Trying to parse through all of these challengers is an immense chore, one that seemingly gets more convoluted each week. As such, we're breaking down the 20 teams in the playoff race into tiers of trustworthiness as the season hits the stretch run.

When the Carolina Panthers selected Bryce Young first overall in 2023, it wasn't a huge surprise. That QB class didn't have a clear number one. Both Young and S

Maintain their two-game lead in the loss column over the Bills in theAFC East. The Broncos (10-2) needed overtime to beat the Commanders on Sunday night. Should they finish with the same record, Denver currently holds the common opponent tie-breaker over the Patriots because they beat the Raiders.

The Buffalo Bills scored 26 straight points and ran over the Pittsburgh Steelers, 26-7. It dropped Pittsburgh, which had climbed into the AFC North lead after the Baltimore Ravens lost on Thanksgiving, out of the top spot in the division and into the No. 9 seed.

Expert recap and game analysis of the Denver Broncos vs. Washington Commanders NFL game from November 30, 2025 on ESPN.

And, coming off back-to-back four-win seasons, there’s a strong case to be made for Mike Vrabel earning the NFL’s Coach of the Year honors. Following Monday Night’s 33-15 win over the New York Giants, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye said Vrabel deserves to get the award.

The 2025 NFL season is heading into the back stretch, with teams jockeying for playoff positioning and others simply playing out the schedule, their dreams and aspirations of winning a Super Bowl more closely resembling a nightmare.

Jones broke one of the NFL's oldest records on Monday night, becoming the league's all-time leader in yards per punt return.