Week 16 of the 2025 NFL season delivered a unique schedule with high stakes for many teams across the league. Coming off a slate that saw action on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, we're getting a clearer picture of who the best NFL teams are right now.
Let's dive into our NFL Week 17 Power Rankings, evaluating all 32 teams after Week 16.
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Sam Darnold got his redemption, and the Rashid Shaheed trade continues to pay huge dividends as of late for the Seattle Seahawks. What really matters for this game is that we saw a rare occasion where Seattle's defense struggled for most of the night; however, facing a two-score deficit, Darnold stepped up and helped lead a comeback. If Darnold can just be solid in big games, Seattle could run the table to reach the Super Bowl.
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The Los Angeles Rams' special-teams unit cost them again, and it is now responsible for three of their four losses this season, resulting in the firing of Chase Blackburn . There is no margin for error when a shot at the Lombardi Trophy is at stake. We have no doubt that the Rams are capable of making a deep playoff run, but the fact that they will likely now have to win three road games to reach the Super Bowl opens them to risks they could have avoided. When the little things cost you home-field advantage, that is what gets Blackburn fired.
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The Jacksonville Jaguars suddenly look like the best team in the AFC. They did not just beat the Broncos ; they went into Denver and convincingly knocked out a team on an 11-game win streak. Trevor Lawrence was outstanding and Parker Washington turned into an All-Pro, with the duo dicing up Denver's defense. Meanwhile, Jacksonville's defense is looking like a top-five unit as of late. The one-year turnaround done here by Liam Coen and Anthony Campanile in Jacksonville is incredible.
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All of that momentum, gone. It looked like we would have a Week 16 thriller midway through the game after RJ Harvey tied it at 17 early in the third quarter. After that, the Denver Broncos pulled a vanishing act at home. Bo Nix turning it over twice certainly did not help, but this loss squarely falls on the shoulders of the defense. Right when it seemed like Denver was in the driver's seat for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, that is now up for grabs with two weeks remaining.
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We will start with the good news for the Buffalo Bills. They were victorious on the road in Week 16, with James Cook (117 rushing yards and two touchdowns) demonstrating that this team does not need Josh Allen to go into beast mode to win. With that said, the issues in the Bills' passing game and this defense's inability to stop the run (allowing 143.1 rushing yards per game this season) are glaring issues that will be further exposed in the playoffs.
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Playing without Rome Odunze and Luther Burden, quarterback Caleb Williams still found a way to lead a dramatic two-score comeback in the fourth quarter and then delivered a beauty of a downfield strike for the game-winning touchdown in overtime. Doing that, amid massive wind gusts, to beat the Packers is a testament to what Chicago's quarterback is capable of when he is on target. We are not ready to call the Bears a Super Bowl contender because of this defense and Williams' inconsistency, but this team could reach the NFC Championship Game in Ben Johnson's first season.
Related: Winners, Losers from Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers
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Can the New England Patriots rebound from that second-half collapse? It does not help that the run game is struggling and there are key injuries on both sides of the ball. With that said, it is not as if Baltimore has played particularly well this season, and Mike Vrabel usually has his teams well-prepared to rebound after a heartbreaking loss. A victory on Sunday Night Football clinches a playoff spot and eases concerns in Foxborough, but losing to the Ravens would leave some wondering if New England's 11 wins say more about their schedule than the team itself.
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After looking like one of the best NFL teams from Weeks 10–15—a stretch that included victories over the Jaguars and Bills—the Houston Texans suddenly reverted to their early-season form at home on Sunday against the Raiders . Houston managed to survive, but narrowly escaping with a victory over the current Raiders just returns all the doubts everyone had about this team a few weeks ago.
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Suddenly, and almost unbelievably, the San Francisco 49ers have a viable shot at winning the NFC West and taking the NFC's No. 1 seed. A few things have to go this team's way, but we see no reason why Kyle Shanahan and Co. cannot take down Indianapolis with ease on Monday Night Football. The road to home-field advantage gets bumpier from there, but San Francisco has the ability to win out.
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It is great that the Philadelphia Eagles have put up 60 points and 772 total yards in the last two games, with Kevin Patullo really starting to get Saquon Barkley a lot more involved in the ground game. Best of all, Philadelphia is poised to get All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson back in Week 17 to provide an even greater boost. We just need to see this offense perform at a high level against a good team. Given Buffalo's issues defending the run, there is a great opportunity for a statement game for the Eagles next Sunday.
Related: Winners, Losers from Philadelphia Eagles vs Washington Commanders
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It was a tale of two halves for the Los Angeles Chargers. Justin Herbert performed at an MVP-caliber level in the first half, giving the team a 21-17 lead into halftime. Then, Los Angeles took over defensively and never looked back in a cruise-control victory on the road against the Cowboys. Herbert, Jim Harbaugh, and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter just keep propelling this club to victories, improving to 11-4 on Sunday. We cannot wait for the Week 17 battle versus Houston, a matchup that could be a great gauge for which of these AFC clubs is a Super Bowl contender.
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Playing on Saturday without Micah Parsons , Zach Tom , Evan Williams, Elgton Jenkins , and Tucker Kraft , the Green Bay Packers then lost Jordan Love to a concussion in the second quarter, and Josh Jacobs' knee injury seemed to flare up. This team still had a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and a chance to seal a victory over the Bears, but they could not recover the onside kick. A team can overcome injuries or constant mistakes, but not both. It is the existence of both that prevents Green Bay from being a challenger for the Lombardi Trophy, but the team still has a good shot of making the playoffs.
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Aaron Rodgers and Jaylen Warren just made Packers and Bears fans very happy. Sunday's victory for the Pittsburgh Steelers will all but hand them the AFC North crown, if the Ravens lose on Sunday Night Football. Just a few weeks ago, it felt like Pittsburgh was dead in the water with a 6-6 record after going 2-5 from Weeks 7 through 13. Now, Rodgers and Co. are rolling with a three-game win streak and they are closing in on hosting a playoff game.
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Injuries can be blamed for what happened to this defense in the second half of the season, but head coach Dan Campbell will have to take accountability for this offense falling flat in some big games. The overaggressiveness on fourth down and the hiring of John Morton as offensive coordinator this offseason have both played a role. Detroit still has a shot at making the playoffs, but this team has demonstrated down the stretch this season that it just cannot win big games.
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The Carolina Panthers are so much more deserving of a playoff berth and division crown than Tampa Bay . It has not often been pretty this season, especially during that 1-3 start. However, since the start of October, Carolina boasts a 7-4 record and has stepped up in big games against the Packers, Rams, and now the Buccaneers . The Panthers control their destiny, and it would be a feel-good story if Bryce Young sweeps Tampa Bay in Week 18 to win himself and the team NFC South champion hats.
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If Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens still want to prove they can win the AFC this season, it needs to be demonstrated on Sunday Night Football. New England's run defense is weaker than it had been earlier in the season and the Patriots offensive line is banged up. It's now or never for Baltimore.
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The Indianapolis Colts' season would effectively be over with a loss to the 49ers on Monday Night Football. So, we consider it a wrap for Indianapolis. There were signs that things started falling apart before the Daniel Jones injury, but that was definitely the proverbial nail in the coffin. Given how the team performed in the first half of the season, jobs for the front office and coaching staff are probably safe.
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Already eliminated from playoff contention, the hope for the Minnesota Vikings was that the rest of the season could be used for a more thorough evaluation of J.J. McCarthy . That is now in doubt after the second-year quarterback suffered a right-hand injury on Sunday. The victory does not really matter. If McCarthy misses the final two games, Minnesota's lone remaining hope of playing spoiler for the Packers and Lions goes up in smoke.
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Jerry Jones will blame defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and potentially make a change at the position after one season, but the "face of the franchise" put this secondary together. So much work needs to be done this offseason on the back end of this defense, and until fixes are made, the Cowboys offense will enter every season needing to be a top-10 unit for this team to have any shot at eight wins.
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Make it a three-game winning streak for the New Orleans Saints, with Tyler Shough (580 passing yards) and Chris Olave (233 receiving yards) really tearing it up over the last two games. While draft position usually matters for rebuilding teams, the establishment of a foundation and momentum to carry over into next season is even more imperative. First-year head coach Kellen Moore is impressive, as is defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, and the young guys on this Saints roster keep getting better. With a Week 17 matchup against the Titans looming, New Orleans has a great shot at four consecutive victories and a 6-10 mark.
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In the long run, losing the NFC South and missing out on the playoffs might be the best thing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The ultra-conservative style of play from this team under Todd Bowles and how poorly it plays in critical situations are an indictment of the head coach. Unfortunately for all those hoping Bowles is shown the door, Tampa Bay could beat the Panthers in Week 18 and still clinch the division.
Related: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Coaching Candidates to Replace Todd Bowles
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For any Atlanta Falcons fans fearful that this two-game losing streak could increase the odds of Raheem Morris sticking around next season, there is a potential blowout looming in Week 17 against the Rams, and the Saints (Week 18) look like a better team right now. Two losses, which would result in a 6–11 record, should be enough for Morris to be shown the door. What is more interesting is what the front office plans to do about Kirk Cousins , with Michael Penix Jr. recovering from major knee surgery.
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Maybe beating the brakes off the Dolphins and enjoying some time in Miami makes Joe Burrow , Zac Taylor, and Co. feel a little better for a few days, but it does nothing to change the long-term outlook for this franchise. All Cincinnati did is further secure Taylor's return next season and push itself further back in the draft order. In short, we are going to see this same version of the team in 2026 that we witnessed in the last two seasons. That is not a playoff team.
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Quinn Ewers is not responsible for some of the mistakes and turnovers made by his teammates that turned his first NFL start into a blowout loss at home. With that said, he did not show remotely enough to suggest he should be the Dolphins' starting quarterback in 2026. Regardless of what Miami does with Tua Tagovailoa this offseason, the new front office must find a bridge starter because Ewers is not it.
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Leadership matters, but that underwhelming performance by Jacoby Brissett at home on Sunday should also take him out of the equation to be the Arizona Cardinals starting quarterback in 2026. We'd suggest the team needs to move on from Jonathan Gannon, but it seems clear that's not a cost ownership is willing to cover. So, Arizona might just have to hope it loses out and is in a position to draft a top quarterback prospect.
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This game and the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs' schedule feel like they will be used as evidence in future seasons for why Patrick Mahomes deserves the NFL MVP award. Of course, this performance is also an indictment on general manager Brett Veach and perhaps also on the stagnant offense Andy Reid is orchestrating that desperately needs new ideas. On the bright side, each loss puts Kansas City higher in the 2026 NFL Draft order.
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Unfortunately for the Washington Commanders, this offseason is when the franchise must pay the real cost of the overaggressiveness by general manager Adam Peters. Washington is without second- and fourth-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, so that will really limit how many holes on the Commanders' roster can be filled. Less than a year removed from playing in the NFC Championship Game, Washington looks like a team that will be stuck in the middle to bottom tier of NFL teams in 2026.
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The Tennessee Titans might be taking themselves out of a position to land the top defensive prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, but it is more than worth it for what Cam Ward is showing. Some of the plays he made in Sunday's 17-point victory were jaw-dropping and confirmed that it is the surrounding cast, not Ward's talent, that has resulted in a pedestrian rookie season. Tennessee needed something to get excited about before the offseason, and the plays Ward is making are providing just that.
Read More: NFL Coaching Candidates 2025
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We understand the wind and offensive line were factors working against the passing game on Sunday, but it is not exactly a ringing endorsement of Jaxson Dart that the team trusted him so little to throw in this one. At least that will not be the case in Week 17 at Allegiant Stadium against a Raiders team that has given up on the season. Given what is at stake for Las Vegas in that game, the Giants might win it by default.
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The losses are fine for the Cleveland Browns, but the Quinshon Judkins injury feels massive for 2026. He could have been a central piece of the Browns offense next season, and now he will be facing a long road to recovery. As for Shedeur Sanders , he certainly did not show enough to convince the Browns front office that it should not use its top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on a quarterback.
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There is finally a positive for the Las Vegas Raiders. They are now in position for a top-two pick, and if they lose to the Giants next week, the first overall pick could be theirs. That means not having to sacrifice any draft capital to get Fernando Mendoza, which is massive. Oh, here is another positive: Ashton Jeanty played like a star against one of the league's best defenses. It has been a long time since there were things the Raiders could feel good about, but Week 16 provided a few, and the feeling might be even better next Sunday.
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The New York Jets have now lost by 69 points in the last three games. After a stretch where this team seemed to be taking a slight step forward, it has all fallen apart for Aaron Glenn in his first season. There is no reason to believe that Glenn will be one-and-done as a head coach, but New York has also demonstrated in these last three games why it does not have the infrastructure in place to warrant taking a quarterback with the top pick.
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