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The Saints, Rams, and Chiefs have dominated all season, but it's hard to doubt the trusty Patriots, the Chargers, or the surging Colts and Eagles.
The Wild Card round begins this weekend, and of course, the four teams with bye weeks top our power rankings.
And just like that - the regular season is over, and the NFL playoffs are here!
After 17 weeks, the 12 best teams are moving onto the win-or-go-home postseason, which always delivers excitement and a few surprises.
All year long, three times stood out among the rest - the Saints, Rams, and Chiefs. Sure enough, they're the Super Bowl favorites, but could we count out the Patriots? Or the Chargers? Or the surging Colts? What about the Nick Foles-led Eagles?
With the NFL playoffs starting this weekend, take a look at where each team stands going into the Wild Card round.
One thing to know: Nick Foles worked his magic once again in Week 17 to help the Eagles make it back to the postseason with a shot at defending their Super Bowl title. Somewhat ironically, they'll be facing the Bears — the team whose win over the Vikings secured Philadelphia's return to the playoffs — in the Wild Card round.
11. Baltimore Ravens
Record: 10-6
Week 17 result: Beat the Browns, 26-24
Wild Card opponent: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Odds to win Super Bowl: 20/1
One thing to know: The Ravens won six of their final seven games to steal the AFC North from the Steelers. Lamar Jackson didn't throw a pick in December, and he'll face a Chargers team that he threw for a career-high 204 yards against in Week 16.
10. Dallas Cowboys
Record: 10-6
Week 17 result: Beat the Giants, 36-35
Wild Card opponent: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Odds to win Super Bowl: 25/1
One thing to know: The Cowboys have just one playoff win since 2009, but head into the 2018 postseason with a wealth of weapons, including Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, and a defense that has gotten progressively stronger as the season wore on. Do they have enough to make a surprise run through the NFC?
9. Seattle Seahawks
Record: 10-6
Week 17 result: Beat the Cardinals, 27-24
Wild Card opponent: at Dallas Cowboys
Odds to win Super Bowl: 25/1
One thing to know: The Seahawks are the only playoff team to have more rushing attempts than passing attempts in 2018. The method seems to have worked, as Russell Wilson completed 65% of his passes (second best of his career), threw 35 touchdowns (a career-high), 7 interceptions (tied for a career-low), with a career-high 110.9 passer rating. The Cowboys surely aren't thrilled with the prospect of facing him in the first round.
8. Indianapolis Colts
Record: 10-6
Week 17 result: Beat the Titans, 33-17
Wild Card opponent: at Houston Texans
Odds to win Super Bowl: 25/1
One thing to know: The Colts enter the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the NFL, having won nine of their final 10 games to sneak into the postseason after a dismal 1-5 start to the year. With Andrew Luck back to being one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, Indianapolis seems to have all the makings of a potential Super Bowl run.
7. Houston Texans
Record: 11-5
Week 17 result: Beat the Jaguars, 20-3
Wild Card opponent: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Odds to win Super Bowl: 25/1
One thing to know: The Texans did not beat a playoff team after topping the Colts and Cowboys, both of whom were below .500, in Weeks 4 and 5. Credit to Houston for beating the teams they should have beaten, but the Wild Card (against a Colts team that beat them in Week 14) will be a test.
6. Los Angeles Chargers
Record: 12-4
Week 17 result: Beat the Broncos, 23-9
Wild Card opponent: at Baltimore Ravens
Odds to win Super Bowl: 16/1
One thing to know: At 37, Philip Rivers had the best season of his career as an NFL quarterback, leading the Chargers to a 12-4 record that would have been good enough for one of the top seeds in the AFC if only they didn't share a division with the Chiefs. Now, instead of a first-round bye, they'll have to travel to Baltimore and beat a surging Ravens team to carry their playoff dreams into the divisional round.
5. Chicago Bears
Record: 12-4
Week 17 result: Beat the Vikings, 24-10
Wild Card opponent: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Odds to win Super Bowl: 9/1
One thing to know: The Bears defense repeatedly proved in 2018 that they can win games for the team. They were 3-1 in games when Mitchell Trubisky threw more than one interception. They may need to do the heavy-lifting again in the postseason when they face a hot Eagles team.
4. New England Patriots
Record: 11-5
Week 17 result: Beat the Jets, 38-3
Wild Card opponent: Bye
Odds to win Super Bowl: 6/1
One thing to know: The Patriots have not looked like their regular, dominant selves through much of the 2018 season, but with a first-round bye for the ninth straight season, they still have a great shot at making another Super Bowl. Can Belichick and Brady do it again? Or is this the year that the torch in the AFC finally passes to another up-and-coming AFC powerhouse?
3. Los Angeles Rams
Record: 13-3
Week 17 result: Beat the 49ers 48-32
Wild Card opponent: Bye
Odds to win Super Bowl: 5/1
One thing to know: Jared Goff struggled after losing wide receiver Cooper Kupp to a torn ACL in Week 11. Since then, Goff threw 10 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and completed just 60.5% of his passes. The Rams will need Goff to kick it up a notch and get the offense back to its high-octane form.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
Record: 12-4
Week 17 result: Beat the Raiders, 35-3
Wild Card opponent: Bye
Odds to win Super Bowl: 4/1
One thing to know: Patrick Mahomes finished the season as the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for 50 touchdowns and 5,000 yards, joining Peyton Manning in the exclusive club. Behind his arm, the Chiefs have one of the most explosive offensive attacks in recent memory and are the favorites to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LIII.
1. New Orleans Saints
Record: 13-3
Week 17 result: Lost to the Panthers, 33-14
Wild Card opponent: Bye
Odds to win Super Bowl: 9/4
One thing to know: The Saints had a sluggish end to 2018, but it's hard not to view them as the favorites this postseason. They have a top-10 offense and defense (the Chargers are the only other such team), an MVP candidate and most efficient quarterback in Drew Brees, perhaps the top two offensive playmakers in Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, and the Superdome throughout the postseason. Can the Saints finish off what's been a pretty magical year?
