pass rusher, don't be surprised if they go this route in April.

24. Cincinnati Bengals (no change)

A three-touchdown performance from Burrow wasn't enough for the Bengals, losing to the Browns, falling to 6-11 on the year. Head coach Zac Taylor might be on his way out this offseason, even with constant support from the trio of skill players on offense backing their head coach.

A top-10 pick is on the docket for the Bengals this offseason, and with it, they may look to upgrade in the trenches yet again, as their offensive and defensive lines struggled in 2025. Plus, the future of edge rusher Trey Hendrickson is hanging over the franchise, as the listless defense could be in line to lose its top player.

25. New York Giants (+1)

© Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A two-game winning streak, including a Week 18 win over the Cowboys, completely took the New York Giants out of the running for the top overall pick, something that won't make some fans happy. While not in the market for a top rookie quarterback, the Giants could have gotten a king's ransom from a team looking to move into the top spot; instead, they now find themselves with the fifth selection.

Jaxson Dart rounded out his impressive rookie campaign with 230 passing yards and two touchdowns, finding Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Daniel Bellinger for scores. Tracy crossed the century mark on the ground with 103 rushing yards, while Gunner Olszewski caught eight passes for 102 yards in the win.

26. Cleveland Browns (-1)

Myles Garrett finally broke the long-standing, single-season sack record held by T.J. Watt and Michael Strahan, as he recorded his 23rd sack of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18. Garrett's sack of Joe Burrow was the second-biggest highlight of the game for CLE fans, as a last-second, 49-yard field goal from Andre Szmyt gave the Browns their fifth win of the year.

Sitting with the sixth pick in April's NFL Draft, will head coach Kevin Stefanski still be around for it? What will be the direction at quarterback be for this franchise that desperately needs some consistency? There are quite a few questions that the franchise needs to address this offseason, and that starts with the future of Stefanski.

27. Washington Commanders (+2)

An upset win on the road for the Commanders ended their disappointing season with a bang, as they handed the Eagles a seven-point loss and helped WAS climb two spots in this week's NFL Power Rankings. Josh Johnson stepped into the QB1 spot again for Washington, passing and throwing for a touchdown in the win, helping force the Eagles to keep the third spot in the NFC playoff race.

Washington is an older team and will need to make some moves to get younger, which could put players like Deebo Samuel on the chopping block. Figuring out their offensive line and defense as a whole need to be top priority this offseason, as Dan Quinn, who likely will return as WAS's head coach, will need to put in a lot of work this offseason to reshape the roster.

28. Kansas City Chiefs (no change)

In a matchup between two teams with nothing to gain, the Kansas City Chiefs rolled out two quarterbacks that combined for 146 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and only led four scoring drives that resulted in four field goals, dropping a 14-12 snoozer to the Las Vegas Raiders.

A masterclass in milking a lost season, the Chiefs finished with a 6-11 record, including seven losses on the road, and a roster that will be able to add a blue-chip piece to their roster via the ninth overall selection in April's NFL Draft.

29. Tennessee Titans (-2)

A shoulder injury for Cam Ward sullied a Week 18 blowout loss by the Titans, as their 2025 season wrapped up with a 3-14 record. Heading into yet another offseason of roster building and a top-five draft selection, picking the new head coach will be the top priority to help develop Ward.

While adding an offensive-minded head coach shouldn't be a requirement, having a modern-day coaching staff on offense to surround Ward with is the only way he can be successful. Many bad teams stay bad when they fail to build around a rookie QB, and building a strong offensive staff has to be a top priority for this franchise moving forward.

30. Arizona Cardinals (+1)

Giving up a second-half lead and earning the third overall pick, the Cardinals are wrapping up their regular season in exactly the way you would expect. While a strong showing from Jacoby Brissett (243 yards, two TDs) and Michael Wilson (5/99/1) paced the offense, the defense once again gave up any progress the offense made.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon seems to, for some reason, have job security heading into next season, an outcome that likely upsets quite a few Arizona fans. With a big question mark at quarterback driving offseason decisions, the defensive-minded Gannon will need to pull out all the stops if he wants to make next season a successful one with the Cardinals.

31. New York Jets (-1)

There are few good takeaways for the Jets to learn from their 2025-26 season, and their Week 18 blowout loss at the hands of the Bills is just another example of that. Brady Cook was handed the QB1 role to finish up the season, and the undrafted rookie only completed 50 percent of his passes, throwing for 60 yards and a touchdown to Andrew Beck.

The Jets lucked into the second overall pick in April, putting themselves in a prime position for a premier QB in the upcoming draft class. While Fernando Mendoza looks to be headlining the incoming class, Oregon's Dante Moore would be the next option available for the Jets to consider, but it is unknown if he will declare.

32. Las Vegas Raiders (no change)

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Even a Week 18 win over the hapless Chiefs isn't enough to get the Raiders out of the basement of the NFL Power Rankings, as they still earned the first overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. A 26-carry performance for Ashton Jeanty is really the only newsworthy piece of their win over the Chiefs, as four field goals from Daniel Carlson and a safety accounted for their 14 points.

With QB at the top of the list for the Raiders this offseason, holding the top overall selection makes their hunt for a signal caller that much easier.

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