2026-27 NFL Record and Playoff Predictions

NFC West 

1. Los Angeles Rams 14-3 (5-1 vs Division) – 2nd Seed 
2. Seattle Seahawks 12-5 (3-3 vs Division) – 5th Seed 
3. San Francisco 49ers 7-10 (2-4 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 
4. Arizona Cardinals 3-14 (2-4 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 

The best summary of the NFC West headed into the 2026 season is that it’s led by the favorite to win the Super Bowl and the reigning Super Bowl champion. Taking up the rear is an aging roster with a significant injury history – the 49ers – and a roster that may be gradually improving but will continue to struggle by being so far behind its divisional rivals – the Cardinals.  

I expect the Seahawks to take a slight step back this year but should comfortably remain a top four to five team in the NFC. The Rams will likely be the most dominant defense in the NFL, only strengthened by the additions of Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald. As for the offense still headlined by Matthew Stafford, expect more offensive fireworks in Los Angeles as long as Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and Kyren Williams stay healthy.  

 

NFC South 

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 8-9 (4-2 vs Division) – 4th Seed 
2. Carolina Panthers 7-10 (3-3 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 
3. New Orleans Saints 5-12 (2-4 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 
4. Atlanta Falcons 3-14 (3-3 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 

The NFC South is on a direct path to once again staking their claim as the worst division in the NFL. The Baker Mayfield led Buccaneers will be looking to get revenge this year after Bryce Young’s Carolina Panthers stole the division title right at the end of the 2025 regular season. Due to Carolina’s injury issues on the offensive line in the preseason, expect the Buccaneers to snag an early lead in the race. The first team to eight or nine wins will then get that fourth seed as the worst of the seven playoff teams in the NFC.  

The New Orleans Saints may show flashes of improvement but are still several major moves away from being competitive – including a new quarterback in 2027 as I expect Tyler Shough to have a catastrophic sophomore slump. The Falcons will likely wish they could trade places with the Saints though as the second oldest team in the NFL will likely have a mind-numbingly boring offense under Kevin Stefanski’s command, and the defense is extremely weak on paper. Bijan Robinson may be the only reason this team will be worth watching in 2026.  

 

NFC East 

1. Philadelphia Eagles 14-3 (4-2 vs Division) – 1st Seed 
2. Dallas Cowboys 9-8 (5-1 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 
3. Washington Commanders 8-9 (2-4 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 
4. New York Giants 5-12 (1-5 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs

The Philadelphia Eagles have a relatively easy schedule this season and with a loaded roster on both sides of the ball, they should be neck and neck with the Rams as not only the best team in the NFC but likely in the entire NFL. With the Eagles likely locking up the division with five to six weeks to go, the real battle will come down to the Dallas Cowboys versus the Washington Commanders for the runner-up position.  

The Dallas defense was poor last season, but Caleb Downs, Rashan Gary, and Quinnen Williams should make enough of a difference to turn this into an average defense. With a strong offense and respectable defense, they’ll likely just edge out the Commanders who are desperate to get a full season out of Jayden Daniels at quarterback. Regardless, neither team makes the playoffs this season.  

As for the Giants, their defense is a top 10 group on paper. The problem is that a lackluster offense with average to below average quarterback play and below average running back talent will lead to the defense struggling to stay off the field. That’s not a recipe for winning football games.  

 

NFC North 

1. Chicago Bears 11-6 (4-2 vs Division) – 3rd Seed  
2. Detroit Lions 11-6 (3-3 vs Division) – 6th Seed 
3. Green Bay Packers 10-7 (3-3 vs Division) – 7th Seed  
4. Minnesota Vikings 6-11 (2-4 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 

The most competitive division in the NFL this season will be the NFC North. Expect the Bears, Lions and Packers to be in a dog fight for home field advantage in the playoffs all the way to Week 18 of the regular season. Even though I have the Bears winning the division via tiebreaker over the Lions, both the Lions and Packers will still secure Wild Card births.  

The Minnesota Vikings are clearly destined to be the odd team out this season when it comes to competing in this division. They have the worst defense and the worst overall offense, especially when Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson start struggling with injuries again. Kyler Murray will be an improvement over the incompetent J.J. McCarthy at quarterback, but that won’t be enough to overcome the talent deficit compared to the rest of the North.  

  

AFC West 

1. Kansas City Chiefs 13-4 (3-3 vs Division) – 1st Seed  
2. Denver Broncos 12-5 (4-2 vs Division) – 5th Seed  
3. Los Angeles Chargers 9-8 (3-3 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 
4. Las Vegas Raiders 5-12 (2-4 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 

Even though the Broncos put on a show in 2025 and without the Bo Nix injury had a good shot at the Super Bowl, Patrick Mahomes is back and should be healthy which makes it hard to doubt Kansas City. Mahomes clicking with Rashee Rice, Travis Kelce and the addition of reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker at running back could spell trouble for the AFC. The Broncos offense will be good with a healthy J.K. Dobbins and newly acquired Jaylen Waddle complimenting Courtland Sutton, but they’re not quite the Chiefs. The top five Broncos defense will be what keeps this team in the hunt come January.  

The Chargers will likely be very up and down this year, causing them to miss the playoffs. When they’re imposing physicality on offense, they’ll look like a playoff contender. When they have to rely on the passing game, I’m not confident that they have the firepower outside of Ladd McConkey to be a true threat. The Chargers at least have more to work with than the Raiders though. Kirk Cousins will start the year, likely have some struggles due to an aging arm and lack of wide receiver talent, then after enough losses first overall pick Fernando Mendoza will get his chance. Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers will offer some promise, but 2026 isn’t the year Vegas gets lucky – give me the house and the house once again says Kansas City.  

 

AFC South  

1. Houston Texans 12-5 (4-2 vs Division) – 3rd Seed 
2. Jacksonville Jaguars 11-6 (5-1 vs Division) – 7th Seed 
3. Indianapolis Colts 6-11 (2-4 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs  
4. Tennessee Titans 3-14 (1-5 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 

 The AFC South will ultimately come down to the Jaguars offense versus the Texans defense. At the end of last season, Liam Coen and Grant Udinski had the Jags offense soaring. Even though Travis Etienne is now in New Orleans, Trevor Lawrence is the true key. If he picks up where he left off with Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers and Brenton Strange, then this team will once again be strong. The Texans will probably be a top three defense with Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter wreaking havoc in the opposing backfield. Where I give Houston the slight advantage over Jacksonville is if C.J. Stroud has a better year than in 2025. Expect that to happen with the one-two punch of David Montgomery and Woody Marks forcing the defense to load the box, providing more 1v1 opportunities for Nico Collins and company.  

The Colts aren’t getting off to that fluky hot start this year, as Jonathan Taylor and Tyler Warren will try to carry an offense that is missing a true star wide receiver and a good starting quarterback.  The Titans will once again be bottom feeders with some flashes of quality from Cam Ward thanks to Carnell Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson. However, the running game with Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears will be what really holds this offense back. Beyond the front four on defense, the Titans don’t have a lot of appeal at the second or third level yet.  

 

AFC East 

1. New England Patriots 12-5 (4-2 vs Division) – 2nd Seed 
2. Buffalo Bills 11-6 (4-2 vs Division) – 6th Seed  
3. New York Jets 5-12 (2-4 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 
4. Miami Dolphins 1-16 (1-5 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 

The AFC East will be an interesting division in 2026 for several reasons: The New England Patriots are fresh off a Super Bowl loss and should be competitive again, the Buffalo Bills are led by the current best quarterback in the league – Josh Allen, and the Miami Dolphins will be so close to a 0-17 season, but the Jets will save them from the humiliation because the Jets are the Jets.  

Mike Vrabel looked like a distraction several months ago, but I expect the Patriots to be well-balanced and well coached once again which keeps them on top of the East. The Bills will likely be the same as normal in recent history – a playoff contender who just can’t quite get there. I do expect the Jets to have some okay moments with Geno Smith and as a result better numbers for Garrett Wilson, but they should be a bottom five to seven team in the league.  

Last but also least by a long shot, the Miami Dolphins have an abysmal roster and will struggle mightily this season. Malik Willis is by no means an NFL starting quarterback, and Kyle McCord is the worst backup quarterback in the league as well. What doesn’t help the matter is that the Dolphins wide receiver room is terrible. De’Von Achane is the lone star on offense and frankly could lead the team in receptions as a running back. The defense is also well below average but are destined to fail thanks to the offense as they’ll be on the field 75 percent of each game.  

 

AFC North 

1. Pittsburgh Steelers 12-5 (6-0 vs Division) – 4th Seed 
2. Baltimore Ravens 11-6 (3-3 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 
3. Cincinnati Bengals 9-8 (3-3 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 
4. Cleveland Browns 6-11 (0-6 vs Division) – Miss Playoffs 

Let’s start with the Cleveland Browns in the AFC North. The young core talent involving the second-year players like Mason Graham, Quinshon Judkins, Harold Fannin Jr., and Carson Schwesinger is excellent. Not to mention the rookies such as Spencer Fano, KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston, and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren warrant some high expectations. As a result, this team can best be summarized as a very young roster with a ton of potential. The starting offensive line should improve this season with the additions of Elgton Jenkins, Tytus Howard, and Zion Johnson. Even the Myles Garrett trade should prove to be beneficial by capitalizing on his value with multiple early round draft picks and an excellent pass rusher/leader in Jared Verse. Where this all comes crashing down in 2026 for the Browns is concerns over the offensive line depth and especially the quarterback options.  

Unpopular opinion among Cleveland fans but in a quarterback battle between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, Watson should get the initial nod. The Browns need to once and for all make a final decision regarding whether Watson will be on this roster moving forward. At the same time, Todd Monken would like to see if he can find anything left in Watson that replicates the Houston version of Watson, which Kevin Stefanski was unable to find. Assuming Watson struggles again, Sanders will get his opportunity relatively early in the season. Then the Browns can evaluate if Sanders should remain on this roster beyond 2026 because due to his popularity, keeping him would make it difficult for a rookie in 2027 to be comfortably handed the job without a ton of unwanted noise.  

I expect the young talent to shine again, the Browns offense to look more competent at times, and the defense to not lose much of a step from last season. However, poor quarterback play will lead to major struggles against the division, and a 6-11 season will mean that Cleveland will be sitting in the top 10 of the 2027 NFL Draft with their sights set on a quarterback.  

Now turning to the rest of the division, the Cincinnati Bengals just need Joe Burrow to stay healthy. When he’s on the field with Chase Brown, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, Cincinnati has one of the most electric offenses in the league. Almost as concerning as keeping Burrow healthy in recent times though is the quality of their defense. The Bengals took that seriously this offseason on the defensive line with additions of Dexter Lawrence II, Jonathan Allen, and Boye Mafe. They’ll be much better against the run, but not yet ready to be a top 10 caliber defense. Cincinnati will finish with a winning record but still fall short of the playoffs.  

Now the division comes down to the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers per usual. The Ravens might be the favorite to win the AFC North, but I actually foresee this going a different direction. Baltimore’s already strong defense on paper improved with Trey Hendrickson coming over from Cincinnati. However, they underperformed much of last season, especially against the pass. I think they’ll take strides in the right direction but not completely flip the script. On offense, Lamar Jackson is still electric as a runner, average as a passer, and doesn’t seem to do much beyond December. Derrick Henry is aging and starting to lose some of his explosiveness, and Mark Andrews may not be a true star at tight end anymore after a disappointing campaign in 2025.  Zay Flowers is a huge bright spot for the offense and I expect him to get the ball a ton this season, but this offense may be a little too up and down for my liking. As a result, the Ravens finish the season as runners up in the AFC North and miss the playoffs on tie breakers to the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars.  

That leaves the Pittsburgh Steelers as the division winners. The front seven on defense is one of the toughest in the league. In 2025, the weakness was in the secondary but expect that problem to resolve this year with the additions of Jamel Dean and Jaquon Brisker. With a stout defense, 2026 hinges on the offense for the Steelers. Aaron Rodgers needs to call it quits, and I’m not convinced he makes it through the season. Will Howard may be more ready right now, but rookie Drew Allar has the intangibles to be the long-term answer at QB for this franchise. Regardless of what happens at this position in the near future, the wide receiver room and running back room both improved this offseason. DK Metcalf actually has solid support with Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard out wide. In the backfield, Rico Dowdle backing up Jaylen Warren makes for a respectable one-two punch. The depth on the offensive line might not be great, but the starting offensive line should be fine if healthy. There will be some sort of first year spark under Mike McCarthy as you sometimes see with a new coach, and this roster doesn’t have enough holes to not perform this year. They won’t be much of a threat in the postseason, but as for the regular season, they’ll be tough.  

 

Full Regular Season Game-by-Game Predictions and Super Bowl Winner Below:  

Wild Card Round 

AFC 

(2) New England over (7) Jacksonville 

(6) Buffalo over (3) Houston 

(5) Denver over (4) Pittsburgh 

NFC 

(2) Los Angeles over (7) Green Bay 

(3) Chicago over (6) Detroit 

(5) Seattle over (4) Tampa Bay 

 

Divisional Round 

AFC 

(1) Kansas City over (6) Buffalo  

(5) Denver over (2) New England 

NFC 

(1) Philadelphia over (5) Seattle 

(2) Los Angeles over (3) Chicago 

 

Conference Championships 

AFC 

(1) Kansas City over (5) Denver 

NFC 

(2) Los Angeles over (1) Philadelphia 

 

Super Bowl 

Los Angeles Rams over Kansas City Chiefs