1. Seahawks (last week No. 3; 12-3): Sam Darnold delivered. He may have to do it again in Week 18 for the division title and the No. 1 seed. (Just like last year.)
2. Jaguars (No. 6; 11-4): “Smaller markets” have big dreams, too.
3. Bills (No. 4; 11-4): They played with the Browns the way Randy plays with his meatloaf.
4. Patriots (No. 5; 12-3): The loss to Buffalo was a wake-up call.
5. Broncos (No. 1; 12-3): If they have a playoff rematch with Jacksonville, at least it’ll be seen by more than a sliver of the country.
6. Rams (No. 2; 11-4): A change in special-teams coordinators may have been overdue.
7. Bears (No. 7; 11-4): It’s the most interesting Bears team since ’85.
8. Texans (No. 8; 10-5): They’re good enough to sleepwalk to a win. (It helps that they were playing the Raiders.)
9. 49ers (No. 9; 11-4): Two more wins to the No. 1 seed.
10. Chargers (No. 11; 11-4): Justin Herbert is playing better than ever.
11. Eagles (No. 12; 10-5): Jake Elliott needs to get over the yips.
12. Packers (No. 10; 9-5-1): Aaron Rodgers gave his old team a boost by beating the Lions.
13. Steelers (No. 14; 9-6): They’re fortunate DK Metcalf will be back for the playoffs, assuming they qualify without him.
14. Panthers (No. 16; 8-7): Could the Rams be coming back to Charlotte for a wild-card rematch?
15. Lions (No. 13; 8-7): After they blew a 17-point lead in the 2023 NFC Championship, coach Dan Campbell said this may have been their only shot. He may have been right.
16. Vikings (No. 18; 7-8): If they spoil things for the Lions, they won’t get a chance to play spoiler against the Packers.
17. Ravens (No. 15; 7-8): It feels like fairly big changes could be coming in Baltimore.
18. Colts (No. 17; 8-7): They deserve credit for not giving up when they lost Daniel Jones.
19. Cowboys (No. 19; 6-8-1): Thirty years with no NFC Championship appearances. And counting.
20. Buccaneers (No. 20; 7-8): They’ve gone from championship contender to ordinary at best.
21. Falcons (No. 22; 6-9): Kirk Cousins is gonna get paid again.
22. Chiefs (No. 21; 6-9): Like the Kansas Grinch who is stealing the team, the operative color is green.
23. Saints (No. 24; 5-10): The Saints could be a very interesting team next season.
24. Dolphins (No. 23; 6-9): Zach Wilson is even more frustrated and disappointed.
25. Bengals (No. 25; 5-10): Happy days are here again. And, with the Cardinals and Browns up next, possibly through the end of the season.
26. Titans (No. 27; 3-12): Cam Ward rising.
27. Commanders (No. 26; 4-11): All I want for Christmas is to not have to watch Cowboys-Commanders.
28. Browns (No. 28; 3-12): Shedeur Sanders keeps earning a shot to compete for the starting job next year.
29. Jets (No. 29; 3-12): Things will get better. One of these days. Statistically, they have to. Right?
30. Cardinals (No. 30; 3-12): If Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon stay, their futures will hinge on their first real quarterback decision.
31. Giants (No. 31; 2-13): Some assume there won’t be a G.M. change. Others wonder why there wouldn’t be.
32. Raiders (No. 32; 2-13): Put Tom Brady in.
