Three games remain. Four teams with two in each conference. The remaining two in the NFC are the west wildcard Los Angeles Rams and the west division winning and conference leading Seattle Seahawks. Both teams have potent offenses, solid quarterbacks, hard-hitting defenses, and intelligent coaches. It is time to determine who will advance to the Super Bowl.
#5 Los Angeles Rams v. #1 Seattle Seahawks
Another division rivalry in the conference finals will make this one of the best and most memorable games of the 2025-26 season.
Conference championship games featuring division rivalries are some of the best and most memorable playoff games in NFL history. Casual viewers can remember which year a team won a Super Bowl because of a rare, divisional matchup in this round. It’s also more fun if the teams split their regular season series.
Los Angeles hasn’t played well throughout the playoffs. Chicago struggled to get pressure and sack opposing quarterbacks during the regular season, but had success against the Rams. Los Angeles’ defense has faltered since Thanksgiving weekend, giving up 20+ points in five of their last seven games. Poor defensive performances put a lot of pressure on the offense to win a lot of shootouts. That’s not a winning formula.
Coincidentally, Seattle has solidified their claim as the NFL’s best team. Head coach Mike Macdonald is undefeated when his team faces an opponent they have already played that season. The Seahawks depth on the defensive line and secondary will keep this a lower scoring game than the last matchup in Lumen Field. An almost fully healthy offensive line and the return of running back George Holani off injured reserve makes Seattle’s offense more dangerous and adds more pressure on defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s predictable defense.
Better play from quarterback Sam Darnold (14) and runningback Kenneth Walker III (9) has Seattle one win away from the Super Bowl.
The Seahawks have more advantages than the Rams. Los Angeles will again play in a colder, outdoor climate. Seattle’s offense has taken better care of the football, posting an NFL best plus seven turnover ratio since their first game against the Rams in week eleven. More importantly, the Seahawks are more fresh and rested compared to a battle-weary Los Angeles roster. This will stand out in the second half, especially if the game is close. Seattle has also played a division rival their last two games. That means the Seahawks are dialed in to play physical and nasty on every side of the ball. Los Angeles hasn’t played a mean opponent in a month. A fresher, nastier and more physical team on every side of the ball may be too much for the Rams to handle.
Finally, this conference finals game will be in Seattle. One could argue that while the Seahawks are undefeated in conference finals games played at home, Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay is also undefeated in conference championship matchups. However, McVay has never had to coach the Rams in a sold out Lumen Field in the postseason. This is also the ninth game since 1970 in the conference championship or later to feature the NFL’s top offense versus the NFL’s top defense. The top defensive team is 7-1 in the first eight matchups. Both Seattle and quarterback Sam Darnold have been plagued by Los Angeles getting the last laugh too many times. This is the weekend head coach Mike Macdonald flips the narrative, reclaims the Seahawks dominance of the West and wins the NFC George Halas trophy.
Prediction: Seahawks win the NFC championship 30-24 and advance to Super Bowl LX
Three games remain. Four teams with two in each conference. The remaining two in the AFC are the east winning New England Patriots and the west division winning and conference leading Denver Broncos. Both teams have run-first offenses, elite defenses, and bright-minded veteran head coaches. Time to determine who will advance to the Super Bowl.
#2 New England Patriots v. #1 Denver Broncos
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) and receiver Kayshon Boutte (9) celebrate after a scoring drive against Houston last Sunday.
The NFL was right to schedule this conference championship game first. Not only is it the least exciting of the two, this game will have a backup quarterback start his first game of the season. Denver’s Jarrett Stidham will play his sixth career game against one of the NFL’s most complete defenses.
It won’t matter how great the Broncos defense is in this game. Denver will struggle to put together scoring drives against a New England defense that stifles the running game and gives up less than 195 passing yards each weekend. Despite a week of practice, Stidham’s lack of game and playoff experience as a starting quarterback tragically dooms the Broncos this late in the season.
Prediction: Patriots win the AFC championship 31-13 and advance to Super Bowl LX
John Gibson might be the NHL’s best goaltender since December 2025
When former team captain Steve Yzerman was hired to be Detroit’s general manager back in 2019, Red Wings fans were ecstatic. It had been three years since Detroit made the Stanley Cup playoffs. The roster wasn’t good and the minor league systems had no pro-level talent. Yzerman went from building up a roster in what many consider the best team of the 21st century in Tampa Bay, to figuring out how the Red Wings could become relevant again. As many expected, it has been rough.
Unlike many viewers, this website and those affiliated don’t see Steve Yzerman as the problem holding back Detroit. Many fans and pundits firmly believed the former captain would have instant success after the COVID-19 pandemic was lifted. After all, current captain Dylan Larkin finally had some help on the first and second lines. Goaltending was fine, but nowhere close to being the best in the NHL. Defensemen pairings were a problem, and depth scoring was non-existent. That meant more changes in both free agency and the draft. Yzerman stayed the course.
Three years after the pandemic lifted, the Red Wings came within a few games of clinching their first postseason spot of the 2020s. Injuries, lack of defensive depth and average goaltending were reasons Detroit missed out. Add in division losses, especially a sweep by Ottawa in their regular season series, and that made a lot more viewers frustrated. Questions ranged from what was the front office and ownership doing, to hometown fans wanting more people out the door because the amount of offensive production was being wasted on plug-in acquisitions.
After a disappointing 2024-25 season where the Red Wings plunged in the standings after Larkin missed a month with an illness, upper and lower body injuries, the noise reached a tipping point against the front office. It’s important to highlight that when Steve Yzerman first came back as general manager, Detroit had almost no workable talent in both their minor and major league levels. Former general manager Ken Holland traded those players away in order to keep the Red Wings playoff streak alive and maybe get close to the conference finals. That meant whoever came in had to build everything back up. Former number one overall pick and the former Lightning general manager Brian Laughton (hilariously, he was their GM before Yzerman took his job) once said in an NHL Network off-season segment that if a team commits to a full re-build, the process takes about a decade to complete. This is year six of Steve Yzerman’s tenure.
That brings us to this year. Like four other U.S. original six teams, it is Detroit’s centennial season. Unlike Boston and Chicago, there were expectations for the Red Wings. It might not be the Stanley Cup finals expectations the Rangers had, but a playoff berth was objective. Detroit traded for Anaheim’s prized goaltender John Gibson and kept backup Cam Talbot. They signed Travis Hamonic in the offseason and brought up Emmitt Finnie from the minor leagues. Due to how the talent Yzerman drafted and acquired in trades needed time for development, the Red Wings added more veterans the last few off-seasons. Centers and forwards Andrew Copp, J.T. Compher, Patrick Kane, Mason Appleton, and James Van Riemsdyk were great for scoring depth, the power-play and five-on-five offense. Detroit’s defense got boosts with Hamonic and Ben Chiarot playing a lot of minutes and helping the younger players develop and ease into starting roles. The defense is easily the biggest issue Yzerman still must to work on long-term. Though, with one of the league’s best offenses and special teams consistently scoring, that won’t matter for a while.
If you wonder how well the Red Wings development minor league affiliates are doing, here’s an update on their American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins. The Griffins have six losses in 37 games. Steve Yzerman’s first phase of the Detroit’s re-build is almost complete since the farm system is brimming with up and coming talent. The biggest name to watch for will be Grand Rapids starting goaltender Sebastian Cossa. A behemoth at 6’7, Cossa has lost one game this season and is bound to make a start at some point this NHL season after he became the first Griffins goalie to make consecutive AHL All-Star selections. Forwards Dominik Shine and John Leonard are going to the All-Star game with Cossa and are considered two of the AHL’s best players. Even coach Dan Watson has made an impression. Watson is the second coach in Grand Rapids history to attend multiple All-Star games (the other being Vegas’ Bruce Cassidy).
Even the most ardent optimist didn’t have Detroit as one of the NHL’s best teams this year. Coach Todd McLellan has the Red Wings tied for first with Carolina and Tampa Bay in the eastern conference with 66 points. Detroit is a top five team with a lot of young players, a captain who’s been through a whole rebuild, and veteran players wanting the franchise moving toward a postseason return. Part of their success has to do with Florida’s injuries, Boston’s and Ottawa’s fall and Toronto’s inconsistent play. Even if all those teams get hot at some point the second half of the season, it will be hard to keep Detroit out of the playoffs. Audiences of all walks of life have waited hungrily for almost a decade to see America’s hockey team return to relevance. There’s no louder statement the Red Wings are back than in their 100th year of existence.
Defenseman Simon Edvinsson (77) tries to make a play on the puck in Detroit’s 4-3 OT home win versus Carolina. Edvinsson is one of the European standout players general manager Steve Yzerman drafted almost five years ago.
Time for the first power rankings of 2026. These show where all 32 teams objectively stand going back to December. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off how they’d perform on a neutral site.
#32 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 26)
Vancouver had an eleven game losing streak and they’re main concern was about <checks notes> trading for Jesperi Kotkaniemi? Former captain Quinn Hughes got out at the best time. Management and ownership seemingly have no concept of priorities.
#31 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 25)
Only one player has 30+ points after 50 games: Robert Thomas. It’s hard to win games when the roster can’t score. The defense has issues too but the Blues offense might be one of the worst this decade. General manager Doug Armstrong has to do something.
#30 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 31)
Forward Blake Coleman was placed on long-term injured reserve January 13th after he was injured in Boston on the eighth. There are rumors general manager Craig Conroy could trade Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson by next month. If the Flames didn’t have bad luck, they’d have no luck at all.
#29 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 28)
Without face of the franchise Connor Bedard, Chicago is a solid team without anything special. While that does show how valuable Bedard is to the franchise, it also shows how the Blackhawks are a big work in progress. They are where Detroit was five years ago.
#28 New York Rangers (last ranking: 21)
The only team to have fewer home wins than New York this season is Vancouver. As I said in the article above, there were championship expectations for the Rangers this year when Mike Sullivan was hired. Last week, general manager Chris Drury told star forward Artemi Panarin he won’t play for New York after this year. Everyone except goaltender Igor Shesterkin and maybe defenseman Adam Fox are on the trade block. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Sullivan is fired after the season. This is not why Igor Shesterkin signed that massive extension.
#27 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 24)
Firing Dean Evason and assistant Steve McCarthy is one of the weirdest moves this season. Evason’s not only a good coach, but he did a great job almost getting Columbus into the playoffs last year despite all the chaos that happened. The Blue Jackets are one of the more dysfunctional franchises since coach John Tortorella left.
#26 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 32)
Much better month for Nashville. We’re starting to slowly see how good this Predators team is when everyone is on the same page and not injured. They might be 5-5 to begin 2026, but there’s a lot more hope Nashville can make a playoff run two months from now.
#25 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 23)
It has been a wild week for Ottawa’s goaltenders. Linus Ullmark’s mental health concerns after what he saw as an abrupt trade to Canada are valid. Then defenseman teammate Jake Sanderson torched backup Leevi Merilainen for blowing a two goal lead with under four minutes left against Montreal last Saturday. Although Sanderson is not wrong and had to apologize, the Senators defensive struggles are straining most of the roster and NHL analysts’ patience. General manager Steve Staios’ biggest test right now is how he can fix and improve the defense by next season.
#24 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 18)
Do you see why the ten spot max up or down in the rankings works well? Anaheim wasn’t a top ten team by the time December’s power rankings were published, and they definitely aren’t a top 20 this month. Like Peter DeBoer, Joel Quenneville is seen by many as goaltender killer and wants all offense, all the time. A nine game losing streak followed by a five game winning streak also screams inconsistent.
#23 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 13)
This about sums up New Jersey’s season
The cherry on top is the Devils crushing Minnesota 5-2 on the 13th and instead of good energies, news outlets broke out that the organization is looking to move veteran defenseman Dougie Hamilton. What a nightmare season!
#22 Utah Mammoth (last ranking: 22)
Utah is a year or two away from a breakout, dominant season. Before that happens, they might need to get a new coach. I like Andre Tourigny, but he’s not getting most out of the young talent put together. Yes, injuries are a part of why things have slowed down. Yet Tourigny is one of the most tenured coaches in the NHL. He should have more solutions for the Mammoth than what they have shown almost every week.
#21 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 29)
Defense is all the rave in Seattle these days. The Seahawks are the crowned jewel in the NFL and the Kraken are a true playoff threat. Having former Vezina finalist Philipp Grubauer return to top form should give Seattle a massive edge when the playoff race heats up.
#20 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 10)
If someone were told in January of 2025 that a year later Winnipeg would be tied as the second worst team in the NHL despite a healthy Connor Hellebuyck in net, they might suggest you see a therapist. Perhaps it’s bad luck to cancel out last year’s phenomenal season. Still, it would be a disappointment if the Jets implosion led to a lot more permanent moves.
#19 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 27)
NHL media and pundits have the Hart Trophy (MVP) race winner either as Nathan MacKinnon or Connor McDavid. Both names are worthy of the award. Real NHL analysts should look closely and consider picking San Jose sophomore Macklin Celebrini instead. He is third in the league with 72 points at the time of this publishing. The player with the second most points on the Sharks? Alexander Wennberg with THIRTY FOUR. If San Jose somehow clinches one of the two lower seeds, Celebrini may have the best case to win the Hart Trophy.
#18 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 30)
Someone in Buffalo must have read December’s rankings because the Sabres were on a mission to win every game possible after. A bad loss in Columbus could have brought Buffalo back down to earth. Instead they won three straight and lost a close game to the two time defending champion Panthers. The Sabres are 17-4 since December ninth. They earned this jump.
#17 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 9)
There are discussions on which coach could be next to get fired. Jim Hiller has to be at or near the top of the list. Los Angeles has underperformed in Anze Kopitar’s final season and we should best believe ownership and the front office will make moves to make sure he doesn’t miss the playoffs. That starts with fixing an almost unwatchable offense that can’t fall back on Darcy Kuemper in net for a few games.
#16 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 17)
If there was a Comeback Player of the Year award in the NHL, it would easily go to Philadelphia forward Trevor Zegras. After Anaheim did their best to destroy any shot at a stellar career, they traded him to the Flyers. Philadelphia easily won that trade. Zegras leads the team in points (44), goals, (19), and assists (25). He’s the Flyers offensive engine.
#15 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 16)
It had been a while since former Norris trophy winning defenseman Erik Karlsson was placed on injured reserve. His absence after Pittsburgh is now in the thick of a muddled eastern conference could have serious effects on every team involved in the playoff race. Odd to think no one would have batted an eye about that five years ago.
#14 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 14)
Forward Morgan Geekie scored 50 goals in the 83 games he played in 2025. Every NHL viewer who tuned into a Bruins game knew that if Boston had any chance of making the playoffs, they needed more scoring from players not named David Pastrnak. Geekie could be a long-term option or a valuable trade piece.
#13 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 15)
Toronto is another example of why teams need a ten spot limit on these rankings. The Maple Leafs beat a number of playoff and Stanley Cup championship contenders this month and held their own most of December. Toronto is trying to stay well positioned for the playoffs like other veteran teams, and that means the type of hockey they play every week won’t be pretty. This is why the Fire Craig Berube takes were stupid.
#12 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 8)
TNT play-by-play broadcaster Kenny Albert gave a great stat in the third period of the Winter Classic January second: Sergei Bobrovsky had the most wins AND shutouts in the 2025 calendar year. Think of how great Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger and Darcy Kuemper were all of last year. None of them came close to Bobrovsky’s stellar play. He is easily the best goaltender in the NHL with Marc-Andre Fleury retired and a major reason Florida has a chance of sneaking into the playoffs.
#11 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 12)
It took the third full week of January to have a goaltender not named Stuart Skinner be number one in both goals against average and save percentage. Skinner was traded over a month ago to Pittsburgh. Hilariously, he’s keeping the Penguins close in as tight a playoff race as possible in the east. The Oilers however wonder how long Tristan Jarry will stay hot with no Leon Draisaitl in the lineup.
#10 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 20)
At one point this month, Detroit had the second highest point percentage at .762 (second only to Colorado’s .800). General manager Steve Yzerman has assembled a temporary juggernaut on offense that will get better once the minor league talent gets to play in the NHL.
#9 New York Islanders (last ranking: 19)
The NHL Muse twitter account raised an interesting point two weeks ago. What could have happened if San Jose won the draft lottery instead of New York? A Macklin Celebrini-Matthew Schaefer tandem would have the Sharks on a terror spree throughout the western conference, with the possibility of only the top three teams in the central division shutting the duo down. Thankfully, greed like that only exists in the Bible. The Islanders have to be relieved that the last three years of struggle gifted them a generational player.
#8 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 3)
Remember how valuable I said Tom Wilson was in the last rankings? The last four weeks have shown how important Wilson is to both this Washington roster and coach Spencer Carberry. Without Tom Wilson in the lineup, the Capitals are easier to defend against and opposing offenses chip away at Washington’s defense. Wilson’s return comes at the most critical point in the season as the Capitals have a slate of playoff favorites the next few weeks.
#7 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 5)
It’s wild how getting Carter Hart did little for Vegas except land Hart on injured reserve. Goaltending was a serious issue until Adin Hill came back. Hill might have been the NHL’s most missed player after the Golden Knights became a sieve in net.
#6 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 11)
Montreal could be the most underrated team this season. They’re a good team in the east that hasn’t stood out too much because of Detroit’s success, Tampa Bay’s resurgence and Carolina’s consistency. At the moment, they don’t look like a team that will do much damage in the playoffs. That’s why general manager Kent Hughes re-signed most of the young talent to long-term deals. They will be fearsome to see every regular and postseason within the next decade.
#5 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 3)
Dallas has cooled off after a red-hot two first months. The weird thing is how the roster is also getting healthier. Whether it’s a slump or everyone finally playing together under coach Glen Gulutzan, the Stars have to snap out of it if they don’t want Minnesota to surpass them.
#4 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 6)
Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov missing the rest of the season makes the Brandon Bussi story more special, and it was already a fun one. It will also make Carolina question what to do with 36 year old veteran Frederik Andersen once the season ends. Kochetkov was expected to be the future starter in net, but if Bussi steals that from him, the Hurricanes will need to decide who to trade.
#3 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 7)
No one laughed harder than I did after Minnesota stole Canucks captain Quinn Hughes in a lopsided trade. Hours after I wrote, edited and published that the Wild would be taken more seriously by everyone if they added or traded for a veteran scoring threat, that’s what Minnesota did. Hughes wasted no time and scored in his third game with the Wild in a 6-2 beatdown of Boston. Minnesota has some things to clean up this month, but they deserved this ranking.
#2 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 4)
The NHL on TNT dropped some interesting numbers on Tampa Bay on Tuesday night’s double-header. Since December 20th, the Lightning have the NHL’s best record (13-0-1), the most goals per game (4.36), goals allowed (2.14) and the sixth best power play at 29.6%. What makes this fascinating is how most of this has been when captain Victor Hedman was placed on IR. Tampa Bay’s dominance has returned with little resistance in the eastern conference, and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy looks almost unbeatable.
#1 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 1)
The Wild, Lighting, Stars, Golden Knights or Hurricanes will probably switch each rankings between which team is the NHL’s second best. No matter. Right now, Colorado is the de facto one. The Avalanche have 77 points and five regulation losses this season. Beating Colorado without them getting a point is starting to feel like a Stanley Cup winning moment. They had their first home loss of the season without overtime last week. I don’t know how Jared Bednar doesn’t win coach of the year.
Hurricanes forward Shayne Gostisbehere flails in vain before MVP favorite Nathan MacKinnon (29) shoots the puck into an empty net in a January third 5-3 Avalanche win.
The NFC wildcard weekend had everything audiences wanted. History was made when San Francisco won their 40th playoff game, the most in NFL history. Chicago won their first playoff game in 15 years, and their first against a team with a winning record since their Super Bowl 41 run. Los Angeles eked out a close win in Carolina. The remaining four (the Seattle Seahawks had a week off) teams have a great shot at getting to both the conference championship and the Super Bowl. Even with the injury plagued 49ers remaining, no team is an easy out. It’s time to analyze which two teams have the best chance at making the next round.
#6 San Francisco 49ers v. #1 Seattle Seahawks
Elijah Arroyo’s return from injured reserve means fellow tight-end A.J. Barner (88) will be a bigger threat than he was in week 18.
If there was any game that could be a decisive blowout, this would be it. San Francisco lost star tight-end and team co-captain George Kittle to a torn achilles the rest of the year. That means the 49ers have to rely on runningback Christian McCaffrey and receivers Ricky Pearsall (who still has an injured knee), Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne to consistently beat Seattle’s deep secondary. That won’t happen.
The Seahawks are ecstatic to face a battered and depleted 49ers team they whooped in Santa Clara, CA. week 18. Both teams get their starting left tackles back, but only one offense has the fire power to score consistently. Quarterback Brock Purdy has never played in Seattle when it’s either a playoff game or near full capacity for the hometown fans. He will learn why nobody in the NFL wants to travel to the pacific northwest during the postseason.
Prediction: Seahawks win 37-7
#5 Los Angeles Rams v. #2 Chicago Bears
A Bears win depends on how well quarterback Caleb Williams (18) plays all four quarters.
This could be the best game in either conference. Every NFC team this round is in the western division except for Chicago. Head coach Ben Johnson is very familiar with Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay. Anyone thinking this will be a blowout is mistaken.
The Bears have multiple advantages against the Rams. Johnson has consistently beaten McVay with a dual threat running game and an offensive line that leads from the interior. Runningbacks coach Eric Bienemy remains one of the NFL’s best offensive minds. Left guard Joe Thuney has won Super Bowls with multiple teams. A younger, less experienced Los Angeles defensive line will be on their heels most of this game having to deal with Chicago’s offensive line and the runningback duo of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.
A major factor many have forgotten since the Rams won last Saturday was the hand injury veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford suffered in Carolina. That will be tested early and often against a Bears defense that is the NFL’s best in forcing turnovers. Since this will be a Sunday night game, temperatures are predicted to be at four degrees (fahrenheit). Stafford has not played in many frozen temperature games over the last five years. The Rams are also 2-7 in games that are under 50 degrees since Stafford arrived in 2021. Los Angeles is in for a long game despite having an almost fully healthy roster.
This year’s wildcard weekend was slightly more competitive in the AFC than last year’s. Houston and New England dominated their games and won with few scares. The only nail-biter was Buffalo’s last minute win over Jacksonville. Two teams return to the divisional round, while the other two play their first divisional round game in the post COVID-19 era. The remaining four (the Denver Broncos had a week off) teams have a great shot at getting to both the conference championship and the Super Bowl. Even with the inexperienced Broncos remaining, no team is an easy out. It’s time to pick which two teams have the best chance of making the next round.
#6 Buffalo Bills v. #1 Denver Broncos
Both quarterbacks Josh Allen (left) and Bo Nix (right) have a lot of pressure to make the conference championship.
The easiest of the four divisional games to predict. Buffalo crushed Denver in their last playoff meeting with similar rosters. The Broncos were lucky in most of their close, regular season wins. A serious playoff contender with Super Bowl aspirations will teach Denver some valuable lessons.
Prediction: Bills win 30-24
#5 Houston Texans v. #2 New England Patriots
While Drake Maye (left) had the better regular season, Houston’s C.J. Stroud IV (right) has more playoff experience.
This is easily the best matchup in the AFC. Both teams have elite defenses and good offenses. Both offenses also have many weaknesses, and this game will come down to which defense cracks first.
At one time, both head coaches were intimidating middle linebackers with playoff success. The main coaching difference for Houston’s DeMeco Ryans is his playoff experience with the current roster. New England’s head coach Mike Vrabel is great, but his starting quarterback Drake Maye struggled more than expected in what many believed would be an easy home win against Los Angeles. The Texan defense has more than enough to shut down the Patriots offense no matter how often they have the ball.
The 2025-2026 NFL regular season is over. Seven teams in each conference have a chance to win the Vince Lombardi championship trophy. For those unfamiliar with the updated playoff format, an extra team was added. That means there’s one bye week for the top seeded team in each conference and a Monday night playoff game. Everyone wants to know which three teams in the NFC advance to the divisional round, so here are the best picks come Sunday.
#5 Los Angeles Rams v. #4 Carolina Panthers
MVP candidate Matthew Stafford had no answers for Carolina’s defense in their regular season matchup.
This will be one of the most intriguing games of wild card weekend. On one hand, there’s little chance Carolina completes the sweep of Los Angeles. On the other, the Rams are going through the motions and don’t look excited to play (outside of a second half comeback against Arizona last Sunday). The Panthers played Los Angeles well in their regular season matchup, with the defense scoring 14 points and stealing a win. Best believe Rams head coach Sean McVay will get his team to play Carolina more seriously this week…even if the game ends in a close score.
Prediction: Rams win 30-23
#7 Green Bay Packers v. #2 Chicago Bears
Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams has to lead the offense to more touchdowns and less three-and-outs.
The last time Chicago and Green Bay faced off in the playoffs, the Packers won a wild 2010 conference championship game. Much has changed in 15 years, but a lot has stayed the same. The Bears defense again led the league in interceptions and Green Bay ran the ball well in both regular season games.
The Packers rested their starters whereas Chicago suffered an ugly loss last Sunday with all their starters. Head coaches Dan Campbell, Matt Lafleur and Kyle Shanahan have exposed the Bears defense in two ways: having their offense’s receivers run multiple crossing routes against the secondary, and consistently running the ball well against Chicago’s front seven each possession. That’s a bad sign when three head coaches of veteran, playoff caliber teams keep exposing the same mistakes. It doesn’t help that the Bears offense usually plays inept for at least a half in most games. This is one time the more veteran roster and coaching staff should prevail and advance.
Prediction: Packers win 28-24
#6 San Francisco 49ers v. #3 Philadelphia Eagles
Brock Purdy (left) and Jalen Hurts (right) have a lot of pressure to get their teams into the divisional round.
The Eagles could have been the second seed, but decided to start their backups in a close loss against Washington. Thus, Philadelphia drew a favorable opponent. Many consider San Francisco v. Philadelphia to be the best matchup of the weekend. Some do not and see this matchup as one team is well rested while the other is exhausted.
As bad as Seattle bullied the 49ers, the Eagles could be worse. Saquon Barkley is more dangerous than Kenneth Walker III and A.J. Brown is a physically, more intimidating receiver. Philadelphia’s offensive line should be able to bully a depleted and exhausted San Francisco defensive line.
Anyone thinking 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will have a much better game is mistaken. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has a top five defense that’s played well the last two months. They may allow a few more scoring drives, but Philadelphia should have a comfortable first round win.
The 2025-2026 NFL regular season is over. Seven teams in each conference have a chance to win the Vince Lombardi championship trophy. For those unfamiliar with the updated playoff format, an extra team was added. That means there’s one bye week for the top seeded team in each conference and a Monday night playoff game. Everyone wants to know which three teams in the AFC advance to the divisional round, so here are the best picks come Sunday.
#6 Buffalo Bills v. #3 Jacksonville Jaguars
If Jacksonville’s defense can stop Buffalo’s run game, they will advance to the divisional round.
Wild card weekend in the AFC starts with a bang. Buffalo’s run game has been one of the NFL’s best. It will face a challenge against Jacksonville’s number one running defense. The Jaguars defense is also top three in interceptions and the front seven does a great job of getting to opposing quarterbacks.
The Bills have a lot of pressure to make both the conference finals and Super Bowl. Jacksonville’s on an eight game winning streak playing their best, carefree football. Head coach Sean McDermott will have to figure out how to get Buffalo’s first ever postseason win against the Jaguars, and the Bills first road playoff win since 1992 with an undermanned defense and a thin receiver core.
Prediction: Jaguars win 31-21
#7 Los Angeles Chargers v. #2 New England Patriots
New England quarterback Drake Maye is a favorite to win MVP this season
The easiest pick of either conference. New England is the healthier, better coached team and doesn’t play down to the competition. Head coach Mike Vrabel will expose the offensive line woes Los Angeles faced all regular season. Drake Maye’s playoff debut won’t be perfect, but he won’t have to worry about a tough loss with the head coach, defense and running backs taking the pressure off of him in this matchup.
Prediction: Patriots win 34-23
#5 Houston Texans v. #4 Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (11) high-fives friend and fellow quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) after scoring a touchdown versus Miami last month.
This could be the best game in either conference. The return of wide receiver D.K. Metcalf after a two game suspension will open up Pittsburgh’s passing game. Unfortunately for the Steelers, they’re playing a top three defense that features a deep, elite secondary. Houston’s eight defensive backs are dangerous and they shut down one-on-one matchups like it’s practice.
Pittsburgh also lacks a strong running game. The Texans defense could turn this into a blowout if the Steelers can’t find a way to run the ball. While Houston’s offense will struggle with Pittsburgh’s defense, their issues won’t matter if the Steelers offense doesn’t do anything right. It might not matter how many points the Texans offense scores.
Trade talks for Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo have been constant even though he was out for a few weeks because of a strained right calf.
The floodgates opened on December third when both Milwaukee star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and his agent Alex Saratsis made public that they met with the Bucks’ front office about the forward’s future with the franchise. The closed door meeting discussed whether Antetokounmpo’s best fit is staying with the Bucks or moving to somewhere else. 22 games into the season went from mediocre to things could get a lot worse.
Giannis’ explanation for the meeting, scrubbing the team off his social media pages, and his future was a deep, satisfying answer to those who can critically listen, read and think. While that seems difficult for a lot of people these days, it’s almost always ignored by sports media. Outlets like ESPN, FOX Sports, CBS Sports and even the NBA Network broke this down like a Rubik’s cube. Not even 15 minutes after clarification, betting sites went haywire on where Antetokounmpo would end up by mid-season or be traded to once the season ends.
For anyone who’s tuned into the NBA within the last five years, you not only know that there’s been a massive push to get Giannis out of Milwaukee and into a bigger market, but that the media also blatantly downplays any achievements, records or eye-popping performances he has had. It’s one of the nastiest, under-discussed topics more fans need to be aware of and for which both sports broadcasters and journalists should be shamed. One of the Bucks’ top three players in franchise history does everything fans or analysts say should be done to be considered one of the best of all-time. Yet, after a championship and consecutive trips to the playoffs, the media still isn’t satisfied with Antetokounmpo’s greatness. Instead the gradual bias is how Giannis doesn’t want to leave and “save his legacy”. Save his legacy? For whom? From what? For gambling sites, national bettors and Las Vegas to get him to listen to their noise and be traded to a bigger market?
This topic is why a lot of serious NBA fans and students of the game must continue to separate themselves not just from the gambling addicts who can’t get over certain stats and over/unders, but the casual fans who either know nothing about what goes on with the league or are starting to learn about how certain biases have existed for years prior to Adam Silver’s tenure. For decades, sports networks, certain fanbases and even players wanted more parity. Former commissioner David Stern believed that for professional basketball to succeed, the largest markets had to dominate almost every year. It’s no surprise that Stern’s prized franchise was the Los Angeles Lakers. While Stern retired more than 12 years ago, this philosophy has now returned after Silver and players union did the impossible: parity became common. There are relatively few teams you could look at this year and say they’re not competitive or a play-in threat at any point. Drafting and proper disclosures of what teams and players are doing are the norm. For the most part, this is one of the better things Adam Silver has done, (and we know how many issues there have been with his tenure).
It also means that anyone who doesn’t like this will be vocal in any and everything involving parity. Sports media views this as a tragedy because of which teams they have to talk about now. These websites and networks tell us the NBA is in serious trouble if the Lakers, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics or Golden State Warriors aren’t the highlight team or making the most news stories (the irony is the Warriors being one of these teams. They are the crowned jewel of Silver’s tenure). The agendas couldn’t be more blatant. Instead of profiles, takes and educated opinions about the real, rising playoff and championship contenders like Oklahoma City, Minnesota, San Antonio, Phoenix or Orlando, outlets bemoan the league is in a decline, or the league’s failing, or certain players must be traded to make the big franchises relevant again.
Sports media backward thinking is big reason why viewership has gradually tuned out until the playoffs get closer. It is also another reason ESPN’s long running business model is failing and other sites like Amazon’s new NBA front desk and shows are popular with the serious fans. Audiences want to hear players who were in previously ignored and different markets talk about the game and not about why a Great Depression is incoming if the Lakers aren’t at .500 by mid-January.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s right calf strain came at an interesting time. Right now, Milwaukee is outside of a play-in spot. Unlike some fanbases, Bucks fans have been more than grateful Antetokounmpo has succeeded where many past players have not. Unlike former Maverick guard and icon Luka Doncic, Milwaukee has and will continue to listen to Giannis without making things uncomfortable or focused solely on profits. It’s a shame BetESPN and those similar to them cannot fathom anything else.
Surprise! Giannis doesn’t care about your parlay, fantasy trade scenario or over/under!
Here are the first power rankings of the 2025-26 season. Similar to the NHL rankings, this one will be objective in placement as some teams may have tiebreakers over others on a neutral site.
#30 New Orleans Pelicans (last ranking: 27)
My next power rankings will cover NBA expansion after Adam Silver’s recent comments about it and discussions around the league whether or not certain teams could move to different cities. It appears likely that the New Orleans Pelicans could be a strong candidate to relocate to a new market, such as Seattle. When the Pelicans announced they were open to trading former number one overall pick Zion Williamson (a player they pinned franchise hopes on) in November, it opened the door to a relocation countdown.
#29 Washington Wizards (last ranking: 29)
A prime example of how the NBA media fails their job nowadays is covering good players on terrible teams. Yes, there is a lot wrong with Washington from their stunning average of 15 turnovers per game to being third to last in free throw percentage. Yet the Wizards have some genuine gems with sophomores Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George. George is first in assists (5.1) and steals per game (1). He’s also third in points per game and second in rebounds per game, blocked shots per game and field goal percentage.
Sarr is first in rebounds per game (7.8), blocked shots (2.3) and field goal percentage (49.9%). Alex Sarr is also second in points per game, third in steals and fourth in assists. These are two names viewers hear very little about and should keep an eye on.
#28 Brooklyn Nets (last ranking: 25)
There’s a rumor going around that Nic Claxton could be traded to a playoff contender like Golden State within a few months. We know rumors are easy to start, but Brooklyn needs draft capital. The Nets aren’t going to win many games anytime soon. It’s best they trade Claxton to a contender that wants to win now.
#27 Sacramento Kings (last ranking: 17)
Everything has gone wrong for Sacramento, and just when trade rumors heated up, stars like center Domantas Sabonis was put on injured reserve for four to five weeks because of a partially torn left meniscus. The Kings can’t do a full re-build if their important trade pieces keep getting hurt.
#26 Charlotte Hornets (last ranking: 28)
Interestingly, Charlotte is 9-4 when point guard LaMelo Ball and forwards Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel start together. The Hornets struggles with shot accuracy, scoring and ball possession are big reasons why they’re near the bottom of the east. However, if coach Charles Lee keeps these three in the starting lineup, then Charlotte has a chance for a playoff push.
#25 Utah Jazz (last ranking: 30)
Another example of a team under-reported. Utah is second in assists, fifth in points scored, seventh in free throw percentage, and 13th in total rebounds per game. The Jazz don’t have a good roster, but general manager Danny Ainge has found ways to improve the team in ways that will continue to stand out throughout the next few seasons.
#24 Dallas Mavericks (last ranking: 16)
Center Anthony Davis injuring his groin on Christmas added more fuel to the analysis fire of Dallas starting a long-term re-build. Outside of overall number one pick forward Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks don’t have the talent to both stay competitive and not worry about injuries with the number of older veteran players past their prime. Like Sacramento, Dallas will be a popular team to trade with at the deadline.
#23 Milwaukee Bucks (last ranking: 13)
Milwaukee is currently tied for last in free throw percentage and is second to last in total rebounds per game. At this point, the most glaring issue is coaching. Legendary Marquette player, and Celtics championship coach Doc Rivers is a midwestern emotional favorite, but he certainly has not made the Bucks any better since Adrian Griffin was dismissed. Rivers is outdated and a big reason the Giannis trade talks haven’t gone away.
#22 Los Angeles Clippers (last ranking: 12)
Just because the Clippers had a six game winning streak, doesn’t mean their issues are cured and everything is fine. Many who follow the NBA haven’t forgotten the Chris Paul drama where he was cut because he may or may not have went off on Tyronn Lue. The focus and anger should remain on everyone else in the organization. This team was bad in ways no one thought possible in 2025. Los Angeles might be great at the free-throw line, but they are awful in several other areas. A few standout Kawhi Leonard performances won’t change that. Owner Steve Ballmer has tried to make the Clippers a winner for over a decade with nothing to show for it but chaos and repeats of the Donald Sterling era. What a mess.
#21 Memphis Grizzlies (last ranking: 11)
First sophomore center Zach Edey misses at least one month of play because of a stress reaction in his left ankle. Then rookie shooting guard Cedric Coward suffered a nasty ankle sprain trying to get a rebound against DeAndre Ayton and the Lakers last night. Younger talent suffering serious injuries means veteran players like Jaren Jackson Jr. have more pressure to play almost perfect each game with little bench depth to help out. The hype on Memphis being a quality playoff contending team fizzled fast.
#20 Chicago Bulls (last ranking: 20)
In two months, Chicago has:
a five game winning streak
a five game losing streak
a seven game losing streak
a five game winning streak
Good luck figuring them out. Anybody?
#19 Indiana Pacers (last ranking: 9)
Many viewers knew Indiana would struggle most of the season, but wow is this team abysmal. Coach Rick Carlisle has done some of his best work with the Pacers, but even he can’t fix how depleted and overwhelmed they are almost every game. Pascal Siakam remains a solid player, but if he’s the best Indiana has right now, the playoffs are a long-shot.
#18 Atlanta Hawks (last ranking: 18)
It’s a tale of two seasons for Atlanta. The Hawks had a nice November, then lost all but three games in December. Atlanta’s downturn got worse when news broke yesterday that star point guard Trae Young wants a trade. There has to be significant change if Atlanta wants to be better. It’s also a shame that will happen without Young.
#17 Portland Trailblazers (last ranking: 21)
Perhaps Portland won’t make the playoffs, but each game shows how guilty Chauncey Billups is in his federal gambling case. Here’s a look at how some of the players are doing this season.
Deni Avdija leads the Trailblazers in points per game (25.9) and assists per game (7.1). He’s also second in team rebounds per game, field goal percentage, and blocked shots.
Sophomore center Donovan Clingan leads in rebounds per game (10.8), field goal percentage (54.5%) and blocked shots per game (1.4).
Shaedon Sharpe is second in points per game, third in shot percentage and assists, first in steals per game (1.5) and fourth in rebounds per game.
This is with Jrue Holiday, Matisse Thybulle, Scoot Henderson and Jerami Grant on IR. Billups must go to prison.
#16 Philadelphia 76ers (last ranking: 26)
Philadelphia’s a much better team this season than last year. That’s because there is a better roster in place whenever former MVP center Joel Embiid doesn’t play. Point guard Tyrese Maxey is excellent to build around and transition to with Embiid’s injuries taking a toll each month. Perhaps the 76ers can also swing a deal or two at the trade deadline with Sacramento or Dallas to cement an early playoff berth.
#15 Toronto Raptors (last ranking: 24)
Forwards Brandon Ingram and Scotty Barnes will get a lot of attention because of Ingram’s league tenure and Barnes being the face of the franchise, but Toronto’s not where they are without Immanuel Quickley and Sandro Mamukelashvili. Quickley’s intelligence at point guard and his ability to be a few plays ahead makes the Raptor’s offense free-flowing. Mamukelashvili’s height and aggression is what Toronto needs to stay in close games against playoff contenders. The Raptors will be a tough team to play against no matter the month.
#14 Phoenix Suns (last ranking: 22)
The Suns have surpassed every expectation this season. Staying competitive in 2026 with Royce O’Neale, Mark Williams and Dillon Brooks as Devin Booker’s supporting cast puts coach Jordan Ott into the coach of the year conversation. Phoenix is the west coast version of where I had Charlotte in October.
#13 San Antonio Spurs (last ranking: 23)
For anyone who has read my power rankings before, you know that the first rankings of the season are always difficult. A team rising or falling too high will be controversial. Injuries are also a factor. San Antonio isn’t the 13th best team in the league, but their rise this early in the season is fine to question.
That said, the Spurs total domination of reigning champion Oklahoma City is easily their highlight of their season. It’s okay to say San Antonio is a mostly young team that has feasted on easy wins outside of three(!) victories against the Thunder and a nail-biter against the Knicks within the last five weeks. For the Spurs to be a true playoff contender, they must beat more contending teams on a consistent basis. The good news is, there’s no doubt they will do so and continue improving throughout the season.
#12 Cleveland Cavaliers (last ranking: 2)
This year’s Cavaliers are what many expected to see early season last year. Cleveland is still a serious playoff threat, but they don’t have last season’s luck. Part of that is because opposing defenses don’t give the Cavaliers offense too many second chance scoring opportunities. Some better scoring depth would also help.
#11 Miami Heat (last ranking: 19)
Unfortunately, there’s nowhere to put Miami with the ten spot range selection used. Yes, I understand San Antonio not being higher is a result of that, but the Heat also have a few games at hand compared to some of the other teams above and below. We should also consider how great a coach Erik Spoelstra is. Nobody had Miami sniffing a playoff spot with their current roster. Not only should Spoelstra win coach of the year, Heat upper management needs to trade for some star players in the coming months.
#10 Golden State Warriors (last ranking: 8)
Basketball pundits broke down the Draymond Green-Steve Kerr debacle too much. The real focus is how general manager Mike Dunleavy can add a center like Nik Claxton or Daniel Gafford. A healthy Al Horford gives Golden State scoring and rebounding advantages. However, the Warriors need a younger center who defends well and takes that pressure off Horford. A move must be made soon considering how unpredictable Golden State’s bench plays.
#9 Orlando Magic (last ranking: 15)
Injuries keep de-railing what should be a breakout season. Still, forward Paolo Banchero and guard Desmond Bane keep dragging Orlando to a lot of close wins. We’ll see how long that can stays this month.
#8 Minnesota Timberwolves (last ranking: 10)
That was a damaging loss against Denver on Christmas night. Nikola Jokic’s 56 point game will be talked about for years despite Anthony Edwards’ 44 and Minnesota’s valiant second half comeback. Most importantly, the Timberwolves defense was tested by a championship caliber offense and glaringly failed when it mattered most. It’s not a surprise that since the Christmas day loss, Minnesota’s a candidate to trade for Hawks guard Trae Young. Although it might not be the best fit, the organization has to make a move.
#7 Los Angeles Lakers (last ranking: 6)
The Christmas loss to Houston was big. Every game Los Angeles lost in December was by double digits. Coach JJ Redick is getting ripped for a lot of bad decisions. While it doesn’t inspire confidence in the roster after multiple blowout losses the last three weeks, it’s also not his fault multiple star players were injured.
#6 Denver Nuggets (last ranking: 7)
Nikola Jokic out for a month after hyperextending his left knee was bad enough, but his replacement at center Jonas Valanciunas missing four to five weeks with a calf strain is a problem. Denver is down to their third center and will need both point guard Jamal Murray and forward Aaron Gordon to really step up on offense with little help from the bench. We’re going to see how coach David Adelman handles leading an undermanned team all of January. That will show viewers if the Michael Malone firing was for the better.
#5 Houston Rockets (last ranking: 5)
Houston has one of the best and most dangerous offenses in the NBA, but the defense is ok at best. If the Rockets want to make a run for the western conference finals, the defense has to play tighter and cut down on opponents’ second chance scoring opportunities. It’s one thing to blow out the Lakers on Christmas because Los Angeles didn’t have the roster to expose Houston’s holes. It’s another when the Rockets will have to get past a healthy Denver, San Antonio, Golden State or Oklahoma City.
#4 Detroit Pistons (last ranking: 14)
Many viewers are starting to rank Detroit’s star point guard Cade Cunningham as an MVP candidate. If that’s the case, J.B. Bickerstaff should be a coach of the year candidate too. Cunningham’s dominant rise is tied to Bickerstaff getting the Pistons to play their best basketball in decades. Detroit somehow being the best team in the east with only nine losses is one of the best NBA stories the last two years.
#3 New York Knicks (last ranking: 4)
Despite the Monday night blowout loss in Detroit, I’d still favor New York in a seven game series against the Pistons. They will also be favored to take out an inexperienced, injured Magic and a best of seven against Cleveland. There are valid concerns and questions in the Knicks’ four game losing streak, but until another team can prove they can beat the Knicks at least three times in a season, New York is the east’s championship threat.
#2 Boston Celtics (last ranking: 3)
There are games in which Boston misses Jayson Tatum, and then there are games where he could sit without his injury during a lopsided win. The Celtics haven’t played many games where they look mediocre. This makes their January schedule more interesting with the number of playoff contending teams lined up. The further the season goes, the more Boston’s play will intrigue viewers.
#1 Oklahoma City Thunder (last ranking: 1)
Three losses to San Antonio in 13 days should make Oklahoma consider how to upgrade their roster. It’s clear center Victor Wembanyama dwarfs Thunder center Chet Holmgren in talent and commitment, so Oklahoma City must get creative. General manager Sam Presti has accumulated a lot of draft capital and could use it the next few months to bring in a few veterans who long to win a championship now. Even if the Thunder win every game in January and February, the losses to the Wembanyama’s Spurs will gnaw at them until the postseason. That should be the main priority for the front office.
Three losses to Victor Wembanyama’s (1) Spurs will be the new big obstacle for Oklahoma City and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) to overcome the next few months.
Christmas weekend was an exciting time for NFL action. More teams clinched postseason berths and more teams were eliminated from playoff contention. Some teams also secured their divisions and still have chances at the number one playoff seeds. The last week of the regular season sets up more anticipation for the postseason. It’s time to see who or what else stood out in the last Winners and Losers of both 2025 and the regular season.
Winners: Derrick Henry and the Baltimore Ravens
There wasn’t a bigger winner this Christmas weekend than the Baltimore Ravens and their star runningback Derrick Henry. Baltimore had to win in Green Bay and get help to stay alive in the AFC North race. They got everything they desired in two days.
The Ravens dominated the Packers almost the entire game. Henry led the way with 36 carries for 216 yards and four touchdowns. Derrick Henry’s phenomenal game finally put him into the top ten of the NFL’s all-time rushing list, surpassing Tony Dorsett by over 100 yards. Henry also rose to fourth in all-time rushing touchdowns. He’s one behind tying Marcus Allen for third and could finish at second before retiring years from now.
Every time Green Bay tried to lead a comeback and put together scoring drives, Baltimore found ways to pull ahead. Whether Henry had a large run or quarterback Tyler Huntley got a first down, the Ravens didn’t let their guard down. Then Baltimore got their best gift of the Christmas weekend: Cleveland beat Pittsburgh in an ugly, low scoring game. A Steelers loss means the Ravens have a chance to win the AFC North in Pittsburgh next Sunday night. After week 16 ended with Baltimore all but eliminated, week 17 showed the Ravens could finish as the best team in their division.
Quinn Ewers
It looked all but certain that Miami’s new starting quarterback Quinn Ewers would flame out of the NFL and be another forgotten name after a bad loss to Cincinnati last week. After all, Ewers couldn’t consistently beat the dreadful Bengals defense. Surprisingly, Ewers redeemed himself and Miami in a shocking Sunday win.
Tampa Bay didn’t have to beat Miami before their NFC South winner-take-all game Saturday against Carolina, but they needed a win after three straight losses. The Buccaneers have turned into one of the worst NFL teams over the past two months despite All-Pro talent on every side of the ball. Quinn Ewers completed 14 of 22 passes for 172 yards, two touchdowns and a 118 quarterback rating. His first scoring pass to Theo Wease Jr. tied the game early and deflated Tampa Bay’s hopes for an easy win. Ewers’ second scoring pass to Greg Dulcich sealed the early victory.
Quinn Ewers may not be the Dolphins franchise starting quarterback after this season, but he gets his first pro-career touchdown passes and a win against a team fighting for a playoff spot. That’s a nice memory to tell people about decades from now.
Brock Purdy’s touchdown pass to Kyle Juszczyk
San Francisco starting quarterback Brock Purdy had a fantastic performance against Chicago. His five touchdown performance is one of week 17’s best. No play showed how Purdy dominated than his touchdown pass to fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Brock Purdy’s scrambling and having five defenders focus on where the ball would go instead of making a play on the ball will go on his regular season highlight reel.
Losers: Jonathan Gannon
It’s been one painful horror after another for Arizona. The Cardinals have won one game since they started the season 2-0. While franchise quarterback Kyler Murray hasn’t played this season, one would think the performances of his replacement Jacoby Brissett would be enough to get some wins. It has been the opposite.
Arizona was shelled again by Cincinnati 37-14. They trailed 23-7 at half-time and looked done in the first quarter. This was the most important season for head coach Jonathan Gannon. The Cardinals were supposed to show how close they were to being a playoff team. Not only did every other team in the NFC West make the playoffs and record eleven or more wins, but Arizona is easily the worst. The Cardinals were the first team to lock up their division placement before Thanksgiving. That is hard to do unless the team is one of the NFL’s worst.
Jonathan Gannon has no chance of being Arizona’s head coach next season. Not all of what has plagued the Cardinals is his fault, but Gannon’s clearly shown he is not the answer and cannot lead this 53 man roster to the playoffs.
The Philip Rivers comeback story
Long-time starting quarterback Philip Rivers has always been an NFL anomaly. From his unique throwing motion to never playing in a Super Bowl, Rivers was always in the shadow of true greatness no matter when and where he played. Sunday was another reminder of that.
Indianapolis was eliminated from playoff contention before their home game versus Jacksonville. Yet the competitive Colts played the Jaguars hard. Indianapolis led most of the game and red-hot Jacksonville struggled until midway through the third quarter. Once the Jaguars pulled ahead, the Colts had no answers on offense.
Although Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence didn’t fully out-duel Rivers, the sign the comeback was over (even when the game was out of reach) was when head coach Shane Steichen wanted backup Riley Leonard to throw a Hail Mary pass at the end of the game. Rivers’ age and lack of arm strength meant he couldn’t attempt that throw even if he wanted to. The backup quarterback would have one play and maybe-just maybe it would result in a game-winning score. No.
Either way, Philip Rivers wouldn’t be on the field no matter what happened. It’s a touching reminder of how Rivers put so much into the game and was hardly rewarded the way many other passers have been over the decades.
Michael Badgley
Anyone who saw kicker Michael Badgley miss the extra point after quarterback Josh Allen’s first rushing touchdown instantly knew it would affect the outcome in Buffalo Sunday afternoon. Not only was Badgley’s miss the biggest play of the game, it affected the AFC East playoff standings.
After Allen whiffed on a two point conversation pass, the loss bumped Buffalo to the seventh and last seed in the AFC. It also meant New England won the east and no longer has to worry about many tiebreakers for the first or second seed on January fourth.
Kickers are always controversial because of how little they have to do while they also affect a lot of games, no matter the situations. Badgley has rarely been a top kicker in the NFL. The Bills may suffer the most this postseason because of his late miss.
Notes: This is the last Winners and Losers for the NFL season. Wild-card weekend playoff picks will be up before January tenth.
Happy Holidays to you all. Many thanks to those who have read, liked, commented on and shared jdsportscorner.com articles this year. There will be more exciting and detailed sports posts in 2026. May you all enjoy the rest of 2025.
After Sunday, two weeks remain in the regular season. More teams clinched postseason berths and a few teams were eliminated from playoff contention. Some teams also secured their divisions and still have chances at the number one playoff seed. The final two weeks set up more anticipation for and after the holidays. It’s time to see who or what else stood out in week 16.
Winners: Tennessee Titans
It has mostly been a season to forget in Tennessee. The Titans have been undermanned and lacked talent to stay close in a lot of games. However, there have been times Tennessee has been on a similar level with some teams, and the depleted Chiefs were one. For the first time this season, the Titans had a home-field advantage.
After a scoreless first quarter, Tennessee started a scoring barrage led by defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons. Simmons tackled Kansas City runningback Kareem Hunt in the opposing endzone for a safety. After the Chiefs got a one point lead from a Harrison Butker 54 yard field goal, the Titans went on to score their first touchdown when quarterback Cam Ward completed a seven yard score to Chig Okonkwo. Tennessee never lost the lead again.
Ward threw another touchdown and running back Tyjae Spears ran for an additional score. On defense, the Titans had four sacks on two Kansas City quarterbacks and gave up less than 200 yards of offense. Tennessee gave their fans something to celebrate for Christmas with their first home win of the season. The game was another reminder of how special Ward is and how the organization should involve him in their coaching decisions moving forward.
Zac Taylor
Many serious NFL analysts believed the losers of Sunday’s Cincinnati-Miami game would get their head coach fired after the regular season. Since the Bengals Zac Taylor decided to play his starting quarterback and has the more consistent offense, it’s possible he saved his job for another year.
Offense is Taylor’s specialty, and it showed in a dominant win against the Dolphins. Quarterback Joe Burrow played much better and completed 25 of 32 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns. Runningback Chase Brown ran 12 times for 66 yards and scored once. After the Bengals took a three point lead into halftime, head coach Zac Taylor made some defensive improvements and got the offense to pile on points the last two quarters.
Taylor is certainly in an unenviable situation in Cincinnati. He’s responsible for getting the most out of a top-tier offense, solid special teams, and an all-time worst defense. A cheap owner, general manager and front office has over-stressed one of the most experienced head coaches, and Burrow’s personal issues are another serious problem that should be addressed and fixed in the offseason. That’s why Sunday’s win was big. The Bengals won’t make the playoffs, but the team hasn’t quit on their head coach. That should be a rallying point for 2026.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville now has one of the hottest NFL teams after Sunday. Many believed the Jaguars didn’t stand a chance against Denver especially on the road. Rookie head coach Liam Coen is one of the best stories of the season and has amazed audiences with how well his team plays.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed 23 of 36 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran six times for 20 yards and another score. Receiver Parker Washington had another great game, recording six catches on ten targets for 145 yards and a touchdown.
An underrated part of Sunday’s win was Jacksonville’s defense. Although they sacked and intercepted Broncos quarterback Bo Nix once each, the Jaguars stifled Denver’s running game, forced and recovered a fumble, and made them commit two turnovers on downs.
Head coach Liam Coen had Jacksonville ready to play and left no doubt which team was better. The win keeps the Jaguars close in the first seed race and on top of the AFC South. Closing out the regular season with a wounded Colts and less talented Titans the last two weeks makes Jacksonville one of the biggest conference threats for any playoff contender.
Losers: New York Jets defense
New York hired then-Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as head coach because of how he gradually turned around Detroit’s terrible defense starting in 2021. Unfortunately for Glenn, it seems the Jets defense wasn’t going to like anyone who wasn’t former head coach Robert Saleh. That meant if Glenn tried to implement some of the same aggressive styles, the team wouldn’t buy in after the last head coach had a similar system.
There is usually one game a season where a team’s defense takes over and records a number of turnovers. That’s why the Jets not having an interception at any point this season stuns even a casual viewer. You read that right. You, me, your sleepy next door neighbor, or your pet fish have the same number of interceptions as the entire 2025 New York Jets defense. There has been some effort to play better, notably in the games after cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams were traded. Yet before the trades, neither players performed well to make quarterbacks fear Aaron Glenn’s defense.
The Robert Saleh firing looks worse no matter how New York plays every week. The entire defense needs to be re-built. They don’t seem to enjoy taking the field, even if the opposing offense is undermanned or the quarterback is a rookie trying to keep the starting job. It’s embarrassing for everyone involved with the franchise.
Darien Porter
Las Vegas came so close to an upset win in Houston. The operative word here is close. The Raiders pushed the Texans to their limit and the defense was about to give quarterback Geno Smith a chance to put together a game-winning drive with four minutes left. All they had to do was hold the Houston offense on 3rd and 20 and force a punt from deep in their own territory. Las Vegas held…in the worst way.
Raiders cornerback Darien Porter held and committed a defensive pass interference on the pivotal play. The sideline official immediately threw a flag and gave Houston not just a first down, but a chunk of yardage that brought the ball close to mid-field.
That penalty was the difference between a possible game winning drive and a heart-breaking loss. The Texans got Las Vegas to use all three of their timeouts and wound all four minutes down to seal the win. The Raiders offense never got a chance.
Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions offense
It could be premature to call head coach Dan Campbell’s tenure in Detroit over, but it sure looked it Sunday afternoon against Pittsburgh. The Lions offense was favored to push around and throttle Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt-less defense. Instead they were bullied most of the game.
Detroit’s offense finished the game with 15 rushing yards. Not only is that uncharacteristic of how the Lions offense should play, CBS’ Nate Burleson pointed out in the post-game that the aggressive and in-your-face style of play wasn’t there. The Steelers defensive and offensive lines did what they wanted all four quarters against Detroit’s offensive and defensive lines.
More bad habits returned and were an issue whenever the Lions did play well. Penalties on both sides of the ball punished a lot of Detroit’s gains. The biggest ones came at the end where two last-minute touchdown plays could have given the Lions a win, but were negated because of offensive pass interference. According to ESPN’s SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt, it was the first time in 30 years the officials called two OPI penalties on a final game possession. Detroit’s playoff chances are now slim. They need to win their last two and Green Bay to lose their last two games to make the playoffs. Given how this season has gone for both head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator John Morton, that looks unlikely. The Lions may have had a hard schedule this season, but there were a good number of opportunities to pull away and win the NFC North. The organization will look back after the season and regret how many chances were wasted.
JD's Sportscorner 