- The Bills win the battle of the heavyweights: A 28-21 win against the Chiefs on Sunday afternoon puts the Bills in an excellent position.
- Crucial victories for the Jaguars, Chargers: Two teams in the thick of the AFC wild-card race earned big wins.
- Unlock your edge with PFF+: Access Premium Stats, dominate fantasy with in-season tools and projections and make smarter bets with the new PFF Player Prop Tool.
Estimated Reading Time: 26 minutes
The power rankings below provide clear tiers on each NFL team's market assessment, offering a comprehensive view of team standings and future prospects. All of the information below and more can be found in PFF’s power rankings tool, which is available with a PFF+ subscription.
It’s important to note that these rankings consider more than just win-loss records and playoff seeding. Factors like player and team-level grades, offensive and defensive efficiency, prior performance from past seasons, and strength of schedule all play a role. This is why teams with worse records and slimmer playoff hopes may rank higher than those with better records who have managed wins against weaker opponents or delivered inconsistent performances from key players.
1. Buffalo Bills (Up 3)
Chance of making playoffs: 97%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 16%
The Bills looked the part in a heavyweight fight against the Chiefs on Sunday, defeating their rivals 28-21 to move to 6-2 on the season. The offense appeared as competent as ever, rolling to 404 yards and scoring four touchdowns in the win. Buffalo’s running game was efficient, and the team also created explosives in the passing game. On the defensive side of the ball — where there have been some questions — the Bills stopped a Chiefs offense that has played incredible football in recent weeks. A huge scalp.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 76%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 9%
Patrick Mahomes (58.7 grade vs. Buffalo) had one of the least efficient passing games of his career, completing 15-of-34 pass attempts for 250 yards and an interception against the Bills on Sunday afternoon, as the Chiefs were downed 28-21 at Highmark Stadium. The defense struggled to slow down a Bills offense that averaged 6.3 yards per play, as Buffalo once again got the edge in the regular season. The Chiefs now sit at 5-4, and their grip on a 10th straight AFC West title is in peril.
3. Los Angeles Rams (Up 2)
Chance of making playoffs: 86%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 9%
In their last three games, the Rams have a +66 point differential and are absolutely tearing through anyone in their path. The Saints presented themselves as victims this week, and the Rams took care of business, putting the game out of sight before halftime. Matthew Stafford (91.7 grade; 2nd) threw four touchdown passes in the game and now has 21 on the year, the most among quarterbacks. It’s not just the offense that sits fifth in EPA per play that’s rolling. The defense is a top-two unit in EPA per play allowed.
4. Green Bay Packers (Down 2)
Chance of making playoffs: 80%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 8%
At some point, questions will have to be asked over the Packers' validity as real contenders. Their 5-2-1 record is as good as any in the NFL, but the Packers have continuously failed to ease concerns against inferior opponents, losing 16-13 at home to the Panthers in Week 9. The defense has held up its end of the bargain in close games, ranking 13th in EPA per play allowed. However, Jordan Love (61.5 grade) and the offense seem to run out of steam. And without tight end Tucker Kraft (78.1 grade; 6th) — who has arguably been the most important skill player on the team in 2025 but is now out for the season — this offense could appear a lot different down the stretch.
5. Baltimore Ravens (Up 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 61%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 6%
The Ravens were handed an excellent runway for the return of Lamar Jackson against a struggling Miami Dolphins team teetering on the edge of real implosion with the trade deadline looming. Jackson waltzed back into the lineup, tossing four touchdowns on an 87.8 overall PFF grade, as the Ravens cruised to a 28-6 win and registered a season-high 0.366 EPA per passing play. The Ravens are now 3-5 and officially enter the playoff bubble, strengthening their defense ahead of the deadline by trading a conditional 2026 fifth-round pick to the Titans for edge defender Dre’Mont Jones (64.5 grade; 63rd).
6. Detroit Lions (Down 3)
Chance of making playoffs: 69%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 5%
It looked as if everything was going to be business as usual for the Lions when they scored on their first possession of the day, but the Vikings caused the upset, winning 27-24 on the road to leave the Lions at 5-3 in an increasingly tight NFC North. The Lions’ offense, which sits 10th in EPA per play, wasn’t at its best, averaging just 3.2 yards per carry against a Vikings defense that looked rejuvenated. This might be one of the worst performances we’ll see from the Detroit rushing attack in some time.
7. Philadelphia Eagles (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: 94%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 7%
The Week 9 bye may have just come at the wrong time for an Eagles team that was beginning to build a head of steam on offense for the first time this year. The Eagles were second in offensive EPA per play in their last two games, and Jalen Hurts’ 89.5 overall PFF grade was second among quarterbacks. The defense got a little stronger this week, with the Eagles trading a 2026 third-round pick to the Dolphins for edge defender Jaelan Phillips. The Super Bowl champions return to action in Week 10 with a tough trip to Lambeau Field to take on the 5-2-1 Green Bay Packers.
8. Denver Broncos (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: 89%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 7%
It was the Broncos who stood tall in the battle of two teams with great defenses and middling offenses, defeating the Texans 18-15. Bo Nix (71.4 grade; 20th) and the offense sputtered before coming alive in the fourth quarter, and rookie running back RJ Harvey (68.9 grade; 26th) now has five touchdowns in his last three games. When all else fails, the defense remains one of the league’s best, and the Broncos are now 7-2.
9. Seattle Seahawks (Up 2)
Chance of making playoffs: 78%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 4%
Good lord, what a performance by the Seahawks on Sunday night, who defeated the Commanders 38-14. The Seahawks were cruising by halftime, leading 31-7 after yet another near-perfect passing performance from Sam Darnold, who compiled a 92.6 grade in the win. The Seahawks are now 6-2 and are starting to put the rest of the NFL on notice.
10. Los Angeles Chargers (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 73%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 4%
The Chargers avoided an upset on the road against a Titans team that has been on the receiving end of multiple beatdowns in 2025, winning 27-20. It was a slow start by the Chargers, with Justin Herbert throwing a pick-six early on before the Titans returned a punt for a touchdown, but the offense fought back and put the game to bed in the fourth quarter. The victory boosted Los Angeles’ record to 6-3, staying within reach of the Broncos. If there’s one concern around this Chargers team, it’s the performance of the defense, a unit that ranks 12th in EPA per play allowed.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Up 2)
Chance of making playoffs: 88%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 4%
The Buccaneers were on a bye week in Week 9, creating the perfect window for the injury-affected team to get just a little bit healthier. Running back Bucky Irving (60.1 grade; 44th), who’s missed the last four games with foot and shoulder issues, will hopefully return to the lineup, while edge defender Haason Reddick (58.9 grade; 79th) and receiver Chris Godwin (56.8 grade) could also be nearing comebacks. The Buccaneers are safe atop the NFC South at 6-2 and have a 88% chance of making the playoffs. However, the opportunity to build some momentum as a healthy team over the next few weeks will go a long way.
12. Indianapolis Colts (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: 82%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 4%
This is the first real bump in the road for the Colts in 2025. The Week 4 loss against the Rams obviously exists, but the Colts were undone by a couple of mental mishaps in that defeat. The 27-20 outcome against the Steelers in Week 9 is the first real sign of adversity: Indianapolis turned the ball over six times, while the offensive line fell flat against a strong Steelers defensive front. Daniel Jones’ 53.1 overall PFF grade was his worst of the season. Can the Colts bounce back against the Falcons in Week 10?
13. Minnesota Vikings (Up 2)
Chance of making playoffs: 26%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%
The picture with J.J. McCarthy under center for the Vikings was murky heading into Week 9. McCarthy had barely played a lick of football in 2025 and was entering the fray behind a banged-up offensive line. Instead, the Vikings pulled off the upset on the road, defeating a very good Lions team 27-24 as McCarthy scored three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) and registered a 63.5 overall PFF grade. McCarthy wasn’t perfect and leaned on the defense, as well as the performance of Justin Jefferson (81.4 grade; 13th), but he showed that there’s something in there. And that’s enough.
14. San Francisco 49ers (Up 3)
Chance of making playoffs: 84%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 4%
The 49ers keep rolling with Brock Purdy still sidelined, defeating the Giants 34-24 to keep pace at the top of the NFC West. The offense leaned on Christian McCaffrey (74.8 grade; 10th), who carried the ball 28 times for 106 yards and a touchdown, while adding five receptions for 67 yards and a score. The bad news for the team is losing Mykel Williams to a torn ACL on the dreaded MetLife Stadium turf. Williams has impressed in his rookie season and can bounce back in Year 2.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (Up 2)
Chance of making playoffs: 53%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 2%
Okay, Pittsburgh Steelers, this one came as a surprise. Not that the Steelers haven’t impressed in spells, but they haven’t always looked all of the way buttoned up, and the Colts had been flying. But, this was convincing. The Steelers’ defense pressured Daniel Jones on 28.6% of his dropbacks, sacked him five times and forced six turnovers. The Steelers are now 5-3, but still have just a 53% chance of making the playoffs.
16. New England Patriots (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: 85%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 3%
The Patriots rode their luck against the Falcons, turning the ball over twice, as the Falcons missed an extra point that would have tied the game late in the fourth quarter. Aside from the 7-2 record — the Patriots’ best through nine games since 2019 — the positives include the continued play of Drake Maye (84.5 grade; 6th), who remains an MVP candidate in his second season, as well as a strong performance for rookie TreVeyon Henderson (61.6 grade) — who totaled 87 yards in the win. The Patriots face the Buccaneers in Week 10, the first time they’ll have battled a team with a winning record since beating the Bills in Week 5.
17. Chicago Bears (Up 3)
Chance of making playoffs: 34%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%
What a wild win for the Bears. They almost threw the game away late in the fourth quarter after leading 41-27, with the Bengals pulling the game back to 42-41 with less than a minute to go. However, a huge Colston Loveland touchdown, to cap off the best game of the young tight end's career (71.8 grade; 15th), stole it for Chicago. Somehow, the Bears are 5-3 but now have the toughest remaining schedule.
18. Jacksonville Jaguars (Up 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 56%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 2%
The Jacksonville Jaguars don’t exist to be understood. They exist to confuse, dumbfound and bewilder. And, at 5-3, they currently exist to be a nuisance in the playoff picture. The Jaguars defeated the Raiders 30-29 in overtime in a game that didn’t really kick into life until the fourth quarter, with Trevor Lawrence rushing for two touchdowns in the game on a 75.3 overall PFF grade. It hasn’t been pretty, but these are moments in the past where the Jaguars would have succumbed to the pressure of the moment. With Travis Hunter out for at least the next three games, the Jaguars have opted to improve an offense that has the most drops in the NFL, trading fourth- and sixth round picks for Raiders wideout Jakobi Meyers — he has the third-lowest drop-rate in the NFL over the last two seasons.
19. Houston Texans (Down 2)
Chance of making playoffs: 26%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: 2%
The Texans might have been on course for a Week 9 victory had C.J. Stroud not been knocked out of the game with a concussion after a late hit from Broncos corner Kris Abrams-Draine. Although backup Davis Mills played admirably, generating a 43.2 overall PFF grade, he couldn’t help lift the offense against one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Texans are 3-5 and already trending in the wrong direction, despite being first in EPA per play allowed. If Stroud is to miss any time, it could end the Texans' season.
20. Atlanta Falcons (Up 3)
Chance of making playoffs: 12%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
What’s left to say about the Falcons? A spirited comeback from 21-7 down ended with a missed PAT that would have tied the game at 24-24 in the fourth quarter. Instead, the Falcons lost 24-23 and fell to 3-5 on the season. The running game struggled, but as always, the offense looked at its best when Michael Penix Jr. (58.3 grade; 33rd) targeted Drake London (88.8; 4th), with the big receiver catching 9 of 14 targets for 119 yards and three touchdowns. Penix has a 110.3 passer rating when throwing in London’s direction.
21. Carolina Panthers (Up 3)
Chance of making playoffs: 32%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
Another win, another game-winning drive for Bryce Young. The 2025 Panthers lore continues after a huge upset win against the Packers at Lambeau Field. The Panthers are now 5-4, hot on the tail of the Buccaneers at the top of the NFC South. Holding the Packers to just 13 points, even considering their propensity to play down to opponents, is a huge win for a Carolina defense that’s still finding its way — but now sits 21st in EPA per play allowed.
22. Arizona Cardinals (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 6%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
The Cardinals’ defense had a little more pep in its step in Week 9, and that could be directly correlated to the season debut of first-round pick Walter Nolen. The rookie was a major force in his first career game, earning an 81.7 grade as the Cardinals picked up their first win since Week 2. The big storyline is, of course, the obvious quarterback change that could be looming for the Cardinals. Jacoby Brissett has impressed as the interim starter, and the end could be nigh for Kyler Murray in Arizona.
23. Dallas Cowboys (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 5%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
The Cowboys' offense, which has been so good over the course of the season, was squashed on Monday Night Football by a Cardinals defense that’s lost some shine over the last six weeks, putting a serious dent in the Cowboys’ playoff ambitions. The offense turned the ball over four times in the loss, with Dak Prescott recording a 69.8 grade in the 27-17 defeat. The Cowboys have been active in the trade market, acquiring Dl Quinnen Williams (79.7 grade; 12th) from the Jets and linebacker Logan Wilson (54.8 grade; 58th) from the Bengals, with the hopes that both can help revitalise a defense that ranks 31st in EPA per play allowed.
24. Washington Commanders (Down 10)
Chance of making playoffs: 5%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
The Commanders’ season goes from bad to worse after the 38-14 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday night. Jayden Daniels (76.7 grade; 10th) left the game late in the fourth quarter with a horrific elbow injury, and naturally, there’ll be questions as to why the franchise quarterback was even in the game with the score so out of reach. Washington’s season was already on life support before this game, and losing Daniels for a potentially prolonged period of time could be the final nail in the coffin.
25. Las Vegas Raiders (Up 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 1%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
A tough overtime loss for the Raiders, who failed to convert on a game-winning attempt. But with Brock Bowers back in the lineup, the offense looks as good as it has all season. Bowers caught 12 of 13 targets for 127 yards and three touchdowns, registering a 93.6 overall PFF grade. The offense will have to rely on Bowers just a little bit more moving forward after trading away Jakobi Meyers to the Jaguars for fourth- and sixth-round picks. The performance of the Las Vegas defense left a little to be desired, and at 2-6, the Raiders are all but out of playoff contention unless they go nuclear. Still, there are plenty of positives to take from Sunday’s loss.
26. New York Giants (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 1%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
The Giants kept the scoreline somewhat close against the 49ers, but never really looked like getting back into the game once San Francisco steamed ahead. Jaxson Dart delivered a strong performance, compiling a 75.0 overall PFF grade and scoring three total touchdowns in the first turnover-free performance of his NFL career. The long-term trajectory for the Giants with Dart is definitely pointed upward, but the road ahead will still be bumpy.
27. Cincinnati Bengals (Up 1)
Chance of making playoffs: 5%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
The Bengals were on the wrong side of one of the best games of the season, losing 47-42 to the Bears in Week 9. For those counting, the Bengals have now scored 80 points in their last two contests combined, but are 0-2 in that stretch. The offense has looked great in recent weeks, and sits second in EPA per play. But predictably, the defense has failed to carry its fair share of the load and is dead last in EPA per play allowed. The Bengals are 3-6, but given the last two weeks, they should be 5-4.
28. Miami Dolphins (Down 1)
Chance of making playoffs: <1%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
Sheesh, after a positive performance against the Falcons a week ago, the Dolphins fell back to square one against the Ravens, losing 28-6 on Thursday Night Football. The defeat drops the Dolphins to 2-7 and culminated with general manager Chris Grier being fired on Friday. The word around town is that Mike McDaniel will remain the coach for the foreseeable future, but questions around Tua Tagovailoa’s (62.4 grade; 31st) future within the team loom. The team also traded edge rusher Jaelan Phillips (66.5 grade; 54th) to the Eagles for a third-round pick, signaling their sights on a new direction.
29. Cleveland Browns (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: 1%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
With one of the easiest remaining schedules in the NFL and a top defense, the Browns are technically still in the playoff hunt at 2-6. However, the Cleveland offense (53.7 grade) is the worst-graded unit in the NFL, and there’s little to suggest that rookie Dillon Gabriel (46.5 grade; 36th) can lift the team to new heights. Would it really hurt to give Shedeur Sanders an extended run under center? The Browns should be evaluating their young talent the rest of the way.
30. New York Jets (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: <1%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
The Jets’ facility may have been calmer during their Week 9 bye, thanks to their win against the Bengals in Week 8. But at 1-7, there’s a lot of work to be done from Aaron Glenn and Co. to get this team in better shape long-term. This team looks considerably different post-bye, with stars Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams no longer in the building. At least there’s a chance Garrett Wilson (72.8 grade; 32nd) will be back to help shape the offense a little more.
31. Tennessee Titans (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: <1%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
Defense and special teams gave the Titans a shot against the Chargers in Week 9, but the team’s offense never really got moving against a Chargers defense that was there for the taking. In the end, the Titans lost 27-20 and failed to score an offensive touchdown. The Tennessee offense is dead last in EPA per play, and the gap from the Titans in 32nd to the Browns in 31st is bigger than the chasm from the Commanders in 18th to the Jets in 27th.
32. New Orleans Saints (No change)
Chance of making playoffs: <1%
Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%
Tyler Shough was put in a tough spot for his first career start. The Rams‘ defense has been playing well in 2025, and Shough naturally struggled against the stout unit. The rookie second-rounder recorded a 69.0 overall PFF grade in the 35-10 loss. Realistically, the Saints’ offense will likely see a drop-off from where it was with Spencer Rattler earlier in the year. It’s all part of the plan, though, right?
© 2026 PFF - all rights reserved.