The chaos of Week 18 in the NFL begins.
There was some clarity on Sunday, with the Ravens and 49ers clinching the top seeds for the AFC and NFC playoffs, respectively, but there's still a lot to decide. Five teams remain in the AFC's three playoff spots and six teams remain in the two spots. With NFC.
No team embodies that madness more than the Bills. The Bills could win the division and move up to the No. 2 seed in the AFC, but they could miss the playoffs altogether after 272 games.
Nine teams have won by double digits, but only two have more than 12 wins due to the two tiers of competition.
And while the Eagles and Chiefs seemed headed for a Super Bowl rematch not long ago, things are trending in the wrong direction as the playoffs approach.
Here are the Post's NFL power rankings for Week 18.
1. Ravens 13-3 (1)
The message was received loud and clear. In a game between arguably the two best teams in the AFC, the Ravens defeated the Dolphins 56-19, securing the AFC North and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl. Lamar Jackson also could have won NFL MVP with 321 passing yards, five touchdowns, and a perfect 158.3 score. The Ravens finished the game with 21 consecutive points in the fourth quarter.
2. 49ers 12-4 (2)
Brock Purdy bounced back from the worst performance of his career by throwing two touchdowns in a 27-10 win against the Commanders. With a little help elsewhere, the 49ers earned a first-round bye. The overtime period allowed Christian McCaffrey to recover from a possible calf strain that caused him to be ejected in the third quarter after gaining 91 yards.
3. Dolphins 11-5 (3)
It's not easy to lose 56-19 in the same season you won 70-20 (against the Broncos in Week 3). Without the injured duo of Raheem Mostert (NFL touchdown leader) and Jaylen Waddle, the explosive offense looked mediocre all season against the Ravens' top-ranked scoring defense. Tua Tagovailoa threw two touchdowns and two interceptions, clinching the AFC East title.
4. Cowboys 11-5 (5)
Is there a better quarterback/receiver combination right now than Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb? They had 13 catches on 17 targets for 227 yards and a touchdown in a controversial 20-19 victory over the Lions. Prescott orchestrated a game-winning 75-yard drive in the fourth quarter, completing an undefeated home game (8-0) for the first time since 1981.
5. Lions 11-5 (4)
The Cowboys' upset victory seemed in sight until the referees penalized a trick two-point conversion pass to offensive lineman Taylor Decker with 23 seconds left. Was it a blown phone call? It looks like that. Jared Goff's third attempt to take a two-point lead ended in an incomplete shot, and there was no consolation for the Lions, who were just one step away.
6. Proposal 10-6(7)
It wasn't as easy as they expected, but they defeated the Patriots 27-21, avenging their early-season loss. Rasul Douglas returned one of two interceptions for a touchdown and tipped a pass that led to a third takeaway. Josh Allen scored two touchdowns, sending the Bills into a winner-divide game against Miami.
7. Browns 11-5(8)
Joe Flacco hasn't been this good since losing four playoff games with the Ravens en route to winning Super Bowl MVP in 2012. Six weeks after joining the practice squad, Flacco has had four straight 300-yard passing games, the most recent of which was in the first half of the Jets' 37-20 victory and a berth in the playoffs. That included a career-high 296 points.
8. Eagles 11-5(6)
There's something seriously wrong with the Eagles, who are 1-4 in their last five games after allowing former defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon his first big win as Cardinals head coach. Jalen Hurts threw three touchdown passes, two to Julio Jones, but the defense put together a decisive 70-yard touchdown drive in the final three minutes of a 35-31 loss. I forgave you.
9. Chiefs 10-6 (9)
The Chiefs rely on the foot strength of Harrison Butker (6-of-6 field goals, four of which covered 43 yards or more) and Isaiah Pacheco (career-high 130 rushing yards). As a result, they won the AFC West division championship for the eighth consecutive year. – 25-17 come-from-behind victory over the Bengals. In this AFC Championship Game rematch, one team was without Joe Burrow and the other team was without the Chiefs' big passing play.
10. Rams 9-7 (10)
After defeating the Giants 26-25, the surging Rams' team plane was reportedly waiting at the airport for other games to finish to celebrate clinching a playoff berth. Kyren Williams scored three touchdowns, and Coby Turner and Aaron Donald combined for 4.5 sacks. Rookie Puka Nacua has surpassed 100 catches this season with five catches for 80 yards.
11. Texans 9-7 (11)
12. Jaguars 9-7 (14)
13. Steelers 9-7 (15)
14. Seahawks 8-8 (12)
15. Colts 9-7 (17)
16. Bengals 8-8 (16)
17. Saints 8-8 (22)
18. Buccaneers 8-8 (13)
19. Broncos 8-8 (19)
20. Packers 8-8 (21)
21. Bears 7-9 (23)
22. Raiders 7-9 (18)
23. Falcons 7-9 (20)
24. Vikings 7-9 (24)
25. Jets 6-10 (25)
Even Jermaine Johnson's pick-six couldn't mask the stink of the Jets' much-touted defense against former teammate Flacco. The Browns scored 34 points in the first half. Breece Hall totaled 126 yards and one touchdown from scrimmage, and Garrett Wilson surpassed 1,000 receiving yards on the season. It wasn't an easy task since there is currently a fourth quarterback (Trevor Siemian) at the helm.
26. Titans 5-11 (26)
27. Giants 5-11 (27)
Mason Crosby's 54-yard field goal fell short, and the Giants upset fell to the Rams. Tyrod Taylor passed for 319 yards and could have had more if not for the penalty, but he missed an easy throw on a two-point conversion late in the game that appeared to be the game-winner. Dane Belton broke through with two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
