This is an objective, unbiased ranking in the same vein as the NFL Title Belt. As such, the number 1 ranked team will always be the same as the current NFL Title Belt holder.
This is Week 17 of the NFL Title Rankings of the 2024 season. See here for last week’s rankings.
5 of the 16 games ended with the lower ranked team winning. The largest jump was 12 spots.
The Rams beat the Cardinals to keep the NFL Title Belt and first ranking. The Seahawks will have a chance to take the title belt in week 18. With only one game left, the belt will end up with one of two teams, The Rams or the Seahawks. If the Rams win, the belt (and first) will go to the playoffs. If the Rams lose, it will be left with whatever team ends up with it in week 18 for the offseason.
With the Giants’ win over the Colts, the Falcons are now last. The Falcons will have a chance to move out from last in week 18 when they play the Panthers.
Let me know if you’d like to see more of this, if you’re curious about how I came up with these rankings, or if you noticed any mistakes.
| Ranking | 2024 Wk17 | Δ | Notes | |
| 1 | Rams | – | The Rams beat the Cardinals to keep the NFL Title Belt and first. | |
| 2 | Bills | – | ||
| 3 | Chiefs | – | ||
| 4 | Commanders | – | ||
| 5 | Eagles | – | ||
| 6 | Ravens | – | ||
| 7 | Cowboys | – | ||
| 8 | Bucs | – | ||
| 9 | Chargers | – | ||
| 10 | Vikings | +7 | The Vikings jumped 7 spots by beating the Packers. | |
| 11 | Packers | -1 | ||
| 12 | Raiders | +12 | The Raiders jumped 12 spots by beating the Saints. | |
| 13 | Saints | -2 | ||
| 14 | Bengals | – | The Bengals maintained their rank by beating and jumping the Broncos. | |
| 15 | Broncos | -3 | ||
| 16 | Steelers | -3 | ||
| 17 | Dolphins | +6 | The Dolphins jumped 6 spots by beating the Browns. | |
| 18 | Browns | -3 | ||
| 19 | Lions | -3 | ||
| 20 | Seahawks | -2 | ||
| 21 | Panthers | -2 | ||
| 22 | Cardinals | -2 | ||
| 23 | Giants | +9 | The Giants jumped 9 spots by beating the Colts. | |
| 24 | Colts | -3 | ||
| 25 | Texans | -3 | ||
| 26 | Jaguars | -1 | ||
| 27 | Jets | -1 | ||
| 28 | Titans | -1 | ||
| 29 | Patriots | -1 | ||
| 30 | 49ers | -1 | ||
| 31 | Bears | -1 | ||
| 32 | Falcons | -1 | With the Giants win over the Colts, Falcons are now last. |
This ranking assumes that there are never any fluke games and all teams are appropriately ranked. If you beat a team that is higher ranked than you, you move ahead of them and they move down one spot. However, other teams can jump in front of teams that are higher ranked than you, moving you further down the rankings.
Bonus rankings! This one is more straightforward. Teams get points for wins. They get more points for beating good teams and fewer points for beating bad teams. (+32 for beating the best team, +1 for beating the worst). Teams lose points for losses. They lose more points for losing to bad teams and fewer points for losing to good teams. (-32 for losing to the worst team, -1 for losing to the best). The point total was reset with the first game of the season.
TEAM Ranking Points Chiefs 1 230 Lions 2 215 Vikings 3 185 Bills 4 147 Eagles 5 146 Packers 6 135 Ravens 7 120 Rams 8 78 Steelers 9 60 Commanders 10 50 Chargers 11 46 Bucs 12 46 Seahawks 13 43 Texans 14 26 Broncos 15 22 Falcons 16 16 Cardinals 17 10 49ers 18 -13 Bengals 19 -23 Cowboys 20 -34 Dolphins 21 -38 Colts 22 -55 Saints 23 -94 Bears 24 -97 Raiders 25 -115 Jets 26 -134 Panthers 27 -142 Jaguars 28 -148 Giants 29 -151 Browns 30 -163 Titans 31 -168 Patriots 32 -200