NFL Playoff Power Rankings: How do the remaining teams stack up?

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors.

1. San Francisco 49ers (13-4) Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / Getty

It may seem odd to have a team led by seventh-round rookie Brock Purdy sitting in the top spot heading into the playoffs, but the 49ers are just that good. Outside of the quarterback position, this is the best roster in football. And San Francisco has maintained its success no matter who's under center, with Purdy and Jimmy Garoppolo each seeing five starts amid a 10-game winning streak to close out the regular season. Forget the seeding - this is the team to beat in the NFC.

2. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)

Riding an eight-game winning streak, Cincy is the AFC's hottest team right now. This Bengals squad looks more dangerous and competitive than the team that stunned the NFL and reached the Super Bowl last season. Maybe it's because Joe Burrow - who set a franchise single-season record with 35 touchdown passes - has been playing the best football of his career.

3. Buffalo Bills (13-3)

You don't want to face the Bills. Granted, Buffalo has turned the ball over six times in its last two games. But few teams can keep up with the Bills when it comes to scoring. As if stopping the Josh Allen-led offense wasn't hard enough, Buffalo put on a show on special teams in Week 18 with Nyheim Hines scoring two kickoff-return touchdowns. After last season's heartbreaking divisional-round loss to the Chiefs, the Bills head into the playoffs as football's No. 2-ranked offense and defense.

4. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)

Not only do the Chiefs roster Patrick Mahomes - who's expected to win his second regular-season MVP - and football's best offensive play-caller in Andy Reid, but they also finished the season as the AFC's No. 1 seed. With an extra week to rest and prepare for its divisional-round contest, a fifth straight AFC title game appearance seems inevitable for Kansas City.

5. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Eagles were football's best team for much of the regular season. However, with Jalen Hurts still nursing a shoulder injury, it's fair to wonder whether their playoff potential has taken a hit. The star quarterback clearly wasn't at full strength as Philly had to sweat out a win over the Giants' backups in the regular-season finale. If the bye week can help Hurts get back to the level we saw earlier in the season, the Eagles are a Super Bowl favorite. If not, they could be in for a major letdown.

6. Dallas Cowboys (12-5)

Finishing the regular season with a loss to the Commanders, despite playing their starters in the meaningless finale, isn't exactly how the Cowboys wanted to go into the playoffs. Naturally, this will only exacerbate concerns that they're once again primed to disappoint. But don't be too quick to overlook everything else this team has shown us this season. Dallas has a real chance to make a Super Bowl run.

7. Baltimore Ravens (10-7)

It's all about Lamar Jackson. Without the former MVP, Baltimore arguably isn't a playoff team. However, Jackson - who reportedly could return for the team's wild-card matchup against Cincinnati after a five-game absence due to a knee injury - makes the Ravens a threat in the AFC. With Jackson in the lineup, Baltimore edged Cincy in the teams' first meeting in Week 5.

8. Minnesota Vikings (13-4)

The Vikings have their work cut out for them, as this 13-win team somehow enters the postseason with a negative point differential. That kind of overachieving typically leads to playoff disappointment. That's not to say there isn't any hope, though. Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook lead a supremely talented group of playmakers that give Minnesota the ability to hang with anyone in a shootout.

9. Los Angeles Chargers (10-7)

Despite playing their starters for almost three full quarters, the Chargers couldn't beat the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Los Angeles' ceiling is as high as any other team's in the postseason, and the club's defensive performances down the stretch were very encouraging, but its lack of consistency and preparation remains an issue.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

It was good seeing the Jaguars win a crucial game thanks to their defense - not the offense - to clinch the AFC South title. With Trevor Lawrence enjoying a breakout campaign in his sophomore season, Jacksonville could win at least one playoff game if its defense carries its momentum into the wild-card round.

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)

This is a severely flawed Bucs team. The safe bet, if regular-season performance is any indication, is that Tampa Bay will be headed for an early exit. But are we really going to write off Tom Brady that easily? The future Hall of Famer once again came through when his team needed it most down the stretch, with a masterful performance against the Panthers securing the division title for the Bucs. Who's to say he can't keep the magic going in the playoffs?

12. New York Giants (9-7-1)

Brian Daboll has done a masterful job getting the Giants to this point. A lack of star power limits their playoff ceiling - it's tough to imagine them advancing against a few powerhouse teams - but who knows? The football world has spent the whole year doubting them, and they just keep proving us wrong. The Vikings are going to have their hands full.

13. Seattle Seahawks (9-8)

Another team that nobody expected to be here, Seattle has to be thrilled with its season no matter how the playoffs turn out. This is Pete Carroll's most impressive work as a head coach. The Seahawks will be a massive underdog against the juggernaut 49ers, but they're not going to go out without a fight. Could the scrappy nature of this team, and some divisional familiarity, make for a more competitive game than we might expect?

14. Miami Dolphins (9-8)

Based on what we saw from the Dolphins midway through the season, it feels right to see them in the playoffs. However, Miami hasn't scored more than 21 points in each of its last three games and won't sniff a chance against the Bills if the team doesn't fix its offensive issues. The potential return of Tua Tagovailoa, who was sidelined in the last two games due to a concussion, would be huge for the Dolphins.

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