NFL Power Rankings, Week 18: Vikings get bump ahead of showdown with Lions; Bucs trending up

I wasn't nervous about moving Kansas City up to No. 1 last week, but the Christmas Day performance certainly validated my decision. This is the version of the Chiefs we would have liked to see at least once or twice before this season, even as they've rolled to a 15-1 mark that puts them, record-wise, among the best ever. Patrick Mahomes turned in a vintage effort, and the defense racked up five sacks without Chris Jones. Now they can sit Mahomes and Jones and any other veterans they want to rest in the meaningless regular-season finale in Denver. Well, it's not meaningless for the Broncos, who can clinch a playoff spot and knock out the Bengals, but you get the idea. Honestly, the Chiefs would probably rather the possessed Bengals be dispelled anyway, even if Cincinnati and Denver gave them all they could handle in Kansas City this season. The key thing to remember about those games (in Week 2 and Week 10) as the playoffs near is that they both ended as most Chiefs games do: with Mahomes and Co ahead when time ran out. They have only gotten better since.

Securing the No. 2 seed allows the Bills to rest their starters and perhaps give some young players (such as Keon Coleman) a little more run in Week 18, with the playoffs in mind. Will Josh Allen campaign to play and potentially boost his MVP candidacy? The Bills say they'll debate the matter this week, but it wouldn't make sense to put him out there against a Patriots defense that humbled him a little bit in Week 15 and has nothing to lose on Sunday. Why risk it? The most impressive development against the Jets was the play of the defense -- from top to bottom. Granted, Gang Green is a dysfunctional lot right now, even with all of its offensive talent, but this was a showcase performance by a defense that had endured three straight tough outings and badly needed to demonstrate it can play at a high level again. 

Dan Campbell said the Lions would play it out Monday, and the beat-up, out-of-the-playoffs 49ers steamrolled through them for four TDs in five drives (with a missed field-goal try in between) to start the game. That’s a problem. This is who the Lions are defensively heading into Sunday night’s cage match against the Vikings. The stakes couldn't be clearer, with the division and the top seed in the NFC boiling down to that contest, and Minnesota is dangerous. The concern isn’t with Ben Johnson matching wits with Brian Flores; it’s with Aaron Glenn’s chewed-up defense finding solutions against Sam Darnold, Justin Jefferson and a Vikings offense that has maintained its edge while cutting back on turnovers. Detroit could certainly start by cutting back on pointless penalties. The two picks by Kerby Joseph that helped turn Monday's game into a win served as a reminder that turnovers fueled this defense earlier this season. Those are the kinds of plays the Lions need against Minnesota, even if they rack up another quarter-mile of offense.

Every week for at least the past month, I've been itching to move the Vikings up in the rankings, but there just hasn't been a proper opportunity. Perhaps I'm forcing things a bit, using the Eagles' slightly questionable QB health as a reason to drop them, but let the record show that these Vikes absolutely deserve their flowers -- and for a few minutes Monday night, I almost pulled the trigger and vaulted them over Detroit. Minnesota has proven itself now. What a raucous postgame scene it was in the locker room after the dramatic victory over the Packers on Sunday, with Sam Darnold being showered by his teammates for a brilliant season, even though Darnold played a little fast and loose in the final few minutes, opening the door slightly for Green Bay. No matter -- the Vikings thoroughly outplayed the Packers for most of that game, and now it sets up one of the most dramatic Week 18 showdowns imaginable in Detroit. The stakes are massive, and the Vikings have earned their place on that vaunted stage.

If I had to guess, Nick Sirianni will rest Saquon Barkley in Week 18, which feels like the correct move, even with the single-season rushing record so tantalizingly close. To me, that's the right play for an Eagles team that has more to prove than earning individual honors, and I bet Barkley agrees. The quarterbacks most certainly need their rest, with Jalen Hurts ruled out last week and Kenny Pickett exiting Sunday's win with a rib injury. If Philly's defense needs to carry the load in the playoffs, it has shown itself capable more often than not. Week 17 was a good reminder of that, with the Eagles forcing four turnovers, including a pick-six. This is a complete team, assuming the quarterbacks' health is on the upswing by the postseason.

If the Ravens are the sixth best team in the NFL, as my ranking here indicates, we should be headed for a heck of a Divisional Round of the playoffs. Baltimore is as dangerous as anyone, and you don't need me explaining that. The Ravens haven't lost a bad game since before Halloween, and the late Week 14 bye seemed to give them a lift; they've topped the 31-point mark in all three games while allowing a total of 33 points over that span. Their special teams haven't been great this season, the defense is improved but flawed and penalties have been a weekly bugaboo. But Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are the ultimate quicker picker-uppers for whatever spills they might make along the way, most often leading the team to victory. Baltimore has also already vanquished each of its three likely first-round opponents in the playoffs, so anything short of reaching the second round would feel like a profound letdown.

I've been a big Packers defender this season, even as some of their own fans have questioned their credentials, but I am starting to understand where those folks are coming from. After all, as impressive as their 11-5 record looks on paper (and it could be 12-5 after Sunday), they're 0-5 combined against the Vikings, Lions and Eagles -- the cream of the NFC crop. It might work out that the Packers have to face the Eagles in Philly to open the playoffs after starting the season against them down in Brazil. Both teams are quite different now, but it's arguable the Eagles have made even more strides since then. The Packers' offense had been on roll entering the Vikings loss, but it was nonexistent for the first 35 minutes of the game. What version of Jordan Love will we get in the playoffs? That will be the biggest factor in determining whether the Pack can make noise or not.

There is a plethora of quality Coach of the Year candidates in what should be one of the more interesting decisions of award season. But if Dan Quinn isn't at least near the top, if not the clear No. 1, we're doing something wrong. The hallmark of Quinn's career -- nearly everywhere he's been -- has been a Midas touch that has made nearly every team he's joined, whether as an assistant or head coach, better than it was before he arrived. The Commanders clearly are a vastly different franchise from just one year ago, from ownership to the front office and coaching staff on down to the bottom of the roster. And with Quinn, Jayden Daniels (your massive OROY favorite) and a vastly more complete depth chart, Washington enters the postseason as not only a terrific turnaround story but also a very dangerous team, overflowing with self-belief. The Commanders have nothing to lose, and they'll take on all comers. Who actually wants to face them now?

For a few weeks, it looked like the Chargers had hit the proverbial wall. Since then, they've scratched out a crucial win against the Broncos and throttled the Patriots on the road, reviving the vibes around Los Angeles. The return of J.K. Dobbins on Saturday helped balance out the offense a bit, and Ladd McConkey overcame an early drop to turn in his second two-TD performance of the season. He also surpassed the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie, which is pretty darned impressive for a non-first-rounder who stepped onto a team that lacked a true No. 1 receiver. Now McConkey is in that role. We also should point out the bounceback season for Derwin James, a player whose future seemingly hung in the balance this offseason. He's up to 5.5 sacks, settling beautifully into his role in Jesse Minter's defense. This team certainly is capable of pulling off a first-round upset. The question is whether it's ready to challenge the league's premier contenders on a playoff stage. 

The Steelers are in the playoffs, we know that much. As for which version of them we'll get there, that's anyone's guess. Pittsburgh hasn't been so hot lately. Sure, the competition level has risen considerably over the past three games, all losses. Then again, how better to judge a team's playoff credentials than by its performance against other playoff teams? Based on that criteria, the Steelers are not prepared to compete with the NFL's heaviest hitters, barring some reversal of fortune. The chance appeared to be there on Christmas Day, when the Chiefs were missing their best defender and the Steelers were returning several key players at home. Yet, things just didn't look right from the start. Russell Wilson's red-zone pick killed a promising early drive, and Pat Freiermuth's fumble early in the fourth quarter pretty much sealed it. Pittsburgh has lost three of the past four on the road and still has to face a Bengals team with nothing to lose in Week 18. Maybe the Steelers will be able to sharpen their edge in a tough postseason tune-up, but the arrow is pointing down right now.

The offense had some mistakes to clean up from the week before -- and boy, did they ever do that in a statement performance against the Panthers. With their playoff lives hanging in the balance, the Bucs looked like a dangerous operation, ringing up 551 yards despite the absence of Cade Otton. Baker Mayfield was as sharp as he's been -- with the Bucs or before -- in one of the finer games of his career. Mike Evans had another big day, moving ever closer to yet another 1K receiving season. And Bucky Irving, my goodness. I don't think we talk about him enough, and if the 190 yards from scrimmage that he gained on Sunday (in three quarters of play) won't juice that conversation, nothing will. He and Rachaad White are a terrific duo capable of making a first-round playoff opponent really sweat -- that is, assuming the Bucs get in. They still have work to do. Sunday's win was a big step, even if the secondary is a bit chewed up right now by injury.

The Rams' tremendous bounceback from their 1-4 start to the season cannot go overlooked, as they're only the 12th team since 1990 to make the playoffs -- and just the ninth to win their division -- after such a start. They've been in virtually every game since mid-September and have two of the best, Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford, in football's two most important roles come playoff time. Even so, the offense could use a little pick-me-up. The Rams scored 44 points against the Bills in Week 14, then scored that many total in their past three games combined. They are in an interesting spot. Week 18 isn't devoid of meaning for them; they risk dropping from the third seed (meaning they'd host the Packers or Commanders) to the fourth spot (meaning they'd likely face the Lions or the Vikings) with a loss to Seattle. In a similar position a year ago, McVay rested some starters, including Stafford, prior to the playoffs. Whatever McVay decides to do this time around, far be it from me to question him. He's built up a little credibility, you see. 

The Chiefs reportedly plan to rest several starters in Denver in Week 18, presumably including key pieces like Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones and Travis Kelce. That's the good news. The Broncos now can snag that final playoff spot with their starters facing the Chiefs' backups, not too long after they came within a blocked field-goal try of beating the Chiefs' starters in Kansas City. The bad news: Denver has lost any wiggle room it might have once enjoyed in its bid for a wild-card spot. This has been a back-and-forth season for Sean Payton's crew, as you might expect of a team led by a rookie quarterback. Bo Nix made a few big throws in Saturday's epic loss to the Bengals, but he also had a few tougher moments, and the Broncos' lack of aggression late was notable. This is still a plucky team to a degree, but the flaws on both sides of the ball are becoming more evident. Denver also hasn't beaten a truly quality team outside the NFC South this entire season, for what that's worth.

Things feel desperate because they are. The Texans have seemingly lost their mojo, along with several key contributors to injury, with the defeat to the Ravens on Christmas appearing to be a new low for the team this season. C.J. Stroud has fallen into a slump, even if he can't be blamed for how those around him are playing. His receivers are thinning rapidly, and the offensive line is a mess. It's to the point where, fairly or not, the once-beloved Bobby Slowik has gone from being a savior in 2023 to taking heat from fans over his play-calling. Houston is now 1-5 vs. teams with winning records. If there is a saving grace to be found, it's that the Texans have clinched a home playoff game and can afford to rest starters in Week 18 against the Titans. But when you start looking at potential first-round matchups, each one brings questions over how the Texans can match up and actually win. Do they have one final gasp left in them? We'll find out in two weeks.

The Bengals have now reached the Don't Stop Me Now scene from "Shaun of the Dead," using whatever weapons they have at their disposal to extirpate whoever stands in their way and keep the fight going for another grueling week. Tee Higgins was the ultimate Bronco slayer in Saturday night's thriller, putting forth arguably his finest NFL performance. Quite the timing by Higgins. Everyone -- most certainly including the Bengals -- knows what potentially looms for him this offseason, and he is making a pretty strong closing argument for why the team needs to keep him this offseason. But that's a debate for another day. For now, the Bengals must make one final stand -- and receive major help -- to get into the playoffs. Strangely, the part about beating the Steelers feels like the least-concerning leg of the triangle; Cincinnati would still be praying for the Dolphins to lose to the crestfallen Jets and for the Broncos to fall to the Chiefs' backups. Yet, what a story it would be if it did happen.

After last Thursday’s game in Chicago, Geno Smith said he didn't care about style points, and that made sense in the moment. Seattle’s 6-3 win certainly wasn’t the prettiest thing I've ever watched, but the defense was all over the Bears, controlling the game from the outset and never letting Caleb Williams get comfortable. That gave the Seahawks a chance to hope for the Rams to lose on Saturday, which ... didn't happen. Seattle's season was a wild, sometimes-frustrating ride, with the team ebbing and flowing throughout Mike Macdonald's maiden voyage. There was only one truly bad loss, to the Giants at home in Week 5, which might have been the difference between making the playoffs and not. Smith's up-and-down campaign raises questions about whether he should be the unopposed starter in 2025, but the ‘Hawks were more good than not with him under center this season.

The Falcons can still get into the playoffs, but they've absolutely misplayed their hand since a 6-3 start that included a season sweep of the Buccaneers. Now Atlanta needs a win and a Tampa Bay loss in Week 18, and a lot of the questions will start with Raheem Morris. Not only for how long the first-year Falcons coach waited on the switch from Kirk Cousins to Michael Penix Jr. but also regarding his handling of the final minute of regulation in Sunday night's crushing loss to the Commanders. This was a game Atlanta absolutely could have (and perhaps should have) won, even though DeAngelo Malone's illegal contact penalty kind of opened the floodgates after the Falcons seemed to be in control. Following Penix's 25-yard pass to Darnell Mooney, Morris could have called one of their two remaining timeouts, giving them the ball at their own 44-yard line with 32 seconds left, at worst. Instead, the Falcons tried to run another play, costing themselves 20 seconds and gaining no yards, then eventually settled for an ill-fated 56-yard field-goal attempt before losing in overtime. It was bad clock management, no matter how you spin it.

Tua Tagovailoa's status remains uncertain for Week 18, as the Dolphins cling to lean playoff hopes. Tyler Huntley did his job filling in for an injured Tua on Sunday, racking up more passing yards by halftime against the Browns than he had in the entirety of two of his three earlier starts. It was needed on a day when Miami's run game disappeared a bit. But the Dolphins certainly hope that Tagovailoa can find a way to work through his hip injury and play on Sunday against a battered Jets team that might be ready to turn the page to 2025. Huntley has shown he can get the job done in a pinch, and even though it's obvious Tua's the better option, it will be fascinating to see how this plays out this week. Mike McDaniel deserves credit for getting his team through some dark days this season, but it's going to take some luck for things to brighten up significantly with a playoff berth.

It was a disappointing end to the year, and the Cardinals came up short in their bid to knock off the Rams and continue building toward next season. James Conner couldn't quite gut it out through his knee injury, and though Kyler Murray overcame a slow start to get pretty dialed in, Arizona just couldn’t get over the hump. There's a lot to be excited about, including one of the league's best tight ends in Trey McBride, who finally hit paydirt last week and nearly took down the Rams by himself. The hand-wringing over Marvin Harrison Jr.'s rookie season felt excessive to me. I'm not sure what people expected, but he still projects to be a star from my vantage point. And Murray will be fine, too. He played better than his numbers might suggest. Arizona's defense remains a work in progress, having logged just four takeaways since Week 8, and should be a focal point again this offseason, along with the offensive line.

If you're a 49ers fan, you had to love what you saw from Ricky Pearsall against the Lions on Monday. His opportunities have been limited, but he gave the team an early spark and turned in the best game of his career four months after being shot in the chest. You can just envision all the wonderful ways Kyle Shanahan will scheme up plays to this dude the next few years. We also saw a highly motivated and dialed-in Brock Purdy, looking like a man eager to answer questions about a potential forthcoming extension with as sharp a first half as he's had this season. Then again, his two second-half interceptions turned the game in the Lions' favor, and he left late with an elbow injury and will have an MRI on Tuesday. It's been that kind of year, and it's feeling more and more like a redux of 2020. The debate over Purdy's contract will dominate the coming weeks, but there are still plenty of reasons to think a bounceback for this team is entirely possible, even if the Niners truly missed the window in which Purdy was paid at a pauper rate.

EDITOR'S UPDATE: Coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday that Purdy suffered a right elbow contusion with nerve inflammation and would likely miss Week 18 but avoided any further "long-term issues."

Sunday's 41-7 loss in Philadelphia was a disappointing downturn for a Dallas team that had routinely shown up and played hard the past month-plus. Even as banged up as the Cowboys were -- they shut down CeeDee Lamb for the season last week -- they ran out of gas quickly after a couple promising early drives. The fate of Mike McCarthy hangs in the balance -- assuming he wants to be back -- heading into the final game of the season. It seemingly could go either way, even after Dak Prescott and others have gone to bat for their coach. Prescott's nearly $90 million cap hit (that hurt to write) will once again limit what the 'Boys can do this offseason, big-swing-wise, even if they can clear up some space by shedding veteran salaries. Both lines of scrimmage and the secondary need depth, and the offense could use another playmaker or two, no matter who the coach is.

This was a sad, ugly effort by the Colts, who entered Week 17 with their playoff pulse still readable. There's no other way to say it. There were enough offensive miscues, but the defensive breakdowns were downright inexcusable. The Giants were 0-8 at home before the game and have had trouble scoring 45 points in some months this season, but they were rolling up and down the field all day. Shane Steichen seemed to have no answers after the loss for what happened, either, which is concerning. Is the team still buying in? That's what Jim Irsay is going to have to look at when asking himself what needs to change and how deep those changes must cut. Indy brass has backed Anthony Richardson as QB1 for next season, so the next question is whether Irsay believes Steichen is the best person to get the most out of the young quarterback.

At this point, do the Saints need to bring back their injured stars for Week 18? Darren Rizzi has continued to keep open the possibility of players such as Derek Carr, Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave returning, but he might be overruled on that one, even with a chance to help knock the Buccaneers out of the playoffs. Spencer Rattler’s had a few moments here and there, but by and large, he's played about how you'd expect for a rookie picked in the fifth round, especially one who was thrown into a tough situation without much of the supporting cast present. Rizzi is going for a 4-4 mark as interim coach, and his special teams have remained solid, but the defense has fallen along with the offense. It feels like changes are coming to the staff, but will this be a major offseason overhaul? That's difficult to say. Things are just murky overall with this franchise right now.

There was ample evidence that Caleb Williams alone shouldn't have shouldered the blame for the Bears' offensive struggles heading into Week 17, but the No. 1 overall pick surely was a big part of the problem in the dispiriting 6-3 loss to the Seahawks -- Chicago's fourth game this season without an offensive touchdown. The sad finish, with Williams' fluttering heave being picked off, only added to the sting. Williams took the blame afterward for "stupid sacks" (seven on the night, bringing the season total to a whopping 67) and more, but it likely fell on deaf ears after a disastrous season that few in Chicago saw coming, especially after the 4-2 start. This offseason will bring a coaching change and likely a few other big moves, but it's going to take winning consistently -- over some impressive-looking stats -- for Bears fans to fully buy in on Williams again next season. That's how far this thing has fallen.

Can't really blame Bryce Young for this one; the Panthers were blasted in Tampa. Young wasn't perfect, but he held up well vs. pressure and showed he's making incremental improvements. Is it painful to watch the last two QBs Carolina ran off, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, enjoy spectacular seasons elsewhere? Absolutely. But the Panthers can't cleanse those old sins without putting Young in the best position possible, hoping he keeps developing. They'd be wise to keep Adam Thielen around next year, too, even if they'd love to get younger and shed cost. Thielen has been Young's most reliable target and a strong mentor and leader for players such as Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette. Losing Chuba Hubbard for the final two games was a blow for an offense trying to gain momentum heading into the offseason. But the defense needs major improvement this offseason after another brutal day. That group has taken a noticeable step backward.

Aaron Rodgers made history Sunday, becoming the NFL's most-sacked quarterback of all time after taking four against the Bills in a demoralizing performance that ended with him sitting out most of the fourth quarter while backup Tyrod Taylor led two meaningless scoring drives late. Rodgers also had another career first, earning an unnecessary roughness penalty after one of his two interceptions in what could be his penultimate game as a Jet. And he's stuck on 499 career TD passes as he tries to become the fifth member of the 500 club. Perhaps he does it in Week 18 against the Dolphins, but it's hard to view his New York experience -- assuming this is it -- as anything but an abject failure. The Jets could opt to bring him back, but that likely wouldn't make Garrett Wilson pleased. Then again, Gang Green likely will need someone to man the QB spot next year. We're fast approaching another major offseason of changes in Gotham.

The Raiders have followed up their 10-game losing streak with two straight wins, and they could make it three in a row in Week 18 against a Chargers team that might sit Justin Herbert and others. Bully for Antonio Pierce, who seemingly is fighting for his job as head coach. Now that the Raiders' chances of landing the No. 1 overall draft pick have gone up in smoke, they might as well try to win out. Brock Bowers has been a revelation as a rookie, breaking Mike Ditka's 63-year-old receiving record for first-year tight ends, and he figures to be a major piece for whoever coaches the team next year -- and whoever ends up quarterbacking it. Aidan O'Connell deserves at least a shot at competing for that latter honor, although it wouldn't be stunning to see the Raiders try to add someone of note to the QB room.

The Jaguars' crowning achievement this season ended up being a sweep of the Titans in a pair of late-season, one-score games after Trevor Lawrence hit injured reserve. And I suppose, while we're scrounging for silver linings amid lost seasons, the Jaguars were actually more competitive (despite a slightly worse record) in home games this year than they were in 2023. But the true beacon of light is first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr., who immediately emerged as one of the better young weapons in the NFL. He's played at a rookie level we've seen a few times before in Jacksonville, similar to Josh Hines-Allen and Jalen Ramsey, where you just knew they'd continue developing into star players. Who knows what the future holds for head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke, or even Lawrence, for that matter? But the franchise certainly didn't screw up the Thomas pick, and that's something. This situation doesn't require a total teardown, but there's ample work needed across the depth chart, especially on defense.

On the one hand, you love seeing down-and-out teams like the Giants gum up for a late-season stand and play well -- you know, to give the fans a little something to cheer about. On the other, beating the Colts significantly hurt New York's chances of landing the top pick in the draft. The Giants entered the final week of last season in the No. 5 slot and beat the Eagles, sliding to six. That, as many Giants fans know, dropped them another slot away from the top-range quarterbacks in the 2024 class. They did ultimately land WR Malik Nabers, who certainly has shown he can be a star this season (even with subpar quarterbacking), but the fear is that they might push themselves outside the area where the top quarterbacks most often are drafted. There are a million things to figure out this offseason, starting with any coach/GM moves that may or may not happen, but that QB-draft conundrum looms as a big one.

For as many bad quarterback performances as the Browns have delivered in recent years, you could make a decent case that Dorian Thompson-Robinson had as rough an outing as we've seen from that team in a minute. Sure, three Jerry Jeudy drops didn't help, but DTR averaged 3.6 yards per attempt, was strip-sacked, threw an ugly pick and had three intentional grounding calls against him. It will be fascinating to see how the Browns handle the QB position in the offseason. Deshaun Watson apparently will be back, but Cleveland has to add a passer who at least can threaten Watson for the starting job at some point, preferably one whose skills match what Kevin Stefanski seeks. The draft feels like the most likely route, and the Browns appear to be in good shape to get one there if they want to.

The Patriots now find themselves back at the bottom of the league standings -- or, if you're the glass-half-full type, at the top of the 2025 NFL Draft order. They earned some cred for a strong-effort loss in Buffalo, but getting demolished by the Chargers at home -- in a half-empty Gillette Stadium -- undercut any decent vibes that might have lingered. Jerod Mayo is under fire, despite recent reporting suggesting owner Robert Kraft might show some patience and give the first-year head coach more time to straighten things out. The decision to reinsert Drake Maye on Saturday -- after the rookie quarterback took a big hit early -- was questionable, even if Maye proceeded to lead the Pats on their only scoring drive of the game. Some players' pointed postgame comments, such as those of Keion White, didn't reflect terribly well on the coaches -- or ownership, for that matter. There's a lot to figure out in the coming days and weeks in Foxborough, but if I were running this team, I'd sit Maye for a pointless Week 18 game, start Joe Milton III and ultimately use the high first-round pick to build around Maye and whomever else Kraft and Co. bring back in 2025.

It's never fun losing twice to a four-win team in the same season, and Tennessee has managed just one home victory all year: an overtime triumph over the lowly Patriots. The Titans are now heading into an offseason where it's unclear what direction they'll go in at quarterback. Everything is seemingly on the table, with the team in line for a feasibly high enough draft slot to secure a rookie signal-caller. Or perhaps Tennessee will go the veteran route for a quicker fix. Whether Will Levis or Mason Rudolph, an impending free agent, are part of that mix remains to be seen. Neither has thrived in Brian Callahan's offense, and it would be tough to sell either as anything more than a bridge option or a No. 2 for next season. There's a lot to fix here outside of QB, but getting that spot right is a crucial first step.