Now that the NFL Draft is over, it’s time to examine how the NFL Playoffs could shape out. Every team is in one of three categories: you are dominating the division, falling slightly short of the top, or cementing yourself at the bottom. Where is your team? I broke down every division from best to worst, and I also organized the teams by conference. These rankings are based purely on the present. No weight of the past was considered in these rankings. This idea came from a question by ESPN.
AFC
AFC East:
- Buffalo Bills
- New England Patriots
- Miami Dolphins
- New York Jets
Notes: The Bills are the clear front-runners. The Patriots solidify the second spot, and it’s because of Bill Belichick and the weapons they still have. The Dolphins have a narrow edge over the Jets because I really like the moves that the Dolphins have made this offseason. They added plenty of pieces, and I think this wave of youth will revitalize the team.
AFC North:
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cleveland Browns
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Pittsburgh Steelers
Notes: The Baltimore Ravens are running away with the division. The Browns come in second both because of their weapons and because the Bengals and Steelers are rebuilding. The Bengals edge out the Steelers because they have a better offense. The Bengals now have their franchise QB for the future, and they still have a solid rusher and good receivers.
AFC South:
- Tennessee Titans
- Indianapolis Colts
- Houston Texans
- Jacksonville Jaguars
Notes: The Titans have established control over the division due to their commitment to bolstering their defense and establishing a strong rushing attack. The Colts take second because of their off-season moves. They got a solid QB and another potent RB. The Texans fall to #3 because of their loss of DeAndre Hopkins and their other poor trades. Also, they always fall short in the playoffs, so I don’t trust them.
AFC West:
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Los Vegas Raiders
Notes: The Chiefs have the best offense in the league, and they are easily #1 in the division. The Broncos have made a lot of offense moves in the NFL Draft, and they can put up plenty of points. The Chargers are above the Raiders due to their dynamic defense and new QB. The Raiders did add a talented new receiver, and they added some defensive pieces.
AFC by Division:
- AFC South
- AFC West
- AFC North
- AFC East
AFC by Team:
- Baltimore Ravens
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Tennessee Titans
- Buffalo Bills
- Indianapolis Colts
- Houston Texans
- New England Patriots
- Denver Broncos
- Cleveland Browns
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Miami Dolphins
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- New York Jets
- Jacksonville Jaguars
NFC
NFC East:
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Dallas Cowboys
- New York Giants
- Washington Redskins
Notes: The Eagles narrowly beat out the Cowboys simply because I like them a little bit more than the Cowboys when you add both the offensive and defensive power together. It’s a very slim margin, but I like Carson Wentz more than Dak Prescott, and while the Cowboys did better in the NFL Draft, the Eagles made better moves in the offseason. The Giants take third because of the excellence of their draft selections. The Redskins improved, but not enough to pass the Giants.
NFC North:
- Minnesota Vikings
- Green Bay Packers
- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
Notes: The Vikings beat out the Packers because of their ability to re-coop their loss of Stefon Diggs. They bolstered their defense, whereas the Packers actually drafted a backup for Rodgers, as opposed to weapons for him. The Bears take third because of their defense, and their offense only adds a slight boost. The Lions have improved, but not nearly enough. I will say that this is one of the smallest gaps between 3rd and 4th in any division.
NFC South:
- New Orleans Saints
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Atlanta Falcons
- Carolina Panthers
Notes: The New Orleans Saints solidified the quarterback position, and they had a solid draft. They still have plenty of weapons, and despite the fact the Buccaneers added Tom Brady and Rob Gronkoswki, the Saints still hold on to the top spot. The Falcons take third based on their offensive weapons, especially their addition of Todd Gurley.
NFC West:
- San Francisco 49ers
- Seattle Seahawks
- Arizona Cardinals
- Los Angeles Rams
Notes: The San Francisco 49ers keep their top spot based on the fact that they didn’t lose much. I think that the Seattle Seahawks weren’t able to make up the gap enough to take over the top spot. The Cardinals jump into the third spot based on their moves in the NFL Draft and during the off-season. The Rams fall to third based on losing Brandon Cooks and Todd Gurley, and they also drop because they haven’t improved much.
NFC by Division:
- NFC West
- NFC South
- NFC North
- NFC East
NFC by Team:
- San Francisco 49ers
- New Orleans Saints
- Seattle Seahawks
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Green Bay Packers
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Dallas Cowboys
- Atlanta Falcons
- Arizona Cardinals
- Los Angeles Rams
- Carolina Panthers
- Chicago Bears
- New York Giants
- Detroit Lions
- Washington Redskins
NFL
NFL by Division:
- NFC West
- NFC South
- AFC South
- AFC West
- NFC North
- AFC North
- AFC East
- NFC East
NFL by Team:
- Baltimore Ravens
- Kansas City Chiefs
- San Francisco 49ers
- New Orleans Saints
- Seattle Seahawks
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tennessee Titans
- Minnesota Vikings
- Green Bay Packers
- Buffalo Bills
- Indianapolis Colts
- Houston Texans
- New England Patriots
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Dallas Cowboys
- Atlanta Falcons
- Denver Broncos
- Cleveland Browns
- Arizona Cardinals
- Los Angeles Rams
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Los Vegas Raiders
- Carolina Panthers
- Chicago Bears
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Miami Dolphins
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- New York Giants
- New York Jets
- Detroit Lions
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Washington Redskins
Eric Fenstermaker 