Here are my power rankings for Week 18 of the NFL season.
1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3 record, No. 1 ranking last week)
This week we’ll make predictions for calendar 2026 for each team. For example …
I predict that if they lose to the 49ers in Week 18, their fans will be a bit more pissed off about how insane it is that they have to go on the road in the wild-card round than when Marshawn Lynch Beast-quaked a 7-9 team past the Saints at home.
FIX THE STUPID RULE.
2. New England Patriots (13-3, No. 3)
I predict they won’t quite be ready to win a Super Bowl but they’ll be in about the same spot this time next year and might be ready by then. And Drake Maye will be MVP. Which still doesn’t feel right.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4, No. 4)
I predict we’re going to actually know something about the Jacksonville Jaguars!
4. San Francisco 49ers (12-4, No. 9)
I predict they’re going to beat the Seahawks but lose to the Rams in the NFC championship game because at some point it has to matter that you have 87 guys on IR.
5. Houston Texans (11-5, No. 7)
I predict they won’t play in the 4:30 game to open wild-card weekend and we will all be really confused.
6. Denver Broncos (13-3, No. 10)
I predict that if they play the Ravens in the divisional round, they won’t let a receiver get behind them in the final minute.
7. Chicago Bears (11-5, No. 5)
I predict a home loss to the Rams in the divisional round and some key defensive upgrades in the offseason make them a major Super Bowl contender in 2026.
8. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5, No. 11)
I predict a home loss to the Rams in the wild-card round. Perhaps because Tom Brady stole their youth as part of his insane Evil Supervillain Anti-Aging scheme …
9. Buffalo Bills (11-5, No. 2)
As unlikely as it feels at the moment, I predict this is finally the year. Honestly.
10. Los Angeles Rams (11-5, No. 6)
As bad as it seems at the moment, I predict they win three straight road playoff games and win the NFC.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5, No. 8)
If Tyler Linderbaum becomes a free agent, they spend the gross national product of Yemen to sign him.
12. Baltimore Ravens (8-8, No. 16)
For however many games are remaining, Derrick Henry gets at least 25 carries in all of them.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7, No. 12)
They at least explore trading Mike Tomlin to the Giants.
14. Green Bay Packers (9-6-1, No. 13)
With Micah Parsons back, they’re ready to be the team next year that they could have been this year.
15. Carolina Panthers (8-8, No. 14)
This guy makes this face again because they lose to the Buccaneers.
And the Falcons have a late lead against the Saints but blow it, preventing them from backdooring their way in.
16. Minnesota Vikings (8-8, No. 17)
They offer everything but Justin Jefferson for Joe Burrow. If the Bengals had a need for Jefferson, maybe him too.
17. Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1, No. 19)
They’re mediocre. For some insane reason, we spend an unreasonable amount of time talking about them anyway.
18. Atlanta Falcons (7-9, No. 22)
For some reason and with a bit of cost, I see Mac Jones wearing a Falcons uniform.
19. Detroit Lions (8-8, No. 15)
He’s not allowed with 1,000 yards of Ford Field.
20. Indianapolis Colts (8-8, No. 18)
Daniel Jones comes back but is a little more like the Daniel Jones we knew before than the Daniel Jones we met this year.
21. New Orleans Saints (6-10, No. 21)
They win the 2026 NFC South … shocking the world by winning 10 games.
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9, No. 20)
They beat the Panthers, survive a scare from the Falcons against the Saints and damn near beat Seahawks. Then they go through all of this again next year, winning eight or nine games. The circle is unbroken.
23. Cincinnati Bengals (6-10, No. 23)
They ultimately don’t trade Burrow. They explore trading Tee Higgins in hopes of improving their defense. The defense dooms them again. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
24. Miami Dolphins (7-9, No. 24)
Malik Willis bridges them to the 2027 draft.
25. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10, No. 25)
Isaiah Likely finishes with 937 yards and six touchdowns.
26. Cleveland Browns (4-12, No. 30)
At some point in the next month, a prominent national reporter suggests they are considering replacing Kevin Stefanski with Deion Sanders and we get a truly exceptional two days worth of hot takes before it is shot down.
27. Tennessee Titans (3-13, No. 26)
They’re dramatically better. I’ll say seven wins and they flirt with contention around Thanksgiving.
28. Washington Commanders (4-12, No. 27)
They get aggressive to move up for either Rueben Bain or Arvell Reese and combined with Jayden Daniels being back, they’re legitimately right back in the mix.
29. New York Giants (3-13, No. 31)
If they’re not able to land Tomlin, Towson alum Grant Udinski is legitimately in the conversation for the job.
30. New York Jets (3-13, No. 28)
They stunningly don’t draft a quarterback, committing instead to Kyler Murray. Or if they can’t afford him, Tua Tagovailoa.
31. Arizona Cardinals (3-13, No. 29)
They’re the one organization that actually considers Bill Belichick.
32. Las Vegas Raiders (2-14, No. 32)
Fernando Mendoza is a good enough human to survive Las Vegas but isn’t a good enough quarterback to survive the Raiders.
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