The NFL season is nearly here, and these are the eight divisions ranked from best to worst.
Divisions in the NFL mean quite a bit. Teams have to play 6 of their 17 games in the division, and getting to play in a weak or strong division may mean the difference between making and not making the playoffs.
Here are the eight divisions ranked from best to worst on top-to-bottom strength.
1. AFC North
Between the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cleveland Browns, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Baltimore Ravens there is not a single weak team in the division. Last year, all but the Bengals made the playoffs. When you factor in that the Bengals will have a healthy Joe Burrow this year and are a top Super Bowl contender, it’s easy to understand why this is the deepest division in the league.
2. NFC North
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We stay in the North for another division that has solid depth. While the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings aren’t quite as collectively deep as the AFC North, this is still a division with four teams that have bona fide playoff hopes. Two of them, the Lions and Packers, think they have what it takes to win the NFC this year. And, the Bears could be the surprise team of the league this year. The Vikings are probably the weakest team in the division, yet may not be a bottom-ten team in the league.
3. AFC East
Getty Image / Perry Knotts
For years, the AFC used to be the New England Patriots and then everyone else. Now it’s the opposite, as it’s the Patriots looking way up at the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and, yes, the New York Jets. This division feels pretty volatile between those three teams, but strong quarterback play by all three should keep them competitive all year long. If the Patriots weren’t a bottom-five team in the league, this division could be ranked higher.
4. NFC East
The NFC East is an interesting division, featuring two teams in the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys with bona fide Super Bowl hopes and two teams in the New York Giants and Washington Commanders that are in the midst of rebuilds. But, two Super Bowl contenders goes a long way in these rankings, and the Commanders seem headed in the right direction.
5. NFC West
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The NFC West kicks off the bottom four because their bottom three are just a little bit better than some of the other divisions left. A strong San Francisco 49ers team is joined by a better-than-you-think Los Angeles Rams team, an average Seattle Seahawks teams, and a rebuilding Arizona Cardinals team that could be much-improved. this year. The NFC West isn’t anything special, but it is solidly mid-pack.
6. AFC South
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The AFC South was one of the most dramatic divisions last season, as a three-horse race played out between the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, and Indianapolis Colts that went down to the wire. That doesn’t mean it was particularly good, but it was competitive. The good news about this division is that if any of the four young starting quarterbacks could make a huge leap into superstardom this year, assuming CJ Stroud isn’t already there. Overall, there probbaly isn’t a true Super Bowl contender in the division, but there are three teams with legit playoff hopes, and that keeps them out of the bottom two.
7. NFC South
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Most people would think the much-maligned NFC South would be ranked last, but that’s not where they should be ranked. Make no mistake, this division featuring the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers isn’t good. In fact, there probably isn’t a single team likely to win a playoff game in the division. But, three of the four teams could reasonably be better than last year. The Saints will likely take a step back, but modest improvements by the other three teams should keep them out of the cellar.
8. AFC West
Getty Image / Ryan Kang
How does a division with the best team in football and the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs be the worst in football? Have the 2024 versions of the Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos. There are more teams in the division with hopes of getting the number-one overall pick (2) than there are teams that have realistic hopes of making the playoffs (1). If the Chiefs don’t go 6-0 in divisional games, it will be a little stunning. Overall, this is the worst division in football with three teams in a rebuild. Not even Patrick Mahomes can save it.