With all due respect to everyone else in the 2025 NFL playoff field, the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills are clearly the main characters of this postseason. It's not even close.

Detroit and Buffalo represent two of the most snakebitten franchises in league history, really even in American sports history. Prior to their recent Renaissances led by Dan Campbell and Josh Allen, they were perennial losers accustomed to snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory on a regular basis. They were cultural touchstones beloved (and bemoaned) specifically only by their respective fanbases in two cities that get very cold in the winter.

Now, they're Super Bowl favorites with the pressure of finally delivering for their tortured fans after years and years of heartbreak. It's a lot of weight to carry on one's shoulders.

And you wanna know the best part for neutral observers over the next six weeks?

We could even see the Lions and Bills match up in Super Bowl 59, guaranteeing further ultimate sorrow for one NFL city. The suspense is terrible, and I hope it lasts. I'm not sure either of the Detroit or Buffalo metropolitan areas agree.

With the playoffs here this weekend, let's take stock of all 32 teams in For The Win's final NFL Power Rankings for the 2024 regular season. There's a lot to unpack before we dive headfirst into what should be a thrilling postseason, so let's get to it.

32. Tennessee Titans

Last week's rank: 30

The NFL's create-a-franchise in Madden will have its third No. 1 overall selection in franchise history. After a season where they went all-in on winning and fell flat on their face, the Titans better nail the pick. Otherwise, they will be relegated to anonymity for the foreseeable future. -- Robert Zeglinski

31. New York Giants

Last week's rank: 28

With a 3-14 campaign, the Giants clinched the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. That should've been the impetus to clean house. Instead, owner John Mara is running it back with Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll while preaching impatience with Big Blue's persistent losing. Make it make sense. -- RZ

30. New England Patriots

Last week's rank: 32

The Patriots stared down their rebuild and opted for hard mode, winning just in time to cost New England the top pick in this year's draft. The good news is Joe Milton looks like a viable backup and developmental project. The bad news is neither he nor Drake Maye has much help in either the blocking or receiving departments. The No. 4 overall pick and a league-high $100 million-plus in salary cap space could fix that this offseason. -- Christian D'Andrea

29. Cleveland Browns

Last week's rank: 31

Deshaun Watson, once accused of sexual misconduct by more than 20 women in what the NFL would later characterize as "predatory behavior," has suffered a setback in his Achilles injury recovery. There's no timetable for his return. How convenient that one of the NFL's worst quarterbacks over the last few years just so happens to have his return delayed with over $140 million in guaranteed money remaining on his contract. -- RZ

28. Jacksonville Jaguars

Last week's rank: 29

Doug Pederson is gone. Trent Baalke is not. That latter piece seems like a problem, considering Baalke has been general manager for four seasons, spent a ton of money, and made two No. 1 overall draft picks with a 25-43 record to show for it. -- CD

27. Las Vegas Raiders

Last week's rank: 27

Antonio Pierce seems primed to survive a gruesome first season as the Raiders head coach. He needs a reliable quarterback, but it will be difficult to find one after winning just enough games to land outside the Cam Ward/Shedeur Sanders landing zone at this year's draft. Will minority owner Tom Brady guide this team to the kind of low-cost, high-reward passer who can change Las Vegas's fortunes? Or will this team be stuck wandering the desert for another year? -- CD

26. New York Jets

Last week's rank: 26

Aaron Rodgers threw eight touchdowns and just three interceptions in four games AFTER the Jets were eliminated from the playoffs. Gang Green is truly the NFL's funniest franchise. -- RZ

25. Chicago Bears

Last week's rank: 25

Chicago earned its first win in Green Bay since 2015, and all it cost was three slots of draft position. Yay? -- CD

24. New Orleans Saints

Last week's rank: 23

The Saints did their darndest to spoil the Buccaneers' playoff ambitions but ultimately came up short. Now, they're looking ahead to an offseason that might portend their first earnest rebuild since the end of the Drew Brees era. Is someone like Lions genius defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn on the way to be their head coach? If so, there's reason to be optimistic about the Saints' long-term prospects. -- RZ

23. Carolina Panthers

Last week's rank: 24

Bryce Young aced his 2024 exit exam, racking up five total touchdowns in Week 18. But it came against the Atlanta Falcons' non-existent pass rush, one week after Tampa Bay's pressure locked him in a cage in a blowout loss. Still, Dave Canales is having the desired effect as head coach, and there's room for optimism in Charlotte. -- CD

22. Miami Dolphins

Last week's rank: 16

Welp. After a promising close to the year, the Dolphins' season ended with a thud at the hands of the Jets. Now, Tyreek Hill wants out. Considering the 30-year-old just finished only the third sub-1,000-yard campaign of his career, Miami should be more than happy to facilitate a deal that helps round out a more cohesive (and less top-heavy) roster for Mike McDaniel. -- RZ

21. Indianapolis Colts

Last week's rank: 22

Congratulations to the Colts for barely beating the hapless Jaguars in a lost season. It's a good thing general manager Chris Ballard, who has made the playoffs twice in eight seasons on the job, is coming back to … shepherd whatever Indy is trying to accomplish moving forward. Yeesh. -- RZ

20. Dallas Cowboys

Last week's rank: 19

Dak Prescott will return in 2025, but does it really matter if Jerry Jones continues to call the shots? The Cowboys' top-heavy, paper-thin lineup fell apart in 2024, and the franchise has had one playoff win since 2018. With minimal salary cap space and a middling draft slot, it's tough to see how things get significantly better next fall. -- CD

19. San Francisco 49ers

Last week's rank: 20

The 49ers' 2024 ended with a thud, leaving vast concerns about the future. The Niners have about $40 million in effective salary cap space to spend this offseason, but Brock Purdy has hit his extension years while guys like Javon Hargrave, Dre Greenlaw, Charvarius Ward, Tanaloa Hufanga, and Aaron Banks are 2025 free agents. (Purdy, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle will get there in 2026.) Can GM John Lynch find a way to keep the band together? Or is San Francisco careening toward a roster restructuring? -- CD

18. Atlanta Falcons

Last week's rank: 18

Michael Penix Jr. is far from perfect, but he's got a big, accurate arm capable of making tough throws to the sideline or gutsy ones over the middle. That's a great fit when you've got Drake London and Bijan Robinson in the lineup. The question now is whether Atlanta can separate him from the rookie mistakes that threaten to linger into his second season with the club. -- CD

17. Arizona Cardinals

Last week's rank: 21

In an ultimately disappointing finish to 2024, the Cardinals have one feather in their cap -- they swept the 49ers for the first time since 2021. That's genuine momentum to build on for 2025 as expectations will rise for Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray. -- RZ

16. Houston Texans

Last week's rank: 17

After getting humbled by the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, DeMeco Ryans elected to give his backups significant playing time against the NFL's worst team in Tennessee. That's an interesting gambit for a battered and bruised squad that probably could've used more confidence ahead of the sleepy Saturday afternoon wild card game. Don't expect much from the Texans this postseason. They need to regroup. -- RZ

15. Seattle Seahawks

Last week's rank: 15

Geno Smith had a career year and was rewarded handsomely for it. He attained $6 million in contract incentives based on his Week 18 performance. He's had a winning record in each of his three seasons as the team's starter -- a stretch that doesn't include any postseason victories. Will Seattle look to a young developmental quarterback in this year's draft? Or will it opt to see if Mike Macdonald's second year can bring the change necessary for the franchise's first playoff win since 2020? -- CD

14. Cincinnati Bengals

Last week's rank: 13

Despite having the NFL's leading passer (Joe Burrow), the NFL's leading receiver (Ja'Marr Chase), and the NFL's sack leader (Trey Hendrickson), the Bengals missed the playoffs. Of course, it's the first time in NFL history anyone has ever done that, too. A potentially tumultuous offseason in Cincinnati awaits. -- RZ

13. Denver Broncos

Last week's rank: 14

Denver's defense is strong enough to carry this team to a postseason run. Can Bo Nix match that production? The rookie has been better than expected -- see a 29:8 touchdown to interception ratio in his last 14 games -- but the playoffs are a different beast. If he can thrive, optimism will reach new heights across Colorado. -- CD

12. Pittsburgh Steelers

Last week's rank: 11

More concerning than the Steelers' four-game losing streak to close the year is the play of Russell Wilson. After helping carry Pittsburgh to a 10-3 record, Wilson finished with two games below 200 passing yards in his last four appearances. That dynamic off-platform playmaking to George Pickens and the Steelers' cadre of playmakers? Gone. That poise in the pocket? Gone. If this recent trend continues, the Steelers will head home early in another winning but ultimately meaningless season for Mike Tomlin. -- RZ

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Last week's rank: 12

There'll be plenty of time to dissect the Buccaneers' fourth straight NFC South title, especially as they seem capable of another deep playoff run behind a sterling Baker Mayfield. So, for now, let's focus on Mike Evans. The stalwart future Hall of Famer recorded his 11th consecutive season of at least 1,000 receiving yards on Sunday, tying the legendary Jerry Rice's record. It's rare to see that kind of consistent playmaking from any NFL veteran, let alone from someone in their 30s. Evans deserves his flowers as one of his generation's greats. -- RZ

10. Los Angeles Rams

Last week's rank: 10

Sean McVay found a way for Jimmy Garoppolo to average 8.1 yards per attempt on a day where more than half his completions came at the line of scrimmage or behind it. That's remarkable -- and a testament to his ability to wring the most out of whatever quarterback he's got. Now he gets to go back to work with a rested Matthew Stafford behind center. -- CD

9. Los Angeles Chargers

Last week's rank: 7

Jim Harbaugh didn't take Week 18 off and gets a winnable playoff opener in Houston for his troubles. That means a chance for his top-five defense to feast against the Texans' weak offensive line and perhaps another chance for Quentin Johnston to shine if Derek Stingley is committed to locking down Ladd McConkey on Saturday. -- CD

8. Green Bay Packers

Last week's rank: 8

Armed with an opportunity to avoid visiting the juggernaut Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round, Jordan Love's injury and a hapless special teams unit gave the hated Bears their first win in Lambeau Field in nearly a decade. Now, a team that went 1-5 vs. the NFC North and recorded just two victories over opponents with a winning record all year has to upend a Super Bowl favorite. On the road. Good luck. -- RZ

7. Washington Commanders

Last week's rank: 9

What's more concerning? The leg soreness that kept Jayden Daniels out of the second half of Week 18's win over the Cowboys, or the fact he'd only completed 50 percent of his passes while on the field? Dallas was able to harass the rookie with a dominating pass rush. Now, the Buccaneers and their eighth-best pressure rate await in the playoffs. -- CD

6. Baltimore Ravens

Last week's rank: 6

In danger of another disappointing finish to a season, the Ravens won four straight games to close out a second consecutive AFC North title and clinch the AFC's No. 3 seed. However, inconsistencies remain about a team eyeing New Orleans in February. Can the defense hold up? Will Lamar Jackson's sterling regular-season play transfer over to potential matchups with Kansas City and Buffalo? If the answer is no to either of these questions, then the Ravens will almost certainly be licking their wounds over another missed opportunity in just a matter of weeks. -- RZ

5. Minnesota Vikings

Last week's rank: 5

Week 18 didn't go as planned. The Vikings had a chance to cement their place atop the NFC but instead shrank amidst the chaos of Aaron Glenn's swarming defense. Sam Darnold wilted, Justin Jefferson was held in check, and an aggressive defense was burned repeatedly by Jahmyr Gibbs. Was this a sign that 2025 will end in tragedy? Or a wake-up call that points out all the weaknesses that must be addressed this postseason? -- CD

4. Philadelphia Eagles

Last week's rank: 4

Nick Sirianni made the prudent decision. Without a bye week in hand, he opted to rest Philadelphia's biggest stars in its regular season finale, which included Saquon Barkley on the brink of the NFL's single-season rushing record. The message is clear. The Eagles are on a mission for their second Super Bowl victory ever, and everything individually-centered comes second. Anything less than another Lombardi Trophy this winter will be considered a massive failure. -- RZ

3. Kansas City Chiefs

Last week's rank: 3

Kansas City didn't bother with token opposition to the Broncos' playoff bid, which was the right decision. Now, an offense that was beginning to find its top gear will head into the Divisional Round of the playoffs on effectively two-week rest. I'd be worried about rust, but I'm beginning to think worrying about anything with Andy Reid and prime Patrick Mahomes in the lineup is a fool's errand. -- CD

2. Buffalo Bills

Last week's rank: 1

Josh Allen threw zero passes on Sunday because bye-less Buffalo has bigger fish to fry: winning the first Super Bowl in franchise history. A complete, balanced, and well-coached team, the No. 2 Bills have the chops to do it. It's just about making that deep run that will likely eventually culminate in Kansas City. There, the biggest game of the NFL season, even bigger than Super Bowl 59, will probably await. -- RZ

1. Detroit Lions

Last week's rank: 2

Aaron Glenn gets overlooked thanks to Ben Johnson's offensive wizardry, but Detroit's defensive play-caller is similarly gifted when it comes to baffling opponents. His game plan limited the Vikings to a 7.1 percent success rate in the red zone, holding Minnesota without a touchdown and making Sam Darnold look like his former Jets self. More importantly, Glenn did so without a litany of injured starters -- adding a layer of confidence as the NFC's top seed prepares for the postseason. -- CD

This article originally appeared on For The Win: NFL Power Rankings after Week 18: Lions, Bills clearly under most pressure this postseason