NFL playoff team rankings: Chiefs lead a stacked field headed into postseason

The final game of the final week of the regular season, a statement win by the Lions over the Vikings, finally set the seeding for the NFL playoffs. We've been waiting 18 weeks for this, and with five teams with 13 wins or more in the postseason, the tournament promises to be memorable. 

Will the Chiefs three-peat? Will the Bills win their first Super Bowl? Will the Lions reach their first? Or will an underdog like the Texans or Broncos catch fire and blaze a trail to New Orleans? It's going to be a very interesting month.

To kick things off, here's my ranking of the 14 teams entering the NFL playoffs.

Until someone knocks off the back-to-back champs, they deserve to sit atop the charts. Patrick Mahomes & Co. showed they could win in various ways as a 15-win team. With a bye week to rest up and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, the Chiefs are already penciled in as the AFC representative in Super Bowl LIX. 

The Sunday night beatdown of Minnesota showcased the Lions' potential as one of the heavyweights in the postseason tournament. Despite dealing with various injuries to some of their blue-chip players, the Lions continue to whip opponents behind an explosive offense and disruptive defense that relies heavily on blitz pressure. While skeptics wonder if the Lions can sustain their success with some of their top players on the sideline, the squad's toughness, tenacity and talent give Detroit a shot to win it all.

Josh Allen's explosive playmaking skills make the Bills offense nearly impossible to contain, with the MVP front-runner dazzling opponents as a dynamic runner-passer. With James Cook's emergence as a legitimate threat as a 1,000-yard rusher, Buffalo's offensive versatility could make it hard for