It’s officially time for the football playoffs. The 2024 NFL the regular season is over and the playoff picture is finalized, with six first-round games scheduled for Wild Card Weekend.
How exactly do the 14 playoff teams stack up? Here’s how we would classify them going into the dance:
Save: 10-7 | Points differential: +33 (12th)
Under Mike Tomlin, they are always liable to spoil a game, and TJ Watt off the edge remains a problem. That of Russell Wilson However, the mid-season restart now appears to be a thing of the past, and you can’t expect to win in January if you can’t move the ball. This has been the story of Pittsburgh for years now.
Save: 10-7 | Points differential: 0 (15th)
There was a time when CJ Stroud was a feared gunslinger. It was a year ago. With a broken line and receiving corps, he had to rely much more on an effective ground game and defense. The moment shouldn’t be too big for them, but they’ve been more sloppy than spectacular all season.
Save: 10-7 | Points differential: +114 (6th)
Bo Nix still doesn’t get enough national credit for the cool dual presence he brought to Mile High, and their top-three defense can make up for most of the mistakes in Sean Payton’s offense. Their problem is that they are maybe a year ahead and struggling to outlast the real heavyweights with more dynamic lineups.
Save: 11-6 | Points differential: +101 (7th)
Justin Herbert finally feels comfortable in Jim Harbaugh’s disciplined setup, which prioritizes ball control and solid defense. The Bolts have given up just 17.7 points per game, best in the NFL. If not Ladd McConkey However, in the air, does Herbert have the weapons to make a deep run?
Save: 10-7 | Points differential: -19 (16th)
No matter where you classify them, you’re bound to be wrong. Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay reached the mountaintop recently, and the former’s powerful connection with Puka Nacua is almost unstoppable. They were also incredibly sequenced with the ball in their hands.
Save: 10-7 | Points differential: +117 (5th)
The Todd Bowles era has generally been defined by scrappy, if not so special, teams with tenacious defenses. Under new offensive coordinator Liam Coen, they overcame a terrible ‘D’ with fireworks, relying on a tantalizing mix of the two. Bucky Irving electricity and Mayfield Baker the will.
Save: 11-6 | Points differential: +122 (4th)
When he’s on his game, Jordan Love I can compress it with the best of them, and a bruise Josh Jacobs helps balance Matt LaFleur’s proven offense. Missing Jaire Alexandre in the secondary has left the other team quite vulnerable, however, and Love is now dealing with his third notable injury of the season.
Save: 12-5 | Points differential: +94 (9th)
How far can a rookie quarterback go? Jayden Daniels is even more electric than Stroud was in 2023, with snappy throws and super scrambling speed, but Washington is banking almost exclusively on its athleticism, given its otherwise slow backfield and mediocre defense led by Dan Quinn.
Save: 14-3 | Points differential: +100 (8th)
How much do you weigh their nine-game winning streak against their lackluster Week 18 fight for the NFC top seed? If Sam Darnold gets decent protection, he’s proven capable of throwing MVP-level darts for Kevin O’Connell. If he and Brian Flores’ scrappy “D” are put in a hole, however, they’re not as scary.
Save: 13-4 | Points differential: +157 (T-3rd)
They failed to defeat repeated forces like Chefs in the AFC, and they are sometimes heavily dependent on Josh Allen playing Superman alongside a rotating cast of characters. But Allen is a one-man wrecking crew, and James Cook sliding speed is also underrated out of the backfield.
Save: 14-3 | Points differential: +160 (2nd)
They were their own worst enemy at times, with Nick Sirianni’s temperament and situational coaching daring to overshadow an all-star lineup. If Jalen hurts is healthy, however, he has A-plus weapons in Saquon Barkley, AJ Brownetc. And Vic Fangio’s “D” plays with a physical edge.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
Save: 15-2 | Points differential: +59 (10th)
In search of a historic treble, the reigning champions do not seem to be a sustainable operation for almost two consecutive years. But it’s because Patrick Mahomes is an inevitable phenomenon when crunch time comes, and Andy Reid and Steve Spagnuolo are both excellent decision-makers in the heat of the moment.
Save: 12-5 | Points differential: +157 (T-3rd)
They have the NFL’s most dangerous home run threat under center Lamar Jacksonplus a giant ball carrier in Derrick Henri. Add in an improved defense, a coach who has been there, done that, and the motivation to overcome obstacles during the Jackson era, and they register as true title contenders.
Save: 15-2 | Points differential: +222 (1st)
In 2023, Dan Campbell’s group was the NFL’s darling underdog turned contender. In 2024, they’re just a powerhouse, making fourth-down conversions seem routine with accurate point guard of Jared Goffhome run sprints Jahmyr Gibbs and timely physicality thanks to a makeshift defense under Aaron Glenn. They have a world-class line and weaponry, but best of all, they never give up.