Super Bowl LX will be played in Santa Clara, Calif., so it’s only fitting that at least one of the roads there will run through the West. The NFC West boasts three legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
Either the Seahawks or the 49ers will enter the playoffs as the NFC’s No. 1 seed, and the Rams have the firepower to make a run, too, despite what happened to them in Atlanta on Monday night. Here are the FOX Sports NFL Power Rankings heading into Week 18.
*Super Bowl LX odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Eliminated from playoff contention
Everyone is still sure that Woody Johnson isn’t going to fire Aaron Glenn, right? Because Glenn sure did a heck of a George Costanza impersonation at the Meadowlands on Sunday.
Eliminated from playoff contention
One of the most obvious tank jobs ever. But at least they get the No. 1 overall pick, and presumably a new QB, for their disgusting showing in a blowout loss at home to the Giants.
Eliminated from playoff contention
They had 233 total yards against the NFL’s worst defense. They’ve now lost eight straight and 13 of 14 and sure look like they’ve quit. Tell me again how Jonathan Gannon is safe?
Eliminated from playoff contention
Man, they can’t even lose right. Not that they needed the No. 1 pick, but it sure would’ve brought back a nice haul in a trade. Instead, they get to celebrate a meaningless (and rare) win. Yay.
Eliminated from playoff contention
Very quietly, Cam Ward has now thrown just one interception in the past eight games, and none in the past three. He’s showing the Titans’ next coach there’s something to work with there.
Eliminated from playoff contention
What, you thought 39-year-old Josh Johnson was going to help them while making just his 10th start in a career that has spanned 18 years and 14 NFL teams? No, he couldn’t prevent Washington’s 10th loss in 11 games.
Eliminated from playoff contention
Beating Pittsburgh had to feel good near the end of an ugly season. And really, what a waste it has been seeing that elite defense play all year, knowing the Browns’ offense is a mess.
Eliminated from playoff contention
Can we just skip ahead to Travis Kelce’s retirement press conference? They’ve lost seven of eight now. It’s just getting sad.
Eliminated from playoff contention
Rookie QB Tyler Shough threw for 333 yards and two touchdowns and the Saints have now won four straight. Not sure what else he has to do to prove he deserves to be the starter in New Orleans next season.
Eliminated from playoff contention
A shocking win over the Rams reminded everyone what this team should have been. They’ll kick themselves when they realize they’re going to miss the playoffs because they lost to the Jets in Week 13.
Super Bowl odds: +10000
Baker Mayfield finally came back to life, but his fourth-quarter interception and fumble killed their comeback. Hard to believe this team still has a shot at the NFC South title.
Eliminated from playoff contention
Rookie Quinn Ewers looked OK, throwing for 172 yards with two TD passes and no interceptions. Probably not enough to convince anyone he’s the Dolphins’ QB of the future, but a nice showing nonetheless.
Eliminated from playoff contention
It’s hard to believe the Colts were once 8-2. It’s even harder to believe they’ve now lost six straight and are the sixth team in 55 years to miss the playoffs after an 8-2 start.
Eliminated from playoff contention
They have a 4,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers, yet they’re going to miss the playoffs. Imagine what they could do next season with a defense.
Eliminated from playoff contention
They sure did bottom out with an ugly, inexcusable, 23-10 loss in Minnesota to Max Brosmer and the Vikings. Just 231 yards with the skill players they have is a disgraceful farewell for this team.
Eliminated from playoff contention
Max Brosmer threw for 51 yards, so don’t get too excited about their win over the Lions. But they have won four straight and have a shot to finish over .500, which is pretty remarkable.
Eliminated from playoff contention
Joe Burrow looked happy again with a 305-yard, two-touchdown performance. But what really brought a smile to his face was his defense finally finding an offense — never mind that it was the Cardinals’ — that it could stop.
Super Bowl odds: +20000
Just 54 passing yards from Bryce Young against Seattle? The good news for the up-and-down Panthers is they’re on track to be up when they battle for the NFC South title in Tampa on Saturday.
Super Bowl odds: +9000
All they had to do was beat the Browns to clinch. The Browns! Instead, thanks to Aaron Rodgers’ struggles without WR DK Metcalf, they’ll face the Ravens in an elimination game on Sunday night.
Super Bowl odds: +2000
John Harbaugh got the message. He let Derrick Henry carry the ball 36 times and was rewarded with 216 yards, four touchdowns, and a season-saving win in Green Bay. Now all he has to do is ride Henry again in Pittsburgh on Sunday night.
Super Bowl odds: +2200
What the heck happened to this defense? The Packers gave up 307 rushing yards to the Ravens and now 457 over the past two weeks. That’s the opposite of playoff-ready.
Super Bowl odds: +2800
Even with the loss to the Texans, the Chargers have still won seven of their past nine. But it’s hard to trust an offense that has been held under 300 yards four times in six games now.
Super Bowl odds: +1100
They looked terrible against the Eagles defense for 50 minutes, then came within a failed two-point pass of a miracle comeback. Why do they always take so long to get going?
Super Bowl odds: +1400
That’s eight straight wins, and they’ve got a defense that’s going to be tough in the playoffs. They could go far if QB C.J. Stroud and the offense can get its act together.
Super Bowl odds: +1000
Their defense was remarkable (again) in Buffalo. But what is going on with that offense? They scored 13 points in the first half, then put up just 17 yards in the second half? That’s embarrassing.
Super Bowl odds: +475
Their inexcusable Monday night loss in Atlanta exposed a flaw in the Rams’ defense. They’ve now given up 390 rushing yards and five rushing TDs in the past two games.
Super Bowl odds: +750
Yet another close call. Remarkably, 11 of their 13 wins have been by one score or less. In some ways, they look like the AFC champion Chiefs did last year. In others, they look like a team that could get bounced in the first round.
Super Bowl odds: +1300
Their seventh straight victory left them one win over the lowly Titans away from clinching the AFC South title — a remarkable achievement in Liam Coen’s first season at the helm.
Super Bowl odds: +2000
They may have lost in San Francisco, but they won the hearts of everyone who watched. The Cardiac Bears sure are fun. And beating them in the playoffs will be very, very tough.
Super Bowl odds: +900
That was a heavyweight victory against the Bears. Their offense has been on fire the past three games, and a Super Bowl in their home stadium is looking more realistic every week.
Super Bowl odds: +900
Bill Belichick had to be (secretly) proud of what they did to the Jets on Sunday. The rest of New England is proud they finally broke the stranglehold the Bills had on the AFC East title.
Super Bowl odds: +500
Consider their lackluster win in Carolina the calm before the storm. It was the Seahawks’ sixth straight win, but they’ll need a much better effort to lock up the top seed in the NFC on Saturday in San Francisco.
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He spent six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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