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AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

2024 NFL Power Rankings: Divisional Round


The Divisional Round power rankings stack up the eight remaining teams along with thoughts on the six squads eliminated in the Wild Card Round.

 

1. Kansas City Chiefs (15-2) | Last week: 1

The addition of Hollywood Brown, who showed great signs in elevating the unit in a couple of December games, to the Kansas City offense might be a huge story this postseason that isn’t getting talked about much as the Chiefs enter the fray. If the back-to-back defending champs aren’t rusty, they have a strong shot of making yet another AFC title game.

 

2. Detroit Lions (15-2) | Last week: 2

While nowhere near full strength, at least the Lions get running back David Montgomery back in the lineup after missing the final stretch due to what at first looked like a season-ending knee injury. Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn having an extra week to prepare for the Divisional Round is a boost.

 

3. Philadelphia Eagles (15-3) | Last week: 3

He wasn’t super sharp after missing a couple of games due to a concussion, but I don’t get the uproar over Jalen Hurts’ play. He finds a way to win games and as he’s shown—and contrary to what you might hear—can obviously throw with success. The Eagles defense is dangerous at home, and the pass rush must get home this Sunday versus the Rams.

 

4. Buffalo Bills (14-4) | Last week: 4

The Bills fell behind 7-0 but racked up the next 31 points in an emphatic Wild Card Round win that looked a lot like the formula all season—take care of the ball, with Josh Allen playing smart and clutch at quarterback. However, that path will be tested against a Ravens team that mostly everyone agrees is more talented on paper.

 

5. Baltimore Ravens (13-5) | Last week: 5

No Zay Flowers (knee) was no problem for Baltimore, as Lamar Jackson didn’t appear to have postseason nerves and Derrick Henry ran wild to beat the rival Steelers. The Ravens opened as underdogs at Buffalo but are now favorites, and I think King Henry (as good as James Cook is, someone the Bills could have had the past couple of years via trade and then free agency—what I’m saying is he’s a major difference-maker especially at this time of year and now must be contended with) could be the deciding factor on Sunday.

 

6. Los Angeles Rams (11-7) | Last week: 8 (+2)

The Rams remained hot with a dominant all-around effort on Monday night, setting up a rematch with an Eagles squad that handled them back in November. Saquon Barkley ran for 255 yards and two touchdowns in that game, so LA obviously must be locked in to prevent anything like that happening again and keeping this in range in the fourth quarter.

 

7. Washington Commanders (13-5) | Last week: 13 (+6)

Dan Quinn has clearly immediately established a tough, gritty culture in Washington which allows them to win a bunch of close games—and having a poised rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels certainly helps. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury continues to do an excellent job, too, and we’ll see what answers he has for a relentless Detroit defense.

 

8. Houston Texans (11-7) | Last week: 14 (+6)

Though I wasn’t alone in feeling they would likely be a one-and-done, having the Texans last among playoff teams was a blunder on my part. They clearly took things personal while flying around to beat the Chargers. Now Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. will likely need to have monster games off the edge to knock off KC.

 

9. Minnesota Vikings (14-4) | Last week: 6 (-3)

Two ugly performances leave a very bad taste in the mouth of the Vikings, and unfortunately for quarterback Sam Darnold it probably means he won’t be there moving forward despite doing an outstanding job for most of the year. With a bunch of pending free agents, Minnesota will likely look much different in 2025.

 

10. Los Angeles Chargers (11-7) | Last week: 7 (-3)

The Chargers probably overperformed this season because Jim Harbaugh and his staff do such a good job and got his players to buy in, but it still hurts—particularly for quarterback Justin Herbert and his four interceptions—to have that type of performance in the postseason. Still, it was an excellent first offseason to get guys like Ladd McConkey and Joe Alt, so LA is looking to build on that.

 

11. Denver Broncos (10-8) | Last week: 9 (-1)

Speaking of overperforming, the Broncos undoubtedly did that this season—due in large part to finding a potential superstar quarterback in Bo Nix, who was let down by the play around him in looking to keep things close at Buffalo. Surrounding Nix with high-end talent is the top priority for Denver in the coming months.

 

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-8) | Last week: 10 (-2)

The Bucs were the only divisional winner to lose on Wild Card weekend, with the difference perhaps being the unfortunate fumble by quarterback Baker Mayfield on a jet sweep handoff. Look for the loss to motivate Mayfield and company, though.

 

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-8) | Last week: 11 (-2)

The Steelers end their season with five consecutive losses, with both sides of the ball simply falling in a rut and—despite brief flashes at times—unable to get out of it to knock off a team like the Ravens. Getting their own young superstar quarterback—perhaps targeting a value in this spring’s draft—is a potential path to increase the ceiling. I also wouldn’t count out Pittsburgh taking a shot on Aaron Rodgers, though.

 

14. Green Bay Packers (11-7) | Last week: 12 (-2)

The injuries around him were not great, but Jordan Love really struggled in the Divisional Round. There has been so much talk about Love being an elite quarterback, but in my humble opinion—and I believe Tom Brady, who called a couple of recent Packers games including the playoff loss, agrees based on his subtle analysis—Love’s play (despite hot stretches) has not quite matched up to the over-the-top media narrative. Not saying he can’t get there, but a lot is riding on his progression entering his third year as the starter and after the massive contract he signed last summer.