For the remainder of this Power Rankings series, I'm only going to focus on the teams still alive in the race to reach Super Bowl 60 next month. And that makes this a really hard project because a very good squad is going to find themselves in last place.
So, even though I am only focusing on eight teams; remember these are the most successful eight teams in the NFL this year. Big picture-wise, these are strong contenders. That's got all of my excuses out of the way early, onto the rankings.
- SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (No.1 last week)
The Seahawks won 11 of their final 12 regular season contests and now they are coming off 15 days of rest to host the San Francisco 49ers in front of the 12's. That should make them a pretty strong favourite this weekend and in any remaining game they play. This team is confident and complete. They can run the ball well with two running backs, the defense is bullying and borderline historic and they can attack downfield with Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba leading the way. So long as the quarterback can avoid the costly mistake, Seattle should be at home again for the NFC Championship Game.
- NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (No. 2 last week)
The more things change, the more they stay the same. The Patriots are back in our playoff lives and they recorded their first postseason win in seven years last week. And that win over the Los Angeles Chargers told me a lot about another complete team. New England recorded six sacks and an interception in that game and held the Chargers to just three points. A timely reminder that while he has played at an MVP level for much of this season, there is more to New England's arsenal than second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
- DENVER BRONCOS (No. 4 last week)
The Broncos won 13 of their final 14 games to earn a week off in the first round of the playoffs. Like Seattle, that will be valuable. Also like the Seahawks, the Broncos have a strong homefield advantage in front of rabid fans and at altitude. Bo Nix still has some doubters at quarterback, but this Broncos team is about the collective. They have more than enough playmakers to provide balance on offense and one of the best defenses in the league. After spending too much of the regular season playing down to the level of lesser teams, can they hit the heights when it matters the most?
- LOS ANGELES RAMS (No. 6 last week)
The Rams have stumbled and tripped at times during the past month, failing to hit the efficiency heights that we saw in the early and mid-season. But, even in a sloppy display against Carolina in the first round, the Rams reminded us of their supreme firepower. They were penalised nine times (they usually play very clean games), turned the ball over and conceded 31 points. But they scored 34 in return and still put up more than 400 yards of offense. That shows how potent Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams can be. And that's without mentioning a good group of tight ends and a strong run game pairing.
- BUFFALO BILLS (No. 5 last week)
I've mentioned this before and I truly believe it… the Bills have THE player who can single-handedly dominate a playoff tournament in quarterback Josh Allen. But, in my view, it is becoming increasingly likely that Allen is going to have to go it alone. James Cook no-showed at running back in the first round of the playoffs and his receiving corps remains pretty thin. Buffalo's defense is not exactly star-studded and Jordan Poyer was hurt last week, but I have to give them credit for making big plays in Jacksonville. But any Super Bowl run will have to be powered by number 17.
- HOUSTON TEXANS (No. 8 last week)
Houston's number one defense flexed its muscle once again in the Wild Card Round, scoring on fumble and interception returns against the Pittsburgh Steelers. When you look at the likes of Seattle, Denver and Houston you can see that defenses are rising up once again across the league. This Texans D passes every eyeball test. They are dominant up front, hard-hitting at linebacker and opportunistic on the back end. I have some worries about how CJ Stroud is protecting (or not protecting) the football, but Houston have just enough weapons to help the defense out.
- CHICAGO BEARS (No. 7 last week)
I feel bad for having the Bears and the 49ers in these final two spots. Both clubs deserve great credit, but they also have a few flaws that might now get exposed as we move into the later rounds. For the Bears, it all begins with the excellent Caleb Williams at quarterback and his connections with his wide receivers and emerging tight end Colston Loveland. Ben Johnson has helped to elevate Williams to true NFL stardom. But the Bears have hibernated through too many first halves and have won seven games in which they have trailed in the final two minutes. Is that sustainable? It has been so far, but it is a worrying way to live.
- SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (No.10 last week)
The 49ers have the kind of injury list that would normally result in owning the first or second overall picks in the next year's NFL Draft. But this determined team is now just two wins away from playing in the Super Bowl. The Niners have won 13 games, including the playoffs, and picked up a big road win on Sunday in a contest where another star went down. Tight end George Kittle (torn Achilles) now joins the likes of Nick Bosa and Fred Warner on the sidelines. The latter could return in the NFC title game. Kyle Shanahan has worked wonders, but the talent levels are thin and could still get exposed.
