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Predicting NFL Playoff Teams and Super Bowl 2026 Winner
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- Predicting NFL Playoff Teams and Super Bowl 2026 Winner
Now that the bulk of the NFL season is in full swing, it's time to take a new look at some NFL playoff predictions for 2025.
We have our typical Super Bowl favorites and long shots, but there are also a few surprises thrown in to impact a competitive playoff picture. Below, we dive into our early playoff predictions for the 2025-26 football season, going division by division, complete with our predicted Super Bowl outcome.
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Who will be the Super Bowl 2026 winner? Check out Sportsnaut's predictions, which are updated each week during the regular season.
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings
Predicting NFL playoff teams, Super Bowl 2026 winner
AFC West champions: Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs fell short of their aspirations to become the first team to threepeat as Super Bowl winners, but now that they're not reigning champions, they're no longer at the center of the spotlight. We fully expect Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes to be at their best in 2025, likely going deep into the postseason again.
As great as the Chiefs have been, the Los Angeles Chargers took a sizable leap forward under Jim Harbaugh last year. Justin Herbert is one of the most gifted quarterbacks in the league, and as we saw in the Wild Card Round when he threw four interceptions, he still has more room for growth. Armed with more pieces on offense, plus returning an elite defense, expect the Chargers to return to the playoffs too.
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Like the Chargers, the Denver Broncos are expected to return with one of the NFL's best defenses. The offense should improve too as Bo Nix settles into his second season as the starter. Yet, there's always the chance that the Broncos' young QB experiences a bit of a sophomore slump while the rest of the division takes a step forward.
The Las Vegas Raiders finally have a franchise quarterback again, and after overhauling the coaching staff and adding Ashton Jeanty , this team should be much improved. Yet, there are still issues defensively, and aside from Brock Bowers , the Raiders still don't have enough high-quality pass-catchers.
AFC West prediction
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Kansas City Chiefs – Division winners
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Related: 2026 NFL Mock Draft
AFC North champions: Baltimore Ravens
With two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson leading the way, the Baltimore Ravens will return as top contenders. Their defense may even take a step forward as defensive coordinator Zach Orr heads into his second season as the play-caller.
The jury is still out on whether the Cincinnati Bengals ' defense is improved. If not, we could see a similar story as last year. If Cincinnati's defense is better, then Joe Burrow , Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins should have no trouble snatching a playoff spot in 2025.
With Aaron Rodgers arriving as the Pittsburgh Steelers ' starting quarterback, we anticipate a bounce-back season from the four-time NFL MVP. Plus, with an offensive line that's brimming with potential and a receiving corps led by DK Metcalf , we expect Rodgers to have more success in Pittsburgh.
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The Cleveland Browns aren't going anywhere this season. However, Joe Flacco and a top-ten defensive line that features Myles Garrett and Mason Graham should at least keep them competitive in most games this season.
AFC North prediction
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Baltimore Ravens – Division winners
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AFC South champions: Houston Texans
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C.J. Stroud experienced a bit of a sophomore slump, and the team's offensive line may have played a big factor. Yet, now that the Houston Texans have had time to reload and recalibrate, we expect them to return as top playoff contenders in 2025.
A coaching change won't solve everything. Yet, there's a strong belief that Liam Coen can get more out of Trevor Lawrence and this offense than his predecessors. Plus, adding two-way sensation Travis Hunter helps improve both sides of the ball.
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Daniel Jones will be under center for the Indianapolis Colts in 2025, at least to begin wtih. With an improved cast of pass-catchers featuring incoming star Tyler Warren , we expect the Colts to put up a strong fight as they always have under Shane Steichen, but they'll come up just shy of the postseason again.
The Tennessee Titans hope they've found a new franchise quarterback, but this roster still has a lot of holes, and there's no guarantee Cam Ward can be an instant superstar. There will likely be some growing pains for the Titans in 2025, but they're on the right track.
Related: NFL QB Rankings: From 32-1, who's the best and worst NFL QB?
AFC South prediction
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Houston Texans – Division winners
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AFC East champions: Buffalo Bills
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As the reigning NFL MVP, it's hard not to put complete confidence behind Josh Allen picking up where he left off last season. Plus, the defense added a few exciting pieces, such as Joey Bosa , Maxwell Hairston , and T.J. Sanders. Overall, the Buffalo Bills should be even better this season.
The Miami Dolphins revolve around Tua Tagovailoa . If he's not healthy, neither are the Dolphins' playoff chances. But we're not in the business of projecting injuries. We expect Mike McDaniel's offense to return to being one of the NFL's best, yet this roster does have more holes, so they could be set for implosion too.
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Mike Vrabel is taking over the New England Patriots , and he means business. Whether they've done enough to supply him with a competent offense remains to be seen. Yet, we believe Stefon Diggs can return to health and resume his effort as a top-caliber weapon, which gives the Patriots a fighting chance in the AFC East after drastically improving the defense.
Can Justin Fields maintain the momentum he started to build last season with the Steelers? If not, the New York Jets won't be headed anywhere. However, if he can use his game-breaking athleticism to set the tone while the rest of the locker room buys in, the Jets could quickly get back on the competitive path. We just don't think they have the weapons to hang.
AFC East playoff prediction
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Buffalo Bills – Division winners
Related: 2025 NFL defense rankings
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AFC Wild Card spots: Chargers, Bengals, Steelers
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No one was protecting the football better than Herbert during the regular season. When the playoffs started, it's like the shackles came off and he couldn't avoid turnovers. Once the Chargers return to the postseason, we expect a different, calmer version of Herbert that elevates his teammates. Plus, having a stronger, more consistent running game should help.
The Bengals are likely to return with a top-five offense, which gives them a fighting shot in every game they play. If Al Golden can get more out of the defense, the Bengals could be a tough out in the playoffs.
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Rodgers should be better than Russell Wilson was, and we believe the Steelers improved the rest of their roster enough to be able to hang with any team under normal circumstances. If Rodgers can return to a Pro Bowl level, the Steelers might even surprise as Super Bowl contenders.
Related: Super Bowl odds: Every team's championship futures for 2025 NFL season
NFC West champions: Los Angeles Rams
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With Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford in charge, the Los Angeles Rams return as the NFC West favorites. Cooper Kupp may be gone, but the Rams found a quick replacement in Davante Adams . Plus, Les Snead seems to have a recent knack for uncovering gems in the middle and later rounds of the NFL Draft. In other words, the Rams are winning the NFC West again.
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Jonathan Gannon is slowly turning the Arizona Cardinals into a contender, and nailing the last few draft classes surely helps. Now that Kyler Murray is another year removed from his ACL injury, we expect K1 to be at his very best. If so, it just might be enough to help the Cardinals return to the postseason for the first time since 2021, but that's not our prediction here.
Can the San Francisco 49ers bounce back in 2025 with improved health? After losing several starters on both sides of the ball, there's enough reason to believe this team could struggle again. Yet, there's also still a lot of remianing star power, with Christian McCaffrey , George Kittle , Brandon Aiyuk and Nick Bosa all angling to return to the postseason.
The Seattle Seahawks swapped Geno Smith for Sam Darnold , but will the offensive line suddenly be stable enough to provide a steady pocket to throw from? That was Darnold's downfall with the Vikings in the end, and we're skeptical that a new-look receiving corps will be as good as last season's. In other words, the Seahawks may take a step back before they can take a leap forward.
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NFC West prediction
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Los Angeles Rams – Division winners
NFC North champions: Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions lost their offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator, plus several other coaches. Will that cause a drop-off in wins too? The truth is, it's very hard to maintain success, especially when there are so many changes afoot. Yet, we believe Dan Campbell has built a strong enough foundation for the Lions to repeat as NFC North champions.
Will the Minnesota Vikings be worse without Darnold? While J.J. McCarthy is technically entering his second season, he's never played an NFL snap in a regular season game. Yet, once again, the overall strength of the roster is better than last season, so if Kevin O'Connell has his young QB ready, the Vikings should at least be able to return to the Wild Card Round.
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The Green Bay Packers get better and better every year, but will it be enough to catch up to the stiff competition in the NFC North? Matthew Golden provides the extra juice that will be missing from the lineup with Christian Watson 's injury. What about a new-look secondary without Jaire Alexander ? Adding Micah Parsons pretty much eliminates those concerns, since quarterbacks won't have long to survey the field.
The Chicago Bears may be the most improved team from last season to 2025, and new coach Ben Johnson will surely help on gameday. Will it be enough to make up the ground in the North? We still haven't seen Caleb Williams be consistent, so until he proves himself, the Bears will return to last place.
NFC North prediction
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Detroit Lions – Division winners
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NFC South champions: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Todd Bowles and Baker Mayfield have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers humming. Even after losing offensive coordinator Liam Coen, we don't expect the Bucs to fall back in 2025. After adding yet another first-round weapon in Emeka Egbuka , the Buccaneers could return in the most potent form we've seen from this core yet.
The Atlanta Falcons are supremely confident in their ability to reach the postseason. They wouldn't have traded their 2026 first-round pick if they felt differently. Yet, we still haven't seen enough from Michael Penix to count them as division winners, though the potential is certainly there.
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Is this the year the Carolina Panthers take the leap? Bryce Young is entering his third season, and the Panthers have gotten him a new weapon in Tetairoa McMillan . If Xavier Legette and company can return and show they've improved, the Panthers just might do some damage, but we still have questions after the defense allowed a historic amount of points in 2024.
It wouldn't have matterred who won the starting QB competition, the New Orleans Saints were always going to be in for a disastrous season with that group of contestants. With Spencer Rattler in charge to begin with, we expect the Saints to compete for the NFL's worst record. In other words, this will be a rebuilding year in New Orleans , but first-year head coach Kellen Moore could lead to a sharp turnaround. We just don't expect it.
NFC South prediction
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Division winners
NFC East champions: Philadelphia Eagles
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The Philadelphia Eagles have made some minor changes to their roster, but the bulk of it remains intact. With Saquon Barkley set to return, we only see the Eagles' offense getting better as Jalen Hurts gets more and more comfortable with his receivers. Plus, Howie Roseman tends to build some of the best rosters in football, and that remains true heading into a new season.
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Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders are here to stay. Barring a surprising sophomore slump, Daniels should have no trouble leading an improved roster back to the playoffs, though returning to the NFC Championship is far from a guarantee.
Getting Dak Prescott back will help the Dallas Cowboys carve out a few more wins, but have they done enough to improve the overall roster? If the offense can get back on track along with a more consistent defensive effort, the Cowboys can return to relevance. But don't expect it to happen this year after trading Micah Parsons , their best overall player.
The New York Giants have made some strong improvements on both sides of the ball. Russell Wilson , Jameis Winston , and Jaxson Dart is a much better QB group. Can the Giants find another pass-catching contributor? We think the defense will be better, but we're still skeptical that the Giants can emerge as the best out of the NFC East.
NFC East prediction
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Philadelphia Eagles – Division winners
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NFC Wild Card predictions: Commanders, Vikings, Packers
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Jayden Daniels returns with a stronger cast around him, including the addition of Deebo Samuel . Washington also has a new left tackle and a few more defensive playmakers. Add it all up, and the Commanders will easily secure a playoff spot.
With top-notch coordinators on both sides of the ball, the Vikings are poised to return to the playoffs again. Yet, it all rides on the arm and intelligence of McCarthy. Though with arguably the strongest supporting cast in football, we believe in this team's makeup.
Jordan Love is the ultimate boom-or-bust quarterback, going for the big play as often as he can. Yet, we expect him to continue improving as he gains more experience. Not to mention, his young group of receivers will only further refine their skills too. Micah Parsons is just the cherry on top.
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Related: NFL Q&A: Super Bowl LX start time, channel, date, and how to watch
Who will win Super Bowl 2025?
Who will hoist the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LX? We look at our predictions for the NFL Playoff bracket.
Who is predicted to win the Super Bowl? Let's project the path to Super Bowl LX.
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NFL playoff bracket: Full postseason predictions for AFC and NFC
AFC Playoffs
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Chiefs
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Bills
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Ravens
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Texans
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Chargers
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Bengals
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Steelers
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Wild card round: Bills over Steelers, Ravens over Bengals, Chargers over Texans
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Divisional round: Chiefs over Chargers, Bills over Ravens
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AFC Championship Game: Bills over Chiefs
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NFC Playoffs
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Eagles
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Lions
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Rams
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Buccaneers
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Commanders
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Vikings
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Packers
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Wild card round: Lions over Packers, Vikings over Rams, Commanders over Buccaneers
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Divisional round: Eagles over Vikings, Lions over Commanders
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NFC Championship Game: Eagles over Commanders
Sportsnaut predicts that the Philadelphia Eagles will defeat the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game, while the Buffalo Bills top the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
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It will set the stage for an interesting Super Bowl LX matchup between two teams with storied histories for very different reasons. The Eagles won in 2024. Meanwhile, the Bills are looking to become Super Bowl winners for the first time in franchise history.
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Super Bowl 2026:Buffalo Bills 31, Philadelphia Eagles 27
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