NFL Power Rankings: Post-Super Bowl Standings and League Review

It's over.

Well, not forever, but the 2014 NFL season concluded on Sunday night with the New England Patriots conquering the Seattle Seahawks to win an epic Super Bowl XLIX. Now that New England holds full custody of the Lombardi Trophy, there's no question who sits on top of the league's hierarchy.

Now that the script is complete, let's take a step back and review a crazy year that went down to the last yard. After all, what's the point of assembling power rankings every week without assessing the final damage?

After a long, winding season, here is how all 32 teams stack up at the end. Since anybody could list them all in order of reverse standings, this final report card considers other factors, most notably strength of schedule, point differential and Football Outsiders' DVOA. But with no more games to worry about, this judges the full body of work more than recent play, especially for those who missed the postseason.

Note: Records include postseason play

32. Tennessee Titans (2-14)

After beating the Jacksonville Jaguars by two points in Week 6, the Tennessee Titans closed out their season with 10 straight losses. It feels so long ago since Jake Locker led them to a strong Week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, at the time a harbinger of better days ahead.

31. Oakland Raiders (3-13)

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No team posted a worse point differential than the Oakland Raiders' minus-199 mark. They at least ended on a positive note, splitting their final six games following a dreadful 0-10 start.

Still, they started 0-10. For all the talk about Derek Carr's promising rookie campaign, he mustered 5.46 yards per passing attempt, by far the worst rate among all starting quarterbacks. 

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13)

In the last three years, the Jaguars are 9-39 with a minus-554 point differential. They placed No. 31 in total offense, No. 26 in total defense and last in DVOA during another year trapped down the AFC South's basement. 

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-14)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers couldn't catch a break all season, losing four games by three points or less. That doesn't include two overtime affairs in which they conceded deciding touchdowns. 

Yet it's probably for the best that Tampa Bay constantly fell short in close contests. For those poor performances, it receives a stupendous consolation prize in the No. 1 draft pick, which it should cash in for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota.

28. Washington Redskins (4-12)

Following its Week 10 bye, Washington was outscored by 105 points in seven games, losing all but one upset to spoil the Philadelphia Eagles' playoff hopes. For all the fingers pointed at Robert Griffin III, the maligned quarterback completed 68.7 percent of his passes with 7.92 yards per pass attempt through nine games.

27. New York Jets (4-12)

Geno Smith was right. 

The New York Jets quarterback took a beating in the press for comments made in December, per Newsday's Mark Herrmann.

"I've shown flashes of being a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback, but what we're looking for here is consistency," Smith said. "The best teams have consistent quarterback play and I realize that and that's truly what I want to show to the fans and everyone outside the building."

Later that month, he played a flawless game, going 20-of-25 with 358 passing yards, three touchdowns and a perfect 158.2 quarterback rating. That wasn't enough to salvage all the preceding ugliness, but he flashed Pro Bowl-caliber production that week.

26. Chicago Bears (5-11)

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Since this is the NFL, Jay Cutler gets all the blame for the Chicago Bears spiraling out of control. The maddening quarterback didn't quite hold the fort down, but how about sharing some of that criticism with the league's No. 30-ranked passing defense?

25. Cleveland Browns (7-9)

A 6-3 start quickly proved a mirage for the Cleveland Browns, who defeated three of these rankings' bottom four teams while losing to the other (Jacksonville) during that stretch. 

They ultimately proved the AFC North's weak link, finishing 7-9 with a minus-38 point differential. To make matters worse, they will now have to find answers without the again-suspended Josh Gordon. 

24. St. Louis Rams (6-10)

For a hot second, the St. Louis Rams looked legit. They used trickery to upset the Seahawks, fended off the San Francisco 49ers and caused the Denver Broncos to transition into a run-first offense. They then scored 76 points against Oakland in Washington in back-to-back shutouts.

That doesn't, however, wipe out all the bad. They allowed 29.4 points per game in 10 losses, tallying a minus-30 point differential despite a 52-0 slaughter over the Raiders.

23. Atlanta Falcons (6-10)

The Atlanta Falcons would have made the playoffs with a Week 17 victory. The 6-10 Falcons, ranked last in total defense with one victory outside the dreadful NFC South, almost made the postseason. 

22. New York Giants (6-10)

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The New York Giants went 1-9 against teams with a .500 record or better while outscoring the losers by 90 points. An improved offensive line would give Big Blue a dangerous attack with a full season from AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Odell Beckham Jr., but losing free agent Jason Pierre-Paul would drastically set their defense back.

21. Minnesota Vikings (7-9)

If ever there was a foolproof case for Coke over Pepsi, Teddy Bridgewater somehow received Pepsi Rookie of the Year honors.

Beckham and standout guard Zack Martin were much stronger neophytes, but the Minnesota Vikings gained the early edge on his class of newcomer quarterbacks. The voters must have only looked at the final five weeks, when Bridgewater completed 72.1 percent of his passes. 

Wait, Beckham registered 696 receiving yards and seven touchdowns over that same sampling. Never mind.

20. New Orleans Saints (7-9)

The dubious designation of 2014's most disappointing team goes to the New Orleans Saints. Carrying Super Bowl aspirations into 2014, the Saints instead failed to win the eight games necessary to sneak into the postseason.

Before burning a Drew Brees effigy, New Orleans displayed the second-worst defense and lost four games by three points or fewer.

19. Carolina Panthers (8-9-1)

Before getting carried away in the Carolina Panthers' late-season push to the playoffs, they beat four squads with a combined 22-40 record during December. Then they beat Ryan Lindley's Arizona Cardinals, the only other NFL playoff team they could have possibly knocked off. 

A year after giving Cam Newton a passing buddy in Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina can use a No. 2 wide receiver and some reinforcements on the offensive line to actually earn another division title.

18. San Francisco 49ers (8-8)

Anyone who disagreed with New Orleans as 2014's biggest disappointment was waiting for the 49ers. In life without Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco must revamp an offense that stammered to the finish line, scoring 16.4 points per game after the Week 8 bye.

17. Houston Texans (9-7)

A year after enduring a misleading 2-14 record, the Houston Texans feasted on vulnerable opposition to pad their ledger at 9-7. They went 2-6 against winning teams and 7-1 against losing squads, enjoying the Titans and Jaguars twice apiece after opening the season against Oakland and Washington.

But they have this guy, who should have received a higher individual accolade than Defensive Player of the Year.

If Houston can team Watt up with a healthy Jadeveon Clowney, that won't be fun for the opposition.

16. San Diego Chargers (9-7)

The San Diego Chargers scored 348 points. They allowed 348 points. Oddly enough, they were the last team to post a neutral scoring margin, but their record reversed to 7-9 when posting and yielding 350 points in 2012.

15. Miami Dolphins (8-8)

Why are the Miami Dolphins ranked ahead of teams with better records? They played nine games against teams perched in the top 12, with their only loss outside that grouping coming at the hands of Geno Smith's Aaron Rodgers impersonation to conclude the season.

14. Arizona Cardinals (11-6)

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Yes, the Arizona Cardinals began the season at 9-1 and still earned 11 victories. They also netted a bland plus-11 point differential while placing No. 22 in DVOA. They overachieved more than any other team, defying their 8.3 Pythagorean Wins, a measure of expected victories based on points scored and allowed.

They also compiled 78 total yards in a playoff game. 

13. Cincinnati Bengals (10-6-1)

The NFL's ultimate replacement-level playoff team, the Cincinnati Bengals again proved overmatched on Wild Card Weekend. Without A.J. Green, they gained 254 yards to the Indianapolis Colts' 482, giving them four straight first-round playoff exits.

Averaging 6.99 yards per attempt over his four-year career, it's fair to wonder if Andy Dalton can ever take the Bengals any further without an absolutely loaded supporting cast.

12. Buffalo Bills (9-7)

The AFC's top quarterbacks unleashed a huge sigh of relief when the Buffalo Bills couldn't sneak into the postseason. During two straight December games, the league's No. 3 passing defense battered Peyton Manning and Rodgers to 358 combined yards and four interceptions.

Giving Rex Ryan a unit that procured an NFL-high 54 sacks will lead to dangerous results for the opposition next season.

11. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)

The only squad with double-digit wins and no playoff berth to show for it, the Eagles fell out of the hunt with three straight losses from Weeks 14-16. Now all eyes turn to the quarterback position, with Nick Foles returning, stand-in Mark Sanchez hitting free agency and rumors swirling of Chip Kelly wanting a Mariota reunion.

10. Detroit Lions (11-6)

Although the Detroit Lions held their own during a heartbreaking postseason defeat, they brandish a soft resume for an 11-win organization. They went 1-5 against winning teams on the year, and a previously prolific passing offense faded as a soft defense toughened.

9. Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)

They missed the playoffs, but the Chiefs also beat both Super Bowl representatives. They crushed the Patriots so thoroughly (41-14) in Week 4 that many onlookers stuck a fork in Tom Brady and Co. Oops.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-6)

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If Le'Veon Bell played against the Baltimore Ravens, how would that game have shaken out? The 22-year-old running back compiled 2,215 yards for the Pittsburgh Steelers' AFC-best offense, so he certainly would have factored into the equation.

Nevertheless, Bell, Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant give Ben Roethlisberger an assortment of riches for years ahead.

7. Baltimore Ravens (11-7)

Despite finishing the season fifth in DVOA and sixth in point differential, the Ravens weren't considered a significant threat due to their tendency to squash the little guys. Yet they proved the Patriots' toughest AFC opposition, matching them during a 35-31 second-round classic.

Potent against the run, Baltimore placed No. 23 against the pass, a weakness the Pats exploited without mercy. A returning Jimmy Smith will help, but filling out the secondary should top the team's offseason wish list.

6. Indianapolis Colts (13-6)

Their AFC Championship Game appearance was largely a "right place, right time" deal. After getting fed the Bengals sans A.J. Green, the Colts pounced on a debilitated Manning. Yet they deserve credit for daring the former franchise legend to beat them deep, a challenge he could not complete.

Since drafting Andrew Luck, Indianapolis has steered one round deeper into each postseason. With some semblance of a rushing game, that trend could continue into the Super Bowl next year.

5. Denver Broncos (12-5)

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Yes, it's generous to keep Denver in the top five despite dropping a playoff stinker. The squad mustered 4.2 yards per play in the AFC Divisional Round, but it also finished the season second in DVOA and fourth in point differential (plus-128).

Let's not erase another exceptional campaign because of one bad day.

4. Dallas Cowboys (13-5)

Cowboys fans lamenting Dez Bryant's catch that wasn't a catch had to have watched the ugly NFC Championship Game thinking, "The Cowboys would have won this game easily." Few expected them to make the playoffs, or even finish over .500 behind a defense that massively exceeded expectations.

Disappointing finish aside, the Cowboys enjoyed a remarkable season. Now the tough part comes, as DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant are both set to become free agents. 

3. Green Bay Packers (13-5)

Note to Mike McCarthy, or any current or aspiring NFL head coach: When faced with a 4th-and-goal at the 1-yard line on the road against the league's best defense in a must-win game, go for it. When the exact situation presents itself later in the quarter, go for it again.

When you establish a two-touchdown lead, keep playing offense. When you intercept a pass with five minutes left, cruise down the open field for more points rather than sitting down. 

Green Bay's NFC Championship Game debacle provides coaches with a manual on what not to do. Brandon Bostick became the easy scapegoat for muffing an onside kick, but McCarthy's horrid game management also deprived Green Bay of a Super Bowl appearance.

2. Seattle Seahawks (14-5)

As expected, the Super Bowl went down to the wire between two evenly matched juggernauts. Seattle averaged 7.5 yards per play to New England's 5.2, setting up a goal-line opportunity with under a minute remaining.

After an incredible season, including an eight-game winning streak to punch a ticket to Arizona, one play ended everything. Russell Wilson, who recorded a 1.5 interception percentage during the season, threw one in the end zone.

ESPN Stats & Info explained the rarity of the costly pick.

Hindsight makes it easy for everyone to deem not giving Marshawn Lynch the ball as "the worst play call in NFL history," but nobody says a word if Wilson throws it away. Or wins the game with a touchdown pass.

Sorry to get in the way of a fun narrative, but ESPN Stats & Info again helped shoot down the "dumbest call ever" talking point.

Nothing stings more than coming so close, only to fall painfully short at the last possible moment. Yet Seattle should hold its head up high, as only a Super Bowl for the ages could halt its quest for a repeat. 

1. New England Patriots (15-4)

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Against the NFL's best offense, Brady plugged away for a hard-earned 328 passing yards and four touchdowns. The victory puts him in elite company, per SportsCenter.

But football is a team sport, and everyone is talking about New England's third straight Super Bowl loss if not for undrafted rookie Malcolm Butler, who saved the day with his first career interception.

Via Pro Football on ESPN, he discussed the biggest play of his life after the game.

With that, all the deflated ball jokes turn into dynasty talk. After sporting the league's highest point differential (plus-155) during the season, New England tallied 108 points through three playoff games, all against potent defenses.

A far cry from Trent Dilfer declaring, "They're not good anymore," after Week 4's Monday Night Football loss.