Tomorrow, the 2025-26 NFL regular season kicks off with a Thursday Night Football Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. It all leads up to Super Bowl LX on February 8th, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Before the NFL season begins, let’s take a look at who will make the playoffs and which team will be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy when all is said and done.
AFC
North
Baltimore Ravens
When it comes to the AFC North, the Ravens are head and shoulders above everybody else. The Browns are a joke, the Bengals are a defensive atrocity, and the Steelers are banking on a 41-year-old quarterback to lead them to the promised land.
The Ravens have one of the four best quarterbacks in the NFL, as well as an elite coach in John Harbaugh. Running back Derrick Henry shows no signs of slowing down, while the defense is littered with playmakers across the board, like Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith, and Kyle Van Noy. This should once again be a team that wins 11 or more regular-season games.
East
Buffalo Bills
The Bills are coming off their fifth straight AFC East divisional crown. The Jets and Dolphins are not a real threat to dethrone Buffalo. The New England Patriots could make the Bills sweat, but I think the Pats are more of a Wild Card team than a division winner. Don’t be shocked, though, if they split the season series with Buffalo.
Josh Allen is coming off his best season as a pro, while Buffalo’s young wide receivers and tight ends enter this year another year older and wiser. This will be the season that either Keon Coleman or Dalton Kincaid takes a big leap forward. On the other side of the ball, the defense has several new contributors (including Joey Bosa) and already has established a foundation with guys like Ed Oliver, Christian Benford, Greg Rousseau, Terrel Bernard, etc. As long as Josh Allen doesn’t regress and the Bills can be dominant at home, they’ll run away with this division.
South
Houston Texans
Houston should be favored to win this division until proven otherwise. The Tennessee Titans could make some noise in the AFC South now that they have figured out their quarterback position, but they are still another year away from becoming a playoff contender. The Colts and Jaguars are not at all threats to win the division, but Jacksonville at least has a chance to be better than they were last year, unlike Indy.
Like I said in my AFC preview, the Texans have the best head coach, defense, and quarterback in the division. C.J. Stroud might not have taken that next step during the regular season, but he was still very good in the playoffs. Plus, the defense added impactful players like Sheldon Rankins and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who will help this group once again finish ranked in the top ten statistically. Houston just needs to make sure it does everything it can to protect C.J. Stroud, who has taken the second-most sacks in the NFL since coming into the league in 2023.
West
Kansas City Chiefs
Is Patrick Mahomes still the Chiefs’ starting quarterback? Yes. Are Andy Reid and Steve Spagnuolo still calling the plays in KC? Yes. As long as the answers to those two questions are “yes,” then the Kansas City Chiefs will win the AFC West. That has been the case since Patrick Mahomes became the full-time starter in 2018.
The Chiefs made some improvements offensively by shoring up the offensive line and using a first-round draft pick on Josh Simmons, a guy who I adamantly believe would’ve been drafted in the top ten had he not gotten hurt last year. They’ll also start a former second-round pick at left guard after getting rid of Joe Thuney. And when he returns to the field, Rashee Rice will emerge as the number-one wideout in KC’s offense. Pair that with a defense that only lost one true starter, and you have the Chiefs winning the AFC West divisional crown for a tenth consecutive year.
Wild Card Teams
1. New England Patriots
The Pats have everything you want in an up-and-coming team. They’ve got the promising, young quarterback, the savvy head coach who has shown he can turn teams around, investments in the trenches, and a slew of playmakers that are either young or well-established. Considering the Pats will get to play a fourth-place schedule that includes games against the Giants, the Jets twice, the Dolphins twice, the Browns, the Panthers, and the Saints, New England should be able to pull off some unexpected wins and put together a 10-7 or 11-6 record, earning them the top Wild Card spot in the AFC.
2. Denver Broncos
The Broncos’ division is an absolute meat grinder. The AFC West had three playoff teams last year and could have four this year with the marked improvements that the Las Vegas Raiders made this off-season. Thankfully for Denver, they have games against the Jaguars, Titans, Colts, Jets, Giants, and Cowboys, all matchups they should win. If they can split the season series against Vegas, Kansas City, and Los Angeles, that already puts them at nine wins. After that, they can return to the playoffs by stealing a win against the Packers, Ravens, Texans, Commanders, Eagles, or Bengals.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers is pissed off and has something to prove to the NFL after basically being laughed out of New York. Considering how vengeful this guy can be, expect him to return to Pro Bowl form. Even if he puts up the same numbers this year as he did last season, that should be good enough to lead the Steelers to the playoffs. 28 passing touchdowns and only 11 interceptions, combined with that defense and coaching staff, is a recipe for success.
NFC
North
Detroit Lions
Top-to-bottom, the Detroit Lions have the most complete roster in their division. The Packers have secondary issues. The Vikings’ season depends on the youngest starting quarterback in the NFL being good. The Chicago Bears have a rookie head coach and questions at both tackle spots. Even with a new offensive and defensive coordinator, the Lions should win the NFC North, especially with all of the injured players they are getting back from last year.
Detroit’s offensive weapons are fear-inducing. Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Jameson Williams, David Montgomery, the list goes on and on. They are breaking in some new guys along the offensive line, but they still have Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker manning the edges, which gives them an advantage over most defenses. As long as their defense doesn’t suffer as many injuries as it did last year, that unit will be good enough to stop opponents from keeping pace with the Lions’ offense. Barring an injury to Penei Sewell, Jahmyr Gibbs, or Jared Goff, Detroit will be back in the postseason for a third consecutive year.
East
Philadelphia Eagles
The Washington Commanders are the only legitimate threat to the Eagles when it comes to winning the NFC East. The Cowboys’ defense will not be able to stop teams from scoring, while the Giants’ offense still lacks the firepower and quarterback to make any real noise in the division. With the Commanders facing a slew of strong defensive teams, Philly is poised to win the East for the third time in the last four seasons.
The offensive line returns all but one starter, right guard Mekhi Becton, who is being replaced by an incredibly promising former third-round pick named Tyler Steen, who is an absolute monster at 6’6″ and 321 lbs.. With Saquon Barkley running behind that line, he will probably finish the season as the best running back in the NFL. That will make it easy for quarterback Jalen Hurts to continue building on the Super Bowl MVP performance he put up in February. On top of that, the defense still has game-wreckers at every level with Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Zack Baun, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean. Philly should easily finish the regular season with at least 11 wins.
South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers could run away with their division if Michael Penix Jr. doesn’t take that next step for the Atlanta Falcons. The Carolina Panthers are still a year or two away from being competitive. Meanwhile, the Saints will probably be one of the three worst teams in the NFL. There’s a chance that Tampa is the first team to win its division this season.
I said in my NFC preview that the Buccaneers could have the most balanced offensive attack in the NFL this season. They have three number-one wide receivers and two number-one running backs, as well as a top-ten quarterback in Baker Mayfield. They also bring back many starters on a defense that was ranked in the top ten in rushing yards allowed and sacks. If their young cornerbacks can make a quick transition from college to the pro level, then this team will definitely win the NFC South and maybe even some playoff games.
West
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are basically the only team in the NFC West that isn’t going through major changes at key positions. The 49ers lost multiple starters, the Cards restructured their defensive line, and the Seahawks have a new quarterback. If LA can split its series against Seattle, San Fran, and Arizona, then they have an easy enough remaining schedule to win the division.
Matthew Stafford is a warrior who has always done his best to play through injuries. We all remember when he threw a game-winning touchdown pass with a separated shoulder. Though a back injury is very different, he should still be able to sling the ball all over the field and lead an offense that has arguably the best trio of playmakers in the NFL with Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams, and Davante Adams. This defense, which is one of the youngest in the league, will also take another step forward after averaging eight sacks a game in the playoffs. It is worth saying, though, that the Rams are screwed if Matthew Stafford’s injury gets worse.
Wild Card Teams
1. San Francisco 49ers
With the full services of Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, and Trent Williams, the 49ers’ offense will be better this year as opposed to last season, when they averaged 22.9 points per game (tied for 13th in the league). Factor in a cupcake schedule that includes games against the Panthers, Browns, Colts, Titans, Jaguars, and Giants, and San Francisco will return to the playoffs as the top Wild Card team in the NFC.
2. Green Bay Packers
When healthy, Jordan Love is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL who can actually win you games. Plus, the addition of Micah Parsons will help this defense take that next step, going from good to great. If they can go 3-3 in their division and beat the Cowboys, Browns, Panthers, Bengals, and Cardinals, there’s a strong possibility this team will find enough wins elsewhere on the schedule to make the playoffs.
3. Washington Commanders
If Jayden Daniels puts up similar numbers to the ones he had last season, then the Commanders will be in the playoffs this year. Granted, they have a tough schedule, but with four games against the Cowboys and Giants as well as home matchups against the Dolphins, Seahawks, and Raiders, Washington should find a way to squeak out nine or ten wins, which should be enough to earn a playoff spot in the NFC.
Super Bowl LX
Baltimore Ravens vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Baltimore Ravens are far too talented to continue to be trapped in playoff purgatory. With another MVP-caliber season from Lamar Jackson, and the Chiefs’ dynasty looking the weakest it has been since Patrick Mahomes’ first Super Bowl win, this is the season that the Ravens get over the hump and make it back to the Big Game for the first time in 13 years.
The Philadelphia Eagles will eventually take on the Detroit Lions with a spot in the Super Bowl on the line. Philly’s offensive line will be able to neutralize Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill. And, as we saw last season, the Lions struggle with running quarterbacks, so Jalen Hurts should take advantage of Detroit’s shaky secondary. Plus, they have Saquon Barkley, the best player in football. The Lions won’t have an answer for his explosiveness on the ground and through the air.
The Eagles and Ravens are mirror images of one another. They have talented running quarterbacks, elite running backs, and stalwart defenses that can generate an effective pass rush without having to send extra blitzers. Unfortunately for Philly fans, Lamar Jackson is much better at avoiding pressure than Jalen Hurts, who was sacked 13 times in the playoffs last year. That will be the difference in Super Bowl LX.
Ravens win 30-28
