NFL Playoff Power Rankings: Ravens, Eagles advance to Divisional Round
01/16/2025 09:34 PM
If you are a fan of one of the final eight teams left standing, congratulations. Your team is one step closer to making the Super Bowl. Our NFL Playoff Power Rankings moves onto the Divisional Round, with the two teams on bye last week getting to prove why they deserved a week off.
While the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs each earned the top seed in their respective conferences, they will have plenty of competition to earn a bid to Super Bowl LIX.
Here’s the Divisional Round version of ClutchPoints’ NFL Playoff Power Rankings.
1. Detroit Lions
Coming off their bye week, the Lions headline our NFL Playoff Power Rankings, as they face the Washington Commanders at home in their Divisional Round matchup. Having earned the right to be the NFC's top seed by defeating the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18, the Lions entered the postseason on a high note.
The return of David Montgomery is an excellent boost to the offense, while the defense is riddled with injuries but will get Terrion Arnold for Saturday's game. Hopefully having a week off won't ruin the hot streak that the Lions are on, as they look to make it back-to-back seasons with an appearance in the NFC Championship Game.
2. Buffalo Bills
While playing from behind as they opened up the second quarter, the Buffalo Bills scored a touchdown and took a lead into halftime they never relinquished. The Bills’ 31-7 romp over the Denver Broncos was due to the Buffalo offense firing on all cylinders against a tough defense, something that hopefully points to how this unit will look in the Divisional Round.
Josh Allen found Curtis Samuel (3/68/1) and Ty Johnson (2/26/1) for touchdowns while rushing for 46 yards, but James Cook stole the show, taking 23 carries for 120 yards and a score. The Bills play host to the red-hot Baltimore Ravens in what could very well be the matchup of the 2024-25 NFL playoffs.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
Coming off a bye of their own, the Chiefs will host the Houston Texans in their Divisional Round matchup. After a Week 18 game in which they rested most of their key starters, Kansas City will look to get back to it in their hunt for yet another Super Bowl title.
Facing the Texans might be seen as an easier matchup than facing the five-seeded Los Angeles Chargers, but the Texans offense showed some life in their Wild Card matchup that could potentially give Kansas City some fits. The Chiefs come in at third in our NFL Playoff Power Rankings, with a chance to jump up with a win.
4. Baltimore Ravens
In their third matchup of the season, the Baltimore Ravens easily held off the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-14, in their Wild Card matchup. It was the tale of the ground game yet again for Baltimore, as the duo of Derrick Henry (26/186/2) and Lamar Jackson (15/81) paced the rushing attack.
Baltimore sacked Russell Wilson four times and held the Pittsburgh offense to only 280 total yards on offense, showing that maybe they are getting into shape at just the right time. Both sides of the ball will need to be on their A-game against the Bills in a clash that matches up the two of the top NFL MVP candidates.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
It was a clunker of an offensive showing for the Philadelphia Eagles, who struggled in their 22-10 win over the Green Bay Packers. Mustering only 10 first-half points, the two-seed Eagles kept the Packers in the game until the fourth quarter in a contest they should have pulled away in early.
Philadelphia was actually out-gained on offense by the Green Bay offense, as Jalen Hurts (131 passing yards) and his duo of receivers struggled to move the ball through the air. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith combined for five receptions and 65 yards, as Saquon Barkley (25/119) did the heavy lifting on the ground in the win.
In the Divisional Round, the Eagles round out the top five in our NFL Playoff Power Rankings as they will host the Los Angeles Rams for a spot in the NFC Championship Game.
6. Washington Commanders
A game-winning doinked field goal from Zane Gonzalez pushed the Washington Commanders to their first playoff win since 2006, as they won their Wild Card matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his first postseason start, Jayden Daniels accounted for 304 total yards and two passing touchdowns, finding Dyami Brown and Terry McLaurin for scores.
The Washington radio broadcast's call of Zane Gonzalez's wild card-sealing kick is worth your time today
@awfulannouncingpic.twitter.com/bK4PXja1NF
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 13, 2025
It was an impressive road showing for Washington, who gets the daunting task of heading into Detroit for their divisional matchup. Not being given much of a shot at winning with the game line set at Lions -9.5, it will be up to Daniels to try and add another accolade to his fantastic rookie campaign.
7. Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams held the pesky Vikings defense to only nine points, sacking Sam Darnold nine times in their 27-9 win. It looks like Matthew Stafford is back in his element in the postseason, as he was easily the best quarterback on the field in this Wild Card matchup.
The passing attack was an even disbursement across multiple targets, as Tyler Higbee and Puka Nacua each caught five passes. But the disappearing act of Cooper Kupp (1/29 on one target) continues, a concerning sign as the Rams will need everything they have against the strong Eagles defense.
8. Houston Texans
Not many in the NFL world expected the Texans to beat the Chargers in the Wild Card round, but the AFC South winners put up 32 points in one of the highest-scoring matchups of the first round. While the offense still has a ways to go, it actually looked better than it had down the stretch in the regular season – nonetheless, they find themselves at the end of our NFL Playoff Power Rankings.
C.J. Stroud (282 yards) connected with Nico Collins (7/122/1) for his lone touchdown of the game, while Joe Mixon (25/106/1) found the end zone for the 13th touchdown of the season. Facing a tough task in their matchup with the Chiefs, the Texans will need to do whatever they can to dictate the game, which will mean finding another gear on offense.
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