Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press
1. Green Bay Packers (13-3)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)
Buffalo Bills (13-3)
4. New Orleans Saints (12-4)
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)
Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
7. Cleveland Browns (11-5)
8. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
* Rankings based on the author’s opinion
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers did not play on the Wild Card Weekend, so we have less data to analyze than the rest of the teams on this list.
But it goes without saying that despite the Cleveland Browns dropping 40-plus on the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle rival Seattle defeated the Seahawks without speaking a healthy quarter, an entire season’s work for more than one match speaks. … even if it’s a very important game.
Until we see anything that makes us believe otherwise, the Packers and Chiefs will remain at the top of the NFL rankings, in the eight-team division round.
Aaron Rodgers has been here many times, and he has one of the best arsenal of weapons he has ever had in the playoffs; The wide Davante Adams tipped all the receivers by 18 strikes, while Aaron Jones was on the leaderboard with fourth place among his ranking group with 11. The finisher Robert Tonyan, who came out of nowhere this year, also had 11 trips at the end zone of its own for the Packers.
Patrick Mahomes has not been here that often yet, but he has made the best of his travels and is the reigning Super Bowl MVP. The Wards Chiefs, Tyreek Hill, was second among his position group in attack, with 17, and tighthead Travis Kelce agrees with Tonyan’s total of 11.
The Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens did not dominate their opponents on Wild Card Weekend, but they did the job.
Do the Cleveland Browns deserve to be higher on this list after embarrassing the Steelers Sunday night? Possibly, but Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland offense got a tremendous amount of help through incredible unexpected defensive play. The Browns may surprise us all this post-season, but they play a momentum kill against the Chiefs in the division round.
The Rams were certainly nothing to sneeze at as they defeated the Seahawks 30-20, but key players at almost every major position suffered injuries, including Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp, and their quarterback situation remains in check as Jared Goff and John Wolford stays daily. Someone has to come last in the list; This does not mean that the team that boasts the league’s number 1 defense can no longer inflict damage in this playoff game.