The 2025 NFL season is roughly two-thirds complete, which means the league is splitting into two distinct groups — those teams with their sights set on the postseason, and those happy to fall headlong into 2026 NFL Draft speculation.
Each division has its share of over- and underachievers, but the goal of this article is to lay out the NFL's competitive map to determine which division can claim the best combination of talent and Super Bowl intent. That means we are ranking each division as a holistic entity, from the least compelling to the most stacked. Let's dive in.
8. NFC South
Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 6-4 |
2 | Carolina Panthers | 6-5 |
3 | Atlanta Falcons | 3-7 |
4 | New Orleans Saints | 2-8 |
This was, unfortunately, an extremely predictable place for the NFC South to end up. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are no joke, as this offense can still reach exciting heights behind Baker Mayfield. But injuries have taken their toll across the board and Tampa feels more like a first round exit than a meaningful threat to topple NFC division leaders elsewhere.
Credit, where it's due, to the Carolina Panthers for at least giving the NFC South a second "real" team. Carolina's ambitions peak at a wild card berth, if that, but Bryce Young set a franchise record with 488 passing yards in Sunday's comeback win over the Falcons. Dave Canales has figured something out with this offense despite his quarterback's limitations and the Panthers own the 13th-ranked scoring defense. This team can muck it up and win ugly.
There might not be a wider gap between talent and production in the NFL than with the Atlanta Falcons. The offense is littered with first-round picks and dynamic playmakers, but Michael Penix Jr. looks a step behind on half his throws (and I wouldn't expect meaningful improvement under Kirk Cousins). The defense is incredible, and yet Atlanta still has a maddening habit of letting its foot off the gas pedal late in games.
The New Orleans Saints are looking for that No. 1 pick. Godspeed.
7. AFC North
Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 6-4 |
2 | Baltimore Ravens | 5-5 |
3 | Cincinnati Bengals | 3-7 |
4 | Cleveland Browns | 2-8 |
The Pittsburgh Steelers' offense came back to life in a resounding win over the shorthanded Cincinnati Bengals — noteworthy, as Mason Rudolph took over mid-game following an Aaron Rodgers wrist injury. But then again, it's the Bengals defense, so there's only so much we can take away. The Steelers' defense, meanwhile, has dramatically fallen short of expectations and this offense is beginning to crack as Rodgers' odometer ticks up.
If there's any real hope for the NFC North this season, it's the Baltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson is healthy and Baltimore squeaked out its fourth straight win on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, despite the offensive line struggling to contain Cleveland's elite pass rush. Jackson has not looked fully himself amid injuries in 2025, but that roster is stacked top to bottom. As Jackson rounds into form, Baltimore could easily cruise past Pittsburgh down the stretch, not unlike last season.
The Bengals can still put up points when Joe Flacco is on, but their defense is dead last in yards and points allowed. There's zero hope without Joe Burrow doing superhuman things at QB.
As for the Browns, it's the opposite problem. Cleveland ranks among the best defensive units in the NFL, led by DPOY favorite Myles Garrett. The offense is a complete letdown, however, as neither Dillon Gabriel nor Shedeur Sanders look NFL-ready.
6. NFC East
Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | Philadelphia Eagles | 8-2 |
2 | Dallas Cowboys | 4-5-1 |
3 | Washington Commanders | 3-8 |
4 | New York Giants | 2-9 |
The Philadelphia Eagles have wins over Detroit, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and the Rams. It's fair to be more than a little skeptical of the offense, especially with AJ Brown in active rebellion, but the Eagles keep finding ways to beat quality opponents. Saquon Barkley's regression is unfortunate but predictable. This Eagles team has the personnel, especially on defense, to soar anyways.
As for the rest of the division? It's pretty bleak.
The Dallas Cowboys can put up points with the best of 'em, and Dak Prescott looks like an MVP candidate out there. The defense might be the worst in football, however, which hard caps their ceiling.
The Washington Commanders are in a similar boat, exacerbated by the ongoing injury woes of Jayden Daniels. The offense can still flash the explosive upside we saw on full display last season, but an aging defense has hung the Commanders out to dry on several occasions.
With Jaxson Dart in concussion protocol, Cam Skattebo done for the season, and Brian Daboll no longer on the sidelines, the New York Giants are just scrapping their way to the finish line. This team finally has what feels like a bright future, but that is a year or two away, at least.
5. AFC South
Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | Indianapolis Colts | 8-2 |
2 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 6-4 |
3 | Houston Texans | 5-5 |
4 | Tennessee Titans | 1-9 |
The Indianapolis Colts are the great surprise of the 2025 NFL season. Most folks thought them dead in the water after hand-selecting Daniel Jones to start at quarterback. Lo and behold, Jones has been one of the most productive and efficient signal-callers in the NFL. The offense is electric, led by MVP-caliber play from running back Jonathan Taylor, and the defense is carrying its weight. The Colts are every bit a contender on paper.
It thins out rather dramatically after Indianapolis, though. The Jacksonville Jaguars are 6-4, with several impressive wins on their résumé, but Trevor Lawrence is completely untrustworthy as a franchise QB. Jacksonville is a firmly average team, probably punching above its weight a little bit.
The Houston Texans own the No. 1-ranked defense in the NFL, which has kept a stagnant offense afloat. It's hard to lose faith completely in CJ Stroud, who's so talented, but something happened last year under Bobby Slowik and new OC Nick Caley has proven unable to figure out the solution. Houston's path to contention is murky at best right now.
Cam Ward looks like a real quarterback stuck in a rotten situation. The Tennessee Titans just aren't ready yet. Let's see what happens with a new coach and some offseason tweaks.
4. NFC Central
Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | Chicago Bears | 7-3 |
2 | Green Bay Packers | 6-3-1 |
3 | Detroit Lions | 6-4 |
4 | Minnesota Vikings | 4-6 |
The Chicago Bears being first place in the NFC North this deep into the season was not on even the most optimistic of fans' bingo cards a few months ago, but Ben Johnson has done an incredible job turning this team around despite the persistent inconsistency of Caleb Williams. Chicago's defense lags behind other top contenders, but a top-five offense goes a long way, especially in the regular season.
While the NFC North has not been as full-on dominant as expected, there are still three quality teams here. The Green Bay Packers are a wee bit unreliable, especially against elite defensive opponents (losses to Carolina, Philadelphia and Cleveland), but the Packers boast the 12th-ranked offense and the sixth-ranked defense. Micah Parsons remains the game-changing superstar we all know him to be and Jordan Love, when locked in, ranks high among the most explosive quarterbacks in the NFL.
It's a bit surprising to see the Detroit Lions in third, although it's worth noting how close this all is (Chicago only holds a one-game lead). Detroit has lost three of its last five, against Philadelphia, Minnesota and Kansas City. All defensible in a vacuum. The Lions offense continues to put up titanic numbers in lieu of Ben Johnson and their defense is uber-talented, despite, but injuries are beginning to stack up at a concerning rate. When healthy, the Lions are still very much a threat in the NFC. But "when healthy" is a weighty qualifier nowadays.
The only odd duck is the Minnesota Vikings. JJ McCarthy just looks unprepared for the burden of starting at quarterback for a wannabe contender. Kevin O'Connell is a genius on the sideline and this Vikings roster has no shortage of playmaking talent on both sides of the football, but until McCarthy can stabilize a bit, Minnesota will continue to lag behind in arguably the deepest, if not the absolute best, division.
3. AFC East
Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | New England Patriots | 9-2 |
2 | Buffalo Bills | 7-3 |
3 | Miami Dolphins | 4-7 |
4 | New York Jets | 2-8 |
The AFC East lacks the depth of other divisions — the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets are both lackluster — but it makes up for that with arguably the two best teams in the conference.
The New England Patriots came into the season with fairly muted expectations, despite widespread appreciation for Mike Vrabel as a head coach. He turned the organization around in no time, helped by Drake Maye's sudden MVP turn. The Patriots are stout on defense and extremely efficient on offense. This team could end up running the gauntlet.
The Buffalo Bills are a close second place. This roster remains somewhat makeshift in its construction, but Josh Allen is a superhuman force, a tide lifting all boats, on offense. The defense is good enough to get the job done. Buffalo has stacked a few quality wins at this point, including against Kansas City. All that's left is getting over the hump come the playoffs.
Miami has, to its credit, won three of four to dig itself out of the NFL basement. It's still impossible to trust them anywhere close to the postseason stage, but the Dolphins have an easy upcoming schedule and the Mike McDaniel offense is beginning to find its rhythm. Their late surge solidifies the AFC East in the upper echelon of these rankings.
As for the Jets? Well, best of luck to Tyrod Taylor the rest of the way.
2. AFC West
Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | Denver Broncos | 9-2 |
2 | Los Angeles Chargers | 7-4 |
3 | Kansas City Chiefs | 5-5 |
4 | Las Vegas Raiders | 2-8 |
The Denver Broncos are 9-2 despite a fairly middling offense. Sean Payton is known as the QB whisperer, but Bo Nix has meaningfully regressed in his second NFL season. That only matters so much, however, when Denver boasts arguably the most intimidating defense in the AFC. Their elite pass defense has carried the Broncos to a Super Bowl before. Why not again?
Few NFL teams are more confounding than the Los Angeles Chargers. Jim Harbaugh's team has wins over Kansas City, Denver and Pittsburgh, more than holding its own against division foes. But, losses to Washington, New York (Giants) and, most recently, Jacksonville, paint a far more complicated picture. The Chargers oscillate violently between looking like a top-shelf contender and a total fraud, which is fitting for a team with Justin Herbert at QB. That posteason résumé is bleak.
Still, the Chargers are excellent — and the Kansas City Chiefs, despite their .500 record, feel like clearly the best third-place team in the AFC. That depth pushes this division toward the top, as Kansas City will be the favorite of many to win the conference (again), assuming the Chiefs actually secure a wild card spot. Patrick Mahomes is playing like an MVP; he just needs more playmaking help and bit more stability from KC's aging defensive core.
Last and least, the Las Vegas Raiders completely botched Pete Carroll's first year on the sideline. Geno Smith has regressed and their personnel just does not align with win-now ambition. Is this Carroll's only year on the sideline in Sin City? That is the question moving forward.
1. NFC West
Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
1 | Los Angeles Rams | 8-2 |
2 | Seattle Seahawks | 7-3 |
3 | San Francisco 49ers | 7-4 |
4 | Arizona Cardinals | 3-7 |
The NFC West has collectively put all (most?) doubt to rest this season. The Arizona Cardinals are a mild disappointment, in part because their division is so tough, but it wouldn't be a shock for any of the top three to end up in the Super Bowl.
This Los Angeles Rams team deserves a ton of credit across the board. Sean McVay has always kept his teams feisty, but for such an experienced (read: old) core to show up this consistently is a real achievement. Matthew Stafford, in his age-37 season, could end up No. 1 on a lot of MVP ballots. This offense is so layered and dynamic, so difficult to pin down and flush out. The defense is less bulletproof, but the Rams are the real deal.
An ugly four-INT performance against the Rams on Sunday let doubt creep back into the equation with Sam Darnold, but on balance, this Seattle Seahawks team has dominated all season long. Darnold's big arm generates tons of explosive plays and Mike Macdonald's defense looks willing and able to follow in the footsteps of the dynastic groups Pete Carroll coached before him.
The San Francisco 49ers are right up there with Kansas City for the "best" third team in a division. The offense didn't miss a beat in Brock Purdy's return on Sunday and injuries can only take away so much from a team this deep on both sides of the football. There's a reason why Kyle Shanahan is still the blueprint for so many offensive-minded coaches around the NFL.
Even the Cardinals, despite a lackluster record, feel like a pluckier-than-usual last place team. This season won't lead anywhere particularly exciting, but Marvin Harrison Jr. has begun to take center stage on offense and Jacoby Brissett just broke the NFL record for pass attempts in a game. This team will aim for the jugular each and every week.