2026 Super Bowl Predictions Picks As The Nfl Playoffs Kick Off

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 11, 2026, 12:03 AM

2026 super bowl predictions picks as the nfl playoffs kick off

Wild Card Weekend is here, and Super Bowl Sunday is right around the corner. Get expert picks and predictions from Covers ahead of Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. The NFL playoffs have finally arrived, which means Super Bowl LX is less than a month away! With all eyes on who will face off in the big game in Santa Clara on February 8, our Super Bowl predictions have you covered on how to bet several markets leading up to... Anytime Touchdown Pick: Davante Adams (+500 at DraftKings) The Los Angeles Rams have been counted out by some since blowing the division down the stretch, but that skepticism isn't warranted.

The Rams' Puka Nacua, the 49ers' Christian McCaffrey and the Bills' Josh Allen are among the most compelling figures in the NFL playoffs. Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; Nick Antaya / Getty, Icon Sportswire / Getty, Brooke Sutton/ Getty The Athletic has live coverage of Packers vs. Bears from the NFL playoffs wild-card round. Picking a Super Bowl champion this season should come with a warning label: Do so at your own risk. But The Athletic’s NFL staff still welcomed the daunting task of predicting how the most unpredictable NFL playoffs in recent memory will unfold when the postseason kicks off Saturday.

Our writers were asked a variety of questions — which team is under the most pressure, who will win the AFC and NFC titles, who will win the Super Bowl — and understandably, nearly... Our writers’ explanations are below, if you want to hold them to their predictions. The 2025 NFL regular season has concluded, paving the way for the action-packed playoffs. This Saturday, the postseason kicks off with the much-anticipated NFL wild-card round. A total of 14 teams are in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl 60, set to take place in Santa Clara on Feb. 8.

The Philadelphia Eagles will attempt to make history by trying to secure back-to-back Super Bowl victories - an achievement accomplished by nine teams in the history of the sport. On the other hand, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans aim to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in their franchises' histories. Among the contenders, the Buffalo Bills stand out as one of the seven AFC teams eager to seize an opportunity in a postseason that lacks the formidable presence of Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson or... A question remains: is there a sleeper team that might rise to prominence from either conference? Before the six wild-card matchups begin, the USA TODAY Sports team gathers around the table to share predictions and insights on which teams will emerge victorious in the AFC and NFC Championships, and who... The road to Super Bowl 60 starts this weekend.

Fourteen teams enter the playoffs but only one will lift the Lombardi Trophy on February 8. The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos earned first-round byes after finishing 14-3. Twelve other teams must battle through Wild Card Weekend to keep their championship dreams alive. This playoff bracket features defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia fighting to repeat. Young quarterbacks like Drake Maye and Caleb Williams make their postseason debuts. Veterans like Aaron Rodgers might be playing their final games.

We break down every game from Wild Card Weekend through Super Bowl 60 with detailed analysis and final scores. Disclaimer: These predictions represent our expert analysis before the playoffs begin. We will update this article with actual results after each round finishes. Check back after Wild Card Weekend, Divisional Round and Conference Championships for updated predictions based on real outcomes. Carolina backed into the playoffs at 8-9 by winning a weak NFC South. The Panthers scored just 16 points per game over their final four contests.

Matthew Stafford leads the NFL with 4,743 passing yards and a stunning 48-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio. The Rams get wide receiver Davante Adams back from injury. Adams leads the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns despite missing three games. The experience gap between Stafford and Bryce Young matters in January. Stafford won Super Bowl LVI and thrives under pressure. Young has never played a playoff game.

Carolina’s defense allowed 102 points in their final four weeks. The Rams want revenge after losing 31-28 to Carolina in Week 13. Last Updated: January 9, 2026 8:00 AM EST • 9 minute read X Social Google News Link With the 2026 NFL playoffs kicking off this weekend, I'm breaking down the entire field with my NFL playoff bracket predictions for every game from Wild Card Weekend to the Super Bowl - including... In addition to our experts' NFL playoff predictions for every wild-card matchup this weekend, here are my bracket picks and score predictions along with my pick to hoist the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, Feb. 8, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

Check out our free printable NFL playoff bracket for the full playoff schedule, or click on the bracket image below to fill out your own bracket for the 2026 NFL playoffs. The Panthers won this exact matchup six weeks ago by controlling the ball and forcing Matthew Stafford into multiple miscues, which is clearly the roadmap for pulling off the home upset on Wild Card... Carolina should be able to run the ball again, but I trust Matthew Stafford - who tops our NFL playoff QB rankings - to take care of the football this time around and make... The NFL playoffs begin with six games in the wild-card round this weekend. But there's a lot more action coming in the NFL postseason in the weeks ahead. Who will win the divisional round games?

Who will win the AFC championship game? Who will win the NFC championship game? Who will win the Super Bowl? Check out our NFL playoff picks and NFL playoff predictions for the entire NFL postseason. The Denver Broncos are the No. 1 seed in the AFC, while the Seattle Seahawks have the top seed in the NFC.

Could they meet in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026? All times MST. Buckle up, folks — it's playoff season in the NFL. The 2025 season was an abnormal one, and the postseason bracket exemplifies that. Both No.

1 seeds from last year — the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions — failed to make the playoffs, and the AFC is without Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson. Teams such as the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears and New England Patriots all took major leaps forward this year. The Seahawks and Broncos have the byes in each conference to the divisional round, with their defense propelling them to the top of the standings. Below are Sporting News' predictions for the 2026 NFL playoffs, complete with updated Super Bowl 60 picks. Our NFL experts break down the brackets and project which players will break out, which contenders will break down, and which teams will break through during the postseason. Bill Bender: Buffalo Bills.

Kansas City isn't in the way this year. Josh Allen is 7-2 against everybody else in the playoffs – but the only thing holding us back is that Buffalo will have to prove it on the road. Allen is 0-4 on the road in the postseason and the path starts at Jacksonville. The Jaguars have allowed more than 20 points one time through a seven-game win streak. Our NFL writers have made their Super Bowl picks. Between them, they picked six teams to make the big game and three of them to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

The AFC is wide open without the Chiefs or Ravens involved this season, although that could mean a clear path for the Bills to finally break through. In the NFC, four of our writers had the Rams making it to Santa Clara. Let’s start here: the Rams are the most complete team in football. We know what Matthew Stafford is capable of — he’s turned in an MVP-worthy season at 37 — but he’s supported by a rushing attack that played its best ball down the stretch, averaging... Combine that with a defensive front that can play at an elite level, you have a Los Angeles team that will be very difficult to stop, even with a tough road to Super Bowl... 5 seed.

On the AFC side, the Texans have a defense capable of leading them all the way to Santa Clara — even if it showed some cracks down the stretch. The big question is its offense, which has underwhelmed all season. But C.J. Stroud has shown enough in critical moments and has the kind of playoff experience early in his career that, combined with Houston’s defensive prowess, gives the Texans a path to the Super Bowl in... The 2026 NFL playoff bracket is set, beginning with six star-studded matchups set to unfold over Wild Card Weekend. All 14 teams are vying to get to Super Bowl LX, which is set to be played in Santa Clara, Calif., on Feb.

8. The Philadelphia Eagles enter the 2026 NFL playoffs as the defending Super Bowl champions and will open up their title defense with a home matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at 4:30... ET. According to the latest NFL odds at DraftKings Sportsbook, the Eagles are favored by 4.5 points at home. The over/under for Eagles vs. 49ers is 44.5.

You can bet the game here: There are also several fresh faces in the playoffs this year. In total, six teams that failed to make the postseason a year ago will be in the 2026 NFL playoffs, including the Seahawks, Patriots, Bears, 49ers, Jaguars, and Panthers. The Seahawks are the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while the Broncos hold the No. 1 seed in the AFC, and both teams will have the luxury of a bye during Wild Card Weekend.

2026 Super Bowl Predictions Picks As The Nfl Playoffs Kick Off

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