This is it. After months of lead-up, then months of action, the NFL season is all of a sudeen coming to an end. To wrap up the season, here’s my power rankings after Week 16. This certainly doesn’t have a ton of bearing on what I think these teams will do during the 2015 season, because there’ll be a whole round of new draftees coming in, free agent signings and trades before we have a remote idea of what these teams will look like.

However, consider these rankings my predictions for who will make the playoffs, and who has the best chance to win the Super Bowl.

32. Tennessee Titans

The Buccaneers have Mike Evans. The Jaguars have a good defensive line and a good group of young receivers. The Raiders have Derek Carr. The Titans have……..whoever they pick in the first round of the draft this year. There’s just not much in Tennessee to like right now.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Although the Bucs might wind up with the No. 1 overall pick, they are at least sticking around in games and are being competitive, which is more than can be said for the Titans.

30. New York Jets

There’s a very, very good chance that the Jets are looking for a new coach and general manager this offseason. That’s no fun, and it’s really unfair to Rex Ryan. If the Jets had at least a decent quarterback (someone not named Mark Sanchez or Geno Smith) the Jets could at least have been a regular .500 team under Ryan.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars

Each game, the Jaguars show something new that should give fans a little bit of hope. I’m personally a fan of their front seven. However, 2015 is just setting up to be yet another rebuilding year.

28. Oakland Raiders

Out of all of these “rebuilding” teams (Jets, Jags, Bucs and Raiders) if I’m a coach and I get a call from all four of these teams, I’d be the most excited about the Raiders job, believe it or not. There’s enough to like on defense up front, and each week Derek Carr convinces me that he should have been drafted higher and higher this year.

27. Washington Redskins

Last week’s win was classic Washington. They are fortunate to face an Eagles team that is spiraling downward, and force enough errors on defense to win. Then, the fans jump on board the coaching bandwagon again, and everyone’s convinced that Jim Haslett needs to stay, that Robert Griffin III shouldn’t be traded and that Jay Gruden has somehow found “the forumla” to winning. Let me know how that goes for you.

26. Chicago Bears

The strange thing is, Chicago was actually beating the Lions at one point with Jimmy Clausen on Sunday. It didn’t end so well for the Bears, and this test to “See what they had” in Jimmy Clausen ended up with one answer: It’s still Jimmy Clausen.

25. New Orleans Saints

In an awful division, the Saints were in the driver’s seat and really could have hosted a playoff game. Instead, they’re left starting their awful 2015 cap situation in the face.

24. Atlanta Falcons

Frankly, from the Falcons to No. 18, all of these teams are about the same. They could all play each other in a round-robin tournament and I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of these teams win every game, and I wouldn’t be surprised if one team lost all of their games. They’re all on about the same level, but Atlanta’s defense just makes me so skeptical about their “playoff” game against the Panthers this weekend.

23. Minnesota Vikings

If the Vikings didn’t have a punt blocked inside the final minute Sunday against the Dolphins, they’d be sitting at 7-8 with a chance to finish the season .500 against an awful Bears team. But, football is weird, and Minnesota ended up losing on a blocked punt that turned into a safety. Watch out for this defense next season, though.

22. New York Giants
 

Imagine a world where the Browns make the same trade in this year’s draft and move back, only to take Odell Beckham Jr. rather than Justin Gilbert. Imagine a world where the Titans decide to actually fill a need and take Beckham instead of offensive lineman Taylor Lewan. If either of those things happen, the Giants finish the season with five wins. Beckham has kickstarted this offense, and has scored 37.1 percent of the Giants’ points in the past three games.

21. Cleveland Browns

For the second week in a row, it was tough to get a good feel for where the Browns are at right now because the run defense couldn’t get their opponent off the field. A week after running 38 offensive plays, the Browns ran just 44 against the Panthers. It’s impossible to get a read on either Browns quarterback with that volume.

20. Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton looked very good against the Browns, running for a few first downs and getting the ball to Kelvin Benjamin when he needed to, but Jonathan Stewart and Carolina’s run blocking has been so good as of late that the quarterback doesn’t need to take on all that much. That should benefit them against the Falcons. If they can control the ball and keep Julio Jones and Roddy White off the field, they can win and somehow host a playoff game.

19. St. Louis Rams

St. Louis is 12th in defensive DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average), according to Football Outsiders, and that’s with their tough first half of the season. If the Rams can figure out their quarterback position this offseason, there’s no reason they can’t compete for a Wild Card spot in 2015.

18. San Francisco 49ers

Two years ago, Colin Kaepernick vs. Russell Wilson was being billed as the next Brady/Manning rivalry. How’s that working out now?

17. Miami Dolphins

The downturn Miami’s defense has taken in the past four or so weeks has been astounding. The Dolphins went from my favorite to make the playoffs as a Wild Card team, to having the owner needing to publicly say that they won’t fire Joe Philbin.

16. Buffalo Bills

Buffalo’s defense is second in DVOA, behind only the Lions. For my money, they’re the third best defense in the league behind only Seattle and Detroit. But, was we all predicted, the Bills couldn’t overcome having Kyle Orton as their quarterback.

15. Kansas City Chiefs

Alex Smith had another nice game, but the offense just isn’t good enough. It’s clear that Kansas City really needs to either draft or sign two, if not more, receivers this offseason, and teach Travis Kelce how to block so he can be on the field more often.

14. Baltimore Ravens

Two touchdowns saved Joe Flacco from really being thrown under the bus in the media this week, but his breakdown in the face of J.J. Watt and Houston’s defense probably cost the Ravens a playoff spot.

13. Houston Texans

I obviously don’t have a vote for NFL MVP, but if I did, it’d be going to Watt, regardless of whether the Texans make the playoffs. I haven’t been alive long enough to really speak historically about this, but in my lifetime (I just turned 22) Watt is the most dominant defensive player I’ve ever seen. He single-handedly swung the momentum of that Ravens game in Houston’s favor. Unfortunately, the offense isn’t good enough to get the Texans a playoff berth (barring some serious help from their leaguemates).

12. Philadelphia Eagles

It turns out there is a legitimate difference between Mark Sanchez and Nick Foles. If Foles is healthy, I’m convinced the Eagles at least beat Washington on Saturday and stay in the playoff conversation.

11. Indianapolis Colts

Clearly, the Colts weren’t too invested in beating the Cowboys this weekend. They got behind early, and that was basically it. No matter who they face in the first round of the playoffs, I still like the Colts chances, because they have Andrew Luck, and the Bengals (who I think will lose to the Steelers this weekend) don’t.

10. San Diego Chargers

If for some reason the NFL is being re-drafted next season, there’s probably six quarterbacks I’d be sure to take immediately: Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers. I’m completely convinced the Chargers win this week and secure a playoff spot. This is the kind of game Rivers lives for, and he’ll have his offense ready to go against a stumbling Chiefs team.

9. Arizona Cardinals

Watching Ryan Lindley Sunday night was really painful. I just feel bad for the Cardinals right now, because if Carson Palmer was still healthy, I’d have them in my top five.

8. Cincinnati Bengals

There were several points in Monday’s game that I was convinced Peyton Manning was going to put the Bengals away, and push their playoff celebration back to this week. Instead, Cincy’s defense was able to get pressure on Manning and forced turnovers. For some reason, we’re still talking about Andy Dalton, but this win was really about the defense.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

Out of all the teams in the AFC, the Patriots should most be afraid of the Steelers. If Pittsburgh goes into Foxborough, the one thing they’re awful at (defending deep passes) is the one thing the Patriots can’t do.

6. Detroit Lions

People are saying the Lions are fraudulent or are getting lucky and pulling out games. But, their defense is first in DVOA and they are 12th in point differential, which is higher than the Bengals and Cardinals. There’s certainly a chance the Lions have to play a Wild Card game and lose in the first round, but I also wouldn’t be shocked if they end up in the NFC championship game, the defense is that good.

5. Dallas Cowboys

Recently, Tony Romo has picked up some steam for a possible MVP candidacy, but I don’t see how you say that Romo is more deserving of the award than DeMarco Murray. That’s great news for the Cowboys, though, because the offense is balance enough to be in the top five teams heading into the playoffs.

4. Denver Broncos

I’m not going to rag on Manning for his interceptions Monday night. Instead, I’ll point out that Denver’s middle linebackers have a tough time covering tight ends and stuffing the run, which could end up being it’s biggest weakness heading into the playoffs.

3. Green Bay Packers

The Packers may not be scoring 50 points a game anymore, but this weekend, they ran the ball so much they didn’t have to put up points, eventually winning 20-3, which in this case is just as convincing as a 30-point win.

2. New England Patriots

In the top five, it may sound like I’m being nit-picky when discussing these teams, but that’s what you really have to do to determine a Super Bowl favorite. In New England’s case, the offense looked like it missed Julian Edelman, and at this point in the season, it’s not great to be relying on a slot receiver to keep an offense going. And for the past three or so years, Tom Brady hasn’t been great at completing deep balls. But, like I said, it’s nit-picking. The Pats are still the favorite in the AFC.

1. Seattle Seahawks

All football fans already know how good Seattle’s defense is, but it actually amazes me how successful Russell Wilson has been with sub-par talent around him on offense. Marshawn Lynch is great, but he’s throwing to guys who probably wouldn’t be starting on 75 percent of the teams in the league.