Heading into Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season, several teams are closing in on punching their tickets for the playoffs. This week, the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, and Los Angeles Rams can also clinch playoff spots with wins. In addition, the Patriots can clinch the AFC East division championship with a second win of the 2025 season against the Buffalo Bills. On the other hand, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are looking to find traction as they slide down the standings and could potentially miss the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts have sounded the alarm amid a major quarterback crisis as they try to stay in the playoff race and hold onto the top spot in the AFC South.
#32 Tennessee Titans
Heading into Week 14, the Tennessee Titans were in the lead to earn the 1st-pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. While it would be easy to rationalize losing on purpose to keep that prime draft position, the Titans continue fighting for wins. Last week, Tennessee snapped its extended losing streak by defeating the Cleveland Browns on the road. This week, the Titans face a much bigger challenge when they travel to San Francisco to take on a 49ers team still fighting for a playoff spot.
#31 Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders have struggled to find bright spots during their current seven-game losing streak. Last week, the Raiders pushed their rival, the Denver Broncos, to the edge but came up just short again. This week, the Raiders travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles. While the Eagles are struggling, the Raiders will need to be ready to protect quarterback Geno Smith against the Eagles’ ferocious pass rush.
#30 New York Jets
After defeating the Atlanta Falcons two weeks ago, the New York Jets had a chance to begin building momentum against the Miami Dolphins. However, the Dolphins came to New York motivated to continue their climb back into the playoff picture. The concerning part of the Jets’ loss last week was their inability to establish their running game, even though they have committed themselves to being a heavy run team. This week, the Jets will not get a chance to recover as they travel to face a Jacksonville Jaguars team that is not only a playoff contender but is also fighting for the top spot in the AFC South.
#29 Cleveland Browns
Last week, the Cleveland Browns fell to the Tennessee Titans after making a series of poor decisions while attempting to go for 2-point conversions. If the Browns had kicked a traditional extra point on their last two touchdowns, they would have tied the game and forced overtime. This week, the Browns will face a Chicago Bears team that is looking to bounce back from a close loss, and quarterback Shedeur Sanders gets an opportunity to prove that he has the potential to be the Browns’ quarterback of the future.
#28 Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders’ injury situations continue to get worse every week of the 2025 season. Last week, the Commanders lost tight end Zach Ertz for the rest of the season due to suffering a torn ACL. In addition, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels injured his left elbow once again, and he will be on the sideline this week after being ruled out. While the Commanders are officially eliminated from the playoffs, they have a chance to pick up another division against their rival, the New York Giants.
#27 New York Giants
The New York Giants are coming off a bye week as they work to try to get another win with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. New York faces a beaten and broken Washington Commanders team that had their playoff hopes brought to an end last week. While the Giants are also eliminated from the playoffs, New York appears to be working to finish strong this season. Ultimately, the Giants’ remaining games are outstanding opportunities for Dart to get valuable game experience and develop better chemistry with his offensive weapons.
#26 Arizona Cardinals
This week, it is the Arizona Cardinals’ turn to face the buzzsaw that the Houston Texans’ defense has turned into this season. While the Cardinals are currently riding their second 5-game losing streak of the 2025 NFL season, they have shown the potential to move the ball on offense. Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett is growing into the role of full-time quarterback for Arizona. This week, it will be important for Brissett to get the ball out of his hands and be smart about where he throws it; otherwise, this could be an ugly game for the Cardinals.
#25 New Orleans Saints
While the New Orleans Saints have struggled to find consistency this season, they reminded the NFL last week that they are a dangerous team. The Saints went on the road and upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough had a huge game last week that included two rushing touchdowns including a game winning touchdown. This week, the Saints face the Carolina Panthers as they try to overtake the Buccaneers for the division lead. That is, unless the Saints find a way to upset another contending team in the NFC South by beating the Panthers.
#24 Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a team that just cannot get out of their own way. Last week, the Falcons played well against the Seattle Seahawks in the first half of their game. But in the second half, the Falcons quickly fell apart as the Seahawks surged past them. This week, the Falcons face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road. While Atlanta has struggled for the last several weeks, it has the potential to put together a good enough effort to upset the Buccaneers. The key for the Falcons will be making sure that they take care of their business rather than playing sloppy football.
#23 Cincinnati Bengals
While the Cincinnati Bengals still technically have an outside chance of making the playoffs if they win out and get help, it does not seem likely. Last week, the Bengals did everything that they needed to do despite playing in a snowstorm in Buffalo. That was until the Bengals quarterback threw a pair of interceptions, including one interception for a defensive touchdown. Those mistakes deflated the Bengals’ confidence and belief that they could still win the AFC North. This week, the Bengals face a Ravens team that they upset on Thanksgiving. If the Bengals and quarterback Joe Burrow can put together another outstanding effort, then they can beat the Ravens once again, but they will need to avoid making self-defeating mistakes.
#22 Minnesota Vikings
Last week, the Minnesota Vikings put together a dominating performance against the Washington Commanders. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy had a successful return to lead the Vikings offense. As a result, the Vikings cling to a shred of hope for making the playoffs as a wild-card team. This week, the Vikings face a big challenge on the road against the Dallas Cowboys. Similar to the Vikings, the Cowboys are fighting for a chance to get back into the playoff race. If Minnesota can put together another great game like last week, it could keep its playoff hopes alive for another week.
#21 Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins have officially reignited their hopes for a run to the playoffs by winning their last four games. While Miami has found ways to win even when its back is against the wall, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has continued to struggle with turnovers. This week, the Dolphins face a Steelers team on the road that is fighting to stay at the top of the AFC North. This game will essentially be a playoff game for the Dolphins. If they can keep their win streak going, they can make for a wild ending in the AFC at the end of the season.
#20 Baltimore Ravens
Last week, the Baltimore Ravens missed a big opportunity against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Had the Ravens been able to win last week, they would be in the driver’s seat to win the division. However, the Ravens have a major turnover problem, and it keeps popping up every time they have a chance to turn their season around. This week, the Bengals go on the road to try to avenge their loss to the Bengals a few weeks ago. To get the win, the Ravens will have to play smart football on offense, and Lamar Jackson will need to be willing to use his legs to keep drives alive.
#19 Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff hopes took a big hit last week as Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the next quarterback to be terrorized by the Houston Texans’ defense. For the rest of this season, the Chiefs need to come ready to win if they want to have any chance of making the playoffs. This week, the Chiefs will need to step up their execution as they face a Los Angeles Chargers team that has thrived on being resourceful in difficult situations.
#18 Carolina Panthers
In the Panthers’ last two games, their defense has been elite at forcing turnovers. Those turnovers allowed the Panthers to upset the Los Angeles Rams two weeks ago. This week, the Panthers are coming off a bye week, and they have a chance to take over the division if they can continue to be opportunistic against a dangerous New Orleans Saints team that upset the Buccaneers last week.
#17 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to win this week on Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons. When the Buccaneers lost last week to the New Orleans Saints, they allowed the Carolina Panthers to pull even with them at the top of the NFC South. This week, the Buccaneers face a Falcons team that has been inconsistent on offense but dangerous on defense. While Tampa Bay should be confident against the Falcons, losing to the Saints showed that the Buccaneers are only a few bad plays away from losing to anybody in the NFL.
#16 Indianapolis Colts
In just a few weeks, the Indianapolis Colts have gone from being the favorites to win the AFC South to now facing a full-blown quarterback crisis. Last week, the Colts’ biggest loss was not losing to Jacksonville, but losing quarterback Daniel Jones for the rest of the season due to a torn Achilles tendon. It also did not help that their only remaining quarterback, Riley Leonard, suffered a knee injury in the game. Those injuries led to a shocking move by the Colts when head coach Shane Steichen called in some favors from retired quarterback Phillip Rivers. It is increasingly likely that Rivers will return to the field for the Colts after spending the last five years in retirement.
#15 Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers successfully reclaimed sole possession of the top spot in the AFC North by defeating the Baltimore Ravens on the road last week. A big part of the Steelers’ success was quarterback Aaron Rodgers putting together his best of the 2025 season so far. This week, Pittsburgh goes head-to-head with a Dolphins team that is attempting to surge back into playoff contention. However, the Steelers need a win this week just as much as the Dolphins, which should make for an intense game between playoff hopefuls.
#14 Dallas Cowboys
For a few weeks, it looked like the Dallas Cowboys were going to ride a big wave of momentum right past the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East. That was until the Detroit Lions put on an offensive clinic against a Cowboys defense that had shown significant improvement the last few weeks. However, the Cowboys caught a big break when the Eagles lost in overtime to the Chargers. This week, the Cowboys have a chance to get back on track and push past the Eagles in the standings as they face a Minnesota Vikings team that tends to come up short against good teams.
#13 Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are having major identity issues on offense. Since 2022, the Eagles have built their reputation on playing physical bully-ball while taking shots with play-action passes. Lately, the Eagles appear to be trying to transition into being a pass-heavy team to appease their frustrated wide receivers. Unfortunately, when the Eagles abandon the run, they tend to make a lot of mistakes, as Jalen Hurts did with four interceptions last week. This week, the Eagles should have a good chance to overcome their continuity issues on offense when they host the Las Vegas Raiders.
#12 Detroit Lions
Last week, the Detroit Lions were able to snap themselves out of a tailspin by producing an explosion of offense against the Dallas Cowboys. The key for the Lions will be to build on last week’s success and start stacking wins before they find themselves out of reach of a playoff spot. That will not be easy this week, as the Lions travel to face the Los Angeles Rams. The best bet for the Lions to pull off an upset is to force the Rams to turn the ball over; otherwise, Detroit may find itself chasing an accelerating Rams offense.
#11 Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers overcame a disastrous offensive performance against the Eagles by forcing Philadelphia to turn the ball over five times. Winning games with an anemic offense and relying on their defense to hand them a victory is not a formula for sustained success. This week, the Chargers will travel to chilly Arrowhead Stadium to face a Chiefs team fighting for its playoff lives. To beat the Chiefs, the Chargers’ offense will need to be more efficient, and the defense will need to continue forcing turnovers.
#10 Jacksonville Jaguars
After experiencing a slow start to the season due to numerous turnovers, the Jacksonville Jaguars are a team on the rise. Last week, the Jaguars dominated the Indianapolis Colts to take control of the AFC South. Now the Jaguars need to build on their current four-game winning streak so they can create space between themselves and the Colts and stay ahead of a Texans team that has been dominant defensively. Jacksonville should be able to pick up another win against a struggling Jets team, but the Jaguars and quarterback Trevor Lawrence need to focus on not turning the ball over.
#9 San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a team that is built on a firm foundation of fundamentally sound play on offense and defense. Kyle Shanahan’s focus on playing sound football on both sides of the ball has allowed the 49ers to keep winning even when many of their best players were sidelined by injury. Currently, the 49ers are riding a three-game win streak and are getting healthy at the right time of year to make a big push towards a successful postseason run. This week, the 49ers need to keep playing good football as they face a Titans team that can be dangerous if given the chance.
#8 Houston Texans
Each week of the 2025 NFL season, the Houston Texans’ defense has continued to improve. That strong defense has allowed the Texans to pull themselves back into the playoff picture. Despite their recent success, the Texans still trail the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South standings. The Texans’ best bet to make the playoffs is to keep winning, and that will likely be due to their elite defense. This week, the Texans will host a Cardinals team that has been productive on offense but has been unable to turn that productivity into wins.
#7 Chicago Bears
Last week, the Chicago Bears were brought back to reality against the Green Bay Packers, narrowly losing the first of two games for control of the NFC North. For the Bears to remain a threat to win their division, they must continue to focus on a balanced offense. In addition, the Bears’ defense is far from elite, but when they force turnovers, they give themselves a chance to overcome their weaknesses. This week, the Bears face a Cleveland Browns team that suffered a bad loss to the Tennessee Titans. It will be important for the Bears’ offensive line to protect quarterback Caleb Williams from Myles Garrett as he tries to break the record for most sacks in a season.
#6 Buffalo Bills
Last week, the Buffalo Bills had to fight to the last minute to pick up a big home win against the Cincinnati Bengals. That win was a product of the joint effort between Josh Allen, James Cook, and an opportunistic Bills defense that found a way to put their own points on the board last week against Cincinnati. This week, the Bills will have to face the New England Patriots on the road. Earlier this season, the Bills looked like a slam-dunk Super Bowl contender until they were upset by the Patriots. Since then, the Bills have struggled to maintain consistency while the Patriots have put together ten straight wins.
#5 Green Bay Packers
Last week, the Green Bay Packers put themselves in a prime position to control their own destiny to win a division championship. Green Bay excelled in the red zone last week against the Bears’ defense. But ultimately, the Packers sealed their win against the Bears by intercepting a Caleb Williams pass in the end zone. For the Packers to maximize their small lead over the Bears in the standings, they need to keep winning games. That will be a challenge this week as the Packers go on the road to face a strong Denver Broncos defense that has led Denver to a 10-game winning streak.
#4 Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks find themselves in a tightly contested race for control over the NFC West against the Los Angeles Rams. For the last several weeks, the Seahawks have continued to win games since losing to the Rams by two points. Currently, the Seahawks are riding a 3-game winning streak. This week, the Seahawks face an Indianapolis Colts team that will most likely start 44-year-old Phillip Rivers at quarterback. Up to this point in the season, the Seahawks’ pass rush has been a dominant force, and if the Colts do not protect Rivers, it could be a short-lived comeback for a quarterback coming out of retirement after five years.
#3 New England Patriots
This week is a big milestone for the New England Patriots as they continue to ride the momentum of their resurgence as a championship contender. So far this season, the Patriots are tied with the Denver Broncos for the best record in the NFL. Earlier this season, the Patriots gave themselves a big boost in confidence by upsetting the Buffalo Bills and taking control of the AFC East for the first time in four seasons. This week, the Patriots face the Bills once again, and if they win, they will clinch their first AFC East division championship since Bill Belichick was the coach in Foxboro. If the Patriots come up short and allow the Bills to return the favor by upsetting them on their home field, New England could find itself in the midst of a wild ride to the finish line.
#2 Los Angeles Rams
Last week, the Los Angeles Rams got back on track after their long win streak was snapped by the Carolina Panthers two weeks ago. This week, the Rams look to continue rebuilding the momentum they started to rekindle by blowing out the Arizona Cardinals last week. This week, the Rams will need to be ready to play their best football against a Lions team that is desperate for wins. This game also features the intertwined relationships among the Lions, the Rams, Matthew Stafford, and Jared Goff.
#1 Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos have matched the New England Patriots every step of the way in the battle for the #1 seed in the AFC. Denver’s success has been built on a foundation of having one of the best defensive units in the NFL. Offensively, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix has managed games well, although the Broncos’ offense has been far from explosive. This week, the Broncos face a big test as they host the Green Bay Packers, and if they win, they may have the clearest path to taking the top spot in the AFC and earning a first-round bye in the playoffs.
