Welcome to the NFL Playoffs. There will be six new faces and plenty of familiar faces.
For 34th In every consecutive season since the NFL expanded to 12 teams in 1990, at least four teams have made the playoffs after failing to qualify the previous season.
This year's group includes the Browns, Lions, Packers, Texans, Rams and Steelers.
In fact, the Browns and Texans finished last in the division a year ago, with the Texans going from worst to first under first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback CJ Stroud. He made a surprising leap forward.
In the third season of the 17-game era, a winning record alone is no longer enough to qualify for the playoffs.
Ron Rivera and Arthur Smith were fired. For the latest NFL Black Monday updates, news, rumors, analysis and more, follow our live tracker.
Of the seven teams that finished 9-8, only two will play after Week 18.
The Post's final NFL power rankings for the 2023 season are as follows:
1. Baltimore Ravens 13-4 (1)
Tyler Huntley threw for 146 yards and a touchdown in a 17-10 loss to the Steelers, with MVP candidate Lamar Jackson sitting on the bench as the No. 1 seed in the AFC ended. Gus Edwards and Melvin Gordon lost fumbles, and the Ravens only scored seven points until the last minute when Justin Tucker failed to recover and forced a field goal on an onside kick.
2. San Francisco 49ers 12-5 (2)
The No. 1 seed in the NFC, the 49ers, copied the Ravens' blueprint and started several starters, including quarterback Brock Purdy, and lost 21-20 to the Rams, but still gained nothing. . Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass to Ronnie Bell for a score, but the seven-point lead disappeared in the fourth quarter.
3. Buffalo Bills 11-6 (6)
Five weeks ago, the Bills were 11th in the AFC. The Bills defeated the Dolphins 21-14, extending their winning streak to five games and taking the AFC East title, leaving them in second place. Josh Allen threw two touchdowns, making it 4-1 and 3-3 in the second half. And bite the clock with -13's foot. Deonte Hardy's 96-yard punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter changed the game.
4. Dallas Cowboys 12-5 (4)
Needing a win to clinch the NFC East championship, the Cowboys defeated the Commanders 38-10 behind Dak Prescott's four touchdown passes (five completions), raising their league-high season total to 36. I expanded it into a book. CeeDee Lamb scored two goals. . The Cowboys finished 12-5 for the third straight year under head coach Mike McCarthy.
5. Detroit Lions 12-5(5)
Head coach Dan Campbell chose not to rest his starting lineup in order to gain momentum to end the season with a win and a 30-20 win over the Vikings. problem? Tight end Sam LaPorta — a standout rookie — suffered a potentially serious knee injury. The Lions will host a playoff game for the first time since 1993.
6. Miami Dolphins 11-6(3)
Paper tiger? The Dolphins have just one win against a playoff team (the Cowboys), and their chance to gain home-field advantage through the AFC playoffs was wiped out with back-to-back losses to the Ravens and Bills, ending the season without any home games. Tua Tagovailoa's second interception thwarted a potential tie two minutes in, and Devon Ashen and Tyreek Hill were held without injured substitutes Jaylen Waddle and Raheem Mostert.
7. Cleveland Browns 11-6(7)
The Browns, locked into the AFC's No. 5 seed, lost 31-14 to the Bengals without four of their most important players: Joe Flacco, Amari Cooper, Myles Garrett, and Denzel Ward. Jeff Driskel became the team's fifth starting QB this season, throwing two touchdowns and two interceptions.
8. Kansas City Chiefs 11-6(9)
Harrison Butker made a 41-yard field goal with 49 seconds left, clinching a 13-12 victory over the Chargers. With Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce on the bench, the Chiefs' only touchdown was a 97-yard fumble return by Mike Edwards. Blaine Gabbert devised a game-winning nine-play, 51-yard drive to instill the confidence needed in the playoffs.
9. Los Angeles Rams 10-7 (10)
The Rams improved to 7-1 since the bye, with backup quarterback Carson Wentz helping Puka Nacua break his NFL record. Nacua set rookie year records for catches (105) and receiving yards (1,480), scoring a 19-yard touchdown in the process. Brett Maher missed the PAT as the Rams' kicking problems continued throughout the season.
10. Philadelphia Eagles 11-6 (8)
If the Eagles lose to the Giants, you know things are getting really bad, going 1-5 since December 3rd. Despite having a chance to clinch the NFC East championship, the Eagles looked completely disinterested, losing 27-10 and trailing by 24 points. This was the fourth loss in the past 21 meetings between the two teams. Things got even worse when Jalen Hurts (finger) and AJ Brown (knee) were both injured.
11. Houston Texans 10-7 (11)
12. Pittsburgh Steelers 10-7 (13)
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-8 (18)
14. Green Bay Packers 9-8 (20)
15. Seattle Seahawks 9-8 (14)
16. Cincinnati Bengals 9-8 (16)
17. New Orleans Saints 9-8 (17)
18. Jacksonville Jaguars 9-8(12)
19. Indianapolis Colts 9-8(15)
20. Las Vegas Raiders 8-9 (22)
21. Denver Broncos 8-9 (19)
22. Chicago Bears 7-10(21)
23. Atlanta Falcons 7-10 (23)
24. Minnesota Vikings 7-10(24)
25. New York Jets 7-10 (25)
The winning streak is over! The Jets ended their losing streak against the Patriots at 15 in exchange for the right to spoil what was supposed to be head coach Bill Belichick's final game in New England with a 17-3 win in the snow. , he dropped several draft positions. -Covered field. Breece Hall ran 50 yards for the game's only touchdown.
26. Tennessee Titans 6-11 (26)
27. New York Giants 6-11(27)
If this was the last game against the Giants for mainstays Saquon Barkley (two touchdowns), Xavier McKinney (two interceptions), and Sterling Shepard (who ranks fifth in franchise history with 372 career catches), all of them. contributed to a rare victory against the Eagles. . Tyrod Taylor threw for 297 yards and returned from two injuries.
