Predicting Every NFL Division's Standings for 2025 Season Ahead of Preseason Week 1

Four weeks from the first kickoff of the 2025 season, it's time to separate Super Bowl contenders from pretenders and give a harsh reality check to teams headed toward rock bottom in the standings.

Since our last set of win-loss projections, the Pittsburgh Steelers added Aaron Rodgers, Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. Needless to say, their projected win total has changed over the last three months.

With key holdouts in the NFC East and injuries around the league, we need to refresh our expectations for the 2025 campaign.

As the preseason goes into full swing, here are the latest win-loss predictions for each team by division.

AFC East

AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

Bills QB Josh Alelen

Buffalo Bills (12-5)

The Bills will win the AFC East for a sixth consecutive year. They're in a division with the New York Jets and New England Patriots, who are in the early stages rebuilds, while the Miami Dolphins have wilted in big games in recent years.

Buffalo may be susceptible to high-level passing attacks if edge-rusher Joey Bosa isn't able to stay healthy and cornerback Tre'Davious White continues to show a decline in coverage.

Like last year, though, its Josh Allen-led offense can compensate for a leaky pass defense.

New England Patriots (8-9)

The Patriots will hover around .500 for most of the season, and they could go on a three-game win streak in a stretch against the New Orleans Saints, Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns between Weeks 6-8.

However, the offense needs someone to emerge at wide receiver. Stefon Diggs could be ready to play Week 1, but he's 31 and coming off a torn ACL. It may take him a few weeks to play at full speed.

Because of early-season stumbles, New England finish slightly below .500, but it doubles its win total from 2024.

Miami Dolphins (7-10)

The Dolphins will look like world-beaters early in the 2025 season. They'll face the Jets on extra days of rest, the Carolina Panthers and the Browns within the first six weeks.

Once again, Miami will fool many into believing this team is ready to win critical games late in the season. Watch out for the Dolphins' late-season collapse after their Week 12 bye, when they face the Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers on the road, the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home, and the Patriots in a likely cold-weather January game.

This team has routinely come up short in big games under head coach Mike McDaniel.

New York Jets (6-11)

The Jets have a tough schedule right out of the gate, with three matchups against the Steelers, Bills and Buccaneers, all playoff teams from last season. After that, they go on the road to face the Dolphins, who will put pressure on them to score points.

Justin Fields has to earn the benefit of the doubt before anyone can believe Gang Green can go score-for-score with any team.

Head coach Aaron Glenn will have the defense playing at its best, though with Fields learning a new system, without a legitimate No. 2 option in the passing game, will result in offensive limitations.

AFC North

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens (14-3)

Two-time league MVP Lamar Jackson and two-time rushing champion Derrick Henry will lead the Ravens to back-to-back AFC North titles.

They should have plenty of help from their defense. They may allow the fewest passing yards and touchdowns because of their elite secondary, which features All-Pros Marlon Humphrey and Kyle Hamilton, two-time Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander, budding second-year cornerback Nate Wiggins and rookie first-round safety Malaki Starks.

The stacked roster will compete for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-6)

The Steelers' roster has changed significantly over the last two months, with the additions of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith. All three will play major roles in getting the team back into the playoffs.

Even at 41, Rodgers should be able to lead a talented, well-coached team to a double-digit win season.

Pittsburgh will only play one playoff team from the previous campaign in its first six games, which gives the veteran quarterback plenty of adjustment time with his new teammates.

Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)

Joe Burrow and his playmakers will rack up points, but Cincinnati's defense will be the difference between a team that narrowly misses the playoffs and a double-digit win squad.

The Bengals have multiple variables that can impact their defense. Rookie first-rounder Shemar Stewart missed valuable reps because of an extensive holdout. All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson is still in a contract dispute. Cornerback Dax Hill is coming off a torn ACL. They also need to find a replacement for nickelback Mike Hilton, who signed with the Miami Dolphins. Al Golden's defense needs Hendrickson, or else it could be a bottom-tier unit in scoring and total yards.

Cleveland Browns (2-15)

Browns fans should look forward to the 2026 draft before the 2025 season kicks off. Aside from the New Orleans Saints, Cleveland has the worst QB situation with Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett as the top two starting candidates. The Browns may start one of their rookie signal-callers, Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders, following their Week 9 bye if they're well below .500 through eight contests. Furthermore, whoever starts under center will have unreliable pass protection.

Over the last two years, Dawand Jones has missed 13 outings and Jack Conklin has been absent 21 times.

Unless Cleveland's defense can consistently score touchdowns, this team will win only a couple of games.

AFC South

AP Photo/John Raoux

Jaguars WR Travis Hunter

Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)

New Jaguars head coach Liam Coen should be able to bring out the best in Trevor Lawrence following an impressive 2024 campaign as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play-caller. Under his tutelage, Baker Mayfield posted career highs in passing yards (4,500) and touchdowns (41). Also, the Bucs fielded the fourth-ranked rushing attack.

Lawrence will rack up yards through the air with Pro Bowler Brian Thomas Jr. and rookie first-rounder Travis Hunter as his top receivers.

Jacksonville's pass-rushing duo, Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, could lead a solid defense.

The Jaguars should be considered a dark horse to win the AFC South.

Houston Texans (9-8)

Early in the season, the Texans may have to win low-scoring battles with a stout defense as their offense builds chemistry.

The O-line could feature three new primary starters. Rookie wideouts Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel and incoming veteran Christian Kirk could play significant roles in the passing game. Running back Joe Mixon's status for Week 1 is in jeopardy because of a foot injury.

Because of so many uncertainties on the offensive side of the ball, Houston could have a slow start and pick up steam in the second half of the campaign.

Tennessee Titans (5-12)

Cameron Ward has the arm strength, throwing accuracy and mobility to make critical plays in big moments. The Titans must do a better job of building around him, though.

Ward has one reliable receiver in his prime, Calvin Ridley. Tyler Lockett has seen a decline in production in recent years, and Van Jefferson is a No. 3 option at best. Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears will have to be productive on the ground and as pass-catchers to pace the offense. Tennessee's defense, which allowed the second-fewest yards last year, could be a more formidable unit.

The Titans will pull off some upsets, but they're not ready to contend for a playoff spot.

Indianapolis Colts (4-13)

Regardless of who wins the quarterback battle between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones, Indianapolis could be in for a bottom-out season.

Richardson has completed only 50.6 percent of his passes in 15 career games, and he's struggled to stay healthy. Both he and Jones have thrown more interceptions than touchdowns over the last two years.

Running back Jonathan Taylor has questionable reliability, missing 16 outings over the last three seasons. The Colts offense will put too much pressure on the defense to limit the opposition's scoring opportunities.

This team hits rock bottom in 2025.

AFC West

AP Photo/Kirk Irwin

Chargers RB Omarion Hampton

Los Angeles Chargers (13-4)

Head coach Jim Harbaugh turned the underachieving Chargers into a playoff team last season, and he'll build on that foundation. Like most of his previous clubs, Los Angeles is built to physically wear down opponents.

The Chargers added massive guard Mekhi Becton and bruising running back Omarion Hampton. Najee Harris' status is unclear after he suffered an eye injury in a fireworks incident, but Hampton, who's 6'0", 220 pounds, can handle a heavy workload. In 2024, L.A. allowed the fewest points, and IT signed ball-hawking cornerback Donte Jackson, who recorded a career-high five interceptions last season.

The Chargers are equipped to dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West title.

Kansas City Chiefs (12-5)

Since Patrick Mahomes took over the full-time starting role in 2018, the Chiefs have averaged nearly 13 wins per season. They'll come close to that mark in the upcoming campaign.

Entering his age-36 term, Travis Kelce has lost some of his big-play ability. Excluding his rookie term, he averaged a career-low 8.5 yards per catch last season and was a non-factor in Kansas City's last two playoff outings. The league might suspend wideout Rashee Rice for his role in a multi-car crash in Dallas.

Yet, you can still count on the Chiefs to win at least 11 games, as they've done every year with Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid joined at the hip.

Denver Broncos (10-7)

If Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw stay healthy, Denver will field one of the stingiest defenses in the league. Rookie first-round cornerback Jahdae Barron will strengthen coverage in the secondary.

Head coach Sean Payton must continue to push the right buttons with his play-calling, though. Second-year quarterback Bo Nix isn't surrounded by star power. The sum of Denver's offensive personnel has to produce at a high level. Tight end Evan Engram is the Broncos' key offensive addition. In his age-31 term, he's an X-factor after missing eight games because of injury last season.

Denver gets to 10 wins again with a slightly improved offense and a top-tier defense.

Las Vegas Raiders (7-10)

The Raiders made aggressive moves to make up ground in the AFC West. They acquired two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks and hired head coach Pete Carroll, who added offensive coordinator Chip Kelly to his staff.

Smith is going to light up defenses with the help of All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers and wideout Jakobi Meyers. Rookie first-round running back Ashton Jeanty will provide balance on the ground.

However, the Raiders could be on the losing end of scoring shootouts this year. They're thin in the secondary. Las Vegas traded cornerback Jakorian Bennett, and according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. has broken his fibula.

Rookie third-round cornerback Darien Porter, second-year pro Decamerion Richardson and Eric Stokes, who was a part-time starter with the Green Bay Packers last year, will be targeted heavily on the back end.

Raiders improve but finish below .500.

NFC East

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles (12-5)

The Eagles lost key contributors across the offensive and defensive lines, but they have enough depth to compensate for those key free-agent departures.

Josh Sweat and Milton Williams recorded a combined 13 sacks and 16 tackles for loss last season, but Pro Bowler Jalen Carter could blossom into an All-Pro. Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche can make a significant impact on the edge if they stay healthy. The Eagles drafted versatile linebacker Jihaad Campbell, who can stop the run and rush the passer.

New offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo is the biggest question mark in Philadelphia. The first-time play-caller must optimize the plethora of talent on that side of the ball. Nevertheless, the Eagles' wealth of offensive talent could overcome any play-calling inefficiencies.

Washington Commanders (10-7)

In 2024, Washington exceeded expectations with then-rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who helped lead the club to the NFC Championship Game.

The Commanders bolstered their offense with the addition of five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, rookie first-round tackle Josh Conerly Jr. and wideout Deebo Samuel. Washington must extend two-time Pro Bowl wideout Terry McLaurin to build on what it accomplished last season. Nonetheless, the Commanders will face a tougher schedule than last year, making it difficult for them to replicate some of the comebacks they pulled off in the previous season.

Von Miller, 36, can be effective in a rotational role, but he's past the age of being a game wrecker. Washington regresses slightly but still wins 10 games.

Dallas Cowboys (8-9)

With or without Micah Parsons, the Cowboys have concerning issues because of injuries on both sides of the ball.

Cornerbacks Trevon Diggs, linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and left tackle Tyler Guyton will likely start the season on the physically unable to perform list.

Guyton is coming off a rough rookie campaign, but Dallas' backup options aren't much better, and they have less upside. With a below-average pass-blocking right tackle in Terence Steele, who gave up nine sacks last season, per Pro Football Focus, Dak Prescott could be under constant duress without a strong complementary run game.

Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders and rookie fifth-rounder Jaydon Blue will need to slow the pace of games on the ground because the Cowboys aren't built to win scoring shootouts, even with the addition of wideout George Pickens.

New York Giants (4-13)

The Giants have been cautious with left tackle Andrew Thomas, who's recovering from foot surgery, while Malik Nabers has dealt with minor toe and shoulder issues.

Regardless, New York has a brutal schedule. It opens the season with two road games against division rivals. Then, two playoff teams from last year, the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers, will greet the Giants at home. Between Weeks 6 and 8, they have a road game against the Denver Broncos sandwiched between two contests with the Eagles.

In the second half of the campaign, they will play four teams that made the playoffs last year. Russell Wilson will keep Big Blue competitive, but at this stage in his career, he's not a savior for a team with an extremely difficult schedule. We will see rookie Jaxson Dart under center at some point in 2025.

NFC North

AP Photo/Mike Roemer

Packers QB Jordan Love

Green Bay Packers (11-6)

In 2024, Green Bay went 1-5 against NFC North opponents, which accounted for all but one of its losses. They won't finish with a poor division record in the upcoming season.

They bolstered their eighth-ranked passing attack from the previous campaign, signing left guard Aaron Banks and drafting wideout Matthew Golden in the first round. Even without Christian Watson (torn ACL) for a portion of the season, Jordan Love will have the playmakers to carve up defenses with Golden, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave in the pass-catching group.

The Packers traded cornerback Jaire Alexander, so Nate Hobbs' recovery timetable following arthroscopic knee surgery is something to monitor at the beginning of the season.

Green Bay may have a leaky secondary on the boundary, but it still has a top-notch roster.

Chicago Bears (10-7)

While second-year quarterback Caleb Williams shows improvement under new head coach and offensive play-caller Ben Johnson, pay attention to the Bears' new identity.

This offseason, Chicago fortified the interior of its offensive line with the addition of guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and center Drew Dalman.

As he did in Detroit, Johnson will field a high-level ground attack.

New Orleans Saints defenses ranked within the top nine in scoring for four consecutive seasons under former defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who will elevate an underachieving Chicago defense.

Look for the Bears to push for a playoff spot.

Detroit Lions (9-8)

The Lions lost some direction with the departure of their offensive and defensive coordinators. They also lost starting experience on the interior of their offensive line following the retirement of center Frank Ragnow and the loss of Kevin Zeitler via free agency.

As a result, this team must reinvent itself with inexperience at play-calling positions and along the offensive line. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard will call plays for the first time in his career. Offensive coordinator John Morton has been a coordinator for one full season, in 2017.

Also, the Lions won't be indoors as much as they were in 2024.

Among the playoff teams from last year, they may have the most significant regression following a 15-2 season.

Minnesota Vikings (7-10)

Like Detroit, Minnesota will see a significant drop-off in the win column from the previous season.

After a 14-3 campaign, the Vikings allowed quarterback Sam Darnold to walk in free agency. They'll turn the offensive reins over to J.J. McCarthy, who's a first-year starter after sitting out his entire rookie term with a torn meniscus.

Even though head coach Kevin O'Connell has proved himself to be a quality play-caller, McCarthy will go through growing pains after a year of recovery.

Minnesota also has glaring question marks at cornerback. Third-year pro Mekhi Blackmon is coming off a torn ACL, and Isaiah Rodgers has 13 starts in five seasons.

The Vikings signed Jeff Okudah, who's been a disappointment since the Lions selected him with the third pick in the 2020 draft. Perhaps McCarthy makes in-season strides and a strong front seven compensates for a weak cornerback group, but the progress will come with several bumps in the road.

NFC South

AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

Buccaneers WR Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-6)

With new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, Tampa Bay could have a rocky start to the campaign. As they find their offensive rhythm under a new play-caller, Tristan Wirfs will be on the mend from knee surgery, though head coach Todd Bowles expects the two-time All-Pro left tackle to "be back sooner than later."

The Buccaneers could stumble through September, but they still have the playmakers to rack up points if Baker Mayfield gets enough time to throw from the pocket.

Tampa Bay can slowly ramp up wideout Chris Godwin's snap count as he recovers from ankle surgery, with rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka ready to join Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan in a receiver trio. Bucky Irving and Rachaad White can provide balance on the ground.

As long as Bowles' defense can limit explosive plays, Tampa Bay will remain atop the NFC South.

Atlanta Falcons (8-9)

Michael Penix Jr. provided a spark to the Falcons' aerial attack in the last three weeks of the 2024 season despite two overtime losses in that stretch.

As he gains more experience, the second-year quarterback should be able to move the ball through the air with consistency. He's hinted at a growing rapport with tight end Kyle Pitts, which is a good sign for the passing attack. However, Penix may have to win scoring shootouts like he did last year.

Atlanta bolstered its pass rush, signing Leonard Floyd and selecting Jalon Walker and trading up for James Pearce Jr. in the first round of this year's draft, but returning starting cornerbacks Mike Hughes and Dee Alford allowed passer ratings higher than 105 last year. A.J. Terrell Jr. gave up a completion rate about 10 percent higher in 2024 than he allowed in 2023.

Atlanta's secondary could be exposed in crucial matchups.

Carolina Panthers (4-13)

The Panthers will play three of their first four games on the road, which sets up a tough September for the club, particularly Bryce Young. As a starter, he's 1-12 in road games.

If he doesn't show notable improvement early in his third season, Carolina likely falls to the bottom of the division by October.

Even with a solid receiver trio that features rookie first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette and Adam Thielen, Young's minimal strides in two years raise concerns about the offense.

And without a standout pass-rusher, Carolina may give up the most points in consecutive seasons.

New Orleans Saints (2-15)

This offseason, New Orleans lost starting quarterback Derek Carr and a defensive leader in safety Tyrann Mathieu. Both retired.

The Saints have an uninspiring quarterback battle primarily between rookie second-rounder Tyler Shough and second-year pro Spencer Rattler.

Shough only started one full term in college, while Rattler threw for four touchdowns and five interceptions with a 57 percent completion rate last year.

Defensively, Mathieu's retirement leaves a leadership void in the secondary for a unit that gave up the third-most yards in 2024. The Saints should assess the upcoming term as a developmental year.

NFC West

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey

San Francisco 49ers (12-5)

The 49ers will enter the season healthy, which bodes well for them.

Brock Purdy has dealt with elbow injuries early in his career, though he's been a full participant at practices. Left tackle Trent Williams is at full strength after missing the last seven games of the previous term with heel and ankle injuries. More importantly, running back Christian McCaffrey is a full go following an injury-plagued campaign. The 49ers will be a playoff team if those three starters suit up for most of the games.

Remember, they're playing against other teams that finished fourth in divisions last season, which softens up their schedule for a bounce-back year.

Arizona Cardinals (10-7)

The Cardinals should have a balanced offense with Kyler Murray set to play in the same system for a third consecutive season and a pair of ball-carriers prepared to split the rushing workload.

If Murray has a stronger connection with second-year wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., he should eclipse 4,000 passing yards in a season for the first time in his career.

The Cardinals defense should be stout, particularly on the interior, with the addition of Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell. Rookie cornerback Will Johnson could be the ball hawk the team needs to force more takeaways.

Watch out for the Cardinals in the NFC playoff race after the club doubled its win total between 2023 and 2024.

Los Angeles Rams (9-8)

The Rams have a couple of key starters with injuries that should make fans a bit nervous.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford has a back issue that's slowed him down at recent practices, though ESPN's Adam Schefter reported it's a "total maintenance issue." According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Stafford is dealing with an aggravated disc in his back and took an epidural for it. Los Angeles won't put left tackle Alaric Jackson on the PUP list or the non-football injury list, but he's not back to full speed because of blood clots.

The defense made strides in the previous season, though it may need Stafford healthy to win more shootouts with Darious Williams, who allowed a 101.7 passer rating in coverage last season, and oft-injured veteran Ahkello Witherspoon as two of their top three cornerbacks.

Perhaps Kyren Williams carries a heavy rushing workload despite the addition of Davante Adams. Still, the Rams' offense raises significant concerns with their quarterback and left tackle uncertain for Week 1. Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo isn't good enough to salvage that unit.

Seattle Seahawks (7-10)

Head coach Mike Macdonald, a proven defensive play-caller, will have his side of the ball operating at a high level, but don't expect the same on the offense.

Last year, Sam Darnold played at a Pro Bowl level with the Minnesota Vikings' strong supporting cast. In Seattle, he won't have a cohesive offensive line as the team prepares to start two or three new players on the interior of that unit.

Moreover, over the last two years, offensive tackle Abraham Lucas has missed 21 games because of injuries.

Many will blame Seattle's offensive struggles on Darnold, but skeptics should look at an unsolidified front line. The Seahawks defense will keep them in most games, but their offense will leave a lot to be desired.

Playoff Seeding

AP Photo/Chris Szagola

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts

AFC

1. Baltimore Ravens (14-3)

2. Los Angeles Chargers (13-4)

3. Buffalo Bills (12-5)

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)

5. Kansas City Chiefs (12-5)

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-6)

7. Denver Broncos (10-7)

NFC

1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-5)

2. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-6)

4. Green Bay Packers (11-6)

5. Washington Commanders (10-7)

6. Arizona Cardinals (10-7)

7. Chicago Bears (10-7)

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.