The New England Patriots entered the 2017 season as the top team on each power ranking list. Now that the regular season is over, the Patriots finished as the top-ranked team in the league.
NFL power rankings 2018: Tracking where teams are entering the playoffs
The Patriots are the top-ranked team heading into the playoffs.
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
But teams like the Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, and Philadelphia Eagles have all exceeded expectations this season. These six aforementioned squads are in the playoffs, and any of them could end up playing in Super Bowl 52.
The Steelers, Vikings, Saints, and Rams were all ranked in the top five on ESPN’s power rankings list. These four teams won their respective division crowns and will look to go on a run in the postseason. Philadelphia dropped out of the top five and is penciled in at No. 6. The Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, and Kansas City Chiefs all finished in the top 10.
CBS’s power rankings are similar to ESPN’s. But the Rams and Vikings moved up two spots since last week. The Eagles slipped out of the top five on NFL.com’s power rankings list, but the Chiefs climbed up to No. 6. And the Falcons are back in the top 10.
SB Nation released its final Hope Rankings for the regular season, and the Patriots are the top team on that list. This isn’t your normal power rankings. Instead, this list gives you an idea of which team has the most hope.
The Cleveland Browns is the first team since the 2008 Detroit Lions to have a winless season. Cleveland fans, this horrible season is finally over. Now erase 2017 from your memory, and get ready for 2018. You can expect the Browns brass to do the same.
Power rankings heading into the playoffs
Rank | ESPN | Yahoo! | NFL.com | CBS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New England Patriots | New England Patriots | New England Patriots | |
| 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Minnesota Vikings | Pittsburgh Steelers | |
| 3 | Minnesota Vikings | Pittsburgh Steelers | Philadelphia Eagles | |
| 4 | New Orleans Saints | Los Angeles Rams | Minnesota Vikings | |
| 5 | Los Angeles Rams | New Orleans Saints | Los Angeles Rams | |
| 6 | Philadelphia Eagles | Kansas City Chiefs | New Orleans Saints | |
| 7 | Carolina Panthers | Philadelphia Eagles | Carolina Panthers | |
| 8 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Carolina Panthers | Jacksonville Jaguars | |
| 9 | Atlanta Falcons | Atlanta Falcons | Kansas City Chiefs | |
| 10 | Kansas City Chiefs | Jacksonville Jaguars | Atlanta Falcons | |
| 11 | Los Angeles Chargers | Los Angeles Chargers | Buffalo Bills | |
| 12 | Tennessee Titans | Buffalo Bills | Tennessee Titans | |
| 13 | Seattle Seahawks | San Francisco 49ers | Baltimore Ravens | |
| 14 | Buffalo Bills | Seattle Seahawks | Seattle Seahawks | |
| 15 | San Francisco 49ers | Detroit Lions | Dallas Cowboys | |
| 16 | Baltimore Ravens | Tennessee Titans | Los Angeles Chargers | |
| 17 | Dallas Cowboys | Baltimore Ravens | Detroit Lions | |
| 18 | Detroit Lions | Dallas Cowboys | Arizona Cardinals | |
| 19 | Green Bay Packers | Arizona Cardinals | Green Bay Packers | |
| 20 | Washington | Cincinnati Bengals | Cincinnati Bengals | |
| 21 | Arizona Cardinals | Washington | Oakland Raiders | |
| 22 | Oakland Raiders | Oakland Raiders | Washington | |
| 23 | Cincinnati Bengals | Green Bay Packers | San Francisco 49ers | |
| 24 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Miami Dolphins | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | |
| 25 | Miami Dolphins | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Denver Broncos | |
| 26 | New York Jets | Chicago Bears | Miami Dolphins | |
| 27 | Houston Texans | Denver Broncos | Chicago Bears | |
| 28 | Chicago Bears | New York Jets | New York Jets | |
| 29 | Denver Broncos | Indianapolis Colts | New York Giants | |
| 30 | Indianapolis Colts | New York Giants | Indianapolis Colts | |
| 31 | New York Giants | Houston Texans | Houston Texans | |
| 32 | Cleveland Browns | Cleveland Browns | Cleveland Browns |
The Vikings might be doomed by a Super Bowl curse
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