What a weekend of NFL football! The Divisional Round delivered some fantastic action. This was a weekend full of breakout performances, surprises, and even a couple of upsets. Now that the dust has settled, let’s take a look around the league and rank the final eight teams to survive the NFL gauntlet!
Who are the best-ranked NFL teams after the Divisional Round?
8. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans’ 2024 season ended in disappointment with a 23-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round, but this team should be proud of the way it fought throughout an injury-plagued season.
That said, the loss to Kansas City highlighted areas that need improvement. The offensive line struggled mightily, allowing eight sacks and preventing Stroud from finding a rhythm. Special teams were also a disaster, with missed field goals and extra points that took the wind out of their sails and directly impacted the outcome of the game.
7. Los Angeles Rams
This was a tough outing for the Rams, who looked like they had the chops to knock off the second-seeded Eagles in the Divisional Round, but a fourth-quarter fumble by Kyren Williams and a Stafford strip-sack gave the Eagles critical field position and added six points to the deficit. Those kinds of mistakes are hard to overcome, especially against a team as disciplined as Philadelphia.
All in all, it was an impressive year for L.A. nonetheless, as they looked dead in the water earlier in the season and rallied all the way back.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
6. Detroit Lions
This loss will sting for a long time in Detroit. Campbell’s Lions had all the tools to make a Super Bowl run, but their inability to deliver in the postseason raises questions about whether this team is built for more than regular-season success.
Campbell is still the beating heart of this franchise, but he’ll need to take a hard look at what went wrong if the Lions are going to take the next step.
5. Baltimore Ravens
Man, this has to be a painful loss for the Ravens and their diehard fan base in the Divisional Round. Despite playing a mistake-riddled game, they still had a chance to force overtime and win it down the stretch, but they were doomed by Mark Andrews’s shocking drop on the two-point conversion.
Yes, Lamar is still young, but with each disappointing finish to a season, the pressure only mounts higher, and this Ravens team could be in trouble.
Also Read: Legendary Rapper Lil Wayne Blasted The ‘Cheating’ Kansas City Chiefs After Divisional Round Victory
4. Washington Commanders
It is hard to deny at this point that the Washington Commanders have that team of destiny vibe to them. Anytime they have needed a bounce this year, they have gotten it—and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is playing at another level.
The way that Washington has continued to raise its level this postseason, both against Tampa Bay and now Detroit, speaks volumes about the program it is building in the nation’s capital.
Will their luck run out? Only time will tell, but man, what a ride it has been so far.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
The defending champions are two wins away from an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl title, and with Mahomes under center, they look as dangerous as ever. His ability to deliver in the biggest moments ensures that every game feels like another chapter in his Hall of Fame résumé.
It was great for Kansas City to see their stars like Chris Jones and Travis Kelce stepping up as well. They will have a serious test next week with Buffalo coming to town, but if anyone can handle it, it is this group.
2. Buffalo Bills
Buffalo is now headed to the AFC Championship Game for another high-pressure showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs, with Allen at the center of it all. The Bills leaned on their quarterback to deliver in crunch time all year, and, yet again, he didn’t disappoint.
But more importantly, this team is coming together as a group, with Von Miller stepping up on defense and players like Khalil Shakir stepping up on the outside. Who knows? This could be the year!
1. Philadelphia Eagles
Man, this Eagles team is looking legit. It is hard to argue after how they executed against a fierce Rams defensive front that they are not built to go all the way.
The game plan for the Divisional Round was clear from the opening snap: feed Saquon Barkley. Sirianni dialed up runs that showcased Barkley’s explosive ability, and the decision paid off in a massive way. Barkley gashed the Rams for 205 rushing yards, including touchdown runs of 62 and 78 yards that effectively buried Los Angeles.
If they can maintain that level next week, it is hard to imagine Washington being able to slow them down.
Also Read: Ranking 4 Biggest Upsets In NFL Divisional Round History
