With the Super Bowl soon approaching, where do each of the 32 teams stand in our NFL offense rankings?
For the purposes of this week’s rankings, we’ll keep every team in the same order they finished the regular season. However, for the 14 teams that made the playoffs, we’ve added an extra line denoting their grade and rank to include games played through the Divisional Round.
PFN’s offense rankings combine statistics such as yards per play, points per drive, turnover percentage, success rate against the run and pass, third-down conversion rate, red-zone efficiency, pressure percentage when not blitzing, and various expected points added (EPA) measures against both the run and pass. These are then weighted accordingly to produce our rankings for each season.
Each team will be given a numerical score that we convert to a traditional letter grade. While some teams may share a letter grade, the order below is presented in order. That’s to say that not all “B” grades are exactly the same — those teams reside in the same tier, but the order in which they are listed serves as an indicator as to who sits atop that specific tier.
1) Detroit Lions
All stats referenced in this article are from TruMedia unless stated otherwise.
- Regular-Season Grade: 94.4, A
- RS+ Playoff Grade: 94.1, A (1st)
The Detroit Lions will finish the season as the top-ranked unit in Offense+ despite their bitter ending in the Divisional Round. Despite the five turnovers, the offense still moved the ball at will vs. the Washington Commanders. The Lions ended up with an 81.3 (B-) grade, the second-highest in the Divisional Round.
The defense and untimely turnovers from Jared Goff ultimately let the team down, but that doesn’t diminish what Detroit accomplished during its franchise-best 15-win regular season.
The Lions owned the top offense in pass success rate and third-best in rush success rate. Amon-Ra St. Brown was named first-team All-Pro for the second consecutive season, while Jahmyr Gibbs emerged as the most efficient back in the NFL.
There are real questions about whether this unit can maintain an elite level of performance if offensive coordinator Ben Johnson moves on. Of course, Detroit becoming an annual top-five offense is part of the reason why Johnson is one of the most coveted coaching candidates in recent memory.
2) Baltimore Ravens
- Regular-Season Grade: 93.4, A
- RS+ Playoff Grade: 93.3, A (2nd)
The Baltimore Ravens ended their season with a 79.7 (C+) grade in another heartbreaking playoff exit. While far from their best, that’s usually been good enough to win with Lamar Jackson. Since 2019, Baltimore is now 41-10 when it posts a C+ grade or better in Offense+, good for a .804 winning percentage.
However, the Divisional Round game vs. the Buffalo Bills fell in the other 19.6% of games. While the Ravens’ league-best rushing attack started slowly, it eventually began to steamroll the Bills in the second half. Baltimore ultimately finished with its fourth-best rushing success rate (56%) of the season.
But the Ravens missed top wide receiver Zay Flowers, particularly with uncharacteristic gaffes from tight end Mark Andrews. Baltimore finished with its fourth-lowest passing success rate (45%) of the season. And for a team that took care of the ball all year, the Ravens picked the worst possible time to have their highest turnover rate (33%) of 2024.
The 2024 Ravens led the NFL in EPA per dropback, EPA per rush, and red-zone efficiency — not a surprise given the seasons that Jackson and Derrick Henry put forth. But despite more historic production and a likely third MVP for Jackson, Baltimore’s season once again ended far short of its ultimate goal.
3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Regular-Season Grade: A-, 90.9
- RS + Playoff Grade: A-, 90.7 (3rd)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers committed their share of mistakes in their Wild Card defeat to the Commanders. Baker Mayfield had a critical fumble to set up the go-ahead touchdown, and Todd Bowles’ conservative game management stood in stark contrast to Dan Quinn’s aggressiveness.
Still, Tampa Bay recorded an 80.4 (B-) Offense+ grade in defeat, the second-highest of any team on Wild Card Weekend behind Baltimore. The Buccaneers recorded at least a B-level grade in 10 of 18 games this season, a metronomic level of consistency that led this to be the third-best offense in 2024.
Looking ahead, Chris Godwin is the biggest free agent name, but Mayfield, Mike Evans, Bucky Irving, Cade Otton, and Jalen McMillan are all set to return in 2025. The Bucs could return the entirety of an elite offensive core, giving them a great starting spot for a potential fifth straight division title.
4) Buffalo Bills
- Regular-Season Grade: 88.1, B+
- RS + Playoff Grade: 88.3, B+ (4th)
After briefly reaching the A-grade level, the Bills settled in at a B+ down the stretch. That doesn’t change the fact that Josh Allen and this unit have as high of a ceiling as any offense remaining, as evidenced by another well-rounded playoff win.
Allen was nowhere near his best through the air, passing for a season-low 127 yards (excluding his one-snap cameo in Week 18). Buffalo managed to move the ball relatively efficiently on Baltimore anyway, thanks in part to a season-best 62% rushing success rate.
That’s especially impressive considering it occurred against one of the elite run-stopping defenses this season. Baltimore entered allowing a league-low 33.8% rushing success rate, a figure that Buffalo nearly doubled. As is the case every postseason, the Bills leaned heavily into Allen’s legs, calling a season-high eight designed runs for the superstar quarterback.
Buffalo will be difficult to stop if Allen gets this level of support from the ground game. The Bills may not be perfect (especially on defense), but this unit gives them every chance to earn the franchise its first Super Bowl.
5) Arizona Cardinals
- Regular-Season Grade: 85.7, B
The Arizona Cardinals drafted Marvin Harrison Jr. with the intent to make this offense a powerhouse. While the rookie had an up-and-down season, the balance of this unit is nothing short of elite.
Despite some recent struggles, the Cardinals finished as the best offense for a team that finished out of the postseason. They joined the 2022 Lions, 2021 Los Angeles Chargers, and 2019 Dallas Cowboys as teams to finish out of the playoffs with a top-five ranking in Offense+.
This may not be the perfect team, but the offense gives Arizona the ability to contend with anyone in the NFL. That didn’t result in a playoff appearance in Jonathan Gannon’s second season, but an improvement to the 27th-ranked unit in Defense+ could easily result in a playoff trip in 2025.
6) Washington Commanders
- Regular-Season Grade: 85.2, B
- RS + Playoff Grade: 85.9, B (5th)
Jayden Daniels has led a seemingly endless string of heroics in 2024. The latest chapter was his sensational performance in knocking off the top-seeded Lions in the Divisional Round, becoming the second rookie quarterback to defeat a No. 1 seed (along with Joe Flacco for the 2008 Ravens).
The Commanders earned their third-highest grade of the season, an 85.5 (B) mark that led all eight teams in the Divisional Round. Daniels shredded the injury-riddled Lions defense for 0.48 EPA per dropback, his second-highest in a game all season. His only higher mark was in his Week 3 Monday Night Football coming-out party against the Cincinnati Bengals (0.72).
Once again, Daniels’ and the offense’s efficiency increased Washington’s margin for error. The Commanders won the turnover battle 5-0, tied for the second-best turnover margin ever in a road playoff game. Washington had the sixth-lowest turnover rate in the regular season (8%), a huge reason for the unit’s efficiency.
This franchise’s future is bright, and the present Cinderella story hasn’t hit midnight just yet.
7) Cincinnati Bengals
- Regular-Season Grade: 83.4, B
The 9-8 Cincinnati Bengals might be the most explosive non-playoff team in recent NFL history. Joe Burrow led the league with 43 passing touchdowns, joining 1986 Dan Marino (44) and 2012 Drew Brees (43) as the only players in league history to throw 40+ touchdowns for a non-playoff team.
Cincinnati ranked second in pass success rate behind the Lions. Burrow was nothing short of great despite a run game that hasn’t been very supportive (23rd in success rate).
Chase Brown’s versatility has helped facilitate the eye-popping numbers from this passing game and creates a level of underneath production that can serve as a supplement to a traditional run game. The Bengals missed Brown in their season finale after he suffered an ankle injury, but he should be the unquestioned starter in 2025.
So much about this offense looked the part of a playoff team, but there are two sides of the ball. That led to a wasted year for this unit, and with Tee Higgins potentially leaving in free agency, it’s not clear if they’ll be back at this level next season.
8) Green Bay Packers
- Regular-Season Grade: 83.0, B
- RS + Playoff Grade: 81.6, B- (8th)
The Green Bay Packers cratered with their worst offensive performance of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers’ 68.8 (D+) grade was their lowest of the season, albeit only the fourth-worst on Wild Card Weekend.
Green Bay had its highest turnover rate of the season (30%), but it wasn’t just the four turnovers that doomed their season.
The Josh Jacobs-led rushing attack ranked 10th in success rate during the regular season but posted their second-worst success rate all season (29%) in Philly. That forced Jordan Love to carry the offense despite his top three wide receivers all being injured by the second half of this game.
Predictably, the Eagles’ pass rush teed off, and Green Bay allowed its third-highest non-blitz pressure rate (43%) all season.
This was an odd season for the Packers, as their stellar record belied the fact that they never cracked the NFC’s elite tier. Green Bay went a collective 0-6 against the Eagles, Lions, and Minnesota Vikings. Love’s boom-or-bust play style delivered plenty of highs in 2024, but he’ll need to even that out for the Packers to truly return to Super Bowl contention.
9) San Francisco 49ers
- Regular-Season Grade: 80.5, B-
In an otherwise disappointing season, the San Francisco 49ers offense managed to produce at a top-10 level. That’s a step back from its league-leading levels of seasons past, but it still could have been good enough for a playoff berth with better close-game luck and support from the defense.
Brock Purdy led the second-best offense in terms of yards per play, trailing only the Ravens. That’s an incredible accomplishment given the injuries he navigated throughout the season.
Christian McCaffrey made his season debut in the 49ers’ Week 10 win but was lost for the remainder of the regular season in the Week 13 loss to Buffalo. The All-Pro RB was joined on injured reserve by featured backup Jordan Mason, along with Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams also suffering season-ending injuries.
There’s plenty of firepower on this roster, but this season was reminiscent of the 2020 49ers who suffered through an injury-plagued season after a Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. San Francisco can only hope that another run of three straight NFC Championship Game appearances will follow.
10) Atlanta Falcons
- Regular-Season Grade: 79.9, C+
Regardless of the quarterback switch, this was always a run-first unit. The Atlanta Falcons finished first in rushing success rate and leaned even more heavily into Bijan Robinson after benching Kirk Cousins for rookie Michael Penix Jr.
In a small sample, Penix showed enough promise to validate Atlanta’s surprising decision to draft him eighth overall and then turn to him in favor of Cousins. Penix’s numbers over his three starts would have translated to a 76.0 (C) grade, according to PFN’s QB+ metric. That would have ranked 17th, right behind Kyler Murray and far above the 71.6 (C-) grade that Cousins produced.
Robinson is a special talent, and Drake London has proven to be a true alpha top target. But moving to Penix was really a move to give the 2025 roster a head start, and now the Falcons will enter the season trying to snap a seven-year playoff drought.
11) Los Angeles Rams
- Regular-Season Grade: 79.5, C+
- RS + Playoff Grade: 78.2, C+ (12th)
The Los Angeles Rams were on a rollercoaster ride throughout the 2024 season, and a low point ended their season in the Divisional Round.
The Rams recorded a 71.1 (C-) grade in the loss to the Eagles, their third-worst all season. A week after an excellent pass protection showing against Minnesota, Los Angeles couldn’t protect Matthew Stafford as well in the snow. The Rams gave up their fifth-highest pressure rate in a game all season (36%), leading to their fourth-highest sack rate allowed (10.2%).
Kyren Williams didn’t cover himself in glory either, with a critical fourth-quarter fumble. Thanks in part to that play, the Rams averaged a season-worst -0.43 EPA per rush, failing to give the passing game sorely needed support in inclement weather.
The passing game’s inconsistency led to a wide fluctuation in grades this year. The Rams had four top-five weekly finishes but also four weeks ranking 20th or worse in the regular season. Still, this should once again be an above-average offense in 2025 with its entire core under contract, assuming Stafford delays retirement as he approaches his 37th birthday.
12) Kansas City Chiefs
- Regular-Season Grade: 79.1, C+
- RS + Playoff Grade: 78.2, C+ (11th)
The Chiefs are the target of more criticism than praise because they aren’t as explosive as our eyes want them to be. But as has been the case in all but one of Patrick Mahomes’ starts in 2024, Kansas City did just enough to keep its season going in its Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans.
The Chiefs closed out the win with some big plays on the ground after avoiding the run game for most of the afternoon. Kansas City averaged its second-highest EPA per rush of the season (0.16), thanks to 18.2% of their runs going for 10+ yards. That was the Chiefs’ second-highest explosive run rate of the season.
However, some leaks occurred in pass protection against a ferocious Houston pass rush. The recalibrated line featuring Joe Thuney at left tackle and Mike Caliendo at left guard looked shaky for the first time, allowing a 50% non-blitz pressure rate. That was the second-highest allowed by the Chiefs all season and the highest in any of Mahomes’ starts.
Still, the Chiefs are otherwise at full strength and won’t see a pass-rushing duo like Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter again. That’s a frightening thought for the other teams in the playoff field trying to prevent the first Super Bowl three-peat.
13) Minnesota Vikings
- Regular-Season Grade: 78.7, C+
- RS + Playoff Grade: 75.2, C (15th)
The Vikings looked like an elite unit at their best but saved their worst for last. Minnesota’s 62.4 (D-) grade in their Wild Card loss to the Rams was the team’s second-worst in three seasons under Kevin O’Connell, as well as the worst of any team on Wild Card Weekend.
Sam Darnold may have self-destructed, but he certainly didn’t get any help from an offensive line that allowed a playoff record-tying eight sacks. Minnesota conceded its highest non-blitz pressure rate all season (51%), which was also the highest rate allowed this past weekend.
Regardless of Minnesota’s choice at quarterback for 2025, improving the offensive line remains a critical task. The Vikings ranked 22nd in non-blitz pressure rate during the regular season (34%). You can’t blame that solely on Christian Darrisaw’s absence either, as Minnesota also ranked 22nd in that category after Darrisaw’s season-ending injury in Week 8.
The Vikings were a Jekyll-and-Hyde act on offense throughout the regular season, and the worst version came to play in the playoffs. Minnesota’s quarterback choice looms as one of the toughest decisions facing any team this offseason.
14) Philadelphia Eagles
- Regular-Season Grade: 77.5, C+
- RS + Playoff Grade: 75.8, C (14th)
The Eagles didn’t do much to answer concerns about the passing game’s viability in the Divisional Round. Philadelphia mostly shielded Jalen Hurts even before the fifth-year quarterback suffered a left knee injury in the third quarter, leaning heavily on Saquon Barkley in the snowstorm.
That worked spectacularly, as it tends to with Barkley, but a ground-first offense has its limitations. Rushing yardage has accounted for 70.9% of Philadelphia’s total yardage this postseason. The Eagles are the eighth team in the Super Bowl era to have rushing yards account for at least 70% of their total yards through two playoff games.
Of the prior seven, only the 1973 Miami Dolphins won a third game — and the football of that era might as well have been a different sport.
The Eagles had a 37% passing success rate this postseason, the lowest of any team to play multiple games. Against the Rams, they also allowed a season-high 25.9% sack rate. That led to Philly’s worst Offense+ grade of the season, a 67.5 (D+).
The Eagles were fortunate to escape with that level of passing game ineptitude, as it says a lot that another 200-yard rushing performance from Barkley didn’t lead to a higher grade. Philly will be favored to reach its second Super Bowl in the last three seasons, but the passing offense may not have any more mulligans to lean on.
15) Miami Dolphins
- Regular-Season Grade: 76.3, C
Tua Tagovailoa had an efficient season after returning to the field outside of a three-interception game in Houston. However, his lack of availability throughout the season and the Dolphins’ inability to find a capable backup led to them finishing 20th in points per drive.
Apart from a Week 17 win that looks like an outlier, the Dolphins were dreadful in the six games that Tua didn’t start. Miami went 2-4 while averaging 13.3 points per game and -0.23 EPA per play — both figures would have ranked last over the whole season.
De’Von Achane looked nothing short of special during his sophomore season, but the much-hyped receiving corps fell apart. Tyreek Hill fell short of 1,000 receiving yards for the first time since 2019 and averaged 56.4 receiving yards per game, his fewest since his rookie year in 2016.
More than the missed playoff appearance, that’s likely what has Hill “opening the door” for himself to exit Miami.
Better health in 2025 should produce more consistent results that land this unit in the top 10 again. However, the ceiling of Mike McDaniel’s squad is likely limited given how inflexible they’ve been schematically throughout his three-year tenure.
16) Denver Broncos
- Regular-Season Grade: 75.3, C
- RS + Playoff Grade: 74.4, C (17th)
For a moment, it seemed as though the Denver Broncos might be in line for one of the biggest shockers in recent playoff history. Of course, that moment was fleeting, as Denver didn’t score again after Bo Nix’s 43-yard strike to Troy Franklin on the opening drive.
The Broncos ended up with their third-worst grade of the season at 65.9 (D-). Denver protected Nix well during the regular season, allowing the second-lowest non-blitz pressure rate (24%) despite the rookie’s ninth-longest average time to throw (2.8 seconds). But against Buffalo, the Broncos fell apart and allowed a season-worst 50% non-blitz pressure rate.
Still, the 2024 Broncos were ahead of schedule, and snapping the team’s eight-season playoff drought qualifies as a huge success. Nix had impressive moments in the latter half of the year, and the arrow is pointing up entering 2025.
17) Los Angeles Chargers
- Regular-Season Grade: 74.7, C
- RS + Playoff Grade: 72.7, C- (20th)
Fairly or not, the questions around Justin Herbert’s viability as a game-changing quarterback will face more questions than ever. Herbert’s four-interception meltdown was stunning for the passer with the lowest interception rate in the regular season.
That led to the Chargers’ second-worst Offense+ grade of the season (63.4), behind only the Week 13 contest vs. Atlanta.
Beyond the crippling turnovers, the offensive line also fell apart against the Texans’ ferocious pass rush. Los Angeles was an above-average pass protection unit in the regular season, ranking 11th in non-blitz pressure rate allowed (31%).
While Herbert has far more support than he did his first four seasons, he’ll remain the most important factor in this franchise taking the next step amid higher expectations in 2025.
18) Jacksonville Jaguars
- Regular-Season Grade: 72.8, C-
The Jacksonville Jaguars underachieved this season, and their offense, while not prohibitive, never took the step many had projected under Trevor Lawrence. And to the surprise of no one, Mac Jones was unable to lead any improvement.
Not all is gloom and doom in Duval County, though, particularly with a new coaching staff arriving. The Jaguars had the 12th-best EPA per rush average behind their tandem of Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne Jr.
Meanwhile, WR Brian Thomas Jr. looked like a star during his rookie season. Thomas became the fourth rookie in the Super Bowl era to record 1,100 receiving yards and 10 receiving scores. The names he joined were Ja’Marr Chase (2021), Odell Beckham Jr. (2014), and Randy Moss (1998).
If the play under center can be a tick above ordinary under the next coaching staff, the Jaguars’ offense has the potential to threaten our top 12 next season. All things considered, a league-average output is impressive considering all the season-ending injuries to this unit.
19) New York Jets
- Regular-Season Grade: 72.8, C-
The New York Jets gave us a glimpse of what was possible at times this year, including in Aaron Rodgers’ potential final career game in Week 18. But ultimately, this unit was one of the biggest busts in recent memory after all the hype that accompanied Rodgers’ arrival in the 2023 offseason.
The passing game finished 20th in EPA per dropback and 21st in success rate. In a vacuum, slightly below average isn’t too surprising for a unit with a 41-year-old quarterback coming off an Achilles tear. Of course, all the dysfunction that followed the Jets on a weekly basis made it feel worse than the numbers indicated.
Rodgers gets most of the headlines, but this was also the 25th-ranked offense by EPA per rush. A Breece Hall-led attack should be more effective than that, and it played a role in New York also ranking 21st in red-zone touchdown rate.
The only certainty is that the offseason will bring significant change to Florham Park. That could result in a better offense with Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson still in place, but it’s hard to envision the 2025 outlook for a team that was all in on 2024 and flamed out spectacularly.
20) Seattle Seahawks
- Regular-Season Grade: 71.2, C-
In the big picture, the Seattle Seahawks offense is in a good spot after Jaxon Smith-Njigba enjoyed a Year 2 breakout that gives them upside for years to come. JSN performed like Seattle’s most reliable playmaker, enabling this unit to enjoy some explosive weeks.
Kenneth Walker III, when healthy, has shown flashes, and with Zach Charbonnet churning out production in his absence, it’s easy to project this as a well-balanced offense for years to come.
However, the offensive line must get fixed for 2025 to help Geno Smith avoid some of his worst habits. Seattle allowed the third-highest non-blitz pressure rate this season, and Smith responded with the most turnovers when pressured this season (13).
That’s a big reason why the Seahawks parted ways with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after one season. Now, Mike Macdonald faces a huge decision that could shape how his head coaching tenure unfolds.
21) Indianapolis Colts
- Regular-Season Grade: 70.5, C-
The Indianapolis Colts were about as much of a hit-and-miss offense as there is in the NFL from quarter to quarter, never mind game to game.
Jonathan Taylor looked like his 2021 self for much of the season, though critical gaffes in losses to the Broncos and New York Giants will be what many take away from his season. The mileage is piling up on Taylor, who needs more help from the passing game than either Anthony Richardson or Flacco have provided.
This unit finished 21st in EPA per play — a single stat that, in this case, agrees with where they finished in our rankings.
This is a talented group, but raw talent gets you nothing in the NFL without a similar level of execution. That ultimately cost the Colts an opportunity to snap a playoff drought that is now up to four seasons.
22) New Orleans Saints
- Regular-Season Grade: 68.3, D+
The New Orleans Saints were tracking toward being the second coming of the Greatest Show on Turf through the first two weeks. However, this is an appropriate finish for an injury-marred unit that might as well have been a different franchise in September than in December.
Alvin Kamara performed well despite OL limitations, part of the reason why New Orleans ranked ninth in rushing success rate. But the injury bug (groin) caught up to Kamara as it did to most of his skill-position teammates this season, rendering the Saints’ offense a shell of itself.
Derek Carr was doing what he could to elevate New Orleans’ offense, but a broken hand in Week 14 ended his season. As a result of woeful play from backups Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, the Saints finished 31st in passing success rate, ahead of only the historically awful Cleveland Browns.
This will be an interesting team to evaluate heading into 2025, but in the scope of the remainder of 2024, the first two weeks may as well have been a different season.
23) Dallas Cowboys
- Regular-Season Grade: 68.2, D+
The Cowboys stabilized for a few weeks under Cooper Rush, leading to an impressive 4-1 stretch. However, Dallas shut down CeeDee Lamb for the season after the All-Pro receiver aggravated his right shoulder injury in Week 16. An outmatched unit floundered over the final two weeks against playoff teams in the Eagles and Commanders, indicating where this unit really stood this year.
Overall, the Cowboys ranked 28th in passing success rate and 29th in EPA per dropback. Even just isolating the stretch when Dak Prescott was the starting QB, the results weren’t too different. Dallas ranked 27th in passing success rate and 22nd in EPA per dropback before Prescott’s season-ending injury in Week 9.
It was too late for the Cowboys to salvage this season anyway, and the recent uptick in performance gave some hope that Dallas can return to its previously elite form in 2025 with a healthy Prescott and Lamb.
24) Carolina Panthers
- Regular-Season Grade: 68.0, D+
Among all the teams that finished in the bottom 10, few could be more optimistic about their 2025 outlook than the Carolina Panthers. Such is the case when Bryce Young caps off an encouraging finish with the best game of his career, becoming the first player in franchise history to record three passing TDs and two rushing scores in the team’s Week 18 win over the Falcons.
After returning to the starting lineup in Week 8, Young recorded a 75.9 QB+ score. That would have ranked 17th on the season, right behind Kyler Murray. It’s not quite elite-level play, but it’s far better than the historically awful company he shared through his first 18 career starts.
Looking ahead, the trio of young pass catchers on this offense (Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and Ja’Tavion Sanders) gives reason for optimism. However, Jonathon Brooks’ ACL re-tear is a tough pill to swallow, even if Chuba Hubbard appears to be a well-above-average NFL running back and is under contract after his four-year extension.
The cupboard isn’t bare, but the Panthers need to figure out what ingredients should remain in the recipe for 2025.
25) Pittsburgh Steelers
- Regular-Season Grade: 67.5, D+
- RS+ Playoff Grade: 67.5, D+
The Pittsburgh Steelers hit their head on their Wild Card ceiling again, with another season ending in a non-competitive playoff loss. Pittsburgh’s offense didn’t have many answers for Baltimore’s much-improved defense, posting its fourth-worst grade of the season (68.9, D+).
Pittsburgh leaned on its run game for much of the year, which was a questionable choice considering they ranked 25th in success rate in the regular season. Their ground game dipped even further vs. the Ravens, recording their second-worst success rate all season (25%). Coupled with the team’s fourth-highest sack rate allowed (11.8%), the Steelers were drawing dead against Baltimore’s powerful offense.
Mike Tomlin’s team is always capable of making life difficult for its opponents, but as the season-ending five-game losing streak illustrated, that formula only travels so far against elite competition.
26) New England Patriots
- Regular-Season Grade: 65.5, D
The New England Patriots are a unique case. Their 2024 numbers are a hot mess (28th in EPA per play and 30th in points per drive), but the willingness to admit as much and commit this season to developing Drake Maye is something that this fan base can get excited about.
The rookie took his lumps, but he’s also shown promise by way of his athleticism and processing speed. Maye is far from a finished product, and his final full game in the Week 17 disaster vs. the Chargers was a reminder that there will be more downs than ups while the roster remains in its current state.
But New England made it clear that it’s willing to lose the battle of 2024 in the hope of winning the war of the next handful of seasons. Of the teams toward the bottom quartile of our rankings, this is the one with the most upward mobility over the next 12 months, particularly with a new coaching staff set to arrive.
27) Tennessee Titans
- Regular-Season Grade: 64.9, D
The Tennessee Titans lack direction right now. But armed with the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, there’s an opportunity to finally rectify that.
Will Levis won’t be the opening-day starter in 2025, with a No. 1 overall pick surely supplanting him at the quarterback position. Any doubts about that were answered after Week 15, when Levis was benched in favor of Mason Rudolph. In reality, Levis himself answered that much earlier, averaging the highest sack rate and third-highest interception rate this season.
The backfield metrics fuel a modest 20th-place ranking in rush success rate, a nice showing when you consider how little pressure this passing game put on opposing defenses.
This offense is a ways away from fielding even an average level of production, but a new franchise quarterback can flip the direction of a franchise in a hurry.
28) Houston Texans
- Regular-Season Grade: 64.8, D
- RS + Playoff Grade: 64.9, D (27th)
The Texans’ offense showed signs of life at times in the Divisional Round, but its biggest flaw ultimately doomed Houston’s season.
The Texans allowed a 42.3% non-blitz pressure rate, its sixth-worst of the season. Protecting C.J. Stroud was a weakness all year, as Houston ranked 25th in both non-blitz pressure rate and sack rate allowed in the regular season. Even worse, Houston’s performance against the four-man rush was actually the best part of its pass protection showing vs. the Chiefs.
Kansas City generated a 73.3% pressure rate when blitzing Stroud in the Divisional Round. Out of 76 instances where a defense blitzed 15+ times this season, that was the highest blitz pressure rate in any game.
The beating Stroud took at Arrowhead Stadium served as a final painful reminder for Houston’s top offseason priority: Fix the run game and offensive line to avoid wasting a young franchise quarterback’s potential.
29) Las Vegas Raiders
- Regular-Season Grade: 64.6, D
Without promise at the QB position, you’re drawing dead in the NFL these days, and the Las Vegas Raiders are as good an example of that as anyone.
Las Vegas finished 30th in turnover rate and last in EPA per rush. Defenses had no reason not to be aggressive against them, especially following the Davante Adams trade. That made life difficult for quarterbacks Aidan O’Connell, Desmond Ridder, and Gardner Minshew II all season.
The Raiders’ offense doesn’t have a calling card, which makes moving much higher in these rankings unlikely without a jumpstart at quarterback this offseason. Vegas fans can now scout the incoming QB class, as its 29th-place finish in points per drive this season feels like a ceiling for the roster as currently constructed.
30) Chicago Bears
- Regular-Season Grade: 64.0, D
We’ve seen enough flashes from Caleb Williams to say that he is the Chicago Bears QB of the future. But not all growth is linear — it’s certainly been a bumpy ride.
There have been moments, but the second-worst third-down offense is never going to grade well for us or have success at a high level. That flaw likely improves with time as Chicago’s rookie signal-caller adjusts to the speed of the pro game, but that, along with the worst sack rate, was a prohibitive anchor on the Bears’ offensive production.
On the bright side, this was an elite red-zone offense (eighth-best), not typically a calling card for an offense with this many moving pieces. The current grade isn’t strong, but it’s easy to envision an offense with a functional coaching staff improving in 2025.
31) New York Giants
- Regular-Season Grade: 59.7, F
Nothing can save the Giants from a terrible grade after 16 games of inadequate play. Apart from Drew Lock delivering one of the most unlikely spectacular performances in recent NFL history in Week 17, this unit was a failure in 2024.
The Giants finished 29th in success rate in both the passing game and rushing game. They never had anything to build around after Saquon Barkley’s departure. This was also an impotent red-zone offense, ranking last in touchdown rate (43%) by a wide margin.
New York has a ton of problems looking ahead to 2025, as the quarterback room will see an overhaul. Brian Daboll likely stands on the thinnest ice of any coach entering next season, which is always a precarious spot for any franchise to occupy.
32) Cleveland Browns
- Regular-Season Grade: 56.0, F
At the very least, Jameis Winston made the Browns a fun watch, even if it didn’t lead to many more wins. As upsets over the Ravens and Steelers illustrated, the best version of Winston had the Browns resembling the defense-first squad that stole a playoff spot in 2023.
However, Cleveland elected to ride out the rest of 2024 with Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe, zapping their own Offense+ grade in the process. Cleveland’s Offense+ grade for the season was the fourth-worst by any team in a season since the metric began in 2019.
Cleveland’s top objective this offseason will be finding its quarterback of the future. That will likely have to come from the draft given Deshaun Watson’s albatross contract, but it’s a better alternative than what the Browns have trotted out this season.
