Week 14 of the 2024 NFL season is in the books, which means we're only four weeks away from the start of the playoffs. A lot can change between now and then as the postseason picture rounds into final form. Yet we already have a decent idea of which clubs might be best positioned for a championship push.
On that note, here's how we'd rank the top 10 teams most likely to contend for a Super Bowl:
Note: Offense and defensive team ranks are by points scored/surrendered. Super Bowl-winning odds are courtesy of SportsLine.
10. Los Angeles Rams
Record: 7-6 | Offense Rank: 16th | Defense Rank: 24th | Odds: N/A
The Rams are a scattershot team, suffering a few ugly losses and multiple losing streaks while battling injuries around Matthew Stafford. The reason they crack the list over technically superior clubs like the Washington Commanders? They've been there, done that, and when Stafford's weapons are upright and humming, Sean McVay's group is liable to get in a shootout with just about anyone.
9. Los Angeles Chargers
Record: 8-5 | Offense Rank: 20th | Defense Rank: 1st | Odds: +5647
It's probably true that they're a year away from outfitting Justin Herbert with playoff-caliber wideouts, as they've mostly succeeded playing ball control. But Jim Harbaugh's definitely given them a more confident and physical approach. It can be seen on the other side of the ball, where Jesse Minter has maximized a unit in transition. They feel primed to play spoiler in the playoffs' early rounds.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers
Record: 10-3 | Offense Rank: 10th | Defense Rank: 5th | Odds: +1988
For years, Mike Tomlin's squad has been scrappy but unspectacular, guaranteed to lurk in the wild-card picture but just as likely to bow out early due to a lack of big-play offense. They've since rejuvenated Russell Wilson, however, unlocking a downfield attack that benefits from the T.J. Watt-led defense, which feasts upon quarterbacks while protecting leads. If they control the ball, they can play with anyone.
7. Green Bay Packers
Record: 9-4 | Offense Rank: 7th | Defense Rank: 9th | Odds: +1262
On paper, they have all the ingredients of a heavyweight: Jordan Love at his peak is one of the most gifted gunslingers in the game, Josh Jacobs leads a rugged run game, Matt LaFleur can scheme them up with the best and Xavier McKinney headlines an opportunistic defense. Their secondary has proven vulnerable against elite competition, though, contributing to a 1-4 record against clubs with a winning record.
6. Minnesota Vikings
Record: 11-2 | Offense Rank: 9th | Defense Rank: 6th | Odds: +2603
For much of the year, they've resembled their 2022 predecessors on the scoreboard, scraping by iffy competition while bending but never breaking. Yet Sam Darnold's offered top-10 stuff as an authoritative arm for Kevin O'Connell's deep offense, which still runs through Justin Jefferson, and Brian Flores' defense knows how to finish. Will their semi-accidental powerhouse prevail into January?
5. Baltimore Ravens
Record: 8-5 | Offense Rank: 3rd | Defense Rank: 23rd | Odds: +948
Lamar Jackson makes MVP plays look routine as the one-man band at the heart of this team, and Derrick Henry's supersized rushing makes them doubly imposing. The concern is that two fellow contenders -- the Eagles and Steelers -- effectively outmuscled them at their own game, neutering Jackson and a hit-or-miss receiving corps with suffocating defense. Can their top dogs get over the big-game hump?
4. Kansas City Chiefs
Record: 12-1 | Offense Rank: 12th | Defense Rank: 7th | Odds: +489
Once a big-play fireworks show, the Chiefs have fully morphed into scrappy late-game magicians, going undefeated in 15 straight one-score decisions dating back to 2023. Relying so much on timely Patrick Mahomes scrambles feels unsustainable, but Steve Spagnuolo's defense remains suffocating against the run, forcing other clubs to scratch and claw. They're living on the margins, but as long as Mahomes and Andy Reid are at the controls, they feel inevitable, much like the 2000s New England Patriots.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
Record: 11-2 | Offense Rank: 8th | Defense Rank: 4th | Odds: +869
Their once-vaunted passing attack has gone through its fair share of stops and starts, but Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley make every yard count for a Grade-A ground game, and A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith still register as elite downfield options. Better yet, Vic Fangio's brought a discernible old-school edge to the defense, where the Eagles have played with both sound technique and steady physicality.
2. Buffalo Bills
Record: 10-3 | Offense Rank: 2nd | Defense Rank: 8th | Odds: +531
Sean McDermott's defense and situational execution are prone to occasional lapses; his Bills have surrendered 27+ points four times this year, and just let the Rams drop 44 in a shootout loss. Fortunately, they have the MVP front-runner in Josh Allen, who's transcended a rebuilt and nicked-up supporting cast to lead all quarterbacks with 33 total scores. On the air or on the ground, he's a one-man wrecking crew. And as a result, the Bills have scored at least 30 points in a whopping 10 of 13 games so far.
1. Detroit Lions
Record: 12-1 | Offense Rank: 1st | Defense Rank: 3rd | Odds: +361
It'd be one thing if the Lions simply boasted some of the best all-around offensive talent in the game, surrounding a confident Jared Goff with a dominant front, two-headed backfield and electric pass targets. The fact that Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson also rev them up with an unceasingly aggressive approach makes them the NFL's closest thing to a juggernaut, with a league-leading point differential. Even without a slew of injured defenders, Aaron Glenn's unit has also played with a championship-level swagger. A laughingstock not so long ago, the Lions have quickly become almost everyone's darling.
