The regular season is over, which means that 20 teams are now 0-0. Which means that I have no interest in ranking those teams as the postseason looms.
But I do have interest in ranking the remaining playoff teams. Which I’ll do right now.
1. Patriots (14-2): The No. 1 seed in the postseason will see Matt McGloin, Connor Cook, Brock Osweiler, Tom Savage, Matt Moore, or a banged-up Ryan Tannehill in the divisional round. In other words, the Patriots will be hosting the AFC title game.
2. Cowboys (13-3): They need to root for the Lions to beat the Seahawks. Otherwise, the Giants or Packers will get a chance to beat the Cowboys in their own building in the divisional round.
3. Chiefs (12-4): They can spend the entire bye preparing for the Steelers, not because the Steelers definitely will win on Sunday but because a Dolphins upset would deliver Oakland or Houston to Kansas City.
4. Steelers (11-5): For the first time ever, the Steelers will play a postseason game with Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, and Le’Veon Bell in the lineup.
5. Giants (11-5): “Postseason Eli” isn’t a very flashy name for a superhero who makes rare appearances, but there’s nothing flashy about the Giants quarterback so it works.
6. Falcons (11-5): An upset loss by the Cowboys in the divisional round could mean that the last game in the Georgia Dome would be the NFC title game.
7. Packers (10-6): They managed to win six in a row. They’re capable of winning four more in a row.
8. Dolphins (10-6): Next year at this time, the Dolphins could be sitting pretty with the No. 1 seed.
9. Seahawks (10-5-1): Upset alert in Seattle, where the team isn’t as good as it’s been and the wound is still oozing from the final play of Super Bowl XLIX.
10. Lions (9-7): They’re good enough to earn the right to go back to Dallas and lose by 21.
11. Raiders (12-4): Can Rich Gannon get in game shape by Saturday?
12. Texans (9-7): Can David Carr get in game shape by Saturday?