All 18 teams who failed to qualify for the 2024 NFL postseason are done for the year. Whether it was due to injuries, lack of talent, or inconsistency, they will now have to watch the most important tournament in all of sports from the sidelines. On the other hand, the 14 teams representing the AFC and NFC in the postseason have been set, and both conferences have multiple teams capable of bringing home a Lombardi Trophy.
The Baltimore Ravens suffered a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the season finale, but they will enter the postseason at the top seed in the AFC. When their entire roster is on the field, they are widely regarded as the best team in the NFL. On the other hand, the San Francisco 49ers are the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while the 3rd-seeded Dallas Cowboys could offer a significant challenge.
With that being said, the NFL’s Black Monday is upon us and 12 other teams are set for Super Wild Card Weekend, we’re unveiling our first postseason power rankings. Looking at the games from the final week of the regular season, here is what we know.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, the Carolina Panthers quarterback, Bryce Young, scrambled in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Then, in Landover, Maryland, the Washington Commanders quarterback, Sam Howell, attempted a pass against the Dallas Cowboys in the second half at FedExField. In Foxborough, Massachusetts, the New England Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick, walked off the field after the game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium.
In Glendale, Arizona, the Arizona Cardinals quarterback, Kyler Murray, was forced out of bounds by Seattle Seahawks linebacker, Darrell Taylor, during the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium. In Inglewood, California, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback, Easton Stick, threw a pass during the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at SoFi Stadium. In Nashville, Tennessee, the Tennessee Titans running back, Derrick Henry, ran the ball towards Jacksonville Jaguars safety, Antonio Johnson, during the first quarter at Nissan Stadium.
Other games featured New York Giants quarterback, Tyrod Taylor, looking for an open teammate in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Jets running back, Breece Hall, making snow angels with his teammates after scoring a touchdown against the New England Patriots.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Nick Mullens, handed off the ball against the Detroit Lions defense at Ford Field in Detroit. In Green Bay, the Chicago Bears quarterback, Justin Fields, was under pressure from the Green Bay Packers linebacker, Lukas Van Ness, during their football game. The New Orleans Saints were playing against the Atlanta Falcons and the Las Vegas Raiders defeated the Denver Broncos.
In Glendale, Arizona, the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver, Tyler Lockett, caught a two-point conversion against the Arizona Cardinals to give his team a 21-20 lead in the fourth quarter. The New Orleans Saints head coach, Dennis Allen, looked on against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at Caesars Superdome. The Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, threw against the Tennessee Titans during their game at Nissan Stadium.
The Indianapolis Colts running back, Jonathan Taylor, ran the ball in a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Cincinnati Bengals defensive end, Trey Hendrickson, stood on the sideline in the fourth quarter of the NFL game between the Bengals and Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. Lastly, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, Jalen Hurts, looked for an open teammate against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the first quarter.
After all this action in the final week of the 2023 NFL regular season, the 2024 postseason teams have been finalized. The 14 teams are now prepared to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. Who will emerge victorious? We will just have to wait and see.
