Every January, Josh Frey , Janik Eckardt, and Dustin Baker digitally get together for playoff predictions, and the 2025-2026 season is no different. The group also gets NBA Playoff picks on record in April, so stay tuned for those. The following is the trio's batch of playoff predictions and a collective Super Bowl winner.
It's a full staff bracket, round by round, with an upset or two, and one final team picked to win Super Bowl 60.
The playoff bracket is especially difficult to forecast this year, stuffed to the gills with unpredictability, but let's give it a whirl.
It's the path to Super Bowl 60.
Houston Texans linebacker Azeez al-Shaair celebrates alongside safety K'Von Wallace after securing an interception in the opening half, Dec. 27, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, as Houston generated early defensive momentum against the Los Angeles Chargers in a high-energy road matchup. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.
AFC Wildcard Round
(4) Texans over (5) Steelers
(6) Bills
over (3) Jaguars
(2) Patriots over (7) Chargers
Frey, Eckardt, and Baker all picked Houston — no faith in Pittsburgh . The panel also universally endorsed the Bills, which is a little strange because the Jaguars are one of the hottest teams in football.
Eckardt and Baker chose the Patriots to move on to the Divisional Round, with Frey believing that Jim Harbaugh can win his first postseason game since the San Francisco 49ers days.
NFC Wildcard Round
(5) Rams
over (4) Panthers
(3) Eagles over (6) 49ers
(2) Bears over (7) Packers
Carolina wiggling into the postseason almost feels like a prank; it won't beat Sean McVay's Rams. Eckardt was the only panel member to tab the 49ers for a win over the Eagles. Frey and Baker noted the 49ers' massive injury ledger.
Baker was the lone vote for the Packers; Frey and Eckart rolled with Chicago because of homefield advantage .
CBS Sports ' John Breech picked the Packers and noted , "This week, the Bears ability to run the football is going to be even more important because you don't want to put Caleb Williams in a situation where he has to carry the offense. I'm not saying that Williams can't do it, but I am saying that almost every quarterback making his first career playoff start tends to struggle and Williams is making his first career playoff start."
"Last year, Bo Nix and Sam Darnold were both making their first career playoff starts in the wild card round and both quarterbacks got blown out. The Packers would have pulled off the season sweep if not for a miracle onside kick recovery by the Bears in Week 16 and although Green Bay didn't get the win then, I do think they get the win here, becoming just the second seventh seed ever to pull out a win."
AFC Divisional Round
(1) Broncos
over (6) Bills
(5) Texans over (2) Patriots
There's something about the Broncos that's distrustworthy. Perhaps it's Bo Nix's lack of experience — or Vikings fans' disdain for Sean Payton. Still, VikingsTerritory believes Denver has enough juice to end Josh Allen 's fateful playoff run — the one finally without Patrick Mahomes , Lamar Jackson , or Joe Burrow around to play spoiler.
Houston has a better defense than New England , and the Texans' offensive playmakers take the cake. Drake Maye may be in the running for MVP, but the Texans have a more complete team.
NFC Divisional Round
(5) Rams over (1) Seahawks(3) Eagles over (2) Bears
Nobody associated with this website trusts Sam Darnold in big moments, not after his two Vikings faceplants in 2024. Picking the battle-tested Rams was easy for the group.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter heads toward the sideline following an early ejection in the first quarter, Sept. 4, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as tensions rose quickly during a divisional matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images.
Then, Philadelphia punched a ticket to the NFC Championship, as the Bears' "little engine that could" mojo will run out.
AFC Championship
(5) Texans over (1) Broncos
Denver's luck runs out, too, as Houston's mighty and violent defense flusters Nix to high heavens. All three VikingsTerritory writers chose Houston on the road in the AFC Championship in this matchup.
NFC Championship
(5) Rams over (3) Eagles
This was an NFC Divisional Round matchup last year, the one with Saquon Barkley 's snow-filled touchdown that set the tone. This time, the Rams are the better squad and will visit the Super Bowl for the first time since 2021 when Kevin O'Connell offensively coordinated Los Angeles .
The Ringer 's Steven Ruiz on the Rams : "I picked Los Angeles to come out of the NFC West because they have the only quarterback I trust to play well in three consecutive games against top competition. It doesn't hurt that the Rams are the best team in the division and would've had the 1-seed if not for the most bizarre two-point conversion you or I have ever seen."
Super Bowl LX
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua celebrates as the clock winds down following a hard-fought win, Dec. 8, 2024, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, capturing the emotion of a statement victory over the Buffalo Bills in front of the home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.
Rams over Texans
Stafford gets Super Bowl ring No. 2 while Houston's Cinderella run to Super Bowl LX expires. This game is noteworthy because our staff ended up picking two No. 5 seeds to reach the championship.
