Ranking the NFL teams still eligible for the playoffs

The Ravens have taken down both the Patriots and 49ers, albeit at home, and currently stand as the Super Bowl favorites at 10-2. Lamar Jackson is also the front-runner for league MVP, leading what has been the most prolific offense in football through 13 weeks.

San Francisco is the most improved team in the NFL, with a healthy Jimmy Garoppolo and several impact additions on defense led by rookie Nick Bosa. The team is in pole position in the NFC at 10-2, though it faces a tough schedule over the final four weeks, including visits to New Orleans and Seattle. San Francisco ranks second in both scoring offense and defense.

The Patriots defense has been the best in the NFL this season, but the team also has benefited from an easy schedule. New England is just 2-2 against teams with winning records, and its last win against a team that currently has a winning record was Week 4 at Buffalo. The offense continues to flounder with multiple offensive line injuries and lacking many weapons for Tom Brady. Of course, the success of Brady and head coach Bill Belichick in the playoffs remains the big X-factor.

It's been a long season of injuries for K.C., but the Chiefs are finally getting healthy and rounding into form. While it's unlikely they will get a bye as a top two seed in the AFC, they certainly have a chance to make noise as long as Patrick Mahomes is healthy under center. The defense is also improved over 2018, particularly in the secondary.

It was Super Bowl or bust for the Saints coming into 2019, and they've had a remarkable year at 10-2 despite Drew Brees missing five games to a thumb injury. With or without Brees, the offense hasn't nearly been on the level that it was last season, and the Week 14 matchup vs. San Francisco will be a huge test.

Seattle is having an incredible season at 10-2, with nine of its wins coming by one score. The team still has a realistic shot to earn home-field advantage in the NFC, but it won't be easy with a closing schedule that includes the Rams, Panthers and 49ers. The defense also looks beatable, allowing the 10th-most points in the NFL.

Houston continues to overcome major injuries on defense, most notable to J.J. Watt. The team currently stands as the No. 3 seed in the AFC after beating New England in Week 13, but it's still possible the Texans won't even make the playoffs with two games against the division rival Titans remaining. Deshaun Watson does seemingly put any game within reach, as he showed by nearly leading a miraculous come-from-behind victory at New Orleans in Week 1.

Matt LaFleur is a clear Coach of the Year candidate after revitalizing the Packers, who look well on their way to a playoff return. However, Aaron Rodgers hasn't been his usual elite self, and the team has looked shaky on the road with recent big losses at the Chargers and 49ers.

Minnesota is back to a winning formula with a strong running game and defense that ranks 11th in points allowed. Kirk Cousins has shown improvement over last season, especially considering that Adam Thielen has missed much of the season. The slippage in the Vikings secondary is a major concern, and has haunted them at times this year.

Head coach Sean McDermott looks like he has the Bills in the playoffs for the second time in three years, but the team has benefited from arguably the easiest schedule in the NFL. Buffalo has defeated only one team that currently has a winning record, though the Bills did impress in stomping the Cowboys, 26-15, on Thanksgiving. The defense has allowed only 15.7 points per game, third best in the league, but the offensive potential still remains to be seen.

Tennessee is 6-1 since benching Marcus Mariota in favor of Ryan Tannehill, including a miracle victory vs. Kansas City. The Titans remain in playoff contention due in large part to a defense that has allowed the seventh-fewest points in the NFL, and they control their own destiny with two remaining games against the Texans. The offense has scored at least 31 points in three straight games, showing real momentum as the team visits Oakland in Week 14.

The Rams saved their playoff hopes with a 34-7 demolition of the Cardinals in Week 13, but their path to the playoffs looks nearly insurmountable with remaining games against the Seahawks, Cowboys and 49ers. L.A.'s offensive line has been a weak point, and the defense has been inconsistent, including awful performances against the Bucs, Seahawks and Ravens. The decline of Jared Goff from the last two years to this season has also been one of the unfortunate stories of 2019.

While the Cowboys still lead the NFC East, the team already seems defeated at 6-6. Owner Jerry Jones hasn't exactly endorsed Jason Garrett, and the Cowboys have lost three of their last four games. An embarrassing 24-22 loss at the Jets in mid-October was the beginning of their tough days.

After beginning the season 5-2, the Colts have lost four of their last five games. Those results are somewhat deceiving, considering that Jacoby Brissett missed significant time in two losses; the team's playoff hopes are now on the mat. Injuries to T.Y. Hilton and Marlon Mack have been ill-timed as well.

Last year's most improved team has predictably seen regression this year, and much of that has been due to Mitchell Trubisky. The third-year quarterback was benched late in Week 11 due to an "injury" and has struggled over the last two weeks in wins against the Giants and Lions. Chicago's hopes of a playoff berth are all but finished at 6-6, even with the fourth-ranked scoring defense in the NFL.

Many assumed the Steelers season was over when Ben Roethlisberger was lost to an elbow injury in Week 2, but the team has scratched and clawed its way to a 7-5 record and playoff contention. The Steelers have won six of their last seven games due in large part to their defense, but they still face a brutal finish to the season with three road games and a home game vs. Buffalo. The offense is 24th in points scored, though undrafted rookie quarterback Devlin Hodges has given the team some life recently.

The Browns are arguably the most disappointing team in the NFL after an active offseason, as Baker Mayfield has regressed considerably from his rookie campaign. After gaining some momentum with three straight home wins, Cleveland lost at Pittsburgh in Week 13 and has certainly missed defensive end Myles Garrett, who is out for the season following a brawl with the Steelers in Week 11. With remaining games including against Cincinnati and at Arizona, the Browns have a chance to finish .500, but that might not save Freddie Kitchens' job.

Despite getting embarrassed, 34-3, at the Jets in Week 12, the Raiders had a chance to take the lead in the AFC West with a win at Kansas City. Oakland suffered another embarrassing defeat, losing 40-9 and putting its road record at 1-5. The Raiders rookie class has impressed, but Derek Carr remains inconsistent, as the team tries to recover a playoff spot.

Head coach Bruce Arians was hired to fix Jameis Winston, but the former No. 1 overall pick has thrown a whopping 20 interceptions in 12 games. The giveaways are a big reason why the Bucs stand at 5-7, and the defense has also struggled, allowing nearly 29 points per game. Tampa Bay does have some recent momentum, winning three of its last four contests, and the Bucs finish the year with three home games in four weeks.

Philadelphia has lost three straight games after its bye, due in large part to injuries, but there's simply no excuse for losing to the Dolphins. Somehow, the Eagles still remain in playoff contention in the weak NFC East, trailing the Cowboys by only one game. With four division games remaining, the Eagles still have a realistic shot at making the playoffs, but they hardly seem like a threat if they get to the tournament. Head coach Doug Pederson might be forced to make changes following the season.

Carolina fired head coach Ron Rivera after its fourth straight loss, an embarrassing 29-21 home defeat against Washington. It's hard to blame Rivera for the team's struggles given Cam Newton's injury, but the organization will almost certainly undergo a reboot this offseason that could include a new quarterback in addition to a new head coach. The Panthers have plenty of talented individual pieces, led by Christian McCaffrey and Luke Kuechly, but they face a brutal schedule to finish the year.

After finishing last year 12-4, the Chargers have gone back to their disappointing ways this season. They've lost games in seemingly every way imaginable, and all eight of their losses have been by seven points or less. The season started on a bad note with Melvin Gordon's holdout, and Philip Rivers has shown major signs of decline with 15 picks and a 46.7 QBR.

Jacksonville has lost four straight games, and the return of Nick Foles from injury didn't help. The team is now turning back to rookie Gardner Minshew, and the future at quarterback as well as at head coach and in the front office, are very much up in the air. The Jaguars organization just can't seem to get out of its own way, falling hard after making the AFC championship just two years ago.

Denver began the year 0-4 with new starting quarterback Joe Flacco, who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 7. Since then, the Broncos are 2-3 with Brandon Allen and Drew Lock under center, but they did pick up big home wins vs. Clevleand and the Chargers during that span. Vic Fangio is finding his long-awaited head coaching opportunity to be tough.

The Jets' elimination from the playoffs is just a formality at this point at 4-8. Just when it looked like the team found its footing with three consecutive wins, including a blowout of the Raiders in Week 12, the Jets were embarrassed, 22-6, by the winless Bengals. Second-year quarterback Sam Darnold has made minimal progress under new head coach Adam Gase, and it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Jets will have another new head coach in 2020.

The losing ways continue for the Redskins in 2019, who fired head coach Jay Gruden early in the year. The team has won back-to-back games with rookie Dwayne Haskins under center, and fellow rookie Terry McLaurin has been a bight spot in a dark year. Trailing the Cowboys by three games in the NFC East at 3-9, Washington isn't mathematically eliminated from the playoffs yet, but a visit to Green Bay in Week 14 will likely take care of the inevitable.