NFL Divisional Power Rankings, Week 18: AFC South and NFC South fading badly

It was a fascinating week for the NFL. There was a total of 16 contests played in a combined five different days. By the time Sunday rolled around, 12 teams had already taken the field thanks to a doubleheader on Christmas Day, the usual Thursday night contest, and three games on Saturday.

There were plenty of divisional rematches throughout the week, and sweeps continued to be the theme this season, as it has for the most part over the years. There were two more divisional titles clinched, hence there are only two more playoff spots available — one in each conference.

If you came here looking for upheaval in these rankings from a week ago, this edition is not for you.

The latest NFL Divisional Power Rankings

8. AFC South

Last week: 8th

It was an extremely rough week for this group, and this division remains firmly at the bottom of the rankings. It’s hard to find one team in the AFC South that is playing consistently well, and that includes the club that wrapped up first place a few weeks. Speaking of the Texans, they were at home on Christmas Day and faced the Ravens. Elsewhere, the Colts still owned playoff hopes as they faced the Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. At the same time, the Jaguars were looking to sweep the rival Titans.

The latter got the job done via a 20-13 win. Quarterback Mac Jones threw for 174 yards and two scores, and Tennessee secured last place in the division for the second straight year. That playoff rematch in Houston was a very lopsided affair as DeMeco Ryans’s team continued to trend downward. Baltimore doubled up the Texans in total yards (432-211) and Houston’s 31-2 setback made it six losses in their last 10 games. The Colts’ playoff hopes ended at East Rutherford with a 45-33 loss to the Giants.

7. NFC South

Last week: 7th

Just like the bottom-ranked AFC South, a team completed a sweep of a divisional rival, and the other two clubs came up short. Just like the aforementioned quartet, one squad owns a 9-7 record and the other three teams are below .500. The menu included a Buccaneers/Panthers rematch at Tampa, while the disappointing Saints hosted a Raiders’ team that had managed only three wins to date. Finally, there was a battle of 2024 rookie quarterbacks in Landover as the Commanders took on the Falcons in primetime.

Todd Bowles’s squad had few problems completing a sweep of Carolina. Baker Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns, two of those scores by wideout Mike Evans. Spencer Rattler was once again at the controls for the Saints, and there were very few highlights in a 25-10 setback to the Silver and Black. The barnburner was in old D.C. as the Falcons and Commanders battled for more than four quarters. When the smoke cleared, Atlanta fell, 30-24, and dropped a game behind Tampa for the NFC South title.

6. NFC West

Last week: 6th

After a rough start this season, the Los Angeles Rams put themselves in position to win the NFC West for the second time in four years. They hosted the Cardinals in the third game of the league’s Saturday triple-header. Sean McVay’s team was looking to avenge an ugly 41-10 loss in Week 2 at Arizona. Two days earlier at Chicago, the Seahawks and Bears clashed in prime time. Finally, there will be no return trip to the Super Bowl for the reigning NFC champions. Kyle Shanahan’s club hosted the Lions on Monday night in a rematch of the 2023 conference title game. The 49ers were eliminated from the playoffs last week.

It was a rough watch on Saturday night as the Rams held off Jonathan Gannon’s club, 13-9. However, it wasn’t nearly as troubling as Seattle’s 6-3 Thursday night victory at Soldier Field. In any case, McVay’s team got some aid from three teams on Sunday, and wrapped up the NFC West via a strength of victory tiebreaker. Kyle Shanahan’s team was game on Monday night, but eventually fell to the Lions, 40-34.

5. AFC East

Last week: 5th

That 44-42 loss to the Rams at SoFi Stadium in Week 14 seems like a distant memory. Sean McDermott’s club has clearly re-gained its mojo. Buffalo scored the first 40 points vs. the Jets and cruised to a 40-14 victory, their third consecutive win. It also marked the third time in four games that the team totaled at least 40 points. The Bills locked up the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs, and also remained perfect (5-0) vs. divisional competition this season. Josh Allen threw for a pair of scores and ran for another touchdown.

The 8-8 Miami Dolphins are back at the .500 mark, and still have a heartbeat. The final playoff spot in the AFC comes down to Mike McDaniel’s squad, the 9-6 Denver Broncos, and the 8-8 Cincinnati Bengals. Tyler Huntley and not Tua Tagovailoa led the ‘Fins to a 20-3 victory at Cleveland. Meanwhile, it was actually the New England Patriots than kicked off the week for the AFC East. The club was embarrassed at home on Saturday by the Chargers, 40-7, as Jerod Mayo’s club gained 181 total yards and had the ball for 19:26.

4. AFC North

Last week: 4th

By the time Sunday afternoon rolled around, three quarters of this division had already taken the field. While two of the clubs continued their strong play of recent weeks, the team that was in first place all by its lonesome after 14 weeks of play continued to tumble. Both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens played on Christmas Day, and the Cincinnati Bengals hosted the Denver Broncos on Saturday. In the late afternoon window on Sunday, Kevin Stefanski’s Browns welcomed the Dolphins to Cleveland.

Mike Tomlin’s squad had dropped consecutive games to the Eagles (27-13) and Ravens (34-17), and the skid hit three in a row with a 29-10 setback at home to the Chiefs. Pittsburgh’s reeling defense gave up 320 passing yards and three scores to Patrick Mahomes. Baltimore moved past the Steelers in the AFC North standings with a 31-2 victory at Houston. The Bengals won a thriller as Joe Burrow delivered a TD pass in overtime for a 30-24 triumph. The Browns were lifeless at home, 20-3, and fell to 3-13 this season.

3. NFC East

Last week: 3rd

Just when the top team in the division showed some cracks, Nick Sirianni’s club re-established itself with a huge divisional victory. Meanwhile, there was a pretty big surprise at East Rutherford, while one of the NFL’s best stories this season came up with a big overtime win and clinched a postseason berth for the first time since 2020. It all adds up to both the Philadelphia Eagles (13) and Washington Commanders (11) each having more victories than the disappointing Dallas Cowboys (7) and New York Giants (3) combined.

With Jalen Hurts sidelined, Kenny Pickett got the start for the Birds. It was another big outing for Saquon Barkley, who became the ninth player in NFL annals to run for at least 2,000 yards in a season. The Eagles wrapped the NFC East by pounding Dallas, 41-7. Washington’s win over the visiting Falcons featured 227 yards passing and three scores (1 interception), and 127 yards rushing by Jayden Daniels. The shocker was the fact that the Giants not only snapped a 10-game skid, but they scored 45 points in beating the Colts.

2. AFC West

Last week: 2nd

The Las Vegas Raiders were the lone AFC West team to play on Sunday. That’s because the Chiefs were in Pittsburgh on Christmas Day, and both the Chargers and Broncos were on the road on Saturday. All three of those clubs had great motivation. A victory by the defending Super Bowl champions would secure the top seed in the AFC playoffs. Meanwhile, Jim Harbaugh’s team and Sean Payton’s squad could clinch playoff berths with wins at Foxborough and Cincinnati, respectively. Two of the three were up to the task.

In the Steel City, Andy Reid’s club played one of its most complete games of the season. Kansas City came up with a 29-10 triumph in which Patrick Mahomes threw for 320 yards and three scores. He was not sacked and the Chiefs did not turn over the ball. The Chargers rolled it up on the Patriots, 40-7, while the Broncos fell in overtime at Cincinnati, 30-24. Despite the loss, Denver can clinch the AFC’s final playoff spot by beating the Chiefs on Sunday. Antonio Pierce’s club made it two straight wins via a 25-10 score.

1. NFC North

Last week: 1st

It’s only fitting that the final game of the NFL regular season will have two teams from the league’s top division in the spotlight. Both the 14-2 Minnesota Vikings and 14-2 Detroit Lions have obviously already secured playoff berths. So have the 11-5 Green Bay Packers, and it’s worth noting that that club’s five losses have come via being swept by both Minnesota and Detroit, as well as a Week 1 setback in Brazil to the Eagles. Of course, the Bears have been heading in the wrong direction since that 4-2 start this year.

Chicago dropped its 10th straight game via an ugly 6-3 setback to Seattle on Thursday night at Soldier Field. The Bears looked like they would send into overtime, but poor clock management bit Chicago in the backfield again. Just like the first loss to the Vikings this season, it was too little, too late for Matt LaFleur’s club in a 27-25 loss. Sam Darnold continued his big year for the Purple Gang. Finally, it was a track meet at Levi’s Stadium on Monday night, and Dan Campbell’s club pulled away at the end for a 40-34 triumph.